You may have read this title and rolled your eyes a little bit. Maybe, you thought, "Can't we talk about a topic a bit more interesting than doctrine?"
Or maybe, you thought, "What does 'doctrine' even really mean?"
I will start by answering that second question: "doctrine" simply put is teaching. When you go to church and your pastor is teaching something, that is doctrine. Your pastor is talking about doctrine.
For that first question, I will say this, what you are being taught about God and His Word matters, even if you find it a little boring. It matters because what you believe about God and His character matters. What you believe about God affects your outlook on life as well as your actions.
Now, I want to ask you a question: when you think about what excites you about church, do you think about sound doctrine?
If you are a theology nerd, the answer to that question may actually be yes, but my guess is that it probably is not. Because, in our church culture in America today, doctrine is not really held in that high of value.
We tend to care about other things: traditions, what music style we like, how trendy a church is, our feelings, etc.
Are these the things that Scripture teaches us to put the highest value on, though?
Let's find out.
In 2 Timothy, Paul writes his "last words" if you will. He knows his time on earth is coming to a close, and he writes a letter to Timothy, a pastor who he mentored and who was like a son to him. In this letter, he continually puts emphasis on sound doctrine/teaching and the authority of Scripture.
Listen to what he says in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, "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."
Now, to me, it seems like sound teaching is pretty important. If we do not have sound teaching, we will turn to teachers that will essentially just tell us what we want to hear. That is dangerous and destructive.
When everyone decides to “suit their own passions” and “turn away from listening to the truth,” it brings chaos and confusion.
If you are not being taught sound doctrine, you are not being taught the truth. It may sound harsh, but you are being taught lies. There is no freedom found in lies, there is no joy found in lies, there is no peace found in lies. All you get from lies is a false sense of comfort.
When you are being taught sound doctrine, you are being taught the truth of the Bible. And as Jesus taught, the truth will set you free.
Think about this: you might really value tradition, but is that tradition rooted in Scripture? You might enjoy the style of music of a particular church, but does that church teach the Bible? You might be looking for a trendy church, but are you also looking for a church that preaches the truth? You might even be looking for a church with sermons that make you feel good, but do those sermons challenge you to grow in your walk with God?
The truth is more important than tradition. The truth is more important than music style. The truth is more important than trendiness. The truth is more important than your feelings.
I’m not saying that liking tradition, preferring one style of music over another, looking for a trendy church, or even valuing your feelings is a bad thing. These things are not bad things; they are just not the most important things. The Word of God being held in the highest authority is the most important thing.
It is critical that we teach and are being taught the Gospel. The Gospel is the ONLY thing that can set people free from sin and reconcile them to God. What could be more important than that?
Well Read readers, I beg you, please do not sacrifice the truth of Scripture for your preferences. Value God and what He has already spoken first. It will change everything.
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