STEADFAST IN DOCTRINE
VICTORY-PART 1 OF A 2 PART SERIES
ACTS 2: 42
FOCAL POINT: SOUND DOCTRINE IS BIBLICAL DOCTRINE
INTRODUCTION:
SOME VIEW DOCTRINE AS A BUNCH OF RULES OR A LIST OF WHAT YOU CAN DO AND WHAT YOU CANNOT DO. THEY MAY HAVE FORMED THAT PERCEPTION BY WHAT THEY SEE INSIDE MANY CHURCHES. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY MANY TIMES HEAR NEITHER BIBLICAL NOR SOUND DOCTRINE, AN AFFRONT TO THE LORD. THE FIRST MENTION OF DOCTRINE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS MATTHEW 7: 28.
EXPOSITION:
ACTS 2: 42 “AND THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE AND FELLOWSHIP, IN THE BREAKING OF BREAD, AND IN PRAYERS.” (NKJV)
THE WORD DOCTRINE SIMPLY MEANS TEACHING. THE WORD DOCTRINE IS REFERENCED OVER FORTY TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. MOST PERTAIN TO CORRECT DOCTRINE RATHER THAN FALSE DOCTRINE. THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST AND THE APOSTLES CAPTURED THE EARLY CHURCH.
THE APOSTLE’S TEACHINGS (DOCTRINES) CENTERED PRIMARILY AROUND THREE ISSUES: ISSUE 1 WAS THAT JESUS WAS THE CHRIST. ACTS 3: 18 “BUT THOSE THINGS WHICH GOD FORETOLD BY THE MOUTH OF ALL HIS PROPHETS, THAT THE CHRIST WOULD SUFFER. HE HAS THUS FULFILLED.” (NKJV) ISSUE 2 WAS THAT CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD. ACTS 1:22 “BEGINNING FROM THE BAPTISM OF JOHN TO THAT DAY WHEN HE WAS TAKEN UP FROM US, ONE OF THESE MUST BECOME A WITNESS WITH US OF HIS RESURRECTION.” (NKJV) SEE ALSO, ACTS 2:24, 32. ISSUE 3 WAS THAT SALVATION WAS BY FAITH IN HIS NAME. ACTS 2: 28 “THEN PETER SAID TO THEM, “REPENT, AND LET EVERY ONE OF YOU BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS, AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.” (NKJV) SEE ALSO ACTS 3:16. EMBRACING THESE THREE CARDINAL REALITIES REQUIRED SOME UNDERSTANDING OF THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES OF THE REVELATION OF THE COMING MESSIAH. THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE FOCUSES ON THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST. THEY ALSO WITNESSED AND MADE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST.
READ 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17
APPLICATION: SOUND, BIBLICAL DOCTRINE COMES BY LOVE OF THE WORD AND OBEYING THE WORD.
REF: THE BIBLE SPEAKS TO OUR TIMES BY ALAN REDPATH, THE MACARTHUR STUDY BIBLE, TRANSFORMATION STUDY BIBLE BY WARREN WIERSBE, DR. CONSTABLE’S NOTES ON ACTS, THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA, BLUELETTERBIBLE.ORG
