Denominations have split the church for a lot longer than we all care to admit.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and pretend that denominations are simply the problem of the last 100 years, or even the last 500. The truth is, the roots of denominations came about even in the time of the Apostles. At the time, some people were saying “I am of Paul” or “I am of Peter”, affiliating themselves with Men in the Church and not Christ himself. And, the Apostles called them out for it.

I remember when I was a child, I went with my Catholic family to Catholic Mass, and with my protestant family to church. My Catholic family would warn me about the protestant church and the protestant family would warn me about the Catholics, each convinced that the other was going to hell.

As I grew, I made my own decisions, eventually deciding that I couldn’t affiliate with either protestants or Catholics on a purely theological level. But my personal history is neither here nor there. Instead, I want to tell you about a verse in Romans I read today.

Romans 14:17-18 “For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.”

Now I have seen hatred spewed by almost every denomination at a different denomination from every area of the church my whole life, and in my mind, these verses condemn them all. We have split the church a hundred ways over major and incredibly minor differences, and yet we ignore one important thing: holiness.

Yes, we are called to split away from those who speak heresy, at least, after those heretics have been properly warned. But denominational differences ARE NOT heresies. Mormonism, Jehovah’s witnesses, and Gnostics are all heretics. Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, Anglicans, and other mainline protestant denominations are not, though there have been specific sects and local churches that are and we should always be wary.

My point is this: Romans 14:18 tell us that what is important is Holiness. By their fruits you shall know them. All of us need to spend a little less time on the theology that divides us, and a little more time focused on holiness, in ourselves, and in our churches. Don’t refuse to go to a church because it’s a different denomination, or refuse to affiliate with others from a different denomination, unless their beliefs contradict the Bible or it’s truth. Love and embrace any and all that express and live within the holiness of God.

And, above all, let go of the thought that your particular theological tradition or denomination makes you better, or more Holy. The label you put on yourself or your church means nothing compared to how well you serve and obey Christ.