A love for Bible doctrine!
Following up on last
Sunday’s lesson as we unpacked the great truth of what theologians call the immutability
of God we learned that Bible doctrine (teaching) and theology are crucial to
the foundation of our faith and trust in God. This week I read this article and thought it really emphasizes
what I tried to communicate last week abut the importance of Bible
doctrine. This article comes from
an on-line magazine called ‘Pulpit’ which I would highly recommend you read if
you are interested in leading in a Biblical ministry. www.shepherdsfellowship.org/pulpit
Doctrine IS Practical
Monday, Apr 13, 2009
(By John MacArthur)
I have in my library a book by the
spiritual father of a quasi-Christian cult. It argues that structured doctrine
and systematized theology are contrary to the spirit of Jesus’ ministry.
The idea that Christ is anti-doctrine
is a foundational belief of that cult. But no idea is further from the truth.
The word doctrine simply means “teaching.” And it’s ludicrous to say that
Christ is anti-teaching. The central imperative of His Great Commission is the
command to teach (Matthew 28:18-20).
Unfortunately, cultists aren’t alone
in their bias against doctrine. Some evangelicals have almost the same
perspective. Because they view doctrine as heady and theoretical, they dismiss
it as unimportant, divisive, threatening, or simply impractical.
People often ask why I emphasize
doctrine so much. Now and then someone tells me frankly that my preaching needs
to be less doctrinal and more practical.
Of course, practical application is
vital. I don’t want to minimize its importance. But if there is a deficiency in
preaching today, it is that there’s too much relational, pseudopsychological,
and thinly life-related content, and not enough emphasis on sound doctrine.
The distinction between doctrinal and
practical truth is artificial; doctrine is practical! In fact, nothing is more
practical than sound doctrine.
The pastor who turns away from
preaching sound doctrine abdicates the primary responsibility of an elder: “holding
fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he will
be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict”
(Titus 1:9). We teach truth, we teach error, or we teach nothing at all.
Building on the Truth
Practical insights, gimmicks, and
illustrations mean little if they’re not attached to divine principle. There’s
no basis for godly behavior apart from the truth of God’s Word. Before the
preacher asks anyone to perform a certain duty, he must first deal with
doctrine. He must develop his message around theological themes and draw out
the principles of the texts. Then the truth can be applied.
Romans provides the clearest example.
Paul doesn’t give any exhortation until he has given eleven chapters of theology.
He scales incredible heights of
truth, culminating in 11:33-36, where he says, “Oh, the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and
unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became
His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him
again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the
glory forever. Amen.”
Then in chapter 12, he turns
immediately to the practical consequences of the doctrine of the first 11
chapters. No passage in Scripture captures the Christian’s responsibility in
the face of truth more clearly than Romans 12:1-2.
Resting on eleven chapters of
profound doctrine, Paul calls each believer to a supreme act of spiritual
worship — giving oneself as a living sacrifice. Doctrine gives rise to
dedication to Christ, the greatest practical act. And the remainder of the book
of Romans goes on to explain the many practical outworkings of one’s dedication
to Christ.
He follows the same pattern in
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 Thessalonians. The
doctrinal message comes first. Upon that foundation he builds the practical
application, making the logical connection with the word therefore
(Romans 1:1; Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 2:1) or then (Colossians
3:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:1).
Living by the Truth
We have imposed an artificial meaning
on the word doctrine. We’ve made it something abstract and threatening,
unrelated to daily living. That has brought about the disastrous idea that
preaching and teaching are unrelated to living.
The scriptural concept of doctrine
includes the entire message of the gospel — its teaching about God, salvation,
sin, and righteousness. Those concepts are so tightly bound to daily living
that the first-century mind did not see them as something separate from
practical truth.
The New Testament church was founded
on a solid base of doctrine. First Timothy 3:16 contains what many expositors
believe is an early church hymn: “God was manifest in the flesh, justified in
the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the
world, received up into glory” (KJV). There, in capsule form, is the basis of
all Christian teaching. Without that, no practical application matters.
Departing from the Truth
The next few verses of 1 Timothy
describe what happens when men depart from the basis of biblical truth: “Some
will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and
doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own
conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate
abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those
who believe and know the truth” (4:1-3).
Lying, hypocrisy, a dulled
conscience, and false religious practices all have roots in wrong doctrine.
No ministry activity is more
important than rightly understanding and clearly proclaiming sound doctrine. In
1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, Paul commissions two young men to the ministry. His
central theme is the importance of adhering to sound doctrine.
Paul charged Timothy: “In pointing
out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus,
constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which
you have been following” (1 Timothy 4:6). “Pay close attention to yourself and
to your teaching,” Paul adds, “persevere in these things, for as you do this
you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (v.
16).
Titus 2:10 says we “adorn [or honor]
the doctrine of God” by how we live. When it comes to affirming sound doctrine,
what we do carries far more significance than what we say. That’s why it’s
disastrous when a pastor, seminary professor, or any kind of Christian leader
fails morally. The message he proclaims is that his doctrine becomes merely an
intellectual exercise.
Hearing the Truth
True doctrine transforms behavior as
it is woven into the fabric of everyday life. But it must be understood if it
is to have its impact. The real challenge of the ministry is to dispense the
truth clearly and accurately. Practical application comes easily by comparison.
No believer can apply truth he doesn’t
know. Those who don’t know the Bible’s principles for marriage, divorce,
family, childrearing, discipline, money, debt, work, service to Christ,
responsibilities to the poor, care of widows, response to governments, eternal
rewards, and other teachings will not be able to apply them.
Those who don’t’ know what the Bible teaches about
salvation cannot be saved. Those who don’t know what the Bible teaches about
holiness are incapable of dealing with sin. Thus they are unable to live fully
to God’s glory and their own blessedness.