What Church Doctrine Should I Be Following?

What Church Doctrine Should I Be Following?

Luke 11:37–54

Rabbi Dr. Rev. Michael H. Koplitz

37 Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have lunch with him; and

He went in and reclined at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw this, he was surprised

that Jesus had not first ceremonially washed before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to

him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish; but your

inside is full of greed and wickedness. 40 “You foolish ones, did He who made the

outside not make the inside also? 41 “But give that which is within as a charitable

gift, and then all things are clean for you. 42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you

pay tithes of mint, rue, and every kind of garden herb, and yet you ignore justice and

the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting

the others. 43 “Woe to you Pharisees! For you alove the seat of honor in the

synagogues and personal greetings in the marketplaces. 44 “aWoe to you! For you

are like unseen tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it.”

45 One of the lawyers *said to Him in reply, “Teacher, when You say these things,

You insult us too.” 46 But He said, “Woe to you lawyers as well! For you load people

with burdens that are hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the

burdens with one of your fingers. 47 “Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the

prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them. 48 “So you are witnesses and you

approve of the deeds of your fathers; because it was they who killed them, and you

build their tombs. 49 “For this reason also, the wisdom of God said, I will send them

prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill, and some they will persecute,

50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may

be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of

Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it

shall be charged against this generation.’ 52 “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken

away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those

who were entering.”

53 When He left that place, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be

very hostile and to interrogate Him about many subjects, 54 plotting against Him to

catch Him in something He might say.

What church doctrine should I be following? That’s an incredible question—one that

believers continue to ask today. This message is based on Luke 11:37–54, where Jesus

confronts the scribes and Pharisees over the ritual of handwashing before meals.

Interestingly, there is no verse in Scripture commanding us to wash our hands before

eating. So why was Jesus expected to follow this tradition?

In Jesus’ day, many rules and regulations were created by religious leaders—primarily

the scribes and Pharisees. Scribes, sometimes referred to as “lawyers” in Scripture, were

responsible for interpreting the Bible and determining how people should live in

accordance with it. The Bible is God’s manual for living a life that pleases Him. Most

people want to do that—unless they’ve been corrupted by evil. Since you’re reading or

listening to this message, I’ll assume you’re someone who desires to please God.

One fascinating detail in this passage is Jesus’ mention of almsgiving. In His time, giving

alms was considered a righteous act. Even bandits and robbers would set aside a

portion of their stolen goods to offer to God, hoping for forgiveness when they stood

before Him. Wealthy individuals who gained riches through exploitation often gave

generously to charity for the same reason—to demonstrate care for the poor and seek

divine mercy.

In the Near East, almsgiving and hospitality were seen as blessings from God. The more

you shared, the more God would supply. Generosity was not just a virtue—it was a

spiritual strategy.

Now, let’s return to the original question: What church doctrine should I be following?

Scripture has been interpreted for centuries, and church doctrine has often been shaped

by the cultural and historical context of the time. For example, I own a 1835 Methodist

Episcopal Discipline—a small book that outlines how followers of John Wesley should

live according to Scripture. It’s about half an inch thick and fits in the palm of your

hand.

Compare that to the 2024 United Methodist Discipline, which is thicker than most

Bibles. It’s filled with doctrines, rules, and regulations, which seem designed to control

local congregations. It outlines what members must believe about God, Jesus, and the