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The term theology (from Greek theologia) means “words” or “speech” about God. Every believer is a theologian. In the early church, the apostle John was widely given the title - “John the Theologian”. The word “theology” (Greek: theologia) was already in use in the early church, but it didn’t yet mean a formal academic system like the systematic theology today. Instead, it meant something closer to: speaking about God rightly, especially concerning His nature and revelation

Speaking rightly about God:

Preachers ought to be careful to “speak rightly of God” in all topics. We must avoid cold speculation about God. Jobs friends, when they came to visit him in his torment, did not speak to him the truth about God. In the TLB version of the Job 42:7 God said..…..for you have not been right in what you have said about me. The NIV says….for you have not spoken accurately about me. The Hebrew word for “right”—means well-grounded, sure and true. So the friends of Job said things about God that are not true, even though they came to comfort him.

God has chosen to reveal some things about Himself:

The reality of God is that He can only be known if He takes the initiative to be known. The Good news is that God has chosen to make some things about Himself known. There are things that are “secret” and only belong to God. We must not pry into them, but stick to that which He has revealed. Some people today think we can know everything after being born again. But the word of God tells us that we know in part, and our knowledge is fragmented.

Theological Balance - We will never become omniscient (all-knowing like God). God’s incomprehensibility means you can never fully exhaust who God is. God’s knowability means you can genuinely know Him through revelation. The Bible does not teach agnosticism or that God is unknowable. He has chosen to reveal some things about Himself. Even though there is a future increase in knowledge in heaven, We will know fully in a creaturely sense, not in a divine sense. Remember, the eating of the tree of knowledge was mankind attempt to grasp at God’s omniscience - which belongs to God only.

Seeking dilligently

Though the message of the Bible is clear, some Scriptures present deep and perplexing truths. To understand these truths requires the hard work of close reading, careful thinking, fervent praying, and conferring with works of other ministry gifts. Then we are able to decide in our hearts what we are to actually believe about every topic. This is the process of “doing theology” - using our hearts to engage with the truths of God’s Word.

Eight verbs are used in these verses: accept … store up (v. 1), turn- ing … applying … call … cry (v. 3), look … search (v. 4).

Careless approach to God’s word will not do. I have seen people sitting the whole service without even opening their Bibles and even listening to teachings in the background without paying attention. Understanding doesn’t come casually—it requires active pursuit, desire, and value - DILIGENCE!

What does doctrine mean?

The term doctrine (from Latin doctrina) means “teaching” or “instruction,” referring to both the act of teaching and that which is taught. It is the correct teaching from the word of God. In the Bible, the word “doctrine” simply means teaching, instruction, or what is taught as truth.

The Bible talks about sound doctrine - life giving, every wind of doctrine - merely trendy, doctrines of devils - deceptive and doctrines as command of men - traditions instead of truth. These four describe the spectrum of spiritual information.

Preachers ought to focus on sound healthy doctrine. We live in an era of trends that never last in the church. Only sound doctrine lasts. Then we have evil spirits trying to influence preachers to preach demonic inspired doctrines. Preachers who constantly tend to preach “new things” or “secrets“ create trends but with no lasting fruit in the lives of the hearers. Then there are those who teach doctrines inspired by devils that lead many to bondage.

The best way to spot a "wind" or a "deception" isn't necessarily by studying every error, but by becoming so familiar with sound doctrine that the counterfeits become obvious by contrast. It’s the classic "bank teller" approach: they study real currency so closely that the fakes feel wrong the moment they touch them.

Consequently, the more the Bible loses its respect as your guide, the more likely demons will infiltrate and influence your mind.

Doctrines of demons look genuine and Biblical, but are actually counterfeit. These teachings often appeal to those already unsettled and tossed by “every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14 NKJV) and lacking a solid foundation in pure truth.

When people try to explain away truths of the Bible that they do not want to accept, evil spirits begin to form doctrines of devils in their minds.

1. Doctrines of Devils (False Spiritual Teaching)

1 Timothy 4:1 – “giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils”

This refers to teachings inspired by demonic deception that pull people away from Christ.

Examples in Scripture and practice:

1. Legalistic asceticism

• Forbidding marriage or certain foods as “more spiritual”
• 1 Timothy 4:3 – “forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats”

2. False gospel of works

• Teaching salvation is earned, not received by grace
• Galatians 1:6–8 – “another gospel”

3. Worship of angels or intermediaries

• Replacing Christ with spiritual intermediaries
• Colossians 2:18

4. Occult and false spiritual practices

• Divination, familiar spirits, sorcery
• Acts 16:16–18 (spirit of divination)

5. Denial of Christ’s incarnation

• Claiming Jesus did not come in the flesh
• 1 John 4:2–3

2. Winds of Doctrine (Doctrinal Instability)

Ephesians 4:14 – “carried about with every wind of doctrine”

This refers to believers being unstable, easily influenced, and shifting with trends in teaching.

Examples:

1. Spiritual fads

• Constantly chasing “new revelations” instead of Scripture

2. Prosperity extremes

• Reducing Christianity to wealth and material gain

3. Hyper-grace distortion

• Teaching that repentance and holiness don’t matter at all

4. Emotionalism over truth

• “If it feels right, it must be God”

5. Culture-driven theology

• Changing doctrine to match social trends instead of Scripture

Not necessarily “demonic,” but immature, unstable, and easily swayed

3. Sound Doctrine (Healthy Biblical Teaching)

Titus 2:1 – “speak thou the things which become sound doctrine”

“Sound” means healthy, whole, and life-giving teaching rooted in Scripture

Examples of sound doctrine:

1. Salvation by grace through faith

• Ephesians 2:8–9

2. The authority of Scripture

• 2 Timothy 3:16–17

3. The Trinity and deity of Christ

• John 1:1, Matthew 28:19

4. Holiness and transformation

• Romans 12:1–2

5. The resurrection and return of Christ

• 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17

Examples of “doctrines of men” in the Bible

1. Ritual washing laws beyond God’s command

Mark 7:3–8

• Pharisees required strict ceremonial washing
• Jesus said they were “making the word of God of none effect”

Cleanliness rules became more important than heart purity

2. Corban tradition (avoiding responsibility to parents)

Mark 7:9–13

• People declared money “Corban” (dedicated to God)
• Used it to avoid supporting their parents

Jesus called it a tradition that nullified God’s command to honour parents

3. Sabbath legalism additions

• Extra rules about how many steps you could walk
• Restrictions not found in the OT itself

These turned rest into burden rather than blessing

4. Pharisaic oral traditions elevated above Scripture

• Oral traditions treated as equal or greater than the Law
• Jesus rebuked this repeatedly (Matthew 23)

5. Human religious hierarchies replacing spiritual authority

Matthew 23:4

• Leaders binding heavy burdens on people
• But not helping them spiritually

6. Legalistic salvation systems

• Teaching that salvation comes through works, rituals, or human systems
• Contradicts grace (Ephesians 2:8–9)

If I was to show you what the Bible says as opposed to what you wished it said, which one would you choose?

The above verse explains why certain people are successfully deceived. Paul did not say they did not hear the truth, he said they did not love it. The truth confronts sin and restrains sinful desires. They did not welcome, accept, and make room for the truth because it was inconvenient for their sinful desires.

Develop a love for the truth.

INBUILT SAFETY

John counters the threat of false teaching or doctrine, not with a new set of rules, but by reminding the believers of their "anointing". We have the Holy Spirit‘s guidance to the truth. Our fundamental defence against deception is the Holy Spirit.

We all have an anointing in us that “teaches us“ what is sound doctrine and what is not. John tells the believer that they are not at the mercy of every "intellectual" or "spiritual" trend that comes along. Because you have the Holy Spirit, you possess a built-in "truth-filter."

The goal isn't to become a lone wolf who rejects all instruction, but to be a discerning believer who recognises the truth. Develop a deep communion with the Holy Spirit.

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