When I was a young lad being brought up in South Wales a son of a Welsh Coalminer.
We had a Welsh Chapel, Methodist, Baptist, Catholic and the Church of England.
Then in my teens, Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons (latter day saints) was introduced
from America.
The normal practice was whatever one of the above your mother took you to then this became your place of worship.
As a baby my mother had me Christened in the Church of England.
When I became old enough to understand I realised the Church of England was not for me.
A few hundred yards from where I lived on a waste piece of ground was an old green tin hut and in this hut was a congregation of Methodists. Being curious I decided to enter and I was made very welcome and the Lay preacher told wonderful stories from the Bible and as a young boy, I loved hearing all about Jesus.
Unfortunately, that little tin hut with all those fond memories has gone and a supermarket is now in its place lol.
After having a quick look on the internet, there could be over 40,000 Denominations including organised Christian Groups.
So the question I ask myself why so many? and how can I be sure I have found a place of truth.
Welcome to the FARM tollpuddle...ooops sorry, I meant to say welcome to the forum..
You ask a valid question, and have sincere concerns. Firstly, and most important is that your SALVATION is all about YOU and your relationship and faith to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission/forgiveness of your sins , as in Romans chapter 10.
If a church denomination is NOT teaching and preaching such salvation by grace through FAITH in Jesus Christ and HIS finished works on the cross, and if the church is teaching and preaching salvation comes by works through your own according or the church's doctrine, this is not where you should be... Discernment of the truth is YOUR responsibility and the ONLY TRUTH IS THROUGH AND FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST. For He alone is the way the truth and brings light... and this truth comes by FAITH TO BELIEVE, NOT BY FAITH IN A DENOMINATION OR BY SIGHT.
Acts 17:1-12 - Preaching Christ at Thessalonica
17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, �This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.� And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.
5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, �These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king�Jesus.� And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAILY to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
FAITH IN CHRIST come by hearing and hearing and hearing and READING TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD FOR YOURSELF... then you will know the TRUTH and be set FREE!
Welcome to the FARM tollpuddle...ooops sorry, I meant to say welcome to the forum..
You ask a valid question, and have sincere concerns. Firstly, and most important is that your SALVATION is all about YOU and your relationship and faith to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission/forgiveness of your sins , as in Romans chapter 10.
If a church denomination is NOT teaching and preaching such salvation by grace through FAITH in Jesus Christ and HIS finished works on the cross, and if the church is teaching and preaching salvation comes by works through your own according or the church's doctrine, this is not where you should be... Discernment of the truth is YOUR responsibility and the ONLY TRUTH IS THROUGH AND FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST. For He alone is the way the truth and brings light... and this truth comes by FAITH TO BELIEVE, NOT BY FAITH IN A DENOMINATION OR BY SIGHT.
Acts 17:1-12 - Preaching Christ at Thessalonica
17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, �This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.� And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.
5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, �These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king�Jesus.� And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAILY to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
FAITH IN CHRIST come by hearing and hearing and hearing and READING TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD FOR YOURSELF... then you will know the TRUTH and be set FREE!
I Timothy 3:16,17: All Scripture is **GOD-BREATHEED** and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead and in view of His appearing and His Kingdom, I give you this charge: **PREACH THE WORD**; be prepared in season in out of season, correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear!!
I Peter 1:23-25: For you have been **BORN AGAIN**, not of perishable seed but the imperishable, through the living and enduring **WORD OF GOD**. For all people are like grass, and all their glory is like flowers in the field; the grass withers and the flowers fail, but the **WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER**!!
I John 2:1-5: Jesus Christ, the Righteous one. He is the **ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS**, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know we have come to know Him **IF** we keep His commands. Whoever says, "I know Him," but does not do what He commands is a **LIAR**, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone **OBEYS HIS WORD**, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him!!
John 17:17: Jesus says to His Father, "Sanctify them by the **TRUTH**, your **WORD IS TRUTH**!!"
So the two main reasons that the church or congregations of our Lord Jesus Christ should do good works is for thankfulness for the **FREE GIFT** of eternal life through the Precious Blood of Jesus and the many **ETERNAL REWARDS** for keeping the approximately 400 commands of Christ's New Covenant laws with **FAITH** **HOPE** and **LOVE**!!
I would say the reason there are so many denominations is because you know who is trying to keep us divided.
Matthew 12:25 "But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: �Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand."
He mistakenly believes that if he can keep us divided that the Lords kingdom will be brought to desolation.
The 'church' does not belong to Messiah, men are the originator of 'church'.
Why does 'church' need 'church'building programs, did Messiah need one, it His learners.
What 'church' do you go to people ask one another, what does Messiah say; 'Come unto Me,not 'church'
Church needs a board (bored) of directors, did Messiah have a board of directors?
Church has taken the GOVERNMENTS 501C3 CORPORATION taxes exempt status, Did Messiah take tax exemption from Caesar?
The sheeple are being deceived to believe 'church' is of GOD Almighty, when the Scripture say it is not.
Just meet with a few BELIEVERS in your town, study the Word together, break bread, and Worship according to the Word of GOD Almighty. And proclaim the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hi Grace, I do not attend Church, I try to live my life by following closely the teachings of our Lord Jesus. My faith and strength comes from Reading my Bible and Prayer
This is about the simplest 5 point explanation as to why the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ's bride. The one true faith that all 40k man-made faiths that you mentioned abandoned to follow their own agenda. I hope you take the time to just at least skim through it. God bless.
