I recently talked to a pastor who shared he was happy that 450 people left his church of what used to be 600. Why would he be happy?

For years Pastor Frank preached a prosperity message promising the blessings of health and wealth. And his people liked it. Then he lost two of his children over a short period of time, one from violence and the other from a disease. Pastor Frank’s prosperity theology unraveled. Where was God’s blessing? Why was this happening to him?

God revealed to Frank that he was preaching a false message that hurt his congregation and one left them ill-prepared for the reality of suffering. Preaching this unsound doctrine seemed to pay off in the short-run, but in the end, it led people to pursue riches and blessings Scripture never promises instead of the better promises of Scripture.

The church needs sound doctrine to deal with complexities of faith and life.

What is Sound Doctrine?

Doctrine is “scriptural teaching on theological truths.”^[1] Adding the adjective “sound” to doctrine sharpens the definition with the ideas of ‘healthy’ or ‘accurate.'^[2] A good working definition of what the Bible means when it says "sound doctrine" is this:

Sound doctrine is accurate scriptural teaching on theological truths that lead to the spiritual health and transformed lives of individuals and the church.

Sound doctrine should be the content of every sermon, Bible study, song, and book we read at church. And it should be loved. Here are a few reasons we should love sound doctrine:

1. Love sound doctrine because God loves sound doctrine

Scripture commands leaders to “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught” and to “give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9). Sound doctrine flows from God’s Word and revealed will in Scripture. God gave us His Word and sound doctrine so we could know Him, love Him, obey Him, and teach others about Him and what He’s done for us in Christ. Let us love it because we love Him.

2. Love sound doctrine because sound doctrine matures individuals and the church.

Unsound doctrine upsets faith, leads people astray, and ultimately wastes our time (like in Pastor Frank’s story). Teaching sound doctrine leads to spiritual maturity both in individuals and the church as a whole (Ephesians 4:11-14). As we feed on sound doctrine, we don't desire theology that tickles our ears and leaves us unsatisfied, lacking what we truly need. Sound doctrine grows our faith and leads us to invest time wisely for Christ and His Kingdom by maturing individuals and the church into the image of Christ.

3. Love sound doctrine because sound doctrine flows from the gospel.

In 1 Timothy 1:11, Paul says that sound doctrine is “in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God.” The gospel is a message to be proclaimed and taught. Sound doctrine is the substance of true gospel teaching. Our love for the gospel should be tightly bound with a love for sound doctrine because sound doctrine communicates gospel truths that bring salvation to their hearers (1 Timothy 4:16).

4. Love sound doctrine because it leads us to holiness.

1 Timothy 1:10 tells us that there is a type of living that is contrary to sound doctrine. Correct doctrine is tied with correct living, which is what Paul means when he speaks of “a knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness” (Titus 1:1). Sound doctrine teaches us about a holy and wrath-filled God who hates sin but loves us enough to sacrifice His Son on our behalf to free us from that sin. True doctrine from a holy God produces holy people.

5. Love sound doctrine because it keeps us from false doctrine.

Scripture points to three sources of doctrine: devils (1 Timothy 4:1), men (Matthew 15:9), and God Himself (Titus 2:10). Sound doctrine originates with God Himself and is uncorrupted and life-giving. Sound doctrine is an anchor of truth, which steadies us from being “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). A love for sound doctrine will be a “shield of truth” against lies and doctrines of the enemy, which are rampant today–even in many churches.

6. Love sound doctrine because it leads to action.

Scripture prepares men and women for every good work God (2 Timothy 3:17). Likewise, a healthy teaching of Scripture’s doctrine catalyzes both service and witness by instilling deep conviction and joy into Christians’ lives. Hearing the truth of Scripture taught clearly will exalt the mercy and grace of God, which will cause us to be thankful and obey His commands to be a light in the world and proclaim the gospel and “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior (Titus 2:7-10).

7. Love sound doctrine because a love for sound doctrine is a love for Jesus Himself.

Nothing makes me cringe like hearing Christians say, “I don’t need doctrine, I just want to love Jesus!” These people misunderstand that doctrine is what tells us about Jesus, who is Truth in the flesh (John 14:6). Jesus preached the doctrine of who He is and how His followers are to live in relation to Him and the world. You can’t know or understand who Jesus is without doctrine.

8. Love sound doctrine because it ultimately leads to worship

Contemplating truths about God and His works among men causes us to wonder in amazement at his goodness (Psalm 107). Worship is not just the end result of doctrine, it is also the reason it exists. Paul exemplifies this by concluding one of the most doctrine-rich portions of Scripture with this doxology: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”  (Romans 11:33)

God wants the sound doctrine to fill the church with holy, Christ-exalting, and Christ-proclaiming believers who mature daily in their knowledge of God and obedience to Him.

Pastor Frank has learned a lot since he stopped preaching the prosperity message and began focusing on Scriptural teaching. Although many people left the church, new people began to come eager to hear the truth. Teens that used to sit in the back of the church and send text messages have now moved to the front rows. Many of them are now serving and reaching out to their community. This is a picture of sound doctrine in action.

Let us heed Paul’s command in 2 Timothy 1:13 and, “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”