Essential vs Nonessential

[Netchaplain]

It has been well said that “there should be unity in all things essential, liberality in all things nonessential, and charity in all things!” The first is everyone believing the same doctrine concerning the receiving of faith (salvation). The second is respectfully allowing the variance of understanding of beliefs between one another. The third is always exercising love to one another within the first two conditions.

Essential doctrines (ED) are those which Scripture teaches concerning the requirements of receiving salvation; nonessential doctrines (ND) are teachings that are not related to receiving salvation but to increasing the strength of faith in salvation, i.e. spiritual growth in our understanding of Scripture (an unceasing progression).

An example of ED which I believe to be most inclusive is Romans 10:9; “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

An example of ND is the issue concerning teachings that relate to the permanency or temporality of one’s salvation, e.g. what one believes concerning either conclusion has no relation to that of receiving salvation but rather that of growing in the faith of salvation.

Looking at the ED of Romans 10:9, I believe the phrase “confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord” means to admit in your communication (signing for the impaired) that He is the Savior (Christ - sole source of redemption -1John 2:22). “Believe in your heart” to me means to always accept as true. “That God has raised Him from the dead” is a twofold conclusion in that believing in His resurrection presumes the ED concerning His incarnation (1John 4:3; 2John 1:7).

In my opinion, those who communicate with respect and kindness are the only ones who will increase their understanding (regardless of their knowledge of Scripture) in the Word of God because it shows their intentions are not out of opposition to one another, but to learn “the Word of truth.” My reason for sharing this article is not only for attempting to be instructional but more importantly so that we will remember the primary reason for learning God’s truths, to “come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ” (Eph 4:13 NLT), which sole standard is love to one another (John 15:12). The more we prioritize love to others as our motive in everything, the greater will be our practical love for God, regardless of the zeal for love to Him (1John 4:20).


For Christ’s Sake (Rom 15:30; 1Co 4:10; 2Co 12:10; Eph 4:32)

 

[lforrest]

1 Corinthians 1:10 "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."

So where would these fall? any others to consider?

[SIZE=12pt]1. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ The nature of God[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]2. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Inspiration of the Bible[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]3. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Authority of the Bible[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]4. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Accuracy of the Bible[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]5. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Reconciliation through Christ[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]6. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ The Virgin Birth[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]7. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Water Baptism[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]8. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Spirit Baptism[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]9. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Communion[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]10. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Sanctification process[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]11. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Return of Jesus and rapture[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]12. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Timing of the rapture[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]13. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Observing the Sabbath day[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]14. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Observing the law of God[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]15. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Necessity of good works[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]16. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Tithing[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]17. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Miracles[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]18. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Spiritual Gifts[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]19. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Patriotism[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]20. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Participation in War[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]21. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Women in ministry[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]22. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Environmentalism[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]23. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Abortion[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]24. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Homosexuality[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]25. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Divorce[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]26. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Halloween[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]27. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Taking Oaths[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]28. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Joining Secret societies[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]29. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Lawsuits[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]30. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Gambling[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]31. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Alcohol[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]32. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Premarital sex[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]33. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Eternal Suffering in Hell[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]34. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ OSAS / Losing Salvation[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]35. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Bible Version[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]36. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Spiritual Warfare[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]37. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Anointing with oil[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]38. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ US Constitution[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]39. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Soul Sleep[/SIZE]

 

[Netchaplain]

1 Corinthians 1:10 "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."

So where would these fall? any others to consider?

[SIZE=12pt]1. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ The nature of God[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]2. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Inspiration of the Bible[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]3. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Authority of the Bible[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]4. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Accuracy of the Bible[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]5. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Reconciliation through Christ[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]6. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ The Virgin Birth[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]7. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Water Baptism[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]8. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Spirit Baptism[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]9. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Communion[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]10. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Sanctification process[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]11. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Return of Jesus and rapture[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]12. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Timing of the rapture[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]13. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Observing the Sabbath day[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]14. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Observing the law of God[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]15. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Necessity of good works[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]16. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Tithing[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]17. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Miracles[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]18. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Spiritual Gifts[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]19. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Patriotism[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]20. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Participation in War[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]21. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Women in ministry[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]22. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Environmentalism[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]23. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Abortion[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]24. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Homosexuality[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]25. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Divorce[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]26. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Halloween[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]27. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Taking Oaths[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]28. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Joining Secret societies[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]29. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Lawsuits[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]30. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Gambling[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]31. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Alcohol[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]32. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Premarital sex[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]33. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Eternal Suffering in Hell[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]34. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ OSAS / Losing Salvation[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]35. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Bible Version[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]36. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Spiritual Warfare[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]37. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Anointing with oil[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]38. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ US Constitution[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]39. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]___ Soul Sleep[/SIZE]

Hi IF - All essential doctrine leads to faith in Christ's expiation for our sins. If it's not directly related to this it's nonessential, assuming it's Bible doctrine at all.

Thanks for your reply!

Blessings!

 

[TopherNelson]

God's doctrines are essential doctrines. Men's doctrines are non-essential doctrines.
God's doctrines are essential for growth and repair of the spirit.
It can be categorized in two category,
"I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready." - 1 Corinthians 3:2

Milk is for baby Christians. Milk is fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. They are including but not limited to: The nature of God, who is God, what is God's plan, Man's sin and its consequences. The penalty for sins, God's law, God's authority and God's righteousness. who offers salvation? Who is Jesus? What did Jesus say? What's his commandment? What are our role in salvation? What's grace? What's faith?

Basically, milk is essential to basic salvation and Christian living, liturgical structure, and doctrine.

Solid food, meat are given to those who had grown spiritually. They mature in their thinking pertaining to the things of God — which maturity comes only through the study of prophecy. Solid food is understanding of sealed prophecy and scripture. Torah, prophecy, symbolic figures, sealed prophetic meanings, and so on and so forth.

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe. - Hebrews 5:13

 

[Netchaplain]

God's doctrines are essential doctrines. Men's doctrines are non-essential doctrines.
God's doctrines are essential for growth and repair of the spirit.
It can be categorized in two category,
"I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready." - 1 Corinthians 3:2

Milk is for baby Christians. Milk is fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. They are including but not limited to: The nature of God, who is God, what is God's plan, Man's sin and its consequences. The penalty for sins, God's law, God's authority and God's righteousness. who offers salvation? Who is Jesus? What did Jesus say? What's his commandment? What are our role in salvation? What's grace? What's faith?

Basically, milk is essential to basic salvation and Christian living, liturgical structure, and doctrine.

Solid food, meat are given to those who had grown spiritually. They mature in their thinking pertaining to the things of God — which maturity comes only through the study of prophecy. Solid food is understanding of sealed prophecy and scripture. Torah, prophecy, symbolic figures, sealed prophetic meanings, and so on and so forth.

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe. - Hebrews 5:13

Hi and thanks for your reply! I believe you misunderstand the article. True, all doctrine is essential, some essential for receiving salvation, some not essential for receiving salvation, i.e. one does not have to believe in OSAS to receive salvation, but does have to believe that Christ is the sole source of redemption to receive salvation.

Blessings!

 

[TopherNelson]

My point is, all doctrines are essential for growth. Man-made doctrines are not. I understood the thread. I'm just voicing my 2 cent.

 

[Netchaplain]

My point is, all doctrines are essential for growth. Man-made doctrines are not. I understood the thread. I'm just voicing my 2 cent.

Okay, thanks!

 

[Netchaplain]

Due to many misunderstanding the title of my article I found it necessary to post an attempt to explain it (which to me bears repeating where I have already mention this). All doctrine is essential, but not all doctrine concerns the same issue, i.e. to receive salvation it is required (essential doctrine) that one believe in Christ’s expiation for our sin, but believing or not believing in, let’s say OSAS or God’s omniscience concerning all things, is not required (nonessential doctrine) to receive salvation.

I think differentiating between these two issues (being saved and growing in the strength of faith) will aid us more in how we share our beliefs.

God Bless Us

 

[StanJ]

I have to concur with David on this... All doctrines that come from the Bible essential. They may not be as Central to any one of us at all times but they are essential none the less. Personally I felt your example of ND where in my opinion ED. The thing about being human who's that we take everything that is important to us as important to everyone and things that aren't important to us as not important for everyone and that is not necessarily the case. A good perspective for anybody is hard to come by and even the smartest man in the Bible didn't always have the best perspective.

 

[Netchaplain]

I have to concur with David on this... All doctrines that come from the Bible essential. They may not be as Central to any one of us at all times but they are essential none the less. Personally I felt your example of ND where in my opinion ED. The thing about being human who's that we take everything that is important to us as important to everyone and things that aren't important to us as not important for everyone and that is not necessarily the case. A good perspective for anybody is hard to come by and even the smartest man in the Bible didn't always have the best perspective.

Hi SJ - Always appreciate your kind replies and comments. I think my point, even after explaining it is just still misunderstood by some, but I've been finding enough on all the sites I share who do.

Blessings!

 

[Netchaplain]

Hi IF - All essential doctrine leads to faith in Christ's expiation for our sins. If it's not directly related to this it's nonessential, assuming it's Bible doctrine at all.

Thanks for your reply!

Blessings!

Essential for receiving salvation: faith in Christ's atonement for sins of believers. Not essential for receiving salvation: faith that you cannot loose your salvation.

Though believing in the permanency of salvation is not required to be saved, it is required (essential) for growth in faith (assuming it is true, which of course I do).

 

[heretoeternity]

Jesus teachings in the Gospels are essential to salvation....John 14.15 "if you love me keep my Commandments" and in Matthew 19.17 "to enter into life keep the Commandments" and He identifies the ten commandments. He later chastises "followers" who are not following these commandments "depart from me I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness" Matthew 7...

 

[Netchaplain]

Jesus teachings in the Gospels are essential to salvation....John 14.15 "if you love me keep my Commandments" and in Matthew 19.17 "to enter into life keep the Commandments" and He identifies the ten commandments. He later chastises "followers" who are not following these commandments "depart from me I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness" Matthew 7...

Hi HTE - Thanks for your reply, which shows the importance of obedience. But I see obedience only manifesting faith and salvation, not producing them. If salvation could come by works then Christ's atonement was unnecessary and God would not need to impute righteousness to us.

Blessings!

 

[heretoeternity]

We are saved by God's grace and forgiveness of sins...after that comes repentance and obedience, if we are sincere at heart.

 

[H. Richard]

We are saved by God's grace and forgiveness of sins...after that comes repentance and obedience, if we are sincere at heart.

You substitute your works for continued faith in what God did on the cross.

Your idea that after becoming a child of God if a person still commits sin that person is not saved. Your ideas has sent many to hell.

The idea that, if a person is saved by God's grace, that person will never sin again has caused many that know they still sin in the flesh to give up on trying to be a child of God. But I know you don't care about that do you? Well I do care!

It has been my lot to find out, first hand, the results of those that teach sinless perfection in the flesh; that God changes our sinful flesh nature. The result of this teaching causes many to give up hope and turn away from Jesus.

When I was about 25 years old I worked for a factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. One night when I was working the third shift the security guard came and told me that a man was at the gate wanting to talk to me.

It was a fellow worker at the plant who worked on the first shift and he was very distraught about Christianity. He said he wanted to be a Christian but it just didn't seem to work for him because he did not feel he had changed.

I found that he had been talking to some Christians who were telling him that if he was a Christian he would stop sinning; that he would be changed. He wanted to stop sinning but said he couldn't because he still had those fleeting thoughts of sin in his mind and, of course he was told that if you think it you have done it. He wanted to know what I believed about it.

This is what you are telling everyone.

I told him that Jesus came to save those that could not save themselves and keep the Law of Moses; to do for them what they could not do for themselves, that to believe in Jesus is to believe in what He did on the cross and to believe and trust that it has saved you.

I also told him that I still sin (I was being honest) and that everyone sins. He said what he had been told by other Christians, that if he sinned he was not a Christian and that I must not be one either since I said I still sinned. A week later this young man killed himself.

It is obvious that this young man had emotional problems. It is also obvious that the Holy Spirit was convicting him of his sins so that he would turn to Jesus. But I saw, first hand, what the message of “”“change“”” does to those that are seeking to be a Christian. To me it is a self-righteous message. It reminds me of what Jesus said in Matt. 23: 11-13.

Matt 23:11-13 (NKJ)
11 "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

This is what you are doing.

As for me if I show anything to the world let it be the love of Jesus Christ for mankind and what He has done on the cross for all that will place their belief and trust (faith) in Him. Let me show where I have placed my faith.

Now if anyone wishes to say that I should have told him I no longer sin in the flesh because God has changed me, then I would be bearing false witness just as those that did it to him and those that do it today. The only change for a child of God is that Jesus has imputed righteousness to their Spirit by paying for all their sins of the flesh on a cross. The sinful nature of the flesh remains.

Rom 7:24-25
4 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
NKJV

1 John 1:8 (NKJ)
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

 

[lforrest]

You substitute your works for continued faith in what God did on the cross.

Your idea that after becoming a child of God if a person still commits sin that person is not saved. Your ideas has sent many to hell.

The idea that, if a person is saved by God's grace, that person will never sin again has caused many that know they still sin in the flesh to give up on trying to be a child of God. But I know you don't care about that do you? Well I do care!

It has been my lot to find out, first hand, the results of those that teach sinless perfection in the flesh; that God changes our sinful flesh nature. The result of this teaching causes many to give up hope and turn away from Jesus.

When I was about 25 years old I worked for a factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. One night when I was working the third shift the security guard came and told me that a man was at the gate wanting to talk to me.

It was a fellow worker at the plant who worked on the first shift and he was very distraught about Christianity. He said he wanted to be a Christian but it just didn't seem to work for him because he did not feel he had changed.

I found that he had been talking to some Christians who were telling him that if he was a Christian he would stop sinning; that he would be changed. He wanted to stop sinning but said he couldn't because he still had those fleeting thoughts of sin in his mind and, of course he was told that if you think it you have done it. He wanted to know what I believed about it.

This is what you are telling everyone.

I told him that Jesus came to save those that could not save themselves and keep the Law of Moses; to do for them what they could not do for themselves, that to believe in Jesus is to believe in what He did on the cross and to believe and trust that it has saved you.

I also told him that I still sin (I was being honest) and that everyone sins. He said what he had been told by other Christians, that if he sinned he was not a Christian and that I must not be one either since I said I still sinned. A week later this young man killed himself.

It is obvious that this young man had emotional problems. It is also obvious that the Holy Spirit was convicting him of his sins so that he would turn to Jesus. But I saw, first hand, what the message of “”“change“”” does to those that are seeking to be a Christian. To me it is a self-righteous message. It reminds me of what Jesus said in Matt. 23: 11-13.

Matt 23:11-13 (NKJ)
11 "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

This is what you are doing.

As for me if I show anything to the world let it be the love of Jesus Christ for mankind and what He has done on the cross for all that will place their belief and trust (faith) in Him. Let me show where I have placed my faith.

Now if anyone wishes to say that I should have told him I no longer sin in the flesh because God has changed me, then I would be bearing false witness just as those that did it to him and those that do it today. The only change for a child of God is that Jesus has imputed righteousness to their Spirit by paying for all their sins of the flesh on a cross. The sinful nature of the flesh remains.

Rom 7:24-25
4 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
NKJV

1 John 1:8 (NKJ)
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If the lies of those Christians promoting sinless perfection lead that guy to kill himself I wouldn't want to be them on the day of judgement.

This may also explain why you so strongly teach grace, even going too far as condemning anything you perceive as works.

 

[heretoeternity]

Repentance follows salvation by grace....do we sin more so grace abound? God forbid. as Paul said in Romans.