One way that men have the right doctrine and wrong spirit is that they hold to the doctrine of christian unity and meekness while making false accusations about brothers being angry and slander them when they come sharing a burden of biblical separation. There is a true unity in Christ and there is also a true separation that is commanded. We can error on either side. Selah.
God has been dealing with me quite plainly lately about this very topic. There are a lot of areas of my life where I have, as far as I know, my doctrine straight, but am realizing that those truths that I hold so dear have not yet had the transformational effect on my life that God desires. The word of God should transform us. Jesus said that His words were Spirit and life. His word is living and powerful. It is possible to be straight as a gun-barrel where doctrine is concerned, but yet be just as empty. When Jesus told us how people would know that we knew Him, he did not say that it would be our adherence to sound doctrine. He said that it would be by the love that we demonstrate toward one another. This is not to say that sound doctrine is unimportant. But the first one to be transformed by revelation of any doctrine should be the one to whom it is revealed. When God knocks on my door with revelation of sound doctrine, He does so that I might be transformed into His image. My teaching of that doctrine is hollow and empty apart from that doctrine transforming my own life. Any doctrine that is revealed by the Spirit of God, and that I allow to transform my own life first, will serve to cause the love of God to be shed abroad in my life. There are areas of my life where God has so powerfully transformed me. Then there are areas where I realize that I am such a babe in Christ and am so much in need of the transforming work of His Holy Spirit and His word to conform me into His image.
_________________Travis
Any doctrine that is revealed by the Spirit of God, and that I allow to transform my own life first, will serve to cause the love of God to be shed abroad in my life.
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon