Why Have Denominations?

We ought to be more concerned about what is supposed to happen within us instead of asking whether or not we really need to obey what God says to be saved and be baptised.

Lk:7:30: "But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him."


As John looked forward to the ministry and miracles of Christ, he appealed to the people, "saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand." He was successful in his ministry. Persons of all rank, high and low, rich and poor, submitted to the requirements of the prophet, as necessary for them in order to participate in the kingdom he came to declare. Many of the scribes and Pharisees came to him, confessing their sins, and were baptized of him in Jordan. The confessions made by the Pharisees astonished the prophet; for they had exalted themselves as better than other men, and had maintained a high opinion of their own piety and worthiness.

As they sought to obtain remission of their sins, and revealed the secrets of their lives, which had been covered from the eyes of men, the prophet was amazed. "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."

God told us to be baptised. He told us we need to actually repent and to bring forth fruits suitable for repentance. This means having a real change of life and surrendering all to God, giving up our old sinful ways.

The Bible says we will receive the Holy Spirit if we both repent and be baptised.

After the wonderful manifestation of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, Peter exhorted the people to repentance and baptism in the name of Christ, for the remission of their sins; and he said: "Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts 2:38, 39.

No need to analyze it to death. Just do what God tells you to do. If someone pours water over you and you dont repent of your sins, then the rite of Baotism is meaningless and an insult to God. If you do not do what God tells you to do then you are putting yourself in the same position as Eve when God specifically told her not to eat from a certain tree but she thought she could ignore what God told her to do. Anybody can rationalize things away and spiritualize them away, but it doesnt hold with God.


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Claudia Thompson

http://www.christiangraphics.org
http://www.countrymanordesigns.com
http://www.religiouscounterfeits.org
http://www.templatehog.com

 

I believe the theology of Calvin and Zwingli (with their aggressive schematic tendencies) lead to the destruction of much of Christianity in Europe. I will also say that the Holy Ghost did not lead the church to abandon the sacraments and the liturgical sacramental life of the church … that most certainly was not the work of the Holy Ghost.

I will also say this as a Confessional Lutheran. Schisms are never a good thing. Our Lord suffered death on the Cross to heal all divisions (Eph. 2:11-17). He prayed, “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (Jn. 17:21). Division is not good because it causes skepticism, confusion, unbelief and death. Schism is never good. It sad seeing all this disunity in Christendom; disunity in the Catholic church, disunity in the Orthodox Catholic Church and disunity in Protestantism.

You have to believe that there is one church … to reject that fact is to reject the faith.