Who so many denominations? All of you can't be right! One has to be God's true church, which one?

Question

God know there would be a lot of confusion in the last days with many churches claiming to be the one true church. Through His servant John he gave us a book called Revelation. In the book, Jesus gives us the scripture to know His one true church. It's found in Rev. 14:12 "Here are the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. It's not enough to just have faith in Jesus, if you love Him you will also be a commantment keeper.

Is there anyone who can refute that, of course that would only be refuting the word of God.

Answer 1

There are so many denominations for several reasons. (1) Each denomination has a slightly different doctrine or emphasis from the others. (2) As people started churches, they simply gave them different names. (3) Denominations are good in that if you attended a Baptist church in one town, and then moved to another town, you could attend a similar Baptist church in the new town. The Lutheran denomination was named after Martin Luther. The Methodists got their name because their founder, John Wesley, was famous for coming up with “methods” for spiritual growth. Presbyterians are named for their view on church leadership - the Greek word for elder is "presbyteros." Baptists got their name because they have always emphasized the importance of baptism.



We, as believers, must believe the same on the essentials of the faith, but beyond that there is great latitude in how a Christian should worship, serve, and live his life. This latitude is what causes so many different flavors of Christianity. Diversity is a good thing, but disunity is not. If two churches disagree doctrinally, it is fine that they remain separate. This separation, though, does not lift the responsibility Christians have to love one another (1 John 4:11-12) – and ultimately be united as one in Christ (John 17:21-22).

Recommended Resource: The Master's Plan for the Church by John MacArthur.

Answer 2

Why is about the Church?
Many different civilizations existed when the religions of Christianity was created. Why is it that some believe there is only ONE true way to worship or believe? I believe behind that thinking is hypocrisy.

Being that this religion operates off of MANY different Bibles such as the New and Old Testament... How can you today in 2007 believe 100% in the words and opinions set forth by individuals whom faced a different world than you or I do?

How can you be sure that any gospel written so long ago is accurate interpretation of God's word? How do you find the credibility in it? Simply cause others do?

With the exception of the 10 commandments (which are claimed to be written by God himself) your statement of:
"Is there anyone who can refute that, of course that would only be refuting the word of God." in itself is in-accurate since I am refuting the word of MAN who wrote down HIS interpretation of God's word.
Even YOU say in your question that God gave his word THROUGH his servant John. So it is safe to say that the refuting that occurs is in regards to John's words.

Answer 3

For one to be "right", why are the others automatically "wrong"? If you actually compare the beliefs of the different denomiations, they are in agreement 95% of the time or more. Many of the differences are not doctrine, but practices. Such as do you elect or appoint your pastor, or do you put the main emphasis on evangelism at home or missions work abroad? There are also differences in worship styles, such as contemporary or traditional.

My parents can enjoy their church with the organ music and the 10 minute message, while I enjoy my church with the guitars, drums, horns, loud-and-fast music, and a 45 minute mesaage with humor and flying golf balls (don't ask!!)

But we still worship the same God, trust the same Christ, enjoy the same salvation and love each other.

The true church is no one denomination, organization, or building. Rather it is located in the heart through faith in Christ.

Answer 4

What Christ is truly looking for is a body of people who relate to him and identify with his purposes. More or less, denominations and religions themselves are Mans twists and interpretations of what GOD was saying and meaning. So to say, that GOD is looking for a religion would actually be saying that somehow, including with what Christ did, only one man found a doctrine, deemed it a religion, and he and only he was right. A church in Jesus' sense is a collective body of people whether Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc, who have accepted him and do things his way. John 5:29

Answer 5

The Bride of Christ will be distilled from ALL of the Christian churches. Denominations are irrelevant. ONLY a real relationship with Jesus will get you into Heaven. And that DOES mean trusting Jesus AND keeping His Commandments.

Answer 6

What Church? Scripture reveals this Church to be the one Jesus Christ built upon the rock of Saint Peter (Matt. 16:18). By giving Peter the keys of authority (Matt. 16:19), Jesus appointed Peter as the chief steward over His earthly kingdom (cf. Isaiah. 22:19-22). Jesus also charged Peter to be the source of strength for the rest of the apostles (Luke 22:32) and the earthly shepherd of Jesus' flock (John 21:15-17). Jesus further gave Peter, and the apostles and elders in union with him, the power to bind and loose in heaven what they bound and loosed on earth. (Matt. 16:19; 18:18). This teaching authority did not die with Peter and the apostles, but was transferred to future bishops through the laying on of hands (e.g., Acts 1:20; 6:6; 13:3; 8:18; 9:17; 1 Tim. 4:14; 5:22; 2 Tim. 1:6).

By virtue of this divinely-appointed authority, the Catholic Church determined the canon of Scripture (what books belong in the Bible) at the end of the fourth century. We therefore believe in the Scriptures on the authority of the Catholic Church. After all, nothing in Scripture tells us what Scriptures are inspired, what books belong in the Bible, or that Scripture is the final authority on questions concerning the Christian faith. Instead, the Bible says that the Church, not the Scriptures, is the pinnacle and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15) and the final arbiter on questions of the Christian faith (Matt. 18:17). It is through the teaching authority and Apostolic Tradition (2 Thess. 2:15; 3:6; 1 Cor. 11:2) of this Church, who is guided by the Holy Spirit (John 14:16,26; 16:13), that we know of the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, and the manifold wisdom of God. (cf. Ephesians 3:10).

Answer 7

This is the only true Church. The one written in the Bible.

1Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Answer 8

I have wondered the same thing and I am a Christian! I think the best thing to do is depend on what the Bible says since it is the never-changing Word of God. You can't go wrong if you follow that. If you follow what the Bible says, you will follow Christ.

Answer 9

No denomination is "God's true church." The only "true church" is the entire body of believers who believe in Him and accept Jesus as their Savior. The secondary issues that lead to the different denominations are of no consequence.

Answer 10

Since you are quoting Revelation, let's look to Revelation to see how Jesus feels about the major denominational eras...
http://www.schneblin.com/studies/

I'll stick with Jesus' opinion any day and keep my eyes on Him rather than religions.