IS ONE CHURCH AS GOOD AS ANOTHER?
It is not uncommon in our day to hear someone affirm that one church is as good as another. In fact, this is, allegedly, the commonly held belief of all the various protestant denominations. According to denominationalism, what matters is being sincere in one’s religious convictions, and since sincerity is what matters, the church one chooses is irrelevant. It is believed that all churches are denominations, and that all the various denominations comprise the true church of Christ. Therefore, we are told that “one church is as good as another.”
I would like to suggest that while this doctrine may “sound good,” it is not a doctrine that people actually apply to themselves and practice. This doctrine continues to be preached, not because people actually practice it, but rather because it has a “good ring” to it.
I maintain that this concept is not practical for the following reason: to argue that “one church is as good as another” is equivalent to arguing that “one doctrine is as good as another.” This must be the case, since all denominations have different denominational names, doctrines, and practices.
But is it true that “one doctrine is as good as another?” No, it is not true, and I am persuaded that if folk would think through this they would agree. For example, some believe that praying through Mary is better than praying through Jesus. Some teach that women should preach in worship services and exercise authority over men; others teach that women are not to lead in congregational worship services. Some teach that infants should be sprinkled, while others teach that baptism is for those who are old enough to make the choice to be baptized. Some teach that Jesus was a created being and is not the eternal Son of God; others say that Jesus is an eternal being, the Son of God, and is “not” a created being.
Now, think about these matters. If one church is as good as another, then one doctrine is as good as another. If one doctrine is as good as another, then praying through Mary is just as good as praying through Jesus. Believing that Jesus is the Son of God is just as good as believing that Jesus is “not” the Son of God. The list of various doctrines goes on and on. It may sound good to say that “one church is as good as another,” but, in reality, reason and logic demand that we reject such an inconsistent and self-contradictory belief (I Thessalonians 5:21).
It is not my intention to prove that one denomination is superior to others. Rather, it is my intention to convey that the church Jesus built—the church of the New Testament—is superior to all denominations (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:23, 25). Jesus built His church hundreds of years before there were protestant denominations (Acts 2:47). His church pre-dates all denominations, and it is still possible today to be part of His church without ever joining a denomination. Does this sound interesting? If so, then read the book of Acts to see how sinners in the first century became members of Jesus’ church.
