The Witness of Unity

• Matthew 16:13-18 - Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will build My church

• John 17:20 - 21 - "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me."

• Ephesians 4:4 -6 - 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. NASU • Ephesians 1:22-23 - 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. • 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 - 10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. 12 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." 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? •Wikipedia -"there are reported to be approximately Christian denominations". • 3.1 Early Christian • 3.2 Late ancient and Medieval Christian • 3.2.1 Church of the East • 3.2.1.1 Assyrian • 3.2.2 Oriental Orthodox Churches • 4 Eastern Orthodox • 5 Roman Catholic • 5.1 Latin Church (Western Church) • 5.2 Eastern Catholic Churches • 5.2.1 Alexandrian Rite • 5.2.2 Armenian Rite • 5.2.3 Byzantine Rite • 5.2.4 East Syriac Rite • 5.2.5 West Syriac Rite • 6 Protestant • 6.1 Proto-Protestant • 6.2 Lutheran • 6.2.1 • 6.3 Calvinist • 6.3.1 Continental Reformed churches • 6.3.2 Presbyterianism • 6.3.3 Congregationalism • 6.4 Anglican • 6.4.1 Anglican Communion • 6.4.1.1 United and uniting churches of the Anglican Communion • 6.4.2 Other Anglican churches and Continuing Anglican movement • 6.13 Uniting

• 6.13.1 Free Evangelical Churches

• 6.14 Evangelical

• 6.14.1 African

• 6.14.1.1 P'ent'ay

• 6.14.2 Asian-initiated churches

• 6.14.2.1 Chinese Independent Churches

• 6.14.2.2 Japanese Independent Churches

• 6.14.3 Malaysian Evangelicalism

• 6.14.4 North American Evangelicalism

• 6.14.5 South American Evangelicalism

• 6.14.6 Internet churches

• 6.15 Protestant Eastern Christian

• 6.16 Other Protestant churches and movements

• 7 Independent Sacramental

• 7.1 Independent Catholic

• 7.2 Independent Orthodox

• 7.2.1 True Orthodoxy

• 7.2.1.1 Old Believers

• 7.2.2 Syncretic Orthodoxy

• 8 Miscellaneous

• 8.1 Independent Russian

• 8.2 Southcottist

• 8.3 Christian Identitist

• 8.4 Independent/Isolated

• 8.5 Nontrinitarian

• 8.5.1 Oneness Pentecostalism

• 8.5.2 Unitarian and Universalism

• 8.5.3 Nontrinitarian Restorationism Lutheran Divisions

• Alliance of Renewal Churches

• Apostolic Lutheran Church of America

• Association of Free Lutheran Congregations

• Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America

• Church of the Lutheran Confession

• Concordia Lutheran Conference

• Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

• Evangelical Lutheran Church "Concord"

• Evangelical Lutheran Free Church (Germany)

• Evangelical Lutheran Synod

• Lutheran Church of Central Africa Malawi Conference

• Lutheran Church of Central Africa Zambia Conference

• Ukrainian Lutheran Church

• Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

• Evangelical Catholic Church (Lutheran)

• Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran

• Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands

• General Lutheran Church

• International Lutheran Council

• American Association of Lutheran Churches

• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil

• Evangelical Lutheran Church of England

• Evangelical Lutheran Church - Synod of France and Belgium

• Gutnius Lutheran Church

• Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church

• Japan Lutheran Church

• Lanka Lutheran Church

• Lutheran Church—

• Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod • Calvinist • Reformed churches • Presbyterian • Congregationalism • Anglican • United and uniting churches of the Anglican communion • Anabaptist • • • Beachy Amish • Kauffman Amish Mennonite • Nebraska Amish • New Order Amish • Old Order Amish • Swartzentruber Amish • Apostolic Christian Church • Charity Christian Fellowship • Church of the United Brethren in Christ • •

• Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations • Biblical Mennonite Alliance • Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches • Chortitzer Mennonite Conference • Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (Holdeman Mennonites) • Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in India • Conservative Mennonite Conference • Evangelical Mennonite Church • Evangelical Mennonite Conference • Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference • Evangelical Church • Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches • Japan Mennonite Brethren Conference • Kleine Gemeinde • Markham-Waterloo Mennonite Conference • Mennonite Brethren Churches • Mennonite Church Canada • Mennonite Church in the Netherlands • Mennonite Church USA • Missionary Church • Noah Hoover Mennonite • Wisler Mennonite • Old Order Mennonites • Reformed Mennonite • Swiss Mennonite Conference • US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches • River Brethren • Brethren in Christ Church • Old Order River Brethren • United Zion Church • Wengerites • Schwenkfelders Baptist Baptist Church

• Alliance of Fundamental Baptist Fellowship • American Baptist Association of America • American Baptist Churches USA General Association of Baptists • Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland General Association of General • Association of Reformed Baptist Baptists Churches of America General Association of Regular • Association of Regular Baptist Churches Baptist Churches • Baptist Bible Fellowship International General Conference of the • Baptist Conference of the Evangelical Baptist Church, Inc. Philippines General Six-Principle Baptists • Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec • Baptist Convention of Western Cuba • Baptist Evangelical Christian Independent Baptist Church Union of Italy of America • Baptist General Conference of Canada Independent Baptist • Baptist General Convention of Texas Fellowship International • Baptist General Conference Independent Baptist (Sweden) Fellowship of North America • Baptist Missionary Association of America Interstate & Foreign • Baptist Union of Landmark Missionary Baptist • Baptist Union of Great Britain Association Old Time Missionary Baptist Primitive Baptist Primitive Baptist Universalism Progressive Baptist Progressive National Baptist Convention Reformed Baptist Regular Baptist Regular Baptist Churches, General Association of Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches Separate Baptist in Christ Seventh Day Baptist Southeast Conservative Baptist Southern Baptist Convention Southern Baptists of Texas Sovereign Grace Baptists Strict Baptists or Particular Baptists Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists Baptist Fellowship • Holiness Baptists

• Christian Baptist Church of God • Holiness Baptist Association

• Spiritual Baptists

• Spiritual Baptist

• Bapticostals

• Bapticostal movement METHODIST CHURCH

• Methodist are just more of the same division we’ve seen. • One study stated there are 47,000 “denominational churches” in the world. • Another 33,000 churches • One group spent years and millions attempting to accurately chart the divisions among those who call themselves Christians. They stopped counting when they neared 150,000. • They attempted to count the divisions among all denominational groups.

"men differ in education, economic background, cultural background, social and emotional backgrounds -- it is good to have a multiplicity of churches so that each man may choose a church of his choice!” IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE

• The idea of a multitude of churches teaching contradictory doctrines is intellectually indefensible. •"It doesn't matter what you believe, just so long as you believe."

Matthew 7:13-14 - "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." 1 + 1 = 52, 5, 97?

1 John 2:20-22 (NASB) 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 4:2-3 (NASB) 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. • Mark 16:16 - "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned." NASU • 1 Peter 3:21- 21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you — not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience — through the resurrection of Jesus Christ TRUTH CAN MAKE US FREE

•"you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32 •“…must worship God in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24. •b) Dei – Greek - it is (was, etc.) necessary (as binding) •Acts 5:27 – “We must obey God rather than man.” •Matthew 6:21 - 21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. NASU "everything is all right just so long as a man is sincere."

1 Peter 1:22-23 - 22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. NASU •"he who believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16) •"he that believes and is not baptized shall be saved". "that the world may believe".