DOCTRINE MATTERS!

DOCTRINE MATTERS!

Acts 2:41-42

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Gal 1:6-8

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

          I met a very nice fellow last night who told me that he was a member of a well known mainline denomination but that he wasn’t into labels and that his church had abandoned teaching “doctrine” because doctrine divides. I’m sure he was hoping to include me in his circle of friends by either accepting or ignoring my understanding of what is and is not truth. It made me very uncomfortable because doctrine matters.

          In the two Bible references above we see two words that need a closer look. The first is the word “doctrine” in the book of Acts. The early church assembled regularly and with great excitement to learn all that needed to be learned from the Apostles. The Greek word is didache which is the basis of our English word didactic or teaching. The word doctrine may also be exchanged for the word dogma which is a body of beliefs formally proclaimed by a church. Dogma is not necessarily truth but simply the list of things believed. The second is the word “gospel” which simply means “good message.”

          Warren Wiersbe comments on the situation with the Galatians:  “The Galatian believers were not simply "changing religions" or "changing churches" but were actually abandoning the very grace of God! To make matters worse, they were deserting the very God of grace! God had called them and saved them, now they were deserting Him for human leaders who would bring them into bondage.”

          We should be cordial when meeting those of other beliefs but we must not be complicit. Complicity makes us an accomplice to an aberrant belief. Because the situation was so serious, Paul pronounced a curse upon those who taught false doctrine. Our world is full of very nice people who believe some very strange things. This makes it difficult to maintain certain friendships.

          The real problem, I’m afraid, is that we do not know or understand what we believe and so we form a religion based upon tolerance and acceptance. When this happens we have abandoned the true faith so that we may replace it with the convenience of cooperation. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3

Dear Lord, in my firm defense of the truth, let me be cordial and congenial but let me not compromise. AMEN