What is doctrine? What does the Bible teach?

Step 7

As you grow as a Christian, one of the most important things you must learn is solid Bible doctrine. Doctrine simply means what the Bible teaches.

Not all teaching is correct.

Not all churches teach the same things. Not all voices are trustworthy. If you don’t learn what the Bible actually says, you will be easily confused or led astray.

What is Doctrine?

Doctrine is the teachings of the Bible. It ignores public opinion, disregards private interpretation, and doesn't care about our feelings. Doctrine is what the Bible actually teaches.

It answers questions such as:

How can we go to heaven?
- Step 1: How to go to Heaven
Who is Jesus?
What is the Bible?
- Step 4: Understand the Bible
How should we live?
What is the purpose of baptism?
- Step 3: Get Baptized

Why Doctrine Matters

Doctrine is not just for pastors or teachers. It is for every believer. If you want to live a good life and avoid the pitfalls of Satan, you will need to know what God is teaching you through his word.

1 Timothy 4:16 - “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

What you believe affects how you live, how you grow in the Christian life, and whether or not you stay grounded in your faith. Without learning sound doctrine, you will be tempted to follow every new, shiny doctrine that you hear about.

Ephesians 4:14 - "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

Watch out for False Doctrine

Not all doctrine is good and true. One of the biggest dangers for new believers is assuming,

“If someone is talking about God, they must be right.” That couldn't be further from the truth.

False Teaching Exists

The Bible repeatedly warns us about it. The devil wants to confuse us and cause us to miss out on the truths of God's word. We must be able to discern right from wrong... and more importantly, right from almost right. Satan is good at making his false doctrine look good on the outside. When we fail to learn sound doctrine, we are opening the door for Satan.

2 Timothy 4:3a - “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Matthew 7:15 - “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

False Doctrines:

Sound good
Feel right
Are popular

But they are not biblical.

How to Recognize Good Doctrine

1. It Agrees with the Bible

The most important test for any doctrine is, "Does it agree with scripture?" The Bible is our sole and final authority. If it disagrees with the Bible, then it's not true. We should test (prove) doctrine to make sure that it is biblical. If it's good, we keep it. If it's bad, we get rid of it.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 - “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”

Never accept something just because a preacher said it from behind the pulpit, a video did a good job explaining it, or because most people believe it. In order to have good doctrine, we must always compare what we hear to the Bible.

2. It Keeps Salvation by Grace Through Faith

One of the clearest lines between truth and error is the gospel. A majority of false doctrines are surrounding the doctrine of salvation. If you will study out biblical salvation and become familiar with it, you will be able to spot most false doctrines from a mile away. The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is by grace, through faith, and not of works.

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Any teaching that adds works to salvation is not biblical. If someone says that you must be a good person to be saved, you need to baptized in order to go to heaven, or that you are personally responsible for keeping your own salvation... they are a false teacher.

3. It Lifts Up Jesus Christ

Right doctrine points to Christ—not to man. Be cautious of any teaching that focuses heavily on people, elevates traditions above scripture, or shifts attention away from Christ. He created us, he loves us, he died for us, he rose again for us, and he's coming again for us. It's all about him... not us. He is the shepherd and we are the sheep.

John 10:11 - "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

As you grow, you will encounter a variety of different doctrines. A mature Christian will be able to quickly filter through good doctrine and dispose of false doctrine, but for newer Christians, it's good to know what to watch out for. False doctrines tend to focus on common areas.

Some common areas include:

Salvation (grace vs works)
Baptism (symbol vs requirement for salvation)
The Bible (authority vs opinions)
Church traditions

How to Have Good Doctrine

When you hear different doctrines, don’t panic. Instead, go back to the Bible, study it out within its context, and compare scripture with scripture (God's word never contradicts itself). For help understanding the Bible, check out Step 4: Understand the Bible.

Stay Grounded

1. Read the Bible Regularly

The more you know God’s Word, the easier it is to recognize error. Read the Bible, study the Bible, and ask God for wisdom and understanding. No one said that understanding the Bible will be easy... but it's possible.

Daily reading schedule: (recommended)

1-2 chapters in Psalms
1 chapter in Proverbs
1 chapter in a book of your choice
- Start with John and Romans

2. Stay Connected to a Biblical Church

After salvation, a good church will be able to teach the Bible clearly, help you grow in your understanding, and protect you from false teachings. Outside of salvation, finding a good church is the single biggest decision that you will make. It will either allow you to grow closer to God or completely derail your potential growth.

To find a good church, you need to know what to look for. Check out Step 2: Find a Biblical Church.

3. Be Careful What You Consume

Not everything online is helpful. Just as you should be careful to find a good church and pastor, you should be equally cautious about who you listen from other sources. There are many good resources out there, but we must be careful.

Be cautious with:

Social media teachers

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