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. - Titus 1:9
How many times have you heard it - “Doctrine? Doctrine? We don’t do doctrine; we do love because love brings God’s people together; doctrine divides.” To which I say be very careful before you push sound doctrine to the back pew. “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.” - Romans 16:17.
Despite the seeker-friendly evangelicals who dislike doctrine it must be said that without doctrine they are all blindly bumping up against one another, hoping against hope that no controversy may rise within their ranks that cannot be assuaged or put away with love. It is this abnormal fear of sound doctrine that betrays a congregation and convinces a church that it is better off without the guidance of Holy Scripture. That is why so many evangelical churches avoid expository preaching from God’s holy word. Doctrine is more than a theological concept; it is a rule that influences thought, word, and deed. This is why sound doctrine is so vitally important to the church. “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, 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 . . .” - 1 Timothy 6:3-5.
While Paul admonishes church elders to avoid the strange fires of ungodly doctrine, he also reminds them that the congregants are also to blame for these lapses in sound teaching. The elders succumb to the pressure to put on their wooden smiles and preach words which are inoffensive and uplifting so that everyone can go home from the service feeling good about themselves. This is unsound doctrine! “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
- 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
But why is sound Biblical doctrine so important? What makes doctrine the lynchpin on which the true church of God stands or falls? Why can’t church members meet on the Sabbath Day and fellowship without having the strict direction of Scripture imposed upon them to dampen their otherwise lovely day? “understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.” 1 Timothy 1:9-11. Clearly, without sound doctrine, any number of insidious teachings and heresies can and will seep into the church.
How can we know then whether the doctrines taught are truly the doctrines based on the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? We can by exercising our spiritual discernment as the Bereans did. “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” - Acts 17:11. Examination of the Holy Scriptures is the only way we, as Christians, can test the doctrines and teachings that we are subjected to. And this counsel comes to us from the source of God’s revelation to us: the Holy Bible! “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” - 1 John 4:1. The Bible would not advise us to test what we are taught if it wasn’t just that important. Let us put away fancy and embrace Biblical truth without error.
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