"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."

      A denomination is a division, and is not the true church of the Lord. The truth has been revealed to all Christians throughout the pages of the New Testament, but many choose to reject that truth and follow after men.
      A common myth is that all denominations agree on the "essential" issues. If that is true, then God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, salvation, faith, repentance, baptism, and many other prominent New Testament subjects are not "essential" issues.
      One must be cautious in his spiritual life. We must put our trust in the Word of God as recorded by the inspired writers, and not in the interpretations and twisting of the Scriptures by men.

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Proverbs 14:12

"O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23

"...they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." II Peter 3:16

      Creeds are unnecessary additions to God's Word.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." II Timothy 3:16-17

"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in the book." Revelation 22:18

      The church belongs to Christ; it is the bride of Christ. Just as a wife traditionally takes the last name of her husband in marriage, so should we proudly wear Christ's name as the church. The Church of Christ is not a denomination, as the name was given in the New Testament. We cannot read of Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, or Catholics in the New Testament.
      It is my earnest hope and prayer that all will come to a proper understanding of the church, as well as how to be added to the church by the Lord. The Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas in Acts 16:30, "What must I do to be saved?" The New Testament abundantly answers that question time and time again. If you do not know the complete answer to the jailor's question, please click here.

CONTINUE TO: History of Denominations
E-MAIL: Jason Carter, jt_carter@yahoo.com
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