This is the second of a three or four part series. If you have not already done so, reading Part One will help set the tone for the following. For those unable to do that, here is the introduction, verbatim:

I have been reticent to write this article. It will be met with opposition. It may offend. Many will argue that without doctrine there would be no church. Much of the point of the Seminary is to ingrain doctrine into the hearts and minds of its students. To attack doctrine is to attack one of the most sacrosanct pillars of the church. This I know, and with this I wholeheartedly agree. However, I also believe, see, and hear problems with the doctrines of man. If you will allow, I believe you will come to agree with me somewhere between this article and the end of the series.

The storms, chaos, and crises we face within and outside of the church offer unprecedented challenge and opportunity. Maximizing the opportunities of this season – including Christianity once again becoming the source of meaning and purpose in people’s lives – requires we address the problems created by our doctrines. The challenges we face will be exacerbated if we do not.

Let me say it again for emphasis: Doctrines are generally necessary, good, and serve an important function in the formation of Christians and the function of the Body of Christ. The problems with doctrines lie in the priority we give them, our restricted focus on them, and our misuse of them. The well-intended but flawed applications of our doctrines have truly damaged the Body of Christ and unnecessarily thwarted Jesus Christ’s purpose in building His church into His wife.

We intend, in this and subsequent articles, to provide evidence for this controversial assertion. Solutions will be self-evident along the way, and a collection of recommendations will be presented at the end of the series. We hope the reader will consider these arguments, listen to what the Holy Spirit may be saying to the Body of Christ, and take the necessary steps to mitigate the damage we are inflicting on ourselves and those entrusted to our care.

In summary, doctrines create problems for the Body of Christ in the following ways.

1. They provide a ready substitute for faith, good works, truth, etc.
2. They are used for the wrong purposes (e.g., defining and protecting our fellowships, relating to God).
3. They unnecessarily divide the Body of Christ, delaying the Lord’s return.
4. They inhibit us from spiritual growth in the truth, discourage stewardship of the mysteries of God, and lead to an ignorance of wonder.
5. They encourage living from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thereby trapping us in our heads and away from our hearts.

We will flesh out each of these assertions here and in subsequent articles. As always, your comments, concerns, and questions are welcomed and appreciated. We are also available to speak on this topic.

In Part One, we argued that there are things doctrine simply cannot be (e.g., faith, truth, the will of God). Similarly, there are purposes of God that doctrines simply cannot accomplish.

The Eternal Purposes of God

God has four eternal purposes, each one lost in mankind’s rebellion and destined to be returned to Him at the end of the age. We read about these in Revelation 21.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.” Revelation 21:3

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. Revelation 21:23

At the end of the story (as we know it right now), God will get back four things that He lost in the beginning:

1. “He will dwell with them” – It was always God’s intention to inhabit His people. Jesus spoke of its beginning in John 14:23: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” This spiritual reality will be physically manifested in the New Jerusalem.

God will restore the habitation He intended to have with His people.

2. “They shall be His people” – We can only imagine the depths of intimacy God had with Adam and Eve in the Garden – and His loss in their rebellion. God sent Jesus to make a way for the restoration of His relationship with us. Jesus prayed the will of the Father back to Him in John 17:

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (verse 3).

… that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us (verse 21).

God will fully restore the intimate relationship He intended to have with His children.

3. “God Himself will be… their God” – The third thing God lost in the Garden was His reign in the hearts of His people. Before they disobeyed God’s command regarding the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve determined that they were better suited to make decisions for themselves. They determined to be their own kings. They rebelled against God in a futile attempt to become like Him.

God will fully restore His reign in the hearts of His subjects.

• “The glory of God illuminated it” – In the beginning, God intended mankind to be His glory-bearer (Psalm 8:5). We fell short of that glory (Romans 3:23), but that was not the end of the story. The Father sent His Son to receive and pass on His glory to those who would believe (John 17:22), that He might be glorified in us (Matthew 5:16).

God will fully restore His glory in the midst of His Son’s Bride

If we will passionately and urgently pursue these purposes, we will find the center of His will for every season of our lives; including the coming season of storm and chaos. Our preparation must begin here; and it must begin now. Time is running out!!

So, what does this have to do with our doctrines?

In summary (from Part One): Doctrines are the Church’s faithful articulation of biblical truth, preserved and transmitted across generations to guard the gospel, shape Christian identity, guide holy living, unify the Church, and equip believers for discernment. Obviously, doctrines play a part in our participation in the fulfillment of God’s eternal purposes… as long as we do not let them get in the way. Consider God’s habitation in His people as an example.

Most of us are spiritually incoherent because we would much rather be externally coherent (i.e., logical, and consistent). This is the case with our churches as well: We would rather define our communities by coherent doctrine than by the relationships we share with God and one another. O. Chambers

I confess: As an elder, there was a time when I defined and protected “my church” by the doctrines to which we ascribed. A wiser man helped me see that the truth could take care of itself (Hebrews 4:12), and love was Jesus’ way for building His church (John 13:35). Governing a church requires doctrine, but doctrine will not foster the church growth Jesus is after. So, let me ask you: Is your fellowship bound together by active love for one another in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13), or by your shared doctrines? Are they communities of faith, or of facts?

Similar questions should be asked regarding God’s eternal purposes for His intimacy with, reign over, and glory through those entrusted to our care.

• Which meeting do you prioritize, Bible study or prayer? Which is potentially more impactful: knowing doctrines or knowing the LORD God Almighty?
• Do your congregants look to doctrines to govern their lives, or to the Lord Jesus Christ? When was the last time you taught them the 100+ commands of Jesus found in the New Testament? Do they know that His love language is obedience to those commands?
• Do the people in our community know us more by the defense of our doctrines or by the glory of the Father manifested in our good work (Matthew 5:16)? Do the people in our fellowship know they were created for God’s glory (Isaiah 43:7)?

We trust you will consider these questions with the Lord and those you trust to work through them with you. Refocusing our attention toward the eternal purposes of God will fortify our houses for this season of storms, chaos, and crises. Please let me know if I can help you with that.

In the meantime, God bless you with wisdom, discernment, patience, and courage for a life characterized by more than the doctrines you have been given – to use them for God’s eternal purposes.

Have a strong day in the Lord,

Rob

#iamjustthepen