THE NOURISHMENT OF THE CHURCH VIA SOUND DOCTRINE (Part 1)
(The Church – God’s Masterpiece – Pt. 7)
by Dennis Rokser
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine whereunto thou hast attained
This was sound biblical counsel from the wise apostle Paul to younger pastor Timothy in Ephesus. These words echo the post-cross instructions of Jesus Christ to the apostle Peter when our Lord pointedly told him…
Feed my lambs (John 21:15)
Heeding their Lord and Savior’s instructions, Luke capsulizes the elements and gathering of the infant church right after Pentecost when he wrote….
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42)
Dear readers, it is my conviction that the weakness of the church of Jesus Christ is not due to poor programming, but primarily due to poor teaching. The church is spiritually anorexic and anemic; inhaling large amounts of pop-psychology and church growth methodology ad infinitum, ad nauseum. No wonder someone has quipped, "The average believer today can’t discern the difference between green grass and astroturf." Observing this trend years ago, the late Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer wrote in the preface of his systematic theology these insightful words,
"It is a short step indeed from the ignorance of doctrine to the rejection and ridicule of it…"1
Dr. Chafer also emphatically penned…
"Since doctrine is the bone structure of the body of revealed truth; the neglect of it must result in a message characterized by uncertainties, inaccuracies, and immaturity."2
Bingo! What a vivid description of the evangelized church as a whole in the U.S.A. which has replaced doctrine with drama, and biblical content with charismania. But what is sound doctrine? And why is sound doctrine so desperately needed in the church today?
WHAT IS SOUND DOCTRINE?
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. (1 Timothy 1:10)
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. (2 Timothy 4:3)
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. (Titus 1:9)
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1)
The phrase "sound doctrine" is derived from two Greek words. The first is translated "sound" (hugiano) which refers to that which is healthy in character and life-giving in effect. Friberg adds that figuratively, "hugiano" refers to doctrinal teaching which is "correct, accurate, sound." The word "doctrine" (didaskalia) refers to systematic instruction or teaching. Thus "sound doctrine" is the accurate, wholesome, systematic teaching of the Word of God which leads to spiritual health and vitality.
This reminds me of the television commercial that says "you like milk and it shows" and "milk does the body good." Should this not be especially true when it comes to the spiritual health of the church, the body and bride of Jesus Christ?
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. (1 Pt. 2:2)
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)
WHY IS SOUND DOCTRINE SO IMPORTANT?
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim. 3:15-17)
These verses underscore for us both the authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures in their ability to lead one to salvation (vs. 15), spiritual maturity (vs. 17a) and service for our Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 17b). But notice what is first on the list: "and is profitable for doctrine." Should it then surprise us to find out that Paul’s method of epistolary
teaching was to first lay down doctrine in the beginning part of his letters, followed then by exhortation and application? Examine this pattern closely by his use of imperative verbs (commands) in Romans and Ephesians.3Romans Ephesians
3:4 12:19 14:15 16:10 2:11 5:8 6:11
6:11 12:20 14:16 16:11 4:25 5:11 6:13
6:12 12:21 14:20 16:12 4:26 5:14 6:14
6:19 13:1 14:22 16:13 4:27 5:15 6:17
7:7 13:3 15:2 16:14 4:28 5:17
10:6 13:4 15:7 16:16 4:29 5:18
11:9 13:7 15:10 16:17 4:30 5:25
11:10 13:8 15:11 4:31 5:36
11:18 13:9 16:3 4:32 6:1
11:20 13:14 16:5 5:1 6:2
11:22 14:1 16:6 5:2 6:4
12:2 14:3 16:7 5:3 6:5
12:14 14:5 16:8 5:6 6:9
12:16 14:13 16:9 5:7 6:10
Pastors and teachers do well to hear and heed this Pauline pattern as God always gives us revelation before He requires a response. God wants you to know what He has done and provided for you by His grace before He asks/commands you to trust and obey. Both sides are needed; otherwise, you will dump the truck doctrinally on your audience each Sunday and Wednesday, though those in the pew will not have a clue as to where it applies or how it works. This can lead to license. On the other hand, there are believers who get systematically exhorted to death and live with great guilt or self-righteousness through self-effort because they have never been taught their position and possessions in Christ. This can lead to legalism. What is the solution and balance?
Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. (1 Timothy 4:13)
Biblical instruction is best accomplished by faithful, expository, verse by verse teaching. In doing so, the preacher’s favorite hobby horses and possible mis-emphases are replaced with him preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God (Acts 20:27). But what is the goal of all this? Is learning sound doctrine to be an end in itself or a means to a greater end?
But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5, NASB)
Thus, sound doctrine is essential for proper spiritual growth and service.
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Tim. 4:1-4)
What does God command the pastor to faithfully do? "Preach the Word."
What is the method to be used? He is to "Preach" – not speculate, philosophize, or dramatize. What is the message to be given? It is "the Word" – not Hallmark cards, not self-esteem non-sense, not one story after another. Is this a mandate from God? Absolutely YES! "Preach" is an aorist, active, imperative. How is this to be done? "Be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine."The pastor’s highest priority towards the flock of God entrusted to his care is to spiritually feed them the Word of God. This is clearly demonstrated in the "pastoral" epistles by way of emphasis.
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. (1 Timothy 4:6)
These things command and teach. (1 Tim. 4:11)
Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. (1 Timothy 4:13)
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. (1 Timothy 4:16)
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. (1 Timothy 5:17)
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings. (1 Timothy 6:3-4)
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:13)
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2:15)
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience. (2 Timothy 3:10)
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (2 Tim. 4:2)
But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour. (Titus 1:3)
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. (Titus 1:9)
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1)
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. (Titus 2:7)
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. (Titus 2:15)
Did you catch the point? God lays great responsibility upon every pastor-teacher to hold fast to sound doctrine and to faithfully communicate the Word of God to the people of God.
But what happens when people no longer desire sound doctrine?
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. (2 Timothy 4:3)
These teachers will give their audiences what the people want ("but after their own lusts"), instead of what God says they need. Vincent wisely comments, "If the people desire a calf to worship, a ministerial calf-maker is readily found."4 In our day of "feel good religion," solid preaching will cause great conviction at times. Instead of a pat on the back, the Word of God may deliver a swift and serious kick in the pants (or the dresses). Thus, the bottom-line is not, "Do the people want it?", but "Has God said it?"
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, (2 Timothy 4:4a)
These people were not planning to defect from sound doctrine, but they are sliding down the slippery slope towards apostasy. And in the context, it appears that Paul is referring to the believers at Ephesus whom Timothy is teaching. Before they realize it, you might hear from their lips, "I don’t believe that any longer."
Evangelical pastors and theologians can learn from the mainline experience of placing relevance above truth. We must avoid the lure of novelty and soft sell, which, we are told, will make it easier for moderns to believe. Methods may change, but never the message…. We are called to be faithful stewards of a great and reliable theological heritage. We have truths to affirm and errors to avoid. We must not try to make these truths more appealing or user friendly by watering them down. We must guard against a trendy "theological bungee-jumping" that merely entertains the watching crowd.5
… and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Tim. 4:4b)
The spiritual vacuum that is produced by not hearing and heeding sound doctrine is now filled with myths (muthos). But since biblical teaching is no longer the measuring stick for discerning truth from error, these nice-sounding fabrications of human imagination or demonic indoctrination are embraced as God’s "truth."
Unfortunately, you can attend some "evangelical" churches and never hear an individual message or a series of studies on false gospels, eternal security, the second coming of Christ, the issue of tongues, etc. Why not? Because they are viewed as controversial and destructive to the pseudo-unity of the church (as if there can be true unity apart from sound doctrine).
If this is so important, why don't believers in Christ desire sound doctrine?
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Heb. 4:12)
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:10-12)
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mk. 4:18-19)
Someone has wisely commented,
"…preachers today have no authority for preaching their own notions and opinions; they must "preach the word"–the apostolic Word recorded in the Scriptures. Whenever preachers depart from the purpose and intent of biblical portion, to that extent they lose their authority to preach. In short, the purpose of reading, explaining, and applying a portion of Scripture is to obey the command to "preach the Word." In no other way may we expect to experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our preaching. He did not spend thousands of years producing the Old and New Testaments (in a sense, the Bible is peculiarly His Book) only to ignore it! What He "moved" men to write He now motives us to preach. He has not promised to bless our word; that promise extends only to His own (Isa. 55:10,11)."6
To be continued next time.
Footnotes:
Return to
GFJ 1999 menu.Return to
Grace Family Journal menu.Return to
Home page