Doctrine: Information Leading to Heart Transformation

A Moral Battleground

When you enter the world of biblical truth, you’re entering a moral battleground. The great drama of life is not about information. The great drama of life is about intention. It’s about what will rule and control my heart. And so, if I just leave doctrine at the level of information, the enemy of my soul has me because I think that’s the ballgame. The purpose of doctrine is not information; it’s heart and life transformation.

Information is a pathway to transformation, so if I stop at information, I’ve lost the war. We know this. Scripture says that there are going to be people in hell who believe at the level of information, but it didn’t come to the point of transformation.

Do You Believe?

Paul David Tripp

In his latest book, Do You Believe?, pastor and bestselling author Paul David Tripp unpacks 12 core doctrines and how they engage and transform the human heart and mind.

If the enemy can trick me into thinking I’m okay because I’m now doctrinally knowledgeable and biblically literate, but my heart is ruled by something other than God, he’s got me. That deceit is something that the enemy of our souls uses all the time.

I was a seminary professor for twenty years. I have to say this. I taught super knowledgeable students who were ungodly. They were ungodly in their responses to me and other students. They had patterns of sin in their lives that were far separate from the things that they could become expert at. That scares me, because that can be in my heart too.

The purpose of doctrine is not information; it’s heart and life transformation.

I can pride myself in the maturity of my understanding when there are things in my life that have absolutely no control over me. They’re God-replacements. They’re idols. I’m serving these things. Here, I’m holding my theology and worshiping false gods.

Paul David Tripp is the author of Do You Believe?: 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life.

Paul David Tripp (DMin, Westminster Theological Seminary) is a pastor, an award-winning author, and an international conference speaker. He has written numerous books, including Lead; Parenting; and the bestselling devotional New Morning Mercies. His not-for-profit ministry exists to connect the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life. Tripp lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Luella, and they have four grown children.

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