Every Wind of Doctrine

This last week has been filled with so many gorgeous days. It has been so much fun to soak in some warm sunshine with my kids after school. The daylilies are beginning to emerge from the dead ground, and the phlox is starting to add color to the garden bed. What a glorious reminder that spring is almost here!

With this beautiful weather has come quite a bit of wind. This wind has stolen the warmth of the sun, has carried unwanted leaves onto the patio, and has tossed my girls' playground toys into the yard. Wind is a very powerful force. In the Bible, Paul uses the wind as an analogy to describe how certain doctrines can affect the life of a believer. He talks about being properly built up in Christ "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes" (Ephesians 4:14).

In Alive in Him, a book that takes an in-depth look at Ephesians, Gloria Furman encourages readers to take doctrine seriously. She says, "[W]hat we believe concerning doctrine determines the way we respond to God, his church, and this world." A doctrine is simply a belief or a set of beliefs formed through some kind of teaching. Many of our surroundings seek to indoctrinate us on a regular basis whether we realize it or not. What are our doctrines? What do we believe? Who is teaching us and training us to believe those things? Are we being blown by every wind of doctrine, or are we standing firm in the "knowledge of the Son of God" in faithful maturity (Ephesians 4:13)?

Furman says, "Doctrine matters when you're reading the news and can't stop weeping. It matters when your neighbor tells you she's pregnant, and the next time you see her, she says, 'I took care of the problem.' It matters when your husband comes home from the office early with a carboard box full of his pictures and lunch dishes from work. It matters when you're facing another evening of free time and you feel restless. It matters when your prayers are answered and a door to share your faith swings wide open. When your new medication doesn't do anything; when you get a raise; when your laptop crashes; when you are shopping at the grocery store; when your child rolls his eyes at you; when you're laughing so hard your face hurts; and when you get a phone call you never thought you'd receive. In every moment of life, doctrine matters. From the global concerns that affect everyone on this planet to the minutiae of our vaporous lives, doctrine matters." Doctrine matters because everything we do flows out of the beliefs we hold.

Doctrine matters because everything we do flows out of the beliefs we hold.

We must form our doctrines from the Word of God, not from the fleeting influences of the world. Our minds must be renewed by the gospel so we can see everything else clearly and respond faithfully. When that order is reversed, sin abounds. Too many people - including Christians - are looking first to social media, current events, and the entertainment world to form their doctrines. They then, in turn, judge the Scriptures by their newfound and everchanging winds of doctrine, thus holding popular opinion above the Word of God. Furman expounds, "[T]he body of Christ grows by the Word of Christ, flexing its muscles to serve, stretching out its hands to heal, and dreaming up creative ways to bless one another using the gifts God has given. Rooted and grounded in love, we are the gathered-and-scattered sanctuary of Christ's presence on earth shining light into a dark world. We're driven by the purpose God gave us: to shine his light for all the nations to see and be transformed. The Devil is not in these details; these details make him shudder."

The deeper a tree's roots go, the stronger it stands against the wind. The deeper we go into the Word, the stronger we stand against every wind of doctrine. "When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind" (African Proverb).