Monday, April 24, 2006
Why Teach Your People Sound Doctrine?
Dear Friends,
Let us teach not what our church members' itching ears want to hear, but what the Bible says to be true. Return with me to the historic practice of teaching sound doctrine.
Titus 2:1 You must teach [lit. speak] what is in accord with sound doctrine.
Why is the teaching of sound doctrine so important? Among other reasons, which you may add, are these five:
1. Sound doctrine brings glory to Jesus Christ.
If you wanted to make me sound good, you would need to leave some things out and make some things up! But to bring the most glory to Jesus Christ, you need to tell the truth. Leaving out part of the Bible's teaching about Christ, or getting something wrong as far as interpretation brings Him less glory than He deserves.
2. Sound doctrine brings the Gospel to sinners.
If I gave directions to my church location that were incomplete or slightly wrong, the visitor might still find the place. But he would be best served by complete, correct directions. In the same way, the sinner is best brought to Christ by true doctrine about man, sin, Jesus, salvation, etc.
3. Sound doctrine brings encouragement to believers.
Titus 1:9 . . . so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine . . .
Our church members have trouble of various kinds. A misinterpretation of Romans 8:28 or Proverbs 22:6, for instance, can weaken the faith of a believer. Good doctrine, however, about God's faithfulness, can build up the weak.
4. Sound doctrine brings protection to believers.
Cultic groups, as well as Christian groups that preach much false doctrine mixed with true, can ruin the lives of believers who fall into their traps.
Titus 1:10-11 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. (11) They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach--and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
A Christian who has heard a steady stream of good doctrine from his pastor is unlikely to believe the lies of these kinds of groups.
5. Sound doctrine brings unity to the church.
Some disunity in the church comes as a result of petty squabbling over issues with no spiritual significance, (like the color of the carpet) due to the sin nature in each church member. Other disunity comes from arguments over matters of belief or practice that are not perfectly clear in the scriptures. (Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli did not agree about the Lord's Supper, for example.) Teaching sound doctrine does not necessarily treat these two causes of disunity in the church.
Much disunity can be avoided, however, and harmony acheived when the church as a whole has learned from its elders and other teachers the truth of the essential points of doctrine.
Ephesians 4:11-13a) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, (12) to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (13) until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
Join me in preaching and teaching the lost and our dear church members the truth of the essential points of doctrine. We will bring glory to Christ, bring the Gospel to sinners, bring encouragement and protection to the believers, and bring unity to the church.
Please add your comments, which are very welcome here.
Love in Christ,
Jeff
Comments:
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JRY,
Three things (among many) I have learned as I approach my 1 year anniversary as pastor:
1. Too many people have gone to church for practically their entire life without ever hearing sound biblical teaching. (that is our fault as ministers and it's not just a "liberal" issue)
2. Most people are hungry for the teaching of the word of God. After only one year, if I walked into the pulpit, preached for 30 minutes, and never opened the bible to show them what God had to say, I think my people would kick me out - and rightly so!
3. If I have any hope of being a teacher of sound doctrine then I better have my nosed buried in the scriptures all week long and then beg for God's mercy on me as I feebly attempt to tell the church what He said.
Three things (among many) I have learned as I approach my 1 year anniversary as pastor:
1. Too many people have gone to church for practically their entire life without ever hearing sound biblical teaching. (that is our fault as ministers and it's not just a "liberal" issue)
2. Most people are hungry for the teaching of the word of God. After only one year, if I walked into the pulpit, preached for 30 minutes, and never opened the bible to show them what God had to say, I think my people would kick me out - and rightly so!
3. If I have any hope of being a teacher of sound doctrine then I better have my nosed buried in the scriptures all week long and then beg for God's mercy on me as I feebly attempt to tell the church what He said.
I always enjoy reading your blog and look forward to your new posts. Sound doctrine is indeed important and as Titus says, we are to teach it accordingly.
However, I am convinced that Christianity is a lot more than just teaching sound doctrine. It is more about obedience to sound doctrine.
What good does it do to teach sound doctrine and people not live accordingly? Head knowledge is not what the Christian faith is all about, and yet it would seem that many think it is so!
Most U.S. church folks "know" a lot more Bible than the people whom we work amongst overseas. But I dare say the believers here live the little they know far more seriously than most Christians I have run across there in the States.
Which of the two following Christians do you think pleases the Father most?
1) The new believer who has been taught only ten things and is applying/living/obeying 8 of those 10 areas, or
2) The believer who has been in church all his life, been taught all the right doctrines, knows his Bible, but is only living/obeying/applying less than half of what he knows?
However, I am convinced that Christianity is a lot more than just teaching sound doctrine. It is more about obedience to sound doctrine.
What good does it do to teach sound doctrine and people not live accordingly? Head knowledge is not what the Christian faith is all about, and yet it would seem that many think it is so!
Most U.S. church folks "know" a lot more Bible than the people whom we work amongst overseas. But I dare say the believers here live the little they know far more seriously than most Christians I have run across there in the States.
Which of the two following Christians do you think pleases the Father most?
1) The new believer who has been taught only ten things and is applying/living/obeying 8 of those 10 areas, or
2) The believer who has been in church all his life, been taught all the right doctrines, knows his Bible, but is only living/obeying/applying less than half of what he knows?
Dear Brother Guy,
You are right on. I would much rather have an obedient ignorant Christian that a disobedient seminary graduate.
BUT
That does not release us from the goal of training our church members to be both obedient and knowledgeable.
Love in Christ,
Jeff
Post a Comment
You are right on. I would much rather have an obedient ignorant Christian that a disobedient seminary graduate.
BUT
That does not release us from the goal of training our church members to be both obedient and knowledgeable.
Love in Christ,
Jeff
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