Denominations
denomination
de·nom·i·na·tion di-ˌnä-mə-ˈnā-shən
Synonyms of denomination
1: an act of denominating
the denomination of prices in U.S. dollars
2: a value or size of a series of values or sizes
metric denominations
especially : the value of a particular coin or bill
bills in $20 and $50 denominations
3: NAME, DESIGNATION
especially : a general name for a category
listed under the general denomination of gifts
4: a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices
people from several different Christian denominations
My wife hates church. Well, to be specific, she hates church people.
No, she is not unkind to them other than being dissmissive. She wants nothing to do with them.
Now I'm not taking about christians, I'm talking about "church" people. Yes, there is a huge difference.
THE Church is every one who believes, trusts in Jesus Christ, across time, and the globe. It is NOT the people who attend those buildings everywhere on Sunday. Those buildings do have some of THE Church there, but sadly, most in those buildings are "church" people.
You can really tell the difference when you are being tested by God.
God tests His own. He does it, not to prove worth, but to increase faith.
There is absolutely no reason for any "believer" in the grace and mercy of God, to raise himself in his heart above another, whom God is humbling...no reason.
I contend, and believe fully, that scripture points to those that do, and calls them Goats.
Yeah, that's bad, really really bad.
1 Corinthians 11:18-19
18. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.
The difference isn't whether or not one is struggling, or "correct" in their theology, but rather, are they acting in the love and kindness of God. Are they Sheep, humble, stupid followers of the shepherd; or are they Goats, always looking to raise themselves using any platform they can find?
Denominations, or church separations, these are not done by God, as in showing who is a wanna be rising star, and who is a humble lifter of others, but done by men in order to feel lofty.
"We don't believe in praying to idols, like those Catholics who don't know God!"
The differences, biblically, should be obvious by kindness, not rudeness, or dissmissivnes. The differences have nothing to do with whether, or not, someone agrees with your eschatology, or view of the sovereignty of God.
Nothing!
THE Church is there, in those buildings. Some are young and don't understand yet, the problem of goatness within the gatherings they attend. I didn't many years ago. I didn't see it until God humbled me...over and over. Then it became obvious!
In one church, the pastor despised me. Because of this, many brothers and friends grew distant and dismissive. In another, when our second church plant failed, leaders and brothers grew distant or accusatory, just like Job's friends did. When we left the church, none of them made any further effort to communicate at all...and still don't. While in Texas, many, and I mean many, were friendly on the surface, but due to theological differences, instead of teaching, ostracized me and my family.
This is why my wife despises "church" people, and also why my kids walked away from God. At their formative years, though Martha and I both spoke of the hope of God through Jesus, and lived it the best we could, they saw only the evil and hypocrisy of..."church people".
I write this as I sit in a church parking lot, after a service where the pastor spoke of how awesome and accepting a church should be, and said his was! I walked in and out of the entire service with only one hello from a Greeter who's job it is to do so. Ah, but even that hello was followed by an immediate looking away. No talking here!
"We really don't want to know you!"
Right now, the pastor is helping his wife get their kids settled in her car to go home. There is no hello, no communication, even though they are a few feet from me, and I am in a convertible with the top down.
"We really don't want to know you!"
What about the words he just preached? Do they mean anything to him at all?
Where is the fellowship? Where is the gracious acceptance? If no one even tries to get to know the lost that visit, or reach out to those God is humbling, all those struggling people have left is Jesus Christ.
He is enough.
Yes, this is where the real faith in God grows!
Sadly, for many of the goats, they will never understand, and will find out on that day, that they really never had any faith in Jesuat Christ at all.
That's just sad.
Yes, as Paul writes, there MUST be divisions, to show who has God's approval. Just realize that those divisions are not to be understood the way the world does it.
No, they are to be understood the way Jesus does it.
For reference, see the entire chapter of Phillipians chapter 2...
