Denominational Division

AN EXAMINATION OF DENOMINATIONAL DIVISION

David Sain

Even though the majority of people in the religious world never think of denominationalism as being wrong, and even though some of my brethren are now opening their arms of fellowship to include their denominational friends, denominational division is a sin! And it is my purpose in this article to show why it is a sin.

It Violates That For Which Jesus Prayed

As he approached the final hours of his life, Jesus prayed, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me (John 17:20-21).

Clearly it is the will of our Lord that his disciples by united, but denominationalism constitutes religious division, not religious unity! There are more than 250 different religious organizations that are called denominations. Each of those denominations exists separate and apart from the others. They have different names and, even though they may have some things in common, they differ in doctrines and practices. If there were no differences, they would all be of the same group.

The route that I usually take from my house to my office is only slightly more than three miles. In the course of that brief trip, I pass the church buildings for eight different religions. The people who worship in those buildings are neighbors. They work together, they shop together, and they play together, but, because of their religious differences, they do not — they cannot — worship together in unity! Religiously, they are divided! And religious division is a sin!

It Denies What The Bible Teaches About The Oneness Of The Church

The Bible clearly teaches that there is just one church that belongs to Jesus. Jesus promised to build his “church,” and he said that the gates of hell would not prevail against “it” (Mat. 16:18). The apostle Paul declared, “There is one body…” (Eph. 4:4-6), and that “body” is his church (Col. 1:23).

Paul also affirmed that the Father has made Jesus the head over the “church,” which is his “body” (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18), and Luke recorded that the saved are added to “the church” (Acts 2:47).

Contrary to what many people have been led to believe, there is only one church of which Jesus is the Savior (Eph. 5:23).

That church which belongs to Christ is that church which worships like the New Testament teaches, is organized like the New Testament teaches, is identified by terms found in the New Testament, and teaches the doctrine of salvation which is taught in the New Testament. That church is not a denomination!

Conversely, any church that does not worship like the New Testament teaches, is not organized like the New Testament teaches, is not identified by terms found in the New Testament, and does not teach the doctrine of salvation which is taught in the New Testament, does not belong to Christ. That church is a denomination.

It Denies The Bible As The Authority In Religious Matters

The Lord has taught us by precept and example that the only acts of spiritual service which are acceptable to him are those acts which he has authorized (Lev. 10:1-2; I Sam. 15:22). The holy scriptures reveal his will to us, and we must make the scriptures our final and all-sufficient source of authority in all spiritual matters (II Tim. 3:16,17; I Thes. 2:13; II Pet. 1:3; Jude 3; et al).

Even though the people in denominations will affirm that they “follow the Bible,” there is something taught or practiced in every denomination that contradicts what the Bible teaches. For example, every denomination that fails to teach baptism as being essential to salvation fails to teach what the Bible clearly and emphatically teaches (Mk. 16:16, Acts 2:38). Furthermore, every denomination that worships with the use of mechanical music goes beyond that which is authorized (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16) and does that for which there is absolutely no divine authority in Christian worship (cf. John 4:23-24).

Consider the reasoning previously set forth in this article: The differing doctrines and practices in the various denominations is what sets them apart from one another. Well, those differing doctrines and practices also set them apart from the holy scriptures, for when they teach or practice that for which there is no Biblical authority, they demonstrate that they do not believe that Biblical authority is essential in all things!

The Lord’s church, by contrast, strives to teach, believe, and do that, and only that, which the New Testament authorizes!

It Makes The Lord The Author Of Confusion

Consider the contradictory doctrines which are taught in the various denominations, and then consider that all of these donominations claim to belong to the Lord. Well, the Corinthians were assured that God is not the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33), which he would have to be if all of the denominations are the work of the Lord.

It is little wonder that so many people are “turned off” and reject all of this confusion.

It Is A Sin Because It Matters What One Believes

Any acceptance or defense of denominationalism is based upon the assumption or conclusion that it does not matter what one believes, teaches, or practices in service to God. If denominationalism is acceptable, then contradicting doctrines and practices would also have to be acceptable. That has to be the case since it is the case that denominational division is laced through and through with contradicting doctrines and practices.

However, let me illustrate in two ways that it does matter what one believes and teaches and practices religiously.

First, consider what the scriptures teach relative to the matter. The Lord taught that regardless how sincere or religious one may be, that person is lost who does not do the will of the Father (Mat. 7:21-23), and Paul wrote that the person who does not obey the gospel is lost (II Thes. 1:-7-9). Now if one can be religious without doing the will of the Father, and if one can be religious without obeying the gospel, then it does matter what one believes and does religiously.

In the same line of reasoning, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16), and any one who teaches “any other gospel” is accursed (Gal. 1:6-8). Also, the Bible teaches that one who teaches contrary to the doctrine of Christ is not to be given any encouragement or endorsement (II John 9-11). In fact, Paul said that because of what some teach they should have their mouths “stopped” (Tit. 1:9-14).

Peter warned the early Christians that there would be false teachers in their day (II Pet. 2:1-2). Furthermore, Paul told Timothy that there would be those who would turn their ears from truth and turn unto that which is false (II Tim. 4:1-4).

Now, my question is, why did these men, who wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, write all these warnings and admonitions if it does not matter what a person believes and teaches?

Obviously, they wrote these things because it does matter. Obviously, one can teach that which is not true and one can believe that which is not true, resulting in the destruction of both the teacher and the believer.

Second, consider these matters from a logical viewpoint. What if a preacher (we’ll call him “preacher A”) preached one thing one Sunday but on the next Sunday contradicted the very thing which he preached on the previous Sunday? And what if “preacher A” preached on another topic the next Sunday, only to contradict himself the following Sunday? What do you think would happen? How long would he be employed? How long would people listen to such a man?

Yet, that is essentially what is happening every Sunday in denominationalism. “Preacher A” preaches one doctrine while “Preacher B” contradicts “Preacher A.” And “preacher C” preaches something that contradicts “preacher D.” Now, how can such be ludicrous if found in one preacher but acceptable in different preachers?

Conclusion

When one believes and does everything that the Bible teaches, that person will simply be a Christian, and the Lord will add him to the church of Christ! But, that will not make him a part of any denomination.

One can believe and do everything the Bible teaches one to believe and do but never be a member of a denomination. One has to believe or do something in addition to what the Bible teaches in order to be a member of a denomination.

Denominational divisions exist because religious men have gone beyond the doctrine of Christ (II John 9-11), and teach for doctrines the commandments of men (cf. Mat. 15:8-9). That is why we teach that denominational division is a sin!