Beware of false doctrine

CHRIST warned the apostles about false doctrine. That’s

when he told them, “Be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and

the Sadducees.” (Mt 16,6)

            The apostles at first thought Christ was faulting them for

not bringing bread, until they were corrected and later understood

that Christ was referring to the false and deceptive teaching of those

self-righteous Jewish religious leaders of that time. (cfr. Mt 16,12)

            A false doctrine can sound good and can come up with fair

promises and assurances, but they actually lack the power to make

things happen. They can contain many theoretical truths and can also

be supported by a lot of data, facts and other so-called scientific

findings, but they lack the most crucial element—the proper spirit.

            Yes, a false doctrine can give some measure of good

results and satisfaction. But that’s where the real danger is, where

the subtle treachery is committed. Without the proper spirit of God,

it is nothing less than a sweet poison.

            False doctrines are usually found, and in abundance at

that, in the fields of politics, the social sciences, philosophies and

ideologies, and in all the other human enterprises that are not

animated by the Christian spirit.

            They come as a result of developing some human systems

that rely solely on human power and estimation. In a sense, these

systems choose to go rogue in developing themselves. They prefer to be

on entirely on their own. God is taken out of the picture.

            In some reports, for example, a number of political

parties all over the world have dropped the expression, “under God,”

in their pledges of allegiance or commitment. This omission is clearly

a sign of the growing secularization taking place in many parts of the

world. It’s when to be politically correct, you have to exclude God.

            A true doctrine is, first of all, inspired by the spirit

of God. It, of course, is developed after considering many aspects of

an issue concerned, such that it can have, in the best way it could, a

universal appeal or an effectiveness that covers a great majority of

the people to whom it is addressed.

            Its best description can be found in some words of St.

Paul who said: “I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I

proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know

nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

            “I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,

but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith

might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” (1 Cor 2,1-5)

            I believe these Pauline words tell us what the real

substance of a true doctrine is and how it should be delivered. It’s

not simply about the attainment of some human, natural and worldly

goal, but rather through all our human activities we attain our

ultimate goal in life.

            A true doctrine is not some clever human wisdom that can

yield at best some worldly results. It is far beyond that, though it

can be accessed and lived quite easily if one simply has faith. A true

doctrine always requires faith!

            Thus, in Psalm 119,100, we read these consoling words: “I

discern more than the elders, for I obey your precepts, Lord!”