bleechers's Blog

Doctrinal Statements

I was reading the doctrinal statement (or Statement of Faith) offered by a major evangelical organization recently and something struck me (no, not lightning). I was struck at how every point was seemingly given equal weight.

On their list, accepting the sacrifice of Christ as being complete appears to be placed on the same level as one’s personal understanding of the Lord’s return and one's views on "Christian cooperation." In between are other doctrines that all stand side-by-side appearing to be mandatory for fellowship, but I know that the organization wouldn’t claim that they are.

Doctrinal Statements are useful to help others know what we believe. They allow people who agree with us to know we stand with them. They allow those who do not agree to see where we differ. However, I think we need to be a little more particular in how we relate the importance of each individual doctrine.

Truth Circles

When a local church preaches the message of Christ’s finished work and someone comes forward to find out how he may come to the Lord for forgiveness, we don’t tell him to go and develop his personal eschatology before we’ll accept him. Some sects require knowledge of their catechisms before they allow one into fellowship, but that is not the way of the evangelical gospel.

Several years ago I heard a series of messages by Dr. John Whitcomb entitled “Truth Circles.” His point was that the Lord Jesus had several levels of fellowship during His earthly ministry Whitcomb called "Truth Circles." He had his inner circle (Peter, James and John), the twelve, the seventy, the multitudes, greater Israel and finally, gentiles. He spent His time accordingly. I suggest we take that model and adapt it for our doctrinal statements.

Three Levels

Certainly there are doctrines that any group needs to proclaim as “essential” for fellowship. I would call that “Level 1: The Essentials.” After that I would encourage something like “Level 2: Distinctives” and “Level 3: Peripherals.”

For an evangelical group, doctrines such as the deity of Christ, His finished work, the sufficiency of scripture and related teachings would be “essential.” For a Baptist church, something like “believer’s baptism” would be a “Distinctive.” A Pentecostal “Distinctive” may be speaking in tongues. Lastly, a group might have "peripheral" doctrines related to the timing of the Lord’s return or to the mode of local church government.

Among similar groups this would be a great help to those looking to fellowship. Some Pentecostals believe that “speaking in tongues” is “essential,” while others do not. Distinguishing this point is of major importance.

Study Doesn't Start or Stop at the Seminary Doors

Allowing that certain things are not “essential” but still taught encourages people to search the scriptures for themselves and decide what is "essential" in their lives. A board somewhere laying out a list with no clarifications as to what is truly important for fellowship is something from which many died to escape. The right allowing the the "ploughboy" access to the scriptures, gained by blood shed over centuries, is too often willingly handed over to boards and seminaries.

Too many people enter into Christianity and just adapt their prior beliefs to whatever system in which they find themselves ("hell" being the most obvious example). Personal study ends or is morphed into just studying what the sect or seminary teaches. Too often, seminary graduates put the diploma on the wall, declare all things known, and allow very little discussion. All doctrines are taught as “essential.”

I want to be quick to add here that I also know many seminary grads who welcome the tough questions. They encourage a personal study of the word. Some are honest enough to say "I don't know."

I have been fellowshipping for the last five years in a sect with which I disagree on many doctrines I believe are only “distinctives” or “peripherals.” I find much to rejoice in around the Person, the Work and the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ there. I don’t think that their 19-point list of beliefs is meant to be interpreted as a list of equal doctrines, but unfortunately, that’s how it looks.

Being Honest with Themselves and with Us

I strongly affirm a number of their statements, agree in principle with a few, and disagree in a rather pointed way with a few more. For me, the statements that I strongly affirm are enough for me to find fellowship there.

I highly doubt that they want “the separation of church and state” put on the same level with “redemption of man by grace,” so they shouldn’t list these things as though they do. But without drawing lines, they confuse themselves, their members, fellow Christians and a curious world.

It’s time to draw some lines!