Order in the Court of the King! (The Future of Denominations)

Grace Thoughts

Order in the Court of the King! (The Future of Denominations)

Is there any way that the many Christian denominations will put aside their differences and unify under the Lordship of Jesus Christ? I don’t think so, at least not voluntarily. Let me explain.

[Listen to a Podcast of this study by clicking this link.]

Strong Beliefs

Denominations usually become ‘denominations’ because of strong beliefs. In fact, beliefs within denominations can be so strong that leaders and members split into yet another ‘denomination’ or ‘sub-denomination.’ You may have experienced something like that in your lifetime. If so, you know it’s a difficult thing to go through for leaders and members on both sides of a disagreement. Why? Because of strong beliefs and feelings.

It’s my opinion that denominations are here to stay. They have their headquarters, their leaders, their members, their schools, their church buildings, their publications – why change that if you believe you’re right? After centuries of conflict, division, politics, and attempts at control, I don’t think Christians are going to suddenly change, hold hands, and sing ‘kumbaya.’

What I Do and Don’t Mean

It’s easy to be misunderstood in an online publication (or podcast), so let me explain what I ‘don’t mean.’ I’m not ‘anti-denomination’ in the sense that I don’t think any of the denominations do any good for the Kingdom of God. I know people in many denominations who love God and are committed to bringing glory to His name and finishing the work He gave them to do.

I’m a realist. People who are truly ‘saved’ and are part of a denomination are part of the worldwide Body of Christ (the Church). Many good works have been done in the name of Jesus Christ through various denominations. However, some pretty bad works have occurred through various denominations as well. If you’ve been around churches and denominations long enough, you know what I’m addressing.

I am also not talking about supporting any kind of ‘ecumenical’ movement, as if that’s the way to reclaim ‘unity’ in the Church. The World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches are examples of what I mean by ‘ecumenical.’ It’s also known as ‘ecumenism.’ The definition of ‘ecumenical’ includes – “promoting or tending toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary), and “encouraging the different Christian Churches to unite” (Cambridge Dictionary). ‘Ecumenism,’ which connects with the word ‘ecumenical,’ is a movement toward unity or cooperation of Christian churches on a worldwide scale.

One problem with ‘ecumenical’ and ‘ecumenism’ is that anyone and everyone who identifies as Christian can be part of it – whether they are truly saved or not. That includes heretical groups which are definitely ‘outside the camp.’ The World Council of Churches (WCC) claims that it is ‘a fellowship of 352 member churches who together represent more than half a billion Christians around the world.’ The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA has been an ‘ecumenical’ voice since 1950. It claims to have 37 member communions and more than 30 million individuals, with 100-thousand congregations. Quoting from their website – “NCC works with secular and interfaith partners to advance a shared agenda of peace, progress, and positive change.” Does that mean they preach the Gospel of Grace to their ‘secular and interfaith partners?’ Check out their publications and you’ll quickly find the answer – no. The WCC and NCC have no interest in doing what Jesus told the apostles to do or what the apostles told Christians to do in preaching that secularism and heretical beliefs are wrong. The statement of the NCC is that it wants to work with its secular and interfaith partners ‘to advance a shared agenda of peace, progress, and positive change.’

That is not the kind of unity Jesus and His apostles prayed for or promoted. Far from it. I do understand why ecumenical leaders and followers get the simple Gospel of Christ so wrong – “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). The ‘natural man’ is “dead in trespasses and sins .. by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:1-3). Leaders of ecumenical movements will first have to humble themselves to the Spirit of God, repent of their sins, seek God’s forgiveness, and place their full trust and faith in Jesus Christ alone. Once they’ve done that and spent a little time reading the Bible receiving ‘the things of the Spirit of God,’ they will leave their ecumenical movement and preach against it. Until that happens, they will continue to deceive and lead people astray.

Who Brings Real Unity?

Jesus Christ brings ‘real unity’ to the Church that He is building. It’s what He prayed for to His Father in Heaven –

Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are … I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are 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, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. John 17:11, 20-23

It was the desire of Christ’s apostles that Christians take all the necessary steps to keep unity in their churches –

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 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 4:1-6

Notice what it takes to experience real ‘unity’ in a church or denomination – ‘walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.’ Who called us? God did. So, how do go about walking ‘worthy’ of His calling?

with all lowliness and gentleness
with longsuffering
bearing with one another in love
endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

Notice Paul’s emphasis on the ‘why’ of unity?

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

Jesus Christ is the best Judge about how well any church, any denomination, is doing to ‘keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.’

Order Restored

You may remember in the last part of this series that I mentioned I didn’t find the word ‘denomination’ in the Bible. It’s not in English, Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, or any other language for that matter. Even so, there are hundreds of denominations across the world (maybe more). So, think about this for a minute. If there are no denominations mentioned in Scripture, and Scripture includes information about the Body of Christ living together for ever in Heaven, what’s going to happen to denominations in Heaven? The answer is easy –

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

When Jesus descends from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, all true believers (dead and alive) will be ‘caught up together’ to meet the Lord in the air. Does that mean Baptists will fly up to one side, Methodists to another side, Presbyterians to another side, etc? Nope. We will be caught up ‘together’ to meet the Lord.

So, what about once we all get to Heaven? What happens to denominations then? Does everyone ask angels where to find their particular ‘denominational’ corner of Heaven. No. All denominational affiliations will be left on earth. There will be plenty of unsaved people to keep many denominations going after real believers meet together with Jesus in the air. There will be no ‘divisions’ of God’s children in Heaven –

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! Revelation 7:9-10

Every true believer, every member of the Body of Christ, no matter what language they spoke on earth, no matter where they lived on earth, will all stand before the Heavenly throne and before Christ crying out with a loud voice, saying “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” No divisions. No denominations. Everybody has the same title in Heaven – ‘redeemed servant who reigns’ –

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:1-4

Our future as members of the Body of Christ is eternal. The future of denominations? Temporary.

Whether you are in a denomination now or not – whether you think highly of your denomination or not – don’t lose sight of what God wants you to do .. bring Him glory and finish the work He has given you to do. Why? Because of our true identity and what’s coming next –

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-12

Order Restored!

[Listen to a Podcast of this study by clicking this link.]

Next Time

So, what about the many things within Christianity that do cause divisions that are not heretical? How do we deal with those now – in real time? I’ll share my thoughts about one of them in the next part of our special series, Order in the Court of the King!

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Order in the Court of the King! (The Future of Denominations)