The Importance of Doctrine

Many people don’t like doctrine. Doctrine can seem to be dry, abstract, and remote from the life we live. Who cares about the doctrine of discrete degrees?

First, what is doctrine? Doctrine is a set of teachings that relate to a particular subject. The doctrine of glorification, for example, is a set of teachings that tell us about how and why the Lord glorified His Human nature.

Since doctrine is a set of teachings, someone has to collect those teachings and organize them. Sometimes the Lord does this Himself in the Heavenly Doctrines (see TCR for example); other times we have to do it.

It is true that the essentials of salvation are simple, clear, and abundantly taught in the Heavenly Doctrines. So doctrine may not seem important, yet it is:

Here first let something be said respecting doctrine:
1. Without doctrine no one can understand the Word.
2. Without doctrine from the Word no one can fight against evils and falsities, and disperse them.
3. Without doctrine from the Word no one within the church, where the Word is, can become spiritual.
4. Doctrine can be acquired from no other source than from the Word, and by none except those who are in illustration from the Lord.
5. All things of doctrine must be confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word.

(AE 356)

Apocalypse Explained 356 goes on to explain these five points in more detail, and are certainly worth reading. So I encourage you to look this passage us and read it.

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True Wisdom

“…true wisdom is to see what is conducive to anyone’s life to eternity, and to determine oneself according to that, which is done when man not only knows these things and perceives them with his understanding, but also wills and does them…” (AE 338)