Tota Scriptura

Essential doctrines

Stone pillars in an undeground excavation

In essentials unity, in non-essentials
liberty, in all things charity.

Passages in this topic are grouped under each heading based on their indication, grammatically, that believing the given doctrine is either necessary or sufficient for salvation.[1]

God

God (non-specific)
Sufficient: Jn 4:22–24; 17:3; Eph 1:17–18; 2Pe 1:2–4
God exists (theism)
Necessary: Heb 11:1–3, 6
God is one (monotheism)

Main topics: Monotheism, Creator-creature distinction

Necessary: Ex 20:2–3 (cf. Dt 5:6–7); Mk 12:28–34 (cites Dt 6:4–5); Jas 2:19

Jesus

Jesus (non-specific)
Sufficient: Jn 3:16–18, 36; 6:28–29, 40, 47; 11:25–27; Ac 4:12; 10:43; 11:17; 16:31; 26:18; Gal 2:16; 3:22; 1Jn 3:23
Jesus is Lord, God (Yahweh)

Main topic: Jesus is God

Necessary: Jn 5:22–23 (cf. Isa 8:13; 1Pe 3:15); Jn 8:21–25 (cf. Jn 8:28, 58); Sufficient: Ro 10:9, 13 (cites Joel 2:32) — see also 1Co 12:3; 2Co 4:3–5
Jesus is Christ, Son of God

Main topic: Eternal generation

Necessary: Jn 2:22–23; 5:5; Sufficient: Jn 20:27–31; 1Jn 4:13–15; 5:1, 10

Holy Spirit

Must not blaspheme Holy Spirit

Main topic: Holy Spirit is God

Necessary: Mt 12:31–32 (cf. Mk 3:28–29; Lk 12:10)

The Gospel

The gospel (non-specific)

Main topic: Gospel

Both necessary and sufficient: Mk 16:15–16; Necessary: 2Co 11:3–4; Gal 1:6–9; Sufficient: Ac 11:14; Ro 1:16–17; 1Co 1:17–18; Eph 1:12–13
We have sinned

Main topic: Total depravity

Necessary: 1Jn 1:8, 10
Christ was sent by God

Main topic: Eternal generation

Sufficient: Jn 16:27–28
Christ came in the flesh (incarnation)

Main topic: Hypostatic union

Necessary: 1Jn 4:2–3; 2Jn 7–11
Christ died for our sins, was buried, was raised on the third day

Main topic: Atonement

Sufficient: 1Co 15:1–4
Christ was raised (resurrection)

Main topic: Resurrection

Necessary: 1Co 15:14, 17; Sufficient: Ro 10:9
Salvation by grace through faith in Christ
Necessary: Gal 2:16; 5:2–6; Sufficient: Ro 4:4–8

Regarding essentials and non-essentials

In essentials, unity
Isa 8:20; Mt 7:15–20; Jn 7:24; Ac 17:11; Ro 16:17; 1Co 5:12–13; 2Co 6:17; Eph 5:11; 2Th 2:13–15; 3:6, 14–15; 1Ti 6:3–5; 2Ti 3:1–9; Tit 1:9, 13–14; 3:10–11; 1Jn 4:1; 2Jn 10–11; Rev 2:2, 14–16; 18:4
Unbelief and heresy are damnable
Mt 10:32–33 (cf. Lk 12:8–9); Mt 24:4–5 (cf. Lk 21:8) Mt 24:48–51 (cf. Lk 12:45–46); Mk 8:38 (cf. Lk 9:26); Jn 5:24; Ro 1:18–25; 14:23; 2Co 6:14–15; 11:3–4; Gal 1:6–9; 2Th 1:8–9; 2:9–12; 1Ti 1:3–7, 19; 4:1; 5:8; 6:3–5, 20–21; 2Ti 2:12; 4:3–4; Tit 1:15–2:1; 1Pe 2:7–8; 2Pe 2:1–3; 3:14–18; 2Jn 7–9 — see also Vain thoughts
In non-essentials, liberty
Ro 14:1–5, 10, 13, 19, 21–23; 1Co 8:1–3, 8–9; 10:23–24, 28–33; Tit 1:15; Jas 4:11–12, 17

  1. A necessary doctrine (e.g. “if you don’t believe this you cannot be saved”) must be believed for salvation but may not be enough to save by itself. A sufficient doctrine (e.g. “if you believe this you will be saved”) is enough to save by itself, but may go beyond what is strictly necessary for salvation. Considered logically, a correct understanding of any of the sufficient doctrines must in some way contain or presuppose all the necessary ones. ↩︎

Categories: Soteriology