What is doctrinal conformity?

Doctrinal conformity simply means that an individual or group's doctrinal/theological/religious beliefs and/or teachings are in substantial harmony with the broader community/tradition of which they claim to be a part.

For instance, to be in doctrinal conformity with Christians, one must affirm the Triunity of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - one God in three persons), the deity of Christ as well as his manhood (fully God and fully man), the atonement Christ made on the Cross, miracles, the inspiration and infallibility of the Bible, the second coming of Christ in judgment, the bodily resurrection of Christ and of believers, etc.

The Nicene Creed, for instance, is a summary of Christian doctrine that all genuine Christians affirm. One can thus identify a cult by its lack of affirmation or conformity with such Biblical, Christian doctrines (e.g. Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, United Pentecostals).

Substantial doctrinal conformity in the truth of God is what Christian churches ought to expect of their members over against doctrinal inclusivism and relativism that seeks to bind people together in a lie.