The Front Page
Is Doctrine Important To Those Who Say, “Doctrine is not important”?

As I sat in my doctor’s office with many others, religious subjects were discussed. Since I had just picked up extra copies of the February StraitWay, I had taken some to the doctor’s office. I had found that to be a good place to put a few copies into the hands of those who would read it. I offered a copy to a man sitting next to me. Before putting a hand to take it, he saw the front page article was about doctrine. He immediately and without taking the paper said doctrine is not important. He absolutely refused to take the paper and consider what had been written about things to which doctrine is related.

Even though the man would not read what was said about doctrine, may I kindly suggest that doctrine really is important to him. Doctrine is important to him because:

1. He is a member of a religious group that has advertised evangelistic efforts to convert Jews. Since the public has been made aware of this thrust, a discussion has ensued concerning whether or not the Jew needs converting. The group making the evangelistic effort rightly contends that Jews need Christ in order to be saved. The opposition claims they do not need Jesus and therefore should be left alone. My point is this: The man sitting next to me would say the Jew needs Christ to be saved. Consider the doctrines involved in accepting Jesus as one’s Saviour:

   1. The Bible doctrine about the Deity and humanity of Christ (John 1:1-14),
   2. His virgin birth (Lk. 1:29-32),
   3. His miracles (John 20:30,31),
   4. the sinlessness of Christ (I Pet. 2:22),
   5. (e) the power of the blood of Christ to cleanse sin (Rev. 1:5,6),
   6. the doctrine that not only does the blood of Christ cleanse sin, but that it is the ONLY thing that will cleanse sin (Heb. 9:1-10:39), and
   7. the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ (I Cor. 15:1-4).

   Does a Jew (or anyone else) have to believe those things? Read John 8:31-24.

2. In the second place, I believe doctrine in important to the gentleman for another reason: Why is he a member of the church of which he is a member? I asked that question. He did not have much of an answer. So I said to him, “You are what you are by convenience, I am what I am by conviction.” Now, would he change churches? If not, why not? Would it be that he disagrees with the doctrines of other churches? If that is not it, then why? Could the only other reason be personal choice based on his own likes and dislikes?