Anti-denominational followers of Jesus

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Lanolin

Lanolin

Well-known member
#144
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
113
#144
sorry I havent been following

I kind of switch off when people start being anti

Im more of a pro- follower of what is good rather than an anti - whiner of what is evil
 
T

timf

New member
#146
Jul 7, 2022
19
14
3
#146
Denominations (divisions) are called symptomatic of immaturity by Paul.

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

One might think of denominational Christianity as Christianity 101. Members are usually given a sort of per-digested package of doctrine and told to accept it. This can work to limit individual growth. However, this structure can also work to keep someone from "going off the rails".
 
C

ChristianTonyB

Guest
#147
#147
timf said:
Members are usually given a sort of per-digested package of doctrine and told to accept it. This can work to limit individual growth. However, this structure can also work to keep someone from "going off the rails".
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Yes. God used this methodology to try and keep Israel on track as His chosen people, His Holy nation. However, from the appearance of the Lord Jesus through to eternity, the new Israel, which comprises people that have had their spirit brought to life by God, are now kept on track by the Holy Spirit, not by a system of religious rituals and traditions, providing we listen to His teaching and counsel, and do what He says.
 
R

RichMan

Guest
#149
#149
Every non-denominational preacher I every met started his church because he could not find anyone to agree with his beliefs.
None ever considered they may be wrong.
 
C

ChristianTonyB

Guest
#150
#150
RichMan said:
Every non-denominational preacher I every met started his church because he could not find anyone to agree with his beliefs.
None ever considered they may be wrong.
Click to expand...
It's a wrong premise for anyone to think they can start a church of God up. Only Jesus has started His church up, and only He can add other members to it.

So, that being the case, surely all we need to do is meet up and encourage each other to be like Him.
 
D

Dirtman

Well-known member
#151
Jul 19, 2022
1,151
441
83
#151
ChristianTonyB said:
Are there any other members of CC that believe divisions/sects/denominations or independent churches that hold formalised religious services, are not in the best interest of the Lord Jesus?

Dividing Jesus' body up into different belief systems can't be good, and repetitive religious observances seem to hark back to the superseded, old testament and ritualistic system, that we've been freed from.

Wouldn't it be great if we were all just simply known as followers of Christ, or Christians, with no other labels. No theological complexities, a common front to those on the outside, and putting our efforts only into developing behaviour that emulates Jesus'.

Some have said that even though they fellowship with a denominational church, they have no specific allegiance to it. But aren't they doing that by association, and in effect supporting division?
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One of many reasons I attend the church that the papists abandoned for their idolatry.
 
C

ChristianTonyB

Guest
#152
#152
Lanolin said:
sorry I havent been following

I kind of switch off when people start being anti

Im more of a pro- follower of what is good rather than an anti - whiner of what is evil
Click to expand...
My loyalty is to Jesus, and to His prayer that His followers remain united. The apostles preached the same. I refuse to bury my head in the sand, and I'm not whining, but warning!
 
C

ChristianTonyB

Guest
#154
#154
RichMan said:
Every non-denominational preacher I every met started his church because he could not find anyone to agree with his beliefs.
None ever considered they may be wrong.
Click to expand...
.... or, maybe they hadn't been born again either, and were being further led astray through their spirit that was dead to God and therefore ignorant of His ways!
 
C

ChristianTonyB

Guest
#155
#155
Lanolin said:
sorry I havent been following

I kind of switch off when people start being anti

Im more of a pro- follower of what is good rather than an anti - whiner of what is evil
Click to expand...
Following a denomination and participating in their activities is not good, but seriously bad.
 
A

Adstar

Senior Member
#156
Jul 24, 2016
7,581
3,616
113
#156
ChristianTonyB said:
Are there any other members of CC that believe divisions/sects/denominations or independent churches that hold formalised religious services, are not in the best interest of the Lord Jesus?

Dividing Jesus' body up into different belief systems can't be good, and repetitive religious observances seem to hark back to the superseded, old testament and ritualistic system, that we've been freed from.

Wouldn't it be great if we were all just simply known as followers of Christ, or Christians, with no other labels. No theological complexities, a common front to those on the outside, and putting our efforts only into developing behaviour that emulates Jesus'.

Some have said that even though they fellowship with a denominational church, they have no specific allegiance to it. But aren't they doing that by association, and in effect supporting division?
Click to expand...
There is One Holy Spirit guided group of people on earth that the Bible calls the Body of Christ... And like a body each part plays it's part in the family.. These people should NEVER be divided.. If they have the right Spirit they are united by the Holy Spirit..

Having said that there are many false churches and groups exposing doctrines of demons.. The Body of Christ should never have religous fellowship with these people.. Doing so could mislead babes in Christ and unbelievers to believe that the false doctrines these people support are true Gospel because true Christians and fellowshiping together with them..

But at the same time True Christians should always be willing to witness the true Gospel to the false Christians and by doing so love them.. But never supporting their false doctrines..
 
R

Runningman

Banned
#158
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
113
#158
ChristianTonyB said:
Are there any other members of CC that believe divisions/sects/denominations or independent churches that hold formalised religious services, are not in the best interest of the Lord Jesus?

Dividing Jesus' body up into different belief systems can't be good, and repetitive religious observances seem to hark back to the superseded, old testament and ritualistic system, that we've been freed from.

Wouldn't it be great if we were all just simply known as followers of Christ, or Christians, with no other labels. No theological complexities, a common front to those on the outside, and putting our efforts only into developing behaviour that emulates Jesus'.

Some have said that even though they fellowship with a denominational church, they have no specific allegiance to it. But aren't they doing that by association, and in effect supporting division?
Click to expand...
Someone I was witnessing to rejected Christianity on the basis it’s an organized religion and that a true religion from God wouldn’t require people to do anything because God would have made it perfect and seemless with our existence.

Turns out, that’s actually what God did for Adam and Eve before sin entered the world. That creates more questions than answers sometimes.

The story of how we got from paradise to where we are now is how we understand why we need Jesus. It’s parsing information from Genesis to Revelation, trying to understand what happened and why is why there are so many divisions.

So I agree with you. Being the people God created us to be seems like a more pressing matter for the church.
 
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