Doctrine and Application

I wrote this a while ago, but I am just now getting around to posting it.

While studying for my Sunday school lesson a while back, another reason to study and to teach doctrine occurred to me.  In reading Matthew 19-22, there are several examples of ways that the Saducees and Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus through their questions.  Every time that He was presented with the challenging questions, Jesus was able to answer in a doctrinally sound way.  You may be thinking, "Of course, He did.  He was fully God after all, and so all-knowing."  I think that no only was He proving His deity, I think He was setting an example for His followers to follow.  We are told throughout the New Testament to be like Christ.  I think this extends to the way that we answer the challenges of the world, including the difficult questions that we may be asked.

The only way that we are going to be able to answer in the way that Jesus did is if we know the Bible and have the Holy Spirit within us.  Therefore, it is important to learn as much doctrine as we can in order to be ready to give a clear, accurate defense to questions posed by those who are our modern day Pharisees and Saducees.  We have to have such a solid foundation that the hard questions don't shake us up.  I think that the ideal way to establish this foundation is in the same way that Jesus did, meaning starting as a young child.  We should be challenging our children by teaching them the truths of Scripture at a young age.  There are many ways to do this, but we need to stop using the excuse that children do not understand.  Instead, we need to be challenging children from a young age.  Most adults do not fully understand the doctrines presented in Scripture, and there are many mysteries that we have to accept by faith.  Therefore, we should be teaching children to accept the mysteries by faith young.  Plus, people learn more than we think that they are capable of learning when people are challenged.  

It seems that the church as a whole today wants to steer clear of doctrine because it isn't relevant or it doesn't meet people's felt needs.  However, many in the church cannot give a defense when questioned by non-Christians about things such as the doctrine of the Trinity, doctrine of the Church, and the doctrine of salvation.  Too many in the church are not firm in their convictions because they are more concerned about becoming better people than having a changed heart and mind.  They would rather focus on self and how God can make self better, instead of focusing on God and the things of God so that self becomes smaller and smaller (which, ironically, results in becoming a better person).

I am not saying that doctrine should be taught without application.  I just don't think that application should be taught without doctrine.  If doctrine is not put into practice, it is worthless.  It becomes too much head knowledge without exhibiting a changed heart and a faith that is alive.  However, application without doctrine is destined to fail because it doesn't necessarily spring from a changed heart and mind.  We need to be careful about teaching water and milk to those in the church.  2 Timothy 2:2 commands Timothy to teach faithful men who will be able to teach others.  This is a command that extends to all those in the church.  If we teach only water and milk, we aren't preparing faithful members who can teach others.  However, if we are not afraid to tackle the hard stuff and the doctrine, then we will be preparing faithful members to teach those they come in contact with, including the modern day Saducees and Pharisees.  We will be teaching our church members to be ready to give a defense just as Christ was ready to give a defense when presented with a challenge.  If the church does not know how to make a defense because it hasn't been taught doctrine, the leaders will experience greater punishment for failing to fulfill the commands in Scripture.  However, if the leaders and teachers in the church teach sound doctrine that equips the saints, the leaders and teachers will not be held accountable.  Maybe if more leaders and teachers understood this (or were qualified to teach in the first place), our churches would not be filled with spiritual infants.