Doctrine refers to the body of teachings and instructions that guide and direct the practices, conduct, and beliefs of followers of a religion. In Christianity, doctrine consists of the foundational truths and principles contained in the Bible that define essential Christian beliefs. Some key aspects of Christian doctrine include:
- The nature and character of God (e.g. God is triune – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
- The person and work of Jesus Christ (e.g. Jesus is fully God and fully man; Jesus died on the cross and rose again to provide salvation)
- The work of the Holy Spirit (e.g. the Spirit indwells believers and empowers them for godly living)
- The authority and inspiration of Scripture (e.g. the Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God)
- Humanity’s fallen nature and need for salvation (e.g. all people are sinful and separated from God apart from Christ)
- The church (e.g. the global community of believers across time and generations)
- Future things (e.g. Christ’s second coming, resurrection, final judgment)
Christian doctrine is drawn from the sixty-six books of the Bible. Scripture teaches us essential truths about God, human beings, salvation, the church, and the world. Doctrine provides a framework for understanding and applying biblical teaching. Sound doctrine conforms to what Scripture says and informs how Christians are called to live.
There are some key purposes and functions of biblical doctrine:
- Doctrine reveals who God is. Through doctrine, we learn fundamental truths about God’s nature, character, purposes, and actions. God has chosen to reveal Himself to humanity through His Word.
- Doctrine teaches us how to be saved. The Bible makes clear the way of salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. Doctrines concerning sin, Jesus’ life and work, repentance, and faith are essential to understanding the Gospel.
- Doctrine shapes how we live. Biblical teaching instructs us how to love God and neighbor, make disciples, honor marriage, work honestly, and worship corporately. Right doctrine anchors Christian practice.
- Doctrine guides spiritual maturity. Mature faith results from learning and applying sound doctrine. We grow by increasing both in the knowledge of God and the obedience that knowledge requires.
- Doctrine promotes spiritual unity. Shared commitment to core biblical doctrines provides a basis for fellowship between believers. Doctrine distinguishes orthodox Christianity from unbiblical teaching.
- Doctrine defends against false teaching. Doctrinal clarity based on Scripture protects the church from error and enables discernment of truth from unbiblical ideas that may infiltrate the church.
There are several important biblical passages that emphasize the centrality of sound doctrine for followers of Christ:
- “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16)
- “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 1:13)
- “Teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.” (Titus 2:1)
- “In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned.” (Titus 2:7-8)
- “Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God.” (2 John 1:9)
These verses emphasize the importance of adhering to biblical doctrine for faithful Christian living and teaching. Sound doctrine remains vitally important for the health and survival of the church.
There are several core essential doctrines that define the boundaries of Christian orthodoxy. These fundamental doctrines derive directly from Scripture and have been affirmed throughout church history. They include doctrines such as:
- The Trinity – God eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- The full deity and humanity of Christ – Jesus is fully God and fully man.
- The virgin birth – Jesus was supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
- Christ’s sinless life, miracles, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension, and present ministry.
- Salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
- The inerrancy and divine inspiration of Scripture.
- The imminent personal return of Jesus Christ.
- The resurrection of the dead to final judgment.
Denial of these core doctrines places one outside orthodox Christian belief. Other biblical teachings are important but not regarded as definitively essential boundaries of the faith. Examples include doctrines such as spiritual gifts, the timing of end-time events, the structure of church leadership, and the manner and meaning of baptism. Christians can thoughtfully disagree on these while affirming shared commitment to the essentials.
While doctrine is vital, Christians must be careful to uphold sound doctrine with an attitude of humility, grace, and biblical fidelity. Doctrine should be handled with prayer, wisdom, and sensitivity to Scripture’s whole counsel. When contending for doctrinal truth, God’s people must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
Additionally, doctrine should never be divorced from Christian living. Sound doctrine informs how followers of Jesus are called to actively live out and obey biblical teaching. Doctrine should lead to doxology – praising God for the wonders of His redemptive plan. Paul writes that the “goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).
In summary, doctrine refers to the body of biblical teachings that shape Christian faith and practice. Doctrine provides an essential framework for knowing God, understanding salvation, and living in a manner pleasing to God. Sound doctrine anchors believers in God’s truth, unites Christians in shared biblical convictions, protects from theological error, and informs obedience to God’s Word. While contending for doctrinal truth, Christians must do so with Christ-like humility and love.
Here are some key biblical passages that further unpack what the Bible teaches about sound doctrine and why it matters:
The Source of Doctrine is Scripture
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
“These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10-12)
Sound Doctrine Should be Valued and Protected
“If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.” (1 Timothy 4:6)
“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (2 Timothy 1:13-14)
“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 1:9)
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” (1 Timothy 4:1-2)
“Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.” (2 John 1:9-10)
Doctrine Instructs in Righteousness and Promotes Spiritual Growth
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
“[Christ] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2)
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:16-17)
Sound Doctrine Accords with Godly Living
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16)
“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” (Titus 2:7-8)
“Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6)
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:14-17)
Upholding Sound Doctrine Requires Discernment
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)
“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith.” (1 Timothy 1:3-4)
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3)
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-7)
Doctrine Should be Taught and Contended for With Love and Grace
“Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:24-25)
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:6)
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)
“Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” (2 Timothy 2:23-25)
Right Doctrine Should Lead to Heartfelt Worship
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2)
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)
“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” (Hebrews 13:15)
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:1-5)
In summary, sound biblical doctrine grounds our knowledge of God in His authoritative revelation. Doctrine shapes Christian faith, instructs in righteousness, promotes spiritual maturity, accords with godly living, anchors unity among believers, and guards against false teaching and unbiblical ideas. Christians are called to humbly yet boldly contend for doctrinal truth revealed in Scripture. This must be done with patience, discernment, love and grace towards others. While essential for the health and survival of the church, doctrine must never be divorced from bringing glory to God and fueling deeper intimacy with Him through Christ.