Nine Marks - Gospel Doctrine

Mark Two: Gospel Doctrine

How would you characterize God?

When you hear the word God, what do you think of? I am not asking how you like to think of God, but how, for instance, do you reconcile in your mind the warm and loving God of Christmas with the God of the final judgment?

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 74). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

According to the Bible, the truth about how we should live is not just about how we treat each other. The most important things about us are what we know and believe to be true about God.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 75). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

How does the Bible Characterize God?

Give a scripture or two that confirm that.

Why do think it is important to know the God of the Bible rather than the God of our desires?

B. B. Warfield once wrote, “It is not a matter of small importance for the servant of Christ to begin to seek to please men in the gospel which he offers them. Doing so, he ceases to be Christ’s servant, performing his will; and becomes the slave of men. . . . So doing, he is no longer the teacher of the truth to men, but the learner of falsehood from men.”1

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 75). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

How much does it really matter, anyway? If I attend church, am friendly, and feel encouraged, and if I give my time to being there and even give my money, how much does it really matter if, in my heart of hearts, I really don’t believe what the people around me say, and maybe even what I say? How important are religious beliefs?

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 75). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

If we want to be church “For the Gospel, For the City” then we must be rooted in the real Gospel as revealed by God through scripture.

How much does it really matter, anyway? If I attend church, am friendly, and feel encouraged, and if I give my time to being there and even give my money, how much does it really matter if, in my heart of hearts, I really don’t believe what the people around me say, and maybe even what I say? How important are religious beliefs?

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 75). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Tell me what the “Good News” is?

So what is the gospel? The good news is the truth that the one and only God, who is holy, has made us in his image to know him. But we have sinned and cut ourselves off from him. In his great love, God became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law in himself and taking on himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn from their sins and trust in him. All of those sins he bore as a sacrifice. He rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven, and presented his completed work to his heavenly Father, who accepted Christ’s sacrifice, thus declaring his wrath against all of his own people exhausted. God now sends out his Spirit to call us through this message of repentance and faith to trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness. If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ only, then we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God. That is the good news. This is far from being something that Christians later invented; when we read the Gospels, we see that this is exactly what Jesus taught. And this is far from being a departure from anything taught before; when we read the Prophets and the Law, we find that this is what was being assembled and prefigured for 1,500 years in the history of the people of Israel.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (pp. 76-77). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Biblical doctrine is gospel doctrine.

All of the Bible points to the Gospel and the Gospel encompasses all of the Bible.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 78). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

The Bible teaches us that God is creating; he is holy; he is faithful; he is loving; and he is sovereign.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 79). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

The God of the Bible Is a Creating God

He creates the world, and he creates a special people in the world.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 79). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

The Bible is a long story about what goes on with God and the world he has made.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 79). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

We must acknowledge that God is the great initiator, the great giver, the Creator of the world, the Creator of his people, the author of our faith. That is what God is like. That is who God is.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 81). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Christians are the objects of God’s special re-creating work! We are born again by his Spirit (John 3

John 3 ESV

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” 22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison). 25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” 31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

living a new life (Rom. 6 worthy of the kingdom (1 Thess. 2:12

), shining like stars (Phil. 2:15). We are even said to be colaborers with God (1 Cor. 3:9).

Romans 6 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 ESV

12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Philippians 2:15 ESV

15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV

9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 82). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Why is it important to know that God is a creating God?

The God of the Bible Is a Holy God

There is no defect in God’s character. He is morally pure and perfect.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 82). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Is man basically good?

We cannot claim to be believers and yet knowingly, repeatedly, and happily break his law.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 83). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Ephesians 2:1–3 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

God Steps in.

Ephesians 2:4 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

Romans 3:9–10 ESV

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

Romans 3:19–20 ESV

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

We need to realize God is holy and we have sinned against Him.

The Old Testament sacrifices showed something of the seriousness of sin; it costs life.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 86). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Salvation and forgiveness are costly.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 86). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

God possessing holiness means sinners need atonement; but God giving holiness means sinners receive atonement.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 87). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Why is it important to know God is Holy?

Look at page 87.

Churches need to call people not merely to improve but to repent, and not to believe in ourselves but to believe in Christ!

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 87). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

The God of the Bible Is a Faithful God

Exodus 34:6–7 (ESV)

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty,

Jesus brought together the prophecies about the Messiah as King with other prophecies about the Messiah as the one who would suffer in the place of his people.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 89). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

At the heart of understanding Jesus Christ is understanding what he came to do. He came as the one by whom you and I can have a restored relationship with God. Where Adam and Israel had failed and been unfaithful, and where we have each failed, Jesus was faithful, enduring temptations without sin. Here is the Prophet promised by Moses, the King prefigured by David, and even the divine “son of man” of Daniel 7. These all had come in Jesus of Nazareth.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 89). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Why is it important to know God is faithful?

The God of the Bible Is a Loving God

1 John 4:8 ESV

8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

We need to press further and ask, What is God’s love like?

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 90). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

God’s love is closely tied to his faithfulness. He is the God of love who has a special love for his covenant people.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 90). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Luke 24:27 ESV

27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:45–47 ESV

45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 53:4–6 ESV

4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Philippians 2:4–8 ESV

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Acts 2:24 ESV

24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

The Relationship Between Faith and Repentance

We are called to respond

The response to the good news—the message that Paul preached and other Christians preached throughout the New Testament—is to repent and believe.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 92). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

To repent is to recognize that I’m a sinner and to renounce that sin.

Along with repentance comes belief, faith.

Once we honestly think that what the gospel says is true, we must begin fully relying on Christ for salvation.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (pp. 92-93). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Repent is what you do when you begin thinking rightly about God and yourself—belief without this kind of change is counterfeit.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 93). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Why is it important to know God as a loving God?

The God of the Bible Is a Sovereign God

Matthew 6:10 ESV

10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

If you were to look up the word “sovereign” in the dictionary, you would find words and phrases like “superior,” “greatest,” “supreme in power and authority,” “ruler,” and “independent of all others” in its definition. But the way I like to explain God’s sovereignty best is simply to say,

“God is in control.”

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 73). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Revelation 21:6 ESV

6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

Colossians 1:16 ESV

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Romans 11:33 ESV

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Jeremiah 32:17 ESV

17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Psalm 103:19 ESV

19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

This is the natural posture of the Christian: a riveted, expectant, looking to God while anticipating that he will fulfill all of his promises.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 95). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

As Christians, we need to know that God will continue to care for us, and that his continuing care is based not on our faithfulness but on his.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 95). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Why is it important to know God as sovereign?

To baptize a person who is antagonistic to God’s sovereignty may be to baptize someone whose heart still is not quite willing to trust God completely. That, after all, is the issue when it comes to God’s sovereignty. Are we willing to trust him? Are we willing to acknowledge that we are not God? That we are not the Judge? That we are not the one who determines what is fair and unfair? Are we willing to put our whole lives in God’s hands and truly trust him?

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 96). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Sound doctrine, in its full, biblical glory, marks a healthy church.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 97). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

1 John 3:2 ESV

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Romans 11:33 ESV

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

This is the God of the Bible—the creating, holy, faithful, loving, sovereign God of the Bible. The Bible, in fact, is all about this God. It is about promises made by God and promises kept by God. And in the Bible God calls out for us to respond to him by trusting in him and his Word by believing his gospel.

Is this the gospel preached in your church?

Is this what is central in your preaching and in your services?

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 99). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Old sins forgiven! New life begun! A personal relationship with your God, your Creator, now and forever! This is the news God has for you today in his Word. What better news could you hear?

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (4th Edition) (p. 100). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Gospel Doctrine is essential to a healthy church.