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WHEN THE DOCTRINE IS RIGHT It's probably fair to say that when a man's heart is right, everything else will get right over time. David, for instance, had a good heart, so he repented of his sin. He didn't sin because of a wicked heart; he sinned because of idle time and weak flesh. His good heart was his strength, and because of this strength, God put away his sin. When a man's heart is right, everything else will get right over time. The same is true with sound doctrine. Sound doctrine is the heart of biblical understanding and spiritual growth. Doctrine comes first. Devotionals, hymns and poems are fine, but true spiritual life must be established and sustained with sound doctrine. If the doctrine is right, then the devotional will the right, the music will be right, and everything else will be right, if not immediately, as least in due time.Doctrine is simply a single word that answers the question "WHAT IS TRUE?" The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13; I John 4:6), and God wants to be worshipped in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The endurance of sound doctrine is the serious effort of believers to keep all things TRUE at all times, being ready at any moment to expose and expel any element of falsehood that Satan, the father of lies, might use to his advantage. The absence of sound doctrine is the main reason for the great "falling away" of the last days, because when doctrine goes, everything goes. That's why the New Testament stresses over and over again the absolute necessity of sound doctrine: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (II Tim. 4:2-4) "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." (Tit. 1:9) "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:" (Tit. 2:1) "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (II Tim. 3:16-17) "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." (I Tim. 5:17) "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." (I Tim. 4:13) "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." (Rom. 16:17) The believer might FEEL good with a little devotion and song, but he will BE good with sound doctrine. Doctrine is the very heart of biblical understanding and spiritual growth, and it must come first. When the doctrine is right, everything else will be right in due time. When the doctrine is wrong, the gate of apostasy remains wide open. No amount of religious trim can correct the problem. Until the doctrine is right, nothing will be right.