I agree with your concern, which is why I urge everyone to agree regarding the essential Gospel/Creed (God's requirement for salvation or the "kerygma") and do not quarrel about secondary doctrines or beliefs. My proposal is that
the kerygma/GRFS should be every Christian’s creed, and
only belief in this crucial truth should be viewed as a test for orthodoxy or heresy. As Paul wrote in Romans 10:9, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Conversely, judgments concerning a person’s spiritual orientation or ultimate destiny should not be made on the basis of didachaic or secondary doctrines. (If any judgment is made, it should begin with a self-examination per Matt. 7:1&5, 2Cor. 13:5-8).
A major reason many Christians throughout history have not manifested the love and unity of God’s Spirit (Eph. 4:3) as well as they should is because of failure to realize this truth. If they did, it would free them to speak honestly and fellowship without becoming unduly upset about relatively minor issues. They would
receive God’s blessing as peacemakers, who draw inclusive circles around people based on the kerygma rather than denominational lines between them due to didachaic differences. Jesus prayed for spiritual unity (cf. John 17:20-23, “May they be one…”). Thus, unity regarding the Gospel is more important than accuracy regarding doctrinal details.
The normative way of stating the kerygma/GRFS in the NT is “Accept Christ Jesus as Lord” (as in 2Cor. 4:5 & Col. 2:6). The main points of Christian orthodoxy implicit in this statement can be explained or elaborated as follows:
- There is a/one all-loving and just Lord or Creator God (Deut. 6:4, John 3:16, 2Thes. 1:6), who is both able (2Tim. 1:12) and willing (1Tim. 2:3-4, Ezek. 33:11) to provide all morally accountable human beings salvation or heaven—a wonderful life full of love, joy and peace forever.
- Human beings are selfish or sinful (Rom. 3:23, 2Tim. 3:2-4, Col. 3:5), miserable (Gal. 5:19-21), and hopeless (Eph. 2:12) or hell-bound at the judgment (Matt. 23:33 & 25:46) when they reject God’s salvation (John 3:18, Rom. 2:5-11).
- Jesus is God’s Messiah/Christ and incarnate Son, the way that God has chosen (John 3:16, Acts 16:30-31, Phil. 2:9-11) of providing salvation by means of his atoning death on the cross for the payment of the penalty for the sins of humanity (Rom. 3:22-25 & 5:9-11), followed by his resurrection to reign in heaven (1Cor. 15:14-28).
- Thus, every person who hears the NT Gospel needs to repent and accept God’s grace or justification in Jesus as Christ/Messiah the Lord or Supreme Commander (Luke 2:11, John 14:6, Acts 16:31), which means trying to obey His commandment to love one another (Matt. 22:37-40, John 13:35, Rom. 13:9)—forever (Matt. 10:22, Psa. 113:2).
- Then God’s Holy Spirit will establish a saving relationship with all who truly accept/love Him (Rev. 3:20) that will eventually achieve heaven after Christ returns at God’s resurrection of all saved souls when everyone cooperates fully with His will (John 14:6, 17&26, Rom. 8:6-17, Gal. 6:7-9, Eph. 1:13-14, Heb. 10:36, 12:1, Jam. 1:2-4).
Thanks for your reply and the interesting points you are making.
While agree with many of the things you laid out on the subject of the Gospel, I was pulled up short on a couple of points you made. Hopefully, they just need further clarification.
The first concern I have is with the following statement:
- There is a/one all-loving and just Lord or Creator God (Deut. 6:4, John 3:16, 2Thes. 1:6), who is both able (2Tim. 1:12) and willing (1Tim. 2:3-4, Ezek. 33:11) to provide all morally accountable human beings salvation or heaven—a wonderful life full of love, joy and peace forever.
Define what you meant by "morally accountable human beings"? Surely you are not suggesting what this sentence seems to indicate. What person is morally accountable, in any good sense, apart from Christ's Righteousness imputed to that person's account, the person would be morally bankrupt. We are all sinners - saved and unsaved alike. As long as we live in these vessels, sin will always be a reality. Our righteousness before God is an old stinky rag. Our personal morality will always be short of God's standard. Your statement, makes it sound like you are suggesting that God rewards morally "good" people with salvation.
If you meant morally accountable, as in each and every human being will have to give account - then I would agree. However, I don't understand why you phrased it like you did because it implies that some human beings are not accountable to God.
The second concern is in this statement:
Thus, unity regarding the Gospel is more important than accuracy regarding doctrinal details.
I agree that when a person comes into the sphere of grace, the union with Christ is based upon - Hearing, Believing, Conviction and Repentance, bringing that person to Trust, Love, Proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. But what does that person hear? DOCTRINE.
One must understand the fall of mankind. One must understand sin. One must understand the need for Justification before a just God. All of these things are the teaching of proper Theological doctrines. One must understand who Jesus Christ is; thus, the need for Christology. One can profess belief in Jesus Christ but what if the Jesus Christ he professes is not the one of the Bible? In order for us to have "unity" of the Spirit, it must, by necessity, be unified around sound doctrine.
Acts 1:14a These all with one accord continued steadfast in prayer
Php 2:1,2 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, (2) make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;
One accord and one mind is based upon doctrinal teaching. Doctrinal details are what we unify around. For it is within them that we have unity about the great truths taught throughout Scripture. Doctrine is always in the forefront of good teaching, shinning a greater light upon God's overall plan and the need of a Savior.
1Ti 6:3-5 If any man teaches a different doctrine, and consents not to sound words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; (4) he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questionings and disputes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmising, (5) wrangling of men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain.
2Ti_4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts;
Tit 2:1 But speak thou the things which befit the sound doctrine:
If unity was not based on sound doctrine then what would it be based upon? Objective Truth revealed promotes unity - subjective truth creates chaos.