UNDERSTANDING DOCTRINE
1.What is meant by doctrine?
A.Doctrine basically means teaching or instruction.
B.It refers to the content of what is taught.
C.The doctrine of the Church of God in Christ refers to the teachings of (or what is taught in) the Church of God in Christ.
2.Why is doctrine important?
A.Because it is important to God the Father.
Hear, Ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law (Proverbs 4:1-2).
B.Because it is important to God the Son.
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself (John 7:16-17).
C. Because it is important to God the Holy Ghost.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things. . . (John 14:26).
D.It is important to God’s children for spiritual stability and maturity.
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 (Ephesians 4:14).
3.What value is there in doctrine?
A.It is essential to salvation.
“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”
(I Timothy 4:16).
B.It is the foundation for a godly life.
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the word of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness (I Timothy 6:3).
C.It releases one from the power of sin when obeyed from the heart.
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you
(Romans 6:17).
D.It enables one to witness to others.
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers (Titus 1:9).
E.It brings one into the knowledge of the things of God.
And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine (Mark 4:2).
F.It equips the saints for Christian service.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine...That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (II Timothy 3:16-17).
4.Is all doctrine good?
A.No, the fact that the Bible makes mention of sound doctrine, lets us know that there is unsound doctrine.
(1). . . and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine (I Timothy 1:10).
(2)For the time will come that they will not endure sound doctrine.
(I Timothy 4:3).
(3)The Bible also speaks of strange doctrines.
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. (Hebrews 13:9)
5.What is the origin of false doctrine?
A.It originated with Satan.
(1)But, I fear, least by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (II Corinthians 11:3).
(2)Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44).
(3)Satan’s emissaries, demons, or evil spirits, spread his lies and false doctrines.
NOW THE Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (I Timothy 4:1).
6.How is false doctrine propagated?
A.Through false apostles.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ (II Corinthians 11:13).
B.Through false prophets and teachers.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies ... (II Peter 2:1).
C.Through false pastors.
My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray ... (Jeremiah 50:6).
7.Has the church always been attacked by false doctrine?
A.Yes, many of Paul’s epistles to the Corinthians, Galatians, Colossians were written to straighten out those churches where false doctrine had crept in.
- John’s first two epistles were written to refute the doctrine that Jesus had not come in the flesh.
C.Jude also had to denounce the doctrine of false teachers.
D.All sorts of erroneous teachings still exist today.
8.What is the Christian to do in light of this fact?
The New Testament is full of exhortations to guard against false doctrine. It uses the following terms:
A.“Let no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4; Ephesians 5:6).
B.“Let no man beguile you” (Colossians 2:4, 18).
C.“Beware” (Matthew 7:15; Philippians 3:2; Colossians 2:8; II Peter 3:17).
D.“Neither give heed” (I Timothy 1:4; Titus 1:14).
E.“Be not carried about” (Ephesians 4:14; Hebrews 13:9).
F.“Believe not every spirit” (I John 4:1).
9.How can one determine if a doctrine is right or wrong?
A.By asking God in prayer (Matthew 21:22).
B.By studying the church’s doctrine (I Timothy 4:13; 5:17).
C.By studying the Bible personally (II Timothy 2:15).
D.By looking to the Holy Spirit as a teacher (John 16:13; I John 2:27).
10.What are some of the things that distinguish the Church of God in Christ’s doctrine from other church doctrines?
A.The doctrine of the Church of God in Christ is similar to most other Pentecostal churches. There are some slight variations of differences on subjects, like sanctification and water baptism.
B.As a Pentecostal denomination, it differs from non-Pentecostal denominations in the following aspects:
(1)Its belief as an experience subsequent to salvation and that speaking in other tongues is the initial physical evidence that one has been filled with the Holy Ghost.
(2)Its belief in the gifts of the Spirit and supernatural signs such as divine healing and casting out demons.
(3)Its belief in exuberant and spontaneous worship. This includes praising God with musical instruments, in the dance and with uplifted hands, as well as with the voice.
(4)Its belief in sanctification and holiness as a way of life.
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