True Doctrine, False Doctrine

We continue our study of the word doctrine as it is used in the King James Version of the Bible. The word means system of teaching, and there are many such systems. Anyone with something to teach imparts doctrine, though they don't always call it that. When we Bible-believing Christians use the word without modifiers, we usually mean it in a positive sense, as something true and very important to our spiritual well-being, synonymous with scripture itself. If we are talking about something other than sound scriptural teaching, we usually preface the term with the word false.

There are many New Testament references to the importance of true doctrine for the growing believer and also many warnings against false doctrines, and the need to know the difference.

Romans 6:17 (KJV) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

"that form of doctrine which was delivered" to the Church at Rome was the mystery doctrine of the Church age, beginning with the perfect atonement of Jesus Christ for any who will believe in Him. The individual believes in Jesus by faith alone and is positioned IN HIM, forever. That is immediate and is the work of God the Holy Spirit. Having been previously a servant of sin, there is now some reprogramming to do in the believer's soul. By learning and obeying (believing, practicing) the doctrine taught by the Church, he is launched into his journey of faith and equipped as a warrior in the Lord's army.

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

The most subtle attack on the believer's assurance of salvation is contrary doctrines being brought into the Church by unbelieving religionists or carnal believers who teach legalism, Gnosticism, occultism. If they can get the attention of believers young in the faith, they sometimes can sway them with convincing arguments against our freedom in grace "which ye have learned." The warning is clear: notice who they are and avoid them. The growing believer does not need the distraction of arguing with evil.

1 Corinthians 14:6 (KJV) Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

1 Corinthians 14:26 (KJV) How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

By the time of the writing of I Corinthians, the apostolic spiritual gifts were diminishing, or gone, from the Church. Those temporary gifts were used to kick-start the Church age, by rapidly spreading the gospel message in all languages to the known world, and to give credibility to the message of salvation by faith in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.

Now, the Church organization was well established, with a system of authority in place to teach Christians how to grow up in grace, how to evangelize, how to relax and trust the Lord for their eternal life and daily needs. Free-for-all meetings are not conducive to the edification of the saints.

Colossians 2:20-22 (KJV) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

"if" and you are retroactively dead with Christ, there is no need for petty rules of daily conduct. Those are just details of life, each family has different ways of doing things, and only legalistic religion makes an issue of itemizing your dos and don'ts. Such regulations are doctrines of men.

False doctrine: "you must behave according to my rules, or you are not saved."

True doctrine: 1 Corinthians 1:4-8 (ESV)
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.