Who's denomination is the right one?

[timothyu]

The true church has always been here. Things went belly up at the reformation!

But, Jesus did say that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church.

Try back when it broadsided Jesus and abandoned the Kingdom to accept the same offering the Tempter gave Jesus in the desert about all this can be yours.

Also don't confuse church with institution. The institution is not the truth but it was created to carry forward the truth in scripture. Best way to preserve truth is in the hands of the enemy. That way God never has to defend it against anyone and it remains preserved.

 

[Gideons300]

Yeah, if your shackles are your supports, truth (being set free) it may not at first seem like truth at all.

I'll just keep preparing, even if the promise comes later on and I'm gone that's what faith is about.

No brother, that is hope, not faith. Faith is always NOW faith.

And what exactly do you do for your 'preparing'? For instance, in my own case, when I walked for 38 years as a prisoner of lust and inappropriate content and evil thoughts, what advice would you give me to have defeated the foe that was like a claw in my brain?

What advice do you offer to an addict to prepare themselves better to resist going back to the needle?

Do you know how we prepare ourselves? We finally get to the point we have NO strength, no plan, no new idea on how to walk free indeed, and we fall at the feet of Jesus, beseeching Him to 'do it for us' IN US. And praise God forevermore, He does. Glory!

blessings,

Gids

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I love you brother.

It is the denomination of LOVE. You just displayed it.
Blessings

 

[Gideons300]

How many people throughout history have said the same thing?

Forgive me for my directness, but that is a cop-out to not have to hunger for it. If a man is starving, a hundred people might come and promise him food and everyone might be lying. But does that finally allay his hunger? No.

How badly do we want to walk in victory? That is the question here. God's Word has made it clear that our birthright IS to walk in victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. So IF it is possible is not the question. Overcoming, walking with our feet on the temptations satan lures is with, that IS our birthright. Are we will to drop all of our other pearls to possess... and be possessed... by the one we say we love, the one we confess cannot lie?

He is ready to move. He simply awaits upon is to cry out to Him with ALL of our hearts.

blessings,

Gideon

 

[Gregory Thompson]

No brother, that is hope, not faith. Faith is always NOW faith.

And what exactly do you do for your 'preparing'? For instance, in my own case, when I walked for 38 years as a prisoner of lust and inappropriate content and evil thoughts, what advice would you give me to have defeated the foe that was like a claw in my brain?

What advice do you offer to an addict to prepare themselves better to resist going back to the needle?

Do you kbow how we prepare ourselves? We finally get to the point we have NO strength, no plan, no new idea on how to walk free indeed, and we fall at the feet of Jesus, beseeching Him to 'do it for us' IN US. And praise God forevermore, He does. Glory!

blessings,

Gids

I was meditating on the faith chapters, those guys who were given a promise, believed God but didn't see it in their life time. However, I can also see what you meant by Hope, in that sense, faith hope and love go hand in hand in hand don't they?

The preparation I am undergoing is related to the engrafted word, a spiritual application that saves souls.

There's a paranormal element that gets pretty nasty in churches, it's also outside churches, but something about the way church is "done" makes the wickedness inside people magnify and it just goes berserk.

So my prep is to be able to handle what's coming, if there will be a great light .. then a great shadow will accompany it as well.

 

[bèlla]

I don’t have any denominational affiliations and have long felt they were divisive and fostered group think and exclusion to various degrees.

There’s too many barriers to the Lord and stumbling blocks which keep us from our rightful place. I believe in Him. That is the lone label that fits. I need no other.

We ought to question our biases and affiliations. We should scratch the surface to determine their root. In most instances they’re a byproduct of ego or bad experiences we’re attempting to compensate through religion.

I can’t pinpoint the moment when I realized none of this matters. But I recollect the boundless peace that followed.

 

[mama2one]

following

 

[Gideons300]

I was meditating on the faith chapters, those guys who were given a promise, believed God but didn't see it in their life time. However, I can also see what you meant by Hope, in that sense, faith hope and love go hand in hand in hand don't they?

The preparation I am undergoing is related to the engrafted word, a spiritual application that saves souls.

There's a paranormal element that gets pretty nasty in churches, it's also outside churches, but something about the way church is "done" makes the wickedness inside people magnify and it just goes berserk.

So my prep is to be able to handle what's coming, if there will be a great light .. then a great shadow will accompany it as well.

Anyone seeking to be better prepared to meet the Lord has my respect. Far too many are simply going on with their lives, and their Christianity just a nice 'going thru the motions'. When presented with the possibility that there is more God has for us (boy, is that an understatement,lol), they reply 'Thanks, but I am satisfied right where I am and have need of nothing. Is it just me or does that sound vaguely familiar?

You are right about the great shadow. It too is coming. As to really preparing for that dark cloud on the horizon, there is but one safe place.... in Him.

The real question thus is.... how to leave behind the Christianity where Christ is ' with us' and get Him IN is with the old us dead.

Blessings to you, dear brother,

Gideon

 

[Toro]

Denomination is meaningless.

I used to think that I had truth and that Catholicism was... well wrong.

It wasn't until it was pointed out to me my error of how arrogant and foolish it is to claim to be a professor of having more truth, but produce less fruit than the one I claim to be wrong.

I still believe that Catholicism is wrong, HOWEVER, IF I take that stance that my truth is somehow so much better... should I not be better than the best that theology produced?

Say for example, am I allowing the Spirit to shine more light into this dark world than someone like mother Teresa?

If the answer is no, can I really claim my denomination to be better than hers? Do I really believe that because I believe Catholicism is incorrect that I will be above her in the Kingdom?

IF I believe that my denomination or truth is the correct on, should I not be more of a light to the world than a person who I believe has a flawed theology?

I'm not saying we "compare" ourselves to others as Christ has a different purpose for different parts of the body...

But in such a case I believe it of benefit IF we are proudly boasting that our truth is the "right one. " we need a reality check and need to be humble rather than boastful... since any truth we possess was given to us, we didnt earn it.

How can we boast over that which was given?
If we are given more, is not more to be expected from us?

Should we not be more light to the world and more authority by having "more" of he Spirit in us which has authority over ALL believing that we possess more truth?

The right "denomination" is to :
Love God with all your heart, soul and mind.
Love your neighbor as yourself
Pick up your cross and follow Him.

To pick up your cross and follow Christ, rather than take up the religious traditions of man and take His name in vain and without meaning, bickering over which fleshly, worldly thing (beads, fasting, tithing, baptisms etc... all well and good, I believe in some of these myself, but they are all meaningless if you believe it makes you "more worthy" of the Fathers love and mercy than another.) is more meaningful to God.

 

[Gideons300]

I don’t have any denominational affiliations and have long felt they were divisive and fostered group think and exclusion to various degrees.

There’s too many barriers to the Lord and stumbling blocks which keep us from our rightful place. I believe in Him. That is the lone label that fits. I need no other.

We ought to question our biases and affiliations. We should scratch the surface to determine their root. In most instances they’re a byproduct of ego or bad experiences we’re attempting to compensate through religion.

I can’t pinpoint the moment when I realized none of this matters. But I recollect the boundless peace that followed.

It can be a scary experience going 'outside the camp' for the first time. I certainly am not advocating people leaving their denominations of choice, but neither would I stand in the way of any who do, if their heart is fixed on having more of Christ, abiding in Him and His victory.

All I know is that God has promised us that when we seek Him with ALL of our hearts, we WILL find Him. Not just nice doctrines about the one we serve. We will find HIM. Boy, are we about to be amazed.

Blessings to you, dear sister. Thanks you for an excellent post.

Gids

 

[Gideons300]

Denomination is meaningless.

I used to think that I had truth and that Catholicism was... well wrong.

It wasn't until it was pointed out to me my error of how arrogant and foolish it is to claim to be a professor of having more truth, but produce less fruit than the one I claim to be wrong.

I still believe that Catholicism is wrong, HOWEVER, IF I take that stance that my truth is somehow so much better... should I not be better than the best that theology produced?

Say for example, am I allowing the Spirit to shine more light into this dark world than someone like mother Teresa?

If the answer is no, can I really claim my denomination to be better than hers? Do I really believe that because I believe Catholicism is incorrect that I will be above her in the Kingdom?

IF I believe that my denomination or truth is the correct on, should I not be more of a light to the world than a person who I believe has a flawed theology?

I'm not saying we "compare" ourselves to others as Christ has a different purpose for different parts of the body...

But in such a case I believe it of benefit IF we are proudly boasting that our truth is the "right one. " we need a reality check and need to be humble rather than boastful... since any truth we possess was given to us, we didnt earn it.

How can we boast over that which was given?
If we are given more, is not more to be expected from us?

Should we not be more light to the world and more authority by having "more" of he Spirit in us which has authority over ALL believing that we possess more truth?

The right "denomination" is to :
Love God with all your heart, soul and mind.
Love your neighbor as yourself
Pick up your cross and follow Him.

To pick up your cross and follow Christ, rather than take up the religious traditions of man and take His name in vain and without meaning, bickering over which fleshly, worldly thing (beads, fasting, tithing, baptisms etc... all well and good, I believe in some of these myself, but they are all meaningless if you believe it makes you "more worthy" of the Fathers love and mercy than another.) is more meaningful to God.

That last paragraph was powerful and spot on. Thank you Toro.

Gideon

 

[GenemZ]

Which denomination is the true one?

The correct one would be the one that is correctable when mistakes are discovered..

At that point? Its would cease being a denomination, and be reestablished to being as God intended... An independent local church.

 

[Josheb]

Which denomination is the true one?/QUOTE]
Mine, of course .

Some follow Paul, some follow Apollos, some follow Cephas, some follow Jesus. Some claim to follow Jesus but clearly don't. I think God I didn't baptize any of you... except maybe Fred and Ethel, or Ricky and Lucy, but none of you were baptized in my name. Are we not all mere humans?

It is good that divisions exist among us so that those approved by God might be known.


Posts on divisions don't change that and they run the risk of being self-indicting. Do you know what the Bible calls those who unjustly divide?

 

[timothyu]

I don’t have any denominational affiliations and have long felt they were divisive

Which serves God's purpose just as scattering the people after Babel. No one human should live long enough to hold absolute power nor should one denomination, religion, institution, government, whatever, be able to proclaim absolute power wisdom or authourity. Only parts make a whole, another example of God's humour in reminding us unity works better than division. (US take note)

 

[Gideons300]

The correct one would be the one that is correctable when mistakes are discovered..

At that point? Its would cease being a denomination, and be reestablished to being as God intended... An independent local church.

And when you find one, lol, let me know.

Although not impossible, these days, especially here in rhe West, it is pretty rare to find those, ever since we sort of 'omitted' sharing on all the scriptures about chastening correction, instruction in rightoeusness , rebuke and searching our hearts to examine ourselves whether we be in the faith.

God will have His bride ready to meet Him. The real question is whether we are ready for His 'corrective action', lol. All I can say is it is worth it a million times over.

blessings,

Gids

 

[Jonaitis]

deleted

 

[Swan7]

I wondered about labels when I was younger and I began to hate them because there are so many of them. I didn't want a label to define who I am, but rather, Who I stand with. Denominations in my eyes are a distraction to what is actually in God's Word. The only truth we all should be searching for is God Himself which is through His Word.
There is no perfect church until the One Who is coming will set it straight.

 

[bèlla]

It can be a scary experience going 'outside the camp' for the first time.

Thank you for the kind words.

I don’t believe factions are of God and I’ve seen the negative effects of group think in Christian circles. They can be exclusive and exclusionary too.

I’m in a place where I seek agreement within and without. I’m mindful of what I do (and won’t do) and ask candid questions along the way.

Sometimes we fail to question our behavior and follow a predetermined script. But I’ve witnessed numerous instances of the new things God has sought to do in my life that would be impossible if I was unwilling to move or change as He directs.

I would never discourage anyone from fellowshipping where they are led. But I cannot build my faith upon men or rest my hope in his care.

God bless.

 

[timothyu]

God will have His bride ready to meet Him.

It's safe.

Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

 

[Gideons300]

Well, calling Protestantism and Roman Catholicism denominations is like calling Islam and Judaism denominations. Though we share similar things, the core beliefs are different. Denominations are those who agree on the essential issues, but disagree on the non-essential issues. Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian agree on the same principles that we consider essential, but we differ in other areas that aren't anathema to believe (church government, mode of baptism, number of elders, eschatology, etc).

So, a few easy questions.

Do you believe that there are some within the Catholic church who are saved and part of the elect?

Do you believe that there are some within the denominations you listed that are not?

Let me be more clear. When I say 'denominations' What I mean by that is divisions.

And as long as we are trusting in our particular division as the one with the most truth, while our lives do not display Christ, God has one word for that... carnal.

As long as we are content to be a part of what we think is right, but our lives not BE right, well, we are simply on another lap around Sinai, measuring ourselves by ourselves.

The standard however is Christ in us. If we are found seeking that closeness with Him, leading us into a walk of victory, joy and full obedience with all of our hearts, even if we have not found yet, God looks down on us smiling. Those WILL be rewarded.... and soon!

But if we think we can now relax because we are a part of the 'right' division of the church, and take comfort that our particular division of choice understands the scriptures better than others, and we remain content there, the doorway leading from the Wilderness to the land pf Promise God has for us remains locked.

blessings to you, dear friend

Gideon