What Does the Bible Say About Denominations?

In this episode, we  begin our study about denominations and what the Bible says about them. In past studies, we have talked about the Church Jesus built, the Church of Christ. We noted that Jesus only built one Church. We discussed local churches of Christ in the Bible and the fact that they followed the New Testament pattern established by the apostles and the importance of following that pattern today. We find that today there are over 40,000 denominations claiming to be following the Lord, who actually teach different doctrine than found in the Bible. We note in this study that the Bible predicted this departure. Jesus noted the narrow way and the broad way that exists and the fact that few would follow the narrow way which leads to life. Jesus warns about false prophets who would come. Paul tells the elders from Ephesus that there would be those among them who would draw away disciples to follow them. Paul warned the Christians in Corinth about the divisions that had developed among them and told them not to allow that. To the churches in Galatia Paul said he was amazed that they had so soon turned away from the Lord. We note that Jesus said He is the only way anyone can come to the Father and He tells us in His word how that can be done. The Bible contains all of the words the Lord intends for us to have and the only guidance we are to follow. In the coming episodes we will look at various denominations, when they were established, who established them when that can be determined and some of the error that they teach. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Transcript

Fred Gosnell: 0:00

This is a presentation of the woodland church of Christ, meeting at 3370 Broad Street in Sumter, South Carolina. We meet for worship on Sunday at ten thirty am and five thirty pm . We meet for bible study at nine thirty am on Sunday and seven pm on Wednesday. If you have questions or comments on this lesson, you may email them to Arnie Granke at agranke440718@twc.com or to Glenn Landrum at scbamaboy2003@yahoo.com or to Eric McClam at ericmcclam50@outlook.com or to Fred Gosnell at fgosnell@ftc-i.net.

Arnie: 0:55

Good afternoon. This is what does the Bible say? Brought to you by the church of Christ at Woodland in Sumter, South Carolina. I'm Arnie Granke, and beside me is Eric, and across from me are Fred and and Glenn. And we want to talk with you about things that are biblical in nature and and the specific topic for our discussion this afternoon is the truth about denominations, and we hope that you'll listen to that and and give it some consideration. If you have questions, feel welcome to give us a call. We're easy to come to and and easy to reach. If you're in Sumter and looking for a place to worship, come to the church of Christ at Woodland. And we're at 3370 Broad Street extension here in Sumter, about two miles to the east of the Shaw Air Force Base main gate. We would welcome having you with us. And with this, I think we're going to give it to Glenn.

Glenn: 2:05

We are going to be talking about the truth about the denominations. And this is going to probably extend a few weeks. This, this week is going to be an introduction to, to that study. And we hope you'll pay attention and follow along as as we go through. If you've been listening to us for any amount of time, you've probably heard us mention false doctrine, the true Church, the Church of Christ, the Lord's Church, or other similar statements. These are not said without meaning. When we speak about false doctrines that is saying, there is, there is such a thing as teaching that is not true about God's word. As a matter of fact, we can say that any teaching that teaches something different than what the Bible says is false doctrine. False doctrine is ever present and is very misleading. We now have up to 40,000 denominations who all claim to be Christian. We can think of no other field of study or practice that would say that there are 40,000 different truths about that study or practice. Any organization that has a publication that directs its practices does not allow anyone to vary from the instruction given in that publication. We oftentimes even call those publications the bible of that organization. We understand that language is meant to is, that language is to means that there that what it is saying must be followed exactly, or one would be in violation of the standards or the rules or the laws of that organization. Normally, ones who violate those rules, instructions or standards are disciplined or even terminated from the organization. But in Christianity, we have made the determination that we can interpret the law standards and directions given in the Bible. That's the publication that directs how to implement and conduct our lives and the operation of the work of the church in a manner that we simply want to. It's perfectly okay if we decide we don't like a particular instruction in the Bible, we can make it say what we want it to and simply disregard it. This is the situation we have in Christianity today. Probably truer is, is that most people do not really know what the instructions are because they have not not read them for themselves. We have examples of this in everyday life. Whenever you subscribe to a new program, you read all the information that applies to that subscription? Probably not since is usually 20 or more pages of reading that you don't want to spend the time reading. That's called the fine print, and most of us do not care to take the time to read it at all. And that's that's the same with most people with the Bible. They think it's all fine print. They don't want to read it. Fortunately, though, the Bible is not fine print. We do not have to read it all in one sitting. When someone quotes verses of the Bible, we can go to that verse and verify that what is being said. You might ask, Does the Bible talk about these things happening?

Fred Gosnell: 5:36

Of course, we can absolutely say yes, it does. The Bible has a lot to say about this subject, and we need to pay very close attention to what it says, just like we need to pay close attention to all subjects in the Bible. In teaching God's word, we need to always establish the importance of following the Bible, and only the Bible, because it is God's word. If we respect God, we will show that that respect by listening to Him and doing what He teaches. So we will begin by going over some scriptures related to that. So if you have been with us very long, you will recognize the first two passages we will consider because we use them very often. Second, Timothy 3, 16, and 17 says, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Of course, this passage lets us know that the Bible has been inspired by God. The words written came from God through the Holy Spirit to the apostles who wrote them down. So the words we find in the Bible were not words that originated in the minds of men, the apostles, those who wrote them, but they came from God. So if we respect God and have a healthy belief in Him and His authority, we will want to pay close attention to the words in the Bible and not go against them. Notice what all the scriptures are good for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction, so that the person of God can become fully mature or complete in God's Word.

Eric: 7:11

In Second Peter, chapter one, verses two through 11, it says, Grace and peace be multiplied to you. And the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord as His divine power, has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who calls us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, but also for this very reason, giving all diligence. Add to your virtue. Add to add your excuse me, add to your faith, virtue, to virtue, knowledge to knowledge, self control to self control, perseverance, to perseverance, godliness, to godliness, brotherly kindness, kindness and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is short sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore brethren be even more diligent to make your call and elect sure. For if you do these things, you would not stumble. For so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Arnie: 8:49

Eric was reading from Second Peter chapter one, and we've included this whole passage to give a good bit of information concerning God's word. Start, let's start with verse three. What has been given by His Divine power is his word. It is His Word that provides us with everything. Then it goes on to mention all the ways a person who is following Christ will grow through the knowledge of Christ. Just like in school, we grow through the knowledge that we gain. The same with our spiritual journey with Christ, we grow as we learn of God and Christ and what they want us to do and how to live as through diligence, we add virtue to our faith, self control, perseverance, godliness, kindness and love. Notice that Peter through the Holy Spirit mentions knowledge four times. We gain that knowledge by reading and studying the word, the instructions, the standards that have been given to us by God. Take note of these two things that can happen. The one who does not grow and add these things tra or traits to to their repertoire is not seeing what lies ahead and is blind and has forgotten that their sins had been forgiven. But the one who does pay attention and grows will never stumble, and that will allow them to be admitted to heaven.

Glenn: 10:38

We're going to look at Psalms 19, seven through 11, The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart, the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes, the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous, altogether. More to be desired are they than gold. Yea, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honey comb. Moreover, by them, your servant is warned, and in keeping them, there is great reward. The laws, statutes and commandments from God are contained in the scriptures, and they are perfect, wise, right and pure. We must have the respect for God, the Word of God, that we understand that it is the perfect and unerring word. There is nothing about God's word that is wrong or misleading. We do not have the right or the privilege to change what is taught in the Bible, God's word. When we do, we have changed the perfect into something that is not perfect or true. Notice the last sentence in this passage, And in keeping them, there is great reward. This implies that there will be punishment for not keeping them. When we see the statements like that, we must assume the opposite if we go against what it says.

Fred Gosnell: 12:11

So early in Jesus ministry, He warns those who would come and try to lead His followers away from the truth, His truth. Now let's look at Matthew 7, 13, through 27 again, a long reading, but we need to have this context from what the Bible says. So Jesus says, Enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction. And there are many who go in by it, Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life. And there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit. Nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown to the fire. Therefore by their fruits, you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Verse 22 says, Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name? And then will I declare to them I never knew you depart from me you who practice lawlessness. Therefore, who who ever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock and the rain descended, the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall for it was founded on a rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

Arnie: 14:07

We don't often can't say it. We don't often quote this entire passage, but it really does go together. We usually break it up into three or four lesson points, but we believe that looking at the whole we can learn more about adhering to God's Word. Jesus starts off by talking about the two paths people can take, a narrow way on which very few will be traveling, or on the broad way on which there will be many people. The Narrow Way is the one that is defined by the truth of God's Word. The broad way is defined by false doctrine, or untruth. This lets us know what most people teaching about God, were not teaching the truth. In verses 15 through 20, Christ talks about the false prophets who would come in His Name and lead people down the wrong path. He mentioned that those false prophets or teachers can be known by their fruits. In other words, what what they produce. We can know if the fruit someone is presenting is good fruit. But how can we, can we know that? It's by studying and learning what God has in his word and what He requires. Anything that is against what God requires is bad fruit, and it leads to the broad path, which leads to destruction or hell. Verses 21 through 23 tell us that there will be a lot of people who think they're doing God's will, but they find out it's not the case, and they will be cast out because they practice sin or lawlessness. They don't really find out they were involved in error error until it's too late to correct it. So be thinking along those lines, before we get into a situation that there's no there's no escaping. The next section of this passage, verses 24 through 27 compare the wise person who builds on the solid foundation to the unwise who builds upon the sand a shifting false foundation. We think we know we the thing we need to take from that part is that we must build upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and His word. And First, Corinthians, chapter three, beginning just, verse 11, will will be sufficient for for us to recognize the truth in that. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid. Now notice that there's only one foundation, the one that's laid, which is Jesus Christ. To build upon Jesus Christ as our foundation, and that's to follow His teaching and obey His commandments. To do anything different than what He has taught is to not follow His commands or teaching.

Eric: 17:46

We can list many other scriptures that tell us to follow God's word, and only God's Word. We know that just as Christ did in the passage above, Arnie is just reading and other writers in the New Testament, warnings against false teachers. Let's take a look at some of those. Start with the book of Acts, chapter 20, verses 28 to 31 which it says, Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to the all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has. Do you, do you Overseers, shepherd, the Church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure, savage wolves will come among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves, men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves. Therefore watch and remember that for the three years, I did not cease to warn anyone night and day with tears. Paul was speaking to the elders of the church in Ephesus, and he warned them of false teachers, those savage wolves who will come in among them and lead members of the flock Christians in the church away from the truth. Paul was warning of an apostasy within the church. This is in the first century, about 30 years after the death of Christ and the beginning of the church. It has not taken long for apostacy to begin. There were many who were against church, the church from its first establishment, just after Christ's death, burial and resurrection, especially the Jews. They had an agenda, and that was to undermine and destroy the church. We see actual examples of people being led astray in two places. First, Corinthians, chapter one, verses one through verses 10 to 13. In Galatians, one, six through nine.

Glenn: 19:58

Okay, and I'll read those. First Corinthians, 1, 10, through 13. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but you be perfectly joined together in the same mind, in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says I am of Paul, or I am of Apollos, or I am of Cephas, or I am of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or you were baptized in the name of Paul? Paul pleaded with the Christians in Corinth that they do not divide themselves into groups as they were doing. He pleaded that they all speak the same thing and not follow separate individuals as they were doing. This sounds exactly like what we see today. We have many groups following different teachings within separate groups, denominations, Paul told them that they needed to be on the same page and teach the same things. We all know the saying, United, we stand. Divided, we fall. This is exactly what Paul is telling the Christians in Corinth. People have made decisions through the last 2000 years to continue to speak different things and to divide themselves into different groups. Now we want you to think about this. If there are two groups, one follows the teaching of their originator, and the other follows teachings of someone else who is in the right? Of course, it's the group that adheres to the teachings and the instructions of the originator. The other example that we wanted to look at is Galatians one, six through nine.

Fred Gosnell: 21:50

And Paul writes to the Galatians, and he says, beginning in verse six, in Galatians one, he says, I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel. Notice, Christ is the originator, and then they had turned to somebody else, to a different gospel, Which is not another. But there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you, then what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before. So now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed. So Paul is even more direct with the Christians in Galatia. He said that he is amazed, for he marvels that they are so quickly turned away from the teachings he had presented to them, which were teachings in Christ. Told them that there was only one gospel, that even if an angel from heaven were to come and teach them something different, then that teaching would be wrong, and the person who was teaching it falsely should be condemned. So we have a way to know what the truth is, and that is by studying the Bible itself. We do not need anyone else to explain it to us, unless we cannot read this is the main problem. Most people do not know for themselves what the Bible says. They depend on someone else to tell them what it says. And so we have established that God's word is truth and that we need to follow it as it's written. We have seen that it was told that there would be people who would come in and try to change what it says and try to lead Christians away from the truth. We have seen two examples of that actually happening. We mentioned that there are up to 40,000 denominations, Each one claiming to be Christian. We know that there is only one Bible, which is the truth of God's Word. We have all heard Jesus quoted in John 14, verse six,

Eric: 23:50

And that quotation says, Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. The Bible contains the word of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation. The words of Jesus is not simply the words in red in most Bibles. Jesus is God, therefore the Bible is the words of Jesus. If you read John 14, 15, and 16. Read those chapters, you will see that Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to remind the apostles of what He has said, to teach them that He had not yet taught them, and to guide them into all truth. You are told to study to show thyself approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth, which that was talked about in Second Timothy 2, 15 which says, To rightly divide the Word of Truth is to learn and to use God's word as he would have us to. We need to learn that there have been different periods of time that we. Can call dispensations, and that God dealt differently with people in each of those periods. We need to understand that there have been separate systems of God's law, particularly the law of Moses, that apply to the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob, and the law of Christ, the law that applies to those after Christ have given his own, given his own, given his life on the cross, was buried, resurrected and ascended to heaven. Christians are those who follow the law of Christ and are not bound by the law of Moses. Even more than that, we need to understand that the Bible is not written in some coded language, except for few parts, such as Daniel Ezekiel and Revelation. Rightly dividing the word of truth is paying attention to the context of the scriptures. Sometimes we have to understand the social implications of the period of time that the events were were reading about occurred in but the language of the Bible is clear and easy, understood for most part. The different people came up with are simply not clearing, clearly reading the passages or not, using other length passages that deal with the same subject, and seeing them together.

Arnie: 26:27

And that's that's true and and another possibility here is, is, frankly, wanting others to understand the Bible, to teach what the way, the only way is, is, of course, the one that Christ gave us. But others teach the way and that they want it to be understood, and that's contrary, competition, if you will, with with the truth of of the gospel. In coming sessions, we'll look at some denominations and their practices that equate to false doctrine or teaching we encourage and want you to use your Bibles to verify what we are teaching. Be like the Bereans that are mentioned in Acts chapter 17 and verse 11, who searched the scriptures daily to learn the things that they were hearing were true, and searching the scriptures daily is a whole lot better with than not searching the scriptures at all, or just only occasionally there. We don't want to be offering opinion at all, only God's word. If we stick to God's Word, we will not be like those Galatian Christians that Paul said and marveled at that they were so quickly departed from the truth. God expects us to use his word for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness, so that we can become perfect or complete as as children of God, mature, as Christians. The only way we can identify those who are teaching error is by knowing what God's Word says. Otherwise, we're probably just taking their word for it, and that's a dangerous business.

Glenn: 28:39

We're going to close this, this lesson out here in just a moment. But there's a passage that I want to read where Jesus is praying, and he's praying to God, and he's talking about about unity. And this is in John 17, beginning in verse 20. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me throughout their word, that they may be one as you father, or in Me and I in you, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me and the glory which You gave me, I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one, I in them, you and me, that they may be made perfect in one, that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you love me, Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me, may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which You have given me for you loved me before the foundation of the world. Oh righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known You that You sent Me and I have declared to them your name, and will declare it that the love which You have loved Me may be in them and I in them. Jesus was praying to the Father for unity, not only, He used the example of the unity that he had with his Father God, that they were one in the same, that they that they thought the same, they believed the same, they said the same. And he's praying for his followers to have that same unity with Him and with God, and that they all, that's his followers, Jesus and God all speak the same thing. We can all only speak the same thing as if we go by the words that are written. When we vary from that which many people have done, we are going against that unity.

Fred Gosnell: 30:58

Well, that completes our lesson for this session. So next week, we're going to talk about, start talking about various denominations, and so you can know what's coming. The first one that we'll talk about will be the Catholic Church, and we'll look at the history of that church and what the Bible says about it. So thank you for listening, Lord willing, we'll see you next week.