If you really want to grow in knowledge of what the apostles actually taught it’s important to do the study. Reading the earliest church writings and studying the Greek words and definitions helps a ton. The Holy Spirit will teach everyone what is necessary to receive salvation but not specifically what the apostles actually taught. This is why Christians do not agree on doctrines. Some do the study and some don’t. The doctrines will not save or condemn a person. Both those who advocate eternal security or conditional salvation can truly serve God and receive salvation because it’s not the actions that saves the person but the motivation behind the actions that will save or condemn them. If the Holy Spirit taught us all that the apostles taught then there would either be only one denomination or only one denomination would be saved because only one denomination would possess the Holy Spirit. That simply is not the case. I’m a firm believer that there are truly saved Christians in a variety of denominations if not all of them.
I agree that it is the motivations behind what a person believes that saves them. But a false belief or wrong doctrine will lead a person to think the wrong thing about the truth of God's Word and His plan of salvation for their lives. They will have a wrong view of "
sin and salvation." So I disagree that a doctrine cannot condemn a person. Just denying the resurrection is a salvation issue according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. For the gospel that we stand upon is believing in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for salvation (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Note: Yes, I am aware that the disciples did not know about the resurrection until later, but I believe they were saved on that little knowledge they had until more truth was revealed. Once more truth was revealed, and included into God's program of salvation, it could then not be denied or rejected (with it then being a loss of salvation). It's like with the Trinity. A person can be saved without knowing about the Trinity, but in time, after they learn about the Trinity, they cannot reject such a truth. For Jesus says we must worship God in spirit and in truth.
Anyways, there are only two kingdoms. God's kingdom and the devil's kingdom.
1 Timothy 4:1 says,
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils;"
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If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
He is proud, knowing nothing," (1 Timothy 6:3-4).
James 4:6 says that God resists the proud and give grace to the humble. So a believer not accepting the doctrine of godliness is a serious problem to their standing in God's kingdom.
If we tell a child that their future sin is forgiven them, and we did not get a chance to say anything more to them, they could easily think we are teaching that God's grace is a license to sin (Whether we want that to happen or not), and if they justify sin later as an adult on the account of this wrong teaching, their blood would be on our hands for teaching them a false belief that can lead them into treating God's grace into a license for sin.
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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. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into
your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." (2 John 1:9-11).
It says he that abides not in the doctrine of Christ, has not God.
Does Eternal Security or Belief Alone-ism sound like the doctrine of Christ?
By reading the whole chapter of 2 John 1, we see a lay out of what the doctrine of Christ is being referred to as here.
There are four key important truths mentioned in 2 John 1 (that would be included or implied in the "
doctrine of Christ" mentioned in this chapter - which would be the context).
#1. We need God's grace, mercy, and peace (2 John 1:3).
#2. We are to love one another (i.e. the brethren) (2 John 1:5).
#3. To love, we need to keep Christ's commandments & walk in them (2 John 1:6).
#4. We need to believe that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (i.e. Believe in the Incarnation or that the Word was made flesh) (2 John 1:7).
Yes, the churches today accept grace, and they accept the Incarnation, but I think most churches do not accept the other aspect or truth in 2 John 1 in that they must keep the commandments as a part of love. Most teach today that they cannot keep God's commands and they will not stop sinning this side of Heaven.
Granted, there are people who attend these churches and have no clue as to what doctrines they even teach. They could be innocent, until they learn of the wrong teachings that they promote if the crack open their Bible and study it on their own in prayer with God. The church promoting that they could sin and still be saved could shake them to leave if they are pure of heart and they are not seeking to justify sin and evil.