DENOMINATIONAL SECT

The word CHURCH is a grossly misunderstood word and is widely misinterpreted today all over the world due to the corruption of understanding that has taken place over the millennium past. Generally the word church is known as a building set apart for Christian worship; even in the dictionary it is so interpreted. This erroneous belief has generated much confusion today in the midst of believers in Christ.

But the word church, what does it actually mean in light of the scriptures? The term - CHURCH in the Greek rendition is called EKKLESIA; which is to say when translated “the called out one”). Jesus said in the book of Matthew 16:18 “UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT” In that he said, “I will build my Church upon this rock” he was not referring to a physical structure to be erected on a physical platform, but a spiritual one; [this is a mystery] Therefore what Christ was saying is “I will build upon this rock the people that I have called out” As narrated properly in the book of 1 Peter 2:9-10 You are a chosen generation, a peculiar people that will show forth the praise of he who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Also in the same 1 Peter 2:5 He spoke of the same people that he called out – as lively stones who are to be built up as a spiritual house. Therefore the church of Christ (EKKLISIA CHRISTOS) is a spiritual house, a habitation of God through the Holy Spirit ([Eph. 2: 22) This congregation belong to Christ because he purchased it with his own blood ([Acts 20:28) Having sold all things that he had to purchase this hidden treasure- he became the Lord of the Church ‘his body’, having pre-eminence in all things ([ Coll. 1:18). Moreover since all the things that he has belongs to his father - the Church of Christ is also the Church of God (Rom: 16:16, 1 Cor 1:2).

In the book of Eph. 4: 3-7 it is written, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God. The division in Christianity today stems out of the fact that the unifying factor - the Holy Spirit has been shut out of the fellowship of the churches. The Holy Spirit is the seal with which God identifies his people-for if any one has not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his [Rom. 8: 9]. The question then is; the spirit in you is it the Spirit of God? For the Spirit of God is a spirit of holiness [Rom. 1: 4] but if you have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not against the truth. For this spirit descended not from above but is earthly, sensual and devilish (James 3: 13 –18).

Satan has disguised to be like the angel of light and has found his way into the Christian fold. His unclean spirits has infested the rank and file of he churches and has polluted their service to God. That is why the doctrine of the devils (I Tim. 4: 1-5) has taken over from the wholesome and pure doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ. And once someone errs in doctrine he will also err in whatever religious endeavours.

The church of Christ that is supposed to be one body has been dismembered and divided into various denominational sects. Each denomination has its own peculiar doctrine concerning every Christian obligation; therefore there is confusion and infighting among them. But the truth of the matter is that since the church of God on earth must be one in all generations; the church in the earth now must have the same doctrine with the church of the early saints. All these doctrinal differences between the existing church and the early church must be rectified.

SOME DENOMINATIONS ERR IN BAPTISM

Today all the rudiments of the doctrines of the church and all the principles of Christ doctrine has been misapplied and this is what has actually denominated one group from the other. In Eph. 4:3-6, the early church had one baptism but today it is no more one baptism. For whereas the early saints baptized in the name of Jesus (Acts 10:47-48, Acts 2: 38, Acts 8:16, Acts 19:5) some denominations today baptize in the name of the father, son and the Holy Spirit – holding the book of Matt. 28: 19 as the base of their doctrine. Not knowing that the Lord did not mean that we should be baptizing into three personalities. For Christ said baptizing them in the name and not in the names. Those that say “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost” has ended up not calling any name at all: For these three are not names but titles. They have not only erred in the use of name but have also ignored the formula, whereas the Lord instructed that baptism should be by immersion (even as was demonstrated by Christ himself Matt. 3: 13-16, John 3:22-23): they have formulated their own method of baptism, and are baptizing by sprinkling of water. Instead of going to a large body of water they are baptizing inside their church buildings. Instead of baptizing only adults they are baptizing infants too. But in Mark 16:15-16 the Lord said that only he who hears the gospel by himself and is able to believe by himself should be baptized.

Not only this, but some that even go to a flowing river for baptism still baptize in a wrong way, for instead of immersing someone into the water once, they immerse them up to three times. All these they do because they do not know the meaning of baptism. For had they known that baptism means “being buried with Christ and resurrecting with him” (Rom. 6: 3 –5, Coll. 2: 12) they should not have being sprinkling people with water during baptism (for if so there is no burial in a sepulcher then) neither should they have been dipping someone three times seeing that Christ was not buried three times. It is because of the false doctrines being preached and practiced by denominational sects that separated them from the Church of Christ.

FALSE APOSTLE SHEPHERD MANY DENOMINATIONS

Apostle Paul said to the Church in 2 Cor.11:13-15’ there are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ’. Many false apostles have built their own churches and named them falsely with names of blasphemy after Christ. But in these organizations they the owners of these dead churches are the lords over their flocks. In the real Church of Christ there is only one Lord, but in the manmade denominational sects there are many lords. They are blatantly called ‘His Lordships’, ‘His Graces’ ‘Arch Bishops i.e. Chief Shepherds’ etc. With these Lords at the helm of affairs in the denominations how could these Churches belong to Christ, seeing that there are many Lords in them? Although the bible acknowledges the existence of many lords but unto the Church of Christ there is only one Lord (1 Cor. 8: 5 –6). These lords command their Churches to abide by the doctrines that they devised by themselves with out recourse to the bible. The sensuality of these apostate churches (who parade themselves as the true Church of Christ) has robbed them of the truth of the gospel therefore they err in every facet of Christ doctrine.

In the true Church of God it is the Holy Spirit that gives gifts to men to minister (Eph. 4: 7-12) but in devil inspired denominations they receive gifts from unclean spirits of divination and sorcery. Whoever that is of willing mind is consecrated as Jeroboam did in Israel (1 Kings 12:31). Most of the times these spiritual gifts (so called) are the gifts that they inherited from the gods of their fathers, the same form of divination spirits at work in the their forebears . No one cares to know if God indeed called these men into his vineyard as laborers. And they have seminaries to their aid training many quack pastors, who parade themselves with certificates and not with Holy Spirit. But we learnt from the bible that the early apostles and ministers were not trained in bible schools, but they were called and equipped by the Holy Spirit. Their sufficiency was from God who also made them able ministers of the new testament (2 Cor. 3: 5-6). These inadequate ministers move about in the Churches with no anointing at all but with the prowess that comes from occult worlds, exhibiting them through sheer boldness and eloquence. These men destitute of the Holy Spirit.

This widely pronounced apostasy from the established will of God has extended to the point that pasturing has become a vocation of choice – a trade. Many Jobless people flock into it to make ends meet and earn fat salaries. Christianity was not ran this way during the time of the early Apostles. They that were apostles and ministers before our time lived on gifts (Phil. 4: 14-18, Gal. 6: 6); although they lived by the gospel (1 Cor. 9: 14) but they were not placed under any salary scale. Because if a pastor is recruited by another pastor and is paid by him the person recruited is a hired labourer and not a true shepherd. And to such the bible spoke against in Micah 3:11, the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us? . Human administrative pattern has replaced the Kingdom pattern, inspired and led by the Holy Spirit; ruling the household of God in mysteries (1 Cor. 4: 1-2).

This is why leadership crises has persisted and quarrels are everywhere: brother going to the court of law with another brother and this before unbelievers (1 Cor. 6: 1-8). But this ought not to be so my brethren. Therefore we are waging this crusade to restore the lost children of God to the path of sanity. Because Christ is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints (1 Cor. 14: 33).

MATERIALISM IS EXALTED ABOVE HOLINESS

The Denominations have gone the way of Balaam in their quest for material wealth (2 Pet. 2: 15-16). Even if a dumb ass will rebuke their madness today they will not listen - for money has stolen the heart The love of money is the root of all evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith: the bible says in 1Tim.6: 9-10. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content: although this is written in their bibles, yet they have chosen to ignore it, thinking that godliness is a means of gain. Shall he whose god is his belly serve God faithfully? The quest for material things has changed the sense of judgment of many church leaders and robbed the churches of discipline. Therefore hypocritical way of giving has taken over from sincere way of giving. Vain self-glory has taken over from humility. Only those who are exalted on high in public are those that actually give – because they are praised, if you don’t praise them they will give stingily.

Tithing has replaced willful offering (2 Cor. 9: 7). They copy the Pharisees who were under the law in paying tithes; disregarding the fact that we are no more under the law (Gal. 5: 18). Yet they care not to ask; did the apostles receive tithes from the early Christians? These acts are a clear evidence manmade denominational sects are not actually the church of Christ. For if they were the churches of Christ they would have abided by the doctrines of Christ as the early church in all things.

With these Babel of confusions - who cannot read the handwriting on the wall? TEKEL: Thou art weighed in balances, and are found wanting. Manmade and devil inspired denominational sects are actually weighed in the balances of the word of God and are found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided. Indeed their kingdom is divided that is why they don’t agree with one another. No amount of ecumenism can bring peace among them. Because any house that is divided against itself shall surely fall and be brought to desolation (Matt. 12: 25). And the ruin of that house shall be so great.

The only way out is: Rev. 2: 5, remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove your candlestick out of its place. And I have removed it already says the Lord. That is why darkness is everywhere, although they profess to know God; but in works they deny him. Let the daughters of Zion heed the call, are you bound in the manmade denominational sects? Seek the way home. Jesus is calling you.