What is the Source of Sound Doctrine? (What God Considers Sound Doctrine Part 3)

God’s desire is for His children to know sound doctrine (Titus 2:1). He does not want us to be confused because He is the author of truth (Romans 3:4) and He does not cause doctrinal confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33).  Sound doctrine comes to us with what I am going to call “ingredients.”  

The first ingredient to sound doctrine is access to the truth.  You cannot know sound doctrine if nothing contained it and so God has given us His Word with the all that we need and all that He desires for us to have (Revelation 22:18-19).  This is what we are going to discuss in this study, but let give you the second ingredient which will be covered fully in later posts.  This second ingredient is the Spirit of God’s direction (John 16:13; Matthew 16:17).

Doctrine originated with God the Father and was given to Jesus to share with us (John 7:16-18).    So if we are going to study doctrine we must begin with the words of Christ (1 Timothy 6:3).  You will find that every doctrinal teaching was taught by Jesus Christ and then repeated by the disciples.  The disciples did not teach any doctrine that was unique to them as they simply repeated the doctrine they had been given by Jesus, Who had received it from the Father (2 John 1:9).  Here is a small list of examples of doctrine taught by Christ to the disciples which were later shared with the churches:

1. Church - Matthew 16:18; 18:17
2. Salvation by grace through faith - Mark 2:5-9
3. Heaven - John 14:1-3
4. Angels - John 1:51
5. Trinity - Mark 1:10-11
6. Hell - Luke 16:23
7. Future Events - Matthew 24-25
8. Word of God - Matthew 4:4; Luke 8
9. Deity of Christ - John 1:18; 6:46; 14:7-9

This is, of course, just a quick list and with further clarification, we can find EVERY doctrine within the word of Christ.  It also must be noted that each doctrine is then supported with many other scriptures both Old and New Testament, though some teachings are unique to the New Testament only (IE the church).  But clearly Jesus taught EVERY doctrine we need to know.  So when it comes to the source of sound doctrine it is imperative that we begin this search in the words of the Savior.  Spend time in His words and then expand your study from there.

1 Timothy 6:3 shows that even the Apostles knew that their doctrine was from the direct teachings of the Lord Himself, “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness.”

How much credibility do you give to the words of Jesus?  How much time do you spend in gleaning truth from the parables?  Might I suggest that if you want sound doctrine that your begin in the Gospels and in the sermons and teaching sessions of the Lord Jesus Christ…the source of sound doctrine?

What is "Apostles' Doctrine?" (What God Consider Sound Doctrine Part 2)

To begin this study of what truly is doctrine we must begin with the early churches as they clearly understood what doctrine was all about.  This doesn’t mean there was never controversy about doctrine in these early believers but the Bible explains what they did about that controversy and ultimately what truly is doctrine. 

In Acts we are exposed to the first days of the church without Jesus as their leader.  He had lead the disciples for three and half years as their “pastor” and trained them to lead after He was gone (John 16). He reminded them that His doctrine was not His own (John 7:16) and even Paul stated that doctrine was from God and must be guarded (1 Timothy 6:1).  In Acts  2:42 there is a phrase that helps us understand this process of doctrine.  This first church at Jerusalem, established by Jesus (Matthew 16:18), had “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.”  But what does that mean?  Was the doctrine from the Apostles since it was their doctrine?

In short, the answer is no, it was not their doctrine.  Notice the words “continued steadfastly” in Acts 2:42.   Let me illustrate as best I can.  My family loves roller coasters and on a recent family vacation we were at an amusement park we had never been to before.  We did not know how to get from one place to the next but when we entered the park we could see a huge roller coaster towering above the trees and the other buildings and wanted to ride that monster.  So we started walking toward it.  We could easily see it, but if you know anything about amusement parks there are usually few straight lines toward major rides as they want you to visit their shops and games to spend more money and thus place these in between you and the rides which you can see in the distance.  One this day, we walked around the games and shops with one goal in mind…get to the coaster.  We were continuing steadfastly in our goal to reach the coaster.  This is what Acts 2:42 is speaking of “apostles’s doctrine.”

The Apostles had been taught sound doctrine by Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:3) and they, as the keepers of this doctrine, were to share it with others who would do the same (2 Timothy 2:1-2).  The early church was moving around the false teachings of false prophets (2 Peter 2; 1 John 4:1) and moving toward the teachings that the Apostles shared from Christ (Acts 15:35; Colossians 3:16).  Remember that the Apostles never said it was THEIR doctrine but instead continually pointed everyone to what they had heard from Jesus.  They were saying it is His doctrine (Hebrews 6:1; 2 John 1:9) and not theirs. Jesus in turn said it was His Father’s doctrine and not His own (John 7:16).  

To state it simply, doctrine began with the Father, it was passed to the Son, and then the Apostles.  It could be compared to a relay race with each taking the truth and passing it on to the next runner.  Each recognizing that the truth from God the Father, the baton is not their own but it is to be handled with great care and responsibility to the next in line.  

So what is our generation doing with the sound doctrine given to them?  Unfortunately it appears that many Christians have rejected the “doctrines of the apostles” for a doctrine of men.  But God’s goal is for every Christian to know sound doctrine so that they are not blown about by every teaching that comes along (Ephesians 4:11-16) and this comes from doctrine is gleaned from the Word of God, namely the words of Jesus Himself who gave us His Father’s doctrine which the Apostles then passed along. This is the next study we will cover here.  

What Does God Consider to be Doctrine? (Part 1)

In America today, doctrine has become unknown to most citizens, even among those who regularly attend church and/or call themselves Christians.  For instance, in a recent survey done by Lifeway Research (see link below), the following statistics were unveiled:

1. 67% of Americans believe in a Heaven, but 45% of these believers say there is more than one way to get into Heaven, including 55% of Protestants (considered as all non-Catholic Christians in the survey) who said that there are MANY ways into Heaven.

2. 61% of Americans said there was a Hell, with the largest percentage (86%) being in the black Christian community.  But less than 18% said so called little sins condemn a person to Hell with 67% saying humankind is "basically good."

3. 71% of those surveyed said they had a part in their salvation by good works, while 64% said man starts the process of salvation not God.

4. 71% said there is a Trinity, but 59% of these said that the Holy Spirit was not a person but instead was just "a force" of God.

5. 48% said the Bible was the Word of God, with 41% of these saying its completely accurate, while 41% of Americans in general (saved and unsaved) saying the Bible is simply a helpful book and cannot be taken literally.

How can Christians work together in unity (Ephesians 4:3, 13) with this great division over doctrine?  Clearly, they can't!  How can these diverse beliefs all be true?  They obviously are not!

But what is doctrine if so many interpret these foundational truths in so many different ways?

To know God's truth about doctrine we must see what Jesus taught about doctrine and in progression what the early churches accepted as "doctrine."

This study continues in the next post.

(Surrey results can be found at - http://www.lifewayresearch.com/2014/10/28/americans-believe-in-heaven-hell-and-a-little-bit-of-heresy/)

Doctrine: Confused or Convinced?

President Harry Truman once said, "If you can't convince them, confuse them."

Satan has clearly mastered this phrase when it comes to sound doctrine.  I think its fair to say that the Devil has caused more Christians to be confused and more unsaved to stay lost due to confusion over doctrine than almost anything else.  Imagine what would our world be like if every "Christian" religion taught the truth found in Ephesians 2:8-9 that salvation was by grace.  How much more could churches accomplish for Christ if they ALL understood that the Great Commission is for everyone not just missionaries and pastors?  What if EVERY fundamental church grasped the clear mandate to support missions found in 2 Corinthians 8?  But there is confusion about salvation by grace, soul winning, and faith promise giving.  Why?  Because Satan has kept people from being convinced by being confused.

In Matthew 15 Jesus was confronted by the scribes and Pharisees because the disciples had transgressed "the tradition of the elders" by eating bread with "unwashed hands."  However, Jesus turns the table on these hypocrites by asking why they "transgress the commandment of God" by their traditions?  He gives exact examples about this practice, not honoring parents correctly, and then broadly by saying they are drawing near with their lips but their heart was far from God.  Remember these were some of the spiritual leaders of the Jewish world at the time.  From what Jesus says here, it was a case of the blind leading the blind.

But, I believe, that the most striking statement in the entire passage is found in verse 9.  Here Jesus tells these supposedly educated religious leaders that their doctrine wasn't doctrine at all.  He made it clear that they were teaching the commandments of men as if was doctrine and it wasn't.

One of the most dangerous things we can do in Christianity today is to say we are teaching doctrine when we are simply giving the precepts of men.  Because if we fail to teach God's doctrine that is wrong, but to to teach our own personal pet issues AS doctrine borders on or possibly becomes heresy in God's eyes.

My desire through this blog is to teach SOUND DOCTRINE!  I don't want to share what myself or others think doctrine is, but what God says doctrine is.  Over the next few blogs I will be addressing, straight from the Word of God, what is doctrine.  I will not be saying isn't doctrine for the same reason a bank teaches tellers counterfeit bills by showing their tellers the real things instead of the fakes...you need to know truth first not error. (John 4:24)  But to begin let me share this basic outline from passage in Hebrews 6:

True doctrine, but is not limited to:
1. Salvation by grace (vs1)
2. Faith in God (vs1)
3. Baptism (vs2)
4. Laying on hands (vs2)
5. Resurrection of the dead (vs2)
6. Eternal judgement (vs2)

I pray this study will help you grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and be a better servant for Him.

What Should You Do When Your Hear Unsound Doctrine?

I can honestly say that I have never gotten up and walked out of a movie.  (That's mainly because I don't go to the movies.)  But there are those who do go and I have been told on a rare occasion they get up and walk out.  Usually, they tell me, it is because the movie offends them or because another movie goer is being excessively rude and ruining the event.

There have been a few times, however, that I have gotten up and left a restaurant due to poor service, poor environment conditions, or some such thing.  But the most frequent reason I have left a restaurant is because the prices were far more than I expected and obviously more than I felt I could afford at that time.  But I have gotten up and left when I wasn't happy or satisfied.

But what do you do when doctrine is clearly unsound?  Do you simply leave that church?  Do you slam your Bible shut and stomp out making sure that all know your disagreement with the teaching?  Do you simply stay hoping that the doctrine will simply straighten itself out over time?  Or is there a Bible response to this situation?

If we want a Bible response we must go to...the Bible.

1. Always be sure you understood what was said because misunderstanding can cause almost as much problem as unsound doctrine. (Acts 19:32) If necessary, ask the speaker what they meant.
2. If this was an elder (Considered by most to be the pastor of the church) be extra careful in the attitude in which you approach them. (1 Timothy 5:1)  They are human and can make mistakes, but they are still the pastor of the church and God calls for your grace because of that.  But don't stay away from the needed discussion just because they are the pastor either.
3. Don't ignore the unsound doctrine or just walk away from the church.  If the doctrine is unsound then you are showing selfishness by not addressing it (Galatians 2:11) and God commands unsound doctrine to be confronted. (2 Peter 2:1)
4. Study the scriptures that were presented before you classify the teaching as unsound doctrine. (2 Timothy 2:15 & Acts 17:11)  This gives the teacher the benefit of the doubt to start.  Study until you have clear scriptural proof that this teaching was/is unsound doctrine.
5. Don't go to others in the church and ask them if they think the doctrine is unsound.  This is an issue between you and the speaker first. (Matthew 18:15) Study the issue and then go to the teacher and talk about the Word of God not what they said.  In other words, first show them the truth not their error.  (Matthew 18:17)
6. If they refuse to speak with you or reject the sound doctrine then talk to another leadership person about the doctrine you studied and be sure to show truth not the error. (1 Timothy 5:17-20)

In a personal observation, people often leave churches over something that is not doctrine such as whether a church celebrates Christmas (Romans 14:5), how much authority the church has given to the pastor in spending money (Acts 4:33-37), or what type of pew the church bought (Philippians 2:3).  To add to this, seldom does anyone biblically confront doctrinal error before they leave when it does happen.  They simply walk away which is NOT biblical in any situation that I can find verses to support.  But I have seen and heard through the years how that numerous people have left churches refusing to discuss their issues.  This clearly says their reason for leaving is either not biblical doctrine or they are unwilling to do the biblical thing in addressing the "doctrinal error."  To be honest, there have been some occasions where a stubborn self-willed pastor/leader refused to discuss sound biblical doctrine and that is, of course, his failure which is addressed in the next two paragraphs.

Let me state clearly, there is not one example or verse in the Bible about leaving a church, so I cannot share those verses.  But, I can say that there was also a level of accountability in the early churches that allowed for the leadership to be confronted correctly over error and members to do so with a right spirit. (Acts 11)  If a preacher or teacher balks at proper spirited questions, then there is clearly a problem with their heart.  But there is also something wrong with a Christian's heart that is simply willing to walk away from the church God placed them into because of what they perceive as unsound doctrine without addressing it biblically.

Finally, a person cannot remain in a church that is clearly teaching unsound doctrine purposefully.  If you have studied the Word of God and know wrong doctrine (not just philosophy) is being taught, if you have lovingly spoken to the teacher/preacher and the wrong doctrine was reinforced in their words, and if the other leadership of the church agrees with the wrong doctrine, then you have little option but to find another church family.  But be VERY sure that what you are dealing with DOCTRINE not just personal opinions.  For further study, look to see what the early Christians "put up with" in each other in Acts.  They never backed away when confronting wrong doctrine but were very patient about other personal views and issues. (Acts 28)

How to Test for Unsound Doctrines

How many views of a doctrine are there in the world today?  Let's select one and see.  How about the doctrinal teaching about the "Rapture."  Its not as simple as some would think:

1. There are those who believe the Rapture should have already taken place.  There have been dozens, maybe hundreds, of accepted Bible teachers who have already set dates for the Rapture.  These began as far back as 500 AD and before.

2. There are those who have set dates that are yet to come, but they believe that the date/year is known.  These include Sir Isaac Newton who said the Lord will return in 2060.

(Within the next three groups, there are groups that believe the Rapture will be for some while others in each group believe it will be for all.)

3. There are those who believe that the Rapture is unknown but will take place BEFORE the Tribulation.

4. There are those who believe that the Rapture is half way through the Tribulation and thus if you know the beginning of the Tribulation then you know Rapture timeframe.

5. There are those believe that the Rapture is at the end of the Tribulation and thus knowing the beginning of the Tribulation gives you the Rapture timeframe too.

6. Lastly, there are those who believe that the Rapture and Second Coming are the same event.

These do not include those who say there is no Rapture at all!

Now take this confusion and multiple it by the other "doctrines" and what do you have? A MESS!  No wonder the unsaved world is so confused....supposed Christians are confused about the very foundation of their faith...DOCTRINE!

So how do we put someone's doctrine to the test?  Here are a few biblical methods that show sound doctrine.  This is, of course, not an exhaustive list, but its a starting point for studying and discussion:

1. 1 Timothy 1:8-11 tells us that any doctrine that excuses sin IS NOT sound doctrine.  In my mind, an example would be homosexuality may be accepted by our culture and even by some religion's "doctrine," but clearly God drew a line in Romans 1.  Thus teaching homosexuality isn't sin IS NOT sound doctrine.

2. 2 Timothy 4:3 tells us that sound doctrine will be rejected by some. This means that IF  the unsaved fully embraces a certain doctrine, then it is probably not sound doctrine.  In my mind, an example would be there are many who say Jesus is Lord, but they do not live as if He was their Lord!

3. Titus 1:5-9 tells us that sound doctrine will exhort (comfort) the Christian and convince (refute) those who stand against God (gainsayers)!  In my mind, an example would be the fact that there is a Hell which secures a Christian's faith in grace and assaults the sinner's security in their own good works.

Sound doctrine cannot come from a single person's explanation (2 Peter 1:20), nor can it be based upon a single Bible verse (Matthew 18:16 & 2 Corinthians 13:1), nor can it be founded in some man's teachings apart from the Word of God (Matthew 15:9).  It must exalt the Lord Jesus Christ (2 John 9) and lead us away from sin (Titus 2:7).

It would be wonderful if every Christian in the world would have the same doctrine, as this would aid Christians being able to work together for the cause of Christ, but Satan will make sure that cannot happen in the latter time in which we live (1 Timothy 4:1).

Let's ask the Lord to help us individually find SOUND DOCTRINE!

There is Only One Doctrine!

Doctrine means the teaching contained in God's Word.  In most Christian circles we consider "doctrine" the main teachings of our faith, such as the doctrine of Theology, which is the study of God.

But how did the early Christians see doctrine?

It is clear that doctrine has always been the backbone of the Christian faith as the early believers strongly defending and taught it. (Acts 2:42 & Romans 16:17)  It is also clear that they were willing to name those who would teach false doctrine (Revelation 2:14) and to warn preachers to teach only that doctrine which came from the Lord through the Apostles (1 Timothy 1:3).

In Acts 2:42 it is called the Apostles' doctrine, but clearly that was because they were the conduit of the Lord's doctrine (Hebrews 6:1) and not the source of the truth.  It must be understood that whenever "doctrine" was mentioned in Scripture it is singular.   In other words, it's one doctrine not many.  God clearly desired for us to understand that doctrine is not an opening for multiple doctrines, but a singular doctrine that is about His truth.  ONE DOCTRINE.

As a matter of fact, whenever the word "doctrines" is used with the "s" it always refers to false doctrines, which is to be rejected. (Matthew 15:9; Colossians 2:22; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 13:9)

Our next post will cover some biblical tests that show correct doctrine instead of believing in doctrines.

Can There Be More Than One Interpretation of Scripture?

One of the most often stated phrases in discussion about doctrine is "that's your interpretation."  But is that true?  Did God write a book knowing that it could be interpreted more than one way or are the multiple interpretations due to something different?

This will be a multiple number of article posting, with each being short so that the reader can take time to ponder and study each thought.

First, let's consider the most obvious answer to this line of thinking.  In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul is stating that multiple voices can cause confusion when it comes to preaching the Word of God.  Prophecy here is not future telling but forth telling, i.e. preaching.  He then clearly states in verse 33 "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.".

There was often debate and discussion in the early churches about doctrine, such as circumcision being necessary for salvation (Acts 11).  Yet, when this happened, there was a clear meeting of the apostles and the doctrine was clarified.  If someone rejected the clear doctrine, they were pointed out and isolated from teaching in Jesus name. (1 Timothy 1:19-20)

Why Jesus' Doctrine "Astonished" People?

Currently in America, the unsaved are running from Christianity in droves!  According to the Pew Research group, less than 64% of Americans say they are "absolutely certain" there is a God, less than 50% of Americans claim to attend church at all, and almost 23% say they will not claim connection to any kind of religious affiliation.  Is it because of doctrine?

Currently religions groups, so called churches, continue to down play doctrine. In one breath a minister will say doctrine is important but in the next breath they will say that we need to work together in Christianity to reach the world with the Gospel of Christ even at the expense of doctrine.

As an example, church planter and director of Acts 2 Network Jim Wall in his book "Unmuted: Restoring Your Church's Voice" says "Given the state of affairs that we talked about in chapter two, I'd say its time we lay aside our doctrinal differences about how the Holy Spirit works." (My bold and underlined emphasis)  I read the doctrinal statement of the church that Jim Wall currently pastors and it is very similar to most evangelical churches and even some fundamental churches.  However, from his own words, working together is more important than doctrine.

But are we losing the battle for American hearts because of doctrine?  Let's look at Scripture to find our answer.

What set Jesus apart from the other teachers of His day? DOCTRINE!  Many did miracles (Acts 6:8, 8:6, 8:13, 15:12), yet in Matthew 7:28 and 22:33, the people were astonished at His DOCTRINE.   So many in Christianity today think we should lay aside doctrine for a variety of reasons.  Some of these reasons to "lay aside doctrine" include:

1. Unity.  Some say that doctrine divides Christianity so deeply and so rather than stand alone for sound doctrine (Titus 1:9) we should ignore inaccurate or incomplete doctrine so that we can accomplish unity.

2. Reaching the unsaved or unchurched.  Many "churches" are laying aside important doctrines, such as holiness and separation, in exchange for making unsaved and unchurched feel "welcome" in their worship services.  Some have even go so far as to say that sound doctrine has driven people away from Christ or church.  As an illustration, I just read a blog about a young couple who left church partially because the church took a stand they didn't agree with.  There was no mention of whether the doctrine was right or wrong biblically, just that they didn't like it.  With young people acting this way, many churches that once were sound in doctrine now have "worship experiences" instead of doctrine that is sound because it is more important to reach the unreached than be doctrinally sound.

3. Experiences over truth.  So many have placed personal experiences ahead of sound doctrine.  As an example, millions of Christians, including IFB members, bought and absorbed the book "Heaven is for Real."  The story of a boy who died and went to Heaven is clearly against the Bible's teachings (Hebrews 9:27).  Yet people ignored the truth of God's Word to accept an emotional story instead.

Jesus taught DOCTRINE!  But remember when He taught it, it was with love and not hatred or arrogance.  He loved people.  He was known as friend of sinners (Luke 7:34), a carer for the poor (Matthew 19:21), and a welcomer of the maimed and ill (Matthew 4:24).  Yet, he always told the truth through doctrine.

Doctrine is not what divides, its what unifies when we have sound doctrine together.   Let us not run from sound doctrine, but let us run to it!  Let us run from arrogance and self will but let doctrine become our power and authority too! (Mark 1:22)

Which Doctrine is Most Important!

Everything we do in or lives is based upon priorities.  We determine what we do with our days based upon priorities.  We pay our bills based upon which one is the most pressing.  And sometimes we even prioritize the doctrines which we teach and learn.  But why?

When we think about doctrine, it is very easy to think in terms of these priorities, because, for instance, the doctrine of salvation is clearly more important because it is necessary for entrance into Heaven and it brings a sinner into the family of God (Acts 4:12).  But in contrast, the doctrine of angels is clearly less important because, though a truth, it casts no bearing on our future in Heaven and really in comparison is almost unnecessary.  Think about it, whether a person grasps angels and demons really is less important isn't it?

It is less important depending on how you view the Christian life.

If you view going to Heaven as the pinnacle of Christianity then anything that directly affects that part of the Christian life will seem more important, such as salvation over angel doctrine.  But if you realize that living the Christian life is just as important as going to Heaven, then every doctrine becomes crucial because every doctrine is a part of that Christian life.

As an illustration, when the Bible says "All scripture is given by inspiration" (2 Timothy 3:16) does that mean we can ignore the "unimportant" words and just focus on the really key words, such as Jesus, God, love, and so on?  Of course not!  When God said "all scripture" He means "ALL."  Every word is pure (Proverbs 30:5) and every word is what we must live by (Luke 4:4).  Thus every word is key and by default every doctrine which is contained in those words must be of equal value.  No doctrine is unimportant because no words of God are unimportant.

However, too often churches tend to focus on their pet doctrines because those are crucial to their view and thus the other doctrines are left to gather dust in their teaching time.  But is that not ignoring the truths of God because of man's prioritizing of doctrine?

Also a point to ponder is that the idea of doctrine having nine or ten aspects is really a man made limitation and prioritizing too.  No where is scripture is salvation called a doctrine, yet it is clearly by men and rightfully so.  But as a matter of fact the only things that are actually called doctrines directly in Scripture are false doctrines (Revelation 2:14) and the doctrines of which Christ taught (Hebrews 6:1).  What this means is that when we divide doctrine into its categories, IE Eschatology,  we may be causing confusion about seeming priorities of doctrine, when all doctrine should be important.  The titles of doctrine help clarify, but they must not be used to set priority boundaries around our teaching of all doctrinal truths.

There is little doubt in Scripture that we should look forward to Heaven (2 Corinthians 5). But it is also true that every doctrine plays a part in our daily walk with the Lord (Ephesians 4:14) because without doctrine we will as unstable as the wind.

Is Doctrine Important?

Doctrine has become a subject of great debate in Christian circles today due to the fact that there is so much diversity of doctrinal teaching and that doctrine has been marginalized in many places.   How many different views are there about certain doctrines?  Yet, the Bible tells us that "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33) and clearly diversity of doctrine is causing a confusion which is not from God!

Everyday it seems there is either a NEW teaching (or doctrine) or an existing teacher/preacher saying that Christians have forgotten some teaching and so they are NOW re-teaching this "lost" doctrine.   Is doctrine even important?  Let me give a few thoughts directly from the Bible:

1. Jesus taught doctrine.  Matthew 7:28 and 22:33 tells us that the people were astonished as Jesus' DOCTRINE.  So many times people think of Jesus' miracles as being what garnered attention, but clearly the people heard and were amazed by what Jesus was saying in His DOCTRINE.

2. Doctrine is from God the Father.  In John 7:16 Jesus states that the doctrine He was teaching was not His - but His Father's.  God is the source of doctrine and so we must learn and study it.

3. The unsaved world wants to know our doctrine too.  There are those who believe that the works and love of Christians are only what the unsaved world is looking at, but the Bible seems to say otherwise.  In John 18:19, the unsaved religious leaders wanted to know the DOCTRINE of Jesus and His disciples and remember the mostly unsaved people were "astonished at his doctrine" in Luke 4:32 not his miracles. Other passages to consider on this are Mark 1:27, Acts 13:12, and 17:19.  The problem today is that the unsaved world is seeing a Christian community divided because of false doctrine is being taught as true doctrine and that is giving an uncertain sound to the Bible. (1 Corinthians 14:8)

4. Early Christians were concerned about doctrine.  In Acts 2:42 the first church continued in four things; fellowship (coming together to share their passion about Jesus), breaking bread (eating meals and sharing Lord's Supper together), prayers, and the apostle's DOCTRINE!  If we put a percentage on these then we should at the least spend 25% of our Christian lives continuing in doctrine.

5. When Christians ignore doctrine then its time for preachers to preach it!  Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 that he was to preach the word because there will come a time when folks won't want "sound doctrine."

Doctrine cannot be ignored or the righteous are powerless to see the world saved. (1 Timothy 4:16)  As matter of fact, Paul tells Titus that doctrine is the foundation of purity (Titus 2:7) and the way which those who assault Christianity are challenged and silenced (Titus 1:9)

Yes, doctrine is important, as long as it is sound doctrine (Titus 2:1)