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From: ZELLNER@GSVMS2.cc.GaSoU.edu (BENJAMIN_H. ZELLNER)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian.bible-study
Subject: Re: Denominationalism
Date: 10 Apr 1997 10:54:22 -0500
Organization: Georgia Southern University
Approved: sadams@mcs.net
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In <5i6ll1$kki$1@Jupiter.Mcs.Net> jxb9451@omega.uta.edu writes:

 > Who planted the denominations?  Here is a quote from someone whose name
 > I do not remember: "The Bible ONLY makes Christians ONLY and ONLY
 > Christians."  God adds those who are saved to the church (Acts 2) and we
 > know He does not make mistakes as to who is saved and who is not.  A
 > human being must join a denomination by the rules of the humans who made
 > it.

All true, and I don't imagine that there will be denominations in heaven!
I have quite happily and profitably attended non-denominational churches.
Here on earth, however, affiliations between churches which mutually
agree to follow certain basic ground-rules do have certain advantages.
To name two,

  1.  Such an affiliation gives a church some degree of protection 
  against "doubtful winds of doctrine."  By contrast an isolated
  church is rather easily taken over by a fringe group or cult.

  2.  A stranger in town wants a church where he can worship without
  having to deal with an unfamiliar environment.  The denominational
  name on the sign is a good clue about what to expect inside.

Ben