Why does Christianity have denominations?

Albion

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John 16:13
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Avoidable, according to this verse.
The Holy Spirit always points the believer to the word of God (Scripture). He does not operate in opposition to the Bible or apart from it.

You just quoted to us from John 16, saying that "He will not speak on His own authority," so you can count on that being the case.
 
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eleos1954

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Aren't we supposed to be unified in our belief in the truth? Is it a divisive ploy from the enemy of our souls? Did God desire it to be this way?

It's just been bugging me, as it doesn't seem to be a great testimony to the world at all.

John 17:20-21:
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Truth in love, thoughts in kindness, discussion in humility are most welcome. Let's reason together. Please let's not argue. I am really interested in what we all have to say.

Differences with the interpretation of scripture.

Aren't we supposed to be unified in our belief in the truth? Is it a divisive ploy from the enemy of our souls? Did God desire it to be this way?

We will not be unified until Jesus returns.

Yes, satan twists scripture (deceivingly) around and he is the enemy.

No, God does not desire for it to be this way, He wants us unified with Him, and one day it will be so.
 
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SongOnTheWind

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Differences with the interpretation of scripture.



We will not be unified until Jesus returns.

Yes, satan twists scripture (deceivingly) around and he is the enemy.

No, God does not desire for it to be this way, He wants us unified with Him, and one day it will be so.
If this is what God wants from the very beginning and formation of Christianity then why have we allowed ourselves to become so ignorantly divided?
 
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Albion

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If this is what God wants from the very beginning and formation of Christianity then why have we allowed ourselves to become so ignorantly divided?
For the sake of unity, what doctrines or practices that you consider right and important would you abandon?

Of course the question could be asked of all of us, but let's start there and see how easily we can work out the problem of denominational differences.
 
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Yeshua HaDerekh

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Aren't we supposed to be unified in our belief in the truth? Is it a divisive ploy from the enemy of our souls? Did God desire it to be this way?

It's just been bugging me, as it doesn't seem to be a great testimony to the world at all.

John 17:20-21:
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Truth in love, thoughts in kindness, discussion in humility are most welcome. Let's reason together. Please let's not argue. I am really interested in what we all have to say.

I think the basic message is the same but the rest is being debated...I mean just look at all the arguments and debates here on this site!
 
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SongOnTheWind

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I think the basic message is the same but the rest is being debated...I mean just look at all the arguments and debates here on this site!
I love what you have written under your username, it's very true!

I think the problem is more fundamental than that. We can't even agree on many of the basics. Also, nowadays we have whole denominations holding views today that they never would have held 100 years ago, or even 50 years ago. But for the sake of peace and decorum, I shan't go into that, lol.

It is such a shame. It grieves me that this is what the world gets to see when it looks at the church.
 
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eleos1954

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If this is what God wants from the very beginning and formation of Christianity then why have we allowed ourselves to become so ignorantly divided?

The deception of satan is twisting the Word of God .... and that is being done through various churches (not on all things). It is one's individual responsibility to check anything taught (regardless from where) with His Word.

Acts 17:11

King James Bible
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Luke 12:51
English Standard Version
(Jesus speaking) Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.

We will remain divided until Jesus returns.
 
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Pavel Mosko

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John 16:13
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Can't we all just submit to this?

You know the people who have tried the hardest on that verse in recent times are your modern "Prophetic" types. The people who believe they can prophesy etc. And if you pay attention to events that have happened in the last few years with Covid, with the election etc. it shows how wrong they were "speaking by the Spirit" etc. Besides that, in other threads I have spoken of how various "prophets" got basic teaching and Bible interpretation wrong etc.

Here is are two extreme examples of what I'm talking about



 
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BNR32FAN

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Aren't we supposed to be unified in our belief in the truth? Is it a divisive ploy from the enemy of our souls? Did God desire it to be this way?

It's just been bugging me, as it doesn't seem to be a great testimony to the world at all.

John 17:20-21:
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Truth in love, thoughts in kindness, discussion in humility are most welcome. Let's reason together. Please let's not argue. I am really interested in what we all have to say.

Well this may be somewhat counter productive to the idea of unity but the majority of the schisms have been the result of the Roman Church. They were responsible for the East West Schism of 1054 and the protestant reformation which has now given us more denominations than I can possibly count. I mean I hate to say it but there it is.
 
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GallagherM

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I don’t know. I’m not all to sure. To live in the truth is to live by the spirit of Christ. Theological differences are theological differences truth does matter but there are many people who in different measures of faith to their own acknowledgement of what their own understanding of the word is?

Only people who seek to know the truths in which are founded in the Bible will; and Seekers of God are rewarded with those truths in which they can share with others. However others may not understand that truth about whatever it may be and they can become hostile or even revile you.

There is so much and especially on the internet with so many different backgrounds and experiences in life and their own knowledge of the Bible.
 
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Albion

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Well this may be somewhat counter productive to the idea of unity but the majority of the schisms have been the result of the Roman Church. They were responsible for the East West Schism of 1054 and the protestant reformation
It's certainly true that, through various schisms, the Roman Catholic Church has cut itself off from more Christians than any other Christian denomination.
 
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BobRyan

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I agree, he literally says it in the text. Jesus doesn't have to wrestle with belief because He already KNOWS. Knows it all. All of it. That is the mind we must have. Not just say we have it or act like we have it, but truly apply ourselves to His Word to have His mind - attitudes, behaviour and all - made manifest in us. Not relative truths or varying beliefs.

And the example they give us in Acts 17:11 is to "study the scriptures daily to see IF those things were so"
 
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Tolworth John

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I would say that there are some denominations that believe in things that others definitely do not. I don't want to start an argument about it, but that is the way it is right now.

There are denominations whose statement of faith is totally Christian, but whose practice is sub christian.

You have not demonstrated that there is a need for one single organisation for Christians, or that Christian unity is not a spiritual unity.
 
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Yeshua HaDerekh

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You know the people who have tried the hardest on that verse in recent times are your modern "Prophetic" types. The people who believe they can prophesy etc. And if you pay attention to events that have happened in the last few years with Covid, with the election etc. it shows how wrong they were "speaking by the Spirit" etc. Besides that, in other threads I have spoken of how various "prophets" got basic teaching and Bible interpretation wrong etc.

Here is are two extreme examples of what I'm talking about




True. But none of these people would be around and on TV if there were not so many people giving them money...
 
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SongOnTheWind

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For the sake of unity, what doctrines or practices that you consider right and important would you abandon?

Of course the question could be asked of all of us, but let's start there and see how easily we can work out the problem of denominational differences.

Only those that go against what scripture plainly tells us. We cannot simply assume that everything we are taught by others is fully grounded in scripture, we must search the scriptures out for ourselves. Yes we see/interpret things differently by nature, but guided by the Holy Spirit we must arrive at His revelation, not our own conclusions, and certainly not the mere traditions of mere men. We are supposed to be more than the sum of our traditions, or obedience to them. That must be our testimony to this world, otherwise how can we claim to have any truth at all? And to be divided as to exactly what that truth is?? Forget about it. We overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb AND the word of our testimony, not our relative interpretation of some kind of truth. If you ask me, the enemy has many of us exactly where he wants us, and it grieves me. It really does. Not because I am above anyone else, but because I want it for us all, for myself, my kids, my church, our church, brethren. Are we brethren or not???
 
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SongOnTheWind

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You know the people who have tried the hardest on that verse in recent times are your modern "Prophetic" types. The people who believe they can prophesy etc. And if you pay attention to events that have happened in the last few years with Covid, with the election etc. it shows how wrong they were "speaking by the Spirit" etc. Besides that, in other threads I have spoken of how various "prophets" got basic teaching and Bible interpretation wrong etc.

Here is are two extreme examples of what I'm talking about



Clearly that is not what I'm after, here. Either the Holy Spirit is true or He isn't. If He is, then follow Him. That sounds familiar:

1 Kings 18:21
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

In fact I this comes to the very heart of the matter. We have no need of division at all. We have the truth, we are set free by the truth and born again into the Kingdom of God. What more need is there to be divided by that truth when we are stronger in it? Who has bewitched us???

Galatians 3:1
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

The Galatians were divided by the crucifixion of Christ, it seems that we are divided by the person of the Holy Spirit. Is anyone else thinking or feeling what I am? Perhaps I am just crazy, who knows, right?

I am not pointing any fingers, or accusing anyone. I'd rather accuse myself first. Also, I am not after some false sense of lovey-doveyness among us. I just wonder at the lack of unity and strength that we have in the Truth.
 
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