Why Sound Doctrine Matters

Sound doctrine matters because it is the only way to have healthy teaching that nourishes healthy believers. Sound doctrine with the Apostolic Gospel as its framework will serve to bring clarity, establish consistency and empower the faith community. Clarity is vital in a time of confusion, consistency is crucial in a time of apostasy, and sound doctrine is essential for the faith community. Here is why these issues matter.

Introduction

In the time of Samuel's youth, revelation from God speaking was rare and prophetic vision infrequent (1 Samuel 3:1b). It was a time of sin and apostasy with a corrupt priesthood. Centuries later, Amos spoke of a famine of 'hearing the words of the LORD' (Amos 8:11). Hosea pointed out how God's people perish for 'lack of knowledge,' because they have forgotten the law of their God and rejected His word (Hosea 4:6). Without God's Word, people perish, stumble and go astray. God gave His Law through Moses and then constantly and consistently sent prophets to point people back to His Word. His word carries life. Israel had to learn that human beings do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deuteronomy 8:1-3). In the time of Amos, Hosea and Isaiah, the hearts of most of God's people were far away from God, although they praised Him with their lips (Isaiah 29:13). It was a time of sin and apostasy with a corrupt leadership. Similar also in Jeremiah's time: Temple ritual was ongoing but morality was lacking (Jeremiah 7) and leaders were enriching themselves at the expense of the people (Jeremiah 23). So it was in Samuel's time. When God's people live in sin and do not seek their God, the lack of vision, revelation, prophecy and clarity of doctrine and direction will cause confusion and lead God's people astray.

Jesus comapred His own day with that of the Hebrew prophets (Matthew 15:7-8; 21:13). When human hearts are corrupted, they cannot hear God, are subject to the famine of God's word and perish for lack of knowledge. But the gospel is the light that penetrates darkness. Preaching Christ breaks the spiritual blindness that holds people captive (2 Corinthians 4:1-6; read more). Jesus is the Light of the world who enlightens the hearts of people (John 1:1-9; 8:12; 9:5; cf., Matthew 4:13-16). The gospel brings clarity of doctrine, the power to be persistent in healthy biblical teaching, and spiritual well-being to the community of faith through accurate creeds. By abiding in the sound doctrine of Christ, we are not subject to spiritual blindness, nor in danger of deception or apostasy. Although we are not immune to the temptations of heresy and lying spirits, we will be able to discern and remain in the truth that set us and keeps us free.

1 Clarity

Clarity is of vital importance in a time of confusion. False teachings and heresies often have an appealing side to them, yet they are deceptive and deadly. The 'forbidden fruit' looked appealing, yet was deadly to humanity. The gospel brings clarity in times of confusion and must remain central (see why). The light of the gospel is the glory of Christ and through it God lets light shine in our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:4-6). Therefore, we are to be faithful stewards of the revealed gospel mystery (vv 1-2) and preach Christ and not ourselves (vv 3-5), and we preach Him as Lord (see why). Clarity comes from preaching Christ and the gospel as passed down by the apostles. Confusion comes from people preaching themselves and their own ideas or 'visions' contrary to apostolic doctrine. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). With clarity of biblical doctrine come clarity and peace of mind.

The early church lived in the clarity of doctrine by abiding in the apostles' teaching (Acts 2:42). Apostolic doctrine was one of the main aspects of church life in Acts, as described by Luke (vv 42-47). Abiding in the doctrine of Christ is vital and the only way to be in fellowship with God (2 John 9). Paul urged the believers in the region of ancient Galatia not to fall for a false gospel or follow false teaching (Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-5). He warned the Christians at Corinth about the demonic deceptions by false apostles (2 Corinthians 11). Their scheming is like the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Paul was worried that the faith community would be mislead by confusion, as Eve was in Paradise (v 3). The church is, figuratively speaking, the Bride of Christ and should live in 'sincere and pure devotion to Christ' (v 2). Unfortunately, they were open for 'another Jesus,' a 'different spirit' and a 'different gospel' (v 4), yet the source of this demonic heresy were 'false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ,' just as the devil can masquerade as 'an angel of light' (vv 14-15). Paul sought to bring them back to the true gospel of Jesus Christ, the only way to have clarity of faith. Today, the same spiritual dynamics are at work and similar herectical dangers are looming around us. We need to know how these work and how to handle them.

Here is how the devil works: before he directly contradicts the word of God, he seeks to make people insecure by sowing seeds of confusion. The 'serpent's cunning' (v 3 NIV) or 'trickery' (NASB) or 'treachery' (NET) Paul is referring to, goes back to the original Fall into sin (Genesis 3). Although God was absolutely clear regarding what they can and what they cannot do, the cunning and shrewd serpent first questioned God's command, then undermined it by implying that something is wrong with it and finally tempted Eve to break God's commandment by offering 'something better' than what God had to offer. This is the lie of deception, sown like a seed of doubt and confusion. He directly contradicted God's word regarding the consequences of breaking God's commandments. The deception is in making sin appealing while hiding the dramatic consequences of it. The serpent was playing on the human impulse of immediate gratification, rather than trusting God without compromising on what He said. Eve listened to another source and came under its power. Paul wrote of the prince of the power of the air that rules through disobedience (Ephesians 2:1-3). God's children are to live obediently to God in the clarity of God's word. Jesus demonstrated how to resist the devil: by obeying God's word and the proper interpretation of it. The devil tried to mislead even Jesus, first by directly challenging Him to disobey God, then by tricking Jesus to disobey a false interpretation of God's word (Matthew 4:1-10).

Biblical instruction brings clarity. We need to be clear on what we believe and why we believe it. The centre of all doctrine is Christ, the Saviour. He is the irreplaceable foundation. The gospel is the framework for all doctrine. The aim of his instruction, Paul wrote, is love (1 Timothy 1:5). Love is central to all biblical teaching. Love is one of the central aspects of the Law: love for God is to obey Him; love for people is to seek what is best for them and never do them any harm. That's why love is the fulfilment of the Law (Romans 13:8-10) and the proper expression of true freedom (Galatians 5:13-26). All sinful behaviour is contrary to the Law and contrary to the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 1:6-11). The sound docrtine of the gospel is according to godliness (6:3). We can have clarity by affirming the centrality of love and godliness in our faith and conduct. People who teach contrary to these aspects are false teachers (1:6-7; 6:4-5). As we establish the central tenets of biblical doctrine, we will have clarity regarding our faith and conduct. This clarity enables us to be consistent.

2 Consistency

Consistency is crucial. Without consistency, we are in danger of falling away. There will be a great apostasy due to false doctrines, deceiving imposters and the increase of lawlessness (Matthew 24:8-12); yet those who endure to the end will be saved (v 13). The gospel will be preached to all the nations as a testimony to Christ (v 14) despite the betrayal and falsehood all around us. In order to have consistency, we need clarity. In the end times, people will completely abadon God's Law and turn cold due to lawlessness. Instead of love and loaylty, there will be hatred and betrayal. All this is due to demonic deception. We need sound doctrine to keep us from these false prophets and teachers and be healthy in our faith and lifestyle. There can be no spiritual healthy without doctrinal health. Just as hygiene is vital for physical health, pure doctrine is crucial for spiritual health.

Paul instructed Timothy, his son in the faith, to continue in the things he had learned and came convinced of, the truth of the 'sacred writings' (Hebrew Bible) and the salvation which is in Christ. The inspired Scriptures make wise, point to Christ and equipp us for life and ministry (2 Timothy 3:14-17). We learn to rightly and accurately handle the word of truth (2:15) and stand firm in the face of confusion and heresy (4:1-4). Clarity makes consistency possible. As we mature in Christ, we will no longer be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine by the trickery of man inspired by the devil and teaching things contrary to Scripture (Ephesians 4:13-15). As we are equipped by God's faithful stewards (vv 11-12), we also find our place in the body of Christ, the church, and can fulfil our function in harmony with others (v 16).

Paul also predicted the great apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2) and explained the main reason for it: people did not love the truth (v 10). The love of the truth makes us consistent in the faith, even when the truth is sometimes tough to hear and cuts to the heart. But God is, by way of illustration, like a surgeon, not a butcher: both use knives, yet for different reasons and with different purposes. The truth of Christ's word sets people free from the power of sin (John 8:31-36). As a 'surgeon,' God cuts away what harms us in order to prevent negative consequences.

When many of the other disciples left Jesus, Peter remained consistent with Jesus because He had the words of eternal life (John 6:66-68). His words are Spirit and life (v 63). We can be consistent as we hold on to the word of life and shine as God's children in the midst of the corruption around us, as we outwork our salvation with consistency (Philippians 2:12-16). God is the One who will finish the work He started in us (1:6). He is able to keep us from stumbling (Jude 24-25). As a faith community we must also look out for one another and carry one another's burdens in fulfilling the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:1-2). We are to serve others in humility and take responsibility to carry our own load (vv 3-5). The idea is not to keep people needy and constantly do everything for them. Each member has to learn and grow and outwork their salvation by taking responsibility for their own lives. We help others do so. Consistency is easier when we are part of a good and health faith community.

3 Community

Sound doctrine is essential for the faith community. Without healthy teaching there can be no healthy believers and churches. Sound doctrine in line with the gospel of Jesus Christ and in harmony with God's Law are the healthy nourishment for the faith community (1 Timothy 1:5-11). The seeds of His words sown in the soil of humble hearts eager to obey will bring forth a harvest to God's glory (Mark 4; Matthew 13). There are all sorts of distractions that quench, distort or pollute our understanding of God's truth, which will result in a failed harvest. Receiving God's word with humility and teachability with a heart to obey Him, is the good soil that will make a harvest flourish. Instread of the deeds of the flesh (sinful things), the fruit of the Spirit will come forth (divine charateristics) as an expression of true freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:13-26). This is what it means to be heavenly-minded (Colossians 3; see Q3).

The faith community is to be the temple of God on earth where God dwells by His Spirit. Each believer is individually a temple of the Spirit; and faith communities are corporately such. Ephesians 2 illustrates this beautifully: sinners are lost in sin (vv 1-3), but can be saved by grace through faith (vv 4-9) and embrace God's purpose for their lives (v 10). Once alienated from God, people are brought into peace with God through Christ based on the atonement of His blood at the cross (vv 11-17). Once under the tyrannical rule of the prince of the power of the air (vv 1-3), believers can now have access to God through His Spirit because of Christ (v 18), becoming citizens in God's household (v 19) and part of God's covenant with its blessings (v 13). The foundation for this new reality of salvation is the apostolic witness of Christ and the gospel, Jesus being the central element in this analogy of a building (v 20). In Christ this spiritual temple is held together and serves as God's dwelling on earth (vv 21-22). God's people are no longer under the control of the devil, but live in the presence of God. That is the gospel transformation through Christ and the work of God's Spirit in people. The gospel is the central aspect and the 'bridge' between living lost in sin and saved in God's presence, and by implication, in holiness.

The faith community is to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, doing good works for God's glory (Matthew 5:13-16). The church is to shine blamelessly 'like stars in the sky' in the midst of the darkness of corruption (Philippians 2:14-15). The believers as a community of faith can be light in the world by outwoking the salvation Christ has given us (v 12), empowered by God to do His will and fulfil His good purpose (v 13) and by holding firmly to 'the word of life,' God's word (v 16). Apart from His word we cannot fulfil our function in the world. We are not only to be saved by Christ (Acts 2:38-39), but also saved from the perversity and corruption in our generation (v 40). Accepting the gospel message and being immersed into Christ by faith baptism, adds to the community of faith (v 41). As a faith community, we are to be devoted to the apostles' teaching (gospel), fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer (v 42), as well as sharing with others in love and meeting to worship and praise the God who saved us and brought us together to serve Him by serving people around us (vv 43-47). This is the type of faith community that grows naturally (v 47b).

The central aspects must be Christ, His truth in the gospel and God's divine love as the expression of being God's children. We are to live in faith working through love (Galatians 5:6) and speak the truth in love in a mature way that edifies others (Ephesians 4:13-16). The faith community grows as each member finds his or her place based on healthy doctrine rooted in Christ. The aim of apostolic instruction must be love from a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5), a lifestyle that reflects the purpose of Law in line with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ (vv 6-11). Love is the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and fulfilment of the Law (Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13-14). God's children are to live in love (Ephesians 5:1-2) and express that they truly are His disciples (John 13:34-35).

Conclusion: Why Sound Doctrine Matters

Sound doctrine matters for us to have clarity of faith and consistency of conduct. As such, we will be able to live in a healthy manner as a faith community and fulfill God's greatest and fundamental commandment: to live in love and bless the world around us. All sinful behaviour is contrary to the Law and the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, who has called us to live in sound doctrine and godliness for God's glory. Abiding in sound doctrine is the anti-dote to the famine of God's word and the perishing for lack of knowledge. It will keep us from falling into sin and lawlessness, growing cold in our hearts and betraying others under the influence of deception. We are to live in love from a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith. We are to express the love of God as His children and fulfil the greatest commandment—love.