The number of Protestant denominations

[aidanbradypop]

Can you help me see where people practice obedience within Protestant churches? I see obedience as doing something you wouldn’t ordinarily desire to do on your own, and you might not see the point or agree with it, but an obedient person makes the choice to be obedient because of their recognition of authority. This happens routinely in a work environment, for example.

You will probably find less obedience to “church” and more of those that are obedient to God and the Bible.

It would depend on the non Catholic Christian you ask. My feel that doing what Scripture states is being obedient to God.

 

[aidanbradypop]

Guess so, but doesn’t the Bible warn us against
private interpretation and laying the Scriptures to
our own destruction?

One could gather that from Scripture.

 

[Kliska]

You will probably find less obedience to “church” and more of those that are obedient to God and the Bible.

It would depend on the non Catholic Christian you ask. My feel that doing what Scripture states is being obedient to God.

Yes, and following His lead, wherever that might lead. True story; my husband is about as asocial as one can get, and is a mathematical whiz and a computer programer… in college he began to feel God telling him to go into Psychology of all things and now he is indeed an asocial Psychologist with his own practice. Obedience is following God even when we don’t “want to” or when the whole world laughs at you, or thinks you’re nuts.

Being obedient to God is a fundamental idea in most protestant churches.

 

[Judas_Thaddeus]

One could gather that from Scripture.

No Again. Peter SAYS IT!
Understanding this first, that no prophecy of
scripture is made by private interpretation.
– (2 Peter 1:20)

As also in all his (Paul’s) epistles, speaking in them of
these things; in which are certain things hard to be un-
derstood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as
they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruc-
tion.
– (2 Peter 3:16)

 

[aidanbradypop]

No Again. Peter SAYS IT!
Understanding this first, that no prophecy of
scripture is made by private interpretation.
– (2 Peter 1:20)

As also in all his (Paul’s) epistles, speaking in them of
these things; in which are certain things hard to be un-
derstood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as
they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruc-
tion.
– (2 Peter 3:16)

And again…one could gather that from Scripture. Just because you and I do does not mean that someone else will.

Starting to think you disagree for the sake to disagree lol

 

[aidanbradypop]

Yes, and following His lead, wherever that might lead. True story; my husband is about as asocial as one can get, and is a mathematical whiz and a computer programer… in college he began to feel God telling him to go into Psychology of all things and now he is indeed an asocial Psychologist with his own practice. Obedience is following God even when we don’t “want to” or when the whole world laughs at you, or thinks you’re nuts.

Being obedient to God is a fundamental idea in most protestant churches.

 

[in_servitude]

You will probably find less obedience to “church” and more of those that are obedient to God and the Bible.

It would depend on the non Catholic Christian you ask. My feel that doing what Scripture states is being obedient to God.

No.

In the Protestant world, one reads scriptures and becomes convinced of some truth. They then decide to act upon that understanding. There is no obedience, only conformity to their own personal convictions. Why else is there even two different “sects” of the “Baptist family”? Are they not following the same God? And, the same Bible? How does one explain division?

Jesus did not desire to endure the Passion. Perhaps even Jesus was not convinced that the Passion was necessary. Why else would he request that he be spared from it? But no, Jesus chose to endure the Passion in obedience to God the Father. I simply don’t see where a Protestant gets to make the choice to be obedient. I think a reasonable counter argument is a child has to do what their parents say. This will be the same way we will be Children of God in Heaven, obedient to God.

 

[aidanbradypop]

No.

In the Protestant world, one reads scriptures and becomes convinced of some truth. They then decide to act upon that understanding. There is no obedience, only conformity to their own personal convictions. Why else is there even two different “sects” of the “Baptist family”? Are they not following the same God? And, the same Bible? How does one explain division?

Jesus did not desire to endure the Passion. Perhaps even Jesus was not convinced that the Passion was necessary. Why else would he request that he be spared from it? But no, Jesus chose to endure the Passion in obedience to God the Father. I simply don’t see where a Protestant gets to make the choice to be obedient. I think a reasonable counter argument is a child has to do what their parents say. This will be the same way we will be Children of God in Heaven, obedient to God.

See this kind of thing is really aggervating. Why ask the question when you already have the answer in your head? If you want it to be No then why ask?

Have a nice day

 

[in_servitude]

See this kind of thing is really aggervating. Why ask the question when you already have the answer in your head? If you want it to be No then why ask?

Have a nice day

I apologize for aggravating you. It was not my intention.

You started this thread provided information I did not know. I had always assumed the 20,000-40,000 number for Protestant denominations was accurate. Now, I know the information is false. I appreciate it when I am shown to be in error because that means I’m learning.

In asking my question, I desired to learn something new from you - something that is outside my own Protestant upbringing. That was my intention. I simply disagree that Protestants get to practice obedience. In reality, I think that a good number of Catholics also do not practice obedience - doing their own thing in regards to contraception and the like. They are missing a great opportunity.

 

[Randy_Carson]

Being obedient to God is a fundamental idea in most protestant churches.

And that’s certainly where most Fundmentalists are found.

However, it appears to me that we’re all pretty good at being “obedient to God” when we’re really doing what we wanted to do all along. Kinda makes it hard for anyone else to challenge us when we put it like that, doesn’t it?

The problems crop up when we are actually being “obedient” to our personal interpretations of scripture that have little in common with the generally held view of the verses.

Don’t all heresies come wrapped in Bible verses? :sad_yes:

 

[aidanbradypop]

In asking my question, I desired to learn something new from you - something that is outside my own Protestant upbringing. That was my intention. I simply disagree that Protestants get to practice obedience. In reality, I think that a good number of Catholics also do not practice obedience - doing their own thing in regards to contraception and the like. They are missing a great opportunity.

When you say Protestant…that is a wide range or beliefs. A Baptist does not give the OHCAC authority as would an Anglican.

In general, many fundamentalist Protestant are obedient to God and Word. You mainline Protestants obedient to God, Church and Word.

 

[Kliska]

And that’s certainly where most Fundmentalists are found.

However, it appears to me that we’re all pretty good at being “obedient to God” when we’re really doing what we wanted to do all along. Kinda makes it hard for anyone else to challenge us when we put it like that, doesn’t it?

The problems crop up when we are actually being “obedient” to our personal interpretations of scripture that have little in common with the generally held view of the verses.

Don’t all heresies come wrapped in Bible verses? :sad_yes:

Oh, yes, I agree, we are all built that way. But praise God He doesn’t leave us that way. I can’t count the number of times God has made me see something I’d rather not, and then it is imperative for me to follow His lead over my own. I will follow His lead over any other man’s lead no matter what. And if I’m mistaken, He has the power to correct. God doesn’t work on majority opinion or even historic opinion, as I’m sure we both agree.

No, not all heresies come wrapped in scripture, but most do at least try to include some.

 

[Isaiah45_9]

Once again…maybe, maybe not…depends on whom you ask.

This is even worse… Relative Christianity…

 

[aidanbradypop]

This is even worse… Relative Christianity…

Me or in general

 

[Jon_S_1]

You will probably find less obedience to “church” and more of those that are obedient to God and the Bible.

It would depend on the non Catholic Christian you ask. My feel that doing what Scripture states is being obedient to God.

And that is exactly why there are thousands of denominations.

Who’s interpretation is right?

People separate and form like minded groups with the same bible. So which one is the one God wants?

 

[aidanbradypop]

And that is exactly why there are thousands of denominations.

Who’s interpretation is right?

People separate and form like minded groups with the same bible. So which one is the one God wants?

 

[Jon_S_1]

It shouldn’t be something we shrug off.

We should want to practice religion the way God wants.

We should want to worship the way HE wants.

He clearly commanded certain things in the Old Testament. Very rigorous and methodical and prescribed things.

Why would God change that? Modify, alter, sure. But change entirely?? I don’t know.

So as a protestant I came to the realization one day when I approached my pastor over marriage issues with my wife and got advice, and she went to another pastor and got different advice, and we went to a third and fourth together and got yet different advice!!!

Where was the advice GOD wanted for us to receive?

It had been diluted by peoples opinions on the matter. despite their best efforts and sincerity no one could say any of them were right or wrong.

So my answer to this was to try and find what the earliest church practiced. Were their any writings regarding this issue from the second century, as surely such issues were on society for thousands of years.

Sure enough I found my answer and it shattered my paradigm. I had no way of having any certainty on any Protestant tradition, as they all are less than 500 years old and you have to rely on founding men to hold any of those. The Bible alone didn t work because my wife and I disagreed on the interpretations (along with that host of pastors).

Only a church with the historical pedigree and the authority to settle this dispute (Matt 18) could help in this matter.

And I was left with two choices. Catholic and Orthodox, and after much more study I am now joining the Catholic Church.

So there is a very real example of how the plurality of protestantism made for a truly impossible reality to help me solve my problem.

I must believe that such chaos is not anywhere close to inline with God’s plan.

 

[aidanbradypop]

It shouldn’t be something we shrug off.

We should want to practice religion the way God wants.

We should want to worship the way HE wants.

He clearly commanded certain things in the Old Testament. Very rigorous and methodical and prescribed things.

Why would God change that? Modify, alter, sure. But change entirely?? I don’t know.

So as a protestant I came to the realization one day when I approached my pastor over marriage issues with my wife and got advice, and she went to another pastor and got different advice, and we went to a third and fourth together and got yet different advice!!!

Where was the advice GOD wanted for us to receive?

It had been diluted by peoples opinions on the matter. despite their best efforts and sincerity no one could say any of them were right or wrong.

So my answer to this was to try and find what the earliest church practiced. Were their any writings regarding this issue from the second century, as surely such issues were on society for thousands of years.

Sure enough I found my answer and it shattered my paradigm. I had no way of having any certainty on any Protestant tradition, as they all are less than 500 years old and you have to rely on founding men to hold any of those. The Bible alone didn t work because my wife and I disagreed on the interpretations (along with that host of pastors).

Only a church with the historical pedigree and the authority to settle this dispute (Matt 18) could help in this matter.

And I was left with two choices. Catholic and Orthodox, and after much more study I am now joining the Catholic Church.

So there is a very real example of how the plurality of protestantism made for a truly impossible reality to help me solve my problem.

I must believe that such chaos is not anywhere close to inline with God’s plan.

I do worship as God wishes and I trust you do as well.

 

[Isaiah45_9]

You know better than that. lol

All the Baptist come from the same tradition. Now there are MANY different sect within the Baptist tradition, BUT all are still of the same core beliefs.

I do - They do not. They don’t even have one common governing ecclesiastical body.

In fact, we can establish that the origins of the Baptist denomination origin was with John Smyth in the early 1600’s at Great Britain during the… wait for it… wait for it…

The Separatist Movement. (Couldn’t have chosen a better name ).

Or maybe from the Anabaptist movement, or an offshoot of the Puritan movement, or a separation from the Congregationalist movement.

The Baptist movement, in and of itself, is different distinct denominations…

For example - you can’t say that the American Baptist Churches USA (Previously known as the Northern Baptist Convention) and the Southern Baptist Convention of Churches have the same core of beliefs. Where the ABC-USA affirms the ordination of women and the SBC doesn’t.

That is a drastic difference in core beliefs. Which you as an Episcopalian know and other Anglicans and Lutherans know as well. This in an of itself is a break from core beliefs and a definitive separation of its own denomination.

 

[Jon_S_1]

I do worship as God wishes and I trust you do as well.

I m sorry but that doesn’t make sense.

How are we to settle any dispute. If we take it to the church as Christ commands us, what will we do?

Take it to your church or my church or the Baptist Church?

Where?

Send surveys to all Christians and majority rules?

Its completely dysfunctional.

You can say you are worshiping God the way he wants, and I say that and the Satanist down the street says that too. That means nothing.