Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Statement Of Faith

Introduction Part 3

INTRO: 'Does it really matter what I believe? I go to a Bible teaching church. Isn't that enough? I love Jesus, isn't that enough? I serve in ministry in my church. Isn't that enough?

 Do I have to believe all that stuff about sin and being born again? And do I have to believe that all those who don't believe those things are going to hell? How important is what I believe?

EXP: Jesus must have thought it was important. He asked His disciples 'who do the people say that I am?' It was only when Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God that Jesus blessed him.

TRANS:  Correct beliefs are important. Last week we saw that sound doctrine was important for spiritual growth and maturity. The next reason is...

  B. To Combat False Doctrine
READ: Eph. 4:14-16

DO NOT: Be like children. How do we act like children

1. When we are carried about by every wind of doctrine
 This means we are easily swayed and confused by what others tell us. We go back and forth on what we believe. We are 'carried about' which means (spun around, like a top that makes one dizzy). We are inconsistent in our beliefs and often comply with the thoughts and beliefs of others.

2. When we are carried about by the trickery of men
 Children are easily fooled. It is simple to beat them in games because as adults we can cheat without them catching on. This is the idea here. The word 'Trickery' in the Greek relates to 'dice playing' We would call it playing with loaded dice because it is not a fair game. False teachers are ever so subtle so as not to attract too much attention to their lies.

 But what is to be evident in the life of the mature believer so that he will not act like a child? How do we combat false teaching as mature believers in Christ?

DO: Speak the truth in love.

1. You must know the truth before you can speak it in love. Remember nothing comes out from the heart and     through the lips, I might add, that is not first found in the mind.

2. The phrase 'speaking the truth'  in the Greek implies       more than  just speech, it implies doing as well. It       could be translated 'dealing truly'.

3. We love. Our desire when combating false doctrine is always to restore the truth, as well as the brother or sister who has strayed from the truth.

 When you speak and do the truth in love you will combat false doctrine and foster both individual and corporate spiritual growth in the church.

How else do we combat false teaching...
Read:   1 Tim. 1:3-7

DO: Command certain men

1. Not to teach or follow false doctrine
 Paul had instructed Timothy to remain in Ephesus to stop certain men in the congregation who were teaching different doctrines than the ones Paul had taught.

 These kinds of people will always be in the church. And they will always be at work. Paul tells Timothy to tell these people to stop spreading lies. To do that you will need to know and be following sound doctrine for you to discern when others are straying from the truth.

2. Not to pay attention to myths or genealogies
 These men who were in the congregation teaching false doctrines were concentrating on those things which lacked any real spiritual value. Fables, opinions and genealogies.

Why is that bad?
 Because it involves speculation rather than relying on the truth.  And it only cause confusion and hides the truth. You see these people were inviting fruitless discussions because they lacked the true spiritual knowledge to be real teachers in the church.

 Romans 16:17 tells us to mark those who teach false doctrine.

READ: Rom. 16:17

DO: Mark those who cause distention

Keep your eye on, mark them as those who teach false doctrine and who cause dissension and division in the church. The tone here is very sharp and pointed. Let those who are doing this know you know about them.

 These are people who often say things that on the surface seem good and right. But they lack the understanding of sound biblical doctrine and are a hindrance to the overall ministry of the church. Many a pastor and church has been held hostage by people like that.

DO NOT: Follow after them

 Paul is making a strong statement here. Turn away from them. Do not support them and what they are doing. Do not let them influence you in any way. If need be, separate yourself from them.

Trans: Knowing sound doctrine is important to combat the false teachings that are ever present in the church. It is also important because we are told in God's Word ...

   C. To Teach and Hand Down the Truth

READ: 1 Tim. 4:11

DO: Prescribe and teach sound doctrine, and be a good example.

 The words 'prescribe' and 'teach' are in the present continuing tense. Timothy was to keep on doing theses two things.  As a church, we never get to the place where we can take a break from teaching sound doctrine and prescribing or commanding, insisting that our people follow it.

 To confirm the truth and relevance of sound doctrine, Paul says  be a good example of one who lives what he teaches. Those who teach with doctrine must also teach with their lives. A real challenge to all those who teach in the church.

READ: Deut. 6:4-9

DO: Teach sound doctrine to others

 This is the SHEMA, from the Hebrew word for 'Hear'. It  is the basic confession of faith for Judaism. It speaks of the truth of God, YHWH. That He is totally unlike any other pagan god. For He alone is God. We are to diligently teach this truth to our children, to those who may come into our homes, to those we may encounter as we walk the streets of life. We teach others with our voices and with our lives. The teaching never ends....lest we forget...lest others forget...and be led astray.

Trans: Knowing sound doctrine is important because we are told to teach truth to others. It is also important because we are commanded...

   D. To Hold Fast/Guard the Truth
READ: 1 Tim. 6:20

 Hold fast, cling to, hold on to it even in the midst of a great storm.

DO: Guard sound doctrine. How?

1. By avoiding worldly discussions
 These are conversations on things that are based on the worlds understanding...they are of the flesh and not of the spirit and thus have no spiritual benefit.

2. By avoiding empty discussions.
 These are conversations about things that are useless to discuss. Idle chatter, babbling, Paul calls it.

 This is what is used to cause many a dispute in the church. When one can not find fault in the areas of morality, or spirituality, they choose some other avenue.  Avoid these kinds of petty, empty discussions.

3. By avoiding false knowledge
 This has to do with issues of science and philosophy. Taking the theories of science and acting like they are facts, truths equal to God's Holy Word. Or trying to explain things by use of philosophy which is nothing more than the worlds perspective on the nature of humanity...instead of God's perspective given very clearly in His Word, the Bible.

READ: Titus 1:9

DO: Hold fast to sound doctrine. Why?

1. To exhort in sound doctrine

 Exhort means to encourage, to support and build up. We hold on to sound doctrine for the spiritual benefit of building up others.

2. To refute that which is false
 Titus was not to unite with or try to see eye to eye with the false teachers in the church. He was to hold on to sound doctrine and to silence them (vs 11), and rebuke them sharply, (vs 13). Hold on to the truth of sound doctrine because once truth is compromised, it can be easily swallowed up by lies. And the church will cease to be the church of God.

Conclusion:
 A wise man once said that your Christian life is like a three legged stool. The legs are doctrine, experience and practice. You will not stay upright unless all three legs are present.

 However, it is true that many churches have not kept the three together.

 Some have concentrated solely on doctrine (unfortunately this has been true of many hyper Calvinist churches)

 Some on experience (this is often true of  Charismatic and Pentecostal churches)

 Some on practice (this is often true of ultra conservative churches like the GARB).

 The problem is that the all around Christlikeness which doctrine, experience and practice together would produce is absent. And the church becomes anemic, malnourished, weak and w/o  passion for God.

 It is my desire that as we study the doctrines of God's Word, as outlined in our Statement of Faith, that the Holy Spirit would instruct and teach us the truths of God's inerrant and infalliable Word.

 It is my desire that as we study the doctrines of God's Word, we will experience the work of the Holy Spirit renewing our minds and lighting the flames of passion for Christ.

 It is my desire that as we study the doctrines of God's Word we will, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, take what we learn and LIVE IT. We will faithfully practice the truths of God's Word.

 It is my desire that as we study the doctrines of God's Word we will gain a greater love for the God who gave us His Word.