Does Denomination Matter?

[BronxBriar]

Your reply is only backed up by BronxBriar having a go at each other's denominations. Thank you to everyone who replied, you've all helped me figure out the answer to my question hugely

I think you are referring to my exchanges with eightfoot514. I was not "having a go" (as you put it) at his denomination. What I was responding to was his interference in a non-denominational forum. You asked the question here and I assumed you wanted the opinion and perspective of non-denominational christians. If you wanted a roman catholic opinion I would have assumed that would have asked in the catholic forum.

The opinions he held and expressed here are the antithesis of everything a non-denominational christian holds dear and he should have been aware that posting here might rub a nerve.

If you are truly a Bible Addict as your screen name indicates, it is my opinion that you will find a true spiritual home in a bible believing church.
Good luck on your journey.

 

[Bible Addict]

I think you are referring to my exchanges with eightfoot514. I was not "having a go" (as you put it) at his denomination. What I was responding to was his interference in a non-denominational forum. You asked the question here and I assumed you wanted the opinion and perspective of non-denominational christians. If you wanted a roman catholic opinion I would have assumed that would have asked in the catholic forum.

The opinions he held and expressed here are the antithesis of everything a non-denominational christian holds dear and he should have been aware that posting here might rub a nerve.

If you are truly a Bible Addict as your screen name indicates, it is my opinion that you will find a true spiritual home in a bible believing church.
Good luck on your journey.

Whoa... calm down there pal, I'm not saying anything bad about you, I was just commenting on the fact that having denominations created discord and arguments, like this right here... nothing personal.

 

[BronxBriar]

Whoa... calm down there pal, I'm not saying anything bad about you, I was just commenting on the fact that having denominations created discord and arguments, like this right here... nothing personal.

I am well aware of what you were commenting on. If you read my post again, try to do so slowly and carefully. Please note that it is a very calm and reasoned post and inferring otherwise I will attribute to your youth. By the way, I'm not your 'pal'. Actually i'm old enough to be your dad and the last thing I need is a teen 'pal'.
Do the right thing brother.

 

[Bible Addict]

I am well aware of what you were commenting on. If you read my post again, try to do so slowly and carefully. Please note that it is a very calm and reasoned post and inferring otherwise I will attribute to your youth. By the way, I'm not your 'pal'. Actually i'm old enough to be your dad and the last thing I need is a teen 'pal'.
Do the right thing brother.

I don't know what happened to make you so bitter, or rude for that matter, but I'd like to point out that "pal" is just an expression; you don't need to worry, I don't consider you as being anything positive outside of being a Christian... brother.

 

[BronxBriar]

I'm more inclined to become Catholic

Letting your prior remarks slide........................
You'll do very well there. God Bless You.

 

[Col]

Q. Do denominations matter?
A. Of course not

Jesus has called us to follow Him, not a particular denomination.
Being a Christian is all about having a personal relationship with Christ, not about having an adminstrative relationship with an institution.

 

[ShaunJ]

Well I see people in this thread alone have shown you what denominations can do to fellow believers, so I need not go there.

Good luck and God bless

 

[BronxBriar]

Well I see people in this thread alone have shown you what denominations can do to fellow believers, so I need not go there.

Good luck and God bless

I wish you would go there. I'd be very interested in your more developed thoughts regarding inter-denominational strife.

This thread was attempting to answer the OP until it was infected by "one true churchism". I didn't see any other non-denominational squabbling. We actually get along quite well if you ask me.

Do you have any thoughts on discord among believers within the same denomination? What great lesson do you find in that?

 

[hugoguttman]

I am also an antidenominational person. I think those who preach Jesus, His sacrifice and how we can be sons of God by Him are correct. I congregate in a church which doctrine is based upon what is written in Bible. I don´t know which denomination is so far and I don´t want to know, as far as they teach me according what is written in Bible.
Jesus did not say...you will be catholic...you will be lutheran...you will be evangelical...and you will be X, Y and Z. He only said: If you want to be my disciples, just keep in my Word...
Pax
Hugo

 

[bravado]

The advice by which I was given is to 1) pray and ask God for his answer 2) go where you are comfortable and 3) go where your HEART tells you is best.

 

[Breni]

Denominations mean nothing, when it comes right down to it. Too many Christians place way too much emphasis on it IMO. All that matters is if you have Christ in your heart.

 

[Simon_Templar]

I think there are true believers in pretty much every denomination. Also there are false believers in every denomination. However, some denom's deffinetly have better teaching (In general) than others. Also, I believe the letters to the churches in revelation apply to different kinds of churches today and they indicate that some churches face different challenges.

The only denom. I would say you deffinetly should not join is one that is apostate, that is they have abandon the basics of christian doctrine. There are a few of them around today and more are getting close to this point.

 

[eightfoot514]

OK. Jesus came to earth and appointed 12 Apostles to lead His Chuch.

Now, what exactly did Jesus leave us Christians when He went to heaven? A Bible? No. As far as we know, He didn't tell anyone to write down anything. There was no sure-enough "bible" until the 300s. And even then, most Christians didn't have access to it for many many centuries to come. So how did Christ intend for us to encounter Him? Through the Sacred teachings of the Church. The Church isn't a mediator by any means, but it's teachings are handed down from Jesus and the Apostles, and these Sacred teachings are preserved through the bishops by the Holy Spirit in Apostolic Succession. The bishops are the successors of the Apostles. They shepherd the flock and preach sound doctrine.

Titus 1:7-9 – For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, holding fast to the true message as taught so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine and refute opponents.

Remember, Jesus started the Church, and it is a clear, visible, unified body. It has been that way for 2,000 years. Man started denominations some 1,500 years later.

Eric

 

[New_Wineskin]

Now, what exactly did Jesus leave us Christians when He went to heaven? A Bible? No. As far as we know, He didn't tell anyone to write down anything. There was no sure-enough "bible" until the 300s. And even then, most Christians didn't have access to it for many many centuries to come. So how did Christ intend for us to encounter Him?

He sent His Spirit when He ascended . The Spirit is how the Lord intended fo me to encounter Him . Not through a denomination . This is a nondenominational forum .

 

[bravado]

What matters is what Jesus said. We are all sinners saved by grace. I will attend any church that will welcome me.

 

[Simon_Templar]

OK. Jesus came to earth and appointed 12 Apostles to lead His Chuch.

Now, what exactly did Jesus leave us Christians when He went to heaven? A Bible? No. As far as we know, He didn't tell anyone to write down anything. There was no sure-enough "bible" until the 300s. And even then, most Christians didn't have access to it for many many centuries to come.

Actually this isn't historicaly accurate. The canon of scripture was officialy finalized in 397 AD at the council of Carthage. What this means is that at this time the bishops of the church got together and made a formal statement about which books would be officialy recognized as inspired scripture and which would not, and that no further works would be considered. This was not a creation of the bible, it was an official recognition of what had already been in existence for centuries. This is easily provable simply by examining the written decision of the council of Carthage. What is says is basicly "we recognize these books which have been handed down to us through the tradition of our fathers". The scriptures had been known and recognized by the church at large for generations before this.

The idea that most christians didn't have access to the scriptures is also false. The fact is that there were literaly thousands of copies of the books of scripture made and circulated well before 300 AD. It is an ironic fact for those who challenge the historicity of the new testament that the books of the new testament are without exception the most prolific and well attested manuscripts in ancient history. The early church even made a practice of transcribing good sermons and circulating them to other churches so there are many copies of documents such as these which survive to this day as well. The scriptures were well known, well circulated, and well attested and recognised as inspired long before 300 or the council of carthage.

 

[eightfoot514]

Before the council of Carthage, many books of the New Testament were hotly disputed. There was significant doubt to the authenticy of Revelation, as well as many other NT books. Many books that were not ever canonized were seen as inspired by many Christians. It was difficult to determine which books could be trusted and seen as inspired.

And also, I believe you are mistaken about Scripture being that widespread. What, do you think they just picked a Bible up at the local bookstore? Or maybe they used the printing press to make these thousands of copies so everyone could own a copy.

In reality, Churches were lucky to have a gospel here and there, and maybe a couple of Paul's letters.

Also, that isn't exactly true about the council of Carthage. The council provided a list of the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, but it did not necessarily close the cannon. The canon was not officially closed until the Council of Trent, in the 1500s.

 

[Suffolk Sean]

Before the council of Carthage, many books of the New Testament were hotly disputed. There was significant doubt to the authenticy of Revelation, as well as many other NT books. Many books that were not ever canonized were seen as inspired by many Christians. It was difficult to determine which books could be trusted and seen as inspired.

And also, I believe you are mistaken about Scripture being that widespread. What, do you think they just picked a Bible up at the local bookstore? Or maybe they used the printing press to make these thousands of copies so everyone could own a copy.

In reality, Churches were lucky to have a gospel here and there, and maybe a couple of Paul's letters.

Also, that isn't exactly true about the council of Carthage. The council provided a list of the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, but it did not necessarily close the cannon. The canon was not officially closed until the Council of Trent, in the 1500s.

There were definitly copies of the OT circulating around though. Most probable that access to them was not widespread. The septuagint was written in part prior to the birth of Jesus and the Vulgate was translated only a few centuries after.

The Septuagint being written in greek was an very readable version of the OT to the early church.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Mod Hat

This is a non-denominational forum. Unless you are non-denominational and Protestent, you can do fellowship post's but you are not allowed to debate in this area of the forum. This will be the only friendly warning that does not include passing out warning points and or temporary vacations as needed.

 

[eightfoot514]

Help, help, I'm being repressed!

LOL, jk....I can never resist sticking in a Monty Python quote when the opportunity arises.

Alright, you're right. I keep forgetting where I am. See, I was accessing this thread from my User CP rather than from the non-denominational forum page. Abesnt-mindedly, I kept thinking this was in the General Theology section. I'm sorry...only fellowship posts from here on out.

God bless.