WARNING: If you search for “true religion” online, you’ll find a lot of websites about a popular brand of denim jeans! I was surprised... I did not know that True Religion could be found on the back pocket label of denim jeans! I was simply searching for the one true religion. Surely the internet would be a good resource to guide me in searching for the one true religion that God approves. Maybe if I start wearing the jeans, I’ll be more likely to find what I am seeking...? Probably not.
I know there are a lot of religions out there, and they’re all very different. Christianity is tops for diversity of choices. There are approximately 35,000 denominations claiming the “christian” label (denominations, sects, individual unaffiliated churches, para-church groups, etc) in the world. I really don’t even know where to begin to sort through and find which one of these might be the one “true” Christian religion. Maybe I should say... truest, truer, less wrong, more right. Why does something so important to humanity, have to be so complicated and confusing?
How can anyone seeking and searching, hope to find a brotherhood and fellowship worshipping and serving in a way that God approves? If you’re a Christian, it might be logical to conclude that God must surely approve of all 35,000 denominations and variants. Or... none are approved by God. My first instinct is not to trust any of these thousands of groups claiming Christ as their leader.
Humans are to emotional and fickle to easily sort out the resting place of TRUTH. God is truth... finding what He approves of in a church fellowship is no insignificant task. One's personal beliefs and the certainty with which one holds them is an unreliable measure of truth, because they are largely determined by one's culture and the faith of one's parents. You are a Catholic, a Lutheran, a Baptist, largely by birth in to your families religious tradition. How about an opinion poll of the most popular denominations? Surely the most popular must be close to “true” and approved by God? Probably not a good strategy. Popularity only shows what beliefs most appeal to peoples lifestyles and have little to do with truth.
Over the centuries, Christianity has divided into numerous denominations. Each denomination has its own distinctive beliefs and practices, but they are commonly considered branches of the same religion because they claim to agree on such fundamentals as the Bible, the Trinity, and the teachings of the Nicene Creed. Aw... there’s a clue to what might be a guide to sorting out the truer denominations... adherence to a man-made creed. Except, I can’t find that directive anywhere in Scripture, can you?
The way in which one denomination regard other denominations varies from mutual respect and acceptance, to suspicion, contempt and denial that the other group is even "Christian." The four main branches of Christianity are Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Anglican. Most of the denominations that exist today developed in the last 500 years as a result of the Protestant Reformation.
Doesn’t the Bible teach us that God is not a God of confusion? It would seem so based on these passages... “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints...” (1 Corinthians 14:33) And how about this verse... “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5) and this one... “yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6)
Based on these passages of Scripture, it would seem God would not approve of the confusion that has been created by the many denominations and variations claiming to represent “TRUTH”... His Truth.
If God is a God of order not confusion, then it seems logical that His desire would be for ALL of His followers to be in harmony and unity with one another. Is it not reasonable then that the “truest Christian religion” in a sin-filled, chaotic, confusing world would have believers holding common beliefs and understanding of the foundational principles of “truth” as found in Scripture?
Although Christianity is not really a religion, (it’s a relationship) we use the word to classify and characterize Christianity as aligned with the God of the Bible... Yahweh, Jehovah. Religious unity must therefore emanate from the teachings of the Bible. In a deeply divided religious world, the Bible is the only possible common denominator upon which truth-seeking God-fearing people can unite. How can a single “book” give birth to 35,000 different varieties of so called truth? I’m confused.
I do know this... what I believe the Bible teaches is not being taught by most of the 35,000 so-called Christian denominations. Of course, they will say the same thing about me and my “interpretations” of what the Bible teaches.
I also know this... God is NOT pleased with the confusion, discord, divisions, divisiveness and distortions of His truth. At no time in human history is the appeal to go back to the plain unvarnished truth as found only in the Bible more critical for the future of humanity. But right now, I am not speaking to all humanity... just people who claim to be followers of Christ. Do you really “know” Him and does He really “claim” you?
When it comes to claiming Christ as the one we follow, calling ourselves Christians, we should tremble in fear of God. We should be terrified of accidently adding anything to His Word... ignoring inconvenient and uncomfortable parts of His Word... marginalizing as “out-of-date” any part of His commandments. True Christianity... speaks where the Bible speaks and remains silent where the Bible is silent. True Christianity adheres, in all matters that pertain to religion... to just the facts... as found in the Bible.
In everything religious – all endeavors, proclamations, decrees and programs, there must be a "Thus saith the Lord" for God to approve of the feeble efforts of man. That declaration ties everything we humans do in religious matters directly to the will of God, to the source book the Bible. The “Church” belongs to God alone... He made it and He leads it by the Holy Spirit. We humans don’t need to do anything to help God clarify what He has already done to position His body of believers in Truth.
In the quest for "true religion" there may be more than one faith group that is sufficiently accurate in their beliefs and practices, aligned with what the Bible teaches, that they could qualify as "true enough” to please God.
I pray that in the great morass of denominational confusion there are groups who’s singular objective is religious unity of all believers who call themselves Christians. Who’s only teachings come from the Bible and who herald a brotherhood and fellowship that harkens back to the days of the beginning... the first century church. A brotherhood grounded in the foundations of the New Testament who are declaring the TRUTH of God’s Word to a hurting and seeking world.
No matter how you slice and dice it... TRUTH can only found in the shadow of the Cross, in the blood of Jesus Christ, His resurrection and His “New” covenant with humanity. That is simply... New Testament Christianity. Anything more or less... cannot be TRUTH.
NEXT POSTING... Why so many Denominations...?
