The idea that God's church evolves into ever-greater doctrinal understanding is a satanic lie. Satan influenced ministers to teach that growing in grace and knowledge means moving from traditional teachings to new, watered-down ideas, and in a short time the church was asked to reject foundational beliefs. The world's churches have seen their doctrines evolve over the centuries, but God's church must not. Today's Christians do not understand more deeply than Paul, Peter, or John, since the inspired authors grasped the doctrine they wrote better than its readers do. Christ passed His Word down through the generations within His church, and the truth was always present in the Bible. Each Christian grasped it in proportion to how intently he loved and sought it. True growth in grace and knowledge is placing the truth of Scripture in mind and heart, so that what is already known becomes more firmly understood and practiced. It does not necessarily mean gaining more knowledge. Satan also twisted the teaching that repentance means change, coupling it with the notion of an evolving church, so true doctrine was scuttled and replaced with enlightened counterfeits. Scripture never teaches that the church should grow in doctrine or develop new doctrine for changing circumstances. It commands obedience to the doctrine delivered (Romans 6:17; Jude 3), continuing in it (I Timothy 4:16; II Timothy 1:13-14; 3:14-16), and avoiding any teaching contrary to it (Romans 16:17; I Timothy 1:3). One cannot abide in doctrine (II John 9-11) that changes from time to time. God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8), and His doctrines are the way He lives and wants us to live.