Are there different
Christian denominations in Heaven?
Do you think in heaven there will be separate places for the different
Christian denominations? If not, then one must question oneself about the
various Christian denominations.
I am comfortable to call myself a Christian attending Catholic
Church. Another may call himself a Christian attending Methodist Church or
Anglican Church or Presbyterian Church, etc.
I find the implied criticism in the various divisions of the Christian
community most irksome. Christians, should not cause further division amongst
themselves by their unthinking remark? Even in St Paul’s time, there were
divisions in the Christian communities. Today it is still the same. Isn’t this
scandalous? Isn’t this absurd? Is Christ divided? St Paul says, “Let me put it
this way; each one of you says something different. One says, ‘I follow Paul’;
another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Peter’; and another, ‘I follow
Christ.’ Christ has been divided into groups! Was it Paul who died on the cross
for you? Were you baptized as Paul’s disciples?” (1 Corinthians 1:12-13 TEV) Aren’t
we saying the same thing nowadays? I am baptized as a Roman Catholic. I am
baptized as an Anglican. I am baptized as a Methodist. Was it the Pope or Martin
Luther who died on the cross for us?
When Christians quarrel and run down each other, aren’t they doing the same as the Corinthians? As St Paul says “When there is jealousy among you and you quarrel with one another, doesn’t this prove that you belong to this world, living by its standards? When one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ’I follow Apollos’--aren’t you acting like worldly people? After all, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? We are simply God’s servants by whom you were led to believe. Each one of us does the work which the Lord gave him to do.” (1 Corinthians 3:3-5 TEV) Today we need to ask the same questions again. Who is the Pope? Who is Martin Luther? Are they not the ones who lead us to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Sometimes Christian groups boast about how right and true their Churches are. Isn’t this the same thing that St Paul says? “For what the world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God’s sight. As the Scripture says, ’God traps the wise in their cleverness’ and another Scripture says, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise is worthless.’ No one, then, should boast about what human beings can do. Actually everything belongs to you. Paul, Apollos, and Peter; this world, life and death, the present and the future-all these are yours and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” (1 Corinthians 3:19-23 TEV)
Upon reflection on these passages in the Bible, don’t all baptized Christians belong to Jesus Christ and not to the Pope or Martin Luther? Is there a vested interest to maintain and propagate the different Christian denominations? The vital questions to be asked are always, “Is Jesus Christ being preached?” "Am I being encouraged to read the Bible?"
After all, to live a Christian life is not about observing the doctrine of this Church or that Church. It is about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Therefore, Christians should always
concentrate on Jesus Christ instead of boasting about the “correctness” of their
own Churches.
You may like to read what St Paul says in Romans 14:1-23 and 15:1-9 NLT :
“Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything. But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won't. And those who won't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. "Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let Him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power will help them do as they should.
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than mother day, while others think every day is alike. Each prison should have a personal conviction about this matter. Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying to honor Him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died.
So why do you condemn another Christian*? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God.
For the Scriptures say,
"'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow to me
and every tongue will confess allegiance to God.'(Isaiah 45:23)
Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God. So don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path.
I know and am perfectly sure on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be condemned for doing something you know is all right.
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves. But it is wrong to eat anything if it makes another person stumble. Don't eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble. You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right. But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something, they shouldn't eat it. They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
We may know that these things make no difference, but we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are wrong. We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't please himself. As the Scriptures say, "Those who insult you are also insulting me." (Psalm 69:9) Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises.
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other---each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified. Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. And he came so the Gentiles might also give glory to God for his mercies to them.”