Mike,

This may seem like a dumb question, but what is the doctrine of Christ?

Thanks,
S____

Hi S____,
Thanks for your question.
You ask:

This may seem like a dumb question, but what is the doctrine of Christ?

That is not a dumb question at all. It is one that deserves an answer, but before I give you Christ’s own answer to that question, let’s notice what it is not.
One thing for certain is that “the doctrine of Christ” is not to be found in the “statement of beliefs” of any denomination known to man. If any of us have a “statement of beliefs” which is anything less than “the sum of thy word”, then that denomination has no idea what is “the doctrine of Christ”, because the doctrine of Christ is the Truth, and the Truth is “the sum of God’s Word” and not just ‘some of God’s Word’, which is at best, what any “statement of beliefs” is. That being the case, this is “the doctrine of Christ.”

Psa 119:160 The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever. (ESV)

Add to that these words of our Lord Himself, and you have the short answer to your question:

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

So when you tell the whole world that your statement of beliefs is thus and such, and you leave out any single word that Christ spoke, or you twist His words to make them conform to your “statement of beliefs,” as does each and every man- made denomination, then “out of your own mouth” you have acknowledged that you do not believe the doctrine of Christ. Instead you have your own “statement of beliefs” which leaves out many of “the words that proceed out of the mouth of God.”
Just a few examples will suffice to make clear this point. For example, how many churches who publish a “statement of beliefs” agree with Christ and so states in their statement of beliefs, that we are expected to “love our enemies?”

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:
Mat 5:44 but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;
Mat 5:45 that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same?

I suppose that there are a few who do make that point in their statement of beliefs, but they would be few indeed in these days of “the war on terror”.
But how many of those who would agree that we are not to kill our fellow man under any circumstances, would agree with Christ that His children “know the truth?” How many of those whose statements of beliefs state that we are to love our enemies, will agree with Christ that His followers know what is not true and are therefore of one doctrine?

Joh 8:31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples;
Joh 8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Let no man ever tell you otherwise. “You shall know the Truth.” Any one who ever says otherwise is a liar.

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

The last example which will prove that those who have a published “statement of beliefs” cannot be familiar with “the doctrine of Christ,” is that no such church knows what is “the love of God.” There is not one Christian in a thousand who knows that the love of God is the keeping of His commandments, and that the only way to know that you love your brothers is to obey God and keep His commandments.

1Jn 5:2 Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

“Hereby we know that we love the children of God…” Nothing less than obedience to God’s commandments makes clear that we love the children of God. If we ignore one word that proceeds out of the mouth of God via his prophets and apostles, then we do not love the children of God. While many claim to “keep his commandments”, in reality they most often actually despise His commandments, and would not keep them under any circumstance. The manifest truth is that if Jesus were here teaching the same doctrine He taught 2000 years ago, it would be “those Jews which believed in Him,” who would again crucify Him and nail Him to the cross to keep from having to listen to “the doctrine of Christ.”

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [ then] are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of [ your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Those who have “the doctrine of Christ” believe His doctrine, and to this very day are “hated of all men.”

Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Christ is His doctrine, and “His name’s sake” is being faithful to that doctrine.
There is much, much more that can be said to demonstrate that those who publish a “statement of beliefs,” and those who teach “agreement in the essentials and tolerance in the nonessentials,” don’t have a clue what is “the doctrine of Christ.”
What, pray tell, is “nonessential” in these words which truly are “the doctrine of Christ.”

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

I hope this helps you to see that we all need to be in our Bibles and getting to know the Truth. Christ assures us “we shall,” if we are to be made free from all the false doctrines of men, because the doctrine of Christ is not any man’s limited statement of beliefs, but is rather “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” There is not one “nonessential” word that ever came out of the mouth of Christ or any of those who He has inspired to write His Words. Christ is The Truth, and all of His words are His doctrine:

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Know God’s Word, and you will know the doctrine of Christ:

2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your [ spiritual] house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike