CHRISTIANITY AND DENOMINATIONS
One thing we should be able to agree upon is, there is are no denomination in the Body of Christ, as we are ONE body in Christ. I Corinthians 12:12- "For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ". The different denominations give each believer the opportunity to partake in the church that best represents the doctrine that one exercises faith to embrace. We understand that God places us in the Spiritual body (by filling us with his Holy Spirit) and He inspires us to be in (physical) church Body as He sees fit. Eph. 2:21 - "In whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto a holy temple in the Lord. In whom you also are build ed together for a habitation of God through the Spirit". Perhaps it is the Christ that leads us to the denominational church that is best suitable for our character, personality, background, weaknesses, experiences, downfalls, upbringing, talents, traditions, comforts or other factors to be considered. 1Cor 12:28-And God set some in the church… The Lord certainly knows what He is doing. Ecc. 6:10 "That which hath been is named already, and it is know that it is man". Meaning there are no coincidences with God. Our lives are predestined which means He has always know the church best suitable for us! If we wound up in a church not preaching Jesus Christ crucified and risen- The Lord is not responsible for that error! By being affiliated with the wrong company, 1 Cor 15:33- "Be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners". We find ourselves out of the will of God. Or, we mislead our selves through ignorance while being led by the enemy of the cross!
When I look back at my experience being in church, the quieter the members of the church were the more bored I was. When I attended a church with lots of excitement, praises, dancing, and into the Spirit, the more focused I was! I end up Pastoring a Charismatic Pentecostal Church. I am by no means suggesting that everyone that makes a noise is spiritual. Many of God's people love him and are sincere in their worship and praise. However many will praise God with their mouths when their hearts are distant from him. I was one that seemed to experience the presence of God in the spiritual excitement. The church that loved to praise God introduced me to an awesome awe and excitement about the mystery of God! They made Him feel real, which was a new experience for myself. The praises spoke of him as though He were alive, and the excitement seemed to confirm that He was also in our presence! Eventually, I was saved and began to know the Lord for myself. The bible teaches that our understanding of The Word of God will be in part, 1 Cor 13:9 For we know in part (meaning our knowledge is limited). We will not understand all of the scriptures entirely, and this fact causes disagreements. Too many see a scripture differently. Some believe this, some believe that! Yet, God's people can agree on one thing---We are all Christians!
The bible also states that there will be different administrations within the church. 1 Cor 12:5 -"And there are differences of administrations but the same Lord". When we come to grips that our understanding of the scriptures will be partial and that there will be different administrations within the church, this by itself could explain the reason for the denominations. Yes, I know that God is not the author of confusion, however, denominations may actually be a blessing in a mysterious type of way! The denominations are only temporary while we are on earth, because we are yet in the flesh. We have a problem sorting out our different ways of interpreting scriptures without vain contentions, therefore perhaps God uses the denominations to keep the church focused on Jesus despite division. Romans 8:28- "All things work together for good to them that love God". However, without the denominations a divided house would not stand! The church itself would probably have been in great danger of falling because its members would have been busier within the walls of the church arguing over baptism, trinity issues, days of worship, who will preach, wine or juice, crackers or bread, and the list could honestly go on an on. Who would have been able to receive wholesome teaching with all of the debates, contention, arguments, and disagreements within the walls of the church. St. Matthew 16: 18 "Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". Satan certainly would have taken great advantage of the disputes in his effort to tear down God's church through mankind himself! God is able to make some good out of the denominations by silencing some of our disagreements and enabling his people to partake in the denomination best suited for the individual in Him! Glory!
Genesis 11:1 - And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. Genesis 11: 4-And they said, go to, let us build a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. During this time in biblical history it was the will of God that man replenish the earth.
The main point to consider in the discussion of denominations is that we all need to belong to a bible based church that teaches the main ingredient of Christianity -Christ died for our sins and God raised him from the dead. John 4:1-6 1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
Repentance through faith in the gospel plan of salvation and infilling of the Holy Ghost constituting the new birth must be preached for the salvation of souls. Also, it is important that one prayerfully affiliate with a church that allows you an opportunity to utilize your God given gift for the edification of the Body of Christ.
In Conclusion: We are not going to agree wholeheartedly with our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ when it comes to The Word of God, but we can agree wholeheartedly on the necessities of our relationships with Christ beginning with repentance upon receiving The Word of God and the fact that everyone needs to know Christ as their personal savior. St. John 3:3- "Except a man is born again He cannot see the Kingdom of God", while accepting the fact that Jesus Christ will return for a church without spot, wrinkle, blemish or any such thing and that we must live holy, sanctified, committed, consecrated lives unto God by the constant hearing and studying God's Word! We can learn to put down our differences and accept one another as God's own special child, irregardless of what church one belongs to and accept the variety of offices within the body of Christ being utilized by male and females. We can pray
for the Body of Christ that we will all become united in Christ and live forever with our Father when that great day arrives when there will be no more division.
No wonder God is connecting many of his people through Face book, He is already teaching us how to get along with one another while sharing, caring, teaching, encouraging and praying for one another on Face book and it makes no difference what church one goes to. We need to be more focused on winning the unchurch to Christ. When they do receive the Lord, let us not confuse them by telling them which church is the best. Our priority is to be certain that they do not meander into a false religion. Let us prayerfully ask the Lord to place them in the Body as He sees fit. Amen.
Pastor S. T. Spencer
The Bright & Morning Star Pentecostal Assembly of God
