A Question Regarding the Variation of Doctrines within Christendom All Christians (Protestants, Orthodox, and Catholics) have access to the canonized 66 books of the OT and NT. 

Putting that into perspective, why is there such a great amount of variation in doctrines, and consequently, so many denominations? 

Furthermore, how should a new believer  in Christ be expected to choose from all these denominations without risking his/her eternal well-being?

For example, 

Methodists, and several other denominations, believe that a person can lose his salvation whereas Baptists maintain that once a person saved, the person is always saved and cannot fall from grace.

Neither of the above viewpoints are affirmed or refuted directly by Scripture.

Another example, 

Baptists do not practice infant Baptism giving the reason that the Bible has neither commanded nor exemplified infant Baptism as a practice in Christianity,  whereas Presbyterians baptize infants on the belief that the same is equivalent to the circumcision of Hebrew infants, showing that they have become a part of the covenant community.

Again, neither of the above viewpoints are affirmed or refuted directly by Scripture.
There are a number of reasons for the various denominations (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant).

1) Different groups believe and don't believe in a thing called Tradition that they use for their members.

2) Different groups accept and reject some parts of a variety of Councils over the centuries.

3) Different groups have different "lines of authority" to determine what the Bible says.

4) Different groups do not believe there was a "faith once delivered", but rather it developed and needed defining.

5) Different groups believe there are false teachers, but not in their group.

6) Different groups have different canons.

What should a new believer do?  It is you after all, not your priest, patriarch, pastor, or prophet who will have to stand in front of God and give an account.


  Romans 14:12 YLT- so, then, each of us concerning himself shall give reckoning to God;


If one has a vertical relationship with God reconciled in Christ, then also a horizontal relationship that involves brothers/sisters in Christ.  One should be mindful not to be a stumbling block.

Remember it is the teacher, not necessarily directly the student, who has the burden to face greater judgment.


  James 3:1 YLT- Many teachers become not, my brethren, having known that greater judgment we shall receive,


So, those teachers in a denomination who, for example, teach baby baptism as necessary for a baby's salvation apart from which he/she goes to hell versus those who teach, say, 1 Cor. 7:14, then it is those teachers who will answer.  One is right; the other wrong.

In the meantime, I'd suggest focusing on the seven fundamentals that are given at Hebrews 6:1-2.