The Importance Of Doctrine

It’s the basis of faith

We say we have faith in God.  The Bible tells us we must have faith to come to God and be saved (Hebrews 11:6, Ephesians 2:8-9).  But that leads us to some questions:  Who’s God?  What is sin?  What is meant by eternal life?  Why did Jesus go to the cross?  Who is Jesus anyway?  What does faith even mean?  The answers to all these questions are crucial, and we call those answers DOCTRINE.  If you believe your potted plant is Jesus, faith in that Jesus isn’t going to do you any good.

It’s the basis of our actions

You ever wonder why God tells us to do certain things.  Why aren’t we supposed to commit adultery?  Why are we supposed to gather with other believers?  Why do we partake of communion?  Is it just because God says so, or is there an actual reason?  Consider the following:

So if you take doctrine out of the equation the events are meaningless and you have no real reason to do anything.  God Himself often uses this same formula in His word.  For examples, take the passage below from 1st Corinthians 6:18-20:

“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.   Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.”

Here we are given a command.  Flee sexual immorality.  Why should we do that?  Doctrine.  Because our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and it isn’t ours to do what we want with.  What’s the basis for those beliefs?  Real historical events.  The Holy Spirit indwelt us when we put our faith in Christ and Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

It’s very important to God

God is adamant that He does not lie.  And He takes people believing what He tells them pretty seriously.  Consider the following verses:

Another reason doctrine is so important is that doctrine is what Satan tries to corrupt, and when we let him do so this angers Christ greatly.  (Revelation 2:14,15)  In fact doctrine is important enough that we’re not even to associate with a person who claims to be a Christian yet doesn’t have sound doctrine (2nd John 1:10).

This being said, please be sure that your beliefs actually come from God’s word.  If a doctrine is important to God then you can bet He’s made it abundantly clear all over scripture.  Whereas in Romans 14:1 we are told not to dispute over doubtful things that are merely conjecture and people’s opinions.  

● How to recognize a cult.

In the Bible we are told to DO things. Love people, trust God, don’t steal, etc. These are what we tend to focus on.

What we are told to do is based on Doctrinal Beliefs.  Apart from those doctrines we wouldn’t have a reason for our actions.

God doesn’t tell us to BLINDLY believe something.  All doctrinal beliefs are based on a real space – time event in history.

We are told to trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation. This is so important that apart from this we can’t have eternal life.

 We’re sinful

 Jesus was sinless.

 Jesus is God.

 Jesus will be the Judge.

 The Fall

 The Virgin Birth

 Jesus’ miracles

 The Great White Throne Judgment

ACTION

DOCTRINE

EVENT