Skip to the content
New Testament Church
  • Welcome
    • What Is A Christian
    • What Does the Bible Teach?
    • What Must I Do To Be Saved?
    • Where Will You Spend Eternity?
  • Bible Study
    • Bible Courses
    • Bible Course 2
    • Bible Q&A Forum
    • Tracts
    • Study Tools
    • Downloadable Study Materials
    • Why Only One Cup?
    • Boatwright
    • CDs
      • CDI
      • CDII
      • CDIII
      • CDIV
      • CDV
      • CDVI
  • Sermons
    • Sermon Outlines
    • Video Sermons
    • Audio Sermons
    • Body Religous Journals
  • Hospitality
    • Recipes
    • Christian Businesses
    • Friends
  • Church Directory
  • Comment Form
    • Christian Informer
    • Spanish Section
    • 817-710-4291 -Encouragement
  • Members
    • Register
    • Login
    • Lost Password
  • Welcome
    • What Is A Christian
    • What Does the Bible Teach?
    • What Must I Do To Be Saved?
    • Where Will You Spend Eternity?
  • Bible Study
    • Bible Courses
    • Bible Course 2
    • Bible Q&A Forum
    • Tracts
    • Study Tools
    • Downloadable Study Materials
    • Why Only One Cup?
    • Boatwright
    • CDs
      • CDI
      • CDII
      • CDIII
      • CDIV
      • CDV
      • CDVI
  • Sermons
    • Sermon Outlines
    • Video Sermons
    • Audio Sermons
    • Body Religous Journals
  • Hospitality
    • Recipes
    • Christian Businesses
    • Friends
  • Church Directory
  • Comment Form
    • Christian Informer
    • Spanish Section
    • 817-710-4291 -Encouragement
  • Members
    • Register
    • Login
    • Lost Password
      "FOLLOWING JESUS WITHOUT DENOMINATIONALISM"  
  
                    Why Is Denominationalism Wrong?  
  
INTRODUCTION  
  
1. While many people are attracted to the good news of the grace of God  
   offered through His Son Jesus Christ, certain questions often linger  
   in their minds...  
   a. Why are there so many different denominations?  
   b. Can't the followers of Jesus Christ learn to get along?  
   c. What can be done about the religious division that exists today?  
   d. Is it possible for me to be simply a Christian, following Jesus  
      without being a member of any denomination?  
  
2. In reply to these questions, some make an effort to discount the   
   significance of religious division, suggesting...  
   a. That the differences are not all that great  
   b. Or that religious division is good, for it enables people to find  
      a church that suits them personally  
   -- But there are several reasons why I believe these answers are   
      wrong and do a disservice to the cause of Christ  
  
3. In this series of lessons, I have several objectives in mind...  
   a. To explain why denominationalism is wrong  
   b. To illustrate how one can simply be a Christian, serving Jesus  
      without being a member of any denomination  
   c. To suggest how followers of Christ might be able "to maintain the  
      unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" - cf. Ep 4:3   
  
4. In this lesson, I wish to explain...  
   a. Why denominationalism is wrong  
   b. Why anyone who truly follows Christ will do all they can to avoid  
      participating in it  
  
[First, perhaps a definition of terms is in order...]  
  
I. DEFINING "DENOMINATION" AND "DENOMINATIONALISM"  
  
   A. WHAT IS A "DENOMINATION"?  
      1. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English  
         Language:  
         
         "A large group of religious congregations united under a  
         common faith and name and organized under a single  
         administrative and legal hierarchy."  
        
      2. From Webster's:  
        
         "A religious organization uniting in a single legal and  
         administrative body a number of local congregations."  
        
      3. In simple laymen terms, a denomination is a group of  
         congregations that are joined together under some governing  
         body...  
         a. The number of congregations can be as few as two or more  
         b. But by their tie to a governing body above the local  
            congregation, by definition they are "denominated" from all  
            congregations that do not submit to the same authority  
      4. Some examples:  
         a. The Roman Catholic Church is a denomination made up of  
            those churches that submit to the pope in Rome  
         b. The Eastern Orthodox Church is a denomination made up of  
            those churches that submit to the patriarch of   
            Constantinople  
         c. The Anglican Church of England is a denomination made up of   
            those churches that submit to the archbishop of Cantebury  
         d. The Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) is made up of those   
            churches that submit to the synod in Missouri  
         e. The International Church of Christ is made up of those   
            churches that submit to the Boston Church of Christ  
         -- These are just a few of the thousands of different   
            denominations that now exist!  
  
   B. WHAT IS "DENOMINATIONALISM"?  
      1. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English   
         Language, it is:  
         a. "The tendency to separate into religious denominations"  
         b. "Advocacy of separation into religious denominations"  
         c. "Strict adherence to a denomination; sectarianism"  
      2. Again, Webster's dictionary defines it as:  
         a. "Devotion to denominational principles or interests"  
         b. "Narrow emphasizing of denominational differences:    
            SECTARIANISM"  
      3. For the purpose in this series, I will be applying the term to  
         any approval of the denominational division which exists today  
         a. I concede that many people in denominations today are not  
            all that devoted to their denominational principles or  
            interests  
         b. But by membership in a denomination they are by implication  
            advocating separation into religious denominations  
  
[But is denominationalism really all that bad?  Am I suggesting that   
one cannot serve Christ faithfully while participating in religious   
division?  The answer to both questions is "Yes!"  
  
To understand the reason for saying this, let's examine...]  
  
II. WHY DENOMINATIONALISM IS WRONG  
  
   A. FIRST, DENOMINATIONALISM IS UN-SCRIPTURAL...  
      1. That is, it is without Scriptural support  
         a. There is no basis in the Bible for local churches being   
            divided up into various denominational bodies  
         b. There is no denomination that can go to the Bible and say,  
            "See that passage? There is our church (denomination)!"  
      2. In the New Testament...  
         a. Local congregations were independent, self-governing  
         b. Church organization was limited to within the local   
            congregation, with elders (also known as pastors, bishops,  
            overseers, presbyters) appointed to oversee only the   
            congregation of which they were members - cf. Ac 20:17 ,28;  
            1 Pe 5:1-2   
      3. The only authority above the local church in the New Testament  
         was Christ and His apostles...  
         a. Once the church began, apostles were not replaced after   
            they died  
         b. But through the Word of God, the authority of Christ and   
            His apostles continues  
      4. Individuals, synods, conferences, etc., that presume to usurp  
         authority over local congregations today do so without  
         Scriptural authority  
  
   B. SECOND, DENOMINATIONALISM IS ANTI-SCRIPTURAL...  
      1. I.e., not only is it without scriptural support, it is   
         contrary to what the Bible teaches  
      2. It is contrary to the prayer of Jesus for unity among His   
         believers - Jn 17:20-23   
      3. It is condemned by Paul in his epistle to the church at   
         Corinth  
         a. There are to be no divisions among believers - 1 Co 1:10-13   
         b. Sectarianism is a sign of carnality - 1 Co 3:3-4   
      4. It opposes the efforts of Christ on the cross! - Ep 2:14-16   
         a. Jesus died to break down the wall of division  
         b. Jesus died to reconcile man to God in ONE body  
         -- Just as sinning works against the efforts of Christ on the  
            cross (for He also died to put away sin), so it is with   
            denominational division!  
           
   C. THIRD, DENOMINATIONALISM IS HARMFUL TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST...  
      1. Jesus knew that unity among His disciples would be "the final  
         apologetic"  
         a. Cf. "that the world may believe" - Jn 17:21   
         b. In view of Jesus' words, we should not be surprised when   
            unbelievers are slow to accept the gospel coming from a   
            divided church  
      2. Many people point to the divided condition of those professing  
         to follow Christ...  
         a. Atheists and agnostics often use religious division as an  
            excuse not to believe in God  
         b. Adherents to non-Christian religions (such as Islam,   
            Judaism, etc.) will often use denominationalism as a reason  
            not to believe in Christ  
      3. Denominationalism has also given support and encouragement to  
         the cults  
         a. Mormonism started in reaction to the denominationalism of  
            Joseph Smith's day  
         b. Those who call themselves "Jehovah's Witnesses" use   
            religious division to encourage people to follow their   
            strictly-controlled organization  
  
   D. UNDERSTANDING THAT DENOMINATIONALISM IS WRONG HAS LED TO THESE  
      INTERESTING STATEMENTS...  
      1. From Martin Luther, the leader of the Reformation Movement:  
  
         "I ask that men make no reference to my name, and call   
         themselves not Lutherans, but Christians.  What is Luther?  
         My doctrine, I am sure, is not mine, nor have I been crucified  
         for any one. St. Paul, in 1 Cor. 3, would not allow   
         Christians to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but  
         Christian.  How then should I, poor, foul carcass that I am,  
         come to have men give to the children of Christ a name   
         derived from my worthless name?  No, no, my dear friends; let  
         us abolish all party names, and call ourselves Christians  
         after Him Whose doctrine we have." - Hugh Thomason Kerr, A  
         Compend of Luther's Theology (Philadelphia: The Westminster   
         Press, 1943, p. 135)  
  
      2. From John Wesley, another great reformation leader, among   
         whose followers are Methodists, Wesleyans, etc.:  
  
         "Would to God that all party names, and unscriptural phrases  
         and forms which have divided the Christian world, were forgot  
         and that the very name [Methodist] might never be mentioned  
         more, but be buried in eternal oblivion." - John Wesley,  
         Universal Knowledge, A Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Arts,  
         Science, History, Biography, Law, Literature, Religions,   
         Nations, Races, Customs, and Institutions, Vol. 9, Edward A.   
         Pace, Editor (New York: Universal Knowledge Foundation, 1927,  
         p. 540)  
  
      3. From Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest Baptist preachers  
         who ever lived:  
  
         "I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not  
         be a Baptist living!  I hope that the Baptist name will soon  
         perish, but let Christ's name last forever." - Spurgeon   
         Memorial Library, Vol. I., p. 168  
  
CONCLUSION  
  
1. Well, that day has not yet come, and denominationalism with its   
   religious division seems to be as strong as ever!  
  
2. But all is not lost...  
   a. For throughout the world, more and more people are throwing aside  
      their denominational shackles  
   b. They are following Jesus Christ in the freedom of gospel liberty  
      that comes from being simply a Christian!  
   c. And what may be a surprise to some, they are able to do so "being  
      like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one  
      mind" - cf. Ph 2:2   
  
3. How is this possible?  
   a. That is what I hope to demonstrate starting with the next lesson  
   b. But it begins with two things:  
      1) A strong desire to follow Jesus Christ and His prayer for  
         unity - cf. Jn 17:20-23   
      2) An understanding of the carnal nature of division, and why  
         denominationalism is wrong - cf. 1 Co 3:3-4   
  
Dear friend, don't you want to be simply a Christian, a follower of the  
Lord Jesus Christ...?

Total visits:

15177414
Total views : 15196678

© 2021 New Testament Church

Powered by WordPress

To the top ↑ Up ↑