CHURCH MATTERS: Doctrine Matters (2 Timothy 3:10-17)

what do you believe about ______?

abortion

marriage

origin of earth

gender

LGBTQ

war in Ukraine

war in Gaza

women pastors

baptism

salvation

why? where did you get that belief? what is your source?

who cares what you believe?

what makes your belief greater than anyone else’s belief?

who cares what you believe?

I care

as your pastor I care if you believe what the Bible says

God is not who you believe He is

He is who He is whether you believe it or not

He is who He is as He revealed Himself in the Bible

our aim is to align our belief to His Word

postmodern world

truth is relative

what may be true to you and your experience might not be the same for me

truth cannot be absolute

there is no source of absolute truth

is there such a thing as absolute truth? true no matter who you are, where you live, or when you live?

absolute truth does exist

it is not up for debate

it will not change as the years go

it does not need to be updated to keep up with the times

our aim at FCC

Jude 1:3 to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Doctrine Matters

Why church matters series?

often preach to the church

seldom preach to the church about the church

desire to grow into a ever more healthy church

specifically Doctrine Matters this week

FCC is unique/eclectic

people come from all sorts of background

DoC, CoC, Baptist, Luteran, Catholic, Methodist, no church, anti-church

now we are a non-denominational church focused on the Bible

how are we to stay together???

what we agree to believe is a glue/bond for our church

thus Doctrine Matters

pew Bible # 1182

focus is 3:16-17

but whole passage creates gravitas to situation

We live in a godless age

3:1-9

last days

from Pentecost to return of Jesus

means Paul’s days

even means the good ole days

especially means our days (3:2-5)

we expect godlessness outside the church (people of God)

Paul wants to make sure there is no confusion

they should not be inside the church

Avoid such people (3:5)

in contrast…

We need flesh-and-blood models who follow Jesus

3:10-13

You, however

just because people are doing it doesn’t mean it is right

wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it

right is right even if no one is doing it

Paul modeled what it looks like to follow Jesus

flesh and bone of the black and white

endure hardship, love spouse, love children, pray like Jesus, focus on Jesus

elders/deacons/deaconesses are to be examples/models

teaching them to observe

like Paul

when we live godly lives amid a godless age

we should expect to be persecuted, even promised will be persecuted (3:12)

Jesus was persecuted

Paul was persecuted

why should we think we get a pass?

just like in Paul’s day…

We need to hold on to the truth

3:14-17

But as for you

not search out new teachings

but to hang on to the old

to continue in what he had learned

what your mom and grandma taught you

orthodoxy vs. heresy (new or 1 verse)

if you have a new teaching, it’s probably heresy

sacred writings

not only do they lead to salvation

but they point to Christ

how do we know what is truth?

how do we know what to believe?

how do we know how to live?

Jesus’ perspective on truth (truth better than healing)

healing only helps for a short time

people still die and perish in hell

but truth lasts

if people believe what Jesus’ taught

may have sick people with restored souls

The Bible is true and our only source of absolute truth

systematic theology starts with Bible (topics in Bible)

not God

not Jesus

not salvation

because where is the source for all that we believe?

and what are we to think about the controversial topics of the day?

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Scripture - sacred writings

usually refers to OT

only recognized sacred writings at the time

All Scripture

all/every

all = total

every = each part

red letters and black letters

OT but includes NT

1/21 promo of breakouts

unity (choose special track)

the Word

breathed out by God

θεόπνευστος

All Scripture is breathed out by God (ESV)

All Scripture is inspired by God (NASB)

All scripture is given by inspiration of God (KJV)

All Scripture is God-breathed (NIV)

inspired by God, written down by men

2 Peter 1:21

evangelical view

verbal plenary inspiration —God produced in all Scripture the very words He wanted

thus God’s Word

“The Scriptures are inerrant, true, authoritative and sufficient” FCC—What We Believe

inerrant

free from all falsehood or mistakes

reliable in all of its assertions (factual)

may not answer all of your Western, modern, scientific questions

but answers all of God’s questions that He wants us to ask

authoritative

if Scripture is from God, then Bible is authoritative

God closely aligns with Bible

to obey Bible is to obey God

to disobey Bible is to disobey God

to believe/disbelieve

to trust/distrust

“People prefer a God who does not speak because he makes less clear demands, asks no questions, makes no promises, and threatens no punishments.” Peter Adam

former slide

sufficient

we have all we need and nothing is left out

for telling us how to be saved

for trusting Him perfectly

for obeying Him perfectly

the Bible trumps tradition

tradition can be good but never usurps the Bible

since all Scripture has God as the author

then it must be immeasurably useful (profitable)

teaching

διδασκαλία

used 15 times in Pastorals

only 6x in rest of NT

content of preaching…preach the word (4:2)

cannot assume every “church” preaches the word

if don’t need Bible, need new preacher

since heresy prevailed

teaching from the Scripture was crucial

since heresy prevails

teaching from the Scripture is crucial

just because you believe something doesn’t make it true

why we have Scripture to make clear what we are to believe

reproof

rebuke

especially with false teachers floating around in Paul’s day

but not much different in our day

teachers can draw a crowd whether they are teaching truth or not

Prosperity Gospel

“The Greek word implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.” NET

rebuke can come in when one is teaching/believing contrary to Scripture

rebuke can come in when one is acting/behaving contrary to Scripture

if you aren’t in a relationship where a brother/sister can rebuke you

then you need to move towards that intimacy and closeness

where reproof has a negative tone, correction and training are positive

correction

useful for improvement (BDAG)

restore beliefs and behaviors to right state before God

training in righteousness

training = παιδεία

think padawan from Star Wars

apprentice

that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work

ready to do whatever God calls you to do

if Timothy would nurture his spiritual life in the Scriptures

he would be fully qualified and prepared to undertake whatever tasks God put before him

what a tragedy for any Christian to be labeled as spiritually unprepared for a task

when the means of instruction and preparation are readily at hand

our doctrine must be sound because we act on what we believe

Doctrine is what the whole Bible teaches about a particular topic

emergent movement wanted to do away with doctrine

only Jesus

history of doctrine

want to say Bible is our creed

but different views on Bible

what is view of Bible

manmade book with fairytale stories and historical errors???

this church along with countless churches thought it wise to put what we believe in writing

here are the things in Scripture that are utterly clear

doctrine is meant to unite

we agree the Bible is clear on these truths

this is how we see the Word is clear on this subject

theological triage (not every subject is worth fighting over; some subjects are though)

1st order—Christian or not (non-negotiables)

deity AND humanity of Jesus

virgin birth

sinless life

substitutionary atonement

physical resurrection

literal return

justification by faith (salvation)

Trinity

authority of Scripture

2nd order—significant boundaries (denominations/churches)

baptism

only believers

immersion

pastorate reserved for qualified men

3rd order—close fellowship

eschatology

more difficult texts

What next:

1. read and study the Bible on your own

read

Bible reading plan

hard to say you believe Bible if you have never read it

study

don’t just skip over stuff hard to understand

get a study Bible—ESV Study Bible

2. read FCC’s doctrine

fccnac.org

summary of our beliefs

truth we wholeheartedly agree upon

truth we resolve not to disagree on

I bet most members of many churches don’t know what their church believes

NOT this one

want to be a people standing on the truth

not tossed by every doctrine

requirement for new members

3. determine your beliefs from the Bible

Biblical worldview

how your read the news

scroll FB

not only for hot topics

but eternity is at stake death

not good works

some people assume that God will accept them…