For years I have heard it taught that the Church of Christ is NOT a denomination or sect like the Baptist,
Methodist, etc.
Let's Examine The Evidence
World Book Dictionary defines denomination as: (1) a name for a group or class of things (2) a religious
group or sect.
Holman Bible Dictionary defines a sect as: a group having established their own identity and teachings
over against the larger group to which they belong. especially the different parties making up Judaism in
the N.T. times.
New Englishman's Greek Concordance and Lexicon defines sect as: the persons holding a certain opinion,
that is a sect, a faction.
The evidence is clear; the Church of Christ according to the definitions above is a denomination
or sect. (1) they have a name and they are a group of believers (2) they are a religious group (3) they have
established their own identity and teachings to set them apart from a larger group, which makes them a sect or
denomination.
Here is what we read in the bible: Then the high priest rose up, and all that were with him, which is the sect
of the Sadducees ( Acts 5:15 ) ... and ...There rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees ( Acts
15:5 ) ... KJV
IT SEEMS TO ME; that a DENOMINATION or SECT is a smaller group of believers within a larger group of believers, and different
from other groups due to their teachings and beliefs.
Groups...Sects...Denominations...Church of Christ
(1) One Cuppers...these believers teach that it's a sin to use more than one cup during the Lord's Supper.
(2) Fellowship Rooms...these believers teach that it's a sin to have a fellowship room in the church building where believers
can come together to eat and share a meal.
(3) Musical Instruments...these believers teach that it's a sin to use musical instruments when singing songs during
worship to God.
(4) Still Others...see nothing wrong with using multiple cups, fellowship rooms, or musical instruments.
(5) And Many...of these divided sects teach that you are sinning and must repent and come back to the
TRUE CHURCH, ( their sect ), in order to be pleasing to God.
Many people in the Church of Christ will not admit that they are a SECT or DENOMINATION of the larger part ( Christianity
). They will tell you that they belong to the TRUE CHURCH that Jesus started 2000 years ago.
But if you look closely at the Church of Christ, you will find many sects, with each sect
claiming to be the one and only true church that Jesus started. And you will find these sects or denominations
pointing fingers at each other and demanding that they repent and join their sect.
The End
Lee Howell
