“It is our sacred responsibility to examine every doctrine to determine if it is true or false,” says Tim Challies. “But how can we distinguish sound doctrine from false? How can we distinguish teachers of truth from teachers of error? Today I have a new video blog for you [vlog], and one that deals with this pressing topic: I offer five tests that can be applied to any doctrine. I hope you find it helpful!” Tim now offers his viewers a vlog. We have a choice to either watch the video or read the transcript.
Transcript
Wherever you find true doctrine you’ll soon find a challenge by false doctrine. The question is: how can you tell the two apart? … In this video we are considering the 5 tests of true and false doctrine. These are 5 tests we can apply to any doctrine at all to know whether it’s genuine or whether it’s fraudulent.
The first test is the test of origin. Sound doctrine originates with God. False doctrines originates from someone or something created by God. So when Paul wrote to the church in Galatia he said: “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12, ESV). Even Jesus himself insisted, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me” (John 7:16, ESV). Both Paul and Jesus insisted that what they taught had its origin with God himself.