Unified Belief

LearningToLetGo

LearningToLetGo

There are so many world religions both past and present. And if you add sects and denominations to the mix you get even more. It boggles the mind. Each religion, in turn, claims some level of exclusivity on the truth. This would be fine if each religion more or less said the same thing, but obviously they do not.

So what do we do? Do we choose one religion or one denomination at the exclusion of all else? Do we choose all or none? I am sure we have all faced this question either in our own being or in discussion with others.

It seems a conundrum worth exploring.
 
Hello Jason;

I'm with you and don't feel denominations in our Christian community view are Biblical. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 teaches we are One Body with many members.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

I have always had an issue with denominations which can be divisive in this perspective, for example, "I'm a Methodist." "Well, I'm a Pentecostal." "Well, I play it safe and worship in a non-denominational Church." Others just Church hop which lacks discernment for God's calling.

So what do we do?

My wife and I are Southern Baptists. But more important, we search where Christ is calling us to serve and in which Church community. Then it's our responsibility to discern as disciples, where we receive sound teaching of God's Word.

By submitting to where Christ has called us to serve, we have more peace about it but it doesn't stop there. We need to share our testimony with other believers and provide Scriptures to those who just don't know what to do.

There is more to this but will leave it here and listen/read other's thoughts.

God bless you, brother and thank you for starting this profound topic.
 
your denom names help identify how you believe. does the doctrine line up with yours. i have been in several different denoms visiting over the years. there all good peeps . we have even been to a pentecostal Church. with baptist there is a list a mile long of various baptist free will general southern missionary independent hard-shell baptist anna baptist. that only scratches the surface. there will never be one main denom other than what end times will create . even though there are areas of each denom i dont agree on. they are still my bro-sisters in the Lord. i pastor a gen baptist but but never preach be a gen baptist.
 
LearningToLetGo said:
There are so many world religions both past and present. And if you add sects and denominations to the mix you get even more. It boggles the mind. Each religion, in turn, claims some level of exclusivity on the truth. This would be fine if each religion more or less said the same thing, but obviously they do not.

So what do we do? Do we choose one religion or one denomination at the exclusion of all else? Do we choose all or none? I am sure we have all faced this question either in our own being or in discussion with others.

It seems a conundrum worth exploring.
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Yeh I have also wondered why I enjoy other parts of religions. I do metta meditation and enjoy yoga for physical exercise. The metta is just a good way to feel loving toward ourselves and others. The yoga is great for my bones and supplies me with a boost of energy in the mornings.
I don't see anything wrong in it, and as long as I am reading and meditating on the scriptures daily I see it as a compliment to my faith. I dont use other religious scriptures. They work great for me. I Also don't think they should be unified, in a way that says, we must incorporate them in to the faith or else....they just seems to me as an added compliment like horse radish is to roast beef. whatever works and all that.

is it a sign of the times? is it the devils doing? who knows...but I certainly dont feel bad about it, and feel good with the results so far.
 
LearningToLetGo said:
There are so many world religions both past and present. And if you add sects and denominations to the mix you get even more. It boggles the mind. Each religion, in turn, claims some level of exclusivity on the truth. This would be fine if each religion more or less said the same thing, but obviously they do not.

So what do we do? Do we choose one religion or one denomination at the exclusion of all else? Do we choose all or none? I am sure we have all faced this question either in our own being or in discussion with others.

It seems a conundrum worth exploring.
Click to expand...
 
Denomination of the Christian faith are NOT Biblical. Then why are there so many of them?????

It was The Reformation — instigated by a number of events, most notably Martin Luther's 95 Theses — emphasized a personal faith.

This movement was in reaction to the fact that interpretations of the Bible, grace (spontaneously given love and mercy from God), the absolution of sins and entry into heaven were all mediated through priests in Catholicism. Luther and his followers claimed that the Bible, not a church hierarchy, was the ultimate authority over all people, including priests and the pope, and that several ecclesiastical practices, such as granting indulgences (paying the church money to be absolved of sins), were corrupt and they were!

Of course this opened the door to Personal Interpretations!

Protestants had used scripture to critique the Roman Catholic Church, claiming that any believer could read scripture and have a personal relationship with God. But then, "the obvious problem emerged: Whose interpretation of scripture was the right one?"

Then Other Protestant denominations were formed out of a play for power, and money and prestige!

I am by the grace of God a born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as the payment for my sins.

I am a Southern Baptist BY MY PERSONAL CHOICE! Having grown up in Pentecostal environment, I made it a mission in life to find the right Church. I choose the Southern Baptist because of ONE REASON......It is the closest to literal Bible teachings!
 
Major said:
Then Other Protestant denominations were formed out of a play for power, and money and prestige!
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This is where I wanted to go. It seems to me that given enough time, formalized religion inevitably becomes a vehicle of personal power for the mediators (i.e. gatekeepers) of said religion. For example: A truly cynical person could point to the story of Exodus as a prime example since Moses essentially became king in all but name as God's right-hand man while freeing the Israelites from Egypt.

How can we counter such cynical attacks in our own lives and in our our ministry? What defense do we have other that personal belief and personal preference?
 
LearningToLetGo said:
This is where I wanted to go. It seems to me that given enough time, formalized religion inevitably becomes a vehicle of personal power for the mediators (i.e. gatekeepers) of said religion. For example: A truly cynical person could point to the story of Exodus as a prime example since Moses essentially became king in all but name as God's right-hand man while freeing the Israelites from Egypt.

How can we counter such cynical attacks in our own lives and in our our ministry? What defense do we have other that personal belief and personal preference?
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Excellent question.

Deut. 33:4-5 says of Moses.........
"Moses commanded us a law, the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together."

Now, calling Moses a king may seem unusual, yet God's inspired Word here calls him king in Jeshurun, and earlier, the man of God. Jeshurun, meaning "the upright people," is a term God uses to designate His people Israel. We read repeatedly how the people and their heads came to Moses to ascertain God's will. God's ideal king would rule God's people according to the mind of God.

Moses listened to God as God spoke to him and Moses followed the Word of God.

What defense do we have against FALSE TEACHERS who have a personal agenda????????

Know what the Word of God says!!!!! Read the Bible!!! Work to grasp its meanings.

Then when fly by night, charismatic, friendly people tell you something that is NOT IN THE BIBLE.......Leave them alone, mark them and ignore them!
 
Major said:
What defense do we have against FALSE TEACHERS who have a personal agenda????????

Know what the Word of God says!!!!! Read the Bible!!! Work to grasp its meanings.

Then when fly by night, charismatic, friendly people tell you something that is NOT IN THE BIBLE.......Leave them alone, mark them and ignore them!
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This is good advice and I can't think of a counter against it... at least not without going off topic and starting a flame war, neither of which I want to do.

Thank you for your well thought out and conscientious words, as always. :)

Jason
 
LearningToLetGo said:
This is good advice and I can't think of a counter against it... at least not without going off topic and starting a flame war, neither of which I want to do.

Thank you for your well thought out and conscientious words, as always. :)

Jason
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Do as you think the Holy Spirit moves you to do!

Thread always wander in and out and a flame is easy to put out!
 
Major said:
Denomination of the Christian faith are NOT Biblical. Then why are there so many of them?????

It was The Reformation — instigated by a number of events, most notably Martin Luther's 95 Theses — emphasized a personal faith.

This movement was in reaction to the fact that interpretations of the Bible, grace (spontaneously given love and mercy from God), the absolution of sins and entry into heaven were all mediated through priests in Catholicism. Luther and his followers claimed that the Bible, not a church hierarchy, was the ultimate authority over all people, including priests and the pope, and that several ecclesiastical practices, such as granting indulgences (paying the church money to be absolved of sins), were corrupt and they were!

Of course this opened the door to Personal Interpretations!

Protestants had used scripture to critique the Roman Catholic Church, claiming that any believer could read scripture and have a personal relationship with God. But then, "the obvious problem emerged: Whose interpretation of scripture was the right one?"

Then Other Protestant denominations were formed out of a play for power, and money and prestige!

I am by the grace of God a born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as the payment for my sins.

I am a Southern Baptist BY MY PERSONAL CHOICE! Having grown up in Pentecostal environment, I made it a mission in life to find the right Church. I choose the Southern Baptist because of ONE REASON......It is the closest to literal Bible teachings!
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Amen, denominating is not Christian because that implies human leadership.
I received my education under the Baptist umbrella, and I believe them to be very fine and have great truths. But as you said 'closest' and that may be but closest is not good enough. You also said 'born again' so that of course we understand to be the key so considering that - we should be able to feed at multiple tables but only eating that which is scriptural. So if we are free from denominational bondage unified by the Holy Spirit it must raise us up into something higher , especially considering the times we are living in for we know we are not going in as we are. Currently many of us do not have enouh faith for a tooth ache let alone the change. I expect you will agree that God in scripture doesn't sprinkle fairy dust it is always a process.
Though it is an individual process we still march together so let us not harden our hearts as to what the H.S. is doing.
 
2404 said:
Amen, denominating is not Christian because that implies human leadership.
I received my education under the Baptist umbrella, and I believe them to be very fine and have great truths. But as you said 'closest' and that may be but closest is not good enough. You also said 'born again' so that of course we understand to be the key so considering that - we should be able to feed at multiple tables but only eating that which is scriptural. So if we are free from denominational bondage unified by the Holy Spirit it must raise us up into something higher , especially considering the times we are living in for we know we are not going in as we are. Currently many of us do not have enouh faith for a tooth ache let alone the change. I expect you will agree that God in scripture doesn't sprinkle fairy dust it is always a process.
Though it is an individual process we still march together so let us not harden our hearts as to what the H.S. is doing.
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Agreed. There is no such thing as "perfect" or "knowing all". What I meant was "CLOSEST". I agree that is not good enough but IMHO it is leaps and bounds over other denominations who are seeking the same Bible truth.

That in no way means better than anyone else, just closer to what the literal Word of God intended to be known.
 
Can we know truth? We have the Bible, of course, and we all read it but can we agree upon the meaning of its words? It seems we are destined to fight one another.
 
LearningToLetGo said:
Can we know truth? We have the Bible, of course, and we all read it but can we agree upon the meaning of its words? It seems we are destined to fight one another.
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If I may venture a comment on that.
If Christ dwells in us then our spirit will agree with the correct understanding of the Word. Such as a musician immediately knows if something is off key. Jesus even said His church is built upon revelation.
The problem is our ego and intellect sometimes plug up the channels - enter our training that God uses.
 
It is not destiny as much as it is the SIN NATURE! It does back to Eden. Cain killed Abel!

SIN! You see, men have this thing in them that says "YOU" are right!..."YOU" are the man.

That applies to Christians as well. "WE" know what God meant and "WE" are the harbingers of truth!
Any one who challenges OUR perception is wrong!

That is the position we are all in.
 
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2404 said:
If Christ dwells in us then our spirit will agree with the correct understanding of the Word. Such as a musician immediately knows if something is off key.
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I appreciate this analogy to music but there is a corollary: if we do not agree with one another then at least one of us is wrong. Who will be the person to admit fault? No one, I hazard to guess. Thus we are back where we started.
 
Major said:
That is the position we are all in.
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What do we do? It seems to me we can only act as individuals by acknowledging the potential that we are wrong and in that spirit show contrition and humility towards others. If I may be wrong then you may be right, or we both may be wrong. If I truly want to follow the path set forth by Jesus then I must accept this unpleasant fact and let go of my desire to be correct in the first place. This takes us to a strange place: to follow Jesus I must let go of Jesus, from a certain point of view.
 
LearningToLetGo said:
What do we do? It seems to me we can only act as individuals by acknowledging the potential that we are wrong and in that spirit show contrition and humility towards others. If I may be wrong then you may be right, or we both may be wrong. If I truly want to follow the path set forth by Jesus then I must accept this unpleasant fact and let go of my desire to be correct in the first place. This takes us to a strange place: to follow Jesus I must let go of Jesus, from a certain point of view.
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1 John 5:9 ESV
If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.

In the end each of us face Judgment as an individual.

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
 
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