DOCTRINE, KNOWLEDGE, AND LOVE
Extremist or Balanced ?
Both individual
Christians and churches have a tendency to be lop-sided (to be at one end of the pendulum or the other) when instead we
need to be biblically balanced in accordance with God’s Word. On the one end of the spectrum, you have the Charismatics,
and on the other end, you have churches like the General Association of Regular
Baptists (GARB). One group tends to be “lovey-dovey”, gooey
with syrup dripping, emotional, free-spirited, hang loose, and theologically
carefree while the other group tends to be cold, callused, legalistic,
ultra-structured, and theologically-fixated on human opinion.
Neither is biblical,
however.
Both doctrine and love
are important. You can’t be biblically
mature without both. They need to be
inseparable and interrelated.
Titus 2:7; 1:7-14; 2
Tim. 2:15; 4:2-4; Acts 17:11; Ezra 7:9, 10 show us the importance of correct or
biblical doctrine (having and teaching
right beliefs).
1 Cor. 13:1-7;
In fact, biblical love
is doctrinally-channeled love as Phil. 1:9, 10; 1 Jn. 3:18; 2 and 3 Jn. 1:1
show. We are to love in truth, in
knowledge, and in discernment.
Confrontation and
compassion are not enemies, nor are harshness and love. Rather confrontation, if done out of a
motivation of love, is an expression of love (Prov. 27:6; Heb. 12:6).
We see both in the
sinless life of Christ Himself: Matt. 23:13, 15; 15:1, 7, 9, 12-14; Mk.
8:15-18; Matt. 15:32; Lk. 19:37-42.
We see them both in
the godly life of the apostle Paul: Acts 13:8-11; 1 Cor. 4:20, 21;
3:1-3; 1 Thes. 2:7-9.
Confrontation or
harshness as well as love/compassion are also seen in the godly lives of John
the Baptist (Matt. 3:7-10; Jn.
And offending people
because of the truth is not wrong (Matt.
1 Cor.
13:2 If a person knows all mysteries (i.e., previously unrevealed truths of God, Rom. 16:25, and was part of
the spiritual gift of prophesy) and all knowledge (i.e., the spiritual gift of the word of knowledge, which was spiritual
insight in settling practical problems before the NT was written, 1 Cor. 12:8),
but does not have love, what is he?
Do you ever flaunt any of your spiritual gifts or your knowledge about the Bible without a loving attitude toward those with whom you are communicating? If so, do you realize that God sees you as a “nothing” (i.e., worthless)?
What should our attitude be toward people – verses 4-7?
Is this your attitude toward people? If not, what do you plan to do
about it, and how soon?
1 Cor.
8:1 What does one’s knowledge (about God’s view on any biblical issue, such as, here, eating meat
that had been sacrificed to idols) tend or can tend to make a person?
On
the other hand, what does love do?
Is
your Bible knowledge making you an arrogant person, or are you edifying other
Christians (building them up spiritually)
from a motive of love, and why?
Phil. 1:9, 10 In what should our love
abound still more and more?
Is
your love based on or channeled through God’s Word/the Bible (i.e., “real knowledge and all discernment”),
or is it channeled through or based on your emotions or human opinions, and
why?
Why
should our love be knowledgeable (vs. 10)?
Is your love discerning so that you approve the things that are excellent/best rather than seeking the promotion (with your approval) of things that are wrong/sinful, in error, or just mediocre? How do you know?
[Examples of undiscerning love are: financially supporting a Mormon orphanage or the United Way (which finances abortions); donating furniture, food, clothes, etc. to a 7th Day Adventist hospital or donating to a shelter for the homeless that’s run by the Church of Christ or donating to religious organizations that give food to the hungry but don’t share the gospel with these people.].
Matt. 22:36-39 What are people told to do, and how are they to do this?
What
relationship is there between our love for God and our mind?
Are you loving God with all your mind (thoughtfully; with knowledge and understanding of the Bible, conscientiously applying what the Bible says is how we are to love God, namely by our obedience to His commands and principles)?
Col. 2:20-23 What has the appearance of
wisdom?
[For example, some churches teach that women
shouldn’t wear make-up or pants, or that Christians shouldn’t play cards or
shouldn’t drink coffee or Coke].
Are
you caught up in this false knowledge/wisdom of keeping man-made rules in order
to look righteous before God, and why?
How
valuable/effective is this kind or way of living against fleshy indulgence?
[The only way to have victory over fleshly
indulgence is to walk/live/be empowered by the Holy Spirit (Gal.
Titus 2:1, 7 What is Titus told to do?
Are
you speaking/teaching what is in accordance with (fitting for) sound/correct doctrine/teaching/beliefs?
If
not, what should you do to change?
1 Tim. 4:1 Why is it important to
know the truth?
Do
you know the truth? If so, how well?
And
where is truth to be found (Jn.
How
will we be a good servant of Jesus Christ (vs.
6)?
Are
you pointing out these things to the brethren/Christians, and why?
What
is a good servant of Christ constantly nourished on (vs. 6)?
Are
you constantly nourished on the “words of the faith and of the sound doctrine” (the body or whole of Christian truth as
found in the Bible, God’s Word)? How,
and why?
Titus
1:9 Why is “holding fast the faithful word which is in
accordance with the teaching” a qualification in order to be a church leader (such as an elder)?
[“hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching” – means clinging to and applying trustworthy church teaching which is in harmony with the doctrine/teaching based on Scripture/apostolic teaching.].
If
God lists this as a qualification for being a spiritual leader, don’t you think
that God highly values doctrine/biblical teaching?
Are
you holding fast the faithful word? Why,
and how?
2 Tim. 3:16-17 Of what profit is Scripture?
What
is the end result of this profit?
If
teaching/biblical doctrine is what helps to equip the man of God for every good
work, wouldn’t that make biblical doctrine very important?
1 Tim. 1:3-4 What
is Timothy told to do at
[In order for Timothy to carry out this
command, he would need to know true/biblical doctrine so that he would know
what was strange or erroneous doctrine by comparison.].
Do you ever instruct people not to teach strange/false doctrines or fanciful theories, which are not in keeping with apostolic teaching (vs. 11), that is, Scripture? Why?
1 Tim. 1:5 What was the goal of
Paul’s instruction?
[Biblical instruction/teaching/doctrine
should promote a Christian recipient to have the ability to truly love others
because he/she will know what’s best for others because of knowing what God
says is best for these different people in different
situations. Without biblical doctrine, Christians can’t properly love others to
the greatest degree.].
What
is the goal of all your Bible learning, knowledge, and instruction, and why?
[If it’s not to get Christians to love God with their whole being and
others as they would themselves, then you should change your goal so that it
is.].
2 Tim. 2:14-18 What is Timothy told to solemnly tell these people in the
presence of God?
[“words” – myths or man-made supplements to
the OT Law and fictitious genealogical histories (1 Tim. 1:3, 4); worldly
fables (1 Tim. 4:7); and disputes about hidden word meanings (6:4).].
Why?
What
is Timothy told to handle accurately?
Are
you accurately teaching the Bible, the word of truth? How do you know?
[To accurately handle/teach the word of truth,
you need to know biblical doctrine/teachings really well.].
What
are we told to avoid, and why?
Rom.
[In order to keep our eyes on those who are
contrary to the teaching we learned (from the Bible) implies that we know
biblical teaching/doctrine. Therefore, knowing biblical/correct doctrine is
important.].
What
should be our relationship to these contrary people, and why?
[If you don’t know your Bible really well, then you should turn away from such false teachers rather than try to debate them and get yourself thoroughly confused.].
Acts
Do you see how God through Luke (the author of Acts) is commending the Bereans for seeking to know
correct doctrine?
Are you examining the Bible daily to see whether the
things you’re being taught are biblically accurate or not? If so, how?
[Just because someone is a minister of a large church, is a famous TV preacher, or has a seminary degree, it doesn’t mean they are teaching the Bible correctly. Read the context, know rules of grammar, figures of speech, who the Bible author is writing to, in what dispensation (period of time the events or teaching is taking place in), and knowing Greek and Hebrew would be helpful in order to get the correct interpretation.].
2 Jn. 1:9-11 Who
does not have God?
[“the teaching of
Christ” – is that Jesus is the Christ, God the Son, in human form, vs. 7; 1 Jn.
Who are we not to greet or receive into our
house?
[“teaching” – vs. 7].
Why?
[“greeting” – wishes him Godspeed, endorses him, or encourages
him].
Do you see how you couldn’t obey this command of God
if you didn’t know correct/biblical teaching (doctrine)?
[So doctrine is
important!!!]
Do
you ever do this (e.g., to Mormons,
Jehovah’s Witnesses, Muslims, etc.)? Why?
Eph. 4:11-16 As a result of being equipped
for the work of service by those who exercise their spiritual gifts of
instruction, what are we no longer to be tossed by?
What
are we to do instead – vs. 15?
[Notice that all four gifted men in verse 11
have instructional gifts. In order to not be carried by every wind of doctrine,
a person needs to know what the true doctrine is, which makes true doctrine
very important.].
Are you ever “carried about” by
smooth-talking, religious people who speak on things not really supported in
Scripture, but who use the Bible as their supposed basis? If so, what can you do to prevent
this from happening in the future?
1 Tim. 6:3-6 Who
is conceited and understands nothing?
How would you know whether a person is advocating a
different doctrine if you didn’t know correct/sound doctrine?
What
does a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words
produce?
Do
you ever get involved in this kind of discourse?
If
so, what benefit, if any, has it produced for those involved?
2 Tim. 4:2-4 Why
is Timothy told to preach the word and to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with
great patience and instruction?
[A person can’t reprove, rebuke, and exhort another person correctly if he doesn’t know sound/biblical doctrine; thereby, showing the importance of biblical doctrine. Also, this passage shows that people aren’t going to like to hear biblical doctrine, but rather human teaching that pampers their ego.].
Are you preaching or teaching God’s Word accurately, or merely teaching “the power of positive, humanistic thinking”?
Matt. 15:7-9 In
what way do people worship God in vain?
Are you ever guilty of making your opinions or the opinions of others into doctrines that you say are biblical or of God, when, in fact, they are not?
Why do people do this?
What are some examples of man-made doctrines being passed off as if they were biblical?
What does God think about doing this kind of thing, as stated by inspiration through Paul (Gal. 1:8, 9)?
Titus 3:9-11 What
are we told to shun, and why?
Do
you ever engage in this type of discussion, and why?
Who
are we told to reject, and when?
Why?
How
did their ignorance of the truths of God (knowledge
of His will and ways) affect their actions?
Do
you see how enthusiasm without the knowledge of God’s truths leads to emotional
error?
Do
you ever put zealousness for God that’s directed by emotion and human opinion
above being guided by biblical knowledge?
Why?
By
now, do you see the importance of knowing and teaching biblical doctrine and
not emotional, feel-good, humanistic sermons?
Jas.
What
is the mark of a wise person, and why?
Heb.
Are
you involved in doing this, or is your knowledge of Scripture merely for the
purpose of debating people?
1 Cor.
Is
this what you are doing when you get into religious differences of opinion?
If not, what do you plan on doing to change this?