Mon., 5/27/19 Devotion (2 Jn. 9)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 John, v. 9, where we read these words:

"Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son."

Sometimes we hear perhaps well-meaning but ignorant people say things like this: "Doctrine is bad. Who needs it? It only causes trouble and division among Christians." Actually, those statements themselves *are* doctrinal—but they demonstrate very *bad* doctrine.

We cannot have Christ without doctrine; and this is the biggest reason doc-trine is so critically-important. Good doctrine leads God's church directly *to* Jesus, and seeks to keep us there (in His Being). Bad and vacuous doctrine leaves people out in the theological "cold.” Let us not be ashamed of Christ, nor His doctrine. We cannot have one without the other.

[Puritan quote of the day: "A praying man can never be very miserable, what-ever his condition be, for he has the ear of God . . . “ —William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]