神學理論

Doctrine is a set of beliefs and instructions, that the senior leadership and theologians of every church or denomination formulate, based on their best understanding of the Scripture (2 Tim 3:16; cf. Acts 2:42; 15:6-29). In Christian theology, there are 3 levels of doctrines.

(1) 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧-𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦 are 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 that we must believe in because our salvation hinges on them. A denial of them is to deny Christianity itself. They are 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 which define the core beliefs of the Christian faith. You are not a Christian if you don’t believe them.

(2) 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗-𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦 are beliefs that Christians may disagree upon. This is why there are different churches and denominations. But they are 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 which significantly impact the overall character and ministry style of a church. They form the “𝗗𝗡𝗔” of a congregation. For us in CHC, our doctrine is Protestant, Evangelical and Pentecostal in essence and emphasis.

(3) 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗗-𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦 are beliefs that Christians may disagree over, but we can still remain in close fellowship within a local church. They are usually 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 or 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 (concerning less-clear issues in the Bible) that are not worth dividing a congregation over. We can worship and serve God together in the same church, even if we disagree on them.

The ability to correctly discern the differences between core essentials, spiritual convictions, and legitimately disputable matters, will keep a church from compromising on important truths, or having factions resulting from disagreement over peripheral issues. Let us not have factions in this spiritual family. Let’s have a 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, birthed through a real conviction of the truths the Holy Spirit has illuminated to us from the Bible, as we best understood them.