Day 7: Without Doctrine, Confusion Reigns

Scripture Reading:

“For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires.” – 2 Timothy 4:3, LSB

The first week of our study has shown that doctrine gives life, protects the gospel, sanctifies believers, and directs worship. But what happens when doctrine is neglected? Scripture and history both testify: confusion reigns.

Paul warned Timothy that a time would come when people would not endure sound teaching. Instead, they would gather teachers who tell them what they want to hear. The result is spiritual chaos. When doctrine is despised, truth fades, error flourishes, and holiness declines.

We see this pattern throughout the Bible. Israel repeatedly fell into idolatry because they turned away from God’s truth to follow the lies of surrounding nations (Judges 2:11–13). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they replaced God’s Word with human traditions (Matt. 15:9). The Galatians quickly abandoned the true gospel for a distorted one (Gal. 1:6–9). In every case, the rejection of sound doctrine led to confusion, sin, and judgment.

John Calvin observed, “Wherever the Word of God is not purely preached, the church is in ruins” (Institutes, 4.2.1). The health of the church depends on her faithfulness to God’s truth. A church that trades doctrine for entertainment, popularity, or comfort may appear lively for a season, but beneath the surface, confusion spreads.

History gives sobering lessons. In the Middle Ages, the church’s neglect of Scripture led to superstition, corruption, and darkness. It was only when the Reformers recovered sound doctrine that light and life returned. J. I. Packer warned, “A church that loses its hold on truth loses its hold on Christ” (Knowing God, p. 38). To abandon doctrine is to abandon the very foundation of the faith.

This is not just a problem of the past. Today, many churches downplay doctrine in the name of unity or relevance. Yet true unity cannot exist without truth, and true relevance comes from proclaiming God’s unchanging Word. Without doctrine, churches drift into confusion, adopting the world’s values rather than God’s commands.

Beloved, doctrine is not a luxury. It is the light that dispels confusion, the anchor that keeps us from drifting, the guardrail that keeps us from ruin. To cherish doctrine is to cherish God’s truth, and to cherish His truth is to honor Him. Without it, we wander in darkness; with it, we walk in light.

Personal Reflection

1. Why does Paul warn Timothy that people will turn away from sound doctrine?

2. How have you seen confusion arise in churches or among individuals who neglect doctrine?

3. What lessons can we learn from church history about the dangers of abandoning truth?

4. How can you help guard against doctrinal confusion in your own church?