Doctrine – Precepts, principles, and policies.
God used this word 56 times in Scripture: 6 times to Israel in the Masoretic Text Old Testament; 14 times to Israel in their Koine Greek Old Testament books of Matthew-John; Twice to Israel in the transition book of Acts; Twice for the Dispensation of Grace in the transition book of Acts; 23 times to the Body of Christ in the books of Romans-Philemon; And 9 times to Israel in their tribulation books of Hebrews-Revelation.
Knowledge is taught – Established. Precepts, principles, and policies are things that you come to understand from what you have learned; one element at a time, with each element being built upon the previous – Stablish. (Isaiah 28:9-10)
The doctrine of God is contained in His gospels, of which there are more than 26 in Scripture. To know which of the doctrines you are to live by, you must Rightly Divide Scripture. Today in the Dispensation of Grace, all of our doctrine is completely contained in the gospel that God gave specifically TO us through our apostle Paul; the Gospel of Grace; the books of Romans thru Philemon.
In addition to the doctrines of God, there are also the doctrines of men and doctrines of devils.
The doctrines of men are the teachings, principles, and policies invented by men. When these doctrines of men involve anything about spiritual beings, it is called religion.
The most innocent, but still deadly, doctrines of men are the invention or fabrication of teachings and principles in an effort to explain what they don’t understand; i.e., the Doctrine of Interruption, Backsliding, Baptism, Communion, Salvation, etc.
The deadliest doctrines are Church customs, rites, practices, rituals, etc., which include fables, superstition, and old wives-tales; these often-become the doctrine of devils.
The doctrine of devils are the precepts, principles, and policies that prevent salvation. These doctrines fulfill Satan’s policy of evil that began in Genesis 3: Question the Word of God, Deny the Word of God, Change the Word of God.
I Timothy 4:1-3 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; [2] Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; [3] Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
Today, one of the main ways that men change the Word of God into a lie, and prevent salvation, is by failing to Rightly Divided Scripture: they mix and mingle the truth of God for us today with the truth of God given to other dispensations (ages); born again, baptism, sabbath, circumcision, tithe, spiritual Judaism, remission of sin, healing, Divine Intervention, Satanic Intervention, etc.: Everything you find in Christianity.
Galatians 4:17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
II Corinthians 11:3-4 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. [4] For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
The seducing spirits are the spirits of men. God is not talking about anything mystical, magical, or supernatural.
Colossians 2:16-23 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: [17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. [18] Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, [19] And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. [20] Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, [21] (Touch not; taste not; handle not; [22] Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? [23] Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
See also Christian, Devil, Dispensation, Establish/Stablish, Faith, God, Grace, Sacrilege, Salvation, Spirit