So that we don’t worship in vain
Unsound doctrine has several disastrous effects. Let’s begin to see what they are by examining the following verses.
Mt 15:9 "‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’"
Mk 7:7 "‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’"
How would you feel if someone went around telling people that you said certain things when in fact you didn’t say those things at all? I know I would not be happy with such people.
When people teach the precepts of men as if they were doctrines from God the result is very serious – it renders useless the worship of the people who teach such precepts. That is one important reason why it is valuable to have sound doctrine.
Many people worship the God of the Bible. However, few realize that God does not accept our worship if we have been teaching our own rules and commandments and passing them off as God’s commandments. After all, only God can establish doctrine on God, and therefore those who establish their own doctrine about God are effectively setting themselves up as God. How can you worship the true God if you are making yourself out to be God?
Thus, we see that teaching sound doctrine enables us to worship God effectively. But that is not all! There are other benefits for respecting God’s word and being careful to only do and teach what is found in Scripture. Consider, Is 66:2.
Is 66:2 "For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being," declares the LORD. "But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word."
God takes notice of people who tremble at His word. On the other hand, God don’t think much of those who don’t tremble at His word.
Mt 5:19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Further, those who practice and teach sound doctrine will be great in the kingdom of heaven. But those who annul even the least important of sound doctrines will be least in the kingdom of heaven.
Note that there is a difference between teaching false doctrine and following false doctrine. Our worship is ineffective only if we are teaching false doctrine, and not if we are ignorantly following false doctrine. This is a good example of what the apostle James meant when he said that those who are teachers will receive a stricter judgment (Jas 3:1).
Jas 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
In summary, if you want to worship God effectively don’t teach false doctrine, deliberately or inadvertently. Do you homework, and teach what God has taught you – nothing more, and nothing less.
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