[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by bigwhitecobra :

I was actually going to call it quits on this discussion until the last two posts. It brought up a good point, but with the wrong question. Christianity is obviously the one and only correct, if you will, religion. But which denomination is the right one? Catholic, Babtist, Morman, Chruch of Christ? Yada yada yada.

One of them has to be more right than the other ones. Am I the only one that thinks this is all just bunch of crap? This religion is right and the rest are crap, but inside that religion are other more complicated sectors of said religion, each believing the way they believe is the correct way and the others are crap.

I'll respond to this because it's a different subject than your previous one and the question seems honest and so, deserves an answer.

No 'denomination' is the 'right one'.

Basic Christianity - fundamental Christianity, if you will, is based totally on scripture and accepts the bible as the literal Word of God, as I've already explained here, in detail. Within Christianity are many factions, all with differing doctrines and those are all man-made. That is, they are man's interpretations of scripture. One will say that a certain bibical passage forbids using musical instruments in a worship service, another will say that this or that passage really means this or that about modern-day life, etc, or as you would say: yada, yada, yada. They are basically just human opinions on the meanings of scripture and how we should worship and follow Christ. Some churches offer the Lord's Supper every week, others once a month, others, only once a year. On and on it goes.

What is going on here? Someone figure it out and let me know which is the correct one, so I don't have to waste anymore time with it. I'd hate to get it wrong and suffer the punishment because I was Catholic, instead of Babtist. (For example)

See my point here? I know......they are all the same. God says all that believe in Him and His Son dying for us shall be saved.

Romans 10:9 and 10: That if thou shalt confess of they mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Now since I am not an educated man, please explain this to me. I have my opinion of this verse, but I am batting 0 right now, and would like to hear someone else's idea.

What is going on here is man choosing to interpret scripture instead of taking it at face value. Men have the compulsion to make rules and in other ways put burdens on people that God never intended to be there. Some so-called 'Christian' churches even ordain (and celebrate) practicing homosexuals as Bishops while others will disfellowship a member for openly practicing homosexuality that is not eventually repented of and ceased.

You are quite correct that to be saved (from eternal separation from God - hell) one only has to accept God as sovereign, renounce sin and acknowledge Jesus as Savior and Lord in your heart and mind as well as to other men, in public, be baptized and then live as Jesus taught, bringing your sins and burdens to Him from that point on. That's far too 'easy' for some folks. Sadly, for some folks, salvation seems to be to 'easy', so they add on to it and make rules for others to follow. This is generally unscriptual. Every 'rule' we need is in the bible and a majority of them come from Jesus. After the Gospels the remainer of the new Testament is a clarification of how we should live and addresses problems in the first-century Christian church, many of which can still be applied, today.

The Christian churches are not 'all the same' by a long shot. For instance: the Espiscopal Church is very 'liberal' and hardly bother to use scripture as a guide anymore. The Methodists are also very 'liberal' and make a lot of 'allowences' for behavior that the bible condemns. The Catholic Church is very rules oriented and puts much stock in symbolism and rituals, which I think just get in the way. Baptists believe in a 'once-saved always saved' doctrine which is very controversial in some quarters. My point is that they all have flaws and questionable practices, in some cases. Like any human institution, they all have 'hypocrites' in their body, too. Every church does so get used to it because you are going to be one of those, sooner or later. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3: 23)

My advice to any new Christian or one seeking guidance is to seek out and attend a fundamentalist Christian church that makes a point of basing their worship and studies on scripture, not some man's doctrine. They are often called 'bible-based' churches. That let's out the bigger, so-called 'mainline' churches which have become basically moribund and mired in trying to conform to secular values to attract members instead of trusting in God's Word to add to their number. Numbers are not the point, of course, preaching the truth of God is. Many Christian, Protestant churches seem to have forgotten that. While some doctrine (such as not using musical instruments in a worship service) are basically harmless, others are less benign. A so-called Christian church that puts more stock in it's man-made doctrines and allows things that the bible calls sin are not worthy of the name: Christian. Unfortunately, they're in abundance. Stick with a non-denominational bible-believing, fundamentalist Christian church that relies on scripture and not some man's doctrine and you'll be fine.