The Devils Workshop.

[All4one]

I notice so many people in here with denominational names for their faith. So many look over the "Christian" symbol. I was just wondering what people thought about satan cutting Gods log (unity) down to halves, quarters, and eventually splinters as we become more denominational. Christian means Little Christ. It was the first term used to anoint those to follow Gods ways. Now we have borken things down to denominations. Are we going to be known by satans splinter or Gods log? We, as Christians, have to stop this division.

I say these things in Christs love and refuse to argue the matter and ask that others follow this ethic. I simply want to know what people think about satan breaking christians down by church instead of His name.

In Christs Love,
All4one

 

[repentandbelieve]

I notice so many people in here with denominational names for their faith. So many look over the "Christian" symbol. I was just wondering what people thought about satan cutting Gods log (unity) down to halves, quarters, and eventually splinters as we become more denominational. Christian means Little Christ. It was the first term used to anoint those to follow Gods ways. Now we have borken things down to denominations. Are we going to be known by satans splinter or Gods log? We, as Christians, have to stop this division.

I say these things in Christs love and refuse to argue the matter and ask that others follow this ethic. I simply want to know what people think about satan breaking christians down by church instead of His name.

In Christs Love,
All4one

A house divided against itself cannot stand. When Christains contend, Satan comes in to take control. And how often has he succeded in destroying the peace and harmony in churches.

Fierce controverseries cause strife and create division. It's a sad thing to see. I often wonder to what extent all of this is neccessary. Perhaps it is sort of like war and maybe there is a time and place for it. False teaching and herisey must be kept from creeping into the true Church, which is an invisable Church.

Jesus forsaw all of this happening and addressed it in Matt 10:34 when He said "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword." Jesus knew that the truth would divide.

 

[WeakButHopeful]

I agree, All4one...Jesus told us how the sheep would be separated from the wolves at the Last Judgment, and it had nothing to do with denominations. Jesus often used the analogy of master/servant. I believe that masters often have no particular interest in the way their servants socialize or exactly what they think of their master, as long as they keep the interest of their master foremost, do not cause shame or discord within the household, and do what is their duty in a proper and timely manner. I think that believing that one particular group has a special place is a matter of pride. Yes, I know the old joke about Peter telling the new arrivals to be quiet when they walk past a certain door ("Shhhhh...that's where we keep the Catholics...they think they're the only ones in here!") I tell that joke because I am a Catholic (making fun of my own denomination being somewhat safer).

I would also highly recommend C. S. Lewis' book "Mere Christianity". The "mere" in the title does not mean trivial but rather central or without tacked-on extra principles.

My 2 cents.

 

[12volt_man]

I'm not sure I understand your problem with denominations. The truth is, all but the most heterodox denominations agree on the essentials of the faith. As for the non-essentials that we disagree on, the Bible gives us the liberty to disagree on these things.

Most denominatiions exsist for no other reason than to share a common oversight authority and to participate in cooperative missions programs with likeminded churches.

Such cooperative efforts can transcend denominational lines, too.

Most of you have heard me talk about the chapel services run through a cooperative outreach between churches in my denomination (Southern Baptist Convention) and Calvary Chapels in our area.

I also help to run a shelter for the homeless where we will feed, clothe and teach life skills and job skills to those who need help. We're working on being able to provide medical attention, too. All of this is done by a cooperative effort among several denoms in our area.

By the way, "cooperative" is my word this week. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to use it.

 

[All4one]

Thanks for the ideas. It just has never left my mind that we cannot seem to agree on the very name we call ourselves. I notice when I speak with fellow Christians I don't know or anything (maybe about a shirt or something). The first thing they do is provide a standpoint by the church they attend. Something else that bothers me is that many pentacostals believe a person is not imbued with the Spirit unless they speak in tongues while many Baptists think church should be hush hush. Why not just call all churches a church of God or something and allow God to bring the body together and the people to worship freely. Many are supressed by denominational laws because they cannot worship God, they must go buy rules and current trends and laws. I appreciate the input but it still bothers me that there is no real sense of unity. From the log (Christians) came denominations (half logs) then these denominations split (quarter logs) and soon everyone will follow thier own way and satan will break them down to splinters.

In Christs Love,
All4one

 

[All4one]

Most denominatiions exsist for no other reason than to share a common oversight authority and to participate in cooperative missions programs with likeminded churches.

I just fail to understand why a certain church has to be a certain part of Christs body. Every church should acquire every part of His body... this would be comparable to sending all the prophets to one church, all the teachers to one church, and all the people who speak in tongues to one church. Why not come together. It is killing the church.

In Christ,
All4one

 

[12volt_man]

Why not come together. It is killing the church.

But we are together. I gave you a couple of good examples of our togetherness.

I still don't understand your problems with denominations.

 

[savvy]

I don't think all the churches can come together at this point. Too many traditional differences. Catholic and Baptist, for example, are on opposite ends of the Christian spectrum and I just don't see how they could ever compromise. However, as long as denominations cooperate with one another and believe in the core message of Christianity, I don't see a problem. People just need to attend the type of church they share most in common with.

 

[Chilldogg77]

I appreciate the input but it still bothers me that there is no real sense of unity. From the log (Christians) came denominations (half logs) then these denominations split (quarter logs) and soon everyone will follow thier own way and satan will break them down to splinters.

I agree, and I think that Christ willed for there to be one Church, and for there to be unity among Christians. I feel funny about typing this, because your thread was to promote unity, and I agree with that aim, but... It used to be that all Christians were united in one Church. Then the Greek Orthodox Church split from the Roman Catholic Church, and we were divided. Then Martin Luther left the RCC, and we were divided further, then John Calvin, then some other guy, etc. When Christianity was a log, we were Catholic, and I can't believe that God would let all of the Christians be in error for 1,500 years or 1,200 years. So I guess I don't think that the problem is that we're focusing too much on our denominations, the problem is the fact that there are different denominations to begin with. I know a lot of people won't like this post, and I know this forum is for fellowship and not debate. But it leads to the heart of my thoughts on the issue. The only way for there to be true unity is for Protestants to see that the Church that their predessors left has indeed been reformed, and to come home. In the meantime, we should cooperate and have as much fellowship as we can amongst each other. For me, to have a "Christian" symbol, or to only be a Christian instead of a Christian Catholic, would not be a move toward unity, but only a watering down of my faith. And I know there are a lot of Protestants who feel the same way.

I don't think denominations are about "fit," they're about truth. So it will be very difficult for people who firmly believe in their denominations to give up those beliefs in the name of unity. However, like you, I do see a problem with this. And my answer above is how I reconcile the two beliefs. I'm sorry if this offended anyone, but this is what I believed to be the truth of the matter, so I shared it.

 

[Singing Bush]

If I were a physician and a random person were to come up to me on the street and ask me what I do it is likely I would reply, "I am a doctor." If a fellow coworker at a hospital or clinic came up to me and asked me what I do it is likely I would reply, "I am a pediatrician," "I am a pathologist", "I am radiologist" or whatever particular subdivision of medicine I was trained in. It is not necessarily a matter of me, being a neurosurgeon or some other type of physician, feeling superior to other doctors in less demanding practices. It is not necessarily that I wish to draw distinction or dividing lines in the medical community. It is merely that in different contexts I feel compelled to convey different information.

Sure some people may be obsessive-compulsive with their own particular denomination and believe it to be the way, the truth, and the light, but many are not. Telling someone what denomination you are provides them with more information on your beliefs than simply stating that you are Christian. This is particularly useful on a forum that is especially designed for Christians. It is not necessarily a declaration of superiority or an attempt at drawing distinction and boundaries from which to peer over menacingly like at our Christian brethren. Personally, I do not particularly like denominational distinctions though I can see their helpfulness at times as pointed out by 12volt man. And personally, I think declaring that identifying w/ a particular denomination somehow necessarily opens us up to Satan's attack is readily more divisive than the potential divisiveness associated with denominational identification.

By the way, I do agree that we need to strive more towards Christian unity just not that attacking the use of denominational labels is the best way to go about it.