At the church I attend, we use the word doctrine as a synonym for Divine Truth.

We affirm the virgin birth of Jesus, His death, and His resurrection as doctrine. I suspect there are some traditions of our ancestors we have picked up along the way that some would also place in the category of doctrine or Divine Truth.

God is the essence of truth. He shows me His truth through the life and teachings of Jesus. That is the source of Divine Truth. I believe in Divine Truth.

What gets sticky is when I start to compose my doctrinal beliefs from what I perceive to be Divine Truth. This is a personal process. I do not always get it right.

There is a sense in which the doctrine of my local church is irrelevant. What counts is Divine Truth and how I relate to that as an individual. Thus, it would be difficult for every aspect of doctrine reflected at my local church to match with my own personal encounter with Scripture.

What I find interesting and disturbing is the difference in weight and value we give to the teachings of scripture, including specific teachings of Jesus.

When I read the Apostle Paul’s statement, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace,” it seems to me I am called to unity as a doctrinal standard I should attempt to uphold. Unity doesn’t sound optional.

Now that cafeterias are closing, I have finally reached the age to understand the cafeteria line’s appeal. Pay one all-inclusive price and I select what I want and get a nice piece of pecan pie to finish off my list. I can overlook the liver and unions and the beets, even if they have value.

Unity that flows from the cross calls for sacrifice on my part. I have to be around people who may be wrong—not that they might have the same concern about me. I may like some doctrines you don’t like. Your doctrinal choices may not be my conclusions.

Divine Truth is always the same. However, my doctrinal truths picked from Divine Truth—never meant by God to served cafeteria-style—may differ from your select doctrinal list.

Paul makes one more comment that might help me. It is actually a completion to the beginning of his thought started in the paragraphs above. He concludes, “…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Like all Divine Truth, unity has richer meaning than what may first catch my eye. Is it possible the doctrine of unity is a journey?

We start out with elementary understanding, giving each other the grace to be wrong along the way,“…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Stay tuned.

Gary J. Sorrells on Cross Church