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Section 7... Living The Faith... The Biblical Christian/
The Christian And Knowledge/ Theology and Doctrine. Part II

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The Christian and Knowledge:
 Theology and Doctrine. Part II

Carol Brooks

See the evidence the Christian faith is based on HERE

PART I: The words "theology" and "doctrine" are not only widely misunderstood, but brushed aside by many who do not recognize that they are both are crucial to saving faith. All Christians have theology and doctrine - the question is whether or not we learned good theology, resulting in right doctrine, or whether we learned bad theology resulting in false doctrine. If you don't think this is all that important, consider for a moment  the many New Testament warnings about sound doctrine. Saul of Tarsus and Apollos underscore the point that someone can be sincere and religious, but sincerely and religiously wrong. Many argue that some doctrinal issues are more important than others except that some wrong beliefs can have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences. Is Biblical doctrine too difficult to grasp? 

PART II: Is doctrine really that important? - It certainly is if you consider that doctrine determines practice (what a person does (practice) is based on what they believe (doctrine), right doctrine is essential to salvation and evangelization, and the consequence of false doctrine are catastrophic.

PART III: Discerning the difference. The ONLY way to recognize the counterfeit is by knowing what is genuine.  How NOT to decide what to believe. For example, never assume that a person, or a group, is orthodox simply because they uses orthodox language, can quote Scriptures at the drop of a hat, sound very "Biblical", claim to perform miracles, are very charismatic and/or are very "successful"
 

PART II (THIS PAGE)
Is doctrine really that important? yes, if you consider that...

Doctrine Usually Determines Practice

Doctrine is Essential to Salvation

Doctrine is Essential to Evangelization

The Consequences of False Doctrine Are Catastrophic


Doctrine Usually Determines Practice
In our day, it is getting increasingly common to hear people asserting that living right (orthopraxy), is more important than believing the right things (orthodoxy). In fact, one of the distinctives of the emerging church is it's insistence on doing, as opposed to merely proclaiming the Gospel.

However, an individual's 'right living' is determined by his personal convictions, or his doctrine.  To put it another way... what a person does (practice) shows what they really believe (doctrine). A national survey of 2033 adults undertaken by the Barna Research Group, showed only 4% of adults have a Biblical world view, defined by Barna as

    believing that absolute moral truths exist; that such truth is defined by the Bible; and firm belief in six specific religious views. Those views were that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life; God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and He stills rules it today; salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned; Satan is real; a Christian has a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people; and the Bible is accurate in all of its teachings.

In other words, relatively few people, including devoutly religious people, have a Biblical world view. What is truly horrifying is that only 9% of the born again segment had a Biblical world view. So what difference does this make? According to the report (All Emphasis Added)

    One of the most striking insights from the research was the influence of such a way of thinking upon people's behavior. Adults with a biblical worldview possessed radically different views on morality, held divergent religious beliefs, and demonstrated vastly different lifestyle choices.

    People's views on morally acceptable behavior are deeply impacted by their world view. Upon comparing the perspectives of those who have a biblical world view with those who do not, the former group were 31 times less likely to accept cohabitation (2% versus 62%, respectively); 18 times less likely to endorse drunkenness (2% versus 36%); 15 times less likely to condone gay sex (2% versus 31%); 12 times less likely to accept profanity 3% versus 37%); and 11 times less likely to describe adultery as morally acceptable (4% versus 44%).

    In addition, less than one-half of one percent of those with a biblical world view said voluntary exposure to pornography was morally acceptable (compared to 39% of other adults), and a similarly miniscule proportion endorsed abortion (compared to 46% of adults who lack a biblical world view).

    Among the more intriguing lifestyle differences were the lesser propensity for those with a biblical world view to gamble (they were eight times less likely to buy lottery tickets and 17 times less likely to place bets); to get drunk (three times less likely); and to view pornography (two times less common). They were also twice as likely to have discussed spiritual matters with other people in the past month and twice as likely to have fasted for religious reasons during the preceding month. While one out of every eight adults who lack a biblical worldview had sexual relations with someone other than their spouse during the prior month, less than one out of every 100 individuals who have such a world view had done so. (6)

The person who affirms all the right things about God, and is yet complacent about doing the right thing, has missed the most essential ingredient of their faith. In the Bible the words belief, believe, and faith etc., are never spoken of as merely head knowledge, but in the context of living what one believes. (See The Myth of Faith Alone)

In other words, doctrine and practice are equally important - inseparable for the most part. In most cases, what a person believes (doctrine) determines what they do (practice).

One of the best illustrations of this is the false teaching that once saved, a person can never be lost. Since this is often taught by some very well known Christian pastors and teachers, many believed what they were told, then acted on it. I have read many testimonies to the fact that, believing they could never be 'unsaved', people lived their lives just the way they wanted to... drinking, womanizing, etc. At the time, they were tragically unaware that they were very surely condemned as sinners.  See The Doctrine of Eternal Security


Right Doctrine is Essential to Salvation

Even in this very liberal day and age, most Christians will agree that those who completely reject Jesus will be lost.

However, many will strongly disagree with the idea that although they may believe themselves to be sincerely following Christ, they may be completely lost due to heretical beliefs and practices, found in orthodox churches, Catholicism, among the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and Seventh Day Adventists. And of course in numerous evangelical churches.

Many members of these of these groups are extremely sincere in their desire to know and obey God. They often devote a great deal of time to reading and studying their Bibles, and are often more zealous than evangelical Christians in their efforts to proclaim the message of the Gospel... as they understand it.

So, how can a person's salvation depend on an accurate understanding and following of the teachings of the Bible.

There are several factors to be taken into consideration.

Belief in "Another Jesus" Does Not Save
Paul told the Corinthians that he was afraid that they would believe in a different Jesus, a different Gospel, or receive a different spirit.

    For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. (2 Corinthians 11:2-4 NASB)

To paraphrase Bob Deffinbaugh on bible.org

    The Jesus of the New Testament was truly God and truly man. He was born of a virgin, fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies pertaining to the Messiah, literally died and rose from the dead and will literally return to possess His kingdom and judge His enemies. However, many people today understand Jesus to be loving and extremely tolerant, accepting all men as they are, without judging or condemning them.

But this is not the Jesus of the Gospels but a product of human imagination. He is so different from the real Jesus presented by the Bible. Regardless of how sincerely someone may live out his belief in a "jesus" that doesn't exist, there is a strong possibility that he cannot be saved if, for example, that "jesus" is not God who took human form, but just another name for an archangel. (7)


Calling Jesus "Lord" is Insufficient For Salvation
Jesus Himself said that not everyone who calls Him "Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, reserved for those that do the will of the Father (Vs.21). Mere lip service to Jesus as Lord will not save a person, even if he, or she, were to perform miracles, drive out demons, and prophesy in His name. No one can accuse the Savior of ambiguity when He drew a sharp contrast between those who talk, and those who do.

    "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. "But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great." (Luke 6:46-49 NASB)

Zealousness Does Not Necessarily Save
The word "zeal" means devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal, and tireless diligence in its furtherance.

The Jews were very zealous in their seeking after God. However, they relied on their own righteousness based on their own works, not the righteousness of Christ available to them through faith. This prompted Paul to pray for their salvation, saying their zeal was "not in accordance with knowledge"

    Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. (Romans 10:1-3 NASB)

We have to come to the Jesus of the Bible on His terms. Are we hypocrites with a pretended allegiance, or are we actually doing the will of the Father?

    "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15 NASB)

    Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. (John 14:23-24 NASB)

    "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. (John 15:10 NASB)

While not every Christian is going to be an expert on the finer points of theology, since our eternal future is at stake, it is crucial that every Christian know what the true Gospel is. As Paul told Timothy

    Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. (1 Timothy 4:16 NASB. Emphasis Added) Here are some reasons never to use this man-made phrase.


Right Doctrine is Essential to Evangelization
The Pharisees, who followed their own version of God's laws but believed they had a special corner on their religion were extremely zealous in trying to make converts. However, Jesus called them hypocrites, and sons of hell, because they were converting people to their false beliefs.

    "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. (Matthew 23:15 NASB)

Zeal for evangelizing must be accompanied by right doctrine. No one can adequately tell another about God's greatest gift to humanity, unless they themselves have a Biblically accurate understanding of the Gospel.... God's grace, why salvation is necessary, how it is received, and how we can ensure we do not fall off the path.

For example, the most fundamental, vital question that anyone can ask is what must I do to be saved?..  the answer to which is perhaps the most crucial point of the whole New Testament. Yet there are no end of well meaning Christians who, in answer to that life and death question, will inform you that You have to ask Jesus into your heart. Unfortunately this is a meaningless phrase that does communicates the Gospel Message. Here are some reasons never to use this man-made phrase. Why NOT To Ask Jesus Into Your Heart

Additionally, anyone preaching a different Gospel is accursed.

    I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Galatians 1:6-9 NASB)

Besides which, the more a Christian knows, the better able they are to answer questions or counter objections that an unbeliever may raise. It is a shame to let our own lack of knowledge come in the way of proclaiming the good news of salvation to those who will shortly face God's judgment and death. Many Christians, who are not at all familiar with apologetics believe that we are required to just "have faith".

When faced with an unbeliever or someone who teaches a different Gospel, nothing can inspire confidence as much as knowing one has good, sound, grounds for believing what one does. See the evidence the Christian faith is based on HERE


The Consequences of False Doctrine
The Bible makes it exceedingly clear that, on the one hand, there is "sound doctrine" and "purity of doctrine". On the other hand it speaks of strange doctrines, different doctrines that distort the gospel of Christ, and even doctrines of demons....
 

See Doctrines of Demons
It is a tragedy of monumental proportions that so many of the practices in the 21st century church are directly or indirectly derived from the occult.

It is no wonder that all the apostles took an extremely strong stand against false doctrine (Paul going as far as to say that anyone who preaches a different one is cursed). They all knew that, unless repented of and forsaken, false doctrines will damn even a so called, believing Christian. Peter used the word apoleia (translated destruction) to speak of the fate of those who introduce heresies  (another word for false doctrine)

    But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction (apoleia) upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction (apoleia) is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:1-3 NASB)

The Greek word apoleia is derived from apollumi, which means to be fully destroyed, or die.

As the following verses show, false doctrine is anything but harmless. It spreads like leaven: damning, destroying, and dividing

You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. (Galatians 5:7-9 NASB)

    Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. (Romans 16:17-18 NASB)

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