United While Divided

By: Shawn Daniels

The trend of modern denominationalism is to classify the universal church as a collaboration of all denominations.� This has been brought about by a cooperative effort of church leaders to put aside �doctrine� and agree to disagree on �unimportant� differences.� A popular stance is to be united in the belief of Christ and forget about doctrine.� While I agree that denominations should throw aside their creeds and be united, they must be united by the teachings of the Bible.� What does it mean to be united in the belief in Christ and not in doctrine?� The first thing we need to examine is the question, �is there a difference in doctrine and gospel?�� Paul tells us in Rom 6:17-18, �But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.� Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.�� Notice that Paul explains that in obeying the doctrine that was delivered they were freed them from there sins.� Then we read in Rom 6:17-18, �For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.� For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.�� Here we see that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation.� From these verses we see that doctrine has power to free us from sins, and the Gospel has the power toward salvation.� There is no difference in the degree of importance between �doctrine� and �gospel�.� They are interchangeable.� The Doctrine of Christ is the Gospel of Christ.� There�s no difference.� Some confuse the �two teachings� of Matthew 28:19-20 with the terms of �gospel� and �doctrine�.� This is a false conception.� Both teachings of Matthew 28 are gospel as well as both being doctrine.� Some have the idea of preaching the Man but not the Plan.� This a horrific view of what Christ wanted.� He commands that we teach the death, burial, and resurrection.� Once those that hear obey the word, then he commands us to teach them what he has commanded.� That is how to live, how to worship, and how to think.� So from this fact, we must confirm that we can�t put aside doctrine and be untied on just the common belief of Christ.� What is belief in Christ?� If one would say that he had faith in one of us, and he wouldn�t do what we wish, would we say he was telling us the truth?� Faith in Christ is shown by your obedience to him.� Didn�t Abraham show his faith by offering his son Isaac on the alter?� Faith was perfected by Abraham�s obedience. That�s why Jesus Christ said in John 14:23-24, �If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.� He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father�s which sent me.�� Therefore if we keep not his doctrine then we couldn�t love him.� If we don�t love him then we definitely couldn�t have much faith in him.� If we don�t have faith in him then there would be absolutely nothing that we can be united on.� So gospel and doctrine must play a great role in our unity.� There is no unity unless there is unity in doctrine.� Can There be false doctrines?� Of course, we see countless warnings of other doctrines.� Christ himself condemned the doctrines of the Nicolaitans in Revelations 2:15.� Doctrines can be false, and seeing how only one is true, the doctrine of Christ, then the rest are wrong.� Can we all believe alike?� If you were to write a will to your children, would you not write it in a way that they would all understand exactly what you would have them to do?� How much more would God write in a way that we could all understand?� Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:20:21, �Knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation.� For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.��� These men wrote what God wanted and not by what they thought was best.� Therefore, when we read, we can understand what was written and how it was written.� One fact that we could all benefit from is that the bible is its own best commentary.� Unity is what we all want to achieve.� It can be achieved.� Not laying aside the doctrine of Christ, but by laying aside our own doctrines, and putting Christ�s doctrine in the forefront of our faith.� Let�s pray for unity as Christ prayed. (John 17:20-22)