To Die For, To Divide Over, To Dialogue About
We all need to understand that there are different levels of commitment when we talk about theology. Some things are more important than others. For instance, many folks will bitterly argue over things that aren’t central to Christianity (Eschatology, for example). While there is a place for debate in public discourse over such items, they are not worth division and making enemies over. On the other hand, some items central to Christianity ARE worth dividing over and possibly dying for. Let’s take a further look at the three circles of commitment.
Gospel Core: Herein lie the items that are worth dying for. These are the things fundamental to the doctrine of Christianity. For instance, the resurrection, the Trinity, the Nature of Christ, etc… Simply put, the essential truths of the Christian faith rest in this category. All TRUE Christians (and denominations) will agree on the essential truths. They are what separate Christianity from Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Islam, etc… See Galatians 1:9 for Scriptural support.
Biblical Commitments: These items are worth dividing over. These secondary issues are taken from the massive amount of Biblical texts that can honestly be interpreted in different ways. The doctrinal items that fall into this bucket are Sacraments, ordination of women, Ecclesiology, etc… See Titus 1:9.
Personal Convictions: The items that fall into this category are things that we should openly dialogue about. You can think of these as tertiary doctrines that are issues of conscience with extremely limited Biblical evidence to form a strong argument. For example, Eschatology, Six Day Creation, Worship style, politics, use of alcohol, etc… See Romans 14:5.
When we discuss different topics it is critical that we understand what category we are dealing with. The consequences of treating the method of Baptisim, for instance, as an essential element of Christianity can have damaging consequences. Above all, we must respect those that disagree with us. In no Biblical text can we find Christ disrespecting those with whom he came in contact with. What are some other items that might fall into these three categories? ~CT
