What is usually behind the question is the idea that there are different kinds of truths we deal with as Christians:  important ones, and not-so-important ones.  Most all believers will easily put “Jesus is your Savior from sin” in the category of “important”; many will also quickly add something like, “We are saved by grace through faith, without works.”  

But how should all the other teachings of Scripture be categorized?  The assumption for many people is that everything beyond those basic you’re-not-saved-if-you-don’t-believe-this truths should be classified as “not-so-important”. Another way they express this:  The gospel matters, but doctrine doesn’t.

This is painting with a very broad brush, and a dangerous misunderstanding and misuse of terms.  When people devalue doctrine in that way, they’re usually thinking of it as complicated or esoteric philosophizing that only theologians and pedants should have any reason to think about — things like the exact details of what heaven will look like, how to classify the angels, or whether God’s nature should be discussed as being or as substance.  It is easy then to think that “doctrine” really isn’t something that Christians in general need to be concerned about.  Even more, if such studies and considerations distract believers or even divide churches, “doctrine” then becomes something that gets in the way of the mission of the Church: saving souls by giving them the simple message of salvation in Christ.

But here’s the thing:  Doctrine simply means teaching.  It is not a different category of truths that are taught; it is anything that is taught.  Which means that while “Christ’s body and blood are really present in, with, and under the bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper” is doctrine, so are truths such as “Jesus is the Son of God”, “Christ died for your sins”, and “God loves you.”  If you say, “Doctrine doesn’t matter” you are, whether you realize it or not, asserting that the message of the gospel itself doesn’t matter, because it is doctrine, too.

Another problem with the idea that some truths are important for churches and Christians and others are not is that this is equivalent, in a way, to taking a scissors to the Bible.  It is saying that we can, or even should, pick and choose which of the things we find in Scripture are worth our attention and which are not.  

But all of the Bible is the Word of God, and he has already decided what truths are important for us to have, to believe, and to teach: the ones he inspired and had recorded for us.  In other words, all the doctrines of Scripture matter to God, and he has given us neither the authority nor the option of subtracting from (or adding to!) them, nor of picking and choosing which are, or are not, worth it for us, or the Church, to learn, teach, hold to, and care about.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that every doctrine gets the same emphasis or repetition.  What we teach to children or new converts, and what we share with unbelievers, is going to be much simpler, and the most basic truths of law and gospel will be returned to regularly with even the most mature of Christians.  God wants each believer to grow, however, and that means that our goal of maturity, both individually and as his family, is going to include going deeper and gladly grasping ever more advanced teachings we find in his Word.  

So, yes, we have an answer to the question or objection when it comes to us:  Yes, Doctrine Matters — to God, to us, and to his Church. 



Interested in more content? Check out the Five-Star Monday Mornings Newsletter!