Have we failed to follow Paul's instructions to avoid in-fighting?

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Yes, agreed, the very fact of denominationalism proves that the present day 'churches' (as a conglomerate) are fallen. But that fact does not obliterate the true Body of Christ, despite that it does obscure it.

The seven churches of Asia were different from one another as to their condition, and some were in a bad condition, one to the point where it was threatened that if there was no repentance, it would no longer be a distinct church at all.

But that was still the Body of Christ on earth.

Repentance was required in five out of the seven. Judgment was strictly warned. Much needed to be put right.

Yet, apart from those seven there was apostasy round about. Many had departed altogether and other gatherings were arisen, centred on erroneous doctrine.

False apostles attempted to lead all astray. The Nicolaitans propagated their hateful doctrine.

But Jesus Christ still walked among the lampstands of the churches, his eyes as a flame of fire, searching out, his feet as burning brass, making progress in judgment.

Still, the seven Spirits of God burned before the throne in heaven.

Still, Christ sent a message to the churches, through the apostolic ministry.

And, despite all that we see wrong, we can still expect Jesus Christ, enthroned above, to work such things in this present day.

Amen.

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The different denominations serve different functions in the body of God.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes the following:

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

(1 Corinthians 12:12-26)

From this verse, which discusses how different parts of the body serve vital roles in the body and the whole of the body requires each of the parts to perform its function for the body to function properly, in an analogy to the Christian Church which is metaphorically the Body of Christ, we can see that the denominations play a vital role in the flourishing of the greater Christian Church. While acrimonious division (e.g. the situation in Northern Ireland, the Thirty Years War, etc.) is bad, the flourishing of different denominations allows God to perform His work in the world in a variety of ways.

The Catholics appeal to those who seek comfort in ritual and remind us of the enduring history of the Church. Baptists and Evangelicals remind us of the importance of the Bible through their devotion to Bible study, and Charismatics remind us of the overflowing power of God; some denominations remind us of the importance of love for the downtrodden and charity to the needy, while more evangelistic churches help grow the Church by sending missionaries to foreign countries, etc.

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