New Math – Long Division

I was raised a Roman Catholic and left the Catholic Church 32 years ago. Growing up, I always thought that Christianity had two major divisions: Protestant and Catholic. How could I have gotten that thought so wrong. Today, there are so many splits and fractures that it would take a doctoral thesis to list and explain them all.

Under the “Protestant” umbrella we have major denominations (e.g. Presbyterian, Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalian …etc) and within each major denomination we have other denominations (e.g. PCA, PCUSA, OPC, EPC … etc). Outside of the main denominations, there are also mega and minor “independents”. As you dig deeper you will find that all these different bodies have a different Philosophy, Theology, Ideology, Christology, Eschatology and other ologys that make them different than their counterparts. Calvinism, Arminianism, Reformed Theology, Covenant Theology, Dominion Theology, Replacement Theology, Allegorical Interpretation, Preterism, Kingdom Now …. The mind boggling list goes on and on.

Roman Catholicism is no better; they just handle it differently. I left the Roman Catholicism because of a heresy they where teaching youths in their the Catholic educational system at the time. When I confronted our monsignor about this, his response was yes, they are teaching that now but not all of us hold to that teaching. The catholic church is the self proclaimed “universal church” under which its constituents may hold many beliefs. With that admission I left the Roman Catholicism and never looked back. The point is there are many divisions and different theologies in Catholicism but they keep it all under one big umbrella.

And it’s not just Catholics and Protestants. There is a whole other group of churches / religions that call themselves Christians and put themselves under the Christian Umbrella. When you add these groups to the mix, the differences expand exponentially.

One Scripture, hundreds of different beliefs; why? If you think about it and let the Holy Spirit open your eyes, the answer becomes clear! That answer is man! The one thing that ALL these differences have in common is that some person put their spin on Scripture to establish a set of beliefs and then those beliefs were turned into a religious system that was taught to and adopted by others. ALL of them without exception!

This is not a recent phenomena; it has been happening since the beginning of the Church. The apostle Paul tells us: “For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. 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.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? … For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. (1 Corinthians 1:11-13, 17 NASB)”. Division amongst the earliest believers aligning under a certain pastor or belief system. It was never meant to be this way.

Paul goes on to say: “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:18-21 NASB)”

There are a lot of very Godly men spreading God’s Word helping many grow in Christ but they are still fallible men! “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1 NASB)” There are also a number of apostates who ultimately reject the Gospel and use the Christian umbrella to lead us to destruction. “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:4 NASB)”

Ever since I became a Christian, two passages of Scripture has had a profound impact on me. One of them is: Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ (Matthew 7:22, 23 NASB)” Reading these verses in context it is clear that these people think they knew Jesus and did His will. We are without excuse.

So what’s the answer… The Word of God! “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 NASB)”. Remember brothers and sisters, Scriptures where not written for the “wise” to interpret then tell you what to do, they were written for you. So the next time you are in Bible study ask the Holy Spirit: “Is this what Scripture says or what a man says the Scripture says?” Take the time this Christmas season and examine your faith. Is it a true saving faith according to the Scriptures or a set of beliefs stemming from a person.