Life, Not Doctrine : A Short Critique

The following thoughts have been on my mind for quite some time now. As a disclaimer, these are not the writings of an expert. I have very little experience in ministry and of writing and consider myself much in need of continuing spiritual progress. I believe I got around to completing the idea while listening to a preaching relevant to the topic. It is such a joy to have the heart pierced by the truths of the living God!

This post is a comment on the popular evangelical notion of "life, not doctrine" or "deeds, not creeds". Acta non verba. The notion is not new, as many before me have dedicated time into criticizing this sort of movement within evangelical Christianity. On top of my mind is J. Gresham Machen with his Christianity and Liberalism. My present preoccupation with it is in the aim of edifying those close in my heart. This is for self-examination and for a godly response. I hope to set them high above me in these concerns. I love unity, and I yearn for it. But it is to be unity grounded in the gospel and its major implications to a believer. We must contend for the truth that was once for all delivered to the saints. It is hard work, and will include necessary dialogues in-between, yet there is no togetherness in the gospel without a proper understanding of it. Of course, this is very much preaching to myself as well.

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." - James 1:22

This verse might seem to provide support for those who insist on "life, not doctrine". With closer examination, however, this verse actually challenges a doctrine-less life, and also those who insist on mere doctrine.

And since it is John Calvin's birthday, when I started writing this, here's a quote from him regarding this topic:
"It would be the height of absurdity to label ignorance tempered by humility 'faith'!"

(1) Orthopraxy is grounded in orthodoxy. Proper living is grounded in proper doctrine. The genuine Christian life is grounded in Christo-centric, biblical doctrine. "Be doers of the word". The "word" mentioned here is the set of biblical and foundational teaching interpreted authoritatively by Jesus and the apostles and prophets of the early Church. This is to be understood as the doctrines I am contending for. We are not to be doers of mere instinct, or well-meant speculation, or emotion/feeling. We are commanded to be doers of the Word. About speculation, it is that which while seemingly and sounding Christian, finds itself to be not in accordance to the whole counsel of God, the revealed Word. It leaves itself to be interpreted differently as speculation is not solidly articulated nor solidly in line with clear biblical thinking. It is jargon-filled yet without any substance. The main thrust of well-meant speculation is that we are not to properly articulate doctrine in the fear of division. You know, let's just love one another. However true doctrine unites, but it also divides. It divides itself away from false teaching (false gospels) or lip-service or white-washed/less-demanding discipleship to Christ, which is no discipleship at all.

(2) In this verse, those without a life showing in accordance to the Word, even though they know the Word, are justly warned. People who insist on "knowing" doctrine but have not taken it to practice never came to true understanding. I am not proposing endless doctrinal discussions. But what is to be at the center of Christian life should be the root of every action. And we should have discussions on such. It should be clear where we agree and what we are agreeing to. In churches or Christian organizations this is usually called "confessions/statements of faith". Without any discussion on solid doctrines, we may find ourselves working contrary to the gospel and to Christ. The warning in Matthew 7, where miracle- and ministry-workers being shunned by Christ on the last day should be a terrifyingly sufficient reminder. It is doctrine that should spark one into action. God should author and direct the way we do ministry. It is His ministry, not ours. The danger when we think that it is ours is that we employ means that are contrary to His Word.

Without proper articulation and definition of doctrine, we are without solid ground. This is very dangerous. Also, just because we agree, it does not mean that discussion should stop. It is odd that Christian truths are less discussed among Christians. More are unhealthily obsessed with the fruit, while disregarding the root altogether. Every Christian is excited about the finished work of Christ on the cross, right? There is much more to the gospel! Personally, I don't see myself getting beyond the gems of the faith. It deserves both appreciation and articulation, in a joyfully continuing manner.

Imagine this: what if you are working with someone who does not understand the gospel, or God-forbid, does not believe it anymore? These people are possibly church-mates, or those whom we know from the past to have professed faith in Christ. I have heard of such stories from other people. Sadly, I also know through first-hand experience. It is depressing. That person has no understanding of the holiness and sovereignty of God, the vileness of sin, the need for salvation (however undeserved), the free gift offered: salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the finished work on the cross at Calvary, the Second Coming for judgment whether to eternal life with God or to eternal punishment without God. These are matters that should never be taken for granted. These should never be left without serious (and continuing) discussion. It is true that doctrine without practice is abhorrent. But while it is true that Christianity is more than doctrine, there is no genuine expression of the Christian life outside doctrine, the biblical understanding of the gospel of Christ.

(3) It is an anomaly to be "doers" without the word. It begs the question: what are they actually doing, if not the word? People say that they live "by grace", and that they "follow Christ", that they are "Christian". What do they mean by that? If they fail to articulate or understand what they are saying, what are they doing?

I have observed many people who say they believe one thing, but do the exact opposite. There are many who claim to be Christians but upon probing their actions and ideas are quite impossible to reconcile with biblical Christianity. The only biblical sense of living by grace is to live according to the gospel, as reveal through the Word. The true gospel leads to life. The whole counsel of God, the Bible, has the only monopoly of Truth. It is the well-spring of pure and vital doctrine that gives way to life. It is unveiled and applied through the loving ministry of the Spirit of God (John 14:26, 16:13). I am very, very sure that the Bible is very accessible nowadays. We have it in different covers and translations now. Some Christians even have more than one. What they do with it exactly, is the question.

A quote from Machen's "Christianity and Liberalism" that I hope would provide further clarity: "Paul was not interested merely in the ethical principles of Jesus; he was not interested merely in general principles of religion or of ethics. On the contrary, he was interested in the redeeming work of Christ and its effect upon us. His primary interest was in Christian doctrine, and Christian doctrine not merely in its presuppositions but at its center."

Also, with regards to the quote of John Calvin, people that ascribe to "life, not doctrine" are more of the tendency to consider themselves the humble sort, however ignorant and non-conversant of truth, than those are "intellectuals", those who spend a great deal of their time articulating doctrine. They are living a pretense of faith, as Calvin observed. David Wells also notes that "There is no Christian faith in the absence of sound doctrine. It is this message that is our only ground for hope and salvation."

Lastly, people who follow this mindset accuse those who desire proper articulation of truth to be "ivory tower intellectuals" or "theological elitists". Mere intellectualism is dead orthodoxy, to be true. The doctrinally conversant is not necessarily a genuine Christian. But consider this, again from David Wells: "The assumption that theology is an elitist preoccupation is as mistaken as the assumption that Christianity is an elitist faith." Christianity is articulated truth. We are taught the truth, we are to be shaped by it, we are to articulate it, through evangelism and teaching (Matt. 28:19-20), we are to grow in the knowledge of Christ our Savior (2 Pet. 3:18), we are to be rooted in it (Col. 2:7). This is so that no believer will be deluded into plausible arguments, empty deceit and philosophy or error (Col. 2:4, 8, 2 Pet. 3:16-17).

(4) A note regarding the word "sound" in sound doctrine (1 Tim. 1:10) is denoted also as healthy, as it is "hygeia" in Greek. If you notice closely, it is where we get the word "hygiene". Sound doctrine is in accordance to the understanding of the biblical gospel, hence I use the words interchangeably (again on 1 Tim. 1:11). Sound doctrine is life-giving; it begets health. Sound doctrine and the Christian life are inseparable. A doctrine-less Christian is no Christian at all. It is sad to find a Christian who has little or no regard to sound doctrine at all. It is safe to say, however harsh some people think it sounds, that this person is lifeless. He may have the appearance of godliness but is denying its power. There is no anchor for a person like this to believe he is indeed saved.

In closing, "life, not doctrine" / "deeds, not creeds" is actually a doctrine, a creed of its own. It is a less committed, less demanding way to live the Christian life, if we are to even call it "living". The standard becomes "life", not "doctrine". What life? Whose life? One's own? (I sincerely hope not.) Of course one would say "Christ's"! My question would be: how did Jesus live? Was He vague in His conviction, in His teaching? Was He without doctrine? Did He take doctrine lightly? He rebuked Satan that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of that comes from God (Matt. 4:4). He rebuked the religious leaders of that day for misinterpreting Scripture and for being whitewashed tombs (Matt. 23:27). He explained Truth and lived it for He is truth Himself (Jn. 14:6). He lived according to the Word of God for He is the Word of God (Jn. 1:1ff)! He asks that those who call themselves His disciples deny themselves and follow Him. He asks them to believe in Him, for He is Truth. Sound doctrine or the biblical understanding of the Gospel, is hard work. It requires denial of one's self, especially our subjective interpretations less-demanding commitments, and personal doctrinal preferences. Yet the full Christian life only finds its genuine expression according to the unchanging Truth (Jn 14:6, Heb. 13:8). Let us not leave doctrine to the fringes of our lives.

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A Very Important Postscript: Well, I have placed the additional notes as number 4 so as not to derail the thoughts. (As if I am not already a convoluted writer.)

References:
* Christian and Liberalism (J. Gresham Machen)
* No Place for Truth (David Wells)