Many Christians think they possess discernment, but they do not actually know what discernment is or what it looks like. If something sounds good to them, they will blindly believe anything because they have been convinced of it, regardless of whether it has a shred of truth to it.
So many Christians are in cults, not even aware of it, and it is not even funny.
The “One True Church” is not Catholic, Protestant, Fundamentalist, or Evangelical, but is made up of people from all of these. Jesus saves people from every tribe, nation, and language, not because of their beliefs, practices, or traditions, but in spite of them. It is their belief in Jesus that saves, not the interpretational errors and bankrupt theologies they have embraced.
Catholics, Protestants, Fundamentalists, and Evangelicals are all wrong to varying degrees in various areas of their beliefs, practices, and traditions. This is what happens when you put men’s opinions above Scripture, insist on reading Scripture out of context, and embrace bankrupt theologies built upon myths, fairy tales, and proof text methodology.
Catholics, Protestants, Fundamentalists, and Evangelicals are all ignorant and illiterate of Scripture and its context, giving their opinions and calling it "exposition" while ripping random isolated verses out of context, imposing their ideas and experiences upon the text, and misapplying them.
Catholics, Protestants, Fundamentalists, and Evangelicals all need to get an education in the New Covenant, the Gospel, and grace, as well as to which side of the cross they live on and which Covenant they are a part of. Having such an education would eliminate a great many of the false teachings and heresies these groups beat their chests and shout from the roof tops about.
In case you were not aware, there are over 40,000 different Christian denominations, groups, and sects in the world. They cannot all be right, but they can certainly all be wrong. None of them hold a monopoly on the truth, but all of them believe and teach varying errors that contradict the Scriptures. In fact, their very practices of "Church" are diametrically opposed to and backwards from that which the Bible prescribes. "Churches" should not dictate what attendees believe. Every Christian is responsible to hold the Bible in high regard as the only standard, and then weigh all opinions against the Scriptures, paying attention to the various contexts, and then confronting and conforming their beliefs according to the TRUTH. Sadly, most are not willing to do this.
Here’s a message many Christians need reminding of:
"Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:2-3)
Holiness and spiritual growth do not come from following or obeying the Law! The Law only leads to failure, frustration, guilt, shame, and more sinning. The Law (specifically the Ten Commandments) is a ministry of condemnation and death (2 Cor. 3:7-11). The Law (using one of the Ten Commandments as an example) causes you to sin because the power of sin is the Law (Rom. 7:8-11; 1 Cor. 15:56). The Law was weak and useless and could not perfect anybody (Heb. 7:18-19). The Old Covenant, with its Law, was made obsolete (Heb. 8:13; 7:12).
The cross is the dividing line of human history—not baby Jesus lying in a manger. Hebrews 9:16-17 says that death—not birth—brings a change in covenant. If you are trying to live by words prior to the cross (including the Old Testament), you are enslaved in bondage to legalistic performance-based religion. The Gospel was first given to the Hebrews. Jesus was "born under the Law to redeem those under the Law" (Gal. 4:4-5) and to "save His people from their sin" (Matt. 1:21). His people were the Israelites. Jesus, Who was still under the Old Covenant, was primarily speaking to the Israelites. Part of His ministry was in preparing the way for grace, but a large part of His ministry was elevating and increasing the weight of the Law upon the people so they would despair and see the impossibility of being able to keep the Law and to look for something better. Jesus was not primarily speaking to Christians!
Christians are on the other side of the cross, where grace is in abundance. Gentiles never had a part in the Law, so for us it is either the New Covenant or nothing at all. Besides, the Law is an all-or-nothing proposition. It is not a smorgasbord or buffet where you pick and choose what feels good for you. Furthermore, God's Word never divides the Law into three categories: the so-called "moral", the civil, and the ceremonial. That is man's doing. Galatians informs us that if we want to keep any part of the Law (circumcision, the Ten Commandments, tithing, etc.), we are under a curse and we are obligated to keep the entire Law (all 613 regulations; not just the "Ten" Commandments, of which you only follow 9, but slip "tithing" in to get back to 10)! James informs us that if we fail in one point of the Law, we are guilty of failing all of it! Is that what you want for your life?
In Jesus, your sins are freely, fully, and forever forgiven! Your slate has been completely wiped clean. Any wrong-doing you commit is not being accumulated or added to any record, because that record was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14). Furthermore, your wrong-doings are not rightly called "sins" because sin was defined by the Law and you are dead to the Law, on top of having all your sins forgiven—past, present, and future. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, how many of your sins were future? All of them! In Christ Jesus you are a new creation, the old has been crucified and is dead and gone. In Christ Jesus you are a saint—not a "sinner". In Christ Jesus you are holy, righteous, blameless, pure, and sinless. This is your identity in Christ Jesus that priests, preachers, and pastors have failed to inform you of.
Grace is grace, no matter what! The freedom, forgiveness, identity, and new life that you possess through the New Covenant are not affected in any way, shape, or form by your daily performance. These treasures are yours to keep. If you have put your faith and trust in Christ Jesus, no matter how feeble your faith is, you cannot "lose" your salvation. Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful! Once you correctly understand the New Covenant, the Gospel, and grace, it changes everything!
Christians are the only people who can be themselves and express Jesus all at the same time. Go be yourself and serve your King!