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What does doctrine mean?
Doctrine is a set of beliefs and teachings that is acceptable within a religious setting or organization.
The World Health Organization has its own doctrines. For instance, they have:
The doctrine of Universal Health Coverage,
The doctrine of Evidence-Based Medicine, and
The doctrine supporting global cooperation in disease prevention.
So, just as we use doctrines in the World Health Organization, we also have doctrines in other organizations—including churches.
The word doctrine is similar to protocol, but they are different. Doctrine is a foundational principle aimed at guiding beliefs and practices. However, protocol is the procedure or method for how something should be done.
Albeit, protocols can be followed to attain a doctrinal result.
In Nigeria, where I come from, people often confuse church doctrine with biblical doctrine.
Know this now: Church doctrine can be influenced by:
i. Tradition or culture,
ii. Denominational interpretation, and
iii. Leadership preference.
It is valid to say that just because something is valid in a church does not mean it is valid biblically. Do not confuse church doctrine with biblical doctrine.
Let me break it down further!
Just because it is a practice in a church doesn’t mean that it is a biblical rule.
The way different churches do water baptism is different but water baptism is a doctrine that aligns with biblical doctrine.
Jesus addressed this in the book of Mark 7:8 (KJV):
“For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men…”
This shows that man-made church traditions can sometimes replace or overshadow what the Bible actually teaches.
Please, I am not being rebellious by saying this. There are many of us today who would always say, “This is how it has always been done in the Church of God!” But I am encouraging you: test every spirit (1 John 4:1).
A brilliant man of God once defended the issue of paying tithes and offerings. The masses say that it is wrong to pay tithe in the church.
However, paying tithe is not a prerequisite to go to heaven, but it is a way to support the gospel.
In Malachi 3:10, the Bible says:
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house…”
In fact, tithes and offerings were originally given to the priests, who functioned much like the government during that time.
I am not saying you should stop giving tithes. I am saying you should be aware that tithing is not the way to heaven.
The issue lies in the belief that some men of God use tithes to amass wealth for themselves—especially considering the top-class services they enjoy.
Yet, many of these men of God have truly labored, and building a church is not easy.
There is also the verse about women wearing men’s clothes, and men wearing women’s clothes. This has led to contextual misinterpretation.
People begin to say that women wearing jeans is a sin. Biblically, it is not a sin. But based on church doctrine, yes, it can be prohibited.
For example, the Deeper Life denomination prohibits doctrines like:
Wearing earrings,
Wearing trousers by women, etc.
Biblically, it is not wrong to look good. However, it may not be permitted by specific church doctrines.
Pastor E.A. Adeboye once said that paying tithe will not take you to heaven, and more recently, he clarified that salvation is free—and paying tithe is not a biblical requirement for salvation.
As Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:3 (KJV):
“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing…”
In conclusion: Let us seek biblical truth over denominational traditions. Let us test every spirit. Let us follow the doctrine of Christ.