If you are a Christian who prefers to stick with definitions which are found in the Bible when explaining your faith to others, try doing this sometime. Ask the spiritual leader at your church, "Is it fine if I never use our denominational label, but instead only identify myself as a 'Christian' when talking to others about my faith?" The answer you are given will tell you a lot about the amount of spiritual freedom in your congregation.
"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Cor. 3:17) In the Bible, those who are born again through faith in Christ are defined with words such as: "believer," "Christian," "disciple," "saint," "brothers," "sisters," and "the church." These are some of the designations God chose to use in His Word when defining you as a follower of Christ. There are plenty of other descriptors which get used by Christians that are man-made and are not listed in the Bible.
It is not a sin to use some man-made words to define yourself and your spiritual beliefs and practices. You have the freedom as a believer to use such words if you so desire. There are plenty of born again people who in good conscience say things such as, "I am a Baptist," or "I am a Catholic," or "I am a Pentecostal," or "I am a Calvinist." This can certainly be done in a way that does not cause offense or too much division within the body of Christ.
But having the freedom to use such definitions is a very different thing than feeling the pressure to use them. Are you in a church that would frown upon your choice to always use "Christian" or "believer" rather than your denominational moniker? Are you concerned that a denominational label often gets in the way of the Gospel being presented without unnecessary clutter? If so, you are one of millions of believers around the world who feel the same way you do on this issue.
Full Story: Learning to Live Without Your Denominational Moniker
Source: Christian Post