Denominations Are Not The Great Commandment Or The Great Commission.

When we look at the countless denominations of today, all of them conform Christ Jesus to their own image, whether it be His teachings, His character, His looks, His agendas or anything involving His mission overall, each system of thought has conformed Him in one way or another, and we 'put up with it' (2nd Corinthians 11:3/4).

1st Corinthians 3:1/15

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

• We are NOT ‘all one in Christ Jesus’ today, simply because we ignored the warning in 2nd Corinthians 11:3/4, where the apostle Paul warned us that “you may well put up with it” in regard to one who comes bringing another teaching and another Christ. There are thousands upon thousands of denominations and systems of thought that ALL CONFORM the IMAGE, the TEACHINGS and the CHARACTER of Christ to either the image of the founder of that religion or system of thought, or to a set of doctrines and theologies which have been manipulated or misused out of context from the original source in scripture.

• Why do you have a ‘favorite preacher’? Because they speak something that tickles your ears, makes you feel good about yourself or ‘agrees’ with a bias you already hold to. But when was the last time you sat down to study the Word by yourself, and simply listen to the Holy Spirit? (John 14:26, John 16:13).

• Yes, gather with the brethren to stir up love and good works. Gather to encourage one another, pray, lift each other up and simply be there. But if all of this is done in the wrong heart and mindset, it ends with the following of a cult or conformed religion.