Why Study Doctrine, Free Course
Why Study Doctrine, Free Course, Chapter 1
Why Bible Doctrine
The times of the great Reformations were also times of intensive doctrinal teaching. From peasants to the kings all wanted to listen to the great preachers expound the fundamental doctrines. They were even willing to die for the sake of the right doctrine. However, the times have changed much.
We who live in the twenty first century are far removed from all the major (or even from the minor) reformations. Emotionalism has risen to such a venerated position that many Christians have begun to proclaim that "what we need is life and not doctrine". All ideas have consequences, and therefore those who follow the above slogan look down at all forms of doctrinal teaching. All they want are little devotions that do not tax their little minds, busy schedules and ice-thin conscience.
This has in turn given rise to a foot-thumping Christian Culture in churches which is high on emotion-raising and slogan-shouting choruses that are repeated endlessly to the accompaniment of drums and other rhythmic instruments till everyone has a liberal dose of adrenaline flowing through their systems. That session is followed, as mentioned before, by little devotions loaded with good-sounding words and a "short" concluding prayer that does not tax the concentration of the devotees, which these days often does not exceed the attention span of a nursery student.
Doctrinal teaching is antithetical to everything mentioned above. Such teaching often requires an hour-long commitment, forces the audience to repeatedly open the Bible to different verses, and often touches and even pierces the more sensitive areas of life, areas which none of us wants examined in the light of the biblical absolutes. Consequently, our generation that is addicted to instant coffee and instant shaving cream is increasingly abandoning Bible doctrines. They long for a cheap version of Christianity that does not cost too much and that does not inconveniences anyone. However, precious things do not come cheap.
While it is true that today we can have a lot of things in "instant" packages, in covenant doses, and pleasant flavors, these facilities do not extend to all areas of human life. Even today only dispensable things come instantly. All the others demand time, investment, and sweat of the brow. There are no instant-mixes for producing doctors, engineers, scientists, or other professionals. There are also no instant formulas to produce sportsmen, writers, or artists. Things that are of lasting value demand much investment even today. The same is true of spiritual growth.
Why Study Doctrine, Free Course, Chapter 1
Why Bible Doctrine
comments
Leave a Reply
Powered by FireStats