Is doctrine important?

[Matt14]

Recently I read someone implying that we should not worry so much over "doctrine" and instead focus on "love."

In your understanding of scripture, what part does doctrine play in the church? In the life of a Christian?

How important is doctrine?

Thanks, and God bless!

[walked]

Unpolluted doctrine is important, most modern doctrines in my opinion are polluted.
Unpolluted doctrine is in the bible only and wont be found unpolluted or pure in any denominational creeds of faith.

I look to Gods word for revealed doctrine to live under or in the light of and, not to any mans revealed doctrine.

God bless you.

[anglican-cat]

Recently I read someone implying that we should not worry so much over "doctrine" and instead focus on "love."

In your understanding of scripture, what part does doctrine play in the church? In the life of a Christian?

How important is doctrine?

Thanks, and God bless!

Doctrine and Love are both very important. This a reason I feel Churches that are Creedal and Biblical are vital, but it is important to express love to God and others, among other things my Church has a soup kitchen. Grace and Peace.

[The Parson]

Doctrine means teaching. But not just any ole teaching. Specific teaching...

[enarchay]

Recently I read someone implying that we should not worry so much over "doctrine" and instead focus on "love."

In your understanding of scripture, what part does doctrine play in the church? In the life of a Christian?

How important is doctrine?

Thanks, and God bless!

No. I do not believe perfect doctrine defines a Christian. Being a Christian is not about being a scholar; it is about following Jesus and producing fruit for him. You could be borderline retarded and be more of a Christian than a genius.

That is why I don't think we should let minor debates split the church into denominations; it is fruitless. Focus on the similarities, not the differences, in my opinion.

[Mograce2U]

Recently I read someone implying that we should not worry so much over "doctrine" and instead focus on "love."

In your understanding of scripture, what part does doctrine play in the church? In the life of a Christian?

How important is doctrine?

Thanks, and God bless!

Well first you must define "love". What love can there be apart from truth? Truth is what guides us in the love we are to express. Without truth you are merely doing what seems right in your own eyes. Sound doctrine will guide you, whereas love alone (as the world understands it) has no basis or discipline to follow. Scriptural love seeks to do what is best whether the recipient thinks so or not. It is bold and proactive to do real good for its benificiary. It is not necessarily reciprocated in kind or even acknowleged, however. Ex: True love disciplines a child. It also tells the truth when one is in error (sin). It is willing to speak up when the emperor has no clothes and tell him he has been deceived. What love can do this that is not founded upon sound doctrine first? Only the love of God that refuses to leave us like He first found us!

[Tanya~]

Recently I read someone implying that we should not worry so much over "doctrine" and instead focus on "love."

Unfortunately, this is a sign of the times.

2 Tim 4:1-5
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

The right doctrine is absolutely essential.

2 John 9-11
Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine , do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
NKJV

And we are charged to earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints:

Jude 3-4
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
NKJV


I'm concerned whenever someone says doctrine is not important. Sometimes it is a guise for false teaching.

In your understanding of scripture, what part does doctrine play in the church? In the life of a Christian?

If we do not have the correct doctrine, then we don't know the truth. And if we don't know the truth, then the whole thing is a farce and completely worthless.

John 8:31-32
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free."

[Sold Out]

Recently I read someone implying that we should not worry so much over "doctrine" and instead focus on "love."

In your understanding of scripture, what part does doctrine play in the church? In the life of a Christian?

How important is doctrine?

Thanks, and God bless!

Wow...that's incredible....focus on love and not doctrine..?????

"My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6

The NUMBER ONE reason Christians fail in their walk is a lack of knowledge of God's Word. I work with CHRISTIANS who can't even tell me the plan of salvation, or define the trinity, or the deity of Christ. It's a shame!!! Satan has done a wonderful job of deceiving Christians into thinking they can just love their way thru this life with no firm foundation in the scriptures!!!

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." Romans 16:17

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; " Ephesians 4:14

If we don't know doctrine, we will be easily deceived. This is how Satan works! WAKE UP CHRISTIANS!!

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;" II Tim 4:3

"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." Titus 1:9

[9Marksfan]

Wow...that's incredible....focus on love and not doctrine..?????

"My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6

The NUMBER ONE reason Christians fail in their walk is a lack of knowledge of God's Word. I work with CHRISTIANS who can't even tell me the plan of salvation, or define the trinity, or the deity of Christ. It's a shame!!! Satan has done a wonderful job of deceiving Christians into thinking they can just love their way thru this life with no firm foundation in the scriptures!!!

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." Romans 16:17

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; " Ephesians 4:14

If we don't know doctrine, we will be easily deceived. This is how Satan works! WAKE UP CHRISTIANS!!

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;" II Tim 4:3

"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." Titus 1:9

FANTASTIC post, Sold Out!

[9Marksfan]

Unfortunately, this is a sign of the times.

2 Tim 4:1-5
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

The right doctrine is absolutely essential.

2 John 9-11
Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine , do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
NKJV

And we are charged to earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints:

Jude 3-4
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
NKJV


I'm concerned whenever someone says doctrine is not important. Sometimes it is a guise for false teaching.



If we do not have the correct doctrine, then we don't know the truth. And if we don't know the truth, then the whole thing is a farce and completely worthless.

John 8:31-32
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free."

Likewise, TanyaP!

[SammeyDW]

I'm concerned whenever someone says doctrine is not important. Sometimes it is a guise for false teaching.



If we do not have the correct doctrine, then we don't know the truth. And if we don't know the truth, then the whole thing is a farce and completely worthless.

John 8:31-32
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free."

A sibling in Christ said this, "If you have a theory about scripture, and check it against scripture, and it contradicts scripture, then it is not the scripture that is wrong.".

I believe the comment applies to all our thoughts that involve scripture.
Whether it be theories, ways we live our life, doctrine, or something else.

[9Marksfan]

Well first you must define "love". What love can there be apart from truth? Truth is what guides us in the love we are to express. Without truth you are merely doing what seems right in your own eyes. Sound doctrine will guide you, whereas love alone (as the world understands it) has no basis or discipline to follow. Scriptural love seeks to do what is best whether the recipient thinks so or not. It is bold and proactive to do real good for its benificiary. It is not necessarily reciprocated in kind or even acknowleged, however. Ex: True love disciplines a child. It also tells the truth when one is in error (sin). It is willing to speak up when the emperor has no clothes and tell him he has been deceived. What love can do this that is not founded upon sound doctrine first? Only the love of God that refuses to leave us like He first found us!

And you make it three in a row, Mograce2U!

[enarchay]

My point is, there are several denominations that all think they are teaching the "right" doctrine. Obviously there are some simple, unambiguous things we have in common, but not all things are so clear. With that said, I think it is more important we devote our lives to following Jesus, rather than keeping our heads inside a book while the world falls apart around us. Some person in another country that only knows Jesus is the risen Messiah and that his or her job is to follow him on a narrow road and does so accordingly is no better off or worse than a scholar who can read three languages and is an expert on some particular subject.

Knowledge isn't everything; God is.

Don't get me wrong, I feel that by studying the Scriptures I connect with God, but I also realize that the things I think I know are "right" may not actually be right. There are other denominations (including the mainstream ones) that disagree with some of the things I have come to believe through my own, personal studies. That shouldn't stop us from being "one in Christ," should it? Of course not.

If you put too much of an emphasis on doctrine and knowledge, you will forget what is more important. Trust me, I know. About two years ago I thought I was "right" for being a Universalist and everyone else was "wrong" for not being a Universalist, and because of that, I lost focus on the fact that the other people I looked down on for disagreeing with me were also Christians, followers of the Messiah. I also changed my opinion and my opinion may change again. Even now I struggle with looking down on others who disagree with things that to me appear obvious; I have been praying that God will help me with that.

I wish denominations could focus more on their similarities than their differences is my main point.

[Sold Out]

[QUOTE]

With that said, I think it is more important we devote our lives to following Jesus, rather than keeping our heads inside a book while the world falls apart around us.

How will you know how to follow Jesus without being grounded in the Word? Jesus IS THE WORD

Knowledge isn't everything; God is.

You are right, and in fact, it can cause someone to be prideful, but the biggest problem amongst Christians seems to be a LACK of knowledge, not too much.

[Tanya~]

My point is, there are several denominations that all think they are teaching the "right" doctrine. Obviously there are some simple, unambiguous things we have in common, but not all things are so clear. With that said, I think it is more important we devote our lives to following Jesus, rather than keeping our heads inside a book while the world falls apart around us. Some person in another country that only knows Jesus is the risen Messiah and that his or her job is to follow him on a narrow road and does so accordingly is better off than a scholar who can read three languages and is an expert on some particular subject but has never helped one single poor person and lived a life different than Jesus'.

Knowledge isn't everything; God is.

You're right that knowledge isn't everything, but how can one know God without the knowledge of God?

Denominations are the result of the church not keeping to what was once for all delivered to the saints. Things are emphasized, or de-emphasized, or added, or subtracted, or rearranged or changed, and that is what gives us all these different denominations. Not sound doctrine.

The problem is making a blanket statement that implies doctrine is less important than love. Where do we get the understanding about the importance of love? It's from sound doctrine. It would be better to say that love is more important among Christians than those things that cause divisions among us. Then I would agree with the statement. But to say that we should emphasize love over doctrine is just another example of straying from the truth, another point of division.