Do "Denominations" truly cause a division within the Body of Christ?

Answer 1

I go to a non-denominational church because it feels / seems more pure. As such I feel like I can go to any other denominational church that I want to. I know that each may worship a little different, but the important thing is to love your brothers and sisters, and to lift up the name of Christ. All the other stuff is just that - stuff. If your denomination say just us - then it probably time to go to another church.

Jesus warned about dividing believers into "us" and "them.":

Luke 9

49And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

50And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Answer 2

Denominations are not the cause of divisions within the Church, they are the result of such division.

Divisions happen because of a variety of reasons; ultimately, though, it usually boils down to a disagreement over doctrine. Martin Luther broke with the Roman Catholic over his demands for reform. Before that, there was the Great Schizm within the Catholic Church, resulting in the RCC and the Eastern Orthodox groups. The list goes on and on. Anytime a "new" teaching or opinion appears, there is debate and discussion. If the debate is unresolveable, then eventually somebody leaves the "original" religious body to meet on their own. If the new group continues to attract new followers, a new denomination forms.

Answer 3

The worst denomination is Roman Catholicism. The very same people that persecuted the first Christians for 300 years created the denomination. The people that once despised Christianity created the monster called Catholicism. Sure I know that Catholic means "universal" but it was the Romans that made the word "Catholic" into a religious outcry. None of the denominations today would exist if the Catholic system wasn't as corrupt as it is.

Answer 4

Denominations show the differences in our various understandings of Biblical theology. Until Christ comes there have to be denominations. Division isn't always bad. It helps us to sort out truth from lie. It causes us to think harder, study harder, and apply to God with more intense perseverance to understand and obey His Word.

The true spiritual body of Christ cannot be divided. It has one head, the Christ of God, Jesus of Nazareth. The visible church is what can be and is divided. Some of the divisions are unfortunate and confuse seekers after God.
Some of the divisions are necessary to make a distinction between heresy and orthodoxy.

Ecumenicism would create a unity based in the wrong thing--unity itself. True unity can only come from our unity in the Word of God.

Maggie

Answer 5

Well, Christ himself predicted there would be false Christs (i.e., false Christian churches), and warned that we follow not after them. He also emphasized that it is important to keep the doctrine pure; the original doctrine of Christ has been changed in various ways and substituted with the doctrines of men in many of these churches. Therefore, my answer would be that the true teachings of Christ can only be found in a single denomination, if any at all. You cannot have the complete truth being taught in every denomination.

I would also agree with bama_jld's answer below.

Answer 6

Most every denomination came "out" of something that was thought to be unholy. This is an "intentional" division done in hopes that no more division would be necessary. Unfortunately back in the 1800's we had many divisions that let many into cults.

Answer 7

No. Because the small differences between Christian denominations are minute and do not deal with soteriology in the sense of what it takes to be saved. All Christians believe that faith in Christ is the way to heaven...if any "denomination" adds anything to that, they have abandoned Christianity.

Answer 8

Not to my thinking. The Lutherans and the Pentecostals, the Catholics and the Baptists.., in the Body of Christ, are like the different organs in the human body. Each one is necessary and each has their individual purpose and responsibility. I am sure your "heart" doesn't understand your body and it's function like your "kidneys" do; two different parts, different aspects, different necessary parts that don't work together, but work independently WITHIN the same body for the body's good.
Make sense. It never behoves the foot to say to the ear, "I don't need you"; and it would never behoove the eye to criticize the colon and decide "we would be better off without you". Just two different organs doing two different functions.
Pray and bless your brothers, doing their part in the kingdom of God even if YOU don't understand it their way.
Personally, I'm a "voice" (I think), and I just don't understand the "silent majority"..., but God has a purpose!

Answer 9

Denominations ARE divisions of the body of Christ!

The Bible 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.
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:10-13)

Answer 10

Yes, a Church should have the Bible only. They should teach nothing that contradicts the Bible. They have to have the 2 witnesses spoken of in Revelation. They 2 are the Old and New Testaments. Not everything in the Bible is for everyone to do or follow, but is there for a lesson. The lessons are usually about faith or obedience.