In this message I would like to cover a number of miscellaneous matters pertaining to the Body. The first concerns doctrine.
Doctrine is not necessarily a negative thing, for the Bible is composed of doctrine. However, we need to differentiate between the two classifications of doctrine. The first class contains those doctrines that are not divisive, whereas the second class includes the doctrines that are divisive. Certain doctrines, those which constitute our faith, are basic. However, there are many other doctrines that are not basic.
Our faith is constituted with certain basic doctrines. First, we all must believe that God is one yet triune—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Anyone who does not believe that God is uniquely one yet triune is in error. This doctrine of God is not divisive; rather, it is basic, and all Christians must believe it. Second, we all must believe that our God became incarnated in the Son. This means that the Son of God became incarnated as a man. Anyone who does not believe this cannot be saved. Third, we all must believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnated as a man, lived on earth and died on the cross for our sins to secure our redemption. On the third day He was resurrected from the dead both physically and spiritually, and today He is our Savior, our Lord in resurrection, and our life. If we believe in Him, our sins are forgiven, He comes into us as our life, and we are regenerated. All the regenerated ones are the unique church. In whatever locality they reside, they are the local expression of the universal church. Finally, all the saints in the churches are waiting for the Lord Jesus to come back to receive them to Himself. These are the basic doctrines, the doctrines that constitute the saving faith, the doctrines we must believe in order to be saved. Because every sound, genuine believer holds these basic doctrines, they are called the common faith (Titus 1:4). There is hardly any argument among saints regarding them.