Why is Doctrine Important?
Notes
Transcript
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
Doctrine - what is right
Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 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.
Paul gives testimony of what doctrine has done in his own life - that truth of God’s Word guided, directed, and established Paul
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Doctrine - Teaches what is right
Reproof - Teaches what is wrong
Correction - Teaches how to get right
Instruction in righteousness - Teaches how to stay right
Boys - electric cars on a track
Truth is like those tracks - straying from the track causes one to not move or have any power
If the car came off the track - Reproof
Putting the car back on the track - Correction
Learning how to handle the curves of the track and how much to depress the trigger - Correction in righteousness
Every one wants truth
Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
Like Pilate - many ask that same question - What is truth?
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Thy word is true from the beginning: And every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The truth is the Word of God - The Word of God is Jesus Christ
Doctrine gives direction
Doctrine gives direction
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
A farmer found a little girl that was lost in his meadow. The farmer said to her, “Do not cry; I’ll take you home.” The little child snuggled up to him, and with a smile, said, “I knew you would; I was waiting for you.”
“Waiting for me?” said the man. “What made you think I was coming?”
“I was praying you would.” she said.
“Praying? When I first heard you, you were saying A B C D E F G. What was that for?” She looked up again and said, “I’m just a little girl. I was praying all the letters of the alphabet and letting God put them together the way He wanted to. He knew I was lost, and He knew how to put them together better than I did.”
We want direction, purpose in our life
The doctrine, the truth, of Jesus Christ gives us purpose
And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, My saviour; thou savest me from violence.
God is my strength and power: And he maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: And setteth me upon my high places.
God gave direction to David and gave him the footing, the grace to go forward
The truth of God, gives us direction and purpose
Doctrine, the teaching of truth, establishes direction
NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Doctrine brings unity
Doctrine brings unity
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
Chair is a noodle
I may fully believe that, but does that not make this a chair?
It is still a chair
I can begin a campaign - Noodle Campaign
Pictures of chairs with big words, These are Noodles
Does that make that change the truth that they are chairs? Of course not. They are chairs. The truth is they are chairs.
What does this do? It causes division. That doesn’t make sense. They are chairs. Some say, I like that. They are noodles.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
They see the truth of God, but choose what they want to believe instead
They changed the truth of God into a lie
We are seeing this very thing today:
Gender - God made male & female
Marriage - God man & woman
Doctrine provides rest
Doctrine provides rest
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Fables - myths - A piece of fiction that narrates a chain of related events; especially understood as ahistorical
Chair - noodles - the creator of this piece of furniture saw how interwoven it is, and stated this is a noodle as it looks like it weaves around itself. I’ve made a myth.
Evolution - myth that sounds plausible, but it is fully supported by nothing more than faith
Creation - historical fact that is accepted by faith, and is fully supported by a Creator, God, creating the earth.
Adam and Eve, along with the trees, plants, and animals were all created with age to be fruitful and multiply. God created all these fruit bearing things with age; why should we not entertain the idea that God created the earth itself with age?
With a myth, you have to continually repeat it, invent ways to support it, and continually look to maintain the myth. This causes distress.
Dad, David, and I went to the top of a one of the Smoky Mountains in TN. On top of the mountain is a tower that enables you to see for many, many miles away. It’s beautiful, but the climb is long. Many people take this path, so they made it a long, and at times, steep walkway to the tower. It was a warm day, and as we climbed there were times when all we wanted was to rest for a moment. Those coming day kept stating, Your almost there. Keep going. It’s worth the effort. There were chairs and benches occasionally, but they were always filled with those wanting to rest.
Life is hard. It’s difficult. This sinful world is never going to be easy. As we go through life, there will be times that we long for rest - to stop and rest upon that which is stable.
When you try to rest upon a lie; it always moves. It is never stable. Even in the best of situations it’s like sinking sand. You’re always trying to get your footing. When you think you have a footing, here comes another wave taking you further down.
When you rest upon truth; it never moves.It is always stable. The worst of situations may crash around you, but the rock of the truth is constant. It provides rest.
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
There will be some that do not like you standing upon the rock, and they may even forcibly try to remove you. Paul said, The worst anyone can do is send my to eternal home with the Lord, Who will righteously judge and make everything right.