Monday, August 12, 2013

What Good Are Denominational Distinctions?

They say that money talks.  I don’t know.  I’ve had a little, but I have never heard it talk.  But let’s imagine that it does. 

Suppose I opened my wallet to pay for something and all my money had somehow been changed and each bill had become indistinguishable from the others.  “Hey, what is this?” I might ask.

“We are your money,” they reply.

I pull one out and ask, “What denomination are you?”

The bill proudly boasts, “I am non-denominational.  After all, we are all money.  I prefer to not be stereotyped by just one denomination.  If I tell you I am a one dollar bill, you might not value me as much as the twenty dollar bill.”

So what’s my point?  All bills are NOT of the same denomination.  They may very well be worthless, but some are more worthless than others.

That’s why most churches are identified by denomination (a name).  When I meet someone who tells me he is a Christian, I might ask him what church he attends.  Why?  Because I know that all denominations are NOT the same.  And some of them are counterfeits.  So it is not good enough when someone tells me he does not want to be identified by any particular denomination because “we are all just Christians.”  And it’s not going to be good enough when my granddaughter decides that she wants to marry a nice Christian boy from Utah who dons a white shirt, a tie, and funny, secret underwear and rides around on a bicycle doing missionary work for two years. 

Seriously, though - I am not suggesting that I can discern a truly, born-again, saved Christian by his church affiliation.  I believe that there may very well be real Christians in all denominations because salvation is a free gift of God’s grace bestowed on undeserving sinners and it is received by faith alone in Christ alone.

But there are some characteristics of each denomination that are helpful in “profiling” those who are members.  When a person identifies with a denomination, he is subjecting himself to the doctrines and practices of that denomination.  He may be ignorant of his church’s teachings but he is never-the-less, sitting under those teachings and that will shape his beliefs.  And, when it comes to the subject of salvation, there are some doctrines that are not negotiable; not everything that claims to be Christian is Christian and false doctrine can have eternal consequences.

4 comments:

Pumice said...

See. There are some things that Calvinists and Arminians can totally agree on.

I hope this means you are posting again. Haven't heard anything in awhile.

Grace and peace.

Ron Livesay said...

Well said, Ralph. Good to see a new post on your blog.

Steve Finnell said...

WHAT IS YOUR SOURCE FOR THE TRUTH?

If you are searching for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, who and what are you going to consult? If you are looking for advice, information and instruction on how to be saved from sin and how to live the Christian life, where can you find God's inerrant truth.

Are you going to consult books written by:
Clement of Rome
Irenaeus of Lysons
Tertullian
Augustine of Hippo
Polycarp of Smyrna
Bishop Fulton Sheen
Martin Luther
John Calvin
John Knox
George Whitefield
Charles "Chuck" Colson
Cotton Mather
Jerry Falwell
Billy Graham
John Piper
Max Lucado
Alexander Campbell
T. D. Jakes
Oral Roberts
Dwight Moody
Joesph Smith Jr.
Mary Baker Eddy
Charles Taze Russel
Sun Myung Moon
L. Ron Hubbard

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO TRUST YOUR SALVATION TO THESE MEN?


As for me I trust the book written by these men:
Moses
Daniel
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Paul
Peter
Jude

I trust the book that was inspired by God.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God....


WOULD THERE BE THOUSANDS OF DENOMINATIONS, IF ALL MEN WOULD JUST CONSULT GOD AND HIS VIEW FOUND IN, HIS BOOK, AND HIS BOOK ALONE?


THE BIBLE SHOULD BE YOUR MANUAL FOR THE TRUTH!


YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY CHRISTIAN BLOG. Google search>>>steve finnell a christian view


Ron Livesay said...

Ralph:

I have read some of the stuff Steve Finnell has put on his blog. He pretty much plays a one-string violin - "You have to be baptized in water to be saved." It is interesting that he thinks it is wrong to use commentaries or any other writings of men, but it is somehow OK to read his blog.