Doctrine Matters

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”  (I Timothy 4:16) Doctrine, what you believe matters. 

It is not an accident that against the backdrop of a rapidly escalating war between Israel and Hamas, there is a noticeable increase of false prophets and Bible teachers making their voices heard.  

Every day, we are reminded of the “horrors of war” as it serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact that armed conflicts have on individuals and societies. It serves as a constant reminder of the immense human suffering, loss of life, physical and psychological trauma, and destruction that war brings. The heart-wrenching stories of love lost. Countless images of dead bodies piled on top of each other. Mothers weeping for their children, and they find no comfort. Gaza looks like a wasteland of human sorrow. Israelis hoping and praying that their loved ones who are held hostage will return home. The agonizing torture of waiting and wondering, hoping and praying. On the other side, Palestinians hoping for their loved ones to recover in the hospital only to have the hospital bombed. Hopeless, homeless with an uncertain future. The only sure thing is an ongoing war with no end in sight.   Looking over into another part of the world, the war between Russia and Ukraine drags on and on. War is ugly and brutal.

The movie “Left Behind” is a thought-provoking apocalyptic thriller released in 2014. Directed by Vic Armstrong and written by Paul LaLonde and John Patus, the film is based on the 1995 novel by Tim LaHaye. As I watch the evening news, this movie comes to mind, highlighting its relevance today. The second film adaptation of the first Left Behind novel deviates from the book’s chronology, focusing on a worldwide disaster through the lens of one family. The central characters include Rayford Steele, an airline pilot, his wife dealing with marital issues, and their two children.

In Jesus’ famous sermon on the Mount, he warned about the rise of false prophets. In Matthew 7:15, Jesus says, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly, they are ferocious wolves.” Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23)  

The word “knew” in the Bible, translated from the Greek word “ginōskō”, denotes an intimate relationship. When used in the context of a husband and wife, it signifies a sexual relationship where the couple becomes one, establishing a deep closeness and intimacy. In the text, the individuals did not establish an intimate relationship with Christ.  You cannot know God apart from His Word, a prayer life and being filled with His Spirit. 

I couldn’t help but take notice of all the chatter surrounding one of the most prolific Pentecostal preachers and his newly defined doctrine. Initially, I paid little attention, but as I delved deeper into the topic, I realized the significance of this departure from the foundational Christian principles. No matter where you are on the Pentecostal spectrum, Oneness, Apostolic, or Trinitarian, my generation remembers the Auza Street Conferences of the 1990s. I remember listening to his music. Near the Cross, and other old Pentecostal anthems that were once played frequently. I asked myself repeatedly how a preacher filled with the Holy Spirit could turn around and renounce everything that he once held as truth. The uproar is understandable once you understand the significance of what he preached at the end of his life. He created his own doctrine in his arrogance and proclaimed it as truth. 

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” (I Timothy 4:1). The devil is a cunning strategist who distorts God’s truth.  

Understand that God’s love is not like the world’s definition of love is essential. Therefore, asking what the devil teaches and why it’s such a dangerous doctrine is crucial. While “Doctrine of Demons” may sound intense, it is important to know God’s Word.   When you do not know God’s Word, you be spiritually unstable. “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” (Ephesians 4:14)