Foundational Truth
Foundational truth is more important than many think. Many assume that the doctrines of the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, bodily resurrection, second coming and judgment are primitive matters. Many fail to see that unless we are deeply rooted in these truths, living the Christian life becomes very confusing and difficult, if not impossible or short-lived.
The irony is that it is in those exact foundational doctrines that lie a hidden gem: the concealed Christ revealed in a magnificent way. It is in those doctrines and in their meditation that we come to realize the riches we have inherited in Christ, how awesome our God is, not just through His acts, but also in His very being apart from creation or salvation.
As many skip through emerging deeper and embrace what they consider the more practical aspects of Christianity, they make the mistake of underestimating what is essential and pay a dear price later on in their spiritual journey. It is not surprising that traditionally the church fathers emphasized the importance of teaching doctrine. They knew that for a person to persevere, he/she needed to be deeply rooted in foundational truth.
Many traditional churches recite the creed during every worship meeting or mass. This is overlooked in more contemporary churches. I do not mean to say that all should recite or learn the creed by heart. But the idea behind emphasizing core doctrine is very important. If we don't realize the importance of practicing our beliefs, we will eventually lose them along the way. Many prominent ministers fell into heresy and lost their ministries and churches by disregarding the importance of sound doctrine.
Those who know me, know how much I emphasize the importance of these doctrines. I love prophecy, speaking in tongues and gifts of healing and miracles. I couldn't imagine ministry without them. However, I am astonished to see so many practicing the gifts and being ignorant in the very doctrines that can guarantee their longevity.
Nothing can keep me captivated by God's glory and majesty like the Triune God and His being revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ. He came to us to reveal the Father by the Spirit. He assumed our nature so that we can have a mediator. He came to redeem us by His blood so that our enemy: death may be defeated. He rose from the dead with an incorruptible body and ascended to heaven to sit on the right side of the Father so that we can enter into eternal communion with the Triune God by the Spirit who was sent to dwell in us forever.
We often talk about the Trinity in the context of Salvation and maybe Creation, but very seldom in the context of eternity or apart from God's acts. That may be another topic for another day, but I thought to leave you with some food for thought. I wouldn't want my children to remember me or think of me just by or through the things I've done. How beautiful and pleasing it is for the Father to find His children meditating on Him and His very 'giving' being, His beautiful union with the Son, begetting Him eternally through the Spirit. How beautiful it is for the Son to find us diving deep in our humanity to find divinity in Him and realize the riches of our inheritance in Him, who forever glorifies the Father. How beautiful it is for the Spirit to find full access in our hearts and minds, as we seek to know Him in His selfless attributes, proceeding eternally from the Father. How beautiful it is for God to find His adopted sons know Him as He is, as He's always been, as He will forever be: the One True Eternal God of love and selfless devotion...
What is worship, if it's not rooted in sound doctrine? What is praise, if its 'object' is unknown? How long will it last? an hour or two? A year or a decade? Foundational truth draws us into the eternal worship of our amazing Triune God.
