Christian Denominationalism Is Not

Approved In The Holy Scriptures

By Hal Dekker

2013.11.24

Last page update: 2022.02.14

What Denomination were the disciples and apostles of Christ Jesus?

The first thing I hear out of "Christian's" mouths all of the time is, "What denomination are you?"  This tells me instantly that they have not yet established a true and personal ongoing fellowship relationship with the Father and his son Christ Jesus (1 John 1:3).  They have not yet entered into the calling of discipleship to him.  They are not yet cognizant of the denominationless one body of Christ as being their "denomination", and Christ Jesus as their head, as opposed to their denomination and it's specific theological dogmas and it's leadership as being their head.

I believe there is one God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The body of Christ is one body.  Of which "Christian" denomination is the Father of our Lord Christ Jesus?  Of which denomination is Christ Jesus?  Of which denomination are Christ's apostles and disciples?  Of which denomination are all of the believers of Christ Jesus who believe into his name?  Jesus wasn't Catholic, he wasn't Protestant, and he wasn't anything else but the plumb bob stone of a spirit-based domed-roof house of which true believers should consider themselves as a part, a part of his one body, not a part of a denomination (Mat. 21:42)! 

Of course, believers need to meet together across the face of the earth in their own local gatherings. But what they choose to call themselves is absolutely not their choice to make! We are the assembly, the one body of Christ, and we are absolutely not the head of that one body, which head is Christ Jesus himself (Mat. 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Cor. 11:3, 12:21; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1; 1 Pet. 2:7)!  The body takes its orders from the head, just as our physical bodies take their orders from our physical heads, where all of the thinking and decision-making is done over what our physical members shall do next.  Likewise, our spiritual head, Christ Jesus, in symphony with our heavenly Father within us also, Christ determines what is the specific function of each and every specific member in his one body. The mass of confusion in "Christianity" today is absolutely not coming from the head of his one body, Christ Jesus, but from the egomaniacal, mortal-made theologically-based dogmas (Col. 2:20; Gk., dogmatizesthe) resulting from devil and demon spirit influence in false believers in positions of so-called leadership (2 Cor. 11:12-15).

I believe the mortal-made denominational structures are counterfeits of the true one body of Christ, because they divide the one body of Christ into various groups which are then led into believing they are somehow a more theologically or spiritually advanced group of followers of God and his son Christ Jesus than other denominational groups.  This is exactly the spiritual problem caused by the devil and his demon spirit realm infiltrating the believers in the Corinth area.  "Christian" denominational structures are born out of egomaniacal men and women claiming themselves to be sent by God, but who themselves are absolutely not working for the one true God and his son Christ Jesus. 

This is what happened to the religious leaders of the children of Israel, who were infiltrated and filled with false believers in many positions of their religious hierarchies (John 8; Col. 2:8).  For being led to being stripped of the power of holy Spirit in your discipleship to Christ Jesus, as those religious "leaders" were, see Mat. 15:9; John 8:31-47; Rom. 1:21-22; 2 Cor. 10:5-6; 11:13-15; Eph. 5:6-12; *Col. 2:8; 2 Tim. 3:1-15; Tit. 1:10-14.  Nothing is new under the sun.  The devil is still targeting true disciples of Christ Jesus, and he is still creating false Christian organizations.

I absolutely do not believe that all Christian organizations are false.  But those mortal-made organizations which hold mortal-made theological theories in higher esteem than the truth of God's Word in the biblical texts, and whose egomaniacal leadership structures and behaviors preclude the head of the one body, Christ Jesus, hold themselves as the multi-headed "head" of the one body of Christ.

They, while still leading people into the old covenant of the Mosaic law, a Law of Works instead of a Law of Belief, themselves act in such egomaniacal grandiloquence as if they themselves are the decision-making head of the one body of Christ.  Simple discerning of spirits reveals many of those organizations' leaders as being false, and thereby highly influenced by the devil and demon spirit influence, based upon closely watching and listening to the things they both say and do, as if those things are approved in the biblical texts. 

The legitimate existence of all of the various denominations claiming to be Christian absolutely cannot be substantiated with the texts of God's Word (1 Cor. 1:10-13).  At the very beginning of apostle Paul's two letters of doctrine, reproof and correction to the believers in the Corinth area, he addresses this problem of division among the various groups of believers.

I believe those who don't know the truth yet about who they are in Christ, follow denominations; they follow the leaders of those denominations as their "heads" instead of following the resurrected Christ Jesus as the head of the one body (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:22; Eph. 4:14-16; Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:18; 1 Pet. 2:1-10).  They are not yet disciples of Christ Jesus, because they are not yet reporting to the head of the the one body of Christ, Christ Jesus himself. False believers always report to other specially selected mortals here upon earth, to gain approval from them for both what they believe and what they do based upon that belief, although they may claim that Jesus Christ is their lord.  That kind of earthly hierarchy of authority over believers was set up in the early 4th century CE under a murderous god-man Roman emperor Constantine, along with his cartel of "bishops", at bloody spear points, while conflating and saturating Christian beliefs with a new "Christian" dogma based upon the very popular triune godhead model already in use all over the world in other religions.  

Believers, disciples of Christ Jesus, don't belong to these denominations.  They may attend.  But they belong to Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 10:7) as his one body! Denominational leaderships and their particular mortal-made theological doctrines are not a believer's head.  Christ Jesus, and the things he taught, is a disciple's head, the head from which a believer takes his orders. 

The Catholic denominations have their followers believing that the pope is the head of the nebulous "church", about which "church" they never define as being the one body of Christ.  And if they wish to make a distinction over the location of that "church", it being "the one on earth", then they're saying Christ Jesus is not the head of the "church" on earth.  But all the apostles preached and taught that the risen and ascended Christ Jesus is now the one and only head of his one body of believers, whether on earth or anywhere.  There is only one head of Christ's one body, and that head is Christ Jesus himself, not the pope.  But the pope wants your money, which is why they are the masters of all of that kind of showbiz they do.  I'm wondering if I've ever heard the Catholic "church" literally state that the one body of Christ is the "church" that they mean when they use the word "church".

If you don't know how to make Christ Jesus your head, or how to take direction from him as your head, then you don't have a real fellowship relationship with either the God nor his son Christ Jesus!  You've been duped into following earthly mortals in positions of leadership in "your" denomination.  They're telling you what to think, do, and how high to jump, and when.  You're their puppet.  And when they say put money in the plate, you put it into the plate.  After all, you don't want to be caught not putting money in the plate.  And I'm certain that when you obey all is right in the world, and they make you feel so warm, snuggly, and loved all over, as they throw you a little reward tidbit; a glance, a little smile, maybe a little pat upon the back for being a good little boy or girl for them.

In what the world refers to today as Christianity, the definition of the word Christian absolutely does not mean the same thing as the word disciple as used in the holy scriptures, as in being a disciple of Christ Jesus.  Because virtually all of those mortal-made theologically-biased denominations are doing everything they can, including highly dramatic and glitzy Hollywood and Las Vegas showbiz presentations, to call every man, woman, and child to come to them and follow their "leadership"!  Come to church where it is show time!  A true disciple of Christ Jesus can't walk into virtually any denominational organization without that leadership instantly desiring to control him or her into doing their bidding.  They desire to be that believer's head!  They demand it, else, "Why are you here!"

In Christianity today a Christian is expected to be a puppet on the string of a mortal-made denominational theological cartel, or thrown out as an uncooperative heretic, a "loner".  "Don't ask questions, don't doubt what we say.  We've been rigorously trained and educated, and you know next to nothing, and you can't think for yourself.  That's why you need us!"  The truth is, they need you for a paycheck, and they will never teach you how to have one on one personal fellowship with your heavenly Father and his son Christ Jesus, or they would become much, much more irrelevant. 

Within a framework of, and under the heavy pressure of any mortal-made theological denomination, true disciples of Christ Jesus cannot freely function, on account of those believers are required to switch their allegiance to the theological doctrine and "leadership", of the "head" of that theological cartel.  However, I believe there are some disciples of Christ Jesus in most every denomination, because they don't know where else to go.  But what they may not realize is that their beliefs they've learned through studying on their own are being constantly questioned and contradicted by denominational twisting of the Truth, in many, many passages of holy scripture.  The constant uncertainty in a believer's mind over whether he or she is right or wrong, and the threat of being labeled a heretic for asking the wrong questions, holds back believers from growing up into the stature of the fullness of the maturity of Christ Jesus.  It keeps believers as little powerless babies, who never learn how to recognize and defend and attack evil.  It keeps them from recognizing evil, and how it subtly works to erode and defeat believers' confidence and boldness.

Do you consider yourself part of the spiritual one body of Christ, or as part of a denomination?  Do you say, "I'm a Catholic", or, "I'm a Protestant", or "I'm a Baptist", or "I'm a Lutheran", or "I'm a Methodist", or "I'm a ..."?  I Know you absolutely do not say, "I'm a hateful and bigoted follower of a mortal-made denominational theological cartel, of which we are the only true Christians, and all of you others are false ones!"  Or do you say "I'm a made-whole son of God, and a believer in, and a disciple of God's firstborn son, our risen Lord and savior Christ Jesus"!?  WHAT do you say?  Exactly what do YOU say about yourself to others, how do you define yourself in God's eyes?

1 Cor. 1:10 (LIT/UBS4) But (de) I accost (parakalō) you (humas), brothers (adelphoi), through (dia) the (tou) name (onomatos) of the (tou) lord (kuriou) of us (hēmōn), Jesus (Iēsou) Christ (Christou), in order that (hina) all (pantes) may speak (legēte) the (to) same thing (auto);

and (kai) there may not be (mē ē) schisms (schismata) among (en) you (humin);  

but (de) you may be (ēte) ones having been made fit (katērtismenoi), in (en) the (tō) same (autō) mind (noi) and (kai) in (en) to the (tē) same (autē) thinking (gnōmē).

1 Cor. 1:11 (LIT/UBS4) Because (gar) it was made obvious (edēlōthē) to me (moi) about (peri) you (humōn), brothers (adelphoi) of me (mou), of the ones (tōn) under (hupo) [authority, AE] of Chloe (Chloēs), that (hoti) there are (eisin) rivalries (erides) among (en) you (humin).

1 Cor. 1:12 (LIT/UBS4) But (de) I say (legō) this (touto), that (hoti) each one (hekastos) of you (humōn) says (legei), ‘I (egō)', truly (men), 'am (eimi) of Paul (Paulou)’;

but (de), ‘I (egō) [am] of Apollos (Apollō)’;

but (de), ‘I (egō) [am] of Cephas (Kēpha)’;

but (de), ‘I (egō) [am] of Christ (Christou)’!

1 Cor. 1:13 (LIT/UBS4) Has the (ho) Christ (Christos) been divided (memeristai)?

Paul (Paulos) was not staked (mē estaurōthē) over (huper) you (humōn)! 

Or (ē), into (eis) the (to) name (onoma) of Paul (Paulou) were you baptized (ebaptisthēte)?

Are you of Luther, or of Calvin, or of a pope?  Is a certain denominational theological cartel your Christ? 

What does the Father say in his Word as to how believers should answer every man on this question?  What do you say?  Those that follow the Lord Christ Jesus work in unison with each other, as one body, even if they don't know each other, because the true head of his one body, Christ Jesus, is in charge, and he is actively coordinating and choreographing his one body to all work together!  

Bigoted and hateful denominational theological cartels, and their scholars hidden behind a curtain of some kind,, are being choreographed by whom?  Yes, I said hateful.  Try asking a "church leader" a hard question, like "Is the pope really the head of the church," and see how fast a smugly smiling face turns into a scowling hateful glare, at you.

Apostle John says,

1 John 1:3 (LIT/UBS4) That which (ho) we have gazed at (heōrakamen), and (kai) we have heard (akēkoamen), we report (apaggellomen) to you (humin) also (kai), in order that (hina) you (humeis) also (kai) may have (echēte) fellowship (koinōnian) with (meth) us (hemon). 

And (kai) the (hē) fellowship (koinōnia), but (de) the (hē) [fellowship, RE] of our own (hēmetera), [is] with (meta) the (tou) Father (patros), and (kai) with (meta) the (tou) son (huiou) of him (autou), Jesus (Iēsou) Christ (Christou).

1 John 1:4 (LIT/UBS4) And (kai) these things (tauta) we (hēmeis) write (graphomen) in order that (hina) the (hē) joy (chara) of us (hēmōn) may be (ē) having been filled full (peplērōmenē)!

1 John 1:5 (LIT/UBS4) And (kai) this (hautē) is (estin) the (hē) message (angelia) which (hēn) we have heard (akēkoamen) from (ap’) him (autou) and (kai) we report up (anangellomen) to you (humin), that (hoti) the (ho) God (theos) is (estin) light (phōs), and (kai) there is (estin) absolutely not (ouk), absolutely not one (oudemia) dark thing (skotia) in (en) him (autō)!! 

1 John 1:6 (LIT/UBS4) If perhaps (ean) we may enunciate (eipōmen) that (hoti) we have (echomen) fellowship (koinōnian) with (met’) him (autou) and (kai) we may walk around (peripatōmen) in (en) the (tō) darkness (skotei), we are caused to be false ones (pseudometha), and (kai) we absolutely do not do (ou poioumen) the (tēn) Truth (alētheian)!

1 John 1:7 (LIT/UBS4) But (de) if perhaps (ean) we may walk around (peripatōmen) in (en) the (tō) light (phōti), as (hōs) he (autos) is (estin) in (en) the (tō) light (phōti), we have (echomen) fellowship (koinōnian) with (met’) one another (allēlōn);

and (kai) the (to) blood (haima) of Jesus (Iēsou), the (tou) son (huiou) of him (autou), cleanses (katharizei) us (hēmas) from (apo) every (pasēs) sin (hamartias).

Notice that it is the blood of Christ Jesus which cleanses you/us from sin, and not a pronouncement from any priest in any denominational organization.  Any time you think you've sinned, and then you repent in your prayer to God, and thank him for his forgiveness to you on account of your belief in his son Jesus Christ, he'll forgive your sin, priest or no priest, denomination or no denomination, it doesn't matter.  They are now irrelevant under God's new covenant.  There is only one high priest/mediator between God and mortals, Christ Jesus, period. The only ones who can forgive sin are Christ Jesus and his heavenly Father, the God, and for only one reason, Jesus Christ's shed blood and death, period.  All of this other stuff being done by many denominational "priesthoods" is all showbiz, period.

If your regular fellowship is with the people of your "denomination" first, and your fellowship with the Father and his son Christ Jesus is something you really don't know if you do according to the guidelines in the holy scriptures, then you're in deep trouble!  Socializing isn't fellowshipping!  Socializing is about you and the world.  Fellowshipping is about God, and his son Christ Jesus, and their Kingdom, and you having a true, REAL, personal relationship with them!

The acceptable mind set of a son of God and a believing disciple of Christ Jesus, brags about what and who the heavenly Father has made him to become in Christ Jesus.  If you're a believer, born from above, baptized by Christ Jesus in the Father's gift of his holy Spirit, then you are not any longer a part of a mortal-made denominational theological cartel my friend, you're part of the one body of Christ, and a member of the household of the God, being a paternal son or daughter of God, in the Kingdom of God! 

1 Cor. 4:1 (LIT/UBS4) Thusly (houtōs) let [a] mortal (anthropos) be caused to count³⁰⁴⁹ (logizesthō) us (hēmas) as (hōs) under-oarsmen⁵²⁵⁷ (hupēretas) of Christ (Christou), and (kai) [as, RE] house stewards (oikonomous) of mysteries (mustēriōn) of God (theou)!

If you hae received a new birth above in the God's gift of his paternal Spirit, then you are now under his new covenant, the new one put through by Christ Jesus through the shedding his blood for you, and his death, for the forgiveness of your, mine, and our sin.  And now you are a part of Christ Jesus' one body, which is God's new holy place, and his one new temple, the one made without human hands, but only God's hand:

Under the old Mosaic law covenant, the Law Of Works (Rom. 3:27-28), God set up a Levitical priesthood, and of course there were still his messengers, the prophets. People were charged to pay a tenth of their annual prosperity to support the needs of the Levitical priesthood who were charged with full-time upkeep and maintenance of the sacred place, and its associated liturgical duties. The priesthood didn't own land, or herds, and couldn't grow crops for themselves. They were dedicated strictly to the temple and its existence. That sacred place, or temple, was built with the hands of mortal men (Exod. 15:17; Heb. 8:1-2).

But under the new covenant, the Law of Belief (Rom. 3:27-28), and the Law Of Freedom (James 1:25), the new temple of God is the one he has built with his own hand, not with mortals hands as was the old temple (Exod. 15:17; 2 Sam. 7:5-7, 11-16; Isa. 8:14; Acts 7:47-50, 17:24; Heb. 8:2, 5). This new temple was prophesied by Amos (Amos 9:11-12), as well as other prophets (Acts 15:13-17; 2 Cor. 6:16-18; Lev. 26:11-12; 2 Sam. 7:7-14, Heb. 8:6-12, and many more). God promised the sons of Israel that he would raise up the fallen "tent" of David, which came to pass through David's great, great, great... grandson according to the flesh, the son of David (Mat. 1:1, 20, 9:27, 12:23, 15:22, 20:30, 21:15, 22:42; *Mark 12:35-40) who is Jesus Christ. The one new temple of God, his new permanent domain, is the new one body of Christ (Mat. 26:61, 27:40, 27:63; Mark 14:58, 15:29; *John 2:19-20), each believer in particular being a specialized part of that one body, of that one new temple.

Under our new covenant responsibilities each believer is responsible for managing and keeping up his own part of that one new temple. Under the new covenant there is no longer a Levitical priesthood, but only apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Eph. 4:11). But there is a new sort of peculiar priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9), which is composed of each believer being individually charged, through a new covenant relationship with God, to keep his own part of God's one new house clean and maintained, especially in our thought life (James 1:13-16). Under the new covenant there is only one new high priest, and it is not the Pope, but it is the risen and ascended lord of us, Christ Jesus (Heb. 9:11). Yes, one is the conspicuous integer used to describe the elements of the God's true orthodoxy, which true orthodoxy he taught his son Christ Jesus, which orthodoxy has been made conspicuous by Christ Jesus and his apostles under God's new covenant; one God, one lord, one new high priest/mediator, over one hope, one belief, one body, which is the one new temple of the God.

About denominations passing the plate, apostle Paul accepted gifts along the way during his first itinerary. Yes, that is recorded in Luke's Acts and Paul's own letters, thanking them. But later on in his ministry as our lord Christ Jesus taught him about the changing of covenants, about which he writes extensively in the book of Hebrews (yes, I believe apostle Paul wrote Hebrews), he starts teaching that everyone should work with their own hands for their own necessary needs, food, clothing, shelter, etc., and he begins using himself as an example for others to follow, teaching all others to be imitators of him. By the end of his second itinerary, apostle Paul is outwardly condemning anyone, and through his letters, for accepting anything as barter for them preaching and teaching God's Word. He became a staunch proponent that the things of God were all to be given away freely, citing that that it is what Jesus meant when he said... (Acts 20:33-35; Eph. 4:28). Apostle Paul learned over time, through receiving revelation from Christ Jesus and preaching and teaching it, what is the tremendous difference between the old and new covenants.

So maybe each and every believer who believes he or she is a high priest of his or her own part of that one new temple, ought to give your money to yourself for its own maintenance and upkeep, but not to forget about the "poor ones, the crippled-up ones, the lame ones, and the blind ones" also, as Jesus Christ taught his apostles and disciples (Luke 14:12-13).

Brother Hal Dekker