The Devil’s Doctrines?

    The debate over the importance of doctrine among groups who claim to believe the Bible is not new. Revelation 2:12-17 records Jesus’ letter to the church at first century Pergamos. The Lord commended them on several positive points, but added this strong rebuke in verses 14-15: "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent or else I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword of My mouth." This passage demands attention! The words "doctrine" and "hate" occur in the same sentence! And the one doing the talking and doing the hating is not some ultra-right-wing religious radical extremist who is ready to terrorize opponents or walk into a worship assembly and open fire on others who disagree with his / her fanatical religious viewpoint. No sir, no ma’am – in this passage the one doing the hating is none other than Jesus Christ – the same One who teaches us to love God totally and love our neighbors as ourselves. It cannot be escaped – the Son of God is on public record here as saying there is doctrine He "hates." Further, He is "against them" that teach it and others who apparently were tolerating them to teach it. He threatens to come and "fight against them" with "the sword of His mouth." This is a side of Jesus many modern day believers in Christ simply do not want to accept, and who "fight against" those who do with the swords in their own mouths! Jesus believed that doctrine matters. Here and in other places He taught doctrine about doctrines! And He made it clear there is some doctrine he hates.

Doctrine matters. At 1 Timothy 4:1-2 Paul wrote sobering words to his preaching friend and son in the faith – "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron." Say what, Paul?! Doesn’t that sound a little judgmental and intolerant? "Demons" (KJV "devils") have doctrines? The Greek word for "doctrines" here (didaskalia pronounced did-as-kal-ee’- ah), defined as "instruction (the function or the information), teaching" (Strong’s Concordance). The word often refers to specific Christian teachings that comprise the body of truth revealed through inspired men and preserved in the New Testament. So it is Paul urges Timothy to "charge some that they teach no other doctrine" (1 Timothy 1:3). There is"sound doctrine" and things "contrary to sound doctrine" (1:10). There is "good doctrine" (4:6); doctrine to "give attention to" (4:13) and "continue in" (4:16); there is doctrine we should "consent to" – that is, doctrine comprised of "wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ ... which accords to godliness" (6:3). This doctrine is divine – it comes from God. But the devil has doctrines, too – religious ideas that are "deceiving ... lies ... hypocritical." The devil’s doctrines never draw us nearer to God. Instead, they cause those who believe them to "depart from the faith." Jesus said in John 7:16, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me." Some doctrine is from from God, and some doctrine is from the devil. The doctrine that doctrine does not matter is not from God!

       by: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN