Doctrine and Liberalism

“Christ died- that is history; ‘Christ died for our sins’- that is doctrine. Without these two
elements, joined in an absolutely indissoluble union, there is no Christianity.”
- J. Gresham Machen

How important is doctrine to the Christian faith?

Isn’t it enough to believe in the moral teachings of Jesus?

Liberalism rejects the truths found in the doctrine of Christianity. They are skeptical of
the claim that there is only one truth and believe instead that some truth can be found
through human experience. If truth is from human experience then all creeds of belief
must be true. However,“if all creeds are equally true, then since they are contradictory
to one another, they are all equally false, or at least equally uncertain” (Machen 17).
Not everything claimed as truth can be true.

What is different about Christianity?

Many have claimed that Christianity is a way of life, and while this is true there is so
much more. Christianity is based in a historical phenomenon that swept the ancient
world. The doctrine of Christianity is based in an actual event. Most people who claim
to be Christians will believe this fact.

In looking at the ancient church we see many examples of lives that were changed by
Christianity. For example, Paul, who once sought out and killed Christians, became one
of the most influential evangelists of the ancient world. We see in his letters that he was
dedicated to the objective truth of the gospel. In Rome, he found pastors who were
preaching truth with the wrong intention. He rejoiced because even though the way the
preaching was carrying on was wrong, the truth was being spread. However, in Galatia,
many false believers spread lies about Christianity. Paul did not tolerate this because the
content of the message was false.

Through his ministry we see that “Christianity for Paul was not only a life but also a
doctrine and logically the doctrine came first” (20).  The differences between the Gospel
Paul preached and the message of the false teachers was so vast it created two different
religions. One was based in works and one in salvation. The false teachers told the people
that if they believed and worked hard to please God they would be saved. Paul taught that
if they believed in Christ’s grace they would be saved and once saved they would be
changed in a way that gave them the desire to do good works.

Paul’s message (ultimately the message of the gospel) shows that works are not enough.

This is the message proclaimed by Christ in his earthly ministry. We cannot separate out the
morals Christ teaches from his saving work. The purpose of the morals he taught was to show
us our dire need for a savior. Christ didn’t preach ethics, but of the coming Kingdom of God,
salvation, and grace. The only change from Christ’s message to the disciples message is
Jesus proclaimed what was coming and the disciples proclaimed what Christ had done.

Nothing about the gospel appeals to the abilities and will of man. Instead the gospel is a
narrative of salvation.

We have not even reached the outward righteousness of the hypocrites in the New Testament,
how are we supposed to fulfill the moral requirements to enter the kingdom of Heaven?

With all this in mind, the answer is no. You cannot separate Jesus’ moral teachings from the
doctrine of Christianity.