Sometimes doctrine seems to divide.
However, when you read the various statements of faith of the variety of Protestant denominations, you will find that there is remarkable unity on the key points of doctrine.
You will find that this list includes the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. I believe that these teachings are the ones that should be most central to the life of every church, whatever their other differences may be.
I have listed here eight points of doctrine on which we all agree. Under each point, I have provided citations from a variety of statements of faith that illustrate the particular point.
Here are the areas where all evangelical, Protestant Christians agree.
1. The Bible is the infallible, inerrant Word of God and is the supreme judge of all controversies and opinions.
Westminster Confession of Faith: The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God. . . . . The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.
Methodist Articles: The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.
Wesleyan Articles: We believe that the books of the Old and New Testaments constitute the Holy Scriptures. They are the inspired and infallibly written Word of God, fully inerrant in their original manuscripts and superior to all human authority, and have been transmitted to the present without corruption of any essential doctrine. We believe that they contain all things necessary to salvation; so that whatever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man or woman that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. Continue reading “Where We All Agree”