Doctrine is Essential

There is a growing movement within Christianity, specifically Protestantism, that sees doctrine as non-essential. These Christians condemn religion and claim that Christianity is about relationship, rather than worship. While worship and relationship go hand-in-hand, relationship does not necessarily lead to worship; it can actually be entirely self-serving.

What really matters in this “relationship worship” Christianity, is that we just love people, have sporadic and spontaneous prayers, and if tears accompany this, then we’re really cooking with “spiritual gas.” We might even have to get a fog machine and a production crew. But the idea that the relationship supersedes the doctrines of the Church is not affirmed by scripture.

In 1 Timothy chapter 1, St. Paul says,

“I repeat the request I made of you when I was on my way to Macedonia, that you stay in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to teach false doctrines.”

— 1 Tim. 1:3

Doctrine is important to the apostle because false doctrine is dangerous for all parties involved. Not only does it lead ignorant Christians astray, but it leads to a harsh judgment for the teachers. Thus, the motivation for this exhortation, St. Paul says, is “love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.” The apostle continues,

“Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk, wanting to be teachers of the law, but without understanding either what they are saying or what they assert with such assurance.”

— 1 Tim. 1:6b-7

To speak of our opinions on matters of doctrine, especially if we can’t know who is right or who is wrong, leads to a Christianity that is ultimately unknowable and therefore unlivable; submission is the first step in salvation, and you cannot submit to that which you don’t know.

Therefore, man has to be able to know the truth, otherwise there is no hope for any of us. The consequences of theological speculation or pedaling a Christianity that only cares about Jesus and not His teaching, is ultimately condemned in the severest terms by St. Paul. Thus, he concludes his opening chapter with these words,

“Some, by rejecting conscience, have made a shipwreck of their faith, among them Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.”

— 1 Tim. 1:19b-20.

St. Paul is echoing the idea that disobedience to God’s laws and doctrines leads one to be in the hands of the Devil. This idea is also found in the teachings of Jesus when he says, “Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!” (Mt. 18:7). False doctrine leads to sin, therefore we have to be able to know doctrine, otherwise we are flying blind. Those who teach others false doctrines, leads to severe condemnation:

“Whoever causes one of these little ones^[e] who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

— Jesus, (Mt. 18:6)

In other words, doctrine and relationship are essential for worship just as the body and the soul are essential to be human. But today, those outside the Church have no confidence in their own self-proclaimed authority to establish doctrine. Regularly, preachers teach this as a “feature” rather than a “bug” of the reformation, that they can “be wrong” on matters of doctrine and morals. But Christianity and the Church you attend is not like shopping for life insurance, where you evaluate the policy and determine if this company’s policies are right for you.

Today, many Christians take for granted the orthodoxy they have inherited. They wrongly believe that pastor John Doe up the road, armed with only his Bible and his Greek and Hebrew, would be capable of deducing, by himself, the doctrine of the Trinity, the Doctrine of the Eucharist, how Baptism should be administered, the Incarnation, Mary’s Virginity and Conception, etc. We don’t need to turn to history to determine if this is true, because there is no way that John Doe pastor is at the level of understanding that the ancient Church Fathers were; he ain’t no St. Augustine.

In short, without the Church, not only do you not have doctrine but you also do not have scripture. Therefore, without the Church there is no doctrine. If there is no doctrine, there is no religion. If there is no religion, there is no relationship with God. And if there is no relationship with God, then we are to be most pitied.

— DR