Just Another Denomination?

Today there are thousands of divisions of the church of the New Testament, which emphatically states there are none, (Ephesians 4:4). So it is an entirely appropriate question to ask if the church of Christ is just "one" among many, or is it the church of our Lord, "the one" among many?

A denomination is a religious organization larger than the local church and smaller than the redeemed in totality. Therefore it resides between the two, being different from the church of the Bible in both respects. The church of the Bible is either a local congregation or it embraces all Christians. A denomination falls in between both of these and is never mentioned in scripture. One may illustrate denominationalism by comparing it with our political system. We have democracy as a whole but it is divided up into various divisions referred to as parties, i.e. Republicans, Democrats and others. The Republican party of democracy is a segment, or a division of the whole, similar to a religious denomination which is a segment of Christianity which does not encompass the whole. A political party is a part of democracy but it is not the whole of democracy. It lacks completeness and is therefore incapable of serving in the total capacity. And on a serious note, a, so called, religious denomination also cannot encompass Christianity as a whole and also lacks completeness, which leaves it in the unfortunate position of being unlike the church represented in the New Testament.

Just as our political system is denominated, so also was the Jewish system of government. They had the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians and the Essenes. Interestingly, Jesus identified Himself with none of them, choosing rather to stand apart from them. Jesus prayed for unity, (John 17:20-21), gave His life for unity, (Ephesians 2:16), plead for unity, (1 Corinthians 1:10) and affirmed unity, (Ephesians 4:1-6), yet He refused to unify with any of the known political/religious factions of the day. Therefore the only conclusion we can come to on this is that Jesus was not denominational, therefore His church cannot be either.

A prominent denomination came about starting in the 4th and 5th century which saw the rise of Catholicism which is unlike any church read of in the New Testament. There is scarcely a single principle doctrine that does not contradict the scriptures, i.e., praying to Mary and to the saints, the infallibility of the papacy, transubstantiation, indulgences, original sin, purgatory, just to name a few. The protestant denominations started showing up in the 15th and 16th centuries, all started by men with their own slant on scriptural truth.

By comparing the church of Christ today to Christ's church in the New Testament, one can identify whether the church that bear's Christ's name is just another denomination or not. The first century church was designated as the church of Christ, (Romans 16:16), the church of God, (1 Corinthians 1:2) and the church of the firstborn, (Hebrews 12:23), and the Lord's church today is also known as the church of Christ or similar Biblical designations.

The 1st century church was organized with elders, deacons, evangelists and members in the local congregations, (Philippians 1:1). Today, the Lord's church is organized with elders, deacons, evangelists and members in the local congregations. Both the 1st century church and the church today recognize Jesus as their sole authority, (1 Peter 3:22).

The first century Christians met on the first day of the week, (1 Corinthians 16:2), and engaged in acappella singing, (Hebrews 2:12), praying, (1 Corinthians 14:15), teaching, (1 Timothy 6:2), the Lord's Supper, (Acts 20:7), and giving, (1 Corinthians 16:2). Likewise, the church of Christ of the 21st century does so as well.

Both the 1st century church and the Lord's church today are guided by the apostles' doctrine and is their sole rule of faith and practice, (Acts 2:42; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Timothy 1:3; 1 Peter 4:11; Jude 3). All teachings of men were then, and are now, disregarded in favor of the inspired word of God.

The first century Christians entered into the body of the saved by hearing and believing, (Acts 15:7), repenting of their sins, (Luke 13:3), confessing Jesus Christ as the Son of God, (Acts 8:37), and being baptized into Christ, (Galatians 3:27) for the forgiveness of their sins, (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16). Those who are in the church today enter by the exact same way.

The mission of the 1st century church was to evangelize the world, (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, Luke 24:47) and to support the truth, (1 Timothy 3:15). This mission has not changed since the beginning.

The Lord's church cannot be a denomination because God hates the sin of denominationalism, (Proverbs 6:16-19). Denominationalism is contrary to the Lord's prayer, (John 17:20-21); Denominationalism is an indicator of carnality, not spirituality, (I Corinthians 3:1-3); Denominationalism is contrary to the unifying purpose of Calvary's cross, (Ephesians 2:15-16); Denominationalism makes God the author of confusion, (1 Corinthians 14:33) and denominationalism makes God's truth appear relative and contradictory. Denominationalism is a barrier to those seeking to obey God's truth because they are deceived and confused by all the different divisions. Denominationalism is contradictory to the apostles teaching, (Romans 16:17-18). Denominationalism is not essential to an individual's salvation, but membership in the Lord's church is, (Acts 2:47; Ephesians 5:23; Acts 20:28).

The first century church was a temple in its worship, (1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:22-23), a kingdom in its government, (Matthew 16:18-19), a family in its love, (Ephesians 3:15-17), a body in its unity with Jesus, (Ephesians 4:15-16), a vineyard in its work, (Matthew 20:1), a building on its foundation, (1 Corinthians 3:9-15) an army against the forces of Satan, (Ephesians 6:10-17) and a bride in its relationship with Christ, (Ephesians 5:24;27). Jesus considers the church so much a part of Him, that when He confronted Paul on his mission to persecute the church of God, (Galatians 1:13), He said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:4, 22:7, 26:14). One cannot be in Christ without being in His church because the two are inseparable. Conversely, one cannot be in a divided body and still be in Christ because Christ is not divided, (1 Corinthians 1:13). The only body that is identified in the Bible with Christ is the body of Christ, (1 Corinthians 12:27) and that body of Christ is undivided and singular, (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-20; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 3:15), and the body of Christ is the church, (Colossians 1:24). The church is in Christ, it is one with Christ, it is part of Christ, It is married to Christ, it was built by Christ, paid for by Christ and ruled by Christ. In every way, the body of the saved, the Lord's church is "of Christ", and never was, is not now, nor ever will be just another denomination.

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"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." 1 John 3:18-19

The church of Christ at Granby

Very well said brother David.

Your last point is of particular interest to me as well. The church is in Christ, it is one with Christ, it is part of Christ, It is married to Christ, it was built by Christ, paid for by Christ and ruled by Christ. In every way, the body of the saved, the Lord's church is "of Christ", and never was, is not now, nor ever will be just another denomination.

There are those who are trying to teach that the Lord's Church is nothing more than a denomination. They make the claim that we need to embrace this and move on. Yet they make such statements out of ignorance as to what the scriptures teach.

Since the church is the Body of Christ (Colossians 1:24) and since it belongs to Christ and he is head (Ephesians 1:22-23 he has every right to say what it is and what it will always be.

Enjoyed your post...

Brotherly,
Don

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Don Gelles,
Preacher, Church of Christ in Hyde Park
Austin, Texas
www.hydeparkcoc.org

I liked it as well...mind if I use this in a sermon? Didn't think so..

Anyways, that realization that the church belongs to Christ and it (we) are a part of Him (being His body) is so easy to understand...it is amazing that so many will not agree with the true doctrine but claim to be a part of the body.

It is almost like they are in the body but wen you realize what they (menaing denominations) are, you will see cancer!!

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I wear the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-17) for the church found in God's Word (Acts 20:28, Romans 16:16) and fight for the Truth found with the Scriptures!

Great post David! I enjoyed the points made.

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For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Tim 2:5 (U-NASB)

Thank you all.

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"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." 1 John 3:18-19

The church of Christ at Granby