How many of us who claim adherence to a Protestant
denomination have consciously questioned the following: which denomination is
the best? More to the point, which denomination is right?
If an audible gasp is your reaction to the audacity of
such a question, please allow me to follow up. Doesn't it stand to reason that
with so many (dozens of major Protestant denominations) don't some by
inherently have to be better than others? And if some are better than others,
does it not stand to reason that one of those is best of all? If not, then why
are there so many divisions among Protestant churches? Are we all simply to
believe that adherence to a particular denomination rests solely on the music
used in worship or the decor within the church building?
At the core of each of us that affirms Protestantism is
the belief, be it conscious or subconscious, that the particular denomination
we attend has some degree of superiority, however small, over the others. If
that were not the case, why would we associate with that particular
denomination?
Which leads to an unavoidable problem. If, by the fact
that I choose one denomination over another, I am saying that my denomination
is somehow superior, then does that insist that the others are by definition
inferior. And if they are inferior, are they then not somehow heretical? For it
must stand to reason that if one denomination is even infinitesimally superior
to another, then it is closer to the truth of God, and all others miss the
truth of God by even that much.
Such reasoning illustrates why I have tired of what I
call the denominational dance. This is my euphemism for denominational
comparisons, infighting and backbiting. It seems that no matter how far we
progress through the centuries as a Christian family, there is no shortage of man-made
ideals within the community to pull us farther away from Christ.
But it doesn't have to be that way. The truth is,
denominational differences do more to isolate us from Christ and other
believers than they do to bring us together. So it is for the following five reasons
I call for a return to the truth of Scripture as the basis for our Christian
faith and not the labels of factions we so like to tout.
1.
Martin Luther was never trying to create his own sect.
Some will point to Martin Luther and "Look! You
say you don't want denominations yet the very man who began your protestant
reformation did just that!" This line of thinking is missing Luther's
point. It was never his desire to create something new and apart from
Scripture. In fact, he was a devout catholic priest, who by all accounts wished
to remain as such. Yet it was his acknowledgement and disgust of the manner
that Scripture was being twisted and eviscerated by his contemporaries that
made Luther desire a return to the truth. His fellow Catholics veered so far
away from the truth in the form of indulgences, works related salvation and
other falsehoods that Luther's consciousness could do nothing but oppose them. The
term Protestantism comes from the fact that Luther protested these wrongs, but
in reality what he wanted to see was a return to Scriptural truth, accuracy and
authority. The newness he desired was not that of his own making but that which
was found in the Gospels and Acts.
2.
Do you follow Paul? Do you follow Apollos?
1 Corinthians 3:4-5 shows Paul's opinion on the
denominational dance. He shows the folly when one would boast in saying "I
follow Paul" or "I follow Apollos". Today we can equate that to
saying "I follow Luther" or "I follow Calvin" or "I
follow Wesley". As Paul pointed out, are these not all mere men? And as
men, are we so foolish as to put our faith in them and what they say? As Paul
states, these are only servants. Our faith and trust are to be placed in the
only one deserving of that faith and trust, and that is in Jesus Christ. To delineate
ourselves among men is to draw away from the truth in Christ.
3.
But I like only a particular style of music and preaching.
Perhaps you insist on a denomination because of the
style of music or preaching that. Through years of experience I can attest that
rarely will you find the same music style in an Episcopalian service as you
will in an AME service as you will in a Baptist service. But is music and
preaching style really worth tearing ourselves apart from others in the body of
Christ? I say enjoy the music and preaching style you enjoy, but do not make
the mistake of believing you cannot praise God and receive from His word given
an alternate form of service. Even as Paul made his trips through the various
churches he encountered a variety of styles. Yet that was never reason enough
for him to bring to bear a new name and doctrinal statement apart from
following Christ
4.
But how will we tell what the people believe?
In the early church there were believers being brought
into the fold all around the known world. These believers put their faith in
Christ and spread that news to others. At times, these churches would begin
down the wrong path (see the Corinthians and Galatians), and it was then that
Paul would circulate his letters to bring those churches back into the fold.
But at no time are we told that one congregation was superior than another
based on its faith. As long as the people put their faith in Christ there was
nothing greater. That is the way it should be today. As long as we put our
faith in Christ, we are all equal under His authority. We are all Christians.
5.
The truth of Scripture is not as difficult as some make it seem.
This is not to say that there are not issues we will
all struggle with in Scripture. There are, and will be, aspects we struggle
through, and angles of God we will never fully understand. But the basic truths
of Scripture are undeniable. And this does not rest solely with the
understanding that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ. There is a
long list of very clear and understandable truths laid out in scripture. Those truly
debatable points do not lead to salvational crisis, and truthfully, are not
worthy of dividing ourselves from one another.
In the end there will be unity under Christ.
Denominations will fall and there will be one King over all believers. Until
then, it would be a nice slice of heaven to do away with the denominational
dance and unite under the banner of Christ.
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