'Doctrine' - The Good News and the Bad News
Aug
16
Written by:
8/16/2010 4:34 AM
Over the past several years, there seems to have a been a decline in the attention do what is commonly termed ‘doctrine'. The term ‘doctrine’ has taken on a negative connotation even in our evangelical churches, as if it's merely the invention of 'religious' men and the product of their imaginations. Well, the Bible tells us that there is good doctrine and bad doctrine.
Jesus does not condemn doctrine, but commandments of men taught as ‘doctrine’. It is said of the early church that they:
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching (doctrine) and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” –Acts 2:42
‘Teaching’ in that passage comes from the same Greek word as ‘doctrine’ and 'teaching' in the following verses:
1Ti 4:6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
1Ti 6:1 Let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.
1Ti 6:3 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,
2Ti 4:3 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,
Tit 2:1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
Tit 2:7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,
Tit 2:10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Clearly, there is “good sound” doctrine and “different” doctrine. Sound doctrine refers to the apostles’ teaching that originated in Christ. “Different” doctrines then are “commandments” or “teachings”.of men, not grounded in Jesus’ or the Apostles’ teaching.
Jesus is now at the right hand of God and the Apostles are all dead. How do we know if our ‘doctrine’ is good and sound? Is it rooted and grounded in the plain reading of the text of the Bible, inspired by God and laid down before us by the Apostles Jesus taught? Does the teaching (doctrine) seem to be ‘drawn from’ passages of scripture, either explicitly or inescapably implied, or does the ‘doctrine’ taught seem to be a questionable conclusion based on a ‘therefore’ based on passages/portions of scripture taken out of their original context?
Do we always get it right? No, but we really ought to receive gladly what is clear in scripture and discard what is ‘man made’ and not supported clearly by Scripture.