What Doctrine Do You Hold?
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/370-what-doctrine-do-you-hold.html
Arthur Owiti | September 9, 2009
A heart rending look at the seven churches in the book of Revelation reveals one point amongst many: Jesus Christ desires the church as whole and individuals to hold to his doctrine, his name, and His works ALONE.
Since the beginning of the church we find that the area of doctrine has been facing attack. Yet true doctrine is the right and easy way of having unity of the faith. In fact the church was the church because it held ONLY on the name and teachings of Jesus Christ not on many statements of faith or creeds as today in Christendom.
Presently there are so many different gospels that have people receiving different spirits other than the one spirit, the Holy Spirit of Truth; truth which is the word of God. Thus many Christians who hold not the doctrine of Christ cannot have the fruit of the Spirit nor the love of God in their lives hence the spirit of disobedience and the love of the world abounds in them in different ways.
DOCTRINES= DEEDS=JUDGMENT
Reading the words of Jesus to the seven churches one can see that, what one learns is what one does. Those that heard wrong teachings like the teachings of Jezebel and the teachings of Balaam, found themselves in fornication and idolatry. These sins are contrary to the word of Christ.
Remember idolatry is covetousness .Thus today the greed for physical treasures and power is a sign of evil doctrines being present in the church today that justitify unrighteousness. This spiritual adultery has made the church earthly minded seeking money and power, the main idols of today's church.
The outcome for Thyatira was warning of judgment and vengeance from the Lord himself. Death, great tribulation, fighting were set for those who refused to repent. This judgment, (yes, that word is in the New Testament) serves as an example to other churches for those who choose to hold other doctrines other than the truth. God will avenge if one insists on holding on what he hates.
True doctrine when applied practically produces life and the fruit of the spirit, the character of Jesus Christ. Jesus even stated how the seed is the word of God and only those who understand and keep it are fruitful. However some hear the word and do not apply it becoming unfruitful.
Others get a corrupted seed which is similar to the truth but it is twisted, hence is not truth. This similar to the tares the enemy planted together with the wheat. As tare seeds must give forth tares, corrupt doctrine will give out corrupt fruit which the Lord does not honor but will burn in the fire. Thus judgment for those who bring forth corrupt fruit. The good seed is the doctrine of Christ that will produce much fruit to them that keep it.
Since doctrine is basically instructions and instructions consist of words, the words of Jesus Christ are essential for us to know the will of God as we need to be instructed in knowing how to live and be holy like him. The words of men however are pompous, exciting, but are not life and spirit. Since they come from the flesh, they profit nothing .So the words of Jesus Christ in action are the will of God, but the words of men, the will of men , the will of the devil.
A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU/ ONE THING YOU LACK
The Lord did not ignore the good deeds of the churches; he commended them. However his word to them shows that a few things set one apart from him. The church of Thyatira had charity, works service and faith but death was promised for those who held the doctrine of Jezebel. The Lord knows those who are his and those who are meddling in the faith. No one can hide from him.
What about the rich man who loved his neighbor as himself but did not love the Lord by disobeying his word to sell all that he had to the poor and follow him? The one thing he lacked shut him out of the kingdom of God, even though his commandment keeping from his youth was picture perfect.
We should watch for the 'one thing' in our lives daily in repentance before him. Many churches are doing very many 'good works' but have a little leaven that is leavening the whole, slowly but surely. That little leaven is enough to destroy the spiritual life of a local church and ultimately, a nation.
The doctrines they hold, even if they are twisted from the Law or Old Testament end up being rebellion against the Lord. We must hold on the word that was given in the beginning for the church in the New Testament .That is why we at times, read the book of Acts in line with the epistles as it shows us how the church applied the doctrine of Christ. Any other doctrine we receive today that pollutes the faith should be rejected utterly or the Lord shall reject us.
This rejection of the word of Christ and rebellion is played out in the physical hence today the dominion of sins IN THE CHURCH such as homosexuality, adultery, false hood, greed, selfish gain, heresy, murder ,disobedience of parents - all these and others which Jesus said come FROM THE HEART.
THE HEART AND GOD’S WORD
Like David we should hide the word of God in our hearts to keep to Sound Doctrine. From and in the heart, we can fall into the temptation of hiding evil thoughts, ill motives, and grudges, past ways, sinful and worldly desires .Such things do not edify our inner man but bring spiritual destruction gradually or suddenly. That is why we abide in Jesus daily to daily wrestle and crush self and sins dominance in repentance in him by the Holy Spirit. So what have you hidden in your heart…the word or the world?
By the grace of God, daily clean the inside of hearts from all the hidden works of dishonesty by the word of God which sanctifies us in truth. The word of Christ should dwell richly in us, in our hearts, rejecting worldly lusts and be filled with Holy Spirit to bear fruit. Reading and doing, meditating on his word, strengthens us in the spirit as we pray in the Holy Spirit according to his will which is in his word. This is the life of daily carrying the cross and dying to self and its sinful desires.
We can ONLY overcome the world and evil by the doctrine of Christ. Are you holding it alone or another doctrine? Is your fellowship running back to hold Jezebel and Balaam? Look at most of the church today and ask yourself whether it is only holding the doctrine of Christ or it is holding complicated, confusing evil doctrines . Edification in the word of God is key for our conformation to the image of Christ and rejection of the lusts of the devil.
WORSHIP = OBEDIENCE
We see in the Garden of Eden the devil came with a twisted word of God. He misused the commandment to win the obedience of Adam and Eve. He added to the words of God to gain the service of Adam and Eve. They disobeyed God to obey the Devil in the name of fulfilling their lusts and that of the devil.
Jesus however did not fall into the temptation of obeying the devil. His example shows that Worship/ Obedience is to God alone and no one else.
Jesus gave the apostles the words of God because he was building his church beginning with them. They were cleansed by his word so that they could receive the Holy Spirit to remember his words and write them down and to teach the church the doctrine of Christ and his gospel.
The false teachers came AFTER THE WORD, like the devil did at the Garden of Eden. They employed the Law, which is spiritual, to cause divisions and heresies once the New Covenant was established to be the truth for BOTH Jew and Gentile. Others misused Liberty for lasciviousness.
Today we have seen this in the denominational circles where they exalt one scripture or doctrine to form the foundation of their churches. All that is falsehood from the enemy, even if it is laced with scriptures. Man has usurped the authority of Jesus Christ the builder of the true church, by building his own church with his own materials and sayings. Vain worship exists in such a church where man has taken authority by teaching and upholding his words not the words of Christ...
The so called one man pastor, worship leaders, popes, so called apostles, archbishops, are usurpations of the authority of Jesus Christ, demanding to mediate in the everlasting new covenant where ONLY Jesus Christ is the mediator. This is just plain rebellion, antichrist blasphemy.
Let us watch that we only hold the doctrine of Jesus Christ as taught in the New Testament, the whole counsel of God's word. He alone deserves to be worshipped and obeyed.
