Denominations abound in the religious world today. Some have estimated there are as many as 33,000 denominations presently in existence. Whether this is even close I am unsure, but one can readily see around us many different “churches” teaching and practicing many different doctrines. Some have claimed that this is a good thing and are thankful for this situation for one reason or another.
When we consider denominations, what are we referring to? What is a denomination? A denomination is a religious organization who considers themselves to be a “branch of the Christian Church”. In other words, and to be more specific, the Baptist Church considers itself to be a “branch” of the “Christian Church,” or the church of the Bible. No true denomination considers itself to be the church of the Bible, only to be one division or part of the true church. However…
Denominationalism is unscriptural in origin. Jesus promised to build only one church. He said in Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Jesus promised to build His church upon the bedrock truth Peter had just confessed, that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” vs. 16. The Bible teaches there is only one church. Colossians 1:18 speaks of Jesus saying, “And he is the head of the body, the church…” (See also Ephesians 1:22-23) The body = The church. Ephesians 4:4 says, “There is one body”. Therefore “one body = one church”. The Bible, which was written long before any denomination came into existence, only speaks of THE church and does not mention nor give approval for denominationalism.
Denominationalism is unscriptural in authority. The Lord Jesus Christ did not die for any denomination. He did not build any denomination. The Bible gives no authority for the existence of any denomination. In fact, to build a denomination requires the Bible plus the doctrines of men. To stand upon the Bible and only the Bible would be the end of denominationalism. For a denomination to exist requires the Bible plus such things as the decisions of counsels, synods, conventions, claimed ongoing revelation, and on and on the list goes. In the first century there were no “hyphenated Christians” there were only Christians (cf. Acts 11:26, 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). The reason was because they stood upon the Word of God and not the doctrines of man. Today if we take our stand upon the only Word of God in worship and doctrine, just as they did in the first century, we can be what they were, Christians only and the only Christians.
Unity is found in the one church, not denominations. In the first century Christians “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42). The result, UNITY! Their unity is described as they “were together” (Acts 2:44) and “with one accord” (Acts 2:46). The Lord expects there to be unity in His church and it was achieved from the very beginning. Years later, Paul would write to the church of Christ at Corinth addressing the division of the Lord’s church there and admonish them “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 1:10. The context of this passage is the Lord’s church (cf. 1:2) not denominations. The point we learn from this passage is that division within the Lord’s church is condemned. That being the case, how can denominationalism, which has no part with the Lord or His church, with all its division, be pleasing to Him? It is not.
-Jerry D. Sturgill
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