My Doctrine Is Not Mine
Or, On the Importance of Maintaining Sound Doctrine
My Doctrine Is Not Mine
by Tom Stewart
"Jesus answered them, and said, My Doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me" (John 7:16).
Preface
Any honest hearted Christian should be able to say with the LORD Jesus, " My Doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me" (John 7:16).
In other words, our Doctrine is what we believe God has given us. That means we will have to grow and change our Doctrine, as God grows and changes us. "But grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2Peter 3:18).
Doctrine is one of those words that often puts people on edge, as if they may be forced to mindlessly parrot things they do not understand, much less believe. However, "Good Doctrine" (Proverbs 4:2) is the teaching that God gives to us from His Word. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine [Greek, didaskalia, teaching, learning, instruction, precepts], for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2Timothy 3:16). Man may be the intermediary that transmits the Doctrine to us, but God does not expect us to accept, believe, or practice it, unless we have been persuaded by His Spirit that it came from Him.
"20 But ye have an Unction [Greek, chrisma, anointing] from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the Truth, but because ye know It, and that no lie is of the Truth.
27 But the Anointing [Greek, chrisma, unction] which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same Anointing [Greek, chrisma, unction] teacheth you of all things, and is Truth, and is no lie, and even as It hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him" (1John 2:20-21, 27).
Our willingness or voluntariness is pivotal in the learning of Good Doctrine, for He expects us to be willing to do His Will before He will teach us the meaning of His Doctrine. Jesus said, "If any man will do His will [literally, is willing to do His Will], he shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself" (John 7:17).