Different Denominations

If you have friends that are different denominations, you probably don't sit there and wonder what they believe. You probably just have a regular conversation with them. In this study we will look at the different denominations and what they believe.

Most important thing you want to know about your friends if you are a true Christian is "are they going to heaven."

Catholic
- Consider Jesus' disciple Peter the first pope.
- scripture must be interpreted within the Tradition of the Church.
- The canon includes 46 books for the Old Testament including deuterocanonical books (the Apocrypha) and 27 books from the New Testament.
- God is the one Creator and Lord of all, existing eternally as the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
- Jesus is the eternal Son incarnate, fully God and fully man, conceived and born of the virgin Mary.
He died on the cross, rose bodily from the grave, ascended into heaven, and will come again in glory to judge us all.
- the souls of the faithful go to heaven either immediately or, if imperfectly purified in this life, after purgatory.
- The church is the Mystical Body of Christ.
- Mary is the Mother of the Church and is considered an object of devotion and veneration.

Lutheran
- Founded by Martin Luther in 1517.
- The standard Protestant canon of 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books is accepted.
- God is the one Creator and Lord of all, existing eternally as the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
- Jesus is the eternal Son incarnate, fully God and fully man, conceived and born of the virgin Mary.
- The souls of believers upon dying go immediately to Christ.
- The church is the congregation of believers.
- Baptism is necessary for salvation.

Anglican Churches Episcopal
- Scripture contains the truth that is necessary for salvation and is the primary norm for faith. The canon includes 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books.
- God is the one Creator and Lord of all, existing eternally as the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
- Jesus is the eternal Son incarnate, fully God and fully man, and born of the virgin Mary.
- After death, the souls of the faithful are purified as needed to enjoy full communion with God.
- The church is the Body of Christ.

Presbyterian
- God is the one Creator and Lord of all, existing eternally as the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
- Jesus is the eternal Son incarnate, fully God and fully man, conceived and born of the virgin Mary.
- We are saved by grace alone.
- After death, the souls of believers upon dying go immediately to be with Christ.
- The church is the body of Christ.
- baptism is not necessary for salvation.
- God chooses who will be saved, Christ died specifically to save those whom God chose.

Methodist
- God is the one Creator and Lord of all, existing eternally as the Trinity.
- Jesus is the eternal Son incarnate, fully God and fully man, conceived and born of the virgin Mary.
- We are saved by grace alone.
- after death, the souls of believers upon dying go immediately to Christ.
- The church is the body of Christ.

Wake Up Call To Your Generation

The Christian walk isn't one of passivity, it's one of activity. 2 Corinthians 5:17- We are broken beyond repair. In Christ we are restored. In Christ, we are transformed. We were reconciled to Christ, we didn't reconcile ourselves. We have been trusted with the message of reconciliation. Everyone is called to be an evangelist, regardless of your given gifts. Romans 10:14-17 Sometimes actions aren't louder than words. Romans 1:16 We should never be embarrassed by the gospel. Delight should be your driver. 1 Corinthians 1:21-24 When you become a Christian your questions don't disappear, your view point/ angle changes. The weight of salvation and sanctification is not on us. Matthew 5:16, John 13:35, Acts 4:32-34 Sometimes the most loving thing you can do for someone is point out that they are stumbling. Your life is a mission field. No one in your life is a coincidence. God placed everyone around you, around you with a purpose. This should erase the boredom from your life.

A change of heart leads to a transformation of external action.

Not only are we reconciled to God, but we are also entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation.

We are ambassadors of Christ.

We are all different in gifting.

We are all naturally and intrinsically evangelists.

All of us have been called by God to be heralds of the gospel.

Words are always necessary in preaching the gospel.

God is wisdom, and God is power, and that's how men are saved.

Transformed hearts lead to transformed lives, which lead to good works motivated by delight in our God.

We have been set free from believing we are the center of the universe, and that has opened up our hands to love well, serve well, and engage well.

The motivation behind our heralding and our good works has to be grace.

What's at stake in our motivation is the glory of God.

All of life is mission.

What we do on a daily basis is to engage at a level that's eternal.

God's Masterpiece

For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
Hebrews 3:4

-What is something you have built or made?


-How would you feel if someone told you it was awful?


-How do you think this makes God feel?


-Do you believe honestly that God truly made everything?


-If He did, in what specific ways should this or does this effect your everyday life?


-Do you see yourself as a masterpiece?


For we are God's masterpiece... Ephesians 2:10

The Lord does... He designed you with his own hands. That makes you his Special Creation!

-When you are reminded of this, do you view yourself differently?  How?