There's some good wisdom below (from another newsgroup). For another
angle read my paper 'Was Jesus a Christian?'
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/2902.htm

Richard Foster's new book -Streams of Living Water' is worth getting on
this point. His question: 'How have people got to know God?' Answer:
'Six ways.' (My response: unless we relate to God in all six ways, we'll
not be worshipping God 'with all that is within us' (Psalm 103).

Vernon O wrote:
 
Let me explain to those slow of wit.   When a group of people have a
similar belief or methodology and another group of people have a different
methodology, conservation of words dictates that some name be given to the
group.  Both groups may be right , wrong or at opposing positions. When
John addresses the people in the various Churches, he used names to
identify where they were.  He did not revert to some esoteric
description from scripture which, by induction, others would know who he
was addressing.

Today if someone says a Lutheran church, one knows basically what they
teach and the order of their worship.  One does not have to say that
these people do such and such.

A person speaking English has a choice of saying another is a Calvinist
and a second is an Arminian or the person can go into a four hundred page
description of what each believes.  HENCE we use the SHORTCUT, Calvinist.

Now we could be more general and say Christian instead of Calvinist. 
Then there is all the rest of the world.
 
> Veritas <> wrote in message
> news:37EC3F87.FA3B0
> > But then the items you list are not requisite to one's salvation and
> > therefore God did not include them in the New Testament.  Where the
> > Scripture speaks, let it be spoken; where silent, let silence be
> > unbroken.