Thursday night I will begin a doctrinal study at 7:00 PM at the Red Brick Church. When deciding whether or not to attend, keep in mind that doctrine is not a matter of life and death. Hence, you need to be here!
Occasionally, someone emphasizes the importance of doctrine by saying that knowing the Truth is a matter of life and death. Strictly speaking this is not the case.
Doctrine is not a matter of life and death. It is a matter of life or death. You cannot have both death and life. It is one or the other. And what you truly believe has eternal implications: either eternity with Christ or eternity in Hell. It is that serious.
I know; I know. Some of you will accuse me of playing word-games when I say that doctrine is not a matter of life and death. On one level I am guilty as charged. When people say doctrine is a matter of life and death, they mean to stress the urgency and that is correct.
But I am not posting this just to pick at words. Practically speaking, I wonder if most people in our culture don’t believe that they can have both life and death. They believe that they can walk in the counsel of the wicked and sit in the seat of scoffers (Psalm 1) and still be like a tree planted by streams of water. Not so. It’s one or the other.
- Two ways: a broad way or a narrow way (Matt 7:13)
- Two foundations for life: sand or rock (Matthew 7:24-27)
- Two kinds of trees: those that bear fruit or those that don’t (Matt 7:16-20)
- Two kinds of faith: faith that works or faith that is dead (James 2:14-26)
“Or”, not “And.” There are two ways. You choose between them. There is no third.
So – – if you are reasonably close (say within 500 miles) come to our doctrinal study at the Red Brick Church beginning Thursday, Feb 7, at 7:00 PM.
What are you using for a text?
A combination of things . . . we often use Grudem at our church.
Most excellent choice. We teach through Christian Beliefs and Bible Doctrine, both by Grudem. He’s so accessible.