Pillar 1: Devotion to Doctrine

Intro.

Last week, we opened up a new series we will be going through from Acts 2.42-47

Acts 2:42–47 LSB

42 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were dividing them up with all, as anyone might have need. 46 And daily devoting themselves with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved.

We made note of what we are going to call this particular series: Pillars of a Healthy Church. After having taken a brief look at the four different “Pillars” themselves last week, now we begin to take much closer looks at what it was that the primitive Christians devoted themselves to! Beginning with the Apostles doctrine.

Devotion to Doctrine

Defining terms

I know that we defined the word “devoted” last week, but I think it may be healthy to remind ourselves.

Devotion, in the original language, effectively means to persist in something, or to remain faithful to it.

Secondly, it may be proper for us to define what “doctrine” exactly means, seeing as I know that many translations will use that word. Effectively, “doctrine” just means the teaching and the instruction of the Apostles to the Church.

John 17:17–21 LSB

17 “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. 18 “As You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. 19 “For their sake I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Jesus prayed to the Father that, not only the Apostles, but those who would be converted through their teaching would all be unified together — even sharing in the unity the Son has with the Father! If Jesus prayed for us who would believe in Him through their word, then their word seems fairly important to Him! Therefore, it also is to be important to the Church!

Necessity for Unity

If the early Church was thus devoted to the doctrine of the Apostles, should we not be also? The very foundation of the Restoration Movement is the Bible itself! Campbell once said something to the effect that when he conformed his entire life around just the Bible, letting go of dogmatically adhering to traditions and creeds however accurate, he said that it was like sweeping away an entire house and leaving only the bare foundation to build from again. He expressed that what the leaders in the Restoration wanted to do was not to create any denomination, but to take true believers from denominations and unify the Body of Christ solely on the Bible, which Paul says in Eph. 2.20 is the foundation of the Church, with Christ as the cornerstone.

Much, much earlier the Church Father named Tertullian said this about doctrine:

We, however, are not permitted to cherish any doctrine after our own will, nor yet to make choice of that which another has introduced of his private fancy. In the Lord’s apostles we possess our authority; for even they did not of themselves choose to introduce anything, but faithfully delivered to the nations the doctrine that they had received from Christ. If, therefore, even “an angel from heaven should preach any other gospel” (than theirs), he would be called accursed by us. (cit. Galatians 1.8)

Tertullian

Brethren, the doctrine of the Apostles is the stream from which flows the teaching of Christ to the Church — and we must persist in the study and application of their instruction! The doctrines of the Apostles given to the Church one of the things by which we may know who is/is not among the Body of Christ! If a person or a congregation claiming to be Christians rejects necessary and foundational doctrines of Christ recieved through the Apostles, they are not to be spiritually fellowshipped with because they do not know God! As Christians, a big part of our unity together is in these doctrines!

Some will say that all you need is a relationship with Christ without all that theology and doctrine! But, what a foolish statement that is, when it is the doctrines of Christ that show us Who He is and guide us in how to know Him! Therefore, the Christians in Acts 2 were devoted to the doctrines, eager to know Christ and to live in such was as please Him, having unity together.

Life and Doctrine

In words spoken to evangelists Timothy and Titus, Paul says: 1 Tim. 4.16

1 Timothy 4:13–16 LSB

13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift within you, which was given to you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

And, Titus 2.1

Titus 2:1 LSB

1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.

I am particularly fascinated by Paul’s instruction to Timothy, that life and doctrine would go together!

A few words on why these two things have to be congruous within the Christian:

Jesus tells us in John 14 that how we love one another, contextually meaning service of the brethren, is how the world will know we belong to Him. Our lifestyle is a defining factor in our representation of Christ!

Phil. 3.13-17 expresses how Paul knows he is not completely perfect in every way, but that he pushes forward and forgetting what is behind. in vv. 16-17, Paul says, “Let us keep walking in step with the same standard to which we have attained. Brothers, join in following my example, and look for those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” When he says to walk in step with the standard you have attained, he means that wherever you are in your maturity in Christ, live in accordance to what you know and have recieved in the apostles’ doctrine! Whatever we have learned of Christ should have an immediate and obvious impact on how we live! If it does not, we are just hypocrites, and God is not fooled.

Beloved, I urge you as did Paul to Timothy that we be people who keep a close eye on our doctrine (those things which we believe and teach) and our life to make sure that they are congruous with one another in Christ!

The Hard and the Easy

Not every doctrine of the Apostles is an easy one to live.

Constant forgiveness of wrongs

Constant mercy and humility at cost to ourselves

Confession to one another of sins

Repentance of sins

All these, as well as others, are things that we struggle with as we strive toward Christ in this life. They are all things that we should be devoted to, as they are teachings recieved from the Apostles and they help us grow up in Christ, but they are very difficult for us because they require the dying to our flesh!

Brethren, without dying to the flesh and embracing the difficult doctrines of Christ we will not reach that grown maturity in Christ we desire!

The Goal and The Destination

Now, it must also be noted that the Church must not be devoted to the Apostles’ doctrines as if they were themselves some destination to be reached. We do not, must not, study and learn the doctrines of Christ just to know them! The knowledge of Christ we strive for is something we do because we with to please and know Christ!

Christ is the destination, and growth in knowledge is a result of what we do to know Him!

Christ is the reason for everything that we do as the Church — and our learning in Scripture is no different. If we are reading the Bible only because we feel obliged to read it because we are Christians, while on one hand good can come of it because the power of the Spirit is in the Scriptures, it is a show that our hearts are not right before God! If we are not reading the Bible, studying, learning, for the sake of knowing Christ in word and in deed then we ourselves need to repent.

To know Christ and be with Him is the destination — all blessings and progress along the way are results of that holy pursuit.

Conclusion

I hope that this has spurred us on to love the Scriptures and be devoted to learning from them! Without them, we have no unity with the Body, we have no way to know Christ, we have no instruction for life, and no map with which to reach our destination which is Christ Himself!

Brethren, let’s come away from this study with a fire in our hearts rekindled to know God and to be persistent in His Word, hungering to feast on the bountiful treasures we find within God’s revelation!