Why are there so many denominations?

[Baltika]

Why are there so many denominations?

I wish it could be simple.

I'm looking and thinking of joining the Seventh Day Adventist cuz they believe in the Law and Shabbat.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks and God Bless

Baltika

[Michael37]

13 minutes ago, Baltika said:

Why are there so many denominations?

I wish it could be simple.

I'm looking and thinking of joining the Seventh Day Adventist cuz they believe in the Law and Shabbat.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks and God Bless

Baltika

More to the point, why are there ANY denominations?

I believe the answer is because control through ideology is inherent in human nature, and often identifying with a man-made organisation appeals to the someone's senses either in addition to, or as a substitute for, a personal relationship with Christ. 

May I suggest you check out George's post in the 7th Day Adventist Section as due diligence. 

 

[appy]

This is what you should know about SDA doctrines and teachings.

According to SDA doctrine and teachings, Christ acquired a sinful nature. This is false. Christ had a sinless human nature. Christ took our sin punishment, not our sin nature. They also teach in partial atonement, that Christ's death on the cross was not enough to redeem us. The bible teaches us that when Christ was hanging on the cross, he said “It is finished”. That means the finished work was on the cross, there is nothing more to be paid. His death on the cross, was the final atonement. “It is finished!”

According to them, there is no assurance of salvation, even the the bible says we are guaranteed eternal life. They teach that, having the sins of all men laid on satan, assigns to satan an indispensable role in the blotting out of sins. This nullifies the all-sufficiency of the finished work of Christ. This is blaspheme in and of itself, because it ascribes the work of God to satan. This is the most abhorrent teaching they have, and is a good reason to label SDA a cult, rather than Christian.

All of this contradicts scripture and their their teachings are a totally different gospel message than the one the Apostles taught in scripture. Their teachings are very deceptive in nature. The bible they read and teach from has been heavily modified to support Ellen G. White's writings, because they view her writings as authoritative rather than the bible.

As for adhering to the sabbath, you don't need to belong to a specific group to do that. If you deem the sabbath as a special day, and want to observe it, no one will stop you. Neither will anyone force you to attend church on a Sunday. There are many Christians that attend during the week plus attend home bible studies. The choice is yours.

[Starise]

5 hours ago, appy said:

This is what you should know about SDA doctrines and teachings.

According to SDA doctrine and teachings, Christ acquired a sinful nature. This is false. Christ had a sinless human nature. Christ took our sin punishment, not our sin nature. They also teach in partial atonement, that Christ's death on the cross was not enough to redeem us. The bible teaches us that when Christ was hanging on the cross, he said “It is finished”. That means the finished work was on the cross, there is nothing more to be paid. His death on the cross, was the final atonement. “It is finished!”

According to them, there is no assurance of salvation, even the the bible says we are guaranteed eternal life. They teach that, having the sins of all men laid on satan, assigns to satan an indispensable role in the blotting out of sins. This nullifies the all-sufficiency of the finished work of Christ. This is blaspheme in and of itself, because it ascribes the work of God to satan. This is the most abhorrent teaching they have, and is a good reason to label SDA a cult, rather than Christian.

All of this contradicts scripture and their their teachings are a totally different gospel message than the one the Apostles taught in scripture. Their teachings are very deceptive in nature. The bible they read and teach from has been heavily modified to support Ellen G. White's writings, because they view her writings as authoritative rather than the bible.

As for adhering to the sabbath, you don't need to belong to a specific group to do that. If you deem the sabbath as a special day, and want to observe it, no one will stop you. Neither will anyone force you to attend church on a Sunday. There are many Christians that attend during the week plus attend home bible studies. The choice is yours.

So what denomination are you in and why if you don't mind telling us? Do they teach anything you aren't in agreement with?

I have heard many not so good things about the SDA.

[other one]

7 hours ago, Baltika said:

Why are there so many denominations?

I wish it could be simple.

I'm looking and thinking of joining the Seventh Day Adventist cuz they believe in the Law and Shabbat.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks and God Bless

Baltika

There are so many denominations because different people read the Bible and don't understand what it says in the same way.    Some people stress certain parts and ignore others.   over the past 2,000 years or that has caused some to decide others are wrong in what they stress..... 

Add to that if one wants to print a new version of the Bible, it has to change the wording a certain percentage to not violate the copywrite protections of other versions....   and when one does that sometimes it changes the context of what the original was trying to say.

Then there are those who want to make it a lot more complicated than it really is so as to have followings of their own.     There is about as many reasons we have so many denominations as there are denominations.

Should you join a SDA church.    In my opinion that would not be a good thing to do....   however it is just my personal opinion.  I know many Christians that are part of that denomination that are very find people and some good friends...    but, I do personally disagree with what they teach.

but I also know that salvation isn't being part of a denomination, it's having Jesus being your lord and developing a relationship with him through the Holy Spirit.  I think the book of Romans puts it as, confessing with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord, and believing that the Father raised him from the dead.       Since I had a falling out with the teachings of my original church way back in 1964, I've been to just about all the main denominations and can tell you that you can find people who's Lord is Jesus in just about any of them.

So, whatever church you decide to be a part of, just be sure that Jesus is your Lord and you do really believe that he was raised from the dead.   And if you do that and keep studying for yourself instead of listening to people like me telling you what to believe, you should be ok almost anywhere.

 

[Kelly2363]

9 hours ago, Baltika said:

Why are there so many denominations?

I wish it could be simple.

I'm looking and thinking of joining the Seventh Day Adventist cuz they believe in the Law and Shabbat.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks and God Bless

Baltika

I asked that question of the Lord when I first got saved in 1984. What I asked was "Why are the churches so divided?" The Lord did answer me and at the time I didn't really understand the answer - even today I find it difficult to fully explain the simplicity of what the Spirit said to me. But The Lord said, "Because they will not submit to one another."

I have always believed that the Holy Spirit led me to ask the question because at the time I didn't even really know what I was asking beyond a sense of denominations. I was in prison at the time and in solitary confinement. That was where I came to Salvation. So I suppose in some sense I was simply thinking about the prison chaplaincy. In the prison I was in that was the Catholic Priest, an Anglican Priest, a Methodist Minister and a Quaker Elder.

They all visited me in my cell by request and they all approved of my conversion but I think that my conversion was more radical than anything they had experienced and so they were all a little bit careful as well. But I never did get an answer from them to explain what the Lord had said to me. Eventually after I came out of prison in March 1985 and went into the church back in my home town I began the process of seeing the spiritual deceptions that have come into the Church that produced the many divisions - denominations. So whilst I can see why there are so many divisions in the churches - I cannot remove from the Lord's answer. And that answer is far more simple than the many heresies and divisions that are still visible. Plus I can't escape a sense that the answer to these divisions ought to be rather more simple than always trying to address essentially secondary doctrines that are not an issue of life. Just thought I would share that. 

 

[other one]

51 minutes ago, Kelly2363 said:

"Because they will not submit to one another."

some people should not be submitted to.

[Mark; Christ made.]

11 hours ago, Baltika said:

Why are there so many denominations?

I have always seen and believed it to be as Satan's tactic and strategy, to divide and conquer Christ's church body.

1 hour ago, Kelly2363 said:

But The Lord said, "Because they will not submit to one another."

I like this answer, Lord.  Ultimately, we need to submit to the Holy Trinity and Holy Bible.  Holy Spirit discernment and revelation is needed, not to rely our own understanding.  We are all wrong about something at some time.  I pray that we come together in unity and love.  We humans also tend to change our minds a lot... and even contradict ourselves as hypocrites.  If we were to submit to one another and pray to forgive and agree in heaven, then Christ's one church body would be much healthier and grow together.

10 hours ago, Michael37 said:

More to the point, why are there ANY denominations?

Amen, one Holy Bible believing church body as Christ followers, amen.

2 hours ago, other one said:

And if you do that and keep studying for yourself instead of listening to people like me telling you what to believe, you should be ok almost anywhere.

Amen, grow directly into and from the vine of Lord Jesus Christ.  Pray for Holy Spirit discernment and revelation of God's Holy Bible Law of love, amen.

9 hours ago, appy said:

The choice is yours.

⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ⁹ Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Philippians 4:7-9

 

Authorized (King James) Version

[Kelly2363]

35 minutes ago, other one said:

some people should not be submitted to.

Yes that is undoubted - and I am sure there are numerous reasons that would qualify who that should be. But I also see that if we join a local church in order to grow and express our faith for a shared benefit - ultimately to glorify the Lord - then we cannot be lone rangers and loose canons. So in that sense it would be better to discern properly and be led of the Holy Spirit where we will fellowship and then having heard from the Lord we can trust the Lord even in difficult circumstances. Young believers are perhaps the most vulnerable because they tend to want to be with other believers but are unlikely to be able to differentiate between false doctrines and doctrines that sustain a true growth of the body. Well the Lord kept me when I was saved and has remained faithful in that regard my entire walk. I do agree that we should never fellowship in a cult. That would be foolish - and especially if the doctrine amounted to another christ. 

[missmuffet]

Denominations have been brought on by man. They are based on disagreements over interpretation of Scripture. Some of the Scripture in these demoninations is false. God said a house divided against itself can't stand.