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by Pastor Tony

From time to time, I'm asked why anyone raises a fuss over doctrine. Aren't doctrines just the opinions of various people, all equally valid? Why worry about these things? Isn't it good enough to just say you believe in Jesus?

I understand how people can ask questions like this. Our secular culture has been promoting postmodernism since the 1970s. Postmodernism, at its core, denies that there is objective truth. Thus, truth statements are merely expressions of opinion, with all opinions being equally valid.

Of course, the core problem with this is that postmodernism is self-canceling. The assertion, "No one can make an objective truth statement," is itself an objective truth statement. If it were true, the statement could not be made. If the statement can be made, it is false. Either way, postmodernism writes itself off. Clearly, there is objective truth.

That means, then, that mere opinions are not the same as objective truth, and some opinions must (necessarily) be wrong -- including various opinions about Jesus. Thus, the assertion, "I believe in Jesus" begs the question, "What is it that you believe?" An assertion cannot be empty; there must be content, and the content must be correct, or the Jesus who is the object of faith is not the biblical Jesus.

So where do we find correct content? The Bible is God's inerrant, verbal/plenary inspired Word to us. It is his full revelation of everything he wants us to know and believe about him, about ourselves, and about our relationship to him and to other people. God not only delivered his full revelation to us, but he also protected it down through the centuries so it could be lovingly placed in our hands.

God did not go to all of this trouble so that men could merely form their own opinions, create their own "truths," and latch on to a Jesus made in their own image. God's Word is the rule and norm for faith and life. This divine Word presents exactly what we are to believe in order to be saved, and through it, as a means of grace, the Holy Spirit works to create even the faith which receives and holds fast both to the content and the object, which is Christ.

Some ask "how much" must be believed and even argue that some doctrines are salvific and others are not. This is splitting theological hairs, usually for personal benefit. Again, God gave us his full revelation, exactly what he wants us to know and believe in order to be saved. Does God tell the truth? Then you must believe all that he says. Asking how much of Scripture must be believed is like asking how much God himself should be believed!

So doctrine, which is the content of faith, is critically important, and a sign of faith in God is the desire to correctly know and believe the truths expressed in Scripture for the believer's salvation. In fact, correct doctrine is so important that there are numerous commands given in Scripture for pastors to stand on, and defend, right doctrine. Here are a few examples:"

As I urged you...remain in Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons to not teach any different doc- trine...." (1 Tim. 1:3, ESV)

"This charge I entrust to you...[that] you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience." (1 Tim. 1:18-19)

Command and teach these things." (1 Tim. 4:11)

"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by doing so you will save both your- self and your hearers." (1 Tim. 4:16)

"If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing." (1 Tim. 6:3-4)

"O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called 'knowledge,' for by professing it some have swerved from the faith." (1 Tim. 6:20)

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord...." (2 Tim. 1:8)

"Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me.... By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you." (2 Tim. 1:13-14)

"...[What] you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." (2 Tim. 2:2)

"Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:14-15)

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from where you learned it...." (2 Tim. 3:14)

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus...preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when peo- ple 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." (2 Tim. 4:1-4)

"[An overseer] must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." (Titus 1:9)

"Therefore, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith...." (Titus 1:13)

"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine." (Titus 2:1)
"Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you." (Titus 2:15)

"I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own appetites...." (Rom. 16:17)

Even without all of these examples, I would speak against false teachings and expose false teachers, out of love for, and devotion to, the flock God has entrusted to my pastoral care. True love means warning those whom you love and protecting them from danger, much in the same way that a parent who truly loves a child will warn the child away from a red-hot stove.

But over and above even this is the clear command of God that I must follow the pattern of sound teaching handed down (2 Tim. 1:13), teach what accords with sound doctrine (Titus 2:1), and rebuke false teachers and their teachings (1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Tim. 4:1-4; Titus 1:9, 13; 2:15; et al.), persisting so that I might save myself and my hearers (1 Tim. 4:16).

My prayer is that God would make me ever faithful to sound doctrine and the clear command to defend it, and I also pray that this wonderful, amazing flock at Gloria Dei would be ever more hungry to hear, absorb and hold to the truth of God's Word. Soli Deo gloria!