It was once remarked that among others there are four divine principles set forth in the Word of God
DOCTRINE, EXPERIENCE, PRACTICE, DISCIPLINE.
It was pointed out that to emphasize doctrine alone, you would make antinomians; to emphasize experience alone, you would make fanatics; to emphasize practice alone, you would make pharisees; whilst to emphasize all three—doctrine, experience, practice—and neglect discipline, is like a man who plants a vineyard without a hedge, thereby exposing it to the depredations of every wild boar of the forest.
DOCTRINE
To have the head full of doctrine without its having a corresponding effect upon the heart and life is terrible, and works only havoc. To be a soulless gramophone, reeling out glib, correct doctrine, and for our utterances not to be the communications of the heart is disastrous in Christian life.
That there is such a condition possible is seen by the Bible question, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” (Rom. 6:1). Evidently the Apostle Paul was combating a real error. Hear his vehement reply, “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Again, We get the question, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid” (Rom. 6:15).
That state of mind will certainly produce antinomians—that is those who disgrace the free grace of God by careless lives, who say, Once saved, saved for ever; we can do what we like without imperilling our salvation. The word, antinomianism, comes from two Greek words: anti, against; nomos, a law.
On the other hand the Apostle Paul could say, “Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life (2 Tim. 3:10). The early converts to Christianity “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship” (Acts 2:42). Doctrine and practice went together.
EXPERIENCE
There are some who swing to the other extreme, who say, It does not matter in the least what a man believes, his conduct is everything. But this never works. Whatever a man may say to the contrary, he is governed by what he believes. If his beliefs are wrong his conduct is wrong. Those who take the attitude we have pointed out, get very self-centred, become a law to themselves—a very dangerous thing—and fancy themselves as being wonderful persons, get hold of strange ideas, and often become dangerous fanatics. Bent upon experience, divorced from sound doctrine, they become a prey to strange and foolish ideas. How true is the Scripture order: “doctrine and manner of life,” “apostles’ doctrine and fellowship.”
PRACTICE
If over-emphasis is made upon practice, and doctrines and teaching of Scripture are not given as forming the practice, you get men, as it were, seeking to make bricks without straw, who are like engines without motive power, or ships without a rudder. The person, who lacks the motive power and body of teaching, is like a camera without a sensitized plate.
There must be occupation with that which is above and beyond all human experience. In short, a Christian must have Christ before him to succeed in Christian practice. But if he is left to produce a high level of Christian living without the knowledge of and heart occupation with Christ, and the teaching of Scripture, he will try to cover up his defects and pose as something he is not in heart; in short be will become a Pharisee. Do we not all pose as being better and holier than we are?
DISCIPLINE
If a Christian fails to discipline himself, that is, to walk in self-judgment before God; or if a Christian assembly fails in disciplining its members, where discipline is needed, it leaves the door open for evil to enter and get rooted, and extend. We must ever remember that God is a holy God, and those who would walk with Him must be holy.
It is a principle, If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged (1 Cor. 11:31). In our experience Christians, who are hard on their fellow-Christians, are those who do not practise self-judgment in their own lives; whereas those who are tender and gracious, and yet faithful, are those who truly judge themselves in God’s presence.
As to the assembly, 1 Corinthians chapter 5 gives us instructions as to discipline. There must be a “within” and a “without”—there must be a hedge to hinder any wild boar of the forest making depredations.
Let us see to it that we seek to balance these four divine principles in our lives and associations.