Right doctrine and right living
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.””John 8:31-32
The Bible emphasizes both doctrine and life. Both aspects are important and something you need to be aware of, first and foremost in your own life.
In the Bible we find the truth and the correct teaching that God has given to us humans. We now live in the time of the New Testament with the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is extremely important to understand what Jesus’ death and resurrection mean and how it can help us today. We must be good at the gospel. Of course we also read the Old Testament. Jesus is also there a lot, both in prophecies and as in shadow images. But in the New Testament, Jesus is revealed.
When Jesus walked the earth, He taught a lot. Doctrines are extremely important. Some people think that doctrines are boring, but both Jesus and the apostles emphasized teaching.
There are two ditches, one is “legalism” and the other “lawlessness”. Some overemphasize what we must do all the time and to be on guard so one does not displease God. They say almost nothing about Jesus’ finished atoning sacrifice, the overflowing grace, and the mighty work of the Holy Spirit in and through believers. In this ditch, you want well, but you mostly rely on your own willpower. You preach everything that needs to be done, but you have neither understood yourself nor can you therefore help others with how to live out the Christian life.
In the second ditch, you can talk a lot about God’s love and goodness, which if you understand it correctly results in a devoted life together with and for Jesus. But when it is preached wrongly and is misunderstood, it results in a life of compromise. You are not so careful about how you live because “God is so good anyway”.
In order to be able to live right, you need to learn how to live, which way to go. That is why sound doctrine is so important. And it becomes healthy when you read and preach the whole Bible, not just certain parts. When you take part of the Bible, you see the way forward and then it’s just a matter of practicing what the Bible teaches. We are called to live according to the Bible.
”By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:2-5
It is not that difficult to live the Christian life because through faith Jesus lives in your heart if you are saved. Faith in God and God’s word is what makes it possible to live right. When you believe, God works in and through your life. The Bible is full of promises from God. God has promised many things and when you take God at His word in faith, you will see God’s promises come to pass.
The Christian life is a cooperation with God. Not that God should do everything for us as some kind of servant, but also not that we should do everything in our own power all the time. Walk with God.
Jesus says:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
God bless you.