Corrupt Doctrine
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Some professions seem to require a greater measure of perfection than others. For example, once when we had my wife’s car painted, the first job was terrible. The problem was remedied by having the job done again. However, had the car been a patient in a hospital and the painter was a surgeon, a similar level of error could have been fatal.
Clearly, then, there are greater allowable margins for error in some matters than others. Consider Christianity in this regard.
At Titus the second chapter, Paul wrote at verse seven that we should shew ourselves a pattern of good works in all things. It’s that term "all things." It is that term, "all things." that catches my eye.
God is not content for us to be righteous about some of life and unrighteous about the rest of it. His Book has taught us to correctly represent the pattern of Christianity in everything we do.
Following in the same passage, we are given some instructions on how such a pattern of good works may be accomplished. One must be uncorrupt, grave, and sincere about the doctrine of scripture. This is absolutely necessary, for it is out of scripture that we learn that pattern of good works that is to be the rule of the Christian’s life.
However, we live in an age in which most all the religious community seems to feel there is no such, thing as doctrinal error. However, if it were not true that vast numbers of people corrupt the doctrine of truth, there would be no reason for Paul to call for an uncorrupt approach to doctrine, as well as a sincere approach.
It’s a lack of sincerity in Bible study that causes many to read scripture in an effort to prove what they already think rather than to simply allow God in His Book to tell us what the truth really is. Once a person determines to approach a search for the truth in a sincere manner that removes all corrupt doctrine from consideration, he’s then beginning to realize how grave a matter the study, discovery, and practice of truth really is.
It matters much less if you read and misinterpret a recipe or an article in the newspaper. However, in order to show yourself a pattern of good works unto God, you must refuse corruptness of doctrine in favor of gravity and sincerity.