Why Doctrine is So Important!

Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers

3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

Timothy was Paul's protege.  He traveled on missionary trips with Paul, and Paul was so confident of Timothy's pastoral skills and leadership that he left him in charge of the church at Ephesus.  This was a big and important church in a key area.  In Ephesus among those in the Christian community there was a tendency to get distracted by teachings about endless myths and genealogies.  Enduring Word describes these distractions like this, 

"Perhaps the endless genealogies had to do with Gnostic-type theories of “emanations” from God. Perhaps they were connected with Jewish-type legalism that sought righteousness by virtue of one’s ancestry. Or perhaps he had in mind doctrinal systems based on mystic readings of Old Testament genealogies."

Usually false doctrine doesn't come into the church with overt anti-Christian teaching, but with a subtle dilution of key doctrines. Paul was concerned about doctrine then, and we should be concerned about it now.  Why? Because unless we stay centered and focused on the essentials of what we believe we are vulnerable to false teaching.  

For example what is the danger of the focus on genealogies.  These genealogies tried to show that due to one's lineage they might have some special favor with God.  But the bible clearly teaches that each person is judged based on their own relationship with God.  I am not judged or saved by anyone in my family history, nor are they by me.  This endless speculation on genealogies distracts us away from what Jesus did for each one of us.  Though we need to respect our families of origin, we come to faith in Jesus personally and then we become part of a family of God.  

So what does this mean for us today?  The Mormon religion emphasizes genealogy and one's eternal family.  For instance, Mormons "believe that families can be together forever when "sealed" through a special temple ordinance, or ceremony. These ceremonies can be performed not only for the living but also on behalf of ancestors who have previously died." (mormon.org)

The book of Hebrews teaches that it is appointed once for a man to die and then face judgment. Hebrews 9:27 The church needs to be always watchful of its doctrine because every heresy has as its goal to minimize who Jesus is and what He has done for us on the cross.  For instance relying on a family history or genealogy to save oneself or others, minimizes what Jesus has done once and for all to save us. Like Paul entrusted the church to Timothy, God has entrusted the church to us.  We like Timothy need to watch our life and doctrine closely.