Earlier last week, I started a blog called "Non-Essentials" not realizing that there is so many topics to discuss. I think this will be my last one for this little series but I'm sure there are way more other topics to discuss.
Communion
This hasn't been a big thing to argue but in early days amongst the earlier followers, it was a big thing.
Carnivores?
Vampires?
Really... Some people thought the early believers actually ate the body of Christ and drank the body of Christ. I'm sure even today, there might be a few Christian sects that practices this (ewww). Okay, maybe I'm making that up.
However, there might be a few denominations that require that you need to consume a first communion before the initiation to being a believer or being a church member. As I said in an earlier blog, only faith alone can guarantee your salvation.
I have also experienced different types of communion. Most of the time, it is in a church service setting, whether it's passing the communion things around or going up to the front for communion. There is only one particular church that we did communion in small groups, just as the early Christians did in their small groups and house church.
Out of our faith, the Bible does say we must take the bread and take the wine in memory of Christ.
Membership/Confirmation
There are only a few churches that I know that ties membership into your beliefs. They say you have to join "this church" because they are the only true church of God.
And that to be a member, you have to baptize into their church.
And before that, you have to pray in faith that Jesus Christ is your salvation, with their members.
You see how complicated it gets? My personal beliefs is that once you have faith that Christ is your savior, you are automatically in a worldwide network of believers. Most importantly, you are a citizen of heaven. You are not your own.
The Bible does show that once a believer, you do have the responsibility to be in unity with the Body of Christ. Namely, to join a church. It shouldn't be forced upon you, as I have described before. You should have your freedom to choose how you should worship God with other believers.
Doctrine
In older times, not many people can read, much less read the Bible. The Bible was in old languages like Greek and Aramaic and only the educated can read them. In the years coming from the ascension of Christ, the Word of God spread verbally and through the small groups. However, as this was first done orally, there were many confusions on what it really means to be a Christian. From the confusion, there came the Nicene Creed and the Apostles Creed. Both are really great summaries of the beliefs of being a believer.
However, as the church continues to grow, it also felt the pains of growing. Schisms happened (Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, then Roman Catholics and the Protestants) and denominations formed and it was once essential that each church groups have their own doctrines.
As we move forward into this century, how important is it to have church doctrine? Honestly, some of it is quite baloney. I have to say, I can't think of any off the top of my head, but from other friends' account of different denominations, doctrines can really muddle the true meaning of the Bible.
So, in the last 50-100 years even, another movement of charasmatic and non-denominational churches came, to practice the truth of the Bible. Most people now can read the Bible, so there is no excuse if you have a question.
But back to the original question: how does this play into our salvation? Maybe not much. Doctrine can confuse people in thinking this is really what I am supposed to believe as a Christian. But simply, our salvation is our faith in Christ. Doctrines can help us grow in faith but in the beginning, not essential as a part of salvation.
I do respect some doctrine. In the Methodist Church, there are practices I still miss doing since I am not a part of the Methodist Church at this time. But sometimes, practices and doctrines are just in the way if someone is trying to figure out salvation.
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