Satan understands the whole ball of wax and yet that will not change his eternal destination. God's sovereignty is what determines that. Sound doctrine
tells us what God is like so that we may love him more. And sound doctrine is an important guard for interpreting Scripture. It helps ensure that we confess and delight in all that Scripture teaches, rather than setting one passage against another or drawing conclusions from one passage that contradict another. Let me give you an example.
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector
Luke 18:9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
This Pharisee believed that his righteous in and of himself and by his works made righteous in God's sight.
‘God, I thank thee because I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. (That I'm so much better, see all I do) I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I possess.’
But...the tax collector,
standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but he beat upon his chest saying, (he knew who he was before a holy God and that he needed a Savior) he knew in and of himself he would always be lost unless God intervened. He knew the truth and he went down to his house made righteous.
Moral of the story...
For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, (lifts himself up by claiming he has the ability and the right to choose God because is better than everyone else).
And he who humbles himself will be exalted.
But He gives [us] more unearned favor [i.e., to overcome the world]. Therefore, the Scripture says [Prov. 3:34], "God opposes proud people, but gives unearned favor to those who are humble."
Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [
the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].”
That's the really bad news about believing that you choose God as opposed to him choosing you. If you think that you can choose God you must believe that he owes salvation to you and nothing could be further from the truth. You won't be going home justified. (See
doctrine of justification)
Understanding correct doctrine is not what saves you but it sure helps in your sanctification. (See
doctrine of sanctification) Yeah buddy sanctification.... more doctrine, just can't get away from that stuff. I'm clean... clean from the inside out.... salvation's what I'm talking about. (See
doctrine of salvation)