Why Doctrine Matters
Introduction:
• In this day and age, it is more pressing than probably ever to stand up for the message of Jesus Christ as set forth by the Word of God.
• We are living in a culture today with and “anything and everything goes” mentality.
• We have reduced human interaction and behavior even in our churches into a pop psychology approach.
• Our culture is rested in a feelism mentality.
• We want a quick excuse for everything.
• The declaration from fallen people of the world is that they do not need doctrine. They do not need boundaries. Leave them alone and let them do their own thing.
• John Gardiner put it this way; “The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity, and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity, will neither have good plumbing no good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.”
• As Southern Baptists, we have developed and implemented doctrines for the church that we are convicted are within complete cooperation with the message and intent of the Scriptures.
• The Scriptures describe to us the necessity of sound doctrine.
• What is doctrine?... Doctrine (from Latin: doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system.
• The Greek analogue is the etymology of catechism.
o In the OT the word occurs chiefly as a translation of leqaḥ, meaning ‘what is received’ (Dt. 32:2; Jb. 11:4; Pr. 4:2; Is. 29:24). The idea of a body of revealed teaching is chiefly expressed by tôrâ, which occurs 216 times and is rendered as ‘law’.
o In the NT two words are used. didaskalia means both the act and the content of teaching. It is used of the Pharisees’ teaching (Mt. 15:9; Mk. 7:7). Apart from one instance in Colossians and one in Ephesians, it is otherwise confined to the Pastoral Epistles (and seems to refer often to some body of teaching used as a standard of orthodoxy). didachē is used in more parts of the NT. It too can mean either the act or the content of teaching. It occurs of the teaching of Jesus (Mt. 7:28, etc.) which he claimed to be divine (Jn. 7:16–17). After Pentecost Christian doctrine began to be formulated (Acts 2:42) as the instruction given to those who had responded to the kērygma (Rom. 6:17). There were some in the church whose official function was to teach this to new converts (e.g. 1 Cor. 12:28–29)..
• Repeatedly Jesus was asked about His doctrine...Paul charged Timothy to preach sound doctrine..Titus emphasized the need for sound doctrine in a world gone mad...Jesus outlines false doctrines in the Book of Revelation.
• Sound Biblical Doctrine serves as the bedrock for faith - it is the compass or the looking glass for consistency across the generations - as philosophies come and go, sound doctrine should remain steadfast and true.
• Where the knowledge of God diminishes, faithfulness cannot exist.
• There is only one safeguard against error, and that is to be established in the faith; and for that, there has to be prayerful and diligent study, and a receiving with meekness the engrafted Word of God. - A.W. Pink
• The Dynamics of Doctrine...
o Christian doctrine is unique in that it is an intellectual response to the historical activity and revelatory disclosure of God.
o Doctrine is rational reflection upon God’s saving activity in Jesus Christ.
o Foundational to the idea of “doctrine” is the fact that we need to be told what God is like.
o It is not ours to determine what kind of God we will believe and obey. It is God’s to determine to show Himself to us. Too many times we worship the God of our imagines rather than the God of Scripture.
o Doctrine is our effort to articulate what He has made known.
o Doctrine is the divinely authorized attempt to describe God in accordance with how He has revealed Himself in creation, in history, in Jesus Christ and in the Scriptures.
o Doctrine also serves to expose false interpretations of reality, false concepts of God.
o Doctrine makes sense of the individual’s and the church’s experience of God as He has made Himself known in Jesus Christ.
• The heart cannot exalt in what the mind rejects.
• It must be made clear that doctrine not based on the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is NOT true doctrine.
What Does the Bible Have to Say About Doctrine?
1. God’s Doctrine Is Pure.
• Job described the doctrine of God as pure.
• Solomon in Proverbs describes God’s doctrine as good.
• God’s doctrine is perfect.
2. God’s Doctrine Is Unknown to the Lost.
• Mark 1:21-28 (NKJV)
21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!" 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
• Why do we stand amazed when the world does not get us?
o The message of the cross is moronic to those who are perishing.
3. God’s Doctrine Is From God Himself.
• John 7:16-18 (NKJV)
16 Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.
• It is as if God were speaking today - the eternal and living word.
• Acts 5:27-33 (NKJV)
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him." 33 When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.
• Acts 17:18-23 (NKJV)
18 Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods," because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean." 21 For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing. 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:
• 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (NKJV)
10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
4. God’s Doctrine Is Salvation.
• Romans 6:15-18 (NKJV)
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
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5. God’s Doctrine Is Superior to All Other Doctrine.
• Romans 16:17-18 (NKJV)
17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
• Ephesians 4:14-15 (NKJV)
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--
• 1 Timothy 1:3-4 (NKJV)
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia--remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.
• 1 Timothy 4:6-10 (NKJV)
6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.
7 But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.
10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
• 1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NKJV)
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,
4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
6. God’s Doctrine Is to be studied by the Believer.
• 1 Timothy 4:12-16 (NKJV)
12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
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7. God’s Doctrine Should Be the Believer’s Daily Testimony
• Titus 2:1-10 (NKJV)
1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. 6 Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, 8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. 9 Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
• Doctrine should not be practiced only within the study halls of our churches, it must be lived out in the streets, our lives, homes, jobs, etc.
• Doctrine is not just about believing, it is about living and serving.
• There is a direct line that runs from our doctrine to our actions, from what is in our minds to what is in our words and ways… The heart spills over into life. Thoughts of God, and of all else, erupt into acts. The filling of the heart with wise thoughts of God becomes the most important, the most practical, business in the world.
8. God’s Doctrine Reveals Those Who Are False Teachers.
• 2 John 1:9-11 (NKJV)
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
