The first stage in doctrinal evolution occurs when our intuitions no longer match our doctrines. We maintain the same doctrines, but something in our guts has changed. Inside us is a growing cognitive dissonance, whether we consciously recognize that dissonance or not. Meanwhile
people outside of us began to notice a shift in tone and emphases. If they say something, our initial response can be defensive. "I haven't changed. Look, same doctrines!" Yet something has changed. Our sympathies and intuitions are no longer what they were.
Obviously, some doctrinal changes are good (when toward Scripture), others not good (when moving away). My point here is, it's good to be aware of the distinction between our intuitions and our doctrines and how they can fall out of sync.
And we should diligently give mind to our intuitions. "Above all else guard your heart." Our intuitions root in our deepest, even pre-conscious empathies, desires, basic beliefs, worship. They're often formed by the social and cultural world around us.
What's crucial to realize is that sometimes the second step of doctrinal change occurs decades after the first step of intuitional change. If we're carelessly letting our intuitions develop in the soil of worldly culture, we may not see their ill-doctrinal fruit for years.
It's the wiser commentators and pastors among us who sense those intuitional shifts, even when the rest of us don't. When they counsel us personally or prophesy publicly, we resist them. We might even denounce them.
Plus we know all too well that there are five crazy prophets for every wise one.
The solution is to repeatedly apply ourselves to God's Word, which "pierces to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
The solution is to repeatedly apply ourselves to God's Word, which "pierces to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
.
