2/10/19 Chris (see HERE)
So what about all the denominations within Christianity? Which one is right?
Chris, late 20’s, told me how she began life as an active Catholic,
joined a Southern Baptist church with her mother at age 14, and attended an Episcopalian
Church in college. It’s hard to know
which one is right, she reasons, so she embraced agnosticism, saying she has
come to accept that no one denomination has a handle on the truth.
In fact, she has rejected Christianity altogether, saying she
believes that there is a little bit of “god” in each of us. Her pantheistic beliefs about God are
actually more similar to the eastern religions, especially Hinduism, and if she
could choose what to believe in, she would ideally like to believe in
reincarnation.
Ultimately, however, she is wise to just call herself an
agnostic. It is much more honest to just
admit one really doesn’t know for sure when, in fact, they don’t. But is it really accurate to say all the
different denominations within Christianity disagree with each other?
The key, I think, is to see them as still “within Christianity”. There are primary beliefs that make them
Christian, and secondary issues that make them unique. I’ve come to see the different denominations
as a strength, as God’s way of reaching people of different languages, cultures
and subcultures, generations, economic groups, and personality types with the
basic Gospel.
Where many people such as Chris are mistaken, I believe, is
to see these differences as excluding one another from God’s kingdom. If salvation depends on following certain
religious traditions or belonging to a particular denomination, then we would
be wise to judge Christianity as divisive and unfair. If, however, we can see that they all have
the basic Gospel in common – that we are saved by God’s grace through repentance
and a faith relationship with Jesus rather than our good works or jumping
through the religious hoops of a particular denomination – then we can rejoice
in the many denominations of Christianity.
The basic Gospel does have some universal beliefs that are
hard as nails, however. It offers
salvation, but this implies that we need to be saved – that we are condemned
without it. Our condemnation isn’t based
on wrong beliefs, but on our personal disobedience and rebellion against God. This Gospel offers salvation as the free gift
of God, but one that wasn’t free. Jesus’
suffering and death on the cross reminds us of the cost and consequence of our
sin, and is a gift we receive through repentance and faith.
And part of this repentance and faith is the realization
that it will ultimately lead us to accept and enjoy fellowship with those from denominations
and traditions that aren’t like our own.
We read in Revelations 7 that “…there before me was a great multitude
that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,
standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” No one group within Jesus’ universal Church
has a monopoly on heaven, for it goes on to say “Salvation belongs to our God, who
sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
So which denomination is right? None are perfect, and all are made up of both
true and false converts, some more, some less.
Some are stronger in some areas of Christian discipleship but weaker in
others. Some have strong leadership,
some not so much. Some are on fire in
the Holy Spirit, while others have grown distant from their first love. Some are slowly dying, others growing
rapidly. Some are strong in emotion,
others strong in solid biblical teaching.
Some clearly teach the biblical Gospel, while others have drifted away,
adding to or taking away from biblical teaching over generations.
But as long as the Bride of Christ is on this earth, it will
never look like so many cookie-cutter franchises. It will continue to express God’s creativity,
and the diversity of denominations can and should be a positive sign that God
is truly among us.
Thanks Chris, for an interesting conversation! It can be seen HERE
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