Before the United States was formed, persecuted protestants came in search of religious freedom. Each group was separated by differing beliefs and practices, and developed into different church denominations. Over the passing years, the separation between Christian churches only ballooned as offshoots of each denomination grew from differing interdenominational beliefs. Diverging into several hundred Christian denominations, America has become the land of denominationalism. Currently, there are 24 branches of Baptists, 11 branches of Methodists, 14 branches of Pentecostals, and 12 branches of Presbyterians just to name a few. This doesn’t include Non-Denominational, Independent, Interdenominational, or Mormon churches. This great variability can impact the message received by Christians and non-Christians alike.
Myth #3- All Christians believe the same things.
Although there are hundreds of different denominations in the US, they each identify themselves as Christians. Naturally, non-Christians expect that all Christians share the same beliefs. That means one experience can the perception of the entire Christian faith. Sadly, Christians know this assumption to be incorrect. Belief systems and expression of those beliefs can be quite different between denominations and even between individual churches. Because of this variability, the name “Christian” appears to lose its meaning. You would expect that having a common shared faith in Christ would unite all believers. Instead, many Christians chose to separate themselves from others by focusing on the details that create irreconcilable conflict. This is further encouraged by false leaders who claim to be leading the one true faith.
O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.
1 Timothy 6:20-21
The doctrine and practices of false Christianity is meant to separate them from other followers of Christ. At “churches” like the Westboro Baptist Church, hate is repackaged and disguised as Christianity. When unbiblical teaching is in clear contradiction with the words of Jesus, there is no excuse for allowing yourself to be deceived. Jesus made it clear that our greatest priorities are to love God and to love other people without exception. Even when we disagree and even if others hate us, we are expected to respond with love.
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
Romans 16:17
Much damage has been done by imposters in the faith. Labeling is just one more way that the evil one ties to separate people from God. When we focus on the minor disagreements in doctrine, we easily forget all that unites us. No denomination built on the foundation of Christ and his teaching can be wrong. Likewise, no domination in disagreement with the words of Jesus can be right.
If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
1 Timothy 6:3-5
TRUTH
The New Testament repeatedly speaks about unity within the church. Our belief that Jesus’ death and resurrection redeems us from our sins and offers us salvation should be a belief that unites us.
I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 1:10
Church is not a place we go to worship. We are the church. The Holy Spirit lives within each true believer so we can act as the body of Christ. Instead of walling ourselves off from other believers we should be celebrating our differences. Just as each member of the body performs different functions, each denomination is an expression of different spiritual gifts. Christians don’t have to be the same to be united in one purpose sharing one faith.
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:4-8
Our salvation doesn’t come from the doctrine we follow, it comes from the savior we follow.
The apostle Paul provided guidance on how to handle minor disagreements in the faith:
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;
Romans 14:1-10
We may not always agree on the finer points, but that doesn’t matter if we are each living to honor the Lord. We need to look at each other as brothers and sisters in the faith instead of looking down on others in judgement. By acting in love we encourage unity which allows us to share our one faith.
…that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
John 17:21
Seek and You Will Find 