The Divide

Below is a post written on a separate website:

I don't understand..When did faith in Jesus Christ stop being enough?

How is it that there's so many divided branches of Christianity with all these fanatics claiming that their way is the only right way into Heaven? What's the difference between Episcopalians and Catholics and Protestants and Orthodox and all those labels? And, what are you if you just believe in your heart that Christ died for your sins?

Here, more or less (because I added to it), is how I responded to this question:

Romans 10:9-10 (Amplified Bible)
9Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.

You see, really, your relationship with God is based on your concept OF God. Let that sink in a minute. There are people who believe that we are to pray to the apostles, the mother Mary and use many rituals in our practice of worship. There are some that believe (and some that don't) that the miracles of the Bible times can be seen and are seen in the world around us today. There are some who believe that instruments should not be used in the practice of musical worship. There are some that focus on God being a vengeful God while others swing far the other way saying that he is merciful to the bitter end.

The point is that this is how denominations were and are formed. It is by those differences in concepts as to who God is. Many of them may believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) Jesus but on a day to day basis their beliefs may vary.

I call a Methodist my brother if he adheres to God the Father. I call a Messianic Jew my sister if she trusts in Jesus Christ. I call a Catholic my sibling if he sees his traditions as second to relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance.

John 14:6 (New International Version)
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

So I am understood I should say that if you say you are a Christian but you don't believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) Jesus I do not consider you a Christian. Belief in Jesus is the basis of our faith.

An old mentor of mine use to say (and hopefully still does) "If you're going to be a Christian - be one". With that thought in mind remember that scripture says that faith without works is dead. Don't tell me you are a Christian and then go out and do things contrary to scripture on a regular basis. We all sin and screw up but we all should continue to strive towards holiness.