Do you live by doctrine or the Life of Christ?

Do you live by doctrine or the Life of Christ?

Colossians 2:20. Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules:
21. "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"?
22. These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. NIV


I have been to so many churches that teach “principles”. They claim them to be godly, yet often I wondered if that was so. Many also push “belief”, which in and of itself has nothing wrong as we are to believe in Christ. Yet, again, so many place such high importance on “believing” as in “Keeping good doctrine.” I wonder if they have come to Christ at all. You see, I know of no doctrine that became a man, lived a perfect life, then died in my place by being nailed to a cross…. Nope I have searched the scripture for years and have not found a doctrine that had done that! LOL!

The Pharisees of Jesus day had perfect doctrine. They kept the rules like you would not have believed. They were as perfect about these doctrines as one could be… and you know what? Jesus was not impressed one bit. In fact He said things like, “Vipers!” “Whitewashed tombs!”, “You teach other’s to be twice a fit for hell as you are yourself!”

I think one might see Jesus was not fond of those who put doctrine before God!

Recently we had a talk to a young person who was excited to “get out of the house in nine months.” She was turning 18 and wanted to get out because her parents were a bit strict on the dress code. Now, I think that the parents have done a great job, with what they know, but she could not show her shoulders and had to wear a skirt well below her knees. Again, nothing wrong, except these rules never entered her heart. They never cleaned the inside of the cup so to say…. It only appeared to be clean on the outside. That is what Paul means here in verse “23. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” Why? Paul already told us in verse “22: … because they are based on human commands and teachings.”

When I say I do not see being right as that important this is what I am saying… what if my “righteousness” which what being right means, is all about me being self righteous and not about walking in the righteousness of Christ, which is our only True Righteousness. Modernists do not get that because they base their thinking on man’s reasoning and not the bible…. Or worse they have placed their beloved doctrine above God. They then depend on their own reasoning and not as the scripture tells us, “Ephesians 1:16. I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
17. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
18. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…” It goes on about “believing in Christ, As He is raised and seated in righteousness…

Yet, did you notice? It is not our mind or reasoning or knowledge that Paul prayed for, but the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation….Why? To know Jesus better…. Not to know doctrine better!

Now, again I am not against doctrine, I am trying to help us get a perspective on “sound doctrine”. As Paul told Timothy in 1 Tim 1: 8. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10. for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers--and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11. that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.


The Law has its use… if used properly, which I will write more on at another time. Yet, the sound doctrine conforms to the Gospel and that Gospel is the Good News of Jesus’ Resurrection! That Jesus was raise from the dead and I will be also! So many stop at forgiveness, which is what the cross was about… yet the Gospel is about the Life of Christ…. Or the Resurrection! If one takes time to read in the Acts what was taught… you would see that it was not the cross that was proclaimed, but the resurrection. That Jesus was raised from the dead…..

Acts 4

1. The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.
2. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

This is just one of many verses that back this up. The cross was only part of the Good News, but the Resurrection was the Good News!

Christianity is not about doctrines, rules or principles… The Gospel is about New Life and freedom to grow in the knowledge and Grace of Jesus Christ, those that think it is about anything else are as Paul states in “Col 2: 16. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
18. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.
19. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.


I do not want to lose connection with the Head! I want to walk in relationship with the Person of Christ… not live second hand by doctrines of man that can not save me.

Blessings,
iggy