In looking back over life, I find it interesting not to mention disconcerting how often I hear church people speak of “false doctrine.”

It is the Boogieman hard to identify and makes a great “catch-all” for the things on which I can’t reach agreement.

False doctrine keeps the church from serving as the unified body of Jesus—but not in the manner, one might think. It’s more the cry of wolf when the beast is not even near the flock.

Ok, here is what I perceive to be the current definition of false doctrine.

False doctrine is what you believe while sound doctrine is what I believe.

There is no way for that to be divisive. (How I wish the written word could communicate adequately a good sarcastic statement.)

It seems to me New Testament writers John, Jude, Luke, Paul, and Peter are the ones who most warn me not to fall into the traps set by false teachers.

Their definition of false teachers is different from today’s casual Christians character assassinations.

New Testament letters don’t seem to deal much in detail when addressing false doctrines.  Writers speak of its danger and of the importance to keep its roots away from the soil of the church.

Jude specifically mentions ungodly people among the churches who do not have the Spirit of Jesus, those who cause division, the grumblers, and faultfinders.

Jude’s definition of the false ones comes uncomfortable close to identifying the actions of today’s church accusing member who major in the detection of false teachers and false doctrine.

More often than not, New Testament writers associate false teachers and false doctrine with those who pervert God’s grace into a license for immorality, those who promote Jewish myths, those who deny Jesus as the unique son of God, and those who deny Jesus as God born in human flesh.

Obviously, those who promote such teachings stand in opposition to Jesus.

That is different from the petty items we fuse about in our churches.

The difference between one’s likes and dislikes are light years away from denial of Jesus’ divinity, or using His grace to justify an immoral lifestyle.

Jesus died on a cross to unite.

The apostle Paul asks, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. In addition, they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand…Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another.”

Christian unity would take a great step forward if all of us turned over our banging gavels and judgment robes to Holy God who is perfect in judgment.

Would not understanding the real definition of false teaching increase the unity in Christ’s church?

It would give us less reason to brand our brothers and sisters.

Stay tuned.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – Reflecting on Cross Church

Gary@GodReflection.org