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Is Doctrine Important?

by Robert Coleman
1/14/2013 / Christian Apologetics

"Why don't we put aside the differences in our doctrines and just love one another? Love is all we need." Have you heard something close to the words I've put in quotation marks? Indeed love is a great virtue and if we all had it, the world would be different. But I only hope that anyone who agrees with the quote above does not think that if I oppose or disagree with a certain doctrine it means I do not love the people who believe or sympathize with that doctrine. (I must admit though that often sympathizers of some erroneous doctrines actually live them out thus making the doctrine very real and sometimes even a threat to those who do not believe as they do.)

The Bible states unequivocally that "... love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth." [1 Cor 13:6 GNB]. When you read through the Gospel of John (and perhaps the other gospels) something about Jesus stands out. He often points to truth saying, "I am telling you the truth ..." Truth is important and the moment a doctrine lacks the full truth, a Christian must have nothing to do with it; it is not of God. For this reason one must be so familiar with the Scriptures to be able to discern heresy (i.e. false teaching).

Indeed Apostle Paul wrote to Titus, cautioning him: "But you must teach what agrees with sound doctrine" Titus 2:1 GNB. This assumes that there is such a thing as unsound doctrine or doctrine that comes from bad judgement. Many preachers are naming the name of Christ yet preaching falsehood. But heresy remains heresy even when we prefix it with the name 'Jesus' or attach some scriptures to it. Apostle Paul also warned Timothy, "Watch yourself and watch your teaching. Keep on doing these things, because if you do, you will save both yourself and those who hear you."[1 Timothy 4:16 GNB] This last verse suggest a linkage between teachings/doctrine and salvation. Therefore we can safely conclude that doctrine plays a key role, if not for anything at all, for salvation from the bondage of sin and eternity in hell.

Christian doctrine is under siege and it is no joke. There is intense spiritual warfare on the doctrinal front ; a battle for hearts and minds. It is a dicing with death to think that doctrine is not important to ultimate salvation. So we must know what we believe. We must study the Scriptures! As I see it now, simply evangelizing to non-believers is not enough; we must also defend the faith right from within the church against false teachers and false preachers, because the salvation of many may be hanging on the line. In the early days of Christianity some heresy slipped into the church as Jude points out in his letter:

"My dear friends, I was doing my best to write to you about the salvation we share in common, when I felt the need of writing at once to encourage you to fight on for the faith which once and for all God has given to his people. For some godless people have slipped in unnoticed among us, persons who distort the message about the grace of our God in order to excuse their immoral ways, and who reject Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord. Long ago the Scriptures predicted the condemnation they have received. For even though you know all this, I want to remind you of how the Lord once rescued the people of Israel from Egypt, but afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Remember the angels who did not stay within the limits of their proper authority, but abandoned their own dwelling place: they are bound with eternal chains in the darkness below, where God is keeping them for that great Day on which they will be condemned."[Jude verses 3-6 GNB]

We must stay within the limits of sound doctrine lest we risk losing our salvation. With fear and trembling, work out your salvation. Do not play with the false teachings of this age; those teachings that call you to "love what is on the Master's table rather than the Master himself", as Hank Hanegraaff puts it.

"The time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine, but will follow their own desires and will collect for themselves more and more teachers who will tell them what they are itching to hear." [2 Timothy 4:3 GNB].
These teachers abound. They have the money and the platform to reach your itching ear even when you haven't actively sought after them. So be careful! Doctrine is important and what is at stake is nothing less than your eternal destiny. Watch what you imbibe!

Note: All scripture quotations are from the Good News Bible (GNB) - Second Edition (c) 1994.

Robert G. Coleman is a Christian writer with interest in Christian Apologetics and Evangelism. He is the author of the book, 'Why Don't I Feel My Faith'.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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