If the Churches of Christ are New Testament Christianity, then why denominational division within Christendom?

Question

I'm askin this because if the Lord only built one church/kind of churches, then why do we have so many different ones when the Bible warns of division within the Church and Jesus prayed against it. If you'd like to engage more on the topic, don't hesitate to email me at [e-mail]

Answer 1

That's a really good question that I have been pondering on in the recent months. I am a Protestant man dating a Catholic woman, and I see a lot of similarities in the way we worship. It seems that only man-made traditions separate us.

I find it hard to distinguish who exactly is 'more right' when it comes to worshipping Him. In biblical times, there was no 'church' as we know it today. People just met at each others' houses. When I read the scripture, I get the idea of people sitting around studying the events of the day and, in Jesus' time and shortly thereafter, what Jesus was doing. Thanks for the thought-provoking question!

Answer 2

Having been raised interior the 'church of Christ' and a deacon in it; I now see 8 (enormous photograph' deviations from God's be conscious. One deviation that effects it and many different 'Christian' denominations is that the scriptural O.T. is the regulation of Moses (which starts off in Ex. 20); and isn't any longer Genesis-Malachi (violates 2 Tim. 3:sixteen-17). To get 'regulation of Moses' prepare the '2 or greater witnesses' concept (Matt.18:sixteen,2 Cor. 13:one million) to scripture ASAP. greater questions approximately it; digital mail me right here quickly.

Answer 3

The many denominations should not exist.

Notice what 1 Corinthians 1:10 says;"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

Why do we have so many? Men are not satisfied to all speak the same thing. Men are not satisfied to teach only the word of God. Men are not satisfied to only speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent. Men are not content to do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names. Too many wish to add their own desires and teach their own doctrine.

Notice 2 Timothy 4:2-4.
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

We should return to the Bible as our authority and only guide book. We should have a "thus saith the Lord" for everything we teach and do as a church.

The Bible teaches that the church is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23) and that there is only "one body" (Eph 4:4).When the church first began, there were no denominations.

In Acts 2, we see that about 3000 all heard the same message, all understood it the same way, all believed it the same way and all obeyed it the same way. The result was they became Christians - nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. At this point, God added them to His church (Acts 2:47).

There is no authorization for Christians to "join the church of your choice", but they were added to Christ's church!

After they became Christians they continued in one accord in fellowship and together in the apostles doctrine. (Acts 2:42-47)

Today, if we read and understand what they understood, believe what they believed, and do only what they did, without adding any man-made doctrine, we will become only what they became - Christians!

This is the goal and plea of those who meet together under the name "church of Christ" today. We only want to be the church you can read about in the Bible.

Christ is the head of the church, therefore we have no "headquarters" on Earth that oversees the local congregation, but each congregation goes directly to the Bible to see what should be taught and practiced.

We only want to follow God's word in our name (Rom. 16:16), worship, organization, and teaching. The word of God is sufficient for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction. Using it in this way, we can be completely furnished with everything we need, and there is no need to add any man-made doctrine. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

Those who teach as doctrine the commandments of men have form of worship that is vain. (Matt 15:9)

Answer 4

Denominations SHOULD NOT exist!
Colossians 1:13, 18
Ephesians 1:22-23
1 Corinthians 1:11–16
Ephesians 5:23-32

For more info:
http://www.housetohouse.com/hth/archives/v11/v11n3/v11n3p5.htm
http://www.housetohouse.com/hth/biblequestions/archive/question0022.htm
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2253
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2463
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2312
http://www.apologeticspress.org/pdfs/courses_pdf/hsc0110.pdf