"... no body wants to study doctrine anymore, they just want to read the back of Christian T-Shirts!" - Paul Washer

Note to self: 111,1

How pathetic are we, as believers, who say or are so proud and bold to carry the name of Jesus, but does not even know the core teachings of our faith?

We watch moves like "God's Not Dead", all so ready to chant the title before Atheists, but could not properly define and defend the doctrine of the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, of Justification; Substitutionary Atonement, the Four Solas, what is the Church, and church history.

Do we even try to read the Bible, from cover to cover? Or do we simply read verses in bible studies?

In the meanwhile, we bing watch movies in Netflix, voraciously read Harry Potter, and play video games for hours on end, while CULT GROUPS such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, the LDS, the Fundamentalist Church of Christ, etc, say that most Christians in the church today, does not know their bibles.

Now they're right in bragging about themselves in comparison, because WE CARE MORE ABOUT OTHER THINGS, THAN WE DO THE THINGS OF SCRIPTURE.

And the fault lies squarely at the Pastors who've failed to tell you this, your parents who've not discipled you on it; the Youth Pastors who thinks Doctrines only divide the church, and YOU... if you've habitually ignore your conscience with regard to this.

I'm not pushing us to go, everyone, to enroll in a seminary, but we must know what we believe. Go, and ask your pastor or elders, and have them teach you. Go online, to reputable sites

We must know them in not just the name, but what is it in detail, and where it is supported in scripture.

In my Stream The Think Tank we sometimes discuss religion. But you're right you're not going to find many theologians well versed in scripture waiting to get into lengthy dialogues here on a meming site. Most people are just here to get a laugh and pass the time with friends. It's not a Church site.

You're right on the latter part of what you've said; most come here to have a laugh and spend time with friends.

It's just that my expectations were raised because many memers engaged in politics, and others... posting bible verses. So I thought, there must also be amongst us, those who cared enough about their faith to know it.

I'm not expecting them to fully master their faith, but there has to be something that proves they're not just reading the Bible for comfort and morale. And scriptures on comfort and morale is exactly what I'm seeing here and hardly anything of doctrine, except denouncing a few false teachers such as Joel Olsteen, and other Word of Faith personalities.

I agree. I do appreciate when someone takes time to discuss deep and important truths like salvation. Not enough people are talking about it but focused on the superficial. So thank you for taking time to discuss faith :)

You and "catholicconvert" were indeed, the only ones doing so as well. That puts the rest of us Protestants to shame.

ON DOCTRINE.

Now, let me tell you about doctrine. The word, "Doctrine" is not high class verbage that only the intellectually gifted... it means TEACHING. If you've heard, or believed the Gospel in what Christ did for you on the cross, then you've just already believed in the doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement.

Granted, there are names of doctrines that seem alien to you, and admittedly some do use foreign words, but those names are given to carefully and accurately identify what those teachings are in scripture.

For example, the word "Trinity" is not an English word nor is the name found in scripture, and yet the doctrine is richly evident through the whole bible.

Also, the "Four Solas" are also not found in scripture, and of course the word is not English, but not only is it found in scripture, but it is directly linked to church history.

If you identify as an Evangelical, then you should know that you're not just one because you believe in evangelism, but also because you are a Protestant. And how did Protestantism came about, and what differentiated them from all others, including Catholics? The Four Solas.

ON DIVISIONS

And for you who claimed that if we study doctrines, we divide the Church... you are the contributing cause of it.

Why, because you don't know enough about your faith, to tell the difference between Fundamental Theology, and Periphral Theology.

What's the difference between the two? The first is what saves... and the last, are all other issues that does not save. The former is what makes us one... and the latter, is what makes us unique (1 Corinthians 12).

If we quarrel over fundamental issues, then we would indeed be like those of Corinth who say " I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ." (1 Corinthians 1:10-17).

But if we debate over secondary issues, there is where our opportunity to test what we believe, and to learn how to love our brothers and sisters, despite our doctrinal differences.

CORRECTI0N: "Nobody wants to study doctrine anymore; they just want to listein to songs and read the back of Christian T-shirts!" - Paul Washer from "The Shocking Youth Message" (2002).