WHAT IS THE VALUE OF DOCTRINE?

Many people say that salvation is complete at the moment you believe in Jesus. If that is the case, what is the need for and value of doctrine?

Your doctrine is the belief system by which you make all decisions in your life, from whom you will marry to what you will do for a living to what you believe is right or wrong. God's Word speaks into all of these things and more.

Paul wrote to Timothy and gave instruction about doctrine. 1 Timothy 1:9-11 says that sound doctrine has to comform to the gospel. In 1 Timothy 4:15-16, Paul warns Timothy to persevere in his life and doctrine, and so save himself and his hearers.

Most valuable to this conversation is 2 Timothy 4:2-4, in which Paul warns that the day will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. This fact comes up after Paul admonishes Timothy to rebuke, correct and encourage people with the Word of God.

Who will put up with rebuke or correction from the Scriptures anymore? The "wisdom" of the day is that we all sin, so no one has a right to correct or rebuke anyone. Is this the fulfillment of Paul's prophetic warning to Timothy coming to life in our day; in our church? In your church?

Doctrine. Does it matter? Is it extra-gospel rules, or intra-gospel necessity? Chuck Coleson wrote a book that asked the question, HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE? I might ask my question this way: "WHY, THEN, SHOULD WE LIVE LIKE THAT?"

Love Your Enemies...

I have had some interesting back-and-forth with some people on Facebook regarding the death of Osama Bin Laden. The debate is whether there should be celebration of his death by any Christians, because that is not a Christian thing to do.

Choosing now to abstain from my own editorials, I would just welcome some scriptural insights from anyone who reads this.

I am going to frame the conversation just a bit, however.

1. Keep in mind, that Osama isn't just one man, but the representation of a religious sect and the trainer and supplier of many terrorists.

2. He wasn't killed by a person taking revenge, but a country defending itself against the ongoing attacks and calls to war that he released and for which he gladly took credit.

3. He was a man who mocked God, and had dedicated his life to killing all Jews and Christians. He was not going to stop.

Within that framework, is it biblical to celebrate his death, or is it ungodly?