Subtitle: Are we harming the unity of God's people?

Excerpt: Denominational differences within Biblical Christianity can create barriers and weaken the church’s witness. This article emphasizes unity among believers, urging them to focus on shared core beliefs.

Author: Jeff Hilles

Since being saved in 1989, I have had the fortunate opportunity to attend churches from three different denominations …

• 1989-1992 – A large and theologically sound independent church.
• 1992-1995 – A theologically sound, medium-sized Presbyterian PCA church.
• 1995-2026 – A theologically sound, medium-sized Southern Baptist church.

Through this experience, while remaining anchored in the Bible, my personal theology has evolved from that of a baby Christian to one with greater discernment. Each of these churches demonstrated their own unique denominational preferences based on their interpretation of Scripture, not tainted by attempts to conform to societal norms.

Core Biblical Christian Theology

Before taking on the issue of the potential harm that comes from denominational differences, it is important to set down a core Biblical Christian standard. Of course, many readers will disagree with these absolutes; however, it is critical to understand that the rest of this article addresses only those who accept these eight truths without objection. They can be found in more detail, here.

• Salvation – All are sinners and only by God’s grace, through faith in Christ, can one be saved
• Trinity – God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit
• God – Omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent
• Jesus Christ – Eternally preexistent Son, fully God and was fully man, born of a virgin and lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins
• Holy Spirit – lives in every Christian as our Counselor
• Resurrection – Everyone will be resurrected from the grave, some to Heaven and the remainder to Hell
• Bible – as originally written by God, protected down through the ages, inspired, inerrant, and relevant today
• Evangelism – a responsibility, duty, and joy to share the gospel to a lost and dying world

The Expectations

Even though the core theology (noted above) of all Biblical Christian churches may be in alignment, denominations/churches can appear very different in how they present God’s truth. This includes not only stylistic distinctions (such as music, preaching style, church size, programs, etc.) but also points of Biblical interpretation that set them apart from their theologically sound counterparts in other denominations. Such diversity is not necessarily a bad thing, as we all have different personalities and preferences that can be catered to … to a degree. Paul made a similar point to the church in Corinth.

To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. - 1 Corinthians 9:21-22

However, since pastors often have advanced degrees from their denominational silos (i.e., seminaries), they naturally feel more comfortable associating with their own peers. Presbyterian PCA pastors group together with other PCA, AOG with their group, and SBC pastors, likewise. Church practices and sermons are logically based on denominational and individualized church traditions that support Scripture in their own unique ways. This natural process inculcates members and attendees into a specific set of expectations unique to that denomination/church.

The Problem

As natural as this may seem, there is an underlying problem …

For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. - 1 Corinthians 3:4-5

The problem surfaces in two primary ways.

1. First, all believers are on a path of sanctification, growing in the knowledge of God over time. We trust our pastor and Sunday School teachers to present their trained view of God’s truth as found in His Word. Church leadership tends to mix core Biblical Christian theology with denominational interpretations without being open to the possibility that, beyond core theology (again noted above), their interpretations or preferences on secondary, non-core matters can be open to differing interpretations. No one but God Himself has perfect knowledge on the full subject of Biblical Christian systematic theology.

Take, for example, Bible translations. Those of the KJV-only camp likely agree with core theology but consider all other translations as subordinate. Denominations have their own pet translations that either overtly or covertly imply other translations are less than acceptable. The Southern Baptists even authored their own translation, the Holman Christian Standard.

Another example … Consider the ordinance of baptism: some denominations baptize infants and adults (for different reasons) by sprinkling, while other denominations/churches do not accept a PCA-sprinkled baptism for membership in a church that prefers immersion.

Another example … The more charismatic churches overemphasize the sign gifts, such as speaking in tongues, as a sign of Christian maturity, while more “frozen-chosen” churches reject any Biblical reference for the continuance of the practice. Further, some take dreams and visions that fit Scriptural evidence, while others consider these to be almost heretical in nature.

Another example … There are Presbyterian PCA churches that are so caught up in the theology surrounding predestination that the gospel message is muted or nonexistent on Sunday mornings. As surprising as that may seem, I saw it personally when attending a PCA church for three years.

Another example… The United Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian USA, American Baptist, Disciples of Christ, Episcopal, Alliance of Baptist, Assemblies of God (AOG), and others support the ordination of female pastors. Southern Baptist, Presbyterian PCA, and many Lutheran, independent, and conservative denominations reject women in this role. Although I support this second position, and some churches within these denominations hold other heretical views on core Biblical Christian theology, a large portion preach a message of sound doctrine on salvation. We will see many of these female pastors and their flock in Heaven.

A final, most controversial example… There are those who preach and teach and believe within many denominations that homosexuality and abortions are acceptable, or at least admissible, before God. To do that, they must twist Scripture beyond what could be called open theological questions. However, the fact remains: we are all sinners in the hands of a loving God who forgives (as far as the east is from the west) all but the single unforgivable sin, which is rejection of the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28–29). Again, sinners saved by grace will fill Heaven, including those sins mankind finds more egregious than others.

These differences are not part of the core theology of a Biblical Christian. Yet, these differences act as demarcation lines between believers, isolating the saved from one another.

2. Second, by emphasizing these differences within the body of Christ, we also demonstrate a weakness to those outside our faith. I have responded countless times to unbelievers who question a Biblical Christian worldview that is so splintered by denominational differences. There are some stats that suggest there are 45,000 different Christian denominations (though I should quickly point out that most of them do not adhere to the core theology noted above).

Conclusion

There is a timeless joke that makes this point…

The reason the story is funny is that there is a grain of truth in its point. Individual silos of Biblical Christians and their associated churches and denominations do not serve the greater body of Christ. As believers in the core of our Christian faith, we are called to be unified as brothers and sisters under one head, Jesus. We face a lost and dying world in desperate need of the life-giving message of the gospel. As the world gets darker, we, as believers, need to stand together.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. - Ephesians 4:11-14

As I said earlier, no one but God Himself has perfect knowledge on the full subject of Biblical Christian systematic theology. There are salvific core beliefs that are clear from Scripture, and there are non-core theological constructs that fill libraries with human attempts at interpretation. The key to life on earth is to be saved and share God’s love with those who are willing to listen. It will not be until Heaven that believers will get ALL our questions answered at the feet of Jesus. Until that time, Biblical Christianity needs to be centered around core beliefs that bring us together rather than secondary denominational biases that separate us.

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. - 1 Corinthians 1:10