Anti-denominational followers of Jesus

God is an God of order, not disorder.

My wife thinks our house looks like this


But it really looks like this

What's your point???

Yes, that's true.

We sure have complicated things, we've allowed Satan to come in and rob the church of its true identity in my ooinion. I can't see how Jesus can reverse what has happened, except for when God calls an end to the time of the gentiles. But then again, He is God, I am not, and He can do things I can't even contemplate. In the meantime I believe He has stripped out for Himself a remnant.

Excuse my confusion, but what are the names of churches you are referring to?

Today known as Lutheran. Luther did not want to start hos own church, He wanted reform. The pope decided rather that he would keep his political authority and the profitability of fleecing the flock. So He used his political/secular authority to kick Luther and his students out of the Roman Empire known as "catholicism". Luther continued to carry on teaching, that as many as had faith in Jesus by Grace are saved and are the church;regardless of what the Emperor of Vatican had to say.

In this way the papacy abandoned the Church.

I suspect Luther wouldn't be chuffed about a church being named after him, he would say we are Christ's, not of Paul or Apollos or him.

I think the Church of Christ already took that name so they had to come up with something else.

Also if you happen to live in Christchurch, the entire city is supposedly meant to be the church.

SO You want to start the "Anti-Denominational Denomination" then???

It would be great, but unfortunately that’s unlikely since it isn’t happening nearly 2,000 years later. The Bible is vague enough on many points that people can make it say just about anything they want it to say and they do.

When the first 3000 got saved at Pentecost (can you say MegaChurch) they devoted themselves to the fellowship.

God's method and plan has always been that we devote ourselves to the gathering with the saints and fellowship, teaching, prayer, breaking of bread, etc.

If we find ourselves falling out of fellowship with the saints, we find ourselves falling out of fellowship with God.

There is nothing more anti God than being anti church.

True....and no doubt you would add, being divisive and breaking up the church into different sects with their own polarised view of what it is to act like Christ's followers, is equally anti-God/anti-Christ!

I wouldn't call this response funny, but more cynical and ignorant. Denominations of any kind are unacceptable to God, and anyone that thinks otherwise is thumbing their nose at the Lord Jesus. That, in my opinion, would be a hateful decision to take.

I understand what you are saying, and it makes sense to stay away from religious ritual controversies that just give vent for quarrelling and division.

But I for one, and I've no doubt there are others in the world, that have keep their loyalty true to the Lord Jesus and the church He made them members of when they were reborn by the Holy Spirit. They have refused to be corrupted by denominational or other man made religious institutions. Yes, it may well mean a life of singleness and loneliness in an alien world, but in the end the crown of salvation will be worth it.

I believe it is just fine to have different denominations, and local assemblies that don't agree on everything but still agree on the major salvific issues.

I don't have the same views as you do about this. I don't think it is wrong for churches to differ in opinions about things.

I think it is wrong for people to not find a local church and be involved in it. In the USA in most communities there are enough good ones to make staying at home a sign of being out of fellowship with God. Because God will lead you to a good local church if you are praying and having faith about that. No DOUBT ABOUT IT. God is not telling anyone to forsake the local assembly or that they don't need it or that they are not missing out on His plan for them.

You'll never convince me of that. The day you truly repent will be the day you understand the necessity of the local assembly and your part in it and you will make a way to be there every chance you get. And you will become a pillar there. That is the sign of a saved person. They devote themselves to the fellowship and the apostles teaching. In real life, face to face meetings.

Do you really believe that there isn't any church that is doing things the way you think they should? If so, why do you have confidence that no one in the world but you understands how the church should operate? Don't you doubt your own views if you can't find another soul that agrees with them?

Why would there be no church doing things right? Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against the church. Don't you think it is still advancing and don't you think you can be part of a local assembly that does not deserve the wrath of God?

Surely you know that good ones exist. They don't have to be perfect to deserve our involvement.

I just think any thought patterns that justify our not finding a local church and being part is from satan. God's method is still the local assembly and we should all be devoted to this.

Yes that’s true. I’m pretty sure strict adherence to the Bible will create a mostly solitary Christian experience. I can’t seem to find any church congregations I really agree with. Mostly I just bump into individuals online every now and then. We can still almost universally find commonality on who the Lord and Savior is, but outside of that fellowship is often impossible if the pretense for church is just singing, listening to a preacher, and giving money.

If you know of any churches that come together to actually provoke one another to love and good works then I’m in:

Hebrews 10:24,25
24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

I feel you may be missing the main point that I am emphasing... and that is, if your spirit has been given life by the Holy Spirit you are automatically joined to the church of God. If subsequently you join yourself up to any other religious authority, which you do when you attach yourself (or leave yourself attached) to any denomination or any other man made religious institution, you are corrupting the purity of Jesus and His want for His followers to remain as one.

Fellowship is essential, meet up with people that have remained loyal to the Lord Jesus and have remained solely as members of the church that He founded at the beginning, that is where the true church is and where your real brothers and sisters commune... a holy communion of Christ's followers.

True statement.

SO - without a specific meeting place/schedule, how do you propose to meet together and have fellowship??? and remember, Christian gatherings are always a mixture of "Wheat" and "Tares".