That’s honestly a very good question. I would say it’s a “both/and”, and “yes/no”. What I mean by that is that some divisions are obviously wrong and unbiblical, which we are commanded not to be (per Titus 3:10). But there is also a good division; one that separates the wheat from the tares (Matthew 13). A specific example that I can share is the establishment of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, by J. Gresham Machen, which is a doctrinally sound, biblically conservative, confessional denomination. Machen, which still a member of the PCUSA, was beginning to see the writing on the wall in terms of that denomination’s liberal and compromising views, attempted to stay and reform it (as Martin Luther did with the Catholic Church), and eventually left when it became evident that man’s pride and desire to be liked by the world was more important. That is just one example. Division among the various denominations we see can be indeed a good thing, as it separates the sheep from the goats; the Orthodox Presbyterian, Presbyterian PCA, Missouri Synod Lutheran, 1689 Baptist, SOME Anglican, etc. churches are doctrinally sound, solid churches that may indeed have some nonessential differences. On the flip side, the Episcopal, United Methodist, United Church of Christ, Evangelical Lutheran, & Presbyterian USA are not churches. They are weekly social clubs for spiritually lost people.
@@patrickc3419 Thank you for your thoughtful response, I am in agreement with you! May I add 1 Corinthians 11:18-19 to the fray. No there should not be divisions among you, yes there must be divisions to prove who is right. (Loosely paraphrased)
Excellent
Amen!!!
Are the many differing denominations caused by divisive people??
That’s honestly a very good question. I would say it’s a “both/and”, and “yes/no”.
What I mean by that is that some divisions are obviously wrong and unbiblical, which we are commanded not to be (per Titus 3:10).
But there is also a good division; one that separates the wheat from the tares (Matthew 13). A specific example that I can share is the establishment of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, by J. Gresham Machen, which is a doctrinally sound, biblically conservative, confessional denomination. Machen, which still a member of the PCUSA, was beginning to see the writing on the wall in terms of that denomination’s liberal and compromising views, attempted to stay and reform it (as Martin Luther did with the Catholic Church), and eventually left when it became evident that man’s pride and desire to be liked by the world was more important.
That is just one example. Division among the various denominations we see can be indeed a good thing, as it separates the sheep from the goats; the Orthodox Presbyterian, Presbyterian PCA, Missouri Synod Lutheran, 1689 Baptist, SOME Anglican, etc. churches are doctrinally sound, solid churches that may indeed have some nonessential differences. On the flip side, the Episcopal, United Methodist, United Church of Christ, Evangelical Lutheran, & Presbyterian USA are not churches. They are weekly social clubs for spiritually lost people.
@@patrickc3419 Thank you for your thoughtful response, I am in agreement with you! May I add 1 Corinthians 11:18-19 to the fray. No there should not be divisions among you, yes there must be divisions to prove who is right. (Loosely paraphrased)