My Regrets...

I realised today that I have been a Christian for 15 years… half of my lifetime! Then I started pondering on all the mistakes I have made as a Christian, how many things I regret. And I’ve narrowed it down to one main thing: for ever so many years, I was searching for my identity within a church, a denomination, a group. I think this is a very human thing to do: we want to be part of a group, have a leader, feel secure, delegate some of our personal responsibility perhaps. But it is NOT the way to go.

It led me to search tirelessly for an ideal church or denomination, even though I knew deep down such a thing did not exist, and I ended up getting embroiled in so many different churches and doctrines, as varied as Catholicism, Evangelicalism and then the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

I would encourage you all NOT to fall into this trap: DO NOT DEFINE YOURSELF as Presbyterian or Baptist or Reformed or Catholic or whatever: only as Christian, this is enough. Because we are followers of Christ, not ultimately of St Thomas of Aquinas or even Luther or Calvin, only Christ.

And the next time someone asks you what church you belong to or which denomination you are, before you answer, be aware of the motive behind their question. It is my belief that people generally ask this question in order to judge or form an opinion of you, according to their prejudices. All I answer now is “Christian”, nothing more, even if they press me. If I were to expand I would perhaps add that my desire is to follow Biblical, primitive Christianity, following Christ as He leads me.
 
good point ..
Christ is inclusive, whereas denominations tend to be exclusive ..
I do encourage people to fellowship and seek edification ..
so belonging to a denomination is not a bad thing ..
nor is belonging to none, but to all brethren ..

1Cr 1:10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1Cr 1:11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.
1Cr 1:12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”
1Cr 1:13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
 
good point ..
Christ is inclusive, whereas denominations tend to be exclusive ..
I do encourage people to fellowship and seek edification ..
so belonging to a denomination is not a bad thing ..
nor is belonging to none, but to all brethren ..

1Cr 1:10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1Cr 1:11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.
1Cr 1:12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”
1Cr 1:13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?


i must disagree with you on this Ixoye... not all denominations are exclusive, i do think most are inclusive of anyone that wants to join in, but you may be right in that some seem a bit standoffish than others ... i wonder, Jesus went to synagogues and there were many different sects of the Jewish faith, as we see even today, Josephus describes four schools of Judaism that existed at the time of Christ, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Essenes and the Zealots, but there is no mention that i know of what particular sect His family belonged to ... interesting.
 
i must disagree with you on this Ixoye... not all denominations are exclusive, i do think most are inclusive of anyone that wants to join in, but you may be right in that some seem a bit standoffish than others ... i wonder, Jesus went to synagogues and there were many different sects of the Jewish faith, as we see even today, Josephus describes four schools of Judaism that existed at the time of Christ, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Essenes and the Zealots, but there is no mention that i know of what particular sect His family belonged to ... interesting.

perhaps you misunderstood me ..
as far as I know, all denominations welcome new members ..
however to join them, you must embrace the specific doctrines of that denomination ..

God Bless you ..

BTW: indeed Zealotry was the term used by Josephus for a 4th sect, however it actually wasn't .. Zealot is a Hebrew word (kanai) for a Religious Patriot and could be a Sadducees or Pharisees aka Zionist .. Josephus was such .. they were the ones that fought back against the Romans (Essenes did not fight) ..
 
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Rosa .. Josephus spoke badly about the Pharasees and Sauducees, and in no way was an Essene .. perhaps this is WHY he erroneously listed Zealots as a 4th sect ..

Judas of Galilee (also called Judas of Gamala) and Zadok the Pharisee are the (officially named) founders of the Zealots in 6 ad (Apostle Simon originally was one) when the Roman Empire declared Judea to be a Roman Province ..
Jewish Antiquities 18.1.6 states: they "agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty, and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord."

interesting enough, some scholars believe Matthias (the Disciple chosen to take Judas' place) may have been Josephus' father .. and why he did not bash Christians in his works .. all the dates line up ..
 
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I like this post thanks for sharing . I am uncomfortable with denominations I feel like it takes the attention off of Jesus. But maybe I'm just ignorant about them. Either way-- I prefer Worship, bible, fellowship, and communion. That's enough for this girl:)
 
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