Denomination

[OneLight]

I am lost....

In this thread I mean

So we should stay at home,

read our bible,

wait for the Spirit to tell us what to do,

don't talk in tongues,

don't jump up and down in worship,

only listen to, or sing pre 1900's music

don't decide to talk to other believers about what we think, because with two of us we are in danger of starting a church?

Heaven forbid!

I just started a new one man band denomination!

Lets call it, ummmm, "Boring", for better use of another name.....

Excellent example why man is not in charge!

[sdktlk]

I never said it was wrong to leave an unbiblical church. It is wrong to start your own church. This is what the denominational fathers did.

Ok... So you're in a scenario where your church has been taken over by unBiblical practices, and you have either left in obedience to the Lord's directive 'Come out and be separate' - or else the unBiblical leadership has kicked you out - and then what? If 'it is wrong to start your own church' and you can no longer go to your former church, what are you to do? Sit and twiddle your thumbs?

(In other words, if the unrighteous have taken over the church and kicked out the righteous, what are the righteous to do?)

If someone has been kicked out of the church, there probably is not much you could do unless the Lord opens a door (meant figuratively...not a pun). But if a door is opened to a negative environment then being a light unto the unrighteous to where you might influence the church in a positive way and thereby helping to get them back on track could be a start. This, of course, is where denominational rules would get in the way and I don't see church hierarchy changing "policy" based on what someone from the congregation says. But again, it all comes back to denominational rules because even if a specific church assembly decided to move away from a certain denomination due to a denominational rule that was unbiblical, they would not be able to do so and stay under the denominational umbrella. They would pretty much have to start their own assembly. But starting their own assembly does not have to equate starting a new or joining a pre-existing denomination.

Jay

The crux of the problem lies here ... The Lord Jesus said to the disciples, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Mat 7:13-14)

If we start wrong we can never end up in the same place.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Yes, the Lord Jesus is "the Way," speaking of salvation. "the Truth," speaks of understanding and receiving His Words (strait gate,) and if we do this then we enter into "the Life," which is Zoe and can only be found on the other side of the Cross. Jesus is all three Doors and we can't just stop at the first Door and think we can ever end up in the same place.

[Guest man]

Lets look at this from a different perspective. How far does a denomination have to stray before you would consider it too far?

Any discrepancy in the truth is too far.

[Smalcald]

Lets look at this from a different perspective. How far does a denomination have to stray before you would consider it too far?

Any discrepancy in the truth is too far.

People have honest disagreements about the Truth of scripture. The point is what are the issues which would break fellowship or make it impossible to join with other believers in worship?

txd named two for me, the Divinity of Christ as God and a rejection that the bible is infallible, without error, the Word of God. If these two were not in a Christian gathering I could not be part of that gathering.

[Guest]

Lets look at this from a different perspective. How far does a denomination have to stray before you would consider it too far?

Any discrepancy in the truth is too far.

your truth?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

[enoob57]

When we take our eyes off Christ defined as The Living Word being made concrete, as a foundation that cannot be moved, in written form so that we have objective truth!

So we, as well, may say our hands have handled- The Word of God (written), our eyes have seen- Our own regeneration and those whom we love, our ears have heard as Preachers

resound with the truth that has come from above.... certainly these facts are real within us and they make us conform to His likeness...

John 14:6

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

NKJV

We no longer have the question of where do we find but am I using the only resource given me to understand? Here is the denominations "The scattered Sheep" wolves

have come in...

Acts 20:29-31

29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things,

to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

NKJV

Paul's tears were justified as we see the end nearing... Love Steven

[nebula]

So, how come no one wants to take up the challenge to describe what exactly the "original church" was like?

I'm suspecting that if we did, we wouldn't even be able to agree on that.

Oh, wait, actually we did a few years ago. And that's what happened - we couldn't agree on it.

Not so easy to break down the walls, is it?

[Botanist]

Nothing demonstrates the deceptiveness of the destroyer then the division of the denominations.

Arguing perfectly from an erroneous assumption.

The assumption in the case, is you have much to do with the Will of God in our affairs. As if God dosen't ordain or allow every last thing.

Like an ant on a stick floating down the Amazon river, thinking (egocentrically precieving) he is infact, the master and commander of his ship.

The irrisistable force that fills our sails. paracleat. megaluna.

~God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. ~Acts 17

~What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? ~1 Corinth 6

~But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you:

but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

~Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. ~John 15. The way, the TRUTH, the life. No one comes to god unless He draw him.

Thy Word is Truth; sanctified. etc, ect, ect.

---

The world is changed.

I feel it in the water.

I feel it in the earth.

I smell it in the air.

Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it.

History became legend,

Legend became myth

and now-a-days,

there is a guy rockin-out on an electric guitar

playing Jimmy Hendrixs' "Voodoo Child" on the alter/stage

of the last Kirk I attended.

The ring has an unwholesome effect that sets to work on the bearer immediately.

and even the most ordinary, stay-at home Hobbits began to hear rumors of strange events happening outside the Shire.

Alas for Boromir.

-huh?

Edited February 18, 2011 by Botanist

[Matt712]

Lets look at this from a different perspective. How far does a denomination have to stray before you would consider it too far?

Any discrepancy in the truth is too far.

your truth?

This is exactly the issue that creates debate. 'Any discrepancy in the truth'? We can't, any of us, go through life without being dishonest with ourselves and others at some points. We can be as diligent about following Christ as is within our personal capability, but the fact remains that we are flawed. I attend a church where I see great honesty by the congregation in the desire to follow Christ in all things. No words in any human tongue can adequately express the glory of God! Likewise, no teaching in any human tongue is heard equally by all people. We need "ears to hear" the truth and must read the subtext of what is taught to us. In other words, feel as much as think to determine whether a teaching is really representative of Christ's intended message.

As an aside, I have some issues(this will doubtless make me unpopular) with whether the apostles were able to understand the message as well as they thought they did. Some of the letters from Paul say things that Jesus doesn't specifically say in the Bible. Maybe he said these things to Paul and it was never written down, maybe it was Paul's interpretation of what he was taught. In any personal confusion over what was meant by a teaching I refer first and foremost to what Jesus said. Then I consider whether it matches the words of other people in the Bible.

With Love,

Matt712

[TXDisciple]

So, how come no one wants to take up the challenge to describe what exactly the "original church" was like?

I'm suspecting that if we did, we wouldn't even be able to agree on that.

Oh, wait, actually we did a few years ago. And that's what happened - we couldn't agree on it.

Not so easy to break down the walls, is it?

Hi Nebula,

Are you speaking of the finer details of how they would have worshiped? (i.e. what the Church bulletin would have read like)

It's ironic isn't it....the farther away we get from Christ chronologically, the farther away we seem to get from knowing his Truth and yet we have His written Word within our hands.

Jay