I Give You Good Doctrine

 “For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.” – Proverbs 4:2

The prophet Isaiah said: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”  In our day and age, it can be hard to know who to trust.  Although we have more information available to us than ever before, and you can get a thousand answers in fractions of a second, that doesn’t mean that you have a thousand right answers.  Society seems to be laboring under the delusion that being first is more important than being right.  We cannot always know what to trust or who to follow; however, at some point, you must trust something.  The question then becomes, where is good doctrine, and what do you call upon to guide you? 

What you believe will define you.    If you don’t believe in eating meat, it’s unlikely you will become a cattle farmer. If you believe that being a good father is important, then you will show up and be a good father.   If you don’t believe the law applies to you, then it is likely that one day you will find yourself in prison.  When Jesus said, “I came not to bring peace but a sword.”  He understood and helped us to understand that His doctrine would divide humanity.  It would do so because what we believe defines us, and when we believe in Him it will cause us to do and not do certain things.  It will cause us to go and not go to certain places; and it should cause us to behave and not behave in a certain way.  When you really believe in Jesus Christ, it should fundamentally change who you are.  We all believe in something, the question is not if you believe, but what do you believe in?  Jesus Christ gives us good doctrine.  His message and teachings are for our benefit and the benefit of others, and that is good.  The doctrine is true and perfect, and that is good.  Finally, it is backed by absolute authority and all those who believe in it and live it will find blessings and peace, which is good.  Jesus called for witnesses.  Witnesses who live it out, and testify it out, and as the Lord blesses (which he will do) witness to the goodness of his doctrine.  We witness with our lives and our lips, while we vote with our feet.  Jesus Christ proves himself in the believer, and He will prove himself, and that will glorify the Father.  “It is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps but the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.”  His doctrine is good, it is good for you, it is good for me, and it is good for mankind. 

When you believe in Jesus and make him Lord of your life you are believing in love, you are championing love; not the superficial love that we find in movies and television.  No, this is a greater love: real, genuine, self-sacrificing, life changing, and all inspiring love that only Christ can offer.  A complete and perfect love that is the birth right of all mankind, regardless of: race, creed, sex, or economic status.  This has been given to us, and we are the ones who are to profit from believing this good doctrine and forsaking not the law of God.  The Christian life is a blessed life, a life of love.  This is the good doctrine, a doctrine worth believing, and a doctrine worth living.