What is Doctrine and Why Is It Important?

Does it matter what we believe when it comes to God and His Word? Does it matter what we're taught? If we are a good person, one that takes care of our families, one that looks after others in the world, is that good enough? What about if we are sincere in our beliefs? Is sincerity all that matters? How does doctrine enter into this picture that I'm describing here? Is doctrine something that should be primary or secondary to a Christian? Over the years, there has been a big ecumenical movement among Protestant groups aimed at achieving universal Christianity or universal Christian unity on matters of mutual concern. This is where any religion, kind of the Unitarian philosophy, that we can all just come together, put our beliefs aside, we all love Jesus, we all know we have a Savior, and that's good enough. That's all we need. That is that movement that's going on among a lot of Christian groups today. But in order to achieve this type of unity, it means that religious groups have to give up some of their deep-rooted beliefs in order to achieve this unity. Is this okay? I mean, we all love Jesus, right? Does it matter what we believe? I hope everyone is in agreement with me this afternoon that, yes, it does matter what we believe, because what we believe impacts what we do. In fact, doctrine was most likely the reason you became a member of the Church of God in the first place way back in the day, or maybe even more recently. It was the doctrine of the Church that probably caught your attention, and then maybe you tried to disprove in your own Bibles these truths or these things that you were hearing. Then something strange happened. You couldn't disprove it. And these new thoughts, these new ideas took hold because you were being called by God Himself. What about you teens that's grown up in the Church?

What about you? This has been all that you have ever known for most of you. This way of thought, this doctrine that the Church teaches, and yet you have chosen to follow it. You have chosen to make it part of who you are. You know God's Word. You know where it's at often in His Bible. You hear it the Holy Days. You hear it time and time again at the feast. This isn't your first rodeo, either. And over time, you've made this part of your beliefs. And you've tried the best that you can to also follow this way. So it's not just those who never knew anything about the Sabbath or the Holy Days. That was their calling. Yours is by God today. And yours is the same based on doctrine that theirs was, and still is based on doctrine. This deep-rooted belief that you have is also important to your age group as well. Therefore, we can all conclude that doctrine is extremely important to each of us. Back in the mid-1990s, the United Church of God was founded to maintain the doctrinal teachings that Christ and the early church in the book of Acts established. This foundation of doctrinal beliefs was being torn away by our previous association. And also during this time, one of the first booklets ever published by United Church of God was the Fundamental Beliefs of the United Church of God. I didn't check to see if it was in the credenza or not, but I brought all the copies I have, which is about eight or ten, if anybody needs a copy or would like one. But it's the Fundamental Beliefs of the United Church of God. This was one of the first booklets ever published by our church because of the importance of doctrine, the importance of our fundamental beliefs. And it was heavily involved with restating, with reconfirming, and maintaining our doctrinal beliefs because having the foundation is critical to being the Church of God. The church had to bring together the scriptural support for what we do and what we believe. So today, let's look at why doctrine is important if we claim to be Christian. And if we claim to be the Church of God, both of these things. So what is doctrine so important if we claim to be Christian and if we claim to be the Church of God? So we've got to start off with the question, what is doctrine? The easy definition for doctrine is established teaching. Established teaching. The word doctrine comes from the Latin word, or the root, which is D-O-C-E-O. Doseo, which means teach. In general, the word doctrine means teaching or that which is taught. Doctrine can also be defined as formalized or developed teaching. There's different views that we can, different ways that we can define that, but these are the different ones. Established teaching or formalized or developed teaching. When Christ was alive, He taught just about every place that He went. This teaching often led to the development of doctrine. After Christ died, it was through the apostles in the early Church that doctrine was formalized based on the teachings of Christ. B.B. Warfield wrote in a book entitled, The Formation of the Canon of the New Testament. That's the name of the book, The Formation of the Canon of the New Testament. And in this book, he said this about the inspiration of Scripture. We rest our acceptance of the New Testament Scripture as authoritative, thus, not on the fact that they are the product of the revelation age of the Church, not that this was when all the truth was revealed. We're not basing it on that.

Because it goes on to say, For so are many other books which we do not thus accept. But on the fact that God's authoritative agents, which were the disciples for the most part, the apostles, but on the fact that God's authoritative agents in founding the Church gave them as authoritative to the Church which they founded.

It is clear that prophetic and apostolic origin is the very essence of the authority of the Scriptures. So that is from B. B. Warfield, from the book on the formation of the Canon of the New Testament.

So the writings that we have captured in the New Testament are not in question here today. As most writers of these books were either taught in person by Christ or were eyewitnesses of Him and His teaching. At the end of Christ's Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7, we have something very insightful said about His teachings. Let's start there today, Matthew 7 and in verse 28.

This message on doctrine is extremely important to all of us because I could get up here every week and give a Christian living sermon. I could expound on a prophecy in a way that just filled in all the gaps. But none of that, none of that would matter if we did not have sound doctrine based on God's Word.

And so this is critical not only for those who have been in the church for a lot of their years, but for our teens here, for everybody in every stage of your Christian walk. Doctrine and understanding what it is and proving it for yourself and knowing what is God's Word is critical to all of us. Because nothing else matters when it comes to this because this is the core. This is the foundation of our lives. You can build the best looking house. You can do whatever you want, but if the foundation is crumbling, if it's flawed from the start, that beautiful house won't stand. Doctrine is critically important. Here in Matthew 7 and verse 28.

This is towards the end of his sermon on the Mount, or at the end of his sermon on the Mount. This is what was said of all the words that Christ had just shared with them. Matthew 7 verse 28. So it was when Jesus had ended these sayings that the people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

The word teaching here is doctrine in the King James Version and comes from the Greek word, Dada-che, D-I-D-A-C-H-E, Dada-che, which means the act of teaching. The act of teaching. So Christ was the teacher. He was in the act of teaching, and that is the Greek word, Dada-che. I'd also like to look at another Greek word almost always translated as doctrine, and this is in 1 Timothy 1. There's two primary ways that doctrine is translated in the Greek, in the New Testament. One is Dada-che, which is the act of teaching, as we see with Christ and all the times that he taught. The other is here in 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 5.

This will form the basis for what we're talking about here today when we get down to what is doctrine. Here in 1 Timothy 1. Actually, we'll start in verse 3. 1 Timothy 1 and verse 3. This is the Apostle Paul speaking to Timothy. As I urged you, when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine. Here the word doctrine is spelled D-I-D-A-S-K-A-L-I-A. This means the function of information or to give instruction, doctrine, learning, teaching.

The difference from the other word is these are things that are taught. One is the act of teaching, as Christ often did. This is referencing what those things are. These are things that are taught. D-A-S-K-A-L-I-A. As we continue reading this, he says that in verse 3 again, that you may charge some of that they teach no other doctrine. Nor did give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk. Think of all these words that are not describing true doctrine. They're describing teachings, but they're not true. Continuing on verse 7, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm, but we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully.

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous person but for the lawless and the insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, and he goes through a whole list here.

He goes towards the end, if there's any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. Again, he's going through and saying there's a difference between sound doctrine and all these other things that people are professing to be true. In verse 11, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. The word sound here, sound doctrine, is hagio, hagoneo, excuse me. I practiced some of these today and yesterday. They're tricky.

This is hard. Hagoneo, which is H-U-G-I-A-I-N-O, for those going to ABC this year, you're going to get plenty of the Greek and Hebrew. But hagoneo, which means to have sound health. So it's not just sound. We'd say sound a lot would be like you've got a house built well. It's a sound we built house. This is referencing, and it's the only time. Let me see if that's right. No, it's a different time. To have sound health, that is to be well in body, to be in health, to be safe and sound, to be wholesome. This is speaking of bodily health. Because we can have doctrine that is not sound, as I referenced earlier.

Remember, doctrine is teaching. We can have teaching that is not based on God's word or not based on His instruction. An example of this today would be the Trinity. The Trinity belief that many have. That is not based on sound doctrine.

Or one that involves partial truth. That Jesus loves me. Yeah, that part's true. But that's often where people stop with that phrase. They'll use it as an excuse that a specific sin or a type of lifestyle is okay to God because He loves me. But that's not accurate. Yeah, Jesus does love you, but He also says, if you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Now that's sound. That's changing from just one statement to making it sound. What are His commandments? Well, now we're back to true doctrine. So you can see how certain things that are said in the world today, or that you might hear professed by other preachers, may not be sound doctrine. They may just be teachings, but they may not be sound.

Let's look at what the Apostle Paul gave some warnings on in Colossians 2.

Because there were other doctrines, there were other teachings that were being taught in the early church. And let me—you know what? It just popped in my head. Let me just preface this all by saying there's nothing that I'm aware of changing in the church. Sadly, we sometimes have to mention that because when you hear a sermon like this, you're thinking, oh no, what's coming down the pike?

There's no tricks. There's nothing that I'm aware of. This is just a message that I felt I was studying this week on doctrine and on our doctrinal beliefs. And I felt like this is a good reminder for all of us, the importance of doctrine as we continue to grow as Christians. Because the early church was affected by false teachings that were being pushed, that were coming in, and some were becoming confused.

Paul talks about this in Colossians 2, Chapter 16.

Paul says, So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are shadows of things to come but the substances of Christ. What was happening is they were keeping the Sabbath. They were keeping the Holy Days. And others, with false beliefs, were criticizing them for that. Some people will say, well, this does away with the Sabbath. This does away with the Holy Days. You've got to understand the context. There was an ascetic movement where this ascetic thinking of, if it feels good, it must be sin. So you have a nice steak at dinner, and that was very enjoyable. The ascetic movement is that is sin.

If you enjoy things that God has given us in life, well, if you're enjoying it, it's sin. We shouldn't be able to seek to have pleasures. That's an ascetic thought that was in the church. It was creeping in. It was being pushed. And so one of the things they were saying was, let no one judge you in food or in drink. It's okay to drink water. It's okay to have a nice glass of wine. He's saying, don't let them judge you in that, if that's what you want, because it's not in God's word that we can't have those things. He says, or regarding a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath, which are shadow of things that come but the substances of Christ. He goes on and says, let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels. That was another thought, of worshiping angels. That was false. We don't see anywhere in God's word that the angels are to be worshiped. In fact, some of the times when people did bow down to angels, the angel told them, don't worship me, don't bow down to me. And so we know that that was another false thought that was making its way into the church. Continuing on, intruding on those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head from whom all the body nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments grows with the increase that is from God. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why as though living in the world do you subject yourselves to regulations? And he goes on to say, do not touch, do not taste, do not handle. This is that ascetic thought that if it's pleasurable to our bodies, we shouldn't touch it, we shouldn't drink it, we shouldn't handle it. And he's saying that this is what they're saying, do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, which all concerns things which will perish with the using. And here's the key. According to the commandments and doctrines of men.

He doesn't say according to my word or to God's word. He doesn't say according to what Jesus taught. He says according to the commandments and doctrines of men, these things indeed have an appearance of wisdom. Oh, they can talk a good talk. They can expound on why these things we shouldn't be doing or why we shouldn't enjoy maybe a glass of wine or something like that. These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, but in false humility and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. So Paul's saying here, be wary of these false teachings that don't align with what he has already taught them, what other pastors that are teaching his truth speak, which are all maybe truth as far as what they're teaching, but they're not truth according to God's word. They're not true doctrine. Another example of what Paul says is in Ephesians 4, verse 11. Because this is not the only church that was having problems with other thought making its way into the hearts of some of the believers. This is why this is recorded and captured for us as a reminder for us even today. Ephesians 4, verse 11. Here Paul speaks to a different church, the church in Ephesus, and he says in Ephesians 4, verse 11, And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. So we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man, to the measure and stature of the fullness of Christ. That's what we're shooting for. But then he gives a warning in verse 14, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. So here's the word doctrine, which is meaning teaching, but it's a false doctrine. It's a false teaching. By the trickery of men, by in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but getting back to what is truth, but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is ahead, Christ. Getting back to the concept of sound teaching, William Barclay's comments on the passage from what we read earlier, 1 Timothy chapter 1 says this, The Christian message is sound teaching. The word used for sound literally means health giving. Christianity is an ethical religion. It demands not only the keeping of certain ritual laws, but the living of a good life. Christianity, if it is real, is health giving. It is moral antiseptic, which alone can cleanse life. This is what we base our beliefs on. This is what we base our day-in and day-out work that we do as far as just living the Christian life. Sound doctrine implies something healthy and complete. Our belief should make our lives better. The Christian life supports this. Doctrine isn't a weight added onto our shoulders, but doctrine should be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, as we know from Psalms 119.

We are encouraged by the teachings we have in God's word, and it provides a purpose to this life that we live and who and what we are in this vast universe. Why we do the things we do. Why we follow God and His commandments. We live to support the truth from God's word. We aren't perfect, but we have a standard that we work to achieve, and we gave our life to this way when we were baptized.

This is the health-giving aspect that this doctrine provides.

Another aspect of doctrine I'd like us to consider is doctrine must come and be based on Scripture. Doctrine must come from and be based on Scripture. You can put in your notes John 17 verse 17. Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. God's word is truth.

In one of our manuals that we have in the ministry, they have this graphic, which I can't print out and send to everybody, but it's degrees of biblical authority. So it has a little pyramid, and at the base is where we would find most of our doctrines, and maybe one level above. But as you get closer to the point, you get further away from solid scriptural support. So if you're wanting to draw this or to make notes of the six degrees, the bottom base, which is where, again, we get most of our fundamental beliefs, is direct statements of Scripture. This is where we see what God says, do this, don't do this, and that is the foundation of most of our fundamental beliefs. The next level above it is direct implication of Scripture. Direct implication of Scripture, followed by probable implication of Scripture. You see the words being used are changing. Inducted conclusions from Scripture is the fourth level. And then conclusions inferred from general revelation is the second from the top. And then, of course, the top where we should always stay away from is outright speculation. So often you'll hear Pastor talk about, well, this is speculation. Well, we cannot ever build a doctrine on anything close to speculation. And so if you went through our fundamental beliefs and you looked at the Scriptures references that support what we believe and why, you would find that most of them will either be direct statements of Scripture or direct implications of Scripture. This is the importance of making sure that we are drawing from God's Word on what we believe and why. Because we don't...our salvation...I don't know about you...I don't want it staked on what some man thinks, what some man wrote, what some man came up with or was thinking that would be profitable for their life. I want my salvation staked on God and His promises because He's not a liar. He's not going to change what He believes just because maybe I don't live up necessarily to being the perfect person that I'm supposed to be and that we're supposed to shoot for, the measure of Christ. He says, I got your back. I know how to help you. I know how to encourage you. I know how to provide for you. I can even give you the helper of the Holy Spirit if you'll walk with me and commit yourself to my way of life. That's what I want to base my salvation on, not on outright speculation of what some man thinks God's Word is saying and what we should do with life.

It's important that we understand where our foundation is being built.

Let's look at another passage that speaks about the importance of Scripture. This is 2 Timothy 3, verse 16.

2 Timothy 3, verse 16.

Here again, the Apostle Paul is writing to the minister, Timothy. And here in the second letter that he wrote, in 2 Timothy 3, verse 16, he says, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, for salvation, for salvation, for salvation, for salvation, for salvation, and for God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, and righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped, for every good work.

The word inspiration of God, this is what I was trying to think of earlier. Inspiration of God, the Greek word here, the opt nustos, it's a long one. P-H-E-O-P-N-E-U-S-T-O-S, the opt nustos. This occurs nowhere else in the New Testament than right here in this verse, here in 2 Timothy 3, in verse 16. Inspiration of God, what this Greek word means, it properly means God breathed.

God breathed. Of course, from the theos, God, and the neo, P-N-E-O, to breathe or to breathe out. So God breathed. The N-I-V translates this verse, all scripture is God breathed. So while we know that man wrote the books of the Bible, and each book somewhat reflects the personality of the writer, this is God's inspired word that he used men to write. Some would say, well, God inspired men to write these things. Well, we wouldn't necessarily phrase it exactly that way. What we would say is this is God's inspired word that he used man to write. It's God's holy word of truth that we have captured here, which was God breathed through Paul, through Matthew, through others. So we have to make sure we understand that, because again, we don't want our salvation based on what men necessarily wrote. We want it God breathed from his own mouth, and that is what this says is the inspiration that we have here in his word.

Some people consider things doctrinal, but others would consider cultural or administrative. We have this within the church, and it's okay, because doctrinal would be something like the Saturday Sabbath. It's solid. It's doctrinal. Cultural would be three hymns that we open services with, instead of two or instead of one. That would be a cultural. That's a decision that is more fitting for our times. An administrative decision would be having church here today at 2.30. So once again, this is not doctrinal, that we have to have church at 2.30, or that we're not living the righteous life.

But you can see how some people have taken different elements, and over time you'll see this, where they say, well, this is a doctrinal belief that we have. We have to be very careful raising certain things to doctrinal level, because as we have here in our doctrine, we have 20 that we feel are at that level, and so that's where we have based this on. Doctrine must always come from Scripture with very strong scriptural support, not based on traditions or cultural influence, but strictly based on God's Word.

So we'd be amiss if we did not look at Christ's approach toward doctrine as we continue through today's message. What was Christ's approach toward doctrine? Let's look at John 7 in verse 14. John 7 in verse 14. Here we read, Now in the middle of the feast Jesus went up to the temple, and he taught.

And the Jews marveled, saying, How does this man know letters, having never studied? They are saying, He was never taught at the feet of the rabbis. He didn't receive knowledge from the philosophers of that time period. He wasn't taught like Moses when he lived in Pharaoh's house and had the best teachers and the available of the most recent knowledge.

They are saying, Where did he get this from? How does this man know these letters, having never studied? And then Jesus tells them in verse 16, And he answered them and said, My doctrine, which is didache, remember didache, My doctrine, the act of teaching, is not mine. But his who sent me, if anyone wills to do his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, Whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority.

Christ here is saying three things on doctrine. That one, his doctrine is from God, that it's divine. It's not just man speak, it's divine. He's saying, too, that if any man is willing to do the will of God, which is to follow this teaching, They will determine themselves by living this life if it is of God or if it is of man.

You've been given some pretty poor advice by man before, haven't you? I have. I've done things that somebody advised me to do, which turned out to be completely wrong or not profitable. He's saying that. He says, If you'll test God, if you'll do his will, you'll see if it is of man, if it's flawed or if it is of God. And the third thing that Christ is saying here in this passage, that Christ did not speak of himself because he did not seek himself. Many times we see this in society as well today when people want to say something so they can hear themselves speak. Or so others will say, Well, how great is that thing that you're saying?

Well, that wasn't Christ. He wasn't seeking his own glory as man often does. So he didn't have selfish motivation in what he was saying here. We know that our will should be to obey God and to keep his commandments, to yield and to submit our will in our lives to God and his requirements. So Christ is saying, if anyone is willing to do God's will in their lives, then they will find that the doctrines which Jesus was teaching would appeal to reason and be found to work.

He's also saying that his doctrines will speak to our hearts and show us who we truly are, flawed human beings with the inclination to do evil and to seek our own way. Christ is saying, test the doctrines that he gave to mankind. See if they go contrary to the teachings recorded in the Old Testament. See if they don't go contrary to man's reasoning, though. And see if they are beneficial to our lives. Then we'll know if Christ was speaking on his own authority, or whether these doctrines were from God, or whether these doctrines were divine.

This is the power of what we have captured for us today in the four Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus. The way of thought that changes more than just the way we behave, but it even changes the way that we think.

He expounds not only in the letter of the law, but more importantly, the intent. Christ came to magnify the law, never to do away with it, and he brought the good news of the kingdom of God to all who would listen, and all who are still listening today. This is the power that sound doctrine can bring and that Christ brought to mankind. This is powerful, and this is what we have here today.

In bringing this true doctrine, time and time again, Jesus condemns the teachings of the Pharisees. Why? Because they added to the simplicity of true doctrine. They added to it. Let's turn to Matthew 15 and see what he said about this.

Matthew 15 and verse 1.

Matthew 15 and verse 1. Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, Why do your disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? Notice they didn't even call them the commandments of God. They even themselves called them the tradition of the elders, for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. He answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandments of God because of your tradition? Ouch! Wouldn't want to be sitting there in their shoes. You ask Christ a question and he zaps you back. It goes on to say in verse 7, Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying, And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. Teaching as doctrine the commandments of men. No more was following God delivered in simple terms by these Pharisees, but in complex hand-washings, complex food preparation on the Sabbath, complex travel and physical limitations on the Sabbath. We don't see these things outlined in God's Word, yet they were brought forth by the teachings of men, as they said, by the traditions of our elders. Jesus reestablished the simplicity of doctrine in all that he taught, and this is what was passed on and carried on through the apostles in the early church and what we have established still today. Another aspect of Christ's approach to doctrine is that he taught it with authority. He taught doctrine with authority. Let's look at Mark 1 and verse 21.

Because this is something that's pretty neat, because we can speak with authority when we stand on doctrine today as well. Because it's a power in God's Word that exists because of the truth of his Word. Just as Christ spoke with authority, and just as the apostles spoke with authority, you and I, not just the pastors who get to stand up here, but you can also speak with authority on these concepts, because in these doctrines, because they're rock solid in his Word. We can see this authority in which Christ spoke with again in Mark 1 and verse 21.

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered into the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching, which the King James says, and again, didatche, the act of teaching. For he taught them as one having authority, not as the scribes. Now there was a man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, Let us alone what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. Here's a demon, a fallen angel, that is saying, We know who you are, Christ. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be quiet and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him, and he cried out with a loud voice, He came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this? What didatche is this? For with authority, He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him. And immediately, His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. This authority in which Christ taught was seen by all who were able to hear Him firsthand. Solid doctrine provides the ability to teach with authority, because it's not based on man's understanding or ideas, but on the true Word of God. This is why we can explain why the Sabbath is to be observed, or the importance of observing the Holy Days. Matthew and I can explain that to somebody who's never heard of the Sabbath. Why? Because it's not our own ideas. It's not our philosophies. It's right here in God's Word. We can go to Scripture. If the person can agree that God's Word is solid, that they believe in the Bible, they believe in God and Jesus, then we can go to them with Scripture and say, with authority even, this is why the Sabbath is to be kept. These are based on solid Scriptures, our doctrines are, that can't be refuted. They are solid teachings. They are sound teachings. On the heels of evaluating Christ's approach to doctrine, let's also look at the development of doctrine in the Church. Let's look at Acts 2, verse 42, and we'll see the power in which the apostles were able to convict and to move others to do things that they'd never heard of doing before. There was a power that they went out with, not only the Holy Spirit, which was powerful, but what were they saying? What were they saying as they went out? Acts 2, verse 42. Speaking of the apostles, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, which is didache, the act of teaching and fellowship, and the breaking of bread and in prayers. These are the members. They continued in the approach of the apostles' doctrine. And flip ahead to Acts 5, verse 12. And it says, And through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were done among the people, and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, both or multitudes of both men and women. And so they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least a shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities of Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Not long after this account here, the apostles were brought before the high priests because of the doctrines that they were teaching with authority, was moving people. God was working with people. His word was going out and people were being convicted. But because they spoke with authority. Acts 5, verse 27, just flipping ahead to verse 27. And when they had brought them, speaking of the disciples, they set them before the council, and the high priest asked them, saying, Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?

And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your didache, with your act of teaching, and intended to bring this man's blood on us. But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to the right hand to be the prince and savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

And we are his witness to these things. And so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. That is speaking with authority. Here you are in front of the leaders, those questioning why you're even out doing this. And then you respond back with authoritative statements like this, doctrinally sound statements. That's powerful. And as we evaluate what we must be about today, we often turn to Paul's letters to Timothy as we've already referenced some. But let's again go to 1 Timothy chapter 1 because they are full of instruction on what you and I should be doing today and the way that we should be living our lives today.

This is 1 Timothy 1 again. Verse 3. 1 Timothy 1 and verse 3. Paul says, As I urged you, when I went up into Macedonia, Remain in Ephesus. I read all this, didn't I? I'm going to have to pause because I think we did read through all this. I do have other passages.

I don't want to just, for the sake of time, just read through it. But let me just read verse 1 again. As I urged you, when I went into Macedonia, Remain in Ephesus, that you may charge some of them that they teach no other doctrines. And then skipping down to verse 10, he says, If there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, He went through that hocus that we already read through, saying, All these things are not sound, but stick to what is sound.

And he says in verse 11, According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. Let's flip ahead to chapter 4 in verse 13 here in 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy 4 in verse 13. Here Paul says later in the same book, Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Paul is telling Timothy here, don't just put these things in the back of your mind.

Don't just know them, but say, I'm going to go on and live my life. I'm going to make the decisions I want to make. He's saying to remember them, to apply them to his life. Because if he applies them to his life, he can then help apply them and help encourage others with the same doctrine, the same teachings. Continuing on in verse 16, Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you. Flip ahead to the next book, 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 13.

In the second letter that Paul again wrote, 2 Timothy 1 verse 13, he says here again to Timothy, Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. The good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in you, or which dwells in us. He's saying, hold fast, stand firm on these teachings, the sound doctrine that you have, because it will lead your life. It will lead you to help others change their lives. And not only will we make it to the kingdom, but we'll be able to help others make it to the kingdom as well.

This is the power and the importance of the sound doctrine. So why is doctrine important? What does doctrine do for you and me today? Doctrine is important because first and foremost, we love God. Because we love God, we want to follow His way. We want to follow His teaching. Because we know that He loved us first. That is in 1 John 4, verse 16. Let's go ahead and turn there, actually. Let's turn to 1 John 4, verse 15.

Because I think it's important that we don't just gloss over this point. Because we were loved first by God, 1 John 4, verse 15. Therefore we have lived and we do desire to live a changed life here today and for the rest of our lives. 1 John 4, verse 15. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him and He in God.

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love. And He who abides in love abides in God and God in Him. In verse 19. We love Him because He first loved us. We love Him because He first loved us. And we know there are scriptures that say because we were sinners. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. When you and I didn't have a hope, Christ came and He filled that gap so that we do have a hope.

When we follow and we change our lives and we commit our lives this way. Because God called us and then because we responded. And then we know, as I referenced earlier, John 14, verse 15. Where Christ says, if you love Me, keep My commandments.

So because of this love that God has for us, we want to know and understand Him. We want to study what it is that He wants us to do and what He has in store for us. And then because of this understanding, we should desire to follow His Word. Doctrine is also important because it provides stability for the Christian. It provides stability for the Christian. A solid understanding of Scripture will shape and change your life.

There is soundness in God's Word that will produce happiness and comfort to the one who will follow it. Life doesn't always happen the way we planned it. It doesn't always go according to our ideas and our minds. There are times we face challenges in life. I put myself back in some of your guy's shoes as teenagers. They had a lot going for you, and you still do. But there's times when life catches up to all of us. Trials come, disappointments come, disappointments. But understanding God's truth and the promises should give us comfort that He loves us and He's always with us. God's Word and His promises give us a hope and a joy that cannot be stolen away by anything in this life.

Sometimes people give away that hope. Sometimes we give away that joy because we feel like the weight of the trial is too much. The challenge that we're going through is too much. And so we may give away part of our joy. We may give away part of that hope. But it can't be taken from us. It can only be given away because our hope and our joy is rock solid on God's promises. On the way that He looks at us, the way that He thinks about us.

That hope that no matter what happens in this life, our future is secure with God. That is His gift that He's given to us. And it can't be taken away unless we give it away. These are the things that doctrine provides, stability, because we have a Savior that overcame the world. He overcame death. And because of His overcoming, we can have a relationship with God and be called His children. This is part of that stability that we have from sound doctrine.

The other thing that doctrine provides is it is important because it provides unity among Christians. Sound doctrine provides a foundation that we together can build our lives on and all know that we are in this together. Doctrine simplifies our discussions because when it comes down to our fundamental beliefs, we should all agree upon what they are based on, the Scripture from God. This naturally creates unity and that the core of what we all believe is the same. This helps us to avoid disputes over why we observe the Sabbath or why we observe the Holy Days because we're all in agreement. We don't disagree on unclean and unclean meats. We agree on the importance of baptism and what it means for the Christian. This unity is important because there is so much disagreement in society right now. And I believe most of it is because people do not have anything rock solid to base their lives on. If you were to go ask your coworkers or you go ask your colleagues in college or in school, what is something rock solid that you have in your life? I can bet more times than not it's going to be based on people or based on money, based on things that they can grab, things that they can acquire themselves, things that they can control. But will they say that their life is based on the rock solid foundation of Christ? I hope we all can say that. I hope you and I can say that. Because it's like the parable of the wise man who built his house on solid rock. That house stood the test of time. It stood the shaking. It stood the storms. But Christ in that same parable says the foolish man built his on the sand. And the storm beat on that house and its fall was great. So when we compare our lives to what most people in this world have, is we have a solid foundation and doctrine that most people don't have. They have solid foundations that they think is solid on money, on fame, on their jobs, on their careers, on their family, on their health. All things that can disappear in a matter of minutes in a lot of cases. That's why Paul again told Timothy in 1 Timothy 1 verse 3. Third time we'll go to it today. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some of them that they teach no other doctrine.

Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

So in summary this afternoon, our doctrines and our beliefs must be based on the Word of God. We cannot alter the Word of God. We can't change it. This is His inspired Word. We don't add to it. We don't take away from it. Our responsibility is to be like the Bereans who search the Scriptures daily.

We must recognize where understanding comes from. And this understanding comes from His Word. The closing Scripture. Let's look at 1 John 5 in verse 13. 1 John 5 in verse 13.

Here the Apostle John says, We know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

This is the key part here in verse 20. We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true. And His Son Jesus Christ, this is the true God of eternal life.

So let us continue, each of us, to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. And let us continue to rely on these sound teachings, this doctrine as the foundation of our lives.

Thank you.