Doctrines

he Bible tells us The Lord intended that doctrine is to be derived from the scriptures. The well known proof text for this statement is "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness..." (II Timothy 3:16). We completely concur, and in this section of the ProFiles on the Christian Media Research website, we seek to measure the doctrinal positions of others against the written revelation found in the scriptures.

The issue of subjectivity looms large as we pursue this aspect of our ministry. While the spirit of the age consistently leads many ministries to a peaceful co-existence, as they seek to emphasize their commonalities, we find the 'we can agree to disagree' approach to be fatally flawed - with the presumption that theological error is tolerable.

To make matters even more difficult, many of the doctrines espoused by various groups are shrouded in an absence of counter-point. For example, vast numbers of religious bodies never even mention there are other doctrinal perspectives that have an historical legitimacy. Young Christians are frequently indoctrinated in one theological view, and are not even aware that they are versed in a rather narrow stream of thought that they ignorantly consider to be the mainstream.

Because Christian Media comes to the arena with a specific and relatively well defined series of theological perspectives, we freely acknowledge that the subjectivity of doctrinal interpretation is just as pronounced here as it is in any rival organization. We believe that honest inquiry is crucial if anyone is to be led by the Spirit of the Lord to the truth - and pretending there are no opposing views is patently hypocritical.

While some people naturally gravitate to an intellectually dispassionate examination of doctrinal differences, we wish to emphasize that we believe God will hold us all accountable for the choices we make. We further believe that the strait and narrow gate of salvation in Christ is just that: narrow and strait. Thus, we urge all, in the most strenuous terms, to not take the issue of doctrine lightly.

God is not mocked, and if you fail to be led into the truth it won't be because the Holy Spirit chose to exclude you. It will be because you refused to hear the truth and respond to His leading. Scripture states that the failure to love the truth is the reason the Lord sends a "strong delusion" (II Thessalonians 2) on the world - and we believe this includes the professing "Christians." When it comes to doctrine, YOU must be seriously motivated with a powerful desire to really know the TRUTH.

Anything short of that noble goal will lead you to another Jesus, another gospel, or the broad way that leads to destruction. Rather, scripture instructs us to seek to enter in at the strait gate, where we find the living water that is freely given by Jesus Christ - who promises us that "...whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).