Sound Doctrine-9

Sound Doctrine – 9

Titus 2:1–12 (NIV84)

1You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.

2Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.

4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,

5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

6Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.

7In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness

8and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

9Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them,

10and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

12It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

Teaches = παιδεύω paideuō = to admonish, instruct by admonition.

Admonish: warning or guidance given to persons through a reminder of certain principles by which they should be living. Admonition is not condemnation, and when it cites the biblical principles for Christian living, it forms a valuable element in spiritual discipline.

to assist in the development of a person’s ability to make appropriate choices, practice discipline; correct, give guidance (LXX) τινά (to) someone.

Say “No” = ἀρνέομαι arneomai = to refuse to pay any attention to, disregard, renounce.

to refuse someone (something); restrain, especially from indulging in some pleasure.

In the Christian life, there must be a conscious, willful rejection of thoughts, words, and actions that are in opposition to us being like God. The word “deny” (arneomai) means to reject or refuse. It means to decline or to give up.

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (NIV84)

3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

4The weapons we fight with (the weapons of our warfare, ESV, LSB) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

What are the weapons of our warfare, if they are not the familiar weapons of the world?

Ephesians 6:10–18 (NIV84)

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

The full armor of God consists of five defensive pieces and two offensive pieces.

The two offensive pieces are the spiritual weapons with which we demolish strongholds.

They are the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and prayer.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV84)

4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Demolish = καθαίρεσις kathairesis 3x = demolition: the act of tearing down (a building) so as to make flat with the ground.

(2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10): tearing down: the act of making something less full, complete, or mature (in order to disassemble it completely); understood as if assisting in the demolition of a building. (versus complete extinction)

pulling down; razing to the ground.

demolition; extinction.

Strongholds = ὀχύρωμα ochurōma 1x = of the arguments and reasonings by which a disputant endeavors to fortify his opinion and defend it against his opponent.

The arguments and reasonings by which a disputant endeavors to fortify his opinion and defend it against his opponent.

Entrenched patterns of thought that exalt themselves against Christ.

The definition of strongholds centers around thoughts and mindsets, not demons.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV84)

5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Verse 5 confirms the definition of stronghold, by stipulating what needs to be demolished.

Arguments = λογισμός logismos 2x = Romans 2:15, thoughts; fallacious and deceptive reasoning and, by implication, based on evil intentions; false reasoning, false arguments.

Pretension = ὕψωμα hypsōma 2x = height, Romans 8:39; a towering of self-conceit, presumption.

an exaggerated evaluation of what one is or of what one has done; conceit, pride, arrogance.

That sets itself up = ἐπαίρω epairō = to offer resistance to; be in opposition, rise up.

Exalting oneself, being lifted up with pride.

How important are thoughts to the Christian? What does the Bible say about thoughts?

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV84)

5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

We take captive = αἰχμαλωτίζω aichmalōtizō = to subdue, bring into subjection.

to subjugate, bring under control.

make every thought obedient.

Every = πᾶς pas = each: every one considered individually.

Thought = νόημα noema = that which one has in mind as product of intellectual process.

(an evil) purpose: to cause whoever is devising evil against Christ to desist from his purpose and submit himself to Christ.

Believers must submit their thoughts to Christ and bring them into conformity with His will.

2 Corinthians 11:2–3 (NIV84)

2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.

3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds (thoughts, ESV) may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ (the simplicity that is in Christ, KJV).

Minds = νοήματα noemata = thinking processes and attitudes.

M.J. Harris: “The main danger confronting the Corinthian church was intellectual deception: their adulterous flirting with a false gospel and their countenancing of a different Jesus and an alien Spirit.”

Your thoughts will be led astray: the verb led astray has a root meaning of “ruin,” “corrupt,” or “spoil.”

“Someone will trick you and make you abandon [your faith in Christ],” or “by their cunning those false apostles will cause you to go away from [Christ].”

The simplicity that is in Christ. How simple, in every view of it, is the Gospel message.

God has but one argument: the argument of the Cross, a full atonement made for guilt of deepest dye, an everlasting righteousness brought in, a sufficient satisfaction made to the righteous law, and a welcome, without upbraiding and without reserve, awaiting the very chief of sinners.

The Gospel message is inherently simple: God offers one argument—the Cross—providing full atonement for guilt, an everlasting righteousness, and a welcome without reservation to even the worst of sinners.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV84)

5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Thoughts come from three sources:

God

Devil

Us

We don’t have to chase down every thought and figure out exactly where it came from—whether from God, the devil, or from ourselves.

If we spend too much time analyzing, we just get stuck in confusion. Instead, we: “Take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.”

We test our thoughts against God’s Word.

If a thought lines up with God’s truth, we keep it.

If it doesn’t, we throw it out.

This way, we don’t get trapped in endless thinking—we simply let God’s truth guide our minds.

Mental strongholds are torn down, not by analyzing, but by renewing our minds. If we learned to do something the wrong way, we can learn to do it the right way. If we have believed a lie, we can decide to renounce the lie and choose to believe the truth.

It will take the rest of our lives to renew our minds and mature in Christ.

Our minds will never be fully renewed, and our character will always fall short of perfection, but that is our pursuit.

The growth process will be stopped, if we do not resolve our personal and spiritual conflicts through genuine repentance and faith in God.

Romans 12:2 (NIV84)

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Do not conform outwardly to the standards of this world, “the way in which people in the world think one ought to act.”

This sum of contemporary thinking and values forms the moral atmosphere of our world and is always dominated by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Proverbs 4:20–27 (NIV84)

20My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.

21Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;

22for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.

23Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

24Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

25Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.

26Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.

27Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Our heart, which is our mind, will, and emotions, affects everything.

It affects our worship, our service, our relationships, our leisure, etc.

Our heart is the place that the enemy focuses his attacks, and therefore, it must be guarded, especially against discouragement.

The best way of guarding our heart, is to keep far away from the way of evildoers.

Guarding our heart will mean that:

there are places we don’t go,

books we won’t read,

magazines we don’t buy,

fantasies we refuse to indulge,

friends we won’t hang out with,

holidays we won’t go on,

internet sites we won’t click on.

It would be foolish for a recovering alcoholic to wander into a pub.

It would be foolish for a recovering drug user to stroll into a drug den.

It would be foolish for a recovering sex addict to venture into a brothel.

The whole of the Bible is on the side of caution.

We need to do all we can to keep wickedness out of our hearts.

We take our heart with us wherever our feet go.

Our heart hears everything our ears listen to.

Our heart is exposed to everything our eyes see.

So guarding our heart will often mean not going, not listening, and not seeing. Guard it!

1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV 1900)

22Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Psalm 1:1–3 (NIV84)

1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

Psalm 1:1 (AMP)

1BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.

2But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

First, he’s walking in step with them

he’s just seeing what they’re up to.

Then, he’s standing with them

he’s listening to what they’ve got to say.

All of a sudden, he’s taken a seat

he’s at home and comfortable with them.

He got too close. He was too casual.

1 John 2:15–17 (NKJV)

15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

17And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Luke 6:45 (NIV84)

45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Stored up = θησαυρός thēsauros = anything laid up in store; hence, treasure, wealth.

The storehouse of the mind, where the thoughts, feelings or counsels are laid up.

Nothing shows the state of our hearts so well as words spoken without careful consideration, when talking freely and saying, as we put it, the first thing which comes into our heads.

Matthew 15:17–20 (NIV84)

17“Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body?

18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’

19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

20These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’ ”

Psalm 19:14 (NIV84)

14May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Where do these evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander come from?

How can I make the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in the sight of the Lord?

Next time!!! (The Lord Willing)