When we speak of New Testament Christianity, we are speaking of the authority God and His Word has in our lives. We live in a world where everything is viewed as being subjective, where the ultimate authority for many is oneself. Such a view has led to distorted understandings about the role of Scripture in one’s life and what a proper response to it should be. Many individuals and many denominations use Scripture to legitimatize their desires, but they are not willing to go to Scripture to allow God to mold their desires in Him. Christianity in the worldly sense may have been tried and found wanting, but New Testament Christianity has yet to be discovered and lived by many.
Does doctrine matter? Of course it does! God’s will is not subject to humanity’s whims; it has been once for all delivered (Jude 1:3). Only by allowing Scripture to be authoritative in one’s life can God accomplish His good will in us, to make us “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). To alter the teaching of Scripture is to pervert the Gospel and to subject us to eternal condemnation (Galatians 1:8-9). God takes His Word very seriously, and so should we take it very seriously (Revelation 22:18-19).
Why does doctrine matter? Only correct doctrine produces a correct lifestyle. “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13). Only by holding fast to the pattern of sound words found in Scripture can one be a pattern in Christian living. “In all things, show yourself to be a pattern of good works…” (Titus 2:7). Neither personal feelings nor societal trends will equip us for eternity, but only Scripture will equip us for eternity.
New Testament Christianity is a call to put God first, to let Him speak to us through Scripture and to conform ourselves to His image. Christianity as the world knows it will never accomplish this goal in us, but New Testament Christianity will. It is time to reaffirm Peter’s directive for our lives; “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11). Let us make a difference in our lives and the lives of others by showing New Testament Christianity alive in us.
The world still needs to see and hear the message of the Gospel in its purity and simplicity. Let us commit ourselves to this principle and see what a difference we can make.
