I was talking with one of my good friends the other evening about my stance on "denominational divergence" he said;"You are being divisive and that's wrong " I said "the problem started long before you or I were ever born, nor am I the first one to point this out" How many people have said this same message and still the problem persists. Even the so called father of the Lutherans who could be credited with breaking away from the strangle hold of the Roman Catholics said;
“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)
So lets examine the absolute incredible message of the gospel under the unreliable system of denominational divergence. Is it not an incredible fact that it has survived until now? Men today can accept Christ and live as the first Christians did if only we could recognize the terrible sin and error of denominational divergence.
So what must be done is not an easy task but it is necessary. The complete destruction of the denominational system as we know it. We must represent God through love not money the current system is about money and always was.
Can you operate through love instead of money?
Is the church building more important than your soul?
If you tithe can you not find another worthy cause like homelessness to give your tithe?
Here is a good cause to give your money Melissa spinal cord injury...
Repent before its to late because Jesus explicitly warns in the text that Many are called but few are chosen and I would not want to see anyone who calls themselves Christian to hear;
"Depart from me for I never knew you"
May...
The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge
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Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Divisiveness of Denominational Divergence...
Friday, November 13, 2009
Submission & Subversion...
If we submit to the authority of God through the perfect revelation of Jesus Christ. We then must realize that in so doing we are subverting the authority and dominion in our lives of the earthly realm and powers that claim that same dominion and authority in our lives.
Some would argue that just Christ without accountability from their leadership is the the wrong path. Those that say that will make feeble efforts misquoting scripture in an attempt to control you by your submission to their authority. Which is given them through the process of denominational theocracy. Not from God! Do you submit to man-made religion or Christ?
If we as Followers of Christ are to be subversive then we will naturally be a thorn in the side of the religious establishment. Just as Jesus was a thorn in His time so must we be in our time. Religion does nothing but breed apostasy by getting you to fall inline with a narrow minded view on God. And when you realize that there is a double standard when being judged by your so-called brothers and sisters you become an apostate. Or perhaps you become and atheist following a different rhetoric and marching to a different drummer.
Judging God based on the actions of others is anthropomorphic and attempts to bring God down to the finite level of the human being. Instead realize that God is above our highest thoughts and not subject to our finite thinking. Do you serve God or does He serve you. Do you believe in God and His son Jesus Christ? Would you die for that belief?
May...
The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
Divide & Conquer...
Have you seen the internet movie Zietgeist?
It asks a question that ties the Christian religion to terrorist acts all for the control of money by asking; What does Christianity, 911 and The Federal Reserve all have in common?
First let me say that there is much truth that Christianity was taken over by the Romans and that they the Romans did add paganism into the Christian belief. However something that must be considered about folks who say they believe in Jesus Christ is;
Where in the bible does it say that Jesus Christ came to start a new religion called Christianity?
Where does the bible mention that you must belong to a church or a denomination?
As long as the religious status quo continues, there will be people questioning the Christian religion because it doesn't live up to its precepts. Why? Because the Christian religion itself is a farce. Only through Jesus Christ is God revealed as love and only through Jesus Christ are we brought into relation with the true God of our creation. Christ not religion!
Christianity went from a persecuted belief to a persecuting religion under control of the Romans. And all branches of Christianity (denominations) participate in the persecution of Gods people who are everyone. Believe it or not God loves everyone and wishes that all of mankind would come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. But not a denominational Jesus for there is no support for that from God's word the "Holy Bible".
Christianity as a belief not an organized religion must move away from "Denominational Divergence" and show love. I challenge churches and church folks to give up there tax status and start loving the way Jesus told us too.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
John 15:12
May...
The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge
click here ---> BIBLE QUIZ <--- click here
Monday, November 9, 2009
For the Googling Mind...
Google and the internet has changed many things in this information age and allows for us to find others out there saying, believing and exhorting similar things. Not to mention you can find out something about just about anything by "Googling" it.
For instance I found this fellow Mark A Copeland saying something similar about my stance against "Denominational Divergence".
Below is his well thought out point by point presentation/sermon about denominational divergence and why it is wrong;
May...
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;
1Pe 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 - 1Co 1:10-13
b. Sectarianism is a sign of carnality - 1Co 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. Php 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. 1Co 3:3-4
Dear friend, don't you want to be simply a Christian, a follower of the
Lord Jesus Christ...?
A lesson from Mark A.Copeland visit his website Executable Outlines to read more...
The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge
click here ---> BIBLE QUIZ <--- click here
All posts by M.A.C. © Bruce W. Moar
Friday, November 6, 2009
Money & Material Possessions....
Consider what the bible says in Acts 2 about 'Money & Material Possessions'...;
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.
Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
When people are more important then money, we will not need to continually monitor the moral compass of others.
When Love becomes more important then money, there will no longer be inequality in the world.
When Jesus Christ become more important then money, we will not need 38,000 Christian denominations arguing for the souls of men as if they could offer a salvation equal to God.
May...
The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge
click here ---> BIBLE QUIZ <--- click here
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Who is Jesus Christ...?
One would think that this question after two thousand plus years would have been answered beyond a shadow of the doubt, but it hasn't, lets explore why.
First I guess who Jesus Christ is to you depends on what Christian denomination you call home base. Or perhaps you don't believe in Him at all despite all the hoopla over the centuries about this man from Galilee. There are well over 30,000 plus Christian denominations, that all say they believe in God and Jesus Christ, but lets consider what James says; "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder/tremble.
The confusion comes from all the different denominations out there which I believe are designed to cause trouble and confusion for those who are searching for God. "Denominational Divergence" adds their own take on who Jesus is while ignoring this fact that God alone defines who Christ is for the believer.
Consider; Matthew 16:13-17
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
The other thing is that if you asked everyone you met and know who they think Jesus Christ is you would get as many different answers as people asked. Folks lets leave the revealing to God the Father as it was meant to be and remember if you lack anything keep asking, keep knocking and keep discovering God everyday.
May...
The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge
click here ---> BIBLE QUIZ <--- click here
All posts by M.A.C. © Bruce W. Moar
Monday, November 2, 2009
What Denominations Believe...
The belief of any denomination is central to their doctrine such as;
The Nicene Creed (325) or profession of faith which says;
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father [the only-begotten; that is, of the essence of the Father, God of God], Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father;
etc...
Missing is what happens when someone is saved and dies. The popular belief is that we go to heaven (is it a denominational heaven?). Why does Peter say this of King David a man after God's heart and that Jesus is the only one to ascend to heaven?
Acts 2:29-35
"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
"The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."
So the big question is are the souls of men immortal?
I say NO because we did not eat from The Tree of Life but only from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And that eating from that tree has caused us to try to derive life from it, through denominational divergence, ever since. "Denominational Divergence" is sin that can be drawn back to the very beginning of sin in our world at the fall of man.
Consider; John 3:13-15
No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
Please notice the everyone who believes in Him, may have eternal life, it does not assure it. For without repentance, there is no salvation. The Law makes you aware of your sin, the Son sets you free.
Consider what the Apostle James says; "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder/tremble. Our belief, our faith and our Christian Walk must be more then that of demons. If it is to be believable by those that are watching for they will know we are Christians by our LOVE...
May...
The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge
click here ---> BIBLE QUIZ <--- click here
