SUB-TOPIC: REVISITING THE BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINES OF JESUS CHRIST BEQUEATHED TO HIS CHURCH. JOHN 14:26; 1 JOHN 2:27.
Having, from the onset of this teaching series, looked at the teachings and lifestyle of the first disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord, and having also considered the effects of not following in their footsteps in today’s church of Christendom, we shall now focus on the basic doctrines that Jesus Christ bequeathed to them, which they held onto, taught to others in their time, and wrote down for the future generations of Christians, of which the Church in our own time today is a part.
We also considered how those basic doctrines shaped their faith in God and helped to build them up, spiritually and morally, into living epistles of Christ for all men to see and to read. See 2Corinthians 3:2-3; Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:13-16.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”
Today ‘s church of Christendom is hereby strongly admonished to revert to those basic doctrines of Christ, and forsake the false teachings and “doctrines of devils” which have become the vogue of today’s modern Christianity, which is so called by disillusioned minds that are bereft of the saving knowledge of the Holy Scriptures bequeathed to the true Church by her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
In encouraging the church of Christendom to return to the wholesome teachings of Jesus Christ we shall formulate three (3) questions for determination, namely:
(1) What Is Bible Doctrine And What Purpose Does It Serve Among Believers?
(2) What Are The Identifying Marks Of A Sound Doctrine And A False One?
(3) Is The Bible Doctrine Exhaustible?
I. The Basic Doctrine Bequeathed To Us By Jesus Christ
II. Jesus Christ’s Admonition And Call To “Greater Works” By His Then Present Disciples And The Future Ones To Follow In His Steps.
III. What Our Attitude Should Be Towards False Doctrines And Their Proponents.
Let us now answer the first question raised for determination under the caption below:
1. THE DOCTRINE OF THE BIBLE AND ITS PURPOSE AMONG BELIEVERS.
Bible doctrine is herein strictly defined as the set of beliefs held and taught by the true Church of Jesus Christ solely from the Holy Bible, and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. No belief or teaching having its origin from the commandment of mortal man shall be deemed appropriate as a church doctrine. Kindly read
2 Peter 1:16-21.
” For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty”. 2 Peter 1:16
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” II Peter 1:20-21.
From the quoted verses above, we understand that the Holy Bible was written prophetically by chosen holy vessels to whom the Holy Spirit revealed the Word of God as it affects every aspect of human life in relation to what God expects and demands of them for their own physical and spiritual well-being, both now in time and forever in eternity. This essence of the Bible is shown in the scripture below:
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8.
From the volume of the inspired scriptures, the Holy Spirit formulates doctrines that are tailored to meet the moral and spiritual needs of man, which He reveals to those who diligently study the Word of God to know His mind as it affects their daily lives and what He expects of them accordingly. Deuteronomy 29:29; Psalms 103:7; Proverbs 22:20-21; II Timothy 2:15.
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
From the foregoing, therefore, it is not man who formulates doctrine but the Holy Spirit, and He reveals it in turn to those who diligently seek to know God’s ways; to those who imbibe the scripture’s injunction to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15.
While speaking to the Galatian Christians about the doctrine he taught, Apostle Paul made it clear to them in his own words below that it came to him by divine revelation:
“But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Galatians 1:11-12.
Any doctrine, therefore, that is not scripturally grounded and spiritually inspired cannot carry the divine authority of God. It would fail woefully in its purpose to affect, perfect and reflect God’s glory in the lives of those to whom it is ministered; and such are the majority of doctrines zealously taught in the churches of Christendom today, which are all futile ecclesiastical exercises, even as our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Himself said:
“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:9.
Is it any wonder then that most churches are barren and bereft of spiritual fruits both in the pew and at the pulpit? Of course not!
When it is spiritually revealed, obtained and taught in righteousness, truth and holiness, the doctrine of the Holy Bible would naturally produce the following results in the lives of its adherents:
I. It will impart accurate knowledge of the ways of God to the Christian believer, especially at the early stages of their walk with God, thus encouraging spiritual growth, maturity and fruitfulness in them.
“Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast.” Isaiah 28:9.
II. It will also correct the previous errors in which the believer lived in before being saved, thus giving them more enlightenment in the Word and ways of God, which would strengthen their faith and help them bond with Jesus Christ more readily and easily.
“They that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.” Isaiah 29:24.
III. It will also bring spiritual refreshment and satisfaction to the hungry and thirsty soul of the believer who is truly desirous to know God more and more: this is what some genuine seekers are deprived of in the backslidden churches of Christendom: their souls are left dried up and famished, by the “…great swelling words of vanity… by which false preachers and teachers… allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness…” those innocent souls who cannot truly discern the truth of God’s Word. 2Peter 2:18.
If only they can leave those prison houses and prayerfully ask the Lord to direct them to where the sound doctrine of His Word is accurately taught in truth and in spirit, their souls would be truly blessed, refreshed and satisfied indeed.
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6.
“My doctrine shall drop as the rain; my speech shall distill as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass…” Deuteronomy 32:2.
The above are some of the purposes which the doctrine of the Holy Bible is streamlined to achieve in true Christian believers whose desire is to genuinely serve God in spirit and in truth; and if there are other purposes not captured above, they are, no doubt, aptly covered in the following scripture which says that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto every good work.” II Timothy 3:16-17.
Any church that is firmly grounded in the doctrine of the Holy Bible will, no doubt, manifest all the tenets of the scripture quoted above; and only then will the purpose of the Holy Scriptures be fully realized in the lives of its members.
We shall now consider the second issue raised for determination, which is:
2. What Are The Identifying Marks Of A Sound Doctrine And A False One?
Matthew 7:15-20; 24:4-5; 24:25; II John 1:6-11; Jude 1:15-20; II Peter 2:1-3, 18-19; I Timothy 4:1-6.
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20.
As we have previously established, the doctrines of the Holy Bible are to be strictly drawn from the same Holy Bible and interpreted by it. No wisdom or commandment of a mortal person; no inspiration from demon spirits or any other source(s), as long as it contradicts the Holy Bible (whether in part or in whole) must be accepted as the doctrine of the true Church of Jesus Christ.
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8.
We have already been made aware by the Word of God some thousands of years ago that demonic doctrines would subtly be introduced into Christendom in order to deceive people, and as a measure to corrupt the truth of God’s Word. See I Timothy 4:1-3.
The ultimate goal of Satan and his workers in pursuing this evil objective is to attempt to obscure the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ and, therefore, plunge the world back into the darkness of unbelief and ultimately into eternal damnation. See 2nd Corinthians 4:3-4.
However, God is always ahead of the kingdom of Satan and their works such that He reveals their plans beforehand for anyone who truly desires to serve Him in spirit and truth to avoid them and be saved. By His grace, we shall be saved from all false doctrines and from their proponents, in Jesus’ name!
How are we to identify what a true or false doctrine is? How can we know who is a false teacher or preacher of it? The Holy Bible, as has been said already, has satisfying answers to these and more questions about the doctrines of Christ and every question arising therefrom. We shall begin by answering the first arm of the question as follows:
i. How To Identify A True Doctrine.
A sound (or true) doctrine is not hard to identify by those who know the word of God (the Holy Bible) from which it has its roots. Even those who are not learned in the Holy Scriptures can still identify the true doctrine of Christ by the witness of the Holy Spirit by whom the word of God was inspired and written down for our admonition. As a result of this, there is really nothing much to write about identifying what the true doctrine is because the Holy Spirit dwells in every word of it, and makes His appeal in the hearts of those to whom it is presented, whether in written or verbal forms. In fact the issue here is not so much about knowing what a true doctrine is (but rather what it is not) because this truth is within us. The main issue here is about agreeing to accept it, and this is so because mortal man has a knack for accepting what is convenient to them instead of what is true. See 2nd Timothy 4:3-4.
God’s truth is universal, and it is imbedded in the conscience of every human being: they can either choose to accept and live by it or else reject it in favor of the lie, which they have found to be more convenient to them. Romans 2:14-16 puts it this way:
“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”
From the fore-goings, therefore, we can see that it is easy to identify the true doctrine of God’s word by the witness it bears in the conscience and fruits it produces in the character. This is not to say, however, that it is not necessary to spell out what the Holy Scriptures considers true doctrine as against what it considers to not be, but rather that the fruits they each produce in their adherents are better proofs. Any doctrine that lacks the power to truly enlighten the mind according to the righteous requirements of God and, thus, set it free from the lies of Satan, which holds the soul bound in sin, must be labelled as false, no matter how convincing and well-presented it is by its proponents to their adherents. See 1st Timothy 1:5-6.
A true doctrine will most certainly liberate the sinner from the bondage of sin and all manipulations of Satan, unless it is not accepted in faith.
A clear example of this is seen in Romans 6:17-18, which says:
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness”.
Another example of how the sound doctrine of Jesus Christ influences adherents can be seen in 2nd Timothy 3:14-15:
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
From the above we can deduce that the doctrine of the Holy Bible is potent enough to save the soul and liberate the sinner from a life of sin: where this is not happening, it is either not well taught or is not believed in. See Romans 1:16-17.
Another sterling quality of the true doctrine of Jesus Christ, which is also mentioned above, is that it endues the adherent with God’s wisdom, which is well beyond the profane and vile wisdom of sinful humankind. Of this wisdom the Book of James, 3:17 has this to say:
“But the wisdom that is from above (from God) is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
The fore-goings is some of the fruits to be seen in the lives of people who have submitted themselves to teachings of the sound doctrine of God’s word in simple faith and obedience to God.
ii. How To Identify A False Doctrine.
We can place false doctrines into two categories, namely: the ones that are obviously false and the ones that, although subtly presented as good, are still false because they offer no salvation, and indeed cannot, because they are not of God.
Let us now discuss them separately below:
a) Outrightly false doctrines: Colossians 2:10-23; I Timothy 1:1-7.
The doctrines which fall under this category have little or nothing to do with the principles of genuine repentance, salvation and holy living as taught by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and further advanced by the Apostles and Disciples whom He commissioned to spread His word to the ends of the world. In fact the proponents of such doctrines may make mention of the popular Bible characters and their good works, but would (knowingly or ignorantly) misapply that knowledge or principle in their doctrine and, thus, defeat the chance of anyone under their tutelage ever being genuinely saved.
In addressing the church against the dangers of such doctrine, Apostle Paul threw some light on how the proponents of such doctrine usually arrive at such sad and pitiable condition of faith.
He said: “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” Colossians 2:18-19.
In just a few words, the scripture above alludes to self-appointed and commissioned so called ministers of the gospel whose only motivation is their self-ambition, which they pursue without recourse to the doctrine of Jesus Christ (the Head). In such churches, no room is given for correction of those wrong doctrinal perceptions: they rigidly hold onto them as a sacrosanct article of faith, notwithstanding that it cannot be proved from the Scriptures. Such allusions may make common sense to the carnal mind, but certainly not spiritual sense, which alone can regenerate the soul into newness of life in Christ. Verse 23 puts it this way: “which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh”.
The phrase “Voluntary humility and worship of angels” makes this doctrine seem to be a self-inflicted malady from which the victim cannot be cured simply because they are the very cause of their own spiritual illusion: the only way of salvation here is for them to refrain from following their own opinion and to accept God’s word as the only basis for guidance to salvation and a holy life in Christ.
Again the word “Voluntary”, as used in the verse above clearly reveals that the articles of faith championed by such churches is not inspired by God but, rather, conjured up by the human mind. It is the commandment of man and, therefore, must be seen as unfit to serve as a doctrine that is able to lead to the salvation and spiritual admonition of adherents.
b) Outwardly Good but Inherently False doctrines. Matthew 24:24-26; II Corinthians 11:13-15
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ”. II Corinthians 11:13.
Some teachings advanced as doctrines by some churches may actually look or sound as the genuine gospel of Christ, but with the exception that when they are subjected to some rigorous examination from the Holy Bible, they usually fail that test. Hebrews 4:12, 13; II Peter 2:1-3.
The doctrines so advanced herein may, in principles, seem to agree with the basics of the Christian faith but, in practice, would be found to deviate from what is acceptable to God and to all who walk with Him in Spirit and in truth.
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction”. 2nd Peter 2:1.
The churches that fall under this category are the ones who believe about the deity of Christ; God’s plan of salvation through Him; the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church: in fact they believe in all the cardinal doctrines of the Holy Bible, but they have a different interpretation of the text of the Scriptures establishing those doctrines. The main problem with the proponents of such doctrines is that they could isolate a particular text from the Holy Scripture and hold onto it without recourse to other texts from the same scripture. That is a great mistake because no word of God stands alone by itself; it must flow along with the others and be interpreted by them. They must complement each other because they come from the same Source: Almighty God.
In order to clearly illustrate the point above, let us view the doctrine of salvation, as erroneously taught by the proponents of the eternal security doctrine: they believe that once a person gets saved by faith in Jesus Christ, they would remain saved forever with no possibility of losing that salvation experience. Some of the scriptures they would readily advance as proof are Romans 8:31-39; John 6:39. There are more scriptures like the two advanced here, and they interpret them to almost mean that God is inseparably hooked to anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Even when they become unwilling to continue in this relationship, He must put up with their excesses whether He likes it or not. Whether they regret their actions or not He must keep to His own part of the deal because He has already accepted them. As comforting as that may sound to people who want to walk with God without daily carrying their crosses, it is, sadly, not scripturally correct to hold such wicked views about God. Our relationship with God and His Son Jesus Christ is governed by conditions, some of which are set out below:
“For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end”. Hebrews 3:14.
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him”. Hebrews 10:38.
Let us speak on the two scriptures below and point out the errors of the teachers who use them to advance the wrong doctrine described above:
i.Romans 8:31-39; John 6:39: Their strong argument here is that nothing can separate the Christian from God’s love (which is totally true!) But equally true is the fact that God also loves the sinner in much the same manner! John 3:16 says so! Moreover, for all His love for the sinner, God will not admit them into heaven unless they repent and live right: the same rule must apply to a sinning believer who seeks refuge under the false doctrine of eternal security.
God did not love the world because it is a righteous and holy world: He did because He created us in His own image and likeness, so much so that He could bear to love us, not for what we do, but for whom He created us to be. He loves the sinner, not their sins. In much the same way, also, He loves the righteous, but even more now that their sins have been washed away. Nothing can stop Him loving both the sinner and the righteous person because love is an intrinsic part of God’s being.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
Where, then, is the point of disagreement? It lies in the fact that they fail to understand that God’s love for us does not in any way prevent us from choosing to either follow the right path to eternal life in heaven or the wrong way to eternal punishment in hell fire.
God is not responsible for our choices; our eternal destiny depends on our choices. The truth is that God’s heart is broken for the souls languishing in hell; that is how much He still loves them! As for those who are stubbornly and unrepentantly heading towards hell now, God is still calling out lamentably in love to them:
“Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” Ezekiel 33:11.
If the words above does not portray the love of God for an obstinate and unrepentant sinner, what else would? And if the sinner would not be persuaded to change their evil ways and live a holy life, can the love of God save them? The last line of the quoted verse above holds the answer for us; “for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”
It cannot!
ii. John 6:39.
The same reasoning goes for the second scripture (John 6:39) and therefore we must give back the same answer already advanced: God’s love will not stop an unrepentant sinner from going to hell unless they repent and amend their sinful ways because His love for the sinner is a means for their salvation, and not (as erroneously advanced) a leverage for continued indulgence in sin. There is no such thing in scripture as once saved forever saved: this doctrine of eternal security is false!
“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 2:4.”
Our objective here is not to point out every error or false doctrine being practiced in the backslidden churches of Christendom; the expounding of the basic doctrines of Christ (as we progress) would naturally expose them and help us to know what is true and what is false in the articles of faith as proposed by churches who do not hold onto wholesome doctrines from the Holy Bible. However, we have done well to advance the reasoning and/or arguments canvassed above as a guide towards achieving the goal of establishing the fact that there are false doctrines to be wary of, and it’s the duty of every faithful servant of Jesus Christ to blow the trumpet and give warning to the pilgrims of heaven as they travel along this dangerous religious terrain on their way to eternity.
“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee”.
I Timothy 4:16.
TO BE CONTINUED