There's no need to panic. By such a suggestive blog title, I am not suggesting that we allow profanity in our churches. Instead, the “D” word I am referring to in the blog title is the word, “doctrine.” I use “D” word in describing doctrine because many churches and Christians act as if “doctrine,” is a dirty word. It isn't. In fact, we have greatly devalued doctrine. Doctrine is not bad for churches. Bible doctrine is the backbone of our faith. Without doctrine, churches get weaker and vulnerable to the enemy.
We need to restore Bible doctrine to our churches. We need appreciate the value and virtue of Bible doctrine.
The word, “doctrine,” literally means, “teaching.” The Bible is full of great information about our Lord, ourselves, heaven, hell and so much more. This information is what we refer to as doctrine. A person is speaking gibberish when he says that he loves Jesus but hates doctrine. If a woman says, “I love Jesus and want to learn more about Him, I just don't want to hear any doctrine,” be sure that she has no clue what she is talking about.
Without sound doctrine, individuals may “worship,” a figment of their imagination rather than the true God. Of course, this is idolatry. Without doctrine how can a person properly understand the nature of God? Without doctrine, some will struggle to properly define who Jesus is.
These days some wish to fellowship with anyone who believes in Jesus. Yet there is a problem with this. Not everyone believes in the same Jesus. For instance, cults reject the divinity of Christ. One prominent “minister” was being interviewed on a talk show. He was asked if he believed that members of a particular cult were Christians. He response was that they believed in Jesus, so yes, they were Christians. Yet that cult rejects the divinity of Christ and has bizarre teachings about Jesus, not to mention other subjects. It would come as no surprise that this “minister” is popular, but flawed in his theology.
Cults often use the same theological terms we do, but attach different meanings to the words. A pastor needs to guard his flock against such dangers. That is why doctrine is so important.
Sadly, many ministers are nothing more than polished motivation speakers. They only teach on subjects they get pumped up about. They don't declare the whole counsel of God. If you're not attending a church where the Word of God is being regularly preached, you may want to start looking for another church. I believe in expository preaching. People don't need to hear what a preacher thinks or feels. They need to hear what the Lord says in His Word.
Furthermore, let me challenge music leaders about the songs they choose to use on Sundays. Our music needs to be theologically sound. It is one thing to sing a song because it has a great beat, but it is another thing to sing a song rich in truth. These days, I find that most people prefer songs with light lyrics and an up-tempo beat. Some have confused the sway of the beat as a move of the Spirit. Sadly, songs with deep, meaningful lyrics are often cast aside for fluffy tunes. We do not need a concert atmosphere at our churches. We need our people to grow and mature in their faith, which occurs only as the they are exposed to the truth.
While I believe emotions are good in worship, I think emotionalism is dangerous. We must keep in mind that we live by faith, not by feelings. True worship may bring about deep emotions, but our goal should not be the emotions but fellowship with the One we are worshiping. Furthermore, sentiment is good in its place, but we should not confusion sentimentality with spirituality. A deeply sentimental song may drive a person to tears and still not be led of the Spirit.
The bottom line is that truth matters most. God has given us truth through His Word. Doctrine is needed for our worship, our music and our daily lives. If you wish to know more about the Lord, you must study doctrine. If you wish to have a deeper life of worship, doctrine will provide this. If you wish to avoid demonic traps and deceitful cults, get into the Word of God.
We don't need less of the Bible, we need more. While I do not condone emotions that are apart from truth, neither do I believe that truth is void of emotions. At the end of the day, truth is most important. Proper understanding of truth engages our emotions and leads to life-change.
Yes, we need to restore the “D” word (doctrine) to our churches. But we also need it restored to our lives.
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