Examining Ourselves

This post is for those believers who live, love and serve God (YHWH) and accept Jesus/Yeshua as their redeemer. For those who follow after His Word and His Spirit with a heart to obey... WE must regularly examine ourselves along the way. We must ask - what is the Shepard's staff that keeps us "on track in our walk"? We say we follow the Bible and it is our authority, we say it is the infallible Word of God...but here is a questions we must all honestly answer, regularly. Not only for ourselves, our loved ones and the world but also to our Lord when we stand before Him on judgement day. We must stand account for our choices here in this life:

Do I measure my doctrine against the Scripture or the Scripture against my doctrine??

A year or two ago, my programmed response would have been very quick and sure. I would have said, "Why I follow the Bible, not doctrines of man." I was in a nondenominational church, I thought I was free from such "indoctrination" of the denominational branches that I saw inconsistencies in. But ohhhhh how I have been humbled, and while it has been "hard" to accept, it is a process that has brought us closer to God than ever. He disciplines those whom He loves. Now I see what I didn't before and continue to be humbled... We must be honest and ask ourselves and Him in prayer:

Do I measure my doctrine against the Scripture or the Scripture against my doctrine?? Then honestly listen for the answer.

We say that God is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow - yet we are quick to paint two pictures of God between the Old and Testaments.

We say that Jesus dies for our sins, and He is our redeemer, yet we don't really understand the sacrificial system which He has fulfilled and what the term "kinsman Redeemer" means in context.

We say we serve God, yet we don't follow the guidelines He has given ALL His people for ALL times in how He has told us to worship Him. He tells us plainly in His Word how to worship Him, yet we tend to do it "our way".

We call ourselves the bride of Christ, yet while we wait for His return - we become complacent and distracted by our culture and all that glistens before us. Are our lamps full and are we anticipating His arrival at every moment?

We honestly love the Lord (and I know many many people who do and I don't question that!), yet we cling to our doctrines of man even when they replace clear (And sometimes not so clear) commands of God. I'm not saying tradition is bad, there are many wonderful traditions that honor God...but as seasoned believers, when we choose them OVER what God has set forth in Scripture...we've entered in a whole new realm. What is a seasoned believer? That is between you and God.

I believe their is grace for the "new believer".. (again that is between that person and God I dare not judge such things.) Paul seems to give allowance for "babes who feed on milk" and HE talks with James about how to deal with new converts mixing in the congregation.

On the other hand Scripture tells us about greater accountability for those our teach, are elders, etc..

Do we measure our doctrine by the Scriptures or our Scriptures by our doctrine? It is so important that we know the difference...