Doctrine: Does it really matter?
Another way of asking this same thing is to ask— Does it matter what people believe? In our case, we’re talking about what people believe about God from the Bible. I hope you’re one who understands that beliefs are always important, especially concerning spiritual truth, the things pertaining to God. Actually, there isn’t anything I can think of that is more important. And since it is the Bible that tells us everything we need to know about God and what He expects of us, our understanding of what the Bible tells us is of extreme importance. Such will not only make a difference in one’s life now, but for all eternity. That’s why we’re commanded to be diligent in our studies of it.
2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]
The word “doctrine” is not a bad word, as some people seem to think. Bible “Doctrine” is simply “the word of truth” about God that’s been revealed to us. It is the apostle Paul’s portion of it that’s particularly relevant to us in our time. What Moses was to Israel, the apostle Paul is to us today. Both were given the task of providing God’s instructions for His people. The whole Bible is said to be for our learning, but the writings of Paul are specifically addressed to us today for our obedience.
Romans 15:4
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our LEARNING, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. [Emphasis added]
It is this man, Paul, who is said to be our apostle. This means among other things that he is our instructor.
Romans 11:13
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify [MEGALUSO = make great, emphasize] mine office: [Emphasis added]
To “magnify” his office is to give special attention to his teachings. You’ll find more information about this in my articles about him concerning this. There are these and many more—
Paul: Who exactly is this man to us?
Also, there are videos about him on this website.
#198 ~ What’s so special about the apostle Paul’s writings?
We find that it is even his gospel that is now said to be our gospel, not the one Peter and the other apostles were commissioned to preach.
Peter & Paul: Was their message the same?
You’ll even find videos on this website about this.
#27 ~Two Gospels – Peter’s & Paul’s – What is the difference?
There are those who’ve said—“What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” The truth of the matter is that what you don’t know can and WILL often hurt you. What you should know about this which we speak of as our gospel message is extremely important. The whole world of mankind needs to know about it. It is “doctrine” about this and what you believe about it that can determine where you spend all eternity. Can you name anything that would be more important than that?
The subject of this article is not necessarily some church’s doctrine but the doctrine or the teachings of the Bible. I’m quite aware that nearly every church and every denomination will claim that what THEY teach is right out of the Bible. Whether it is or it is not is something we all need to investigate. Again, where and how we spend eternity will depend on it. Heaven and Hell are two extremely different places. Heaven will be enjoyed thoroughly by all who end up there. Hell and the Lake of Fire are going to be quite the opposite.
In the King James Version of the Bible, the word “doctrine” is found in seven of Paul’s thirteen letters.
–Twice in Romans
–Twice in 1 Corinthians
–Once in Ephesians
–Once in Colossians
–Nine times in 1 Timothy
–Four times in 2 Timothy
–Four times in Titus
You’ll also find this word in many other places in the Bible. Doctrine is certainly an important word that speaks of things we should all know. The one verse that emphasizes this as much as any is this one—
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God [THEOPNEUSTOS = God-breathed], and is profitable for DOCTRINE [DIDASKALIA = that which is taught (occurs 15 times in the pastoral epistles—1st & 2nd Timothy & Titus), doctrine, teaching], for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Then in this next verse we have the objective of teaching doctrine.
17 That the man of God may be perfect [ARTIOS = complete or mature, thoroughly furnished [EXZARTIZO = fully or completely equipped] unto all good works. [Emphasis added]
So don’t be afraid to use the word. One’s “Doctrine” is extremely important. This word is used in Paul’s writings which are God’s teachings that are specifically to us, something we should devote time to every day. There’s nothing in life that should matter more to us than what God has to say to us. While what we have to say to God in prayer is important, it isn’t anywhere near as important as what He has to say to us in the Bible and especially in the apostle Paul’s epistles. This is true even though we should work to become familiar with everything God has to say in the Bible.
Proverbs 8:10-11
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. [Emphasis added]
All the great heroes of the faith knew God’s Word would be their chief source of wisdom as well as their greatest deterrent to sin.
Psalm 119:11
11 Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee. [Emphasis added]
This is why we should desire it like a newborn desires milk.
1 Peter 2:2
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: [Emphasis added]
Apart from it there can be no spiritual growth at all.
In my years of working with all kinds of people, I have found that most of them, even long-term Christians, are very shallow in what they really know about the Bible. They may read denominational literature, devotional materials and the like, but they don’t spend much time actually studying the Bible itself. If you are to ever grow up and become a mature believer, you must get beyond the basics. Furthermore, only by studying the Bible can you become familiar with God to develop a sound relationship with Him.
Always realize that we’re not just learning information, even though that’s at the heart of it. We’re building a relationship with a Person. As I hope you know, God is a Person. There’s God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God is essentially one, but He is three in personality. That’s why He’s spoken of as a trinity. For more information about that, please see my article about it—
We can never really enjoy life to the fullest without knowing and complying with God’s will and those things that are pleasing to Him. Only then are we positioned to know and enjoy His greatest blessing, as well as to know Him as our best friend. The Corinthian church is one such group that had a chance to get the best of teaching through the apostle Paul. However, it was because of their resistance to applying it that they apparently never did get past the basics in teaching.
I Corinthians 3:1-3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
Then Paul speaks of the evidence of their immaturity.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? [Emphasis added]
The Corinthian church Paul worked with was probably the most insubordinate group of believers Paul ever had to deal with. Some of that was to do with what they knew but were not applying. But a lot of it was to do with things they did not know. Like so many believers today, they were ignorant of so much.
Knowledge of the Word and experience in its application give us wisdom and discernment. People often speak of how children see no danger. This is how it is with immature Christians; they are vulnerable to sin and easily deceived. It is easy for them to fall victim to all kinds of things that do not produce a quality life and will rob them of reward in eternity.
In my book, 22 Key Promises You Can Count On, I show how you can compare our need for the Bible with how we all need food. The comparisons that can be made are many.
- Everyone needs food.
-Everyone needs the nourishment of God’s Word.
- Everyone needs food DAILY.
-Everyone needs the “consumption” of the Word of God daily.
- You will be weak if you don’t eat nourishing food regularly.
-You will be “weak” and vulnerable to foolishness if you don’t “feed” on the Word regularly.
- People cannot grow on one meal a week.
-People cannot grow on one brief time in the Word each week either.
Many Christians go all week without a feeding of any kind spiritually, and then only get a cold sweet snack on Sunday morning, if even that.
- Only nourishing food satisfies the needs of the body.
-Only nourishing spiritual food satisfies the soul and the spirit.
- It is normal to get hungry and to be eager to get a good meal.
-It is “normal” for believers to get hungry for God’s Word and “abnormal” to resist it.
- What we eat affects our physical health.
-What we believe affects our physical health and especially our spiritual health.
- Children do not know what food they need to eat.
-Immature Christians do not know the Bible teaching they need.
- Mature parents give their children the food they need, not just the food they want.
-A good teacher gives the people before him what they need, not just what they want.
- Junk food and sweets may provide temporary satisfaction, but do not promote good health and growth.
-For spiritual health and growth, it is essential to have a regular diet of Bible teaching that is rightly divided.
- There are consequences associated with what we eat.
-There are consequences associated with what we believe.
- People do not eat food accidentally but by choice.
-People don’t believe things accidentally but by choice.
- It pays to examine your food.
-It pays to “examine” the teaching you receive.
- Food preparation matters. Everyone needs a good cook and we need to be selective in what we eat.
-Teaching [or sermon] preparation matters. We need good teachers, and we need to be selective about what we listen to.
- The personality of the cook has no bearing on the quality of the food.
-The personality of the teacher or pastor has no bearing on the quality of the spiritual food he provides, even though that is often thought to be vitally important. It is not! We all enjoy and tend to learn more from a “quality” presenter, but the main issue is the message, the “food” itself.
- You do not have to know the cook or even like the cook to benefit from the food he serves.
-You do not have to know or even like the teacher to benefit from his teaching.
- There is more than one cook who can feed you nourishing foods.
-There is more than one pastor or teacher who can give you nourishing teaching.
Only if you KNOW God’s Word can you be positioned to enjoy all God’s blessings. Therefore, make it a priority to feed your mind daily with the sound teaching from God’s Word, the Bible. Doctrine certainly matters! If you’re not growing spiritually, you are retrogressing. There’s no such thing as standing still with it. What is your situation now?
Again, 2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]
Please let me remind you that this verse is not just a suggestion, but a command to us all.
