Are Denominations Wrong?

[DeaconDean]

nm

 

[Jezmeyah]

Are denominations contrary to the will of God and the Scriptures?

Instead of Baptists, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Presbyterians, etc, why can't we be known just as "Christians" and eschew any name that isn't biblical (the Church is referred to as the churches of Christ, church of God, the Way, etc.)

I'm using "denomination" loosely here to refer to any body of churches with an organized structure, set of beliefs, and identified by a name other than just "Christian."

Paul taught that we should not follow any man other than Jesus, as He is the one who died for us.

Martin Luther himself didn't want people who agreed with his theological perspectives to be called "Lutherans" and said he was not the one who was crucified.

I'm not saying it is wrong or sinful to attend a church affiliating with a denomination, just denominational loyalty and saying "I'm a Baptist/Methodist/Catholic/etc."instead of just a Christian.

Is it wrong to declare loyalty to a particular denomination?

YHWH'S Emissary Paul, Taught by Y'SHUA,
called it carnal practice in his day,
and perhaps Peter, John, and others said some about
this too.

I don't believe that each of us aligning ourselves with whatever different denomination yet being a member of this Christian forum and engage in exchanges according to our different theologies, is quite the same as the apostle Paul addressing one church group of believers concerning Paul or Apollos who both taught the same church group.

1 Cor.3:1-6 "Brethren, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension
<is not referring to the polite disagreement that we all strive to express, but that word is speaking of an intense quarreling that existed among those in Corinth, the kind I think that if unchecked, has in contemporary times resulted in a church split)

[that sort being] "..among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
For when one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."

1 Cor. 4:6 "Brethren, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another."

The dissension was because of the different callings that Paul and Apollos had. Even as any Christian would argue the differences of callings between their pastor, and any visiting evangelist.

On the broader canvas, there may be some similarities in those scriptures concerning (for instance) one Methodist disagreeing with a Charismatic, but even if there is disagreement, I consider that there's room for that because they are different denominations, but still under the same umbrella of general Christian faith.

It's possible that if the 7 churches mentioned in the book of Revelation had communicated with each other, that they would have disagreed on certain points., much like any of the different denominations do now.

But, in comparison of those believers at Corinth, do any of us give the name of our pastor regarding our identification of belief? No. We give our denomination, which is evidenced to be allowable in this forum by virtue of the choices the managers of this forum provide for our profile. Yet they also give "Christian" as a choice, I presume to allow the acknowledgement of that same umbrella that we all share.

Concerning our doctrinal differences, what Paul wrote applies "They (whatever teachings we have embraced of those besides our church pastor, those we mention in any topic discussion on this forum, with online links if possible) are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. (our pastor has) planted the seed and (all other Bible teachers) have watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."

So, I disagree in that our different denominations make us all worldly. Because it's our mutual love of God relationship that makes our fellowship in unity.