Getting hung up on the doctrine is missing the point of it and is legalism.
It is not necessarily legalism. It can become legalistic but the NT affirms throughout that we are to hold to correct doctrine. This is even seen in the very fact that the writers of the NT books are teaching certain things which are necessary for salvation (all passages from the ESV):
Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
1Co 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
1Co 15:12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1Co 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
1Co 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
1Co 15:15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
1Co 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
1Co 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
1Co 15:19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
If the doctrine of the resurrection is false, there is no salvation. Correct belief about who Jesus is and what he did are necessary for salvation.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
Here "the faith" is referring to the collection of doctrines of Christianity, which would include the "gospel," itself a certain set of Christian doctrines.
Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
Gal 1:7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Rom 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
1Ti 1:3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,
1Ti 1:10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
1Ti 4:6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
1Ti 6:3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,
1Ti 6:4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,
1Ti 6:5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
Tit 1:9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Tit 2:1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
Heb 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
Correct doctrine is necessary and we simply cannot pit that against faith as though they are opposed to one another.
Edward said:
We really do not need to look to men for interpretation, we ask the Holy Spirit. I think it must be impatience that makes us ask men, and perhaps a desire to help those younger in faith to understand things. But many times people pride steps in and those without the Love of God and the truth within them will begin bickering, wanting to show off and seeking respect I suppose. Those that are not even worshipping the real Jesus as you said. Best to leave these types alone and pray to God for illumination through His Holy Spirit and to not be deceived.
But this ignores the clear teaching of Scripture that some are teachers. It also ignores the fact that the Bible is a collection of books written by people inspired by God,
for people. This presumes that we can read it and understand. The problem is that it is written in ancient languages that the vast majority of us don't understand, so it is up to those who do to make clearer for us what is actually written. Not to mention that when one reads the Bible in their own language, they are reading a translation, often incorporating the interpretations, understandings and biases of the translators.
So, yes, while we do need the Holy Spirit, we can also put in our own effort and hard work to learn the historical contexts, the language, the idioms, etc., and also research and talk to others about what they have found. Not only can we do so but I would argue that God expects it of us.
