[AnthonyB]

Islander,

Thank you for your reply. I do realise that your claim rests on the truthfulness of Joseph Smith's revelation. However one of your selling points is the disunity of the rest of the Christian church. Posting this in the Christian Beliefs board is not designed to change your mind but to discuss an alternative way of viewing things on this topic. That I think it is possible to see the redeeming action of God working through the denominatons to bring glory to God.

I do see the schisming of the church as a sin, which is part of the point of my post, how God deals with that sin. I’d agree that the violence perpetrated on people because of their beliefs is a sin. I'm from a restoration tradition, so I'd even agree that the Council of Nicea attempts to create a unified church by means of imperial dictates was a sin and not of God. I’d also say that Christians should cease all practices and beliefs which are contrary to the New Testament.

However I think you rather miss part of my point, I’m not denying that sin has occurred but I’m discussing God’s response to it. God does not author sin and he does not design for it to occur. However despite this he does redeem people and in doing so has a habit of using/transforming the effects/results of that sin/failing so that it serves his own purpose and glorifies himself.

God does not wait until the individual is sin free and has perfect doctrinal understanding before he begins redeeming an individual. Neither do I think God would wait till a denomination ( or movement, faith tradition) is error free and sinless before he can begin redeeming the group. Where God's redemption may take the people of God I know no more then where God redemption and work in my life may finally lead me (excepting with the grace of God into His presenceafter mortality). However given how scripture repeatedly describes how God works it will not be merely IMHO be back to the original state but to a state that somehow transforms our combined failings into something that honours and glorifies His name.

(PS In case it wasn’t a typo the Protestants came about during the “reformation”.)