Good doctrine … there I said it … the “D” word. It seems, in many churches, we’re afraid of the word and of calling many biblical concepts by their traditional or biblical names. I understand the value of making preaching and teaching relevant. But have we gone to such lengths to avoid using biblical terminology that we have become a generation of biblical illiterates?
According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, doctrine is, “a set of ideas or beliefs that are taught or believed to be true.” Biblical doctrine is made up of the ideas and beliefs that the Bible teaches to be true. It’s the Bible carefully studied and understood.
Good doctrine matters because what we believe about God, His sovereignty, and His dealings with those He loves, determines how we’ll respond to the tests and trials of life, among other things. It also determines whether we witness, how we interact with others, especially our spouses and children, and whether we have peace at the end of our lives. Good doctrine matters more than we know and bad doctrine, even when it sounds very appealing, has a nasty downside.
Today’s Readings:
Isaiah 15 & 16
Psalm 106.24-31
Proverbs 25.8-10
2 Corinthians 4.1-18
The Nasty Downside of Bad Doctrine
2 Corinthians 4.1-18:
Good Doctrine Concerning Tests & Trials
Good doctrine matters.
And one area where good doctrine is vitally important concerns the tests and trials we experience in life.
Look at what Paul had to say about his own trials in verses 1, 7-10:
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart:
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
What If …?
Many today come to God with a what-can-He do-for-me attitude. That attitude is fed by the popular “health and prosperity doctrine.” It’s a doctrine with great appeal, but it has a nasty downside.
What if you believe God will give you whatever you desire if you just have enough faith?
What if you believe God always wants His children healed physically, guarantees that our children will grow up to serve Him, and gives us freedom from all hardship?
Then … what if … God doesn’t make you rich or heal your body? What if your child gets sick, you continue to struggle financially, your husband doesn’t get saved or come back home or change? What if the man of your dreams doesn’t appear, you suffer physically, or your children rebel?
You can start to wonder: Does God really care about me? What’s wrong with my faith? Why does this stuff seem to be working for everyone but me? Ironically, what seemed so appealing, can actually lead to despair because we don’t have a Biblical view of how God works through the tests and trials of life.
His Sovereign Purposes
Read the above verses again. Verse 1 says, “… we do not lose heart.” Yet look again at 8-10. Paul said he was “hard-pressed on every side.” They were under great pressure or strain, but it didn’t crush them. They were perplexed by what was happening and why, but it didn’t lead to despair because they trusted the One who allowed the circumstances. And while they were persecuted, they knew that it didn’t mean God had abandoned them. At times, they were knocked down, but it didn’t destroy them.
How could Paul have suffered all that he did and not be destroyed or driven to despair? Because he knew the One who allowed those circumstances did so for His glory, for His sovereign purposes, and ultimately for the good of all concerned (Rom. 8.28-29).
Because he had an accurate biblical theology of suffering, a firm grasp on good doctrine, he was able to serve God under very difficult circumstances. And God was able to use him to write at least 13 of the 27 New Testament books.
Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation … (Jn. 16.33). Not might. Not if you don’t have enough faith. You will. In fact, as I said a few days ago, God says trials are good for us (Rom. 8.28-29; Jas. 1.2-4; 2 Cor. 1.3-7). But if we’re to weather them well, even grow as a result, we, too, must understand good doctrine.
I’ve written frequently on this subject. If you’d like to read more, you might check out one or more of these posts:
“How Can You Run to God When You Want to Run Away?”
“How to Trust God During Tough Times”
“3 Ways to Stay Strong When Life Is Hard”
Today’s Other Readings:
Isaiah 15 & 16:
Judgment Against Gentile Nations
Isaiah not only warned God’s people of coming judgment, but he also warned of His judgment against other nations.
Moab was a nation that descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot through incest with his daughter. This prophecy warned of the destruction of their land and resources and their coming military defeat.
Psalm 106.24-31:
Despising God’s Blessings
Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His word, but complained in their tents … (vv. 24-25).
These verses contrast believing God’s word with a lack of contentment (they despised the pleasant land—God’s blessing) and complaining. We’re faced with the same choice. Are we going to be thankful or discontented? Are we going to trust God and enjoy His blessings or are we going to be constantly wanting more?
Proverbs 25.8-10:
Make Every Effort
Debate your case with your neighbor, and do not disclose the secret to another (v. 9).
Whether we have sinned against someone else (Matt. 5.23-24) or we are the one sinned against (Matt. 18.15), we should make every attempt to seek reconciliation with others and to keep the circle of involvement as small as possible, beginning with just you and your brother, sister or neighbor. Only when we are unable to resolve our issues do we widen the circle and, even then, it needs to be done in biblical ways, not with gossip and malice.
What Do You Think?
How important do you believe good doctrine is? Have you experienced times when a misunderstanding about God’s truth created doubt or other issues in your life?
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we will talk about presumptuous sins, how our whining keeps us from shining God’s light into a dark world, and how delayed obedience = disobedience.
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss any of them. You might also like to check out our YouTube channel.
If this post spoke to you, I would love it if you would share it on your favorite social media platform.
And if you don’t already have a copy, you might want to purchase a copy of my eBook, 10 Benefits of Keeping a Spiritual Journal. It’s available on Kindle or in paperback (the paperback has 31 days of blank journaling pages with prompts to help you get started).
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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