Further, he says, “You are to be “perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment”—in the same unity of mind brought about by the Truth of God. For example, when you read Mark 16:16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,”I read the same verse. We both understand that faith and baptism are essential to salvation. We have “the same mind.” How did we get that? By listening to the same Truth, and accepting that. And so with other verses. “…in the same judgment” would be the means of carrying out the Will of God to the best of our ability. There are ways and means of carrying out the Will of God, and those ways that are in keeping with the Will of God, that first and foremost advance His cause—that’s what we strive to have.

Now, we can cause problems, or experience problems, when, Number One: We don’t all teach the same thing; or, Number Two: When we are not willing to bring our minds or our judgment under the guidance of the Word of God.

Another passage: 1 John 1, and verse 7: “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Notice the expression “in the light.” In the context of 1 John 1, notice that “the light” refers to what had been declared in verse 3 [“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”]. In verse 4, “the light” is compared to what was written [“And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”]. In verse 5, “the light” is the Message which had been heard ] “This then is the Message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.”]. In verse 6, “the light” is the Truth [“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the Truth…”]. And in verse 10, “the light” is His Word [“If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.”]. We are to “walk in the light…in the Truth…in His Word…in what is declared of God.”

Now, when that occurs, said John, “we have fellowship one with another…” Well, suppose someone decides, “I’m not going to follow that light. I’m not going to walk that way. I’m not going to walk in the light by what I teach. I’m not going to walk in that light by how I live”? One who takes such an attitude, or allows such a course of action to occur, is now creating a SERIOUS difficulty for the people of God.

Who is at fault? The person that continues in the light? No! Is it the person who follows the teaching of the Word of God who causes the problem? Indeed not! The person causing the trouble is the one who chose not to walk in the light.

Another passage: 2 John, verses 9 through 11: “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. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” What is it to “transgress”? Literally, it is “to step ACROSS, or step BEYOND.” We know in ball games, for example [in the game of football], that there are boundary lines. If a man has caught a pass and is running down the sideline and steps “out of bounds,” at that moment his forward progress, so far as scoring is concerned, immediately stops. Why? Did he quit running? No. Did anybody tackle him? No. But when he stepped out…of…the…bounds, that is when he removed himself from the possibility of scoring! Now, to step across the Word of God is to mentally determine “I will not REMAIN within what this Book teaches! I’ve decided, for whatever reason, I won’t stay within that boundary.” AND, as a result, he does not abide IN the doctrine.

“Doctrine” here is presented as the surrounding means, or medium, whereby one KNOWS and SERVES God. Doctrine, then, is the Truth that surrounds the person in his BELIEF, in his WORSHIP, in his LIFE, and it does the SAME for the church. Notice, now, the “doctrine of Christ” is that doctrine of which Christ is both the AUTHOR and the CENTER.

Think with me about that for a moment. “Doctrine” in this passage has to do with, first of all, the doctrine that Christ caused to be taught by the inspired apostles. But that same doctrine is centered in the divinity of Jesus Christ. It is not, therefore, necessary—neither is it proper—to conclude that it is either one, or the other. IT IS BOTH! It is both the doctrine that Christ has caused to be taught through His apostles, AND it is the doctrine that centers on Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

Now, here’s somebody who says, “I’m not going to center MY thought and MY life and MY service on Jesus Christ. I…will…do…as I please.”

“Well, sir. YOU have sacrificed God. You’ve given up God by that very attitude. The Bible says that you…do…not…have…God.”

“Well, I don’t think that much of doctrine.”

“Well, you don’t think that much of this passage, either. If you think this of passage, as it is said in words, you are aware that to treat lightly the doctrine of Christ is to lose a relationship with God.”