SUB-TOPIC: REVISITING THE BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINES OF JESUS CHRIST BEQUEATHED TO HIS CHURCH. John 14:26; 1 John 2:27.
The subtopic we are currently handling is the third and final one in this study series. So far, we have already considered two points within this subtopic, which were:
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?
In continuation of the study, we shall take on the third and final point of the current subtopic, which will wrap up the teaching series as a whole. We shall approach this final point in the format outlined below:
(3). IS THE BIBLE’S DOCTRINE EXHAUSTIVE?
In order to give a well informed answer to the question above it will be necessary to do so under the three sub-divisions below:
i. The Basic Doctrine Bequeathed to Us by Jesus Christ Our Lord.
ii. Jesus Christ’s Admonition and Call on His Followers to Greater Works.
iii. What Our Attitude Should Be Towards False Doctrines and Their Proponents.
We shall now set out to answer the question raised above.
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
ROMANS 11:33.
If the question raised above should be answered in its strictest sense, we would say that the Bible’s doctrine is inexhaustive. To hold otherwise would mean the same thing as saying that the Holy Bible contains everything there is to know about the Almighty God, and that it expresses every thought of His heart and all the words of His mouth. However, we know that this is not the case with the Holy Bible.
As deep and broad as the Holy Bible is, it contains only the revelation of God’s will to a measure commensurate with mankind’s ability to understand and obey within this temporal lifetime which He has given them to live.
The truth is that there are eternal truths and deep mysteries about God which the human mind cannot comprehend, if they are revealed to them now. Even after our perfection and translation to heaven, we would still not be able to fully comprehend who God is!
Job 11:7 echoes this mind-blowing fact when it asks the question:
“Canst thou by searching find out God?
Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?”
The humbling answer to this question is simply a resounding “NO”.
This is not possible at all!
Again, in Moses’ own words in the book of Deuteronomy 29:29, he wrote:
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
How do all the above affect the topic at hand? Well, they do in the following ways:
a. It helps us to know that there are some basic truths which God has revealed to us in His Word, of which He expects us to know and abide by them for our salvation and relationship with Him.
b. It helps us to realize how dependent we are on God’s Word, the Holy Bible, for our relationship with Him to be what He expects it to be.
C. It serves as a guide to us in our daily walk with God, as it reveals some specific boundaries which we must not exceed or fall short of in our service and fellowship with God.
I. THE BASIC DOCTRINES OF JESUS CHRIST BEQUEATHED TO THE CHURCH
Doctrines are formulated from God’s Word (the Holy Bible) as a guide to help Christians serve God in an acceptable manner. To this end, Jesus Christ, through out His teachings as recorded by His faithful followers, has set forth some basic doctrines as a guide for His followers. They are as follows:
1.The Authenticity and Sacredness of the Holy Bible.
2 Peter 1:16–21; Psalms 68:11; 119:89; Isaiah 55:11; Psalms 18:30; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8; Luke 4:4; Romans 10:17; Hebrews 4:12.
2.The Godhead and the Deity of Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:7; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; John 1:1.
3.The Total Depravity of Mankind and God’s Plan of Salvation (Born Again).
Romans 3:23–24; Romans 5:12–14; Psalms 51:5; John 3:3; 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21.
i. Redemption
ii. Repentance
iii. Water Baptism
iv. Justification
4. God’s Call to Holiness.
1 Peter 1:15–16; 2:9; 2 Peter 3:11–14; Hebrews 12:14–15.
i. Restitution
ii. Sanctification
iii. Righteous Works
5. Ministry of the Holy Ghost.
John 14:25–26; 14:15–17; 15:26–27; 16:12–14; Acts 10:36–38; 4:31.
i. Holy Ghost Baptism
ii. Fruit of the Holy Spirit
iii. Spiritual Gifts for Service
6. The Christian Life and Fellowship.
Hebrews 10:22–25; Ephesians 5:15–33.
i. The Lord’s Supper
ii. Personal Evangelism
iii. Marriage
7. The Second Advent of Christ.
John 14:1–3; Acts 1:9–11; 1 Corinthians 15:51–52; Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:29–31.
i.The Rapture Of The Church
ii.The Second Coming Of Jesus Christ
iii.The Millenial Reign Of Jesus Christ
8. The End of the World and God’s Eternal Kingdom.
2 Peter 3:10–13; Revelation 21:1–5.
i. The Great White Throne Judgment
ii. Hell Fire And The Lake Of Fire
iii. The New Heaven and the New Earth
The foregoing is an outline of the basic doctrines of Jesus Christ as contained in the Holy Bible, which He taught during His earthly ministry, and which He commissioned His Disciples to also teach under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit . The doctrines are drawn from both the Old and New Testament, but with practical applications done strictly under the tenets of grace.
We shall expand on them and spend a considerable amount of time studying them as God shall give us the grace.
We are beginning with the first doctrinal teaching, which is:
1.THE AUTHENTICITY AND SACREDNESS OF THE HOLY BIBLE
God’s Word, the Holy Bible, is the basis for the Christian faith. In it are contained the basic instructions given by God to mankind to enable them to know the following:
A. The origin of their habitat and all that is therein.
Genesis 1: 1-25; 2:1-6,8-14.
B. Their own origin.
Genesis 1: 26-31; 2:7,18-25.
C. The reason for their fall and separation from God.
Genesis 2: 15-17; 3:1-24.
D. The plan for their redemption.
Genesis 3:14-15; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; 53:1-12; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:25-40; John 1:1-17, 29-36; Romans 3:23-26; 1 Timothy 1:15.
E. The requirement for their present and final redemption.
John 3:3; 17:3; Romans 6:1-14; 10:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5: 17-21; Hebrews 3:12-14; Ephesians 4:30-31; Mark 16:15-16.
F. Their future with God in His eternal Kingdom.
John 14:1-4; 17:24; Luke 22:28-30; Philippians 3:20-21; Revelation 21:1-7; 22:1-7.
G. The eternal destiny of all who failed to accept God’s plan of redemption before they died.
Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8.
Apart from the seven (7) books named The Apocrypha, which some churches still use, the Holy Bible is made up of sixty-six (66) books written by forty (40) different authors who worked under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit over a period of one thousand five hundred (1,500) years.
Of those 66 books, 39 are in the Old Testament and 27 are in the New Testament.
The following are some of the sterling qualities of the Holy Bible:
- It is inspired by the Holy Spirit of God.
2 Peter 1:16–21; Psalms 68:11. - It is infallible, unchangeable, and authentic.
Isaiah 55:11; Psalms 18:30. - It cannot be improved upon by anyone or anything because it is the perfect thought of God.
Proverbs 30:5–6. - It endures forever; it will not pass away or fade away like the temporal world we live in.
Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17. - It gives eternal life to all who believe in and live by its instructions.
Luke 4:4. - It is a guide to those who seek to live a holy and righteous life.
Psalms 119:1–11; Hebrews 4:12. - It is the basis of the Christian faith by which eternal life is given.
Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6.
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
Joshua 1:8.