Is there a right or wrong denomination or church?
Let’s assume that you are
referring to Christian denominations. It still ahs to make a difference even if
we assume that each “Christian” denomination understands the basic concept of
salvation, which many do not.
- Ephesians
2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God; 9 not as a
result of works, so that no one may boast.
- Colossians
2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty
deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary
principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
- Revelation
22:18-19 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this
book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are
written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the
book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life
and from the holy city, which are written in this book.
First, let’s understand the most
vital part. Does each denomination follow the biblical gospel when it comes to
salvation? According to Ephesians 2:8-9, salvation comes by grace, through
faith; not of ourselves, but as a gift of God. It cannot be achieved through
good works so that no human can boast that he or she earned their way into
heaven. If the denomination teaches that and just that, then its adherents are
following God’s plan and will be accepted into heaven. If they add something to
that or flat out deny it, then they run the risk of God’s judgment.
- Colossians
2:6-7 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, {so} walk in
Him, 7 having been firmly rooted {and now} being built up in Him and
established in your faith, just as you were instructed, {and} overflowing
with gratitude.
- Hebrews
5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need
again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of
God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who
partakes {only} of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness,
for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to
discern good and evil.
Second, even if the denomination
gets the doctrine of salvation right, there is so much more than just “making
it by the skin of your teeth!” If Christ died in order to pay the penalty of my
sins; if He would rather go through death than be separated from me in
eternity, then I owe Him all my allegiance. I owe Him such a debt of gratitude
that I will never be able to repay it. I want to live in such a way as to
please Him in every thing I do. I need to move from the “milk” (i.e. the simple
Gospel) and onto the “meat” (the more advanced life principles that govern our
walk with Christ). In order to do that, I need to determine which church’s
teachings are more closely linked to the Scriptures and tie myself to that
church.
Notice that I used the word church
and not denomination. There is no biblical teaching for the existence of
denominations. In fact, there is some biblical teaching that could be taken as
a condemnation of “denominationalism.”
- 1
Corinthians 1:10-13 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's
{people,} that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each
one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas,"
and "I of Christ." 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not
crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?