Essential doctrines
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; 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
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 1:7–11
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 1:10–11; Rev 2:2, 14–16; 18:4
Unbelief and heresy are damnable
Mt 10:32–33; Mk 8:38; Lk 12:46; 21:8; 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 1:15–16; 2:1; 1Pe 2:7–8; 2Pe 2:1–3; 3:14–18; 2Jn 1:7–9 — 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
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. ↩︎