Denominational thinking

This will have some similarity to another article posted some time ago, but this is needed in a world of denominational thinking. People tend to go to the "church of your choice" and take the attitude that we are "all going to the same place, just getting there in different ways." That is not healthy thinking and not Biblical either.

What the Bible teaches, over and over, is that we are to be simply "Christians." Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, "....I will build my church." He didn't say "churches", just church. And He never allowed for denominations. If you read John chapter 17, you will see that Jesus, right before He left this earth, prayed that his followers would "be one." Jesus left the earth never having established His church. He prepared the way, then left the development of the church in the hands of the apostles. He told them in Matthew 28:18-20, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

But what man does is divide; denomination means divided. 1 Corinthians 1:11-17 talks about the tendency to divide in Corinth. Some were trying to be Paul Christians, some Apollos Christians, some Cephas Christians, some Christ Christians. To paraphrase, he is just saying here, 'No, just be Christians.' We need to learn this lesson, to think in simple terms, and to follow the Bible pattern.

Now, with all of this said, I have chosen to worship and work with a group of "just Christians," people who are committed to avoid the denominational trap. This is what I see in the Bible. But I will conclude by saying that this isn't always popular with our friends and family, people who will often be disappointed that we aren't in their denomination. But to just follow the Bible, to be just Christians has to be the better way; it is God's way, as clearly stated in the Bible, God's Word.