Non-essential Christian Doctrines

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NightTwister

NightTwister

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Jul 5, 2023
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True Christians differ non-essential doctrines. While these doctrines can separate (e.g. denominations), they should never be used to cause division.

Salvation
Order of Salvation (ordo salutis)​
Total or partial depravity​
Unlimited vs limited free will​
Unlimited vs limited atonement​
Eternal security​
Water baptism
Sprinkling, pouring or immersion​
Infant vs. “believer”​
Spiritual gifts
All still active including sign gifts​
Some still active (no sign gifts)​
None still active​
Communion
Trans/con-substantiation​
Real presence​
Memorial​
Giving
10% tithe mandatory (gross vs net income)​
No mandatory giving level​
Leadership
Strict or open succession​
Women pastors, teachers, and/or deacons​
Eschatology
Dispensational Premillennial (pre, mid, post tribulation)​
Historic Premillennial​
Amillennial​
Postmillennial​

This post is not intended to be a place to debate these individual topics. There are plenty of other posts for that. It is only intended to discuss whether or not these are non-essential doctrines. Feel free to add any doctrines (not practices) that I might have missed.
 
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It would be helpful if you were to define 'non-essential'. On what basis do you define it? In what context? Fellowship? Living in the truth as an individual child of God? Maintaining order in a local new testament church?

All doctrine is essential. The question is - regarding whatever part of doctrine is being considered - what is it essential for?
 
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NightTwister said:
True Christians differ non-essential doctrines. While these doctrines can separate (e.g. denominations), they should never be used to cause division.

Salvation
Order of Salvation (ordo salutis)​
Total or partial depravity​
Unlimited vs limited free will​
Unlimited vs limited atonement​
Eternal security​
Water baptism
Sprinkling, pouring or immersion​
Infant vs. “believer”​
Spiritual gifts
All still active including sign gifts​
Some still active (no sign gifts)​
None still active​
Communion
Trans/con-substantiation​
Real presence​
Memorial​
Giving
10% tithe mandatory (gross vs net income)​
No mandatory giving level​
Leadership
Strict or open succession​
Women pastors, teachers, and/or deacons​
Eschatology
Dispensational Premillennial (pre, mid, post tribulation)​
Historic Premillennial​
Amillennial​
Postmillennial​

This post is not intended to be a place to debate these individual topics. There are plenty of other posts for that. It is only intended to discuss whether or not these are non-essential doctrines. Feel free to add any doctrines (not practices) that I might have missed.
Click to expand...
Do you believe correct doctrine is a non-essential Christian Doctrine? :eek:
 
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NightTwister said:
True Christians differ non-essential doctrines. While these doctrines can separate (e.g. denominations), they should never be used to cause division.

Salvation
Order of Salvation (ordo salutis)​
Total or partial depravity​
Unlimited vs limited free will​
Unlimited vs limited atonement​
Eternal security​
Water baptism
Sprinkling, pouring or immersion​
Infant vs. “believer”​
Spiritual gifts
All still active including sign gifts​
Some still active (no sign gifts)​
None still active​
Communion
Trans/con-substantiation​
Real presence​
Memorial​
Giving
10% tithe mandatory (gross vs net income)​
No mandatory giving level​
Leadership
Strict or open succession​
Women pastors, teachers, and/or deacons​
Eschatology
Dispensational Premillennial (pre, mid, post tribulation)​
Historic Premillennial​
Amillennial​
Postmillennial​

This post is not intended to be a place to debate these individual topics. There are plenty of other posts for that. It is only intended to discuss whether or not these are non-essential doctrines. Feel free to add any doctrines (not practices) that I might have missed.
Click to expand...
"Non-essential Christian Doctrines" ... ?
From a person who quotes, Fred Flintstone in a theological discussion,
Yeah ! That makes sense :-)
 
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Imagine one “universal church” gathering every Sunday—a single assembly claiming to be the Body of Christ, who all believe all are spiritual siblings. In this one gathering, everything contradictory happens simultaneously:

In one corner, a group teaches that water baptism isn’t necessary; across the aisle, another insists it is essential.

One crowd worships with instruments; another says instruments are sinful.

Some insist speaking in tongues is required; others reject it entirely.

A woman rises to preach and have authority over the men, while nearby, others condemn her for doing so.

One table observes the Lord’s Supper weekly; another says it is unnecessary.

Some proclaim “once saved, always saved,” while others warn believers can fall away and apostatize.

One group mandates tithing, another leaves giving entirely to personal discretion.

One insists on elders and deacons, another ignores church leadership altogether.

One follows a single pastor, another allows multiple.

One teaches a pre-tribulation rapture, another a post-tribulation view; one affirms amillennialism, another historic premillennialism.

Some are Calvinistic; others reject it outright.

All these groups claim to be part of the same church and be siblings in Christ, yet they teach directly opposing doctrines, theology, and practices.

The absurdity is clear: if all of these conflicting beliefs and practices are truly part of Christ’s Body, then Jesus, as Head, would simultaneously be commanding contradictory teachings. That is impossible. Christ does not contradict Himself—John 14:6 says, “I am the truth,” and Titus 1:2 affirms that God cannot lie.

By claiming that all these contradictory beliefs are part of the one Body of Christ, effectively promotes confusion, contradiction, and disunity. Scripture, however, says, “God is not the author of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

No rational analogy can reconcile all these opposing teachings into a single, functioning body. It’s as if you tried to fly a plane where one pilot insists seatbelts are optional, another says they are required; one flight attendant reads safety instructions, another skips them; emergency exits are pointed in opposite directions. Chaos would ensue. Denominationalism operates the same way: it combines contradictions, claiming all are equally valid, yet the Bible reveals that God’s truth is clear, knowable, and meant to be followed without compromise.
 
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GaryA said:
It would be helpful if you were to define 'non-essential'.
…
All doctrine is essential.
Click to expand...
I would suggest that many “doctrines” are distinctly non-essential, because they neither confirm nor deny one’s salvation. The issues identified in the OP are in that category.

Is it a salvation issue whether someone “tithes” to their local church? No. That’s the point. Christians can disagree on these issues and not be heretics.

Now, I believe that there are correct answers for most if not all of these questions, so some people are actually wrong in their views. However, unless people are causing division or excluding others from fellowship then the Lord, then there is freedom to disagree.
 
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Winslow89 said:
Imagine one “universal church” gathering every Sunday—a single assembly claiming to be the Body of Christ, who all believe all are spiritual siblings. In this one gathering, everything contradictory happens simultaneously:

In one corner, a group teaches that water baptism isn’t necessary; across the aisle, another insists it is essential.

One crowd worships with instruments; another says instruments are sinful.

Some insist speaking in tongues is required; others reject it entirely.

A woman rises to preach and have authority over the men, while nearby, others condemn her for doing so.

One table observes the Lord’s Supper weekly; another says it is unnecessary.

Some proclaim “once saved, always saved,” while others warn believers can fall away and apostatize.

One group mandates tithing, another leaves giving entirely to personal discretion.

One insists on elders and deacons, another ignores church leadership altogether.

One follows a single pastor, another allows multiple.

One teaches a pre-tribulation rapture, another a post-tribulation view; one affirms amillennialism, another historic premillennialism.

Some are Calvinistic; others reject it outright.

All these groups claim to be part of the same church and be siblings in Christ, yet they teach directly opposing doctrines, theology, and practices.

The absurdity is clear: if all of these conflicting beliefs and practices are truly part of Christ’s Body, then Jesus, as Head, would simultaneously be commanding contradictory teachings. That is impossible. Christ does not contradict Himself—John 14:6 says, “I am the truth,” and Titus 1:2 affirms that God cannot lie.

By claiming that all these contradictory beliefs are part of the one Body of Christ, effectively promotes confusion, contradiction, and disunity. Scripture, however, says, “God is not the author of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

No rational analogy can reconcile all these opposing teachings into a single, functioning body. It’s as if you tried to fly a plane where one pilot insists seatbelts are optional, another says they are required; one flight attendant reads safety instructions, another skips them; emergency exits are pointed in opposite directions. Chaos would ensue. Denominationalism operates the same way: it combines contradictions, claiming all are equally valid, yet the Bible reveals that God’s truth is clear, knowable, and meant to be followed without compromise.
Click to expand...
Also, explained in the original post.
 
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