DENOMINATIONS: At last count, I heard, there were 22,000 Christian denominations! We do not know if this figure is correct. It does not matter. If there were just two denominations, it would be one too many! Unity among Christians is a major theme in the New Testament. It is not negotiable.
Listen to Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-22, "I pray that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me."
Many in the world today see the church as splintered, no longer relevant, and in an irretrievable state of confusion. Jesus was clear about this problem: a house or kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Matt 12:25).
Christian denominations are as old as the letter to the Corinthians, "For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, 'I am of Paul,' or 'I am of Apollos,' or 'I am of Cephas,' or 'I am of Christ. Is Christ divided?" (1 Cor 1:11-13). This story has repeated itself throughout church history (e.g. Lutherans follow Luther, etc.).
What creates division in the church? One big reason is a difference in Bible interpretation. We have personal experience with this nasty religious virus. A pastor once told us we were probably in the wrong church because our interpretation of salvation did not agree with his! See how easily divisions are formed! We left after attending that church for 18 years. Sad. The truth is no two people believe the same thing about the Bible unless they've surrendered that right to another person (i.e. someone like Paul, Apollos, Cephas, Luther or Calvin). This is contrary to the faith. God desires an intelligent relationship with each of us ~ personally. It is our privilege to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2: 12).
Think about it this way: Take any group of 100 educated, God-fearing people and send them off in a hundred different directions for ten years with a Bible. Tell them that when they return they are to tell the rest of the group what the Bible means. Get my drift? You will have 100 different interpretations, and some of these will be substantial disagreements.
What is the answer? Take personal responsibility for what you believe; do not become dependent on a particular teacher (or system of theology); and resolve to love other Christians when you disagree. Paul said it like this, "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose" (Phil 2:1-2). It's clear from this text that "being like-minded" has some prerequisites that cannot be ignored.
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