Why Are Christians Doctrines Important???

[Major]

Why are doctrines important? And then, why should Christians know the doctrines of the Bible?

1) The first and foremost reason for studying doctrines is because we love God.

2) We also need to study doctrines because what you believe will shape your spiritual life. The way you think about God will affect the way you relate to God. If you don’t believe in the deity of Jesus Christ then it follows that you don’t believe that He is the only way to the Father.

The same is true with the doctrine of the Trinity. If you don’t believe in the Trinity, you can’t believe that God is eternally loving. It’s the doctrine of the Trinity that gives us the confidence to believe that love is in the very nature of God. Studying doctrine is about finding out the truth about God so we can relate to Him in a more personal way.

3) Thorough knowledge of Bible doctrines will give you the tools to sort out all the practical problems of living in this complex fallen world – even in matters where the Bible doesn’t speak directly. In other words, we won’t know how to live in this world without knowing doctrines because without them we won’t understand the world we live in.

4) We need to study Bible doctrine so that we will be equipped to share the good news of salvation to the lost world. We have to be competent to answer questions. What are you going to say to someone who asks how God can allow a tsunami to sweep away the scores of thousands of people?

 

[LearningToLetGo]

If you don’t believe in the Trinity, you can’t believe that God is eternally loving. It’s the doctrine of the Trinity that gives us the confidence to believe that love is in the very nature of God.

How does God being eternally loving depend upon the Trinity?

 

[bobinfaith]

Why are doctrines important? And then, why should Christians know the doctrines of the Bible?

1) The first and foremost reason for studying doctrines is because we love God.

2) We also need to study doctrines because what you believe will shape your spiritual life. The way you think about God will affect the way you relate to God. If you don’t believe in the deity of Jesus Christ then it follows that you don’t believe that He is the only way to the Father.

The same is true with the doctrine of the Trinity. If you don’t believe in the Trinity, you can’t believe that God is eternally loving. It’s the doctrine of the Trinity that gives us the confidence to believe that love is in the very nature of God. Studying doctrine is about finding out the truth about God so we can relate to Him in a more personal way.

3) Thorough knowledge of Bible doctrines will give you the tools to sort out all the practical problems of living in this complex fallen world – even in matters where the Bible doesn’t speak directly. In other words, we won’t know how to live in this world without knowing doctrines because without them we won’t understand the world we live in.

4) We need to study Bible doctrine so that we will be equipped to share the good news of salvation to the lost world. We have to be competent to answer questions. What are you going to say to someone who asks how God can allow a tsunami to sweep away the scores of thousands of people?

Hello Major;

All four points that you present regarding the study of doctrine are solid.

The doctrine of the Bible is not a bad thing when a seasoned teacher or preacher can guide the study. I chose to be taught, misunderstood, understood, misquoted Scripture and misapply my interactions with people. But through this academic discipline, it helped me grow and develop a sense of gained knowledge of who God is, what His purpose is for all who believe and His created Trinity. This has impacted my personal life, my relationships and why I share the Gospel.

Had I chosen to study the doctrine of the Bible on my own I could have easily developed my own doctrine, becoming a doctrine Bible critic. I would spend more time putting down the Bible instead of praising it. I could pick and choose which miracles are plausible while the rest are merely myths. I could dismiss the Bible with a lot of contradictions without providing a sensical example.

This is why the doctrine of the Bible is so vital because we cannot master God, but God can master our path and continued study.

God bless you and thank you for presenting this topic, Major.

 

[crossnote]

Hopefully our doctrine is based on Scripture and not the traditions or biases of men, including our own.

 

[Major]

How does God being eternally loving depend upon the Trinity?

Because A mono-personal god could not be eternally loving and gracious. Before he created the world, he couldn’t have loved; at least, he could have only loved himself. He would best be defined in his solitude by self-serving egotism. That leads to a worldview prioritizing power, such as believed by Muslims and Jews. However, as opposed to our Christian worldview that considers love the most important commandment and enduring virtue .

 

[Major]

Hopefully our doctrine is based on Scripture and not the traditions or biases of men, including our own.

Doctrine without Scriptures are simply the opinions of men which is essence = Politics.

We have the historical perspective of the Scriptures and the Church. As part of that church we have the benefit of doctrine handed down through generations of faithful believers, in clear statements like the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, and in faithful bodies of teaching such as the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Heidelberg Catechism, the London Baptist Confession, or the Church of England’s Thirty-nine Articles. Such doctrine has been passed on for centuries within the church and within local church congregations, from one generation to the next. New applications of doctrine occur, in various contexts and different cultures and even in each new sermon preached, but God’s people always create and receive these new applications in submission to God’s word first, and also in light of trustworthy teachings hammered out and handed down by those of God’s people who have gone before.

 

[Major]

Hello Major;

All four points that you present regarding the study of doctrine are solid.

The doctrine of the Bible is not a bad thing when a seasoned teacher or preacher can guide the study. I chose to be taught, misunderstood, understood, misquoted Scripture and misapply my interactions with people. But through this academic discipline, it helped me grow and develop a sense of gained knowledge of who God is, what His purpose is for all who believe and His created Trinity. This has impacted my personal life, my relationships and why I share the Gospel.

Had I chosen to study the doctrine of the Bible on my own I could have easily developed my own doctrine, becoming a doctrine Bible critic. I would spend more time putting down the Bible instead of praising it. I could pick and choose which miracles are plausible while the rest are merely myths. I could dismiss the Bible with a lot of contradictions without providing a sensical example.

This is why the doctrine of the Bible is so vital because we cannot master God, but God can master our path and continued study.

God bless you and thank you for presenting this topic, Major.

Good thoughts.

That sound doctrine should bear such fruit makes sense, for sound doctrine summarizes the living and active word of God, which comes down like the rain and the snow from heaven and makes the earth bring forth and sprout.

Sound doctrine guarantees the health of the church, the individual and the members of a healthy church will grow and bear fruit, spreading and multiplying the good seed of the word far and wide. Healthy doctrine, far from being a cold set of propositions, is actually God’s gracious means of letting his people learn and live and share his gospel truth.

 

[bobinfaith]

Doctrine without Scriptures are simply the opinions of men which is essence = Politics.
We have the historical perspective of the Scriptures and the Church. As part of that church we have the benefit of doctrine handed down through generations of faithful believers, in clear statements like the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, and in faithful bodies of teaching such as the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Heidelberg Catechism, the London Baptist Confession, or the Church of England’s Thirty-nine Articles.

Well said, Major;

The benefit of doctrine handed down through generations was my first spark. I was given the opportunity to think and decide whether to take that baton to the next level of study in my faith.

God bless you, brother.

 

[LearningToLetGo]

Before he created the world, he couldn’t have loved; at least, he could have only loved himself.

You make a very good point. I had never considered this aspect of the Trinity. Thank you.

 

[Major]

You make a very good point. I had never considered this aspect of the Trinity. Thank you.

Its what I do!

This is also IMHO why one can not be saved and deny the Trinity.

Now that does not mean I am saying we are saved in believing in the Trinity. We are saved by believing and accepting the Son, the 3rd Person of the Trinity. Then after that we grow and learn and then we are in a position to believe the Trinity. If at that point we reject the Trinity, again.....IMHO we are not saved because the Father-Son and Spirit are one! Once we know andunderstand, we then are required to accept the Trinity as One!