r/Protestantism • u/Expensive-Roll665 • Nov 24 '24
Need help with denomination
i've been a "christian" for years now, but i've just recently started developing an actual relationship with our Savior. i've also been learning about denominations, so i wanted to come on here and share some of my beliefs, and see if any of you could help me find my way. (note: i'm aware that Christianity is about a relationship, not a religion. the most important thing to me is my faith, i'm just seeing which denomination(s) best suit me.
i believe that the Bible and the Church both have a lot of authority, but i find myself leaning towards the Bible having slightly more. both incredibly important though.
i believe that Mary birthed Jesus as a virgin, and that she was sinless. i don't, however, believe in venerating her, no do i for the saints.
i believe that salvation is through grace and faith alone. i don't think that sacraments, works, etc. are necessary for salvation.
i believe that sin is a spiritual sickness, and God's grace is the cure.
i believe in the second coming of Christ, and that he will rule the earth for 1,000 years. i also believe that the dead will be resurrected.
these are just some base level beliefs of mine. again, i'm still a relatively new believer, so i still have a lot to learn. i'm sure my views will differ the more i learn, but for now this is where i stand. thank you for taking the time to read this, God bless.
1
u/itbwtw Nov 25 '24
Christianity, being relational, works best in relationship. It's best to find other believers to worship with.
The denomination is secondary -- I've learned lots from quite a few different flavours of Christianity. They are (almost) all valid and worth spending time in their communities.
Edit: "Everybody believing exactly the same on every issue" is highly overrated. If you can honestly say the Nicene Creed, you'll probably be treated as a sibling anywhere.
1
u/Expensive-Roll665 Nov 25 '24
i see. thank you for the response! sadly, with the situation i’m in, i’m not able to attend a church. i’ve been considering not formally “identifying” myself with any denomination, focusing on my relationship with the Lord, and using strictly the Bible as my guide.
1
u/itbwtw Nov 25 '24
You gotta do what you gotta do. God knows your heart. :)
I quietly identify mostly as "Mere Christian" rather than any denomination, after CS Lewis' excellent work "Mere Christianity": I hold strongly to what most Christians have believed most of the time, and try to hold most everything else loosely and try to keep learning.
You may find that you "discover" on your own questions that have had a lot of discussion centuries before. If you find yourself confused or upset about something, do try to ask around for different points of view on the topic.
I haven't found any topic that hasn't been discussed before, and it can be much less lonely to know we're all going through this together, even if separate.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
1
u/Metalcrack Nov 25 '24
With numbers 1 and 2, it makes it hard to say where you fit in. Lutheran, Anglican or Episcopalian would be most likely. They have some beliefs similar to you on Mary, authority of the church etc. I would look at their doctrines/statements of faith to see how they align with yours.
2
u/Pleronomicon Nov 25 '24
I think it would be best for Christians to avoid denominations and their theologies altogether, and just stick to the Bible; even if that means not fitting into a church. Bad theologies breed deception.