What About Doctrine?
God never intended that truth be turned into an altar upon which love and unity are sacrificed.... Neither did He intend that love and unity be turned into an altar upon which to sacrifice truth!
In holding these principles, we must address the question of doctrinal statements. Should churches adhere to doctrines, and if so, to what degree should adherence to them be expected? For some, "doctrine" is one of the most politically incorrect subjects to bring up, let alone forge into a creed. Still, we must face this issue, and commit to what Scripture has to say about it.
Let us begin by considering Paul's instruction to the Thessalonians, to "...stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us" (2 Thess. 2:15). The apostle had himself been the recipient of Christian "traditions" (viz., teachings, doctrines) that had been handed down to him following his conversion (e.g., 1 Cor 15:3-6). Through divine revelation, he supplemented those traditions (e.g., 1 Thess. 4:15-17), adding to them by "letter," or by "word of mouth." He would a decade later--his passing imminent--hand the responsibility for those traditions over to the church as "the pillar and support of the truth." (1 Tim. 3:15).
In the closing decade of the apostolic era, Jude exhorts Christians to "...contend earnestly for the faith, once for all handed down to the saints." "The faith" refers here to the body of truth passed on to all believers. As with God's completed provision for salvation, it could no longer be added to or subtracted from (Rom. 6:10; Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10; 1 Pet. 3:18). It could now only be sincerely and fervently defended over centuries of attacks that would follow.
That task now belongs to us.
Doctrine, when improperly handled, only serves to divide. God's intent is that it unite us. Without common beliefs, we have no unity. Christianity is a belief system. We believe in the person and salvific work of Jesus Christ. We also believe in that which He taught, both in person and through His apostles via the Holy Spirit.
Now, the early church was not commanded to draft formal statements of doctrine; neither are we. We have our doctrine in the Bible. Whether we choose to do so is a matter of stewardship, acknowledging that there are practical considerations for placing them in writing. But if we do, may it be in a biblically responsible fashion: speaking loudly and clearly only where Scripture speaks loudly and clearly; majoring only on the majors, not the minors; using doctrine not to divide, but as a means for uniting us around the sacred and undeniable tenets of the faith.
...Got doctrine?
In holding these principles, we must address the question of doctrinal statements. Should churches adhere to doctrines, and if so, to what degree should adherence to them be expected? For some, "doctrine" is one of the most politically incorrect subjects to bring up, let alone forge into a creed. Still, we must face this issue, and commit to what Scripture has to say about it.
Let us begin by considering Paul's instruction to the Thessalonians, to "...stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us" (2 Thess. 2:15). The apostle had himself been the recipient of Christian "traditions" (viz., teachings, doctrines) that had been handed down to him following his conversion (e.g., 1 Cor 15:3-6). Through divine revelation, he supplemented those traditions (e.g., 1 Thess. 4:15-17), adding to them by "letter," or by "word of mouth." He would a decade later--his passing imminent--hand the responsibility for those traditions over to the church as "the pillar and support of the truth." (1 Tim. 3:15).
In the closing decade of the apostolic era, Jude exhorts Christians to "...contend earnestly for the faith, once for all handed down to the saints." "The faith" refers here to the body of truth passed on to all believers. As with God's completed provision for salvation, it could no longer be added to or subtracted from (Rom. 6:10; Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10; 1 Pet. 3:18). It could now only be sincerely and fervently defended over centuries of attacks that would follow.
That task now belongs to us.
Doctrine, when improperly handled, only serves to divide. God's intent is that it unite us. Without common beliefs, we have no unity. Christianity is a belief system. We believe in the person and salvific work of Jesus Christ. We also believe in that which He taught, both in person and through His apostles via the Holy Spirit.
Now, the early church was not commanded to draft formal statements of doctrine; neither are we. We have our doctrine in the Bible. Whether we choose to do so is a matter of stewardship, acknowledging that there are practical considerations for placing them in writing. But if we do, may it be in a biblically responsible fashion: speaking loudly and clearly only where Scripture speaks loudly and clearly; majoring only on the majors, not the minors; using doctrine not to divide, but as a means for uniting us around the sacred and undeniable tenets of the faith.
...Got doctrine?
posted by Bill | 9/05/2007
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