Why do the things that cause us to separate ourselves by denomination have little to do with what God’s Word tells us to separate ourselves from?
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Because we fear that those areas over which we separate would eventually lead to the areas where we’re supposed to separate.
It’s very sad.
Kate and I watched 28 Weeks Later this weekend. I liked it. She didn’t. We are getting a divorce.
I think we separate because its easier to relate with those who agree with us than to love and accept those who disagree with us.
-Alan
Lew,
Good question?
Alan is spot on, but there is another aspect of the same problem; most are afraid, no terrified, to be challenged to give reasons for aspects of belief, practice,
personal responsibility, etc., where they differ.
It’s much safer, more comfortable, to wrap oneself up in the famous last words of a church,”we’ve always done it this way”, close ones heart, mind and eyes lest we find that the Lord of the church would have us hold hands with a brother/sister who is born anew by the same Spirit, but are “different”.
Lew,
Question mark wasn’t meant to be in that first sentence. Even my fingers think differently.
I don’t know man, maybe because the union of people who have conflicting ideas is really no unity at all.
Having said that, there are some pretty redundant denominations. How many kinds of baptist do you need anyway?! I read there are half a dozen groupings of Free Will Baptists alone, some segregated even by race and other trivial issues.
The worst thing is the illusive idea that you can somehow excape it all by being “nn-denominational”. Nope, you just become a denomination all to yourself and a boat cast about by the winds of popular opinion within the church at any given fixed point in time.
Hey Anthony,
Thanks for taking the time to respond. I understand your point, but I think that ultimately it is surface level. I do not agree with every idea of the people that I meet with, but I think we have unity (most of the time). I think unity is achieved most when people who hold different ideas can get together in peace and love for the same purposes.
What we need to do is set aside our difference, those things that do not matter, and focus on our similarities… mainly the fact that we have the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
Thanks again!
God’s Glory,
Lew A