The Denomination Is An Abomination ~Andy Zoppelt

The word denomination means "to name." How would the apostle Paul or Jesus respond if someone would have given "their church" a name during their ministry? Would outraged be a good word?

Paul said in Ephesians 3:14-15: "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom (the Father) the whole family (the Church) in heaven and earth is named."

We are named after the Father, how dare we be so conceded and full of pride to name our churches after men or some catchy phrase. Yet, we do it without a second thought. We do it as though it is as natural as John 3:16. As though we have a mandate from Jesus or Paul. We use such names as Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Episcopalian, and Church of Christ. but how about the new names, New covenant, Calvary Chapel, Christian Life, Christian Fellowship, Faith Tabernacle, etc.. the naming is without an end…. and so the divisions.

Being a Christian makes us a member of the family of God, a child of God, a part of the church of God. The Father calls us the "Called-out-ones, the saints, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, these names are not names we call our groups or meeting places, these are words spoken from the Father to His children. It is a description not a denomination.

My last name is Zoppelt, my family doesn't meet in a building called Zoppelt or some name given by one of my children. No! We meet as a family and we are made up of a father, a wife and children… not an institution.

The Church is the kingdom of God, can you imagine John or Jesus preaching the "kingdom of the Baptists" or the "kingdom of the Methodists"?

John 17 contains the high-priestly prayer of Jesus before His death on the cross. In verse 11, He prayed, "Holy Father, keep through your own name those whom you have given me, that they may be one (one name, one body), as we are one."

The church is a family relationship, and we don't put names on families. The family carries the name of their Father. The church meets in the name of the Father. We are relational, not institutional.

There is a vast difference between meeting in the name of the Father and naming our meeting places after whatever name "we" decide. Some might therefore think we should name our place of meeting the "Church of God," or maybe, the "Church of Christ," but this is still putting a name on an earthly ministry limited to a specific ministry and dividing us from what He calls His called-out ones. God's body can not be regulated by man's doctrine or man's choosing. Man attempts to put a name on something related to their own ministry and not letting the Father put His name on us. We therefore make denominations out of names like "church of God" and "Church of Christ."

The institutional Church thinks in terms of corporate, impersonal, commercial, business, company, structural, organizational, etc..

Who dare stand before Jesus carrying the name they have decided for His body? How dare we throw in the face of Jesus' prayer for unity our various names that have only deepened the division of His body?

Division has driven us to blaspheme without a second thought and our deception has failed us to further inquire into the nature of the consequences of our actions.

Jesus said in John 5:43, "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive."

This idea of naming was first started by the Corinthians, they used the apostles names to segregate and separate their groups one from the other. They sought an identity separate and apart from Christ. 1 Cor 1:12-13, "Now I say this, that each of you says, 'I am of Paul,' or 'I am of Apollos,' or 'I am of Cephas,' or 'I am of Christ.' Is Christ divided?"

Also we see the same kind of man-made pattern in Mark 9:5-8, "Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You (Jesus denomination), one for Moses (Moses denomination), and one for Elijah (Elijah denomination)' because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!'" By hearing Jesus, God will build His church. "Let him who has ears to hear, let him hear."

This naming for the purpose of dividing and exalting oneself is seen in the building of the tower of Babel? ….Babylon.

Gen 11:4, "And they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.'"

Whenever we are asleep, we justify our deceptions untill our deceptions become the traditions of men. God is looking for new wine skins for the new wine being poured out today. Upon the Father, He Jesus, will build "His" called-out-ones.

If you can read this and it doesn't bother you, check your pulse, you might have become an old wine skin.

Eph 1:20-21, "He (the Father) raised Him (Jesus) from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion (Denominations), and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come."

Above "every name that is named," what a fearful statement to the importance of a name.

Phil 2:9, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,"

Heb 2:11-13. "For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one (not divided by men's names), for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: 'I will declare Your name to My brethren (the called-out-ones); In the midst of the assembly (the meetings of the called-out-ones) I will sing praise to You.' And again: 'I will put My trust in Him.' And again: 'Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.'"

James, speaking of the rich, says, "Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?" James 2:7

Jesus warns the church of Sardis, "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead." Rev 3:1

We have taken the sacred name of Jesus' body and commercialized it, ignoring this great blasphemous act will not prove profitable and the judgment seat of Christ. Many will be cast in hell for assuming a position of such authority as to name His body.

Last Sunday as we met together, a discussion was presented to where we should go next. God has been leading us step by step. Though we have taken many strides forward, it seems the distance between the early church and our meetings presents a monumental gap and we have a long way to go.

Russ, one of the brothers in the fellowship, was reading from Nehemiah and reading how those who came out of Babylon (called-out-ones) came to Jerusalem and saw the city burned and destroyed. Many were born in Babylon and had never seen the city of Jerusalem; they heard the stories of the great city, its nobility among the nations, its great kings, its temple, its walls and the power of its God.

Here is what he was reading:

Neh 8:6-10, "And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. ….So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly (as it is), and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

May we learn to read the word of "God distinctly." Such reading will brings us to our knees and cause us to weep.

At the point where he read, "all the people wept," some began to weep and it was at that point he read from Nehemiah. We pray that the Lord might get glory in our midst and that we might meet to please Him and live for Him.

Last week God joined us with another house church in Miami. The fellowship was beyond description. I am meeting with another house church in Miami, I pray that God will bring His people together and lead many out of Babylon (the institutional way of perverting church) and into His church. A church without wrinkle and spot. For now we only see the ashes and the destruction of the early church… I pray that God will wake and stir those who have a heart to rise up and be a part of His family…. The called-out-ones.

Hi Gary, got to disagree with you there brother. When Paul or Scripture is making this reference to the church at Corinth or anywhere else, he is simply identifying a geographical place such as a town or city. He is not saying it is the Corinth church, he is saying that it is the Church in Corinth. That is a far cry from denominationalism. Another thing to consider, there is not a single reference in the NT to " churches," plural within any town or city or village. The plural term is only related to regions. Check it out if you have the time, its an interesting study that may lead you to conclude that there was but one church in every town or city or village. This is the record of the Scripture.......bro Frank

Abomination - A vile, shameful, or detestable action, condition, habit, etc.:

Jesus didnt die to build a denomination. He bestowed a kingdom to us. It is carnal religious men who bestowed denominations to us. But Gods people love to have it so.

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

-Jim

1 Corinthians 1:10 amplified
But I urge and entreat you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in perfect harmony and full agreement in what you say, and that there be no dissensions or factions or divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your common understanding and in your opinions and judgments. For it has been made clear to me, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions and wrangling and factions among you.

JB1968 & brothergary - do you belong to denominational churches?

-Jim

I'm trackin' with ya Brother Gary. :)

Actually, I don't see what good this is doing. These splits among Christians go back so far, it's all but impossible to change anything now.
We have Calvinists, or Reformed, or Anabaptists, or Pentecostals, or Cesstationists and they want to be with those that believe as they do. How can us cursing the whole lot of them help? I like Church hopping to all of them. I've met the most wonderful Saints on earth in every denomination and non-denominationals and house churches. It's wonderful to have your strict set of doctrinal beliefs checked or stretched and seen through the eyes of others and to meet truly Spirit filled believers in every fellowship you could go to. Of course we all have our limits, mine would be emergent or seeker-sensitive but I would hope our limits aren't based upon a 'name only' but on the soundness and sincerity of the leadership in each individual group. All groups of the same denomination are not the same. There's good and bad in each, depending on the leadership. And then there's people that don't believe in leadership. That's their choice as well.
His Saints are in each and every one of those divisions of His people but One Fine Day, we'll not care about these things and we'll be one.

I think it's like that saying - with regards to doctrine being the cause of why we have "denominations", is that, you can please some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time - so they split and split and split again - for now.

JIG: "Actually, I don't see what good this is doing."

jim: You might not JIG because it is not something you have to deal with, and others might not because they are blinded by churchianities traditions, but Jesus is faithful to lead many out into the normal NT christian life.

JIG: "These splits among Christians go back so far, it's all but impossible to change anything now."

jim: Don't be discouraged JIG, I can tell you I know a ton of people that Jesus has delivered from it. We have been disobeying God for so long that we can’t possibly repent now is not true. There is still hope and God is for us.

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'

JIG: "We have Calvinists, or Reformed, or Anabaptists, or Pentecostals, or Cesstationists and they want to be with those that believe as they do."

jim: I fellowship with believers who’s belief could slightly fit into all of those descriptions. To excuse the denomination because that’s what people want is not OK. The Church in the NT is split only by geography (where they meet - at such and such house, in such and such city). We live in a generation where professing believers do what is right in their own eyes. We need to go back to the Lords and apostles instructions and pattern in the NT. To argue against that is to make ourselves super apostles - like those who argued with Paul in the first century.

JIG: "How can us cursing the whole lot of them help?"

jim: Cursing? I pray to God to see the elect restored to NT Christianity in every manner of life and practice, to walk in the council of God instead of the imaginations of their own hearts and the empty traditions passed down to them. Of course in the last days, to propose such a thing to church people would probably seem like a curse. False religious tradition is one of the most powerful forces on the face of the earth. Listening to excuses for denominations is a lot like listening to a JW defend the watch tower.

In Christ -Jim

brothergary: "also brother jim i can safely say jesus did not die so you can call other parts of his bride an aboination"

jim:
I never called His bride an abomination - plase do not say such things about me. I called mans religous kingdom an abomination. I long to see the bride come out of it.

brothergary: " ,becasue they dont fit in with your doctrine "

Because they dont fit in with my doctrine? I actually wasnt alive in the first century and am not an apostle so it is not my doctrine. I didnt pray that the bride may be one as the Father and Son are one - that was my Lord Jesus.

-jim

JIG: "We have Calvinists, or Reformed, or Anabaptists, or Pentecostals, or Cesstationists and they want to be with those that believe as they do."

jim: I fellowship with believers who’s belief could slightly fit into all of those descriptions.

Brother Jim, if we could all fit into your fellowship by moving to where you live, that would be wonderful, but of course we can't.
If we haven't learned here, on the forum, how those of differing views can't agree no-matter-what - how is it that we can't see that folks want to fellowship with others who's doctrines and side-issue beliefs they agree with?

Brother, back around 10 yrs after I was saved, in the mid 80's, my husband and I called "denominations, abominations" as well. We get grieved and the wall of partition that seperates us all, more than you know - but what can we do about it? - is my question.
I started with my first church being a black Methodist because the only Christian I knew took me to her there, to her Church and I loved it tremendously.
Then I went to Rock Church in Va. Beach, because that's where I lived and was saved. From there I moved overseas and then to several States, all of this while in the military - so it's been catch-as-catch can for me since I've been in the Church. Always moving and just when I think I'm where I'll be finally buried - Surprise, I move again. Trying to find a fellowship for me seems to be a life-long venture BUT GOD used every place I've fellowshipped in to teach me a vital lesson. I was so busy speaking against other denominations that I didn't realize the SAINTS were in them - so The LORD led me to attend where I never thought I'd step foot in.
I say this with repentent tears still - to this day - that the Saints are in all of these fellowships ["churches"] and beautiful Saints at that. I'm not talking about off-the-wall doctrinally churches, but your average everyday denominations. Conservative Reformed, AoG, Methodist, Baptist, Non-denominational, and so forth. The one group and their beliefs is the one I came down hardest on, from the time that I was first saved and for 30 yrs after, right up until attending their 'church'. As it turned out, that was what broke this old camel's back and shut her up almost completely on what this portion of His Body believe and that's been the more recent of my adventures... except that now that I've moved again - He has had to take me now to another place that I'd never thought I'd step foot in, IF I had looked at their website before saying yes to going with a lady that's offered to take me with her to her fellowship.
GOD is stretching me and I pray He will never stop - Now. I couldn't have said that back in 2005 ... being the doctrinal 'stickler' that I was for 30 yrs prior.
Live and learn.

I was "angry and in the flesh" over denominations for just over 30 yrs and I repent and am sure that He will lead, until I die, to open my eyes to many more of my faults in these areas. Being married to a "doctrinologist" didn't help, but I'm my own person now and can look back and again shed a tear for the way I was programmed.

Love & Peace to you and yours, Brother Jim.

"What makes me sadder is not so much the darkness in hearts in these churches, but how believers who “don’t agree” are so quick to go elsewhere and leave these congregations in the dark."

I grieved over my IC for months on end sister Diane until the Lord led us out into NT relationships. At some point the reformers had to come out of Rome. After tasting the promised land it is my heart to call others out of their carnal camps into the same place. Though the campers, those who find their identity there surely will throw a fit at such talk, it has been that way since Christ walked the earth.

I have to agree with brother Len Ravenhill who said: “There are very, very, few occasions when God Almighty has revived dead denominations. The men who stirred their generations had to go outside the camp.” -

”Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured” – Hebrews 13:13

There is no excuse needed for saints to heed the voice of God and abandon mans kingdoms and practices. It really seems it would take a special calling from God for a revived believer to stay in them though. That may be the case with you sister and I pray Jesus bless you in that end.

One week of walking in NT christianity would change a lot of peoples minds on this topic. I know many will be angered by that statement, but it is the truth.

In Christ -Jim