It my times mingling with people online, I find some strange ones, here and there. Encounters I would likely never experience in person as people tend to be less true to who they are, face to face. Today I had a unique experience. The woman professed to be a Roman Catholic. Which I thought, cool. Another Christian, so I mentioned I was Protestant.
This was not cool in her eyes. In fact, it was worse than if I was an atheist.
She went off how Martin Luther was surely suffering in Hell for his heresy. How we do not serve the same God. And how the Catholic Church was the first church, thus clearly the only one that God inhabits in. It was shocking to read such claims, as most Catholics do not agree with her views, in this day and age. While it's true wars have been fought between the two, it's been centuries. Even now, the current pope is traveling to different sects and even religions, to embrace that all who seek a god are in right standing with the Catholic church. (a view that I do not support, mind you, but should be relevant to someone with the belief that the pope is absolutely infallible, as has been declared by the Catholic church)
I wasn't sure how to respond, and unfortunately she blocked me before even giving me that chance. What a tragic life to live indeed! But this got me wondering about denominations as a whole. And this post was formed. It's not the first time I talk about this topic, but it's something that always needs to be addressed.
First, I am going to mention religion. Religion, like denomination, has taken on a negative meaning in the new-aged church. So many who claim to be Christians, have renounced being a part of a religion. "Christianity is a relationship and not a religion," is their rallying cry.
This is not true. Firstly, it confuses the very people you are trying to believe. Take a look at the definition of religion. As you can see, it's literal definition would most definitely say Christianity is one. People often say that Jesus attacked the Pharisees because of their religion. But no. In fact, he extolled their religion and told us we needed to be even more religious than they to enter the Kingdom of Heaven! Something that was impossible, because of how good their religion was. Instead, he attacked them because they were hypocrites. They taught to be religious, yet sinned in their private life. He then went on to say that because we can never be perfectly religious, we needed grace to cover us. Grace makes us perfect, because we have failed in religion. This is confirmed after Jesus, were the disciples even talk about what walking with good should produce in their religion.
The same is happening with denominations. So many Christians renounce belonging to one. Talking about them being legalistic and how Jesus never had one. Non-denomination has become the predominant denomination in our modern church. Yet what is a denomination? Put simply, it's a quick reference label to basic doctrinal beliefs. That's it. If you don't have a denomination, then you don't have a belief. You don't have God. If you believe in God, you belong to a denomination. You may not know which it is. You may not match 100% completely. But you have one.
Christianity is filled with these quick reference labels. I am a Calvinist, not because I worship or follow John Calvin, but rather I believe the widely known points about the elect and sovereignty of God. I am Charismatic not because I am... well charismatic, but because I believe in the Gifts of the Spirit still freely being given to all believers in different measures by the same Spirit. I am a Pentecostal, I am a Lutheran, and I am more. I am also Catholic in many ways, based of their doctrine. Though many of their practices I do not believe in and think it conflicts with the very things they teach. If Jewish I would also be a Pharisee. In fact, all believers of Christ raising from the dead would be. As that is what set apart the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The belief in resurrection. In one of his letters, Paul even boasts about being chief among the Pharisees.
Lastly, let's talk legalism. In short, legalism is not sinful. The Bible even mentions that some practices are good! The problem with legalism isn't the set of rules, it's when people believe you must follow the rules to be saved. This takes salvation away from faith and makes it a thing achieved by works. And that is wrong. Yet Jesus says that if it means turning away from sin, we should pluck out our eye or cut off our hand. Yes, if it means avoiding sin, we should turn to the most extreme of legalisms. Because sin is that evil. Paul addresses this to the Corinthians. Talking about how it's ok people have their legalisms. We should let them. He even confirms that for those people to break their legalisms is to sin. Because the sin of conscious, is real sin. And goes as far to say that we should avoid to break their legalisms in their eyes as well. Paul was encouraging legalism! How different is that then what we are taught these days.
I was convicted by God, one day, about mocking the LSD. Now don't get me wrong, there are a lot of falsehood in the teachings of the Mormon church. Likewise among the Jehovah's Witnesses. A belief I have shared and still hold to, is that they're just as "Christian" as Islam is. Islam believes in the Bible and Jesus, then had an after prophet appear to correct mistakes that happened over time. The only difference is that Islam teaches Jesus as a prophet, where LSD and JW teach him as the Son of God. Though both do not believe in the Trinity that Jesus was also God. Both talk about how the word "Trinity" never appears in the Bible, thus is false. Which is silly, because the Trinity is simply another label we put on when Jesus calls him and the Father one. And I could go on about the "wrongness" of their teachings. And there will be times I will need to, because we are called to correct false teachings.
But God asked me this. If the government was going door to door, grabbing Christians from their homes, would I house the LSD and JW? Would I trust them to house me? Would I trust them to take my kids and flee if need be? Because Revelations talks about a time, such as that. We can see it in the world, how the possibility can be coming soon.
The answer to those questions is yes. While I do not agree with many of their teachings, I do believe they are trying to serve God. I do believe they do what they do out of a call to reach the lost. To show love. I do believe that most have salvation and our brothers in Christ. Misguided, sure, but will be with us in Heaven. Perhaps I am wrong in this thinking, but I don't see why I would have been so convicted with this question. After all, the thief on Jesus' right was granted Heaven, just for recognizing Christ as innocent. Simple, honest recognition of who he is.
So yes, denominations are a good thing. Religion is a good thing. But it's not everything. They're simply labels so we better understand who people are. As people. Often times doctrines overlap, it's ceremony, how someone worships and so on that gives us a different label. At the end of the day, all who call on the name of the Lord, WILL BE SAVED! Regardless of denomination or other label.
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