The Church and Christian doctrine

The foundation of Christianity is Christ. Consequently, churches have doctrines, creeds or tenets, based essentially on an interpretation of Jesus’ teachings, as contained in the Bible. They serve as guiding principles to teach members how to practise their Christianity.

Accepting the inspired words of the Bible as the Word of God, as Jesus teaches in John 10:35, should be a fundamental tenet of every Church. In His farewell speech to His disciples in John chapters 14-17, just before His arrest in the garden beside Cedron, Jesus provides the basis for all Church doctrine. He teaches the actuality of God and His supremacy. He also teaches that He must be accepted, as the Son of God, and that Christians must realise that the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter enables man to remember all Jesus’ sayings.

Jesus’ words reveal that He expects the Church to teach God’s forgiveness of sin, as man forsakes sin through the grace of Christ. Also, Christians must acknowledge that God sent Jesus into the world, as practical proof of His love for mankind. Moreover, many churches include in their doctrine, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, as the only acceptable atonement for sin, showing Christians the way to work out their own salvation. Essentially, the spiritual import of Jesus’ crucifixion, followed by His resurrection three days later, is a key Christian doctrine.

The founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist, Mary Baker Eddy gives the six tenets of her Church, in her primary work titled Science and Health with key to the Scriptures. These tenets are based strictly on these very teachings of Jesus. The final tenet concludes: ‘And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us, which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just and pure.’

Whether a church founder is St. Peter, Wesley, Luther or Eddy, the teachings of Jesus alone should be the basis of the core doctrine of every Christian denomination.

Solanke is Christian Science Committee on Publication for Nigeria West