I received a text from my friend, (we will call him Carl), saying a woman told him rudely he needed to “get in a doctrinal church.” He asked me what she meant. I think he should have asked her. Instead, replied that apparently doctrine was really important to the lady, and that she thought it was the most important thing for him to be connected to. And apparently she didn’t approve of the church he was a part of either.
By definition, Christian doctrine is simply “man’s” way of describing what God is doing, has done, and will do. It’s a set of beliefs. It is our way of understanding and defining for ourselves, God’s character and desires for humanity, all of which we should base upon the Bible.
In other words, doctrine is sort of our collective perception of who God is, and what he is doing to connect with us humans.
So doctrine can be viewed as a really cool grid-like gift from God. The challenge becomes if we begin to believe our doctrine or grid is the unifying factor for the Church. How could this be a problem when almost every denomination is constructed around a different set of doctrine? Basically, because our beliefs about God will always be limited and arguable.
Let’s put this in perspective. Say there’s a cute little pill bug. And, let’s say you are a human. Now, introduce yourself to the pill bug and tell him all about yourself. Problem! Every time you try to get his attention, he crawls underneath some other piece of wood, or coils up into a little ball and ignores you completely. It’s like he isn’t even listening to you at all.
Excuse my tongue in cheek, but I think you get the picture.
There is an answer for our positioning challenge as we little human believers. “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” – Isaiah 55:8-9
What God is saying is that even on our best day, loaded with commentaries, concordances, various translations and other extra-biblical texts, we are only taking stabs at describing God.
I know that this woman mentioned in the text message is not alone in her thinking. There are a great number of Churches who declare their unity around a certain set of doctrine and will often exclude people who refuse to line up with them. I do believe in the importance of being like-minded on certain issues, but to form policies or dividing attitudes toward others because of a doctrinal bias, is giving too much authority to that particular doctrine. Rather, it is giving too much authority to ourselves really.
This also brings up the question of what God thinks about our rules and doctrinal stances.
This issue of doctrine worship seemed to appear in almost every situation where the Pharisees are mentioned in the Gospels.
Jesus responds to a group of Pharisee regarding their rules (doctrine) for ceremonial hand washing before eating a meal.
“You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules (doctrine) made by men.’” – Matthew 15:7-9
Jesus then concludes with, “… eating with unwashed hands does not make a person unclean.” – Matthew 15:20 (paraphrased). Just before that in verse 14, Jesus tells his disciples to “Leave them. They are blind…”
To say that the love of doctrine has caused division within the Church would be a huge understatement. This is the simple answer for why there are so many different denominations today.
The Apostle Paul writes, “I urge you brothers to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.” – Romans 16:17
Pharisees still exist today. They are those in your church community putting principle before people, and who often appoint themselves as the doctrinal police in a sense. And… they like being seen, so they dive after jobs like passing out bulletins, ushers, and even deacons.
So what do you do if you encounter one? So far, we got Jesus and the Apostle Paul both strongly endorsing a distancing. Maybe the church isn’t a journey for ALL people after all.
Titus 2:1 gives instruction to a pastor, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.” So what is sound doctrine? The Bible describes it as the law of God, and the words of the prophets. However, Paul again sweeps in with clarity saying, “The entire law is summed up in a single command, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Galatians 5:14. In other words, everything God was trying to tell you in the First Testament about how to live, Jesus sums it up in a word, “LOVE”.
So to (Carl), my texting buddy and brother in the struggle of faith, you are right to love the doctrine lady because God created her and loves her deeply, but I better not catch you hanging with her at Starbux. Now that’s a heavy doctrine
Makes you wonder why God doesn’t just squish us like… uh... pill bugs.
