Sound Doctrine

Excerpt from "A Revolution of Love" by George Verwer

"There is, I believe, a basic ingredient which is largely lacking in Christianity today, and the lack of it is the source of most of our problems. It is the cancer which is eating away at the church, but it is no secret. In fact, it is so non-secretive that it is written on almost every page of the New Testament. And yet, because the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked, and because we are so bent on our own way, we do not see (or seeing we do not believe) that the basic message of the New Testament is LOVE! It is my absolute conviction that most of us miss this most obvious and most repeated message, even while laying great emphasis on "sound doctrine".

Well, I would like to ask you, "What is sound doctrine?" We have long discussions on the Second Coming, on the Atoning Work of Christ, on the Church, the Holy Spirit, etc etc. But what about love and humility and brokenness? These usually go into a separate category, but I want to tell you that if your doctrine does not include love and humility and brokenness, then your doctrine is not sound.

Doctrine cannot be separated from practical living. He is not sound in doctrine if he does not love the brethren. What do we read in 1 John 4:8? "He that loveth not knoweth not God." There is no sounder doctrine than love, and apart from love there is no sound doctrine. This is the basis of all Bible doctrine. You take the base out and everything you build will eventually collapse."

May we love our enemies and love our neighbours as ourselves with the help of Christ. Amen.