This may seem strange, but some religious people see no real connection between the Bible and salvation. To them, spirituality can be achieved apart from Bible teaching. They classify Bible teaching (doctrine) as a mere option for those Christians that are more “academically minded.”
There are some obvious flaws in this reasoning: The Bible is a body of instruction to mankind, and it presents itself as being the revelation of God’s will: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16,17). Notice from this passage that: (1) The Bible is inspired of God. Its human authors functioned as mouthpieces of God. (2) Bible teaching educates, corrects and guides humans in their service to God. (3) Bible teaching can make one a “man [person] of God,” and a “competent” one, at that.
It should also be noted that faith is produced only from the word of God. Paul affirmed,“faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). This makes the Bible indispensable to our salvation. Quite simply, one cannot be saved apart from the gospel. This is why Paul referred to the gospel as “the gospel of your salvation”(Ephesians 1:13). Of course, merely learning the gospel is not enough: Gospel facts must be believed and gospel commands must be obeyed. One’s refusal to “obey the gospel” will result in the Lord’s “vengeance” being taken upon him (2 Thessalonians 1:8). One is saved by obedient faith.
Tim Haile