Why I am "Non-Denominational"

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Here, I would like to outline my general thoughts for why I consider myself Non-Denominational.

The primary reason is that I like to "borrow" from other traditions of Christianity. That means I do not fit nicely into any particular tradition of Christianity.

Here are some of the beliefs I hold which I borrow from other traditions.

I believe the Sign Gifts are ongoing. This comes from Charismatic and Pentecostal traditions.
I believe that an initial conversion is monergistic, yet after conversion, faith is synergistic. I believe this aligns most closely with the Lutheran tradition.
I believe salvation is a process that will continue on into eternity which borrows from Orthodox Christianity.
Along with the last two, I believe a person should be baptized or should at least make an effort to be baptized to be saved.
I believe there should generally be a hierarchy of authority for the church. Perhaps no one person is at the absolute top apart from Christ. My understanding is that the authority that is given is based on the degree of revelation a person has. I believe this view (I do not know if there is even another person let alone a whole tradition who believes the same thing) most closely aligns with Catholicism.
I believe some people who were saved at one point are no longer saved as they have become apostates. This idea is present in many traditions of Christianity. The only ones who disagree with this, AFAIK, are the Reformed.
I believe God is Sovereign. I do not believe God needs to micromanage the universe, but in all that happens, God's will is done. I believe all things glorify God, especially the love of His people. I am a Compatiblist which means I believe nothing prevents you from willing what you want but if you were to rewind the clock and play it again, the same thing would have happened in all cases. So I am NOT an Open Theist.
And, obviously, I believe in the Nicene Creed or I could not post here which many traditions of Christianity believe.

Those are of course some of my beliefs, but I share these just to demonstrate the idea of borrowing from different traditions (which the Bible is my ultimate source of Truth regarding theology).

 

[tonychanyt]

The primary reason is that I like to "borrow" from other traditions of Christianity. That means I do not fit nicely into any particular tradition of Christianity.

Right. I don't have a denomination and I don't belong to the category of non-denomination either.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

Right. I don't have a denomination and I don't belong to the category of non-denomination either.

I don't have a denomination. I call myself a freethinker.

 

[shadowhunter]

The thing about beliefs is that they can be loosely held, or firmly trusted. It is easy to believe in sign gifts until you are not healed. Then you hear "He was healed through death".

If Jesus died on the cross for healing then it is a taint on salvation. We trust we are saved (which we can't see) but that trust is undermined by the visible lack of healing.

Monergistic-Synergistic? How does it change your life?

The Hebrew word 'saved' means 'the flesh that loves the increase of the word. Believing is irrelevant. Actually loving it is what matters.

See what I mean. You can intellectually ascent to something. You can add a change in habits so you live better. Or you can know Christ well so that you die well. Beliefs have little to do with that. God said you could know before believing/trusting.

Isa 43:10 Ye [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I [am] he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

 

[FaithT]

I was Catholic, switched to ND, switched to Lutheran LCMS, and am considering returning to the ND church because I am bored at Mass and don’t agree with some of the teachings of the LCMS.