Definition

• The simple definition of doctrine is a body of principles for a system of belief. For Christians, doctrine teaches the rules to live by and what they believe about the sovereignty of God. The faith is called Christianity, so it is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as well as the Old Testament. The entire basis of the Christian faith is based upon the belief that Jesus died and was resurrected, and because of this, Christians have a direct relationship with God.
  
  

The Early Church

• After the 11 disciples were instructed by Jesus to go and make disciples of all the nations, they did as they were told. The disciples believed Jesus to be the promised Messiah that the Jews had been waiting for, so they preached in the synagogues, reaching people with the lessons that Jesus had taught them. Many Jews did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, and to this day wait for the promised Messiah. The disciples preached to anyone that would listen and many were converted to Christianity because of their teaching.
  
  

Some Basic Doctrines

• As the doctrine of the early Christian church developed, approximately 13 basic beliefs were formed into the body of doctrine. These basic beliefs range from the Trinity to Jesus' death and resurrection, and that if you believe in Jesus, repent of your sins and accept Jesus as your savior, you will have eternal life. Christian doctrine also states that worship is a combination of praise, service to others, sacrifice and submission to God's authority.
  
  

A Simple Message

• The early disciples had a clear message to the world. They stated that God loved the world, which was a radical statement for this time, since most of the pagan gods were about retribution and wrath. The teaching that people should care about others was also unusual at the time. The concept that God would forgive sins through belief in Christ was something that appealed to the early Christians. They had grown used to making sacrifices to the gods and now the sacrifice had been made for them. By using a clear and simple message, the early teachers of Christian doctrine were able to spread their belief system throughout the world and start a faith that survives until this day.