I believe that being a "Christian" is a way of life based on the teachings of Christ. To strive to be "Christ Like", having faith in the word, knowing and believing that Christ is the Son of God who died and rose for my sins, to have no other God before Him and to love my neighbor as I love myself. If that's being a Christian why are there so many other denominations that call themselves "Christians" slash ________?
I question this because of the answers from my last post:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ai4eocGfYrzW8fZpRUGEs0zsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071014215354AAepdLs
2007-10-14 18:49:09 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Denominations are the result of varying interpretations as to the true meaning of the Scriptures most often resulting from secular meddling and a cafeteria approach to the application of God's Word.
2007-10-15 01:57:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christianity is a religion based on the New Testament of the Bible and includes the Old Testament from the Jews. The Bible does not have errors, it has missing parts. Many missing parts are found in the 'Lost Books of the Bible' which allude to things like the early lives of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. Unfortunately the lost books also contain apocrypha and were not included in the Bible for that reason. The Dead Sea Scrolls also have information that testify to the writings of both the Old and New Testaments and to other things formerly unknown to us. The missing parts tend to cause people to argue between themselves and even fight. Because mankind is a gregarious sort he divided the arguments into organized religions called denominations. The organizations practice Christianity according to the way they have chosen to believe. The only exception to this that I know of would be Henry VIII who in his mental illness as a result of syphilis decided to use religion to gain what he personally wanted. Yes, you are right, there have been others who did that also. In short, Christianity is a disorganized religion. Denominations are religious organizations.
2007-10-15 03:45:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
After Christ died, an Apostasy occurred, whereby the Holy Ghost was no longer given as a gift. The Holy Ghost, however, still was there for those with an open mind and heart, to have encounters. The world was a spiritually dark place for about a thousand years. Mankind was greedy, and many strove for self-empowerment. Some, such as Martin Luther, and Calvary, did have Holy influence, but because of the Apostasy, all Christian churches went through many changes, and splits. This is why, today, there are so many denominations.
2007-10-14 19:14:07 · answer #3 · answered by D L R 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
You ask another great question.
As I answered you offline, Christianity fits the Webster's dictionary definition as a religion.
As far as denominations:
Ephesians 4:5 clearly states "One Lord, one faith, one baptism",.However, according to the Christian World Almanac, there are now over 39,000 Christian denominations!
I don't believe that God is the source of this contention because of 1 Corinthians 14:33:
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace"
Here's what I believe caused the massive splintering of Christ's church:
Christ's church stopped receiving revelation from Heaven as prophesied in Amos 8:11-12. Without that divine direction, revelation, and mediation, factions split from Christ's true church over different ways to interpret God's word. As time went on, the teachings of men began to supplant God's will. Martin Luther and other Reformists (Calvin, Wesley, Tyndale, etc) saw that this was happening and did their best as mortal men to correct this. I believe that they didn't turn the tide and the factioning and distortion continued. Baptism, faith with/without works, baptism for salvation, and other major issues continue to this day.
I think that a full restoration of the ancient Christian church was/is needed today because of the failure of the Reformation to stop the fracturing.
2007-10-14 19:30:06 · answer #4 · answered by Sir Network 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Our pastor does not talk devil or Hell all that in many cases - i can't undergo in innovations the final time he did. He preaches approximately serving, a thank you to stay your life for God and so on. i don't be conscious denominations putting various emphasis on devil in any respect. i've got been to Lutheran centers and Catholic Mass - i do no longer remeber devil ever being suggested. i've got chanced on this is greater of the fundamentalist churches that look to do this. Peace!
2016-10-09 06:15:46 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are given free will and a brain. I think you can pick the path that is the best one for you, and if you truly believe in it and do your best to follow the commandments and are heartily sorry for the mistakes you make, you will reach heaven or whatever you wish to call the place we go to when our bodies are done.
Denominations give choices.
2007-10-15 01:59:32 · answer #6 · answered by dizzkat 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Religious factions happen when people want to break from one group because, they feel, that they are straying from the truth based on what they read in scripture. This was prophesied to happen by Jesus to the Protestant church, but it is not His way.
http://www.schneblin.com/studies/pdfs/seven_letters.pdf
However, this is common in human nature. Judaism has their factions, Catholicism has theirs, the Protestants, etc. However, using this as an excuse to ignore Christ's salvation will not hold up in court.
2007-10-15 07:10:51 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nope, Christian is a way of relationship between you and God, not a religion. It was a religion in the old testament, they had to follow orders by God in order to have their sin removed. Today, we live in the free will from God. So many terms as Christian from other perspectives has given us the mix blessing to understand this role. That's the problem, each of us need to find the true, not by facts, only by love, faith, and hope. To be given the way of his ways is by allowing his words, accept his words, practice in a humble way, repeat and stay away from sinners. To be like him is like finding him in the needle of hay-sack.
2007-10-14 19:05:32 · answer #8 · answered by ? 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
All religions have different denominations. Each denomination has their own interpretation of the same book.
The effect is not only in Christianity.
2007-10-14 18:58:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
No. Christianity is a personal relationship with God. Denominations are worship styles mainly.
2007-10-14 19:02:45 · answer #10 · answered by BaC Helen 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋