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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Christianity > Christian institutions & organizations > General
"Apples to Oranges" is about what has happened to the Christian
Church since its early formation by the apostles and Jesus'
teachings. With the myriad of church denominations today, we ask --
would the founders of the various denominations (if they could
return today) even affiliate with their own denominations? How did
the different denominations form, and then reform? Was necessity
the mother of invention, or was the Church that Christ built simply
the victim of human frailty over the ages? Did the Nicolaitan-like
early bishops get their Nicolaitanism from trying to compete with
Caesar and his royalty? Are the Nicolaitans of today more
interested in church politics than in preaching the Gospel? How
important were icons to the twelve apostles? Did they insert a row
of precious gems in their plain robes to set them apart from each
other and those who followed them? Where is biblical support for
the sale of indulgences? Was the absence of a male heir to the
throne a legitimate reason for starting the Church of England? Is
baptizing an infant so important that those refusing to do so were
drowned in Switzerland? When God says He is "not willing that any
should perish," how does that affect predestination? When Jesus
promises not to lose any whom the Father has given Him, are we
eternally secure as believers? While sound Christian doctrine is
found throughout Scripture, dogmatic practices are absent. The Holy
Spirit of God breathed words of truth into the minds of the
biblical writers. Since He chose not to pursue dogmatic details, we
are similarly bound. Whenever we try to "improve" on God's perfect
plan, we fail. When we ignore doctrines declared in Scripture, we
also err. There is a need to return to the doctrines and practices
of the Apostolic Church.
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