iammoreorless Posted November 27, 2006 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 0 Topics Per Day: 0 Content Count: 18 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/27/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted November 27, 2006 My problem with denominations is that they do tend to water down the truth of the gospel. having so many denominations show how man has put his ideas in and not God's. If they were all right, why are we not unified? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natt Posted November 27, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 93 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 470 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/29/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted November 27, 2006 I tend to think it is not the denomination we are in that matters. It rests on our faith in Christ. However denominations do allow people to follow what they believe in (e.g infant baptism with adult confirmation vs believer's baptism). I think that is important. I tend to look for a church that I agree with on doctrine however I can't say I've found one that I agree with 100%. As for our salvation and all the arguments I see that as pointless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethshemaiah Posted November 27, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 150 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/17/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted November 27, 2006 Just a side note, and I don't mean to be picky, but your list included Jews. Jews who practice Judaism do not believe in Jesus Christ as Lord so they are obviously not dividing truth correctly they are not Christian in any sense. Jews however are sometimes believers and members of those other groups you mentioned. If you ask the Jewish people they will say that they ARE rightly dividing the Word! That is why I added them, JW's also believe they are right in their beliefs. Go figure. That is why I asked that question. It is easy to be lead astray when you do not know what Scriptures say. "Knowing what you stand for, limits what you fall for." Thanks. The Jewish people are the apple of God's eye, we know that they are still looking for Jesus to come. However, with the Messianic Jewish perspective I believe that the eyes of the Jews are being opened and they with come to realize that their Redeemer has already come, they just need to embrace Him for who He is. They will not convert to "Christianity" but will come to believe in Yeshua within their Jewish faith. We need to endevour as the church to embrace and understand this move of God, embrace and pray for the Jews. I am pro-Israel, I am pro Jew - I want to see God's people "grafted back into their own olive tree". I want Jesus to return soon........... PRAY for them. Peace, Bethany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 My problem with denominations is that they do tend to water down the truth of the gospel. having so many denominations show how man has put his ideas in and not God's. If they were all right, why are we not unified? What is biblical "unity." Unfortunately, "unity" is seem by some as "conformity of thought." Unity is not the absence of diversity. "Unity" that is based upon everyone believing the exact same thing, is purely superficial. The human element is here, and to pretend that it can be eliminate as a factor in how the Bible is handled, is simply unrealistic. Everybody tends to believe that the way THEY see the Bible is pure, and those who disagree are following "man's doctrine." Everything we believe, if we are honest is shaped by our spiritual environment, i.e., the churches we have attended, the pastors and sunday school teachers we have sat under, the books we have read, etc. True Christian unity must happen inspite of our differences. For the superficial variety to happen, for everyone to believe the same thing, someone has to sacrifice their own point of view if it differs from the collective view. You believe what you are told to believe for the sake of "unity," even if does not, in your eyes agree with the text of Scripture. From the superficial approach, you don't think for yourself. Those in authority make the doctrines, and the Bible means what they say it means, and you are expected to believe as you are told, no questions asked. Many churches come together over social/community issues and needs, and we have found ways to work together for the benefit of greater society in true, biblical unity that does not require anyone to sacrifice their own beliefs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethshemaiah Posted November 27, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 150 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/17/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted November 27, 2006 As for our salvation and all the arguments I see that as pointless. Pointless, as in doesn't matter or any thinking is okay? Please explain this statement if you would. Bethany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bringthebritish Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 I have been thinking a lot about the different Christian denominations, there are 28,000 divisions of Protestant (or so I've been told) and then there are Catholics as well. My question is does anyone else think most of these splits are meaningless? Aside from a few really crazy denominations, the majority of these denominations have all the same beliefs in areas that effect salvation. So that would mean that 99% of the arguments between Christians are about things that are in the end, meaningless. The theory on how the earth was created comes to mind instantly, does it really effect salvation? Anyways, I don't really have a point here, does anyone else feel the same way I do? Recently I have been considering this point. Even as I considered the Anglican church and the Catholic church during a meeting by their leaders recently in Rome. Neither do I consider to be the church. They where formed by men, both of them.And both use the doctrines and teachings of men. The Body of Christ. This is the "Church". And Jesus is the Head, the Rock and Foundation, the Builder of it. It is not by accident that doing greater things than he did is related to him being one with the Father and all of the above.The Spirit and the Word. Catholics can be Christian, and so can Anglicans be Christians. But Christians do not need to be either "Catholic" or "Protestant". "Unless the LORD builds his house the builders build in vain." Peace with God to all that believe in Jesus Christ in truth.Amen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natt Posted November 27, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 93 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 470 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/29/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted November 27, 2006 As for our salvation and all the arguments I see that as pointless. Pointless, as in doesn't matter or any thinking is okay? Please explain this statement if you would. Bethany I meant that some arguments are trivial. For example what Christian music is played in church or what bible we read. This is what I've seen preached in church that I don't see as important in terms of salvation. I could change my mind but I don't see a NIV reader as a person as someone who is on their way to Hell and a KJV not. I've just reread what I wrote so a hope this is more clearer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethshemaiah Posted November 27, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 150 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/17/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted November 27, 2006 As for our salvation and all the arguments I see that as pointless. Pointless, as in doesn't matter or any thinking is okay? Please explain this statement if you would. Bethany I meant that some arguments are trivial. For example what Christian music is played in church or what bible we read. This is what I've seen preached in church that I don't see as important in terms of salvation. I could change my mind but I don't see a NIV reader as a person as someone who is on their way to Hell and a KJV not. I've just reread what I wrote so a hope this is more clearer. Thank you for replying. I understand that the type of music or the version of the Bible does little to affect our salvation and thank you for explaining. Salvation is however only entered into one way and certainly worth making a bold statement about and "arguing" for........ and does not have anything to do with music or NIV verses KJV. I personallly read these and NKJV and the Amplified Bible, and my choices for reading these has no impact on my residency when I die. Thanks and God Bless. Bethany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethshemaiah Posted November 27, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 150 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/17/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted November 27, 2006 As for our salvation and all the arguments I see that as pointless. Pointless, as in doesn't matter or any thinking is okay? Please explain this statement if you would. Bethany I meant that some arguments are trivial. For example what Christian music is played in church or what bible we read. This is what I've seen preached in church that I don't see as important in terms of salvation. I could change my mind but I don't see a NIV reader as a person as someone who is on their way to Hell and a KJV not. I've just reread what I wrote so a hope this is more clearer. Thank you for replying. I understand that the type of music or the version of the Bible does little to affect our salvation and thank you for explaining. Salvation is however only entered into one way and certainly worth making a bold statement about and "arguing" for........ and does not have anything to do with music or NIV verses KJV. I personallly read these and NKJV and the Amplified Bible, and my choices for reading these has no impact on my residency when I die. Thanks and God Bless. Bethany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalcald Posted November 27, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 32 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 5,258 Content Per Day: 0.76 Reputation: 42 Days Won: 3 Joined: 06/16/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/22/1960 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Well I agree about the need to remain strong in Christ as the sole creator. But frankly I find the rest of your post a real reach. If someone is so weak in faith as to not believe because of evolution than they have much bigger problems. God will save the Jews when He wills, maybe all have been saved that are going to be saved? We don't know, we are not given a number and indeed we should continue to evangelize in the Middle East but I don't think we need the long chain of events leading back to evolution. The fact is you can be a saved believing Christian and accept much of evolutionary theory. You of course must believe that Christ created the heavens and the earth, but that is obvious and evolution actually has nothing to say about creation, it is simply describing a biological process of change. These are the road blocks that get in the way in my opinion. I mean we have many people calling themselves Christians who do not even believe in the Trinity, this is the start of most modern apostasy, not evolution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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