Friends, fans and bearers of doctrine and theology got together this past week to confront the many skewed representations of the Gospel they've seen even among evangelicals and to reaffirm the centrality of doctrine in a postmodern era.
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(Photo: T4G)Over 5,000 people attended the 2008 T4G Conference in Lousville, Ky., to hear respected theologians preach the Gospel and highlight the importance of doctrine.
"We live and minister in an anti-doctrinal age or at least an age that thinks that it's anti-doctrinal. We live and minister in an age which is anti-theological or at least it claims it's anti-theological," said Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III, senior minister of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Miss., during the T4G (Together for the Gospel) conference, which concluded Thursday.
"And so we need to look to the Scriptures to learn how doctrine ... is essential for faithful pastoral ministry if we are going to effectively respond to the anti-doctrinal, anti-theological spirit of the age," he added.
The April 15-17 conference in Louisville, Ky., was the second time well-known and respected theologians came together to encourage thousands of other pastors to stand for the Gospel of Jesus Christ at a time when more people are rejecting absolute truth.
Some 5,000 pastors attended – up from 3,000 from the first ever T4G event in 2006 – to hear theologians affirm sound doctrine
"I want to argue that the very ideas of doctrine, theology and systematic theology are under great duress in our own time," Duncan told the large crowd.
Doctrine is under great suspicion today, with many rejecting it and instead embracing a "postmodern uncertainty about truth," Duncan said.
"I want to suggest that is the opposite of what we need to do," he stressed.
Stepping into the highly debated doctrine of faith and works, Duncan rejected the increasingly accepted assertion that Christianity is a life and not a doctrine.
"You're most likely to hear that from an evangelical," he pointed out. "All around us we have people telling us we need to care less about theology and more about people. 'Deeds not creeds' is the motto today."
John MacArthur, author and pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Calif., called the doctrine of human unwillingness and inability perhaps the most attacked doctrine in Christianity.
"The idea that sinners are completely helpless to redeem themselves or to make any contribution to that redemption from sin and divine judgment is the most attacked because in the big picture it is the most despised doctrine," MacArthur told the thousands of pastors. "Consequently, it is the most distinctively Christian doctrine contrary to all non-Christian views of man."
"It is distinctively Christian because it affirms the absolute inability of man to do anything to contribute to his salvation."
Meanwhile, all other religions in the world are some form of a "works-righteousness system” in which the idea is that people can be good and good enough to contribute to their salvation, MacArthur noted.
The theologians did not shoot down the importance of good works in a Christian's life but rejected it as a substitution for the preaching of the Gospel.
"Never substitute good works for the preaching of the gospel," said Mark Dever, senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.
Good works such as feeding the poor should only be a "reflection of" or an "attraction to" the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he stressed. Continue >>
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I'm a simple man at heart. I've seen quite a bit in my day. By the time I was in high school I had lived in asia, walked in the streets of Jerusalem, and heard the Pope (in person) speak in English to all Americans at the Vatican on July 4, 1776 blessing our country for all it had done in its 200 years of existance. (No I'm not Catholic.)
One of the major things missing here is "Love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself". This is the true measure of effective doctring. This is the point being made. We live in a post-modern world which wants to believe right and wrong is not a fixed thing (arbitrary absolutism) and has NO desire for God to tell us what to do. (Everyone did what was right in their own eyes -- aren't we enlightened.....)
Doctrine means "instruction, taught" and in another form refers to what is taught. In that sense the entire Bible filled with doctrine as "principles in a branch of knowledge or system of beliefs" (got to love Webster....).
Many Christians in society are afraid of offending someone as we don't want to push the truth on people. Yet there is a point of law that says not warning someone can be neglect. Discussing arbitrary absolutism is the main issue. Arbitrary absolutism cannot coexist with Biblical doctrine and thus the problem here.
Who do you serve and who do you trust? These are questions that cannot exist if everything is arbitrary as there is no commitment. Without the concept of commitment marriages fail at an alarming rate.
Love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Once I get those two down pat I'll worry about more doctrine. But really, what more is there?
Seriously, how about giving a sound rebuttal instead of flagging my posts?
Anyone care to give an explanation for the following-
A Jan. 18, 1947 news report from the Vatican states that "Pope Donus" was found to be "a person who never existed!" In addition, designation of sainthood was removed from Felix II, Liberius, Anastasio, Stephen III, Stephen V! And unsuspecting Roman Catholic people had been praying to these non-existent "saints" for centuries with the official approval of the same Roman Catholic Church that now says it was all a mistake!
A copy of the Jan. 18, 1947 news article from Vatican City can be obtained from any Public Library. It was carried on the front page of the Phila. Inquirer, and in the New York Times. It was titled, "VATICAN DROPS 6 NAMES FROM LIST OF POPES."
So much for an "unbroken line of successors."
Online4Him, you say as a matter of fact:
The Roman Catholic Church really emerged during Constantine’s reign and cannot be traced prior to that, hence the name “Roman” Catholic Church. There never has been an “unbroken line of popes” as they claim. Christianity sprang out of Palestine, not Rome. When John wrote to the seven churches as mentioned in Revelation chapter’s two and three; there is no mention of the Rome.
Yet, you're unaware that Ignatius of Antioch in 110 A.D. wrote "Catholic Church" and he was taught by the Apostles, so nothing got "twisted." You're probably also aware that it was the Anglicans who added the word Roman to Catholic, as they were trying to be the English Catholic church. How many worldwide churches can there be? One. The one true Church, founded by Jesus that the gates of hell will not prevail against (Mt. 16:18). To me, that's the Biblical worldview.
star2: "But what do you do personally to make a disciple out of a Christian who is not a living their life as a disciple for Christ?"
First, pray for that person to be convicted of their lack of being discipled.
Second, preach the gospel to them. They may be falsely converted (maybe never repenting of their sins or having believed on a false Jesus).
Third, challenge them not to do the thirty-odd things EVERY Christian should do (another list) but instead spending time getting to know God better through prayer, reading, and fellowship.
Our role is to water or fertilize the seed that is planted and to care for the plant once it buds, but it is God who actually makes the flower grow.
Hope this helps.
oldstudent
I don't disagree with you that a Christian should be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
But what do you do personally to make a disciple out of a Christian who is not a living their life as a disciple for Christ?
StreetReach,
Well, really Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses do not have a relationship with the Lord. They have a set of beliefs which is what we call religion. Also there are lots of people who call themselves Christians and who have adopted a set of beliefs or doctrines but have no relationship. They have never placed their faith in him, they do not yield their lives to him. The Lord Jesus is more than a set of teaching. He is an actual person who we can communicate with; John say, “He who has the Son has life.” It does not say, “He who has the doctrines of the church has life.” One can have Jesus without a lot of doctrine but one can also have lots and lots of doctrine and no relationship with the Lord. A relationship with the Lord makes doctrine meaningful and useful for our lives. Also note that the first Christian did not have a New Testament or a systematic theology, but they did have a relationship with the Lord. And they did very well.
Post modernism is the idea that all religion is equal. Post modernism is the idea that there is no absolute truth (i.e. what's true for you may not be true for me). Post modernism produces moral relativism or the idea that there is no right and wrong. With that in mind, what's under attack is the exclusive claim the Jesus makes in John 14:1-6, And Jesus said, " ...I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me." In our post modern society the world views this claim offensive and even, unfortunately, some Christians do as well.
While Christ is the foundation of our faith, it is doctrine that is the walls and the roof.
Everything about a true relationship with Christ is built on doctrine.
The Roman Catholic Church really emerged during Constantine’s reign and cannot be traced prior to that, hence the name “Roman” Catholic Church. There never has been an “unbroken line of popes” as they claim. Christianity sprang out of Palestine, not Rome. When John wrote to the seven churches as mentioned in Revelation chapter’s two and three; there is no mention of the Rome.
There have been numerous times when multiple claimants to the papacy were seated in opposition one to another (antipopes). History reveals that this office had also been sold to the highest bidder. Only looking back with the benefit of hindsight does Rome now pick one of them as the 'true pope'. There have also been many times when there was no bishop of Rome for years at a time (e.g. 304-308, 638-640, 1085-86, 1241-43, 1269-71, 1292-94, 1314-16, and 1415-17).
Proper theology leads to proper relationships. If I am not living my life of making disciples as I am going along then my doctrinal and theological positions matter not a wit because they aren't leading to following His commands.
Grace and Peace,
jim
Graceman,
I understand what you are saying, but one must have proper doctrine to fully understand who it is that they are serving. For instance, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses may feel that they have that 'relationship' and build their religion upon it, but that does not make them Christians. It comes down to a question of Christology "who is Christ?" If someone has a great relationship with a false Christ (such as mormons) then that relationship only damns them to hell for eternity. We must have proper doctrine and sound hermeneutics.
True Christianity is a relationship with Christ rather than a religion solely based on doctrine. Doctrine is important, but our relationship to Christ is more important because no one understands the doctrines of Christianity better than Christ and thought our obedience to him we live out and fulfill what his doctrine teaches.
"Friends, fans and bearers of doctrine and theology got together this past week to confront the many skewed representations of the Gospel they've seen even among evangelicals"
The thing that's sad is that many Christians read the same words of the Bible, pray to the Holy Spirit, yet derive many different meanings. The question is how one can know for certain that their interpretation of what the Bible MEANS is correct? Let's look at some of the contradictory views being preached as Christianity:
* Salvation - you can't lose it; yes, you can
* Baptism - it's not necessary for salvation; yes, it is
* Baptism - you can't baptize babies; yes, you can
* Communion - it's just symbolic; no, it's Jesus
* Contraception - it's not OK; yes, it is
* Homosexuality - you can't be a Bishop; yes, you can
* Same-sex blessings - not in church; come on in
And you'll hear "on the essentials, unity, on non-essentials liberty, in all things love" but the Bible doesn't have a list that says "this is essential, this is not". How much more evidence do we need before we'll consider that maybe just opening up the Bible and desiring that the Holy Spirit give you an assurance of the true meaning of the text is not what God intended? When we're all Pastors of our one-member house church?
"Truth matters. Doctrine matters. Theology is for life."
Yes and amen...
To listen to the speakers and sessions you can go here:
http://t4g.org/08/media/
"And so we need to look to the Scriptures to learn how doctrine ... is essential for faithful pastoral ministry if we are going to effectively respond to the anti-doctrinal, anti-theological spirit of the age,"
Amen!
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart - Hebrews 4:12.