How Can Christ Teach Doctrine to a Man Who Says, I Will Not Move on Doctrine?

Someone who claims to hold to the detailed doctrines of Mr. Armstrong without any possibility of change might say, "I am not going to move on doctrine".  

But what if Christ wants to teach the Church of God new things?  What if Christ wants to correct errors in doctrine in the Church?  What if Christ wants to reveal some additional knowledge, points of doctrine we do not currently know?  How will Christ teach a man who says, "I will not move on doctrine"?

If a man says that he will not move on doctrine, isn't that the same as him saying, "I will not learn anything new"?

How can Christ teach such a man anything about doctrine?  How can Christ teach someone whose mind is closed?

We know how Christ will teach the world.  There is the great tribulation coming, and after that, the Day of the Lord.  These trials will punish and humble both Israel and the world.  These things will humble mankind (Isaiah 2:10-19).  Humility is needed because the root of a closed mind is pride, pride and conceit that motivate a man to think, "I cannot be wrong, I know what I know".  The trials of the great tribulation and the Day of the Lord will soften mankind up.  Even then, not everyone will learn the lesson (Revelation 16:9, Revelation 16:11, Revelation 16:21), but some will begin to become ready to learn where they are wrong, to admit error, to question long-held beliefs.

But what about now in the Church of God?

Certainly, God can wake a person up with trials.  But we have the Bible and are committed to believing the Bible.

How does Christ teach?  How does He reveal things?  For the Church of God, Christ primarily reveals things through the Bible.  Mr. Armstrong taught that Christ is the word of God in person and the Bible is the word of God in print, the same word.  Mr. Armstrong also taught that we communicate with God through prayer and Bible study.  When we pray to God, we are talking to Him.  When we study the Bible, God is talking to us.

We need to believe what God tells us in the Bible, period.  We need to have unconditional faith in God's word.  We need to believe what we see in the Bible whether or not it lines up with Church doctrine or the teaching of Mr. Armstrong.  If the Bible says one thing and the Church or Mr. Armstrong says something else, then the Church or Mr. Armstrong is wrong and the Bible is right.

Christ can teach any of us new knowledge or corrections in doctrine through the Bible, provided we are willing to believe what God says.

Judgment is on the Church now (1 Peter 4:17).  We must fear to sin against God through disbelief (Romans 11:20-23, Hebrews 3:12-19).  God will hold us accountable for believing and teaching error, or for failing to believe and teach new knowledge God reveals to us in the Bible, if we don't believe what He says.

As God refused to allow the Israelites who disbelieved Him in the days of Moses to enter the promized land, so God may refuse any of us entrance into His kingdom if we do not believe what he says in His word, the Bible.

Refusal to believe what God says is a sin.  Why?  Lack of faith is sin.  Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4).  And the law requires that we believe God.  The law requires faith.  Why?  Christ said that faith is a matter of law, in fact, it is one of the three weightier matters of the law (Matthew 23:23).

And from what God inspired Paul to write in Romans, disbelief towards God is a very serious sin.  Notice what he wrote.

"Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again" (Romans 11:20-23).

This issue can be a matter of salvation for any of us.  It is that serious.

I do not want to go into the lake of fire.  And I do not want any of us in the Church of God to go into the lake of fire.

Let's do what we ask others to do when we preach the gospel.  Let's put the Bible first and believe what God says more than man, more than our traditions, more than our leaders and ministers, and more than Mr. Armstrong.

Mr. Armstrong did that as a way of life, and we would be wise to follow his example.