Truthfully, truth is hard to find

[Searching_for_Christ]

I guess you guys could say I'm exploring Christianity..I've spent my whole life around it..yet am not a Christian. I know a good deal, so no need to "baby talk" me. I figured this was probably the best place to post such a thread is all. I have a problem..its always been the same problem in regards to "devotion" that is..WHO is true? now I'm not going to go into all those denominations, and I know..most of you will probably say "just go by the Bible not some denomination" well truth be known, that truthfully so many denominations exist because truth be known, that truthfully ALL of them have come up with different interpretations (all in varrying degrees against the other denominations of our world) who finds it hard? I find it very difficult, to read my bible...disern what is true..whithout a denominational mindset already determining verses for me...or those pre-written answers all denominations have to shut you down if you have a different interpretation, who here has advice how to go about doing all this? who else has struggled with such a thing? honestly this problem has always kept me boxed into a corner.

 

[Ih8s8n]

Searching for Christ:

I found your question to be very fair...my answer may startle you, though. When it comes to "finding Christ" (which is what your username implies), there are basically only two variables involved. The first variable would be at God's end. At that end, we are told that it is impossible for God to lie, that Jesus is the way, THE TRUTH and the life and that the Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of truth. If you consider the possibility that such is true (and it is), then you would also consider the real reason for all of the confusion/division...namely the second variable which is found at man's/woman's end. In other words, don't make the faulty assumption that all "Searchers for Christ" are "true" in their intentions. I'll tell you plainly that they're not. Rather than give a bunch of examples, I'll just put the onus back on YOU. If YOU are true in your "Search for Christ", then He will be found of you. I would heartily suggest that you bring your questions to God Himself, through Christ and see what He answers you. As He begins to answer, I expect that you'll begin to understand the causes of all the division. There are many who have fashioned a "god" into THEIR OWN IMAGE and then called him (since it's a false god, I deliberately didn't capitalize "him") "Jesus". Go to God with a true heart and see what happens. Take care.

 

[ebia]

I guess you guys could say I'm exploring Christianity..I've spent my whole life around it..yet am not a Christian. I know a good deal, so no need to "baby talk" me. I figured this was probably the best place to post such a thread is all. I have a problem..its always been the same problem in regards to "devotion" that is..WHO is true? now I'm not going to go into all those denominations, and I know..most of you will probably say "just go by the Bible not some denomination" well truth be known, that truthfully so many denominations exist because truth be known, that truthfully ALL of them have come up with different interpretations (all in varrying degrees against the other denominations of our world) who finds it hard? I find it very difficult, to read my bible...disern what is true..whithout a denominational mindset already determining verses for me...or those pre-written answers all denominations have to shut you down if you have a different interpretation, who here has advice how to go about doing all this? who else has struggled with such a thing? honestly this problem has always kept me boxed into a corner.

We aren't built to try to understand God on our own, scripture isn't written primarily to be studied on one's own. Learning to know and love God is, at heart, a community activity because the God we seek to know and love is a community of three persons himself.

That's not suggesting that you simply take up the pre-written answers, but engage with a community and its thought. The great thinkers and reformers of Christianity never intended that their work should be swallowed undigested, but that it should be wrested with, considered, and reformed where necessary.

We have to find a way to hold that in tension - listening and learning from previous thought and the thoughts around us, while not simply copying the answers from the person next to us or the back of the book. Any denomination that doesn't allow one space to do that is verging on a cult.

 

[98cwitr]

what denominational mindset are predetermined to influence your interpretation of what you are reading when you read the bible?

 

[drich0150]

All Jesus Christ Centered Churches Have the Same potential to lead you home. they all have pros and cons. Some more pros than others and some more cons than others. It is up to the indivisual to sift the wheat from the chaff or the religion/tradition from the actual worship of God.

The following is a response to anothers thread on a similar question maybe it will help:

No, because this is the same apostle who tells us that we are all different members of the same body. In turn, Eye's will worship differently from Ears, and Hands will worship differently from feet. Likewise a brother intellectually strong in research and administration needs a different church than someone gifted with a strong with Charismatic energy. If you placed the charismatic in a intellectuals church and he is made to worship as the intellectual. Will he be worshiping/loving God with all of his Heart, Mind, Spirit and Strength?
Likewise, could the intellectual worship God with all of the Love His being has to offer if he were to be made to worship in a very "active" emotion filled environment??

How do we Biblically (not practically) justify church diversity?

We look at the Jews and see how corrupt having only one way of worship, one way of interpretation and only one way of doing things corrupts the Men who are in power. Also look at all Jesus had to say about the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. can you give an account of where He commended them for the things they did right?

(If you want to look what Christianity looks like in a similar situation go back to the church in the dark ages)

God assembled His "church" in the OT with strict guide lines, so that worship could only happen one way, As it is, we have been given the freedom to worship as we see fit. Otherwise don't you think we would have the same type of commands the Jews did to force us into conformity?

Even Paul within this verse (1cor) is only speaking to the church at Corinth. Each Church in each city was independent of one another. This is evident when you read of the different problems that they were having. If all of the churches were on the same program then it would only take one letter to sort out all of their troubles. But what we have are multiple letters going out to multiple "denominations" Because each "church" was expressing their Love for God according to their gifts of it's members and according to their different cultures/backgrounds. That is unless you think the brothers in Rome just fell into line with the centuries of tradition and discipline that the church the Hebrews letter was sent to. This is further illustrated by the "Churches and lamp stands" mentioned in the first few chapter of Revelations.

 

[Van]

Hi Searching for Christ, how do we discern what is true? When folks study the Bible, they employ a set of rules, such as if the literal understanding makes sense, seek no other sense. Lets see if cannot peal off some of the denominations? Do you believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? If you do, then those denominations that reject the doctrine of the trinity are not your cup of tea. Next, do you think everybody gets to go to heaven, or do you believe in eternal punishment where those whose names are not written the Lamb's book of life go. If you believe in heaven and eternal punishment for the lost, then Universalism is not your cup of tea.

Next we have the folks that believe a person must be water baptized in order to be saved, but others think a person is saved through faith alone. If you think water baptism just symbolizes our spiritual baptism into Christ, then those who think water baptism is necessary are not your cup of tea. If you believe whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life, and God has not foreordained who can believe in Him, then those denominations that accept Calvinism are not your cup of tea.

Next do you put your trust is scripture alone, or do the traditions of the church, also provide God's direction to you? If you believe in scripture alone, then you have narrowed your search significantly.

Last point, get a bible you can understand, like the NIV, NKJV, ESV, NASB, or the HCSB.
You can just read them and get the general idea of the gospel of Christ.

 

[Joveia]

When I look around at the different denominations in Christianity I notice that a lot of them do something better on average than other denominations in a way that would be really helpful to some Christians. So for instance, I've noticed the Uniting Church in Australia is really focused on secular social justice causes and they are good at serving the body of Christ in that way. The Catholic church has a huge intellectual tradition behind it with Thomas Aquinas, Augustine and so on and they tend to attract a lot of very intellectual converts because of that. Calvinism has such a strong teaching on grace that although I disagree with it, no Calvinist is going to be unconsciously trying to save themselves through works (which in Arminians can be counterproductive). The Eastern Orthodox has a very well thought out set of views on some issues that I've noticed protects it from skeptical attacks (e.g. on hell) better than a lot of other interpretations. So it seems that a lot of denominations have some kind of uniquely helpful role in the body of Christ, to generalise. Hopefully everyone ends up in the best for them! We'll know the 'perfect' view when Jesus comes back.

 

[JasperJackson]

My advice, get a good study Bible, with a lot of footnotes and margin references. The footnotes expand on passages to give better understanding and the margin references give other verses dealing with the topics you're reading about.

 

[Sarcalogos Deus]

I guess you guys could say I'm exploring Christianity..I've spent my whole life around it..yet am not a Christian. I know a good deal, so no need to "baby talk" me. I figured this was probably the best place to post such a thread is all. I have a problem..its always been the same problem in regards to "devotion" that is..WHO is true? now I'm not going to go into all those denominations, and I know..most of you will probably say "just go by the Bible not some denomination" well truth be known, that truthfully so many denominations exist because truth be known, that truthfully ALL of them have come up with different interpretations (all in varrying degrees against the other denominations of our world) who finds it hard? I find it very difficult, to read my bible...disern what is true..whithout a denominational mindset already determining verses for me...or those pre-written answers all denominations have to shut you down if you have a different interpretation, who here has advice how to go about doing all this? who else has struggled with such a thing? honestly this problem has always kept me boxed into a corner.

Go to a couple of different Churches representing the major areas of Christian theological thought Catholic, Baptist, a Non-denom, and a Episcopal church should cover all the bases (Left is more conservative and Right is more Liberal on my list). If you don't have a Bible with the deuterocanonicals get one as you are missing out on a lot if you don't have them. Avoid study Bibles like the plague as they always have some sort of denominational bias. Above all before you read the Bible pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you unto all truth. I was in this same boat once i know how it feels.