Click button to print. If nothing happens, try
Follow Jesus and Not Any Denominations
By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas
Bible Study: The Importance of Following Jesus Alone.
In today’s world, many believers are tempted or even pressured to follow traditions, denominations, institutions, or charismatic leaders. But the call of the Bible is clear: we must follow Jesus Christ alone. Jesus is the only way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). This study explores why it is dangerous to follow men or religious systems that were created by men, and why our sole focus must remain on following Christ Jesus alone.
🚶♂️ Jesus Calls Us to Follow *Him*
From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus called individuals personally to follow Him—not a group, sect, or tradition.
Matthew 4:19 (KJV)
“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Luke 9:23 (KJV)
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Jesus didn’t say, “Follow the Pharisees,” “Follow the Temple,” or “Join a denomination, start a new religious sect or join the right seminary and you will be granted eternal life — ” He simply said, “Follow Me.”
In today’s world people are constantly promoting their selves or their “brand” of “Christianity” to seek followers. We see this a lot on social media and other media networks and in many churches across the globe. Many churches and thousands of denominations seeking to push what they believe about God, man made ideologies with a message to gain more and more popularity of people to follow them.
When we study the scriptures, this mindset contradicts what Jesus taught because Jesus never wanted anyone to start a church that promotes ones own agenda or beliefs. There is nothing wrong with having a platform to promote the “gospel message”, but if the gospel message becomes about a brand of Christianity, an institutional belief, or man made teachings that point people to the teachings of men and their institutions, it leads people down the wrong path that God never intended. When these institutions promote their own agenda instead of promoting the doctrines that Jesus taught, it presents a false Christ and false gospel of salvation to the masses.
🚫 Do Not Follow Man-Made Systems that can not save
The early church often warned about divisions and following men. In the first century, believers began saying they followed Paul, others were saying I follow Apollos, or Peter. The Apostle Paul rebuked this strongly and pointed them back to the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:12-13 (KJV)
“Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”
We are not called to follow churches, popes, pastors, or institutions, no matter how “holy” they may seem to appear. We must align our faith with scriptures and follow Christ Jesus alone. Following denominational beliefs or doctrines, and by-laws that ignore the doctrines of Jesus are all man made and will always lead people down the wrong path and cause many to worship God in vain.
Matthew 15:9 (KJV)
“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Colossians 2:8 (KJV)
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
🌟 Jesus Is the Only Head of the Church
When a person repents from following men, and renounces everything that men teach and begin to follow everything that Jesus said and taught, they will begin to understand God, His word, and His will and enter into a relationship with the Lord based on “truth” because Jesus is the only head of his church – (the body of Christ).
If any person including people who sit in a church pews on Sunday morning refuse to follow and submit to the doctrines of the Lord Jesus Christ and everything that Jesus taught, they are rebelling against the Lord and have not truly been converted and only have a historical or philosophical view and understanding of Jesus and have never entered into a true relationship with God, they do not understand why God the Father really sent Jesus Christ his Son into the world to save them because the focus of their faith is on men’s doctrines and teachings. This too was taking place in the Galtian church and the Lord sent the Apostle Paul to correct them.
Galations 3:1 “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
Jesus alone is the head of the Church – Not Men or Institution
Colossians 1:18 (KJV)
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
Ephesians 1:22-23 (KJV)
“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
Denominations may claim authority, but all authority belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ alone who is the head of his church. Every believer who follows what Jesus taught is part of His body directly through faith in Jesus Christ alone, not through a religious systems or a church “membership” or a church affiliation that are teaching the doctrines of men.
🛑Warnings About Following Men
Every believer must put their trust in the Lord because men are created beings who have fallen short of the glory of God.
Jeremiah 17:5 (KJV)
“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.”
Matthew 23:8-10 (KJV)
“8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.”
The word of God is clear in that it nothing else except the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross is what saves a person. No institution or any other teaching that would try to replace the shed blood of Jesus can save anyone. If anyone tries to seek any other way for redemption and salvation, including seeking doctrines and rudiments created by men, they err and are lost until the come in through the only gate which is Jesus Christ alone!
Ephesians 1:6 “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace”
1 Peter 1:18 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:“
Let’s look close at what Jesus said in scripture:
John 10:1 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.“
Jesus clearly taught that within the body of Christ we are all brothers and sisters and no one is greater or lesser then another. Within the body of Christ there are no hierarchy systems that exalt a person above others. No one should exalt themselves in authority over others yet we see this happening in many denominations across the world today. Jesus alone is the head of his church not men, and men are never to lord over anyone because Jesus Christ is the Lord over all his flock.
Institutions which people call “churches” that do not point people to Christ alone are not only deceived, but are also deceiving it’s parishioners. Any established institution that focus and point people to their beliefs and not what the word of God is explicitly is teaching are not only in error but “spiritually blind” and are in danger of hell on the day of judgment. When opinions replace the doctrines of Christ, it always will lead people to hell. The Apostles always and only focused on the doctrines of Christ and not the teachings of men.
Look at what Jesus said about the blind leading the blind…
Matthew 15:14 “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
2 John 1:9 “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”
If a person is not abiding in and by the doctrines – (teachings) of Christ and their focus becomes the by-laws and the teachings of their “church” which contradict the teachings of Christ, all they have is religion and not Jesus Christ. They have not been converted to Christ because they are following doctrines of men and both their teachers and followers will end up in the same ditch — hell on the day of judgment when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.
Jesus had something very important to say about this in scripture:
Matthew 15:8 “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
Every person who is professes to follow Christ must ask their selves one question, am I truly following Jesus and the things that Jesus taught? Every person must also look at what Jesus said in Luke 6:46 and compare what they profess to believe or are being taught by men and ask their self am I or my church “doing” what Jesus teaches in his word? A few other questions should arise in every believer, am I following my church or Jesus? Is my church really following the Lord and what Jesus taught and “said” in his word, or is it just vain religious worship and motions that make one believe they are saved?
Luke 6:46 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
📖 Old & New Testament Examples of Following God, Not Systems
In the Old Testament we can clearly see that patriarchs of old followed God and not men or institutions that were created by man.
- Abraham – Left his country, kin, and familiar ways to follow God’s call Genesis 12:1-4
“1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.”
- Moses – Chose God over Egypt’s system
Hebrews 11:24-27
“24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible”
- Elijah – Stood against the religious system of Baal promoted by the government. You can read about this account in 1 Kings 18.
In the New Testament we see the same pattern of men who only followed the Lord and not religious institutions that were created by man.
- The Disciples – Left everything to follow Jesus, not the religious leaders of the day.
Matthew 4:18-22
“18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left theirnets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the sonof Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”
- Stephen and man full of faith and the Holy Spirit addresses the Sanhedrin religious legal system of his day and rebukes the religious leaders and was stoned to death for boldly standing for Jesus and pointing them to follow Jesus alone. You can read the entire account of what took place in Acts 7.
- Paul who in time was past was a religious zealot – Left an entire religious system, Judaism and counted all things but loss for Christ.
Philippians 3:7-8 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
Final Thoughts
- Question? Have you like Paul left your religion and denomination to follow Christ? Or are you not willing to give supremacy to Jesus because you uphold and give supremacy to your religion rather then Jesus Christ?
There is no salvation in any denomination, church building, or religious system that can save anyone. The only way to eternal life is through faith in Jesus Christ and the work that God did through his Son Jesus. Let no man or movement distract you from the simplicity that is in Christ. God is calling all to follow his Son Jesus.
2 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
Follow Jesus. Love Him. Love and Obey His Word. He alone is the Shepherd of your soul, and Jesus alone holds the keys to eternal life!
Exhortation
Keep your eyes on Jesus — not on institutions, traditions, or men. Man made churches can not save you, only Christ.
PRAY TO RENOUNCE ALL RELIGION TO FOLLOW AFTER CHRIST
Father God, I come before you and ask you to forgive me for following men’s doctrines, teachings, and institutions created by man. I now renounce all men’s doctrines that I have learned and surrender to do your will and follow after your beloved Son Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus I ask you to open my spiritual eyes and teach me the doctrines that you taught in your word so I can be free of all religions and religious rhetoric and deliver me from all the doctrines of demons according to 1 Timothy 3:1 where your said: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” – In Jesus name I pray – Amen.
Jesus is the only one who can save you!
I hope this study has blessed your understanding of Jesus Christ and his word!
You can watch the live video broadcast to this blog on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2qOEUSjRko
Help boost the community - Take a moment to Share This: