Daily Devotional - Doctrine - a dirty word or a sure way to salvation?

1 Timothy 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (NIV)

Doctrine is a word that we don’t use very often these days. We tend to associate it with the word ‘dogmatic’ and so it has some negative connotations for a society full of free-spirited people. The New Testament Greek word for doctrine is didaskalia which means teaching and learning. It’s not meant to be a negative word – it’s supposed to positively encourage us to learn more about God through the life, ministry and works of Christ.

I’ve been a pastor for over twenty years and throughout that time, I’ve watched society sadly reject Christian doctrine, only to replace it with individual ideas and personal opinions. People who hardly read the Bible make up their own ideas about God. Even church people, who do nothing to grow spiritually, carry around quaint and quixotic superstitions in their hearts and heads. They think that their own ideas are going to save them; they erroneously believe that God will accommodate their self-made teaching and personal doctrine.

The scriptures were given to us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that we might not depart from the truth. And the proper teaching of this truth relies upon our devotion to Christ and a proper understanding of the scriptures. If we make up our own beliefs, then we have no salvation. God will not set aside His Son in order to accommodate us. That would exalt us and diminish Christ. We would be in danger of making ourselves our own gods first, and then placing Christ at the bottom of the pile.

So, perhaps we all need to really reflect upon what we actually believe. And then we should ask ourselves this tough question: are my beliefs based upon Christian doctrine, or are they something that I have made up to accommodate my personal feelings instead of the Christian faith?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to understand how important doctrine is for our salvation. Teach us Your ways and enable us to learn what is sacred, holy and true to You. Give us the courage to set aside our own ways, in order to let the Holy Spirit fill our hearts and minds with Your ways. In Your Holy name, we pray. Amen.

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Psalm 119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. (NIV)

There’s an old joke from Scotland about a wee boy who comes back from his first day of school. His mom asks him how it went and he answers: “It was okay, but I don’t need to go back. The teacher told me she can’t teach me anything.”

Our teachers went back to school this week hoping that the young hearts and minds in their classes will be open to instruction and lessons. My wife is the best teacher that I know. She prepares hours of work for the classroom each day. Throughout the summer, she was poring over new textbooks and writing out exercises for the children. Every weekend, she brings home a whole bunch of papers to grade and new textbooks to read.

Like most other teachers, she’s devoted to the well-being and education of the children under her care. She teaches in public school which has many pressures attached to the job. Her life is invested in the future success of her students. Some of them don’t realize this, of course; but many of them are truly thankful to her when she meets them years later. It always amazes and pleases me when former students come up to her to thank Evelyn for the one year of fifth grade that she taught them. For most of them, it’s a turning point in their lives.

I’ve always been thankful for my teachers. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their gifts of instruction. I’m also thankful that the greatest teacher in my life is also the Son of God. His words and ways influence the challenges and choices that I face each day. His lessons of life confront my selfish and foolish deeds. His teaching is a turning point in my life each day. I may not be perfect and holy. I still say and do stupid things, but Christ’s patient and forgiving nature teaches me a lot about faith and helps me through each day.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Great Teacher of life, the universe, and everything. We thank You for Your words and stories, Your parables and lessons that show us what life is all about. We also pray for the teachers in our schools whose devotion to their profession changes young lives. Bless them for their gifts and skills, their patience and hard work. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.