In the United States, there are thousands of different churches that all claim affiliation with Jesus Christ. Each one claims to follow His teachings and represent His ways accurately, yet they all teach the Bible in different ways. While some churches fall into similar categories, there are enough differences that, to them, justify a new religious community. Even so-called non-denominational and community churches are offshoots of traditional denominational groups. No matter the motives, sincerity, or thinking of the people who founded these denominations, it is undoubtedly true that they have created mass confusion. When all these groups claim to represent Jesus but then present Him in contradictory ways, how can we know who is right? Many have answered that question by simply throwing their hands in the air with exhaustion, saying, “I guess no one is right.” Is this what Christ intended when He stated He would build His church (Matthew 16:18)? Surely Jesus does not wish for there to be so much division, especially over what He taught in His life. We should then consider what the Bible teaches us about the nature of division and why it is wrong.
The prayer of Jesus prior to His arrest is a highlight in John’s gospel account. In it, Jesus prays for His apostles as well as for those to whom they preach (John 17:1-26). When He prays for His future disciples, Jesus specifically asks that they all be united to the degree that He and the Father are united (John 17:20-21). Because Jesus and the Father are “one,” that means His will is for His disciples to have deep, abiding unity. In other words, Jesus did not wish for His followers to be divided in any way. Division over personalities, preferences, ethnicities, or any other matter is naturally ruled out by Jesus’ prayer. That does not mean these issues will not arise; however, it means that they should be addressed with the intent to produce unity. What denominationalism produces is deep and persistent division that worsens as the years continue. It is evident that many denominations will never be reconciled with their former associations, and, in time, further divisions will result in the ones that have already been created. Is this not a violation of Jesus’ intent for His followers? Unity is what He desires, but denominations make that effort impossible. Years after Jesus’ prayer concerning unity, the Christians in the city of Corinth were deeply divided. These divisions did not result in a denomination, but they did cause conflict among brethren. Paul writes that these divisions needed to stop (1 Corinthians 1:10-11). Rather than remember their allegiance to Jesus, the Corinthians exalted men like Paul, Apollos, and Cephas to the point that they created different factions within the congregation (1 Corinthians 1:12). Because of this problem, the Corinthians revealed their immaturity and pride (1 Corinthians 3:1-4, 21-23). They boasted in human beings, fought over their preferred preacher, and viewed the church for which Jesus died with a worldly perspective. Sadly, what happened in Corinth reveals the roots of denominationalism: immaturity and pride. Almost all religious division occurs because a disagreement arises, which then causes people to leave because they refuse to resolve the issue. It is far easier to flee conflict than it is to address it with the intent to reconcile. Furthermore, few religious leaders would admit they are proud when they leave to start a new denomination. To them, it is the height of humility to leave rather than remain in conflict. Did Paul teach the Corinthians to walk away from their brethren and form new religious groups? The answer is evident: he taught them to resolve these divisions and be unified in Christ. That is how the Bible teaches us to pursue unity, yet that is not what denominations practice. Instead, they produce more division and more confusion, which merely pours salt on an already festering wound. Friends, at no point in the New Testament do we read of denominationalism fitting into Christ’s plan for His church. It is not His will for His people to be divided, nor is it His will for His people to divide because of immaturity and pride. Instead, Christ’s plan for the church is oneness, just as He is one with the Father. To a congregation that also struggled with unity, Paul wrote that “there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). How can we study a passage like this and walk away with the thought that division is acceptable before God? It is abundantly clear that unity is the demand of the New Testament. Whenever divisions occur, they break off from the oneness of the church, which places them outside Christ. While they may feign association with Him, and perhaps even teach His ways with accuracy, the division undermines their efforts and puts them at odds with what Christ intends. His plan is for oneness among His people. While it is not for us to comment on the thinking, sincerity, or motives of people who have founded denominations over the years, we can certainly comment on the result, which is confusion. That is not Christ’s will for His church. Instead, He desires for His people to be united and together before Him. We therefore call all people in denominations to leave those traditional religious bodies behind and lay hold of what Scripture teaches. It is in the Bible we find the answers we seek and the authority by which we may serve, worship, and live acceptably before God. That is the only answer to the religious division we see across the world.
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AuthorStephen Null is the preacher for the Madisonville church of Christ. He has served in that capacity since October of 2021. Archives
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