The Doctrine of Christ | The Institute for Creation Research

The Doctrine of Christ

"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." (2 John 9)

It is obvious from this passage that "the doctrine of Christ" is vitally important, for a person who does not "abide" (that is "continue") in this doctrine does not know God at all. In fact, the next verse forbids fellow Christians even to welcome such a person into one's home or into the fellowship of his church. That person certainly must not be permitted to teach his false doctrine there. "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed" (2 John 10).

But exactly what is "the doctrine of Christ"? In context, it must certainly include the incarnation of God in Christ in human flesh (2 John 7). In addition, however, the Greek word actually means "the teachings," and probably refers to everything the Scriptures teach concerning Him, as well as all that He Himself taught. This breadth of meaning in the Word is illustrated by the Lord's warning against "the doctrine of Balaam" (Revelation 2:14), which obviously refers to Balaam's teachings. The "doctrine of Christ" thus embraces everything God's Word teaches about Christ's person and work, as well as what He Himself taught about everything else.

There may be questions that can arise about interpretation or proper translation of some portion of the doctrine of Christ, but not about its validity or authority. Once the teaching is clearly understood, it must not be questioned or diluted or explained away, but simply believed, practiced, and proclaimed. For any teacher that "abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God" and we must not have Christian fellowship with him or encourage his erroneous teaching in any way. HMM

The Latest
NEWS
The Origin of Eukaryotes
Eukaryotes are multicellular organisms that contain diverse differentiated cell types. Within almost every cell there are subcellular compartments called...

CREATION PODCAST
Water vs. Wind: The Controversial Coconino | The Creation Podcast:...
Welcome to the sixth episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old...

NEWS
Fossil Fish Finally Filmed
The bizarre lobe-finned coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) “that flourished some 350 million years ago”1 continues to be a thorn...

NEWS
The Mosasaur: A Giant Sea Dragon
Mosasaurs (order Squamata) were massive marine lizards that were common in the pre-Flood oceans. Therefore, it is not surprising that their fossils...

DAYS OF PRAISE DEVOTIONALS
Summer 2025
...

NEWS
Was Life Detected on a Distant Planet?
There was celebration, albeit briefly, for the discovery of potential life on a planet called K2-18b, which is 124 lightyears away from Earth. The...

NEWS
Ichthyosaur Graveyard Explained by the Flood
Ichthyosaurs are marine reptiles that occur globally in the same rock layers as dinosaurs. Specimens with babies support the idea that they gave live...

CREATION PODCAST
What Do We Do With Geology's Unconforming Features? | The Creation...
Welcome to the fifth episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old...

NEWS
Freshwater Fish Fossil in Australia
Yet another fish fossil has been discovered. This one was found in the Australian desert and was dated by evolutionists to be “15 million years...

NEWS
May 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans...