It is exciting to see my one-year-old daughter develop from a baby to becoming a little girl. The joys of parenting are endless. Her newest infatuation is the garbage can. She loves stepping on the pedal that opens and closes the can, and she (especially) loves throwing things away.

Her love for the garbage can has its ups and downs for me as a parent. It's kind of hilarious to see the pure joy on my daughter's face when she finds things in the house that she could throw away. For the most part, she's on point and throws away wrappers (and other things that should go into the trash). But there's a fear that I have, when I'm in another room and I hear the "kerplunk" of the trash can in the kitchen. I think to myself, "Oh no, what did she just throw away?" I swear, one of these days, I'm going to lose my iPhone, and guess where I'll find it? In the trash can. 

We chuckle at some of the "weird-isms" and humorous developments of our children. But as believers, we go through our fair share of growing pains and developments as well. One area, we as believers, need to continually learn and grow in is: What doctrines are the right hill to die on? And what doctrines are not? What false beliefs need to be trashed? What right beliefs need to be treasured?

Sadly, I've seen some cases where Christian churches and institutions put all their theology and practices on the highest level of importance. And on the other side of the spectrum, I've seen churches that have the mindset "If it's not a gospel issue, then it's not an issue." This motto seems pious on it's surface, but what about when it comes to believing things like the doctrine of the virgin birth, church membership, baptism, or the Lord's Supper?

To help with wading through what is important and what is not, Dr. Albert Mohler introduced the practice and coined the phrase called "theological triage." He drew the analogy from the medical field in which nurses and medical doctors perform "medical triage" on the patience entering the emergency room or intensive care unit. Simply put: in the emergency room, there are some medical conditions that are prioritized before others. You may come in with a broken thumb, but if a person comes in after you with a severed limb or a gun-shot wound, doctors may feel the need to address the more dire situation when a life is at risk. The same is true with theological triage. Holding to our theology and convictions is essential. (Let me say it again if you didn't get it the first time: it is important to have biblical convictions!) But there are some doctrines and convictions that are not worth severing a relationship over. 

Gavin Ortland, in his book Finding the Right Hill to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage gives us four levels to think through when it comes to theological differences.

• First-Rank Issues. Doctrines that are essential to the gospel (e.g., the Trinity, Jesus is God, etc).

• Second-Rank Issues. Doctrines important to the health and practice of the church (e.g., practicing baptism & Lord's Supper, church polity, etc.)

• Third-Rank Issues. Doctrines that are important to have convictions on, but not important enough to separate or divide over (e.g., bible versions, differing views on eschatology, etc).

• Fourth-Rank Issues. Doctrines that are unimportant to our gospel witness and ministry collaboration (i.e., when ministries work together cross-denominationally for a common cause)

This isn't just a man-made idea. We see it all throughout Scripture. Paul talks about doctrines that are (1) of "first importance" (1 Corinthians 15:3), (2) convictions not worth dividing over (Philippians 3:15), (3) rights and doctrines worth laying aside for the unity of the body (Romans 14:1), and (4) doctrines that are not of first importance to Paul's mission (1 Corinthians 1:17).

Like my child that is still trying to figure out what goes in the dumpster and what does not, we as believers need biblical discernment and a healthy dose of humility when thinking through the difference of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Not every disagreement is worth separating over. However, not every doctrinal difference is worth smoothing over. 

Lord, please give us the wisdom to know what hills to die on and give us the humility and grace to know what is not. Give us the passion and zeal for your holiness, and give us the grace to welcome all our different brothers and sisters as you have welcomed them. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.