Destroying Doctrine

…We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up…

(2 Corinthians 10:4-5 – NET)

People get upset when we trample down their pet ideas that have “worked” so long for them. They should be upset, for their foundation is crumbling, and their flesh is falling. They will have to do the work of reworking their understandings of faith and the Christian life and it is hard work, and people don’t want to do it. Oh, the spiritual man does, but our flesh does not, and if we are believing in a false doctrine or teaching it is our flesh that likes it. Our old man of the flesh doesn’t want to change, and it is perfectly happy with doctrinal error that makes us conform to our little world of unchristian ideas dressed as spiritual piety but that are not really biblical at all.

Neutering pet proof texts, smashing down idol ideas, and carving up the sacred cows of charismania, this is part of a pastor’s job. This task is not limited to the fringes of charismania, however. There are many who are not even charismatics, and who might adhere to a perfectly orthodox understanding in their statement of faith, but who nevertheless in practice adhere to these doctrines we aim to destroy.

By the way, this is what 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 is talking about, not so much singular thoughts as it is systems of thought, even within the Christian community, fads and frauds based on faulty and flawed understandings of scripture. We are trying to destroy destructive doctrine. We are not tying to destroy your faith in the Word of God; we are trying to destroy your faith in yourself.

This isn't being "mean", this is doing what God has commanded us to do. Really read the following verses again and let them sink in.

2 Corinthians 10:3-7 – For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ's, so also are we.

I think we spend most of our lives trying to please our flesh, and sometimes even if that means we are helping others, because sometimes we are helping others so we may feel good about ourselves instead of out of obedience to God’s Word. When we think this way, and who hasn’t at times, and when we are trying to decide on differing models of doctrine, it would make sense to just find the one that sounds like it does everything the others do, but also pleases my flesh to a degree, although we may not realize that. We sometimes try and justify aberrant practices by that, “it is helping people” standard, but it is the standard our flesh is comfortable with, the most supposed help with the least amount of confrontation, not just confrontation with the parties being “helped” but with ourselves having to change our way of “helping people”.

Instead, if we find our flesh happy about our doctrinal choices, we should run as fast as we can seeking the Word of God to show us what it has to say about the choice we just made. And we have to "know" when it is our flesh speaking to us, or if we are walking after the Spirit, and so we have to "know" the Word of God, and so we have to keep learning and living the Word of God continually, even if it means part of us is destroyed in the process.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©