When we undermine the Word of God, we undermine God!
When David was confronted by the prophet over his sin of Bathsheba and having her husband killed, he went to the root of the problem when he said, “Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.”-{2 Sam 12:9}. And to “despise the Word of the LORD,” we see in verse 14 is “…by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the LORD,”
We cannot separate the Word of God from God. As though we can “despise” what He says and claim that we love Him!!
Some will say “doctrine is not important, “… you just need to love Jesus.” But The Bible teaches us what it means to love the Lord Jesus, how do we know otherwise? By whatever we think, what ever comes to our mind? Therefore we are setting ourselves up as all knowing, infallible and if that is the case Jesus wasted His time sending the Holy Spirit whom He said,”… He will guide you into all truth.”-{John 16:13}.
And if “sound doctrine,” is not necessary then Jesus wasted His time warning us that unless we build our lives on the foundation of His Word we will perish. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” – {Matt 7:24-27},
But “Sound Doctrine” is not optional but imperative. The word “Sound” speaks of that which is healthy, wholesome. Doctrine refers to teaching, instruction, it is spiritually healthy, wholesome teaching contained in His Word that we may know Him and to live Godly lives in accordance with His Word.
The word “doctrine” means “instruction, especially as it applies to lifestyle application.”{gotquestions.com}
Doctrine is instruction, teaching where we build our view of life upon. It is our world view for living. Why do we live the way we live, the choices we make? It is down to our belief system, our world view, our “doctrine!”
We have to study His Word for ourselves and it is our baseline, our foundation upon which we build our lives, the way we think and do.” Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”- {Romans 12:2}. How are we to discern between the pattern of this world’s value system and God’s ? His Word, “sound doctrine!
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth”– {2 Tim 2:15}.
“ All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”-{2 Tim 3;16}
” Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers “-{1 Tim 4;16}
Our faith is based on the teaching of the Gospel.
“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures [and] . . . He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” “-{1 Cor 15:3}.
“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. “-{ Eph 1:13-14}.
” But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. “-{2 Thess 2:13}
If you change the message you change the Source of salvation and replace Him with something or someone else and if it is not based on the Word of God then it is a lie and of eternal consequence. Damnation! How do you know how to get to Heaven if not from His Word, “sound doctrine!” How do you know Jesus is not just one of many ways to God apart from “Sound doctrine?”- {Read John 14:6}
We read…
“But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.“- {Titus 2:1}.
Those who lead the congregation, “…holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. “-{Titus 1:8}.
” What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus “-{2 Tim 1:13}. We are to keep the pattern and hand it down of “sound teaching.”
It is not a matter of preference but of TRUTH!
We are able to detect false teachers from His Word, false, unwholesome teaching versus wholesome doctrine!
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. “-{1 John 4:1-3}
Warning For Those Who Reject Sound Doctrine;
” For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. “- {Acts 20:27-29}.
Truth, Sound Doctrine is imperative as false teachers rising from among them seek to distort what? “…DISTORT the TRUTH!”
“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. “-{Jude 4}
“But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. “-{1 Tim 1:8-11}
“Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
‘But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.“-{Mark 7:6-7}
” If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.“– {1 Tim 6:3-5}
SOME PEOPLE DO NOT WANT “SOUND DOCTRINE!”
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”-{2 Timothy 4:3}
Where do the teachings, doctrines of people originate from?
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, “- {1 Tim 4:1}
There is the teachings “doctrines” of people, “doctrine of demons,” and,”sound doctrine,” wholesome teaching of God. Whom will you choose?
Is Doctrine important? Your eternal destination is at stake. Your view of God is at stake. You can create a “god” of your own imagination like the children of Israel who made a golden calf and declared this was the “god” who delivered them from Egypt. Or You can come to His Word submit to it and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth, giving you understanding and as you have your mind renewed through it,understand what the good, well pleasing will of God is, so you can live pleasing Him, knowing Him, presenting Him as He truly is in the Scriptures! “Sound Doctrine,” is God’s Truth.
If you hold that “sound doctrine,” is not necessary then are you saying to throw away your Bible,when you say “Sound Doctrine” is not important. It is either said from being naive, ignorant or defiant and deceived! For it is contrary to what the Lord Jesus says, “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’“- {Matt 4:4}
SOME PEOPLE DISPLACE GOD’S WORD WITH THEIR OWN DOCTRINE, TEACHINGS, TRADITIONS.
“They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ You have disregarded the commanded of God to keep the tradition of men. He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the commandment of God to maintain your own traditions.“-{Mark 7:7-9}.
“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.“- {Judges 17:6}. The people were a law unto themselves. Whatever seemed right to them, they did! They were their own authority! They were accountable to no one but themselves, deciding what they believed was right. They were playing “God!” The heart of rebellion,’playing God’ doing what you want irrespective of what it means to others, Lawless, their own teaching, their own ‘doctrine,’ was their code for conduct, namely “all the people {without exception} did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”
BELIEVERS CANNOT LOSE THEIR SALVATION, BUT CAN BE DECEIVED, FOOLED…and led Astray into false teaching, dishonoring God…
“Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings “-{Hebrews 16:9}
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. ” – {Col 2:8}
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! “-{Gal 1;6-9}.
The above three passages show that Believers are not bullet proof, but can be led astray,fooled, conned, deceived. They cannot lose their salvation but can be led astray dishonoring God as displacing His Word, and not walking in the freedom that is theirs in Christ. Putting themselves back under a yoke of bondage. Paul wrote to the Galatians who had been led astray, voluntarily, they made the choice! “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”-{Rom 5;1}.
How can you keep from being conned and deceived? God’s Word is the ultimate authority and ‘Sound Doctrine’ is His way to protect and promote healthy spiritual life in His people! turning from it will lead to opening yourself up for all kinds of false teaching, the teachings of people who can come with such teaching as “I have a word from the LORD” and do not know what the revealed Word of God declares! And once they say, “The Lord told me,” it is like a “spiritual stop sign” you cannot challenge them because they believe they have the final say, based on what they feel. Even if it can be challenged by the Word of God. They elevate themselves above the WORD OF GOD and place themselves in the place of the Holy Spirit and the naive can be intimidated by their supposed confidence and authoritative stance. And when trouble come, the naive look to that person rather than the Word of God as their authority! And their lives are unstable, insecure, confused, double-minded, and it is sad, tragic but the good news exposure to His Word, “Sound doctrine” can deliver them from the lies and they can once again walk in the liberty the LORD Jesus has purchased for them. In Colossians 2- four times the believers are warned against such false teaching that attacks the Sufficiency of Christ and Salvation. Seeking to say it is Christ plus! All the cults operate this way, and the attack is the same today, Christ plus TO save or to become spiritually mature! Paul counteracts the lie and false teaching with “sound doctrine, telling them “You Are COMPLETE in Christ.-{Col 2;10}. The Word “complete,” speaks of No deficiency! No Deficiency in your salvation -{2:10-12}; No Deficiency in your Forgiveness- {2 :12-14;} No Deficiency in your SAVIOR!- {2:14-15}. How do we know this? His Word reveals it!
“Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things,…“-{1 Timothy 4:16}.
SOUND DOCTRINE IS IMPERATIVE FOR …
1. Knowing Who God is And How To Respond Correctly To Him;
“God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”- { John 4:24}
2. Knowing Jesus Christ;
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. “- { Luke 24:17}.
3. Imparts Wisdom How To Be Saved;
“and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus “-{ 2 Tim 3:15}
4. Empower Us For Daily Godly Living;
“ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. “-{2 Peter 1:3-4}
5. Equip Us For Every Good Work;
“…the Holy Scriptures,…SO THAT the MAN OF GOD may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”– {2 Tim 3;15-16}
6. Word is To Influence Our Thinking;
“But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.”-{Psalm 1:2} “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell {command to continually think, evaluate,calculate, consider} on these things ” -{Phil 4:8}.
7. Brings Great Peace;
“Great peace have those who love Your Law,
and nothing can make them stumble.“-{Psalm 119:165}
8. Brings Encouragement and Hope;
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, SO THAT through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. “-{Rom 15:4-5}.
9. Jesus View on The Word Of God?
” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. “-{Matt 4:4}
“All Your Words are True;
all your righteous Laws are Eternal.“– {Psalm 119:160}
” Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”-{Rom 3:4}
10. KNOW and Practice Living Out “Sound Doctrine.”
” Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers “-{1 Tim 4;16}.
11. God’s Word Is GOD’S Word!
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”-{2 Tim 3;16}
“…For You have magnified Your Word together with Your Name.”-{Psalm 138:2 Amp Bible}
ASSIGNMENT;
Look up the Scriptures which read “sound doctrine,”-{The Book Of Titus is a good place to start} and Psalm 119 the longest chapter in the Bible which is about the Scriptures! Read and underline what it says about God’s Word. That will not only encourage your heart but the HOLY SPIRIT can teach and transform you from the inside out to see God’s Word for what it is. The WORD OF GOD!
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ” -{Col 3:16}
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. “-{Rom 10:17}
Does ‘Doctrine’ matter or not?
It depends whose doctrine it is?
The doctrine of people? No!
The doctrine of demons? No
The doctrines of men and demons attack the sufficiency of the Lord Jesus and are powerless to deliver people from sin and empower them to walk spiritual freedom! It is just another form of deception and spiritual bondage!
The ‘sound doctrine’ of God’s Word? Does Matter, -ABSOLUTELY.
The Only teaching, instruction, doctrine that does matter!
The More we study and submit to “SOUND DOCTRINE,” the more by The Power and Teaching of The Holy Spirit through HIS Word we will understand God, ourselves, know how to love God and love others, and live pleasing HIM BY FAITH. And also can KNOW and expose false doctrines of people and can seek to help them, and warn against their false teachings that enslave not only them and others but hinder them from living to Love and worship God.- {Read 2 Cor 10:3-5 }.