Why are there so many different denominations in Christianity?

[Tree of Life]

God's Word is the living Word who is Jesus Christ who is a *person* and not a physical object. We can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit by reading scripture and other spiritual disciplines such as prayer, but the bible itself is not God. To believe such is idolatry no matter how one may twist it. The bible is not the foundation of our faith. The foundation of our faith is Christ (God) alone. I do not "believe in" a book, but in the living person of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Word of God, who is, who was, and who ever shall be. (John 1:1)

I agree that Jesus is God's word par excellence, but I only know this because the Bible tells me that this is so. And I only know about Jesus - the things he said and did - because of what I find in the Bible.

Are you able to say that the Bible is the very words of God?

 

[bekkilyn]

I agree that Jesus is God's word par excellence, but I only know this because the Bible tells me that this is so. And I only know about Jesus - the things he said and did - because of what I find in the Bible.

Are you able to say that the Bible is the very words of God?

There are words of God in the bible and there are also plenty of words of people like Jeremiah, Moses, Paul, Peter, Luke, etc., so I suppose it depends on which words in the bible you're specifying. When someone like Jeremiah writes, "Thus says the Lord," then it's a pretty good hint that the next thing he writes is coming from God.

Was scripture inspired by God, and is it sufficient for the purpose of salvation? Yes.

Is the bible itself God and thus worthy of our worship? No.

Not to mention that there were many people who followed Christ long before a bible was ever compiled.

The bible did not create Christianity. (Nor did it create heaven and earth for that matter.)

 

[JimR-OCDS]

There are words of God in the bible and there are also plenty of words of people like Jeremiah, Moses, Paul, Peter, Luke, etc., so I suppose it depends on which words in the bible you're specifying. When someone like Jeremiah writes, "Thus says the Lord," then it's a pretty good hint that the next thing he writes is coming from God.

Was scripture inspired by God, and is it sufficient for the purpose of salvation? Yes.

Is the bible itself God and thus worthy of our worship? No.

Not to mention that there were many people who followed Christ long before a bible was ever compiled.

The bible did not create Christianity. (Nor did it create heaven and earth for that matter.)

Agreed!

My faith came from Christ himself, before I started reading the Bible. The Bible only confirmed for me, that Jesus is who He said he is.

 

[Pamela_123]

If we all believe in the same Bible, what caused a split in the religion?

The split came when people tried to read, teach, and preach the word of God based on their own understanding; not through the Holy Spirit. Take the church of Corinth for example. They were taking the spirit inspired letters sent to them from Paul, and molded the word to fit into their own lifestyles. That is why it is so important to listen to the Holy Spirit abiding in you so that you know the truth of God's word.