Does Doctrine Matter

Does it matter what we believe?  Is it really necessary for Christians to have a proper understanding of the relationship between faith and works, grace and obedience?  Dose it matter how we worship?  Is it, as so would say, only what is in our hearts that matters?  Is doctrine really that important?

What is doctrine?  Simply stated, doctrine is teaching.  If we are to know about God, we must be taught.  If we are to know about salvation, we must be taught.  If we are to know about the church, we must be taught.  What we are taught (and what we teach) is doctrine.  Doctrine can be right or wrong; true or false.  We must use care to weed out false doctrine and preserve true doctrine.  True doctrine gives us knowledge, guidance and encouragement.  False doctrine leads us down the pathway of destruction.

Where does doctrine come from?  Ultimately doctrine comes from God the Father.  God no longer speaks to us directly or through prophets.  Today God’s will is revealed through the written word—God speaks to us through the Bible.  The New Testament contains all we need to know about how to properly worship and serve God and how He wants us to love Him and respond to his grace.  Without correct doctrine we would be lost.  Not only would we know little of God and the church but we would not know how to receive His offer of salvation.

Yes, what we believe matters!  What we teach matters.  What we do matters.  Love, forgiveness and fellowship with God are essential but we cannot ignore doctrine.  We cannot focus on love, forgiveness and fellowship while disregarding matters of doctrine any more than we can focus on doctrine and overlook love or grace.

Over the next couple of weeks, if the Lord wills, we will look more closely at Biblical doctrine: what it is, where it comes from and why it is so important.  Then we will look at the dangers of false doctrine and how to recognize this great threat to men’s souls.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas Sneed