According to its Kind
In the book of Genesis, we
see, during creation, that everything was made according to its kind. In Gen.
1:11-12, Then God
said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the
fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on
the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that
yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed
is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
When Noah built the ark, he had
to fill it with animals and they were according to its kind, On the very same day Noah and
Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his
sons with them, entered the ark- they and every beast after its kind, all
cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after
its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort
(Genesis 7:13-14).
With this in mind, we’ll at
how Christians are made, according to its kind.
How to a Make a Mormon?
If an individual wants to
become a Mormon; a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that
individual would follow what is written in the Book of Mormon, Doctrines and
Covenants, and other books associated with them. However, following those books
would not make them a Baptist.
For example, let’s say someone
decides they want to become a Baptist, do they go to the local LDS church and
ask them to do it? No! They only make Mormons; they can’t make Baptists.
How to a Make a Baptist?
If an individual wants to
become a Baptist, that individual would follow what is written in The Standard
Manual for Baptist churches (Pendleton Version). However, that would not make
them a Mormon and it wouldn’t make them a Methodist. It would only make them a
Baptist.
How to a Make a Methodist?
If an individual wants to
become a Methodist, that individual would follow what is written in the Methodist
Discipline. However, that would not make them a Mormon and it wouldn’t make
them a Baptist. It would only make Methodists.
How to Make a Christian?
If an individual wants to
become a Christian, that individual would follow the Bible as it is the only
book that is able to make one a Christian (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16).
What the denominations fail
to realize is that if they are following something; anything, aside from the
bible, they are not making Christians. Rather, they are making followers of
whatever denomination they are affiliated with.
A Hyphenated Christian?
When I was baptized back in
September 2001, I went to work that night and told a few of my co-workers. They
were happy to hear it and then asked what I was baptized as. For a second, I
was confused by the question. I replied that I was baptized as a Christian.
They looked at me for further information; expecting a denominational title to
go with it. For example, Baptist-Christian, Methodist-Christian, Lutheran-Christian,
etc.
There are no such things as Hyphenated
Christians. You are either a Christian or you’re something else entirely. You
can’t be both. If you think you can, I challenge you to show me in scripture
where anyone was named anything in addition to being a Christian.
What Does the Bible Say?
In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Notice it says, ‘Make disciples.’
It doesn’t say, make Mormons, or make Baptists, or make Methodists. And that’s
because those denominations didn’t exist back then. Even if they did, they still wouldn't be made Christians.
Conclusion
If you follow God’s word, teaching them to observe all
things that I have commanded you, then you make people Christians,
not a denomination. Christians are followers of Christ, not a manmade denomination.
It’s that simple, yet people always want more.
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