Over the past several years, many of you as well as others have asked me to bring some messages on Christ centered, gospel doctrines, showing how and where specific doctrines are taught in the Word of God. I have put off doing so for a long, long time; but the time has now come when I believe the Lord would have me bring such a series.
I make no pretense of being a theologian. I will make no effort to settle the issues about which theologians fuss and argue. I am your pastor. My only interest is that of a pastor who has the responsibility of feeding the Lord's sheep. So tonight, I am going to begin a series of doctrinal studies, in which I hope to set before you, in the clearest, simplest, and most concise way possible those things plainly revealed in Holy Scripture as basic Bible doctrines.
This will not be a series of lectures and proposed theories and opinions to tickle the ears or the brains of men, but a series of messages to instruct your souls in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in him. These messages will not be presented as fodder for debate, but as food or sheep. I hope that you will arrange to be hear for each weekly message. I encourage you to get a notebook and take notes. I promise you that the messages will be worth remembering. You will want to refer to them in the future, as you are challenged by others to explain and defend the doctrines of the gospel.
The title of my message tonight is Why Study Doctrine? I want you to clearly see the necessity, the basis, and the method of studying Bible doctrine.
Proposition: At the outset, let me state emphatically that Bible doctrine is essential to true Christianity.
Divisions: In this message, I want to answer three very practical questions, questions that I have been asked many, many times by a lot of people over the years.
I. Why should we study doctrine?
People often object to any talk about doctrine and the study of doctrine because they wrongly imagine that it is an unnecessary cause of strife and division. The fact is, we cannot have any unity at all if we do not have doctrinal unity. Doctrine is not everything in Christianity; but nothing is more important than doctrine. Gospel doctrine is the foundation of all true faith, the basis of all real comfort, and the inspiration for all worship, obedience, and devotion.
I often hear people say, "Let's not discuss doctrine. Let's just get on with evangelism." "Let's not talk about doctrine. Let's just worship the Lord." "Don't preach doctrine. Just preach Christ." That makes about as much sense as Rick Pitino saying to the Cats, "Boys, don't worry about the baskets, or the ball, or those lines out there on the court. Let's just play basketball! You cannot have basketball without the baskets, the ball, and the lines; and you cannot have evangelism, worship, and Christianity without doctrine.
A. The study of doctrine is important because it is foundational.
In Psalm 11:3, David asked, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Obviously, we recognize that "the foundation of God standeth sure" (2 Tim. 2:19). Yet, we also know that in this dark, apostate age, in which wicked religious men and women walk in darkness, without knowledge and without understanding, "all the foundations of the earth are out of course" (Ps. 82:5). The religion of the world constantly attacks, assaults, and seeks to destroy the foundation of doctrinal truth. When men seek to destroy the very foundations of our faith, what can the righteous do? Here are three things we can and must do…
"Doctrine" is not a dirty word. When we talk about the doctrine of the Bible, we are simply talking about the "teaching" of the Bible. To say, "Doctrine is insignificant" is to say that the teachings of the Bible are insignificant. Doctrine is not insignificant. It is vital! Gospel doctrine is absolutely necessary to saving faith. Faith in Christ is not a leap in the dark. It is walking in the light. That person who is not taught the doctrine of Christ or believes that which is contrary to the doctrine of Christ does not know Christ. This is not a matter of speculation, but of revelation.
Romans 16:17-18 "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. (18) For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple."
1 Timothy 4:16 "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."
2 John 1:9 "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son."
Sound doctrine is necessary for godly behavior, too. I do not doubt that people may live in an outwardly moral, religious manner without doctrine; but you cannot live for Christ, to the glory of Christ, and after the example of Christ, without the doctrine of Christ. Paul tells us that the doctrine of Christ is that doctrine which is according to godliness (1 Tim. 6:3).
Our comfort as believers living in this world greatly depends upon our grasp of the doctrine of Holy Scripture.
Romans 15:4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
Were it not for the teachings of Scripture regarding God's sovereignty and grace in predestination and providence, Christ's substitutionary atonement, and the Spirit's efficacious grace, where would we find the strength and comfort we need to face and deal with life in this world?
2. We must recognize the importance of doctrine; and when men would destroy the foundations upon which our souls are built… We must cling to the Word of God.
In this world of chaos, the one thing that stands unchanged, unchanging, and unchangeable is the Word of God. Here is a foundation that cannot be destroyed. "The foundation of God standeth sure!"
Psalms 119:89 "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."
Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."
Our house of faith is built not upon the shifting sand of human philosophy, but upon the solid rock of God's own Word.
3. When the foundations are being assaulted from every quarter… We must earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.
Jude 1:3-4 "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (4) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."
If, in these dark days, we would contend for the integrity of the Scriptures and the faith of the saints, we must prayerfully study and seek, by the grace of God, to comprehend the teaching (the doctrine) of the Word of God.
B. The study of doctrine is important because it is foundational and because the doctrine we are studying is of God.
The doctrines we believe, those things we will be studying in this series of messages are not of men, but of God. They are not mere denominational dogmas, church confessions, doctrinal debates, and theological thesis, but the teachings of God himself. Those things which are vital to our souls, vital to the knowledge of God, and vital to salvation are…
Things that could not be known except by Divine Revelation. - "Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God" (1 Pet. 1:21).
Things that cannot be understood except by Divine Illumination. - "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:13-14).
Therefore, we realize that both the one who attempts to teach and those who seek to learn the doctrine of Holy Scripture are totally dependent upon the grace, wisdom, and power of God the Holy Spirit. May he be our Teacher. If he will be our Teacher, we shall be taught well; for we shall be taught of God.
II. What is the source of true doctrine?
To this congregation, that question may seem redundant, almost silly; but it is not. The fact is, in the minds of most men there are many sources for true doctrine. None, other than the most outlandishly ignorant, would suggest that the Bible is not a source of doctrine. Most would assert that it is the primary source. However, very few look upon the Word of God as the only source of doctrine. Even among those who say they do, very few truly look upon the Scriptures alone as our only source for true doctrine.
A. Many, like the Pharisees, build their doctrine upon the Bible and tradition.
Those who do so, by their tradition, make void the Word of God. Whenever people attempt to build their doctrine on both the Word of God and tradition, they soon prefer tradition to the Word and make the Word of God to be of non-effect.
Matthew 15:6 "And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition."
Matthew 15:9 "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
Matthew 16:12 "Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."
Mark 7:7 "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
Mark 7:13 "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."
B. Others build their doctrine on the Word of God and the creeds of the church.
Our faith is not and cannot be determined by the creeds of even the best of men. Our faith must stand in the Word of God alone. Bible Doctrine is the teaching of Holy Scripture. Dogma is teaching that is laid down by and imposed upon men by churches. Whenever a churches dogma contradicts the Bible's doctrine, or adds anything to it, it must be rejected as false.
C. Many build their doctrine upon the plain statements of Holy Scripture and those things which may be reasonably inferred from the Scriptures.
There is among Protestants a commonly accepted doctrine called "the doctrine of necessary consequence," which is largely responsible for much of the heresy we have to deal with today. When men attempt to build doctrine upon both the plain statements of Scripture and what they think must be necessarily deduced from Scripture, they try to build upon two foundations, one of sand and the other of rock. The result is destruction. When sinful men make their reason the basis of believing something, there is no limit to the nonsense that will be passed off as Bible doctrine.
D. In this day of charismatic nonsense, multitudes build their doctrine upon the Word of God and experience.
Experience is no basis for faith. Saul had a real experience in the house of that witch in Endor; but that experience is not a basis for our doctrine. Neither are our own experiences, good or bad.
Martin Luther was exactly right when he said, "any teaching which does not square with the Scriptures is to be rejected even if it snows miracles every day."
Hear me now, and hear me well…
E. The only basis for doctrine, the only source of divine truth is the Word of God.
When we talk about doctrine, the teaching of Holy Scripture, we have no right to even entertain our own thoughts and opinions, much less express them! In these matters, we dare not speak either more or less than that which is expressly written in the Word of God.
If, at any time, in the course of these messages any of you should find me saying either more or less than is expressed in the very words of Inspiration, if you will show me where and how I have done so, I will publicly retract and recant of that which was so spoken.
Isaiah 8:20 "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
2 Timothy 3:16-17 "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 perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
Our doctrine is the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets. We teach exactly what they taught. Ours is the doctrine of the Bible, the Old and the New Testaments. We do not simply hold to the doctrine of the New Testament. Our doctrine is the doctrine of the Bible. We recognize that the Bible is one Book, with one Message, and one uniformity of Doctrine. The Old Testament teaches exactly the same thing as the New Testament, only with less clarity and fullness. The Old Testament is the shadow. The New Testament is the substance. The Old Testament is the type. The New Testament is the anti-type. The Old Testament is the promise and prophecy. The New Testament is the fulfillment. Someone once said, "The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed. The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed."
The Book of Acts is an inspired history of the ministry of the New Testament church for the first thirty years after our Lord's ascension and exaltation. In that inspired narrative we are given a running narrative of apostolic doctrine and preaching. Every time we read about the preaching of the Apostles (37) the subject preached was Jesus Christ and the resurrection. Every summary of gospel doctrine given in the Book of Acts, indeed, in the entire New Testament, reveal an inspired system of doctrine centering around the accomplishment of redemption by the death of Christ and the verification of its accomplishment by his resurrection from the dead. "The apostles' doctrine," that which they preached everywhere, had five basic, essential points.
1. The Total Sovereignty of God Over All Things
Acts 2:23 "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:"
Acts 4:26-28 "The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. (27) For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, (28) For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done."
Acts 13:26-30 "Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. (27) For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. (28) And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.(29) And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. (30) But God raised him from the dead:"
2. The Fact that Jesus of Nazareth is The Christ
Acts 3:13-18 "The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. (14) But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; (15) And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. (16) And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. (17) And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. (18) But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled."
3. The Accomplishment of Redemption for God's Elect By The Death of Christ, Verified by His Resurrection from the Dead
Acts 1:22 "Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection."
Acts 2:24 "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."
Acts 2:32 "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses."
4. Salvation by Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone, Without Works
Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
Acts 3:16 "And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all."
Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Acts 15:11 "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."
Acts 16:31 "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
5. The Believer's Freedom from the Law in Christ
Acts 15:10-11 "Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? (11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."
Hebrews 8:1-2 "Now of the things which we have spoken this the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; (2) A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man."
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."
III. How should we study Bible doctrine?
I will not attempt to lay down any absolute rules as to the best method of Bible study. Many do things in different ways and seem to get along just fine. So I will not suggest that they should change their method of study. However, no matter what method of study we use, there are some rules or guidelines that ought to be followed in the study of doctrine.
A. Study all doctrines contextually.
This cannot be over emphasized. Nothing is more dishonest than to study the Word of God by looking for proof texts. We dare not go to the Word of God to prove our doctrine. Let's go to the Bible to get our doctrine. If you want to know what the Bible teaches about a given subject, go to the place in the Bible where that subject is explained, interpreting all relevant texts in the light of those passages. Honesty compels us to interpret obscure passages by the obvious, not the obvious by the obscure.
B. Study the Word of God submissively.
May God give us grace to bring all things to the touchstone of Holy Scripture. Let us bow to the Word of God. Always be prepared to give up any doctrine or practice that is not found in Holy Scripture and to embrace anything revealed in this Book, no matter what the sacrifice, no matter what the consequence.
C. To the degree that it is possible, we ought to state our doctrine in the very language of the Bible.
I realize that for the sake of clarification and faithful exposition, we sometimes use terms that are not specifically used in the Bible (sovereignty, satisfaction, trinity, substitution, etc.); but we must not allow ourselves to get caught in the trap of either requiring others or of being required by others to say things in a specific way.
If a man has to take you around the world to get you around the corner, trying to prove his doctrine, his doctrine is probably false.
D. Give no doctrine greater or less prominence and importance than it is given in the Scriptures.
The dominant theme of Holy Scripture is the gospel of the grace of God, the message of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The message of the Bible is Jesus Christ and him crucified. If Satan gets our focus off of him and on something else, he has won the day.
E. "Adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things' (Tit. 2:10).
Let us take great care to conform our lives to our doctrine. Doctrine and duty cannot be separated. Every truth discovered in the Word of God ought to be applied to our lives. If our character and conduct does not reflect our confession and creed, our doctrine is utterly meaningless.
Application: I will finish this message by giving you two tests, tests by which to we ought to prove all doctrine.
Jeremiah 6:16 "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."
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