Christian doctrine should be biblically based. But it is indeed man-made.
If doctrine is God-given, why are there differing views? Is God undecided?
doctrine
dŏk′trĭn
noun
- A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic group; dogma.
a.k.a "the rudiments [stoicheîon] of this world":
Colossians 2:8:
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments [stoicheîon] of the world, and not after Christ.
No. Division is caused by not accepting that there are differing views.
Division is when I tell you that:
- your view is WRONG and my view is RIGHT.
- my view is SOUND doctrine, and your view is FALSE doctrine.
- my doctrine is GOD-GIVEN and yours is from HELL.
I fully agree. It's bullying, a tactic used by the "teachers" in both Catholic and the churches that grew out of the Protestant Reformation, and permeated the body of Christ over time, and it's part of the works
[érgon] of men.
The word
érgon always refers to works in the New Testament (without exception) - either the works of God, or to the works of Satan, or to the works of men.
Look at this, so we can keep the things you are talking about, in perspective (I'm not saying read all the verses, but look at the list, so you can see the doctrine of Christ and His apostles about this that follows this list):
VERSES THAT USE THE WORD érgon (WORKS) THAT ARE REFERRING TO THE érgon (WORKS) OF CHRIST AND OF GOD THE FATHER:-
Matthew 11:2; Luke 24:19; John 4:34; John 5:20; John 5:36; John 6:28; John 6:29; John 7:3; John 7:21; John 9:3; John 9:4; John 10:25; John 10:32; John 10:33; John 10:37; John 10:38; John 14:10; John 14:11; John 14:12; John 15:24; John 17:4; Acts 13:41; Acts 15:18; Romans 14:20; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 1:10; Hebrews 2:7; Hebrews 3:9; Hebrews 4:3; Hebrews 4:4; Revelation 15:3.
VERSES THAT USE THE WORD érgon (WORKS) THAT ARE REFERRING TO THE érgon (WORKS) OF DARKNESS OR OF SATAN:-
Romans 13:12; II Corinthians 11:15; Ephesians 5:11; I John 3:8.
VERSES THAT USE THE WORD érgon (WORKS) THAT ARE REFERRING TO THE érgon (WORKS) OF MEN:-
Matthew 5:16; Matthew 23:3; Matthew 23:5; Matthew 26:10; Mark 13:34; Mark 14:6; Luke 11:48; John 3:19; John 3:20; John 3:21; John 7:7; John 8:39; John 8:41; Acts 5:38; Acts 7:22; Acts 7:41; Acts 9:36; Acts 13:2; Acts 14:26; Acts 15:38; Acts 26:20; Titus 2:14; Romans 2:6; Romans 2:7; Romans 2:15; Romans 3:20; Romans 3:27; Romans 3:28; Romans 4:2; Romans 4:6; Romans 9:11; Romans 9:32; Romans 11:6; Romans 13:3; Romans 15:18; I Corinthians 3:13; I Corinthians 3:14; I Corinthians 3:15; I Corinthians 5:2; I Corinthians 9:1; I Corinthians 15:58; I Corinthians 16:10; II Corinthians 9:8; II Corinthians 10:11; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:2; Galatians 3:5; Galatians 3:10; Galatians 5:19; Galatians 6:4; Ephesians 2:9; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:12; Philippians 1:22; Philippians 2:30; Colossians 1:10; Colossians 1:21; Colossians 3:17; I Thess 1:3; I Thess 5:13; II Thess 1:11; II Thess 2:17; I Timothy 2:10; I Timothy 3:1; I Timothy 5:10; I Timothy 5:25; I Timothy 6:18; II Timothy 1:9; II Timothy 2:21; II Timothy 3:17; II Timothy 4:5; II Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 4:18; Titus 1:16; Titus 2:7; Titus 3:1; Titus 3:5; Titus 3:8; Titus 3:14; Hebrews 4:10; Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:24; Hebrews 13:21; James 1:4; James 1:25; James 2:14; James 2:17; James 2:18; James 2:20; James 2:21; James 2:22; James 2:24; James 2:25; James 2:26; James 3:13; I Peter 1:17; I Peter 2:12; II Peter 2:8; I John 3:12; I John 3:18; II John 1:11; III John 1:10; Jude 1:15; Revelation 2:2; Revelation 2:5; Revelation 2:6; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 2:13; Revelation 2:22; Revelation 2:23; Revelation 2:26; Revelation 2:19; Revelation 3:1; Revelation 3:2; Revelation 3:8; Revelation 3:15; Revelation 9:20; Revelation 14:13; Revelation 16:11; Revelation 18:6; Revelation 20:12; Revelation 20:13; Revelation 22:12.
So Peter tells us that
the rudiments [stoicheîon] of this world and
the works [érgon] of men are going to be burned up when Christ returns, and then there will be a new heavens and a new earth
in which only righteousness dwells:
2 Peter 3:10
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall
[parérchomai] with a great noise, and
the rudiments [stoicheîon] shall be dissolved [lýō] with fervent heat [kausóō], the earth also and
the works [érgon] that are therein shall be burned up [katakaíō].
Each one's
work [ergon] shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and
the fire shall try each one's work [ergon] as to what kind it is. If anyone's work [ergon] which he built remains, he shall receive a reward. If anyone's work [ergon] shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3:13-15)
In the mean time, we understand that God is
allowing the weeds to grow with the wheat, until the body of Christ is purged (Matthew 24:13-30). He's allowing it so that the weeds do not remain hidden. How can you see the weeds unless you let them grow?
And if God is allowing both to grow together, who are we to try and stop it?
But you are right to point it out.
So what we need to understand is that only those who truly want to be like Christ will abide in Him and only those who abide in Him can ever produce
the fruit of the Spirit, because without Him, we can do nothing.
My own engagement in the eschatology board has exposed my own lack of evidence of the fruit of the Spirit (to myself) a few times, I'm not pointing fingers - but the principle is that both the rudiments (doctrine:
- A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic group; dogma.
of this world, plus the works (ergon) of men - including ours, because we say we believe in Jesus - are going to be burned up.
And in the mean time God is allowing both the wheat and tares to grow together.
Only some will hear what you are saying about this, and I fully agree with you, but also, keep it in perspective.
