Saturday, September 19, 2015

Love and Doctrine

   I have had some feedback regarding my post yesterday.  I want to be clear, and it is difficult to do so with such an inelegant means of communication as words and letters.  I guess, in some ways it's like The Matrix;

Morpheus: Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.

or 

Oracle: You know what that means? It's Latin. Means `Know thyself'. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Being the one is just like being in love. No one can tell you your in love, you just know it. Through and through. Balls to bones

So while I can't completely encompass everything I'm thinking, as I write, I will do my best.


   Regarding doctrine; I want to be perfectly clear, doctrine is and remains incredibly important.  Doctrine is another word for "teaching".  If I based the doctrine of salvation on this passage;

Hebrews 6:4-6
4 For it is impossible for those once enlightened, besides tasting the celestial gratuity and becoming partakers of holy spirit,
5 and tasting the ideal declaration of God, besides the powerful deeds of the impending eon,
6 and falling aside, to be renewing them again to repentance while crucifying for themselves the Son of God again and holding Him up to infamy.


I would lead many into error and doubtless - fear of their salvation.  However, this passage

A) has nothing to do with the nations, it is exclusively part of Israelite doctrine and history and without clearly understanding that you will quickly come to wrong conclusions, and error filled teachings.

B) Has nothing to do with salvation yet is often taken out of context by fear based churches to intimidate and coerce their people into getting in line with their program.

1 Tim 4:16
16 Attend to yourself and to the teaching. Be persisting in them, for in doing this you will save yourself as well as those hearing you.

Obviously Paul thought it was important to be clear in doctrine.  And let me add when Paul speaks of "saving" he is always talking of Eonian salvation.  We are all saved from death, yet we will not all experience the same salvation.  That's a topic for another time, however.

The point I have been trying to make these past few days is simply this;


1 Corinthians 13:1-2
1 If I should be speaking in the languages of men and of the messengers, yet should have no love, I have become resounding copper or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I should have prophecy and should be perceiving all secrets and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so as to transport mountains, yet have no love, I am nothing.

Without love, this is all for naught.  You can teach the most amazing things that have never been expounded on in the Bible.  Yet if you fail to teach with love... well it's all just noise.  You can know the most amazing things, but no one will want to listen to you if you are an insufferable blow hard who mocks everyone else's doctrine.  You may be ABSOLUTELY RIGHT but you will be ABSOLUTELY USELESS if you fail in the area of love.

And finally - my last point I was trying to make...


1 John 4:8
8 He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love.


   God is love.... Every other facet of his being is just an exercise of that very love.  Whether you listen to anything I say.  Whether you believe or not.  God IS love.  All his judgments are out of love.  All He ever does and ever will do IS because He IS love.  He sent his Son to die on a cross because His love is so fervent and unassailable that it will not be dissuaded from expression.  All He sets out to do, He WILL do.  We can all have complete rest and confidence in this because His very being is love and  every action the proceeds from Him is an expression of that selfsame love.

    In Summary - doctrine is incredibly important because it is through correct teaching that we learn the evangel.  It is through correct teaching we discover more and more about God, but that teaching must never ever override the most essential gift of all - God's love.

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