Primary and Secondary Issues in Christianity & How To Know The Difference

I live in the heart of the Bible Belt in America. You can’t go two blocks without seeing a church on the corner. According to some statistics, there are as many as 4,500 churches in the DFW metro area. With the rise of independent churches, there seems to be some concern about the differences in what the important distinctions should be between them. Most churches today have a statement of faith that defines what they believe. One of the best descriptions of the primary essentials of the Christian faith comes from the Christian Research Institute. It is an acrostic that helps to define the essentials of being a Christian: DOCTRINE

Deity of Christ –  The biblical witness is clear and convincing that Jesus Christ is the eternal Creator God (John 1; Colossians 1; Hebrews 1; Revelation 1). Throughout his earthly ministry Jesus claimed to be God in word and deed (Mark 14:61–62; John 5:18, 20; 8:58; 10:30–33) and vindicated his claims to deity by living a sinless life (John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5; 1 Peter 2:22), by manifesting his power over nature (Mark 4:39), over fallen angels (Luke 4:35), over sickness (Matthew 4:23), and even over death itself (John 4:50; 11:43–44; 1 Corinthians 15), and by accurately prophesying God’s judgment on Jerusalem through the destruction of the Temple that occurred in AD 70 (Matthew 24:1–2, 32–35).

Original sin –  Sin is not just murder, rape, or robbery. “Sin” is a word that describes any thought, word, deed, or state of being that fails to meet God’s standard of holiness and perfection. The Bible unambiguously proclaims that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). While the notion of generational curses and spirits is foreign to the text of Scripture, there is a sense in which all people are cursed as a result of an ancestor’s sin. Adam’s rebellion brought death to us all and tainted every aspect of our being (Genesis 3; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22; cf. Ephesians 2:3). God, however, has provided redemption through the atoning work of the “Second Adam,” Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12–21).

Canon of Scripture – The thirty–nine books of the Hebrew Scriptures along with the twenty–seven books of the Greek New Testament are divine rather than merely human in origin and constitute the entire Christian canon (meaning “standard of measurement”). In addition to the internal testimony of the Bible about itself (2 Timothy 3:16), the divine inspiration and preservation of the Bible can be demonstrated by the early dating and consistency of the many available manuscripts, the corroboration of archaeology, and the fulfillment of predictive prophecy.

Trinity – Though the word ‘Trinity’ is found nowhere in the Bible, it aptly codifies the essential biblical truths that 1) there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10); 2) the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God (1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:8; Acts 5:3–4); and 3) Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are eternally distinct (Matthew 28:19; John 15:26; 17:1–26). It is important to note that when Trinitarians speak of one God they are referring to the nature or essence of God. Moreover, when they speak of persons they are referring to personal self–distinctions within the Godhead. Put another way, Trinitarians believe in one What and three Who’s.

Resurrection –  All four canonical gospels record the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The immutable fact of Jesus’ resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian faith, because it not only vindicates Jesus’ claims to deity but also ensures the future bodily resurrection unto eternal life of all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and proclaim him as Lord (1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). The historical reality of the resurrection can be demonstrated through the fatal torment of Jesus on the cross; the empty tomb––early Christianity could not have survived an identifiable tomb containing the corpse of Christ; the post–resurrection appearances of Jesus; and the transformation of believers throughout the ages whose lives have been radically altered upon experiencing the resurrected Lord.

Incarnation –  The doctrine of the Incarnation is aptly summed up in the words of the apostle John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14). The clear testimony of Scripture is that, in the incarnation, Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man; that is, he existed as the perfect unity in one person of a divine and a human nature (John 1; Colossians 1). As Theanthropos (“God–Man”), the spotless “Lamb of God” (John 1:29) lived a perfectly sinless human life and died a sinner’s death to sufficiently atone, once for all, for the sins of humanity (Romans 5:1–21; Hebrews 10:11–18).

New Creation –  The essential doctrine of New Creation is aptly codified in the words of the apostle Paul: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, emphasis added). All who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and confess him as Lord are reconciled to God and inherit eternal life in his glorious presence (John 3:16; Romans 10:9–10). Jesus’ resurrection from the dead inaugurates the renewal of all things. The new creation of faithful believers and the new creation of the natural world will be consummated in the resurrection when Jesus returns bodily to earth as the conquering king (Romans 8:18–25).

Eschatology –  The word eschatology is an intimidating word with a simple meaning—the study of end times. While the meaning of eschatology is simple to grasp, its importance is difficult to overemphasize. Far from being a mere branch in the theological tree, eschatology is the root that provides life and luster to every fiber of its being. Put another way, eschatology is the thread that weaves the tapestry of Scripture into a harmonious pattern. It is the study of everything we long and hope for. Early in Genesis, Adam and Eve fell into a life of constant sin terminated by death. The rest of Scripture chronicles God’s unfolding plan of redemption.

This explanation by CRI of the essentials gives a beautiful way not only to know but to share the essentials of our faith. These are the essentials of our faith and if you deny any one of them, the entire structure falls. It all must be believed or not at all. Denying one principle violates the validity of the others.

The following are secondary issues regarding our beliefs. We can debate and disagree on them as believers, yet we don’t divide over them. These include the following:

Differences over baptism modes (immersion or sprinkling)

Differences over end times (pre-tribulation or post-tribulation)

Differences over styles and types of worship

Differences in church governance

Calvinist or Arminian philosophy

Differences over female places of leadership

Differences over the gifts of the spirit (including speaking in tongues and healing)

These are the major non-essentials in Christendom.

Problems do arise when churches make any of the secondary issues the primary issue for salvation or faith and practice. Churches that put their focus on one particular area, like tongues, as the only evidence of a regenerated Christian, have overstepped and violated the principle of Scripture.

Another area of concern today is with the “prosperity” gospel you hear about on television. This is an idea that God wants you to be healthy, wealthy and happy. Unfortunately, it runs counter to Scripture. While God cares very deeply for us, He wants us to be holy first and foremost.

Scripture is the final court of arbitration for faith and purpose. Understanding the essentials allows us to avoid the counterfeit that lurks around every corner. Any church you attend should have an emphasis on the primary essentials. It should believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, preach about sin and our need for a Savior, and be unwavering in reaching people with the Gospel. Our faith is more than a belief system. It is a personal relationship with the risen Savior.

The bottom line is that the essentials of Christianity are the dividing line between the kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of the cults. Everything else is just, well….secondary.

S. Montgomery

**Disclaimer: The acrostic “DOCTRINE” was originally created by Christian Research Institute. They receive full credit and rights to the acrostic explained above.**