what is non-denominational?

[ChristServant]

Your view is too negative, there are plenty of churches that teach the word of God every week. If you're a solo Christian who aren't in a community how can you practice what's taught in the bible? How can you love other practically?

My view is based on actual experience whether negative or not.

I see a great many Christians in the so-called community that do not even come close to practicing what"a taught in the Bible.
The many I speak of is based on what I've both seen and experienced, they will not talk to people that are different to them, they look down on poorer people, their interest in always in how they are perceived from the congregation point of view from the outside. What I see is the exact same behaviour as Christ spoke of, about the Pharisees and Sadducess. They seem to forget they are sinners and no better than anyone else just in a better position accepting Christ.

Just one example of many. In one church I visited quite regular. I ate will them, prayed with them, worshiped with them and we spoke and greeted each other on many occasions. When doing renovation work on my house I had to get some building items. I was dressed in old clothes which I always wear doing this sort of thing. On my journey I came across some of these same people, literally within 8 feet and when I tried to greet them was completely ignored. This kind of thing I see often from people who call themselves Christians.

I went to another Church and was in a part that sold drinks, biscuits etc. I had previously spoken to the pastor and others there and scripturally we were in agreement. Whilst sitting in the cafe, which by the is in the church itself, he popped over and said to not speak about GOD or the Bible as some my become offended as people from outside sometimes came in. What kind of Church is that? One thing I have noticed about these Churches is the lack of the majority willing to evangelize.

I will not attend a Church that promotes and endorses practicing homosexual or sodomite pastors or behaviour or women preachers. Some disagree with the last point but scripture is clear on this and defined with the reason for it as in Timothy and in other places referred to.

If my journey is as an outcast then so be it but no processing Christian should compromise or manipulate the word of GOD for progressiveness, for themselves or their lifestyle.

GOD called me, no church or organisation and my walk will be with HIM, HIS Son Christ and the Body of Christ where ever they are found, to the best of my ability with the strength GOD has given me through the Holy Spirit.

Peace be to all those in the Body of Christ.

 

[Rene Loup]

So you've studied in depth the believe and teaching on every denomination on earth? Since the truth isn't subjective, you have to kinda choose one denomination which taught the 'closest' truth, otherwise you might as well said Christianity isn't entirely true and you accept buddisms

At this point, you're twisting my words. I'm now choosing to end the conversation here. God bless.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Can vice versa. It's like the matter of creed. Creed is for protecting the church from teaching errors. Label is tie to a set of doctrine, not to limit you.

The labels conflict in teaching, so it just authors confusion.

 

[GodLovesCats]

I agree. It eventually becomes a denomination because they are under a 501C3.

Being a tax-exempt nonprofit group has nothing to do with it. The First Amendment (which was proposed by Baptists with only the right to petition added) assures all churches will always be 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

I don't see how it is possible to have a nondenominational church because so many beliefs are opposites: the existence of hell, which sacraments and ordinances to practice, frequency of Communion, how people must be baptized, church leadership positions, worship styles, Bible translations, the Apocrypha, liturgies, and who can get married there.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Being a tax-exempt nonprofit group has nothing to do with it. The First Amendment (which was proposed by Baptists with only the right to petition added) assures all churches will always be 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

I don't see how it is possible to have a nondenominational church because so many beliefs are opposites: the existence of hell, which sacraments and ordinances to practice, frequency of Communion, how people must be baptized, church leadership positions, worship styles, Bible translations, the Apocrypha, liturgies, and who can get married there.

In order to get non-profit status an organization must become incorporated first. They must develop a board with bylaws and offices. This forces the "group" to give itself as name thus becoming yet another denomination. This is why there are so many Protestant congregations, I guess they say its around 40,000 or more.

 

[Ligurian]

It's usually a post-reformation group stating that it doesn't like being labelled.

See the statement of purpose in this subforum for more details.

I read that.
So is there a "Christian Works Forum" on this board? Because I can't get past Matthew 7:24-25.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I read that.
So is there a "Christian Works Forum" on this board? Because I can't get past Matthew 7:24-25.

Matthew 7:24-25 is the conclusion to the sermon on the mount. The common protestant application is to take that saying and apply it to the old testament and not to the sermon on the mount.

 

[Ligurian]

Matthew 7:24-25 is the conclusion to the sermon on the mount. The common protestant application is to take that saying and apply it to the old testament and not to the sermon on the mount.

There's no reason confuse the Sermon on the Mount with the Law of Moses; in fact, there are many reasons not to do so, including those starting with the words "but I say unto you", and the words pleroo and ginomai, in those verses, etc.

"when Jesus had ended these sayings"

Jesus spoke in virtually one long paragraph ...
from the time He sat down with His Disciples ...
until He ended those sayings.

Matthew 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him: 5:2 And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying,
[...]
Matthew 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine: 29 For He taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

The Sermon on the Mount is not the Law of Moses... because of these twin verses:

Deuteronomy 18:15-19 The Lord thy God shall raise up to thee a prophet of thy brethren, like me; him shall ye hear: 16 according to all things which thou didst desire of the Lord thy God in Choreb in the day of the assembly, saying, We will not again hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and we will not any more see this great fire, and so we shall not die. 17 And the Lord said to me, They have spoken rightly all that they have said to thee. 18 I will raise up to them a prophet of their brethren, like thee; and I will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them as I shall command Him. 19 And whatever man shall not hearken to whatsoever words that prophet shall speak in My name, I will take vengeance on him.

John 12:44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. 45 And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His Commandment is Life Everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak.

Matthew 21:37 But last of all He sent unto them His Son, saying, They will reverence My Son.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

There's no reason confuse the Sermon on the Mount with the Law of Moses

Because the Sermon on the Mount had more difficult sayings?

 

[Ligurian]

There's no reason confuse the Sermon on the Mount with the Law of Moses; in fact, there are many reasons not to do so, including those starting with the words "but I say unto you", and the words pleroo and ginomai, in those verses, etc.

"when Jesus had ended these sayings"

Jesus spoke in virtually one long paragraph ...
from the time He sat down with His Disciples ...
until He ended those sayings.

Matthew 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him: 5:2 And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying,
[...]
Matthew 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine: 29 For He taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

The Sermon on the Mount is not the Law of Moses... because of these twin verses:

Deuteronomy 18:15-19 The Lord thy God shall raise up to thee a prophet of thy brethren, like me; him shall ye hear: 16 according to all things which thou didst desire of the Lord thy God in Choreb in the day of the assembly, saying, We will not again hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and we will not any more see this great fire, and so we shall not die. 17 And the Lord said to me, They have spoken rightly all that they have said to thee. 18 I will raise up to them a prophet of their brethren, like thee; and I will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them as I shall command Him. 19 And whatever man shall not hearken to whatsoever words that prophet shall speak in My name, I will take vengeance on him.

John 12:44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. 45 And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His Commandment is Life Everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak.

Matthew 21:37 But last of all He sent unto them His Son, saying, They will reverence My Son.

Because the Sermon on the Mount had more difficult sayings?

Nope. "Fully teaching" doesn't mean difficult sayings. Jesus didn't want just a pack of whitewashed tombs, He needed Disciples who were good on the inside, too. They had already belonged to the Father, so they'd already cleaned up the outside. But what lives in a man's heart will eventually make it to the outside. So Jesus searches the reins and hearts in Revelation 2:23... "the inmost mind" is the reins. Make sense? It's with this in mind that Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount. Our righteousness has to be more than that of the Pharisees. And He means literal righteousness... keep My Commandments and abide in My love.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Nope. "Fully teaching" doesn't mean difficult sayings. Jesus didn't want just a pack of whitewashed tombs, He needed Disciples who were good on the inside, too. They had already belonged to the Father, so they'd already cleaned up the outside. But what lives in a man's heart will eventually make it to the outside. So Jesus searches the reins and hearts in Revelation 2:23... "the inmost mind" is the reins. Make sense? It's with this in mind that Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount. Our righteousness has to be more than that of the Pharisees. And He means literal righteousness... keep My Commandments and abide in My love.

The Law says don't commit adultery, the teachings of Jesus says lusting from your heart is adultery. More difficult.

The law says do not murder, 1st John teaches that hate is equal to murder, and that a murderer has no eternal life in him. More difficult.

Settling for the law, results in falling short, if keeping something matters to you.

 

[1watchman]

when a group of christian come together, a tradition started, then it grow to become a denomination, in view of other groups. So is there such thing called non-denominational?

Yes, there is such a thing, and one can read some about that at the Internet website: www.biblecounsel.net. It has helped me much. It speaks of what God intends for His testimony in the world, etc.
We know that 'denominations' began shortly after the Reformation of circa 1500 AD, when the tyranny and control of the RC religion controlled assemblies by force and punishment of all professing Christians apart from them, and there was a rebellion; where God intervened and allowed the true Gospel and Church truth to begin on better ground. Many different ideas began to develop by various understandings beyond the pure Gospel and the biblical Church truth (denominated sects). It still continues today.

In about 1800 AD a gathering of Bible scholars began to seek out and meet as Bible Only, and not allow man-made innovations for personal choices and pleasures. One can read of this history and writings on these conditions in Christendom at Bible Truth Publishers, Addison, Ill. Many kinds of Church material is available there. That revival still continues today worldwide, recognizing the 'priesthood' of all saints, if one desires to inquire of it. I learned of it many years ago, and have been enjoying the fellowship, and can speak some to that if one wishes to chat here on our Conversation Page herein. These assemblies are found in many cities all over the world. -1watchman

 

[Ligurian]

Nope. "Fully teaching" doesn't mean difficult sayings. Jesus didn't want just a pack of whitewashed tombs, He needed Disciples who were good on the inside, too. They had already belonged to the Father, so they'd already cleaned up the outside. But what lives in a man's heart will eventually make it to the outside. So Jesus searches the reins and hearts in Revelation 2:23... "the inmost mind" is the reins. Make sense? It's with this in mind that Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount. Our righteousness has to be more than that of the Pharisees. And He means literal righteousness... keep My Commandments and abide in My love.

The Law says don't commit adultery, the teachings of Jesus says lusting from your heart is adultery. More difficult.

The law says do not murder, 1st John teaches that hate is equal to murder, and that a murderer has no eternal life in him. More difficult.

Settling for the law, results in falling short, if keeping something matters to you.

Yeah... keeping something matters to me... I keep the Gospel of the Kingdom.

So... if you're trying to use Paul to judge... Jesus' Galilean Disciples and those who believe on Jesus through their word (John 17:20)... that won't work.

Paul the Benjamite is the gentile apostle who also went to his brothers from the southern part of the divided kingdom: the House of Juda.

Jesus came to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel... starting with Galilee of the northern tribes of the divided kingdom... and taught them the Gospel of the Kingdom.

 

[9Rock9]

I am on the fence with Non-Denominational Christianity.

I admire the intent of it: there should be no denominations ideally, and Christ is not divided, but I have found no reason to leave the Southern Baptist church that I attend, and being part of a denomination isn't necessarily a dealbreaker for me.

I'm not picky as long as the church affirms the core doctrines of Christianity.

Coming from a Baptist background though, I am biased towards credobaptism, though.

 

[1watchman]

Every Christian in a collective fellowship today, makes a judgment of which Christian group they will be associated with; and the so-called 'bottom line' on that should be (as I see it anyway), a caution whether it is a BIBLE ONLY fellowship, and not some doctrines contrary to the four Gospels in our Holy Bible and what the Epistles reveal to us for the universal testimony in the world.
I value the concept of "one body" worldwide as such as Acts 15-22-23; Acts 20:27-30; Romans 12:4-8; Romans 16:1-17; 1 Cor. 12:25-28; etc. We surely need to avoid the "..schism" as God says there, concerning the universal Church in the world, I believe; and it is possible if we have a mind for it.

My fellowship is with what I have found as a universal 'no name' gathering, over Bible-only and "rightly dividing the Word of Truth", as God says; and which often holds conferences for gatherings from many cities and countries. I could speak further on this if one would like to chat at the Conversation Page here on CF.
Let us all keep looking up, brethren, for "..our redemption (home-call) draweth nigh.

 

[Alex1st.1066]

when a group of christian come together, a tradition started, then it grow to become a denomination, in view of other groups. So is there such thing called non-denominational?

Hm! Sometimes it means an organisation with out Jesus???

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

As some have stated (I have not read the whole thread) the Non-Denominational label is simply one where the adherents would prefer not to be labeled. If you read some of the statements of faith at Non-Denominational churches you will probably find that they probably adhere to a mere Christianity and don't really go beyond the bare essentials of the faith. My understanding is that this is done to allow for personal conviction in certain areas. Confessional churches provide very little room for private convictions since all the convictions are public which you would find in a Catechism or Confession.

 

[Techo]

It could merely be a hope or deep desire... a longing... that somewhere, somehow the people in all denominations who are genuine Christians will chuck out the petty doctrinal differences and the labels that have been established to protect those differences to meet with each other as 'the body of Christ'. It could happen but it'll probably take a persecution like that of the early Church to do so.