Why Are There So Many Denominations?

There are many different denominations within Christianity today.  Is this a good or bad thing?  Most people would probably say this is a bad thing, but could it also be a good thing?  There are many cases in which separation amongst Christians should not have happened.  But there are also times when separation is necessary.  Separation should not happen over minor things.  It should occur only over primary doctrinal issues.  

Separation is sometimes necessary though.  The Protestant Reformation would be a great example.  It was necessary for Protestants to separate from the Roman Catholic church. The Catholic church was full of error and corruption.   The Reformation was a recovery of Biblical Christianity.  It restored the doctrine of justification by faith alone.  It also restored the teaching that the Bible alone is authoritative.  While we would desire greater unity among Protestants, the Reformation was definitely a good thing.  

In more recent times separation from theological liberalism has been necessary.  Conservative Protestants should not be united with the theological liberals.  Liberals deny the authority of the Bible, not seeing it as the literal, Word of God.  Liberals deny that Jesus is God, that he performed miracles, that he was resurrected, and that he is the only way to heaven.  Liberalism also ends up denying the sovereignty of God.  Liberalism also accepts things such as evolution and homosexuality. Both of which are contrary to Biblical teaching.  As J. Gresham Machen said liberalism is not Christianity at all.  

The desire for unity is good but it must be unity in the truth.  As Martin Luther said, "unity where possible, truth at all costs." While there is too much division within Protestantism, there is still much more unity than people sometimes think.  In heaven believers will have perfect unity in the truth.