Understanding our Faith 001 Introduction

Introduction to the Series

Today I want to start a series in these meetings, which will also be put on the Website, so that we can be more understanding of our faith. I have called this series: ‘Understanding our Faith’.

This means that what we will be concentrating upon are doctrines. I am passionate about these as well as exposing false doctrine. And we all should have a natural curiosity about our faith. It is the thing that disheartens me most when Christians do not understand what they believe and when some book comes out or there is a ‘new movement’ in the Church they cannot discern whether it is of God or now. But doctrine is more than this it is about knowing God and everything else He has revealed.

Let me give a definition of doctrine and of theology which is a word that is similar:

Doctrine is teaching. This is what I will be doing. I will be giving my understanding of how theology has come together. Doctrine is about knowing God and everything else He has revealed.

Theology is one of those funny words which is either exciting or boring or considered impossible for anyone except an academic. This is not true. Theology is made up of two Greek words which are ‘Theo’ which means ‘God’ and ‘logos’ which means words, thoughts and study. Theology is the study, words and thoughts about God. When we think about God then we are doing theology. Theology does not stop at thinking but it must also be shared for such knowledge is too precious to keep to ourselves. We are all theologians. The discussion of doctrine is theology.

I will be teaching doctrine and then we can discuss it afterwards. I think doctrine is absolutely essential. It is incredibly important. When we look at the New Testament letters, especially Paul’s, we find that the first three-quarters of his letters are made up of doctrine and then the last part is how to live the Christian life. This is not just Paul. John and Jude have something to say about doctrine:

2 John 9–10 NKJV

Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;

Jude 3 NKJV

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

People do not see the worth of doctrine but Jude thinks that we should certainly stand up and disagree with those who do not hold to right doctrine. And there are those we should definitely reject if they do not bring right teaching. We are not to be tolerant of the false, it’s just too dangerous and can affect the outcome of one or more’s eternal destiny.

The Bible says of itself in:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The early church believed doctrine enough to be fanatical about it:

Acts 2:42 NKJV

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Not everyone will understand doctrine. We must also be people of faith:

1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Luther, for instance, only understood Scripture rightly after, in his own words, he was born again.

Only someone who trusts God and His Word can truly understand what God means. Anselm of the 11th Century said:

Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day How to Do Theology

“I believe in order that I may understand.”

As we trust God’s Word we then start to understand it. We are not the critique of the Bible. The Bible is the critique of us. As we believe God’s Word the Spirit reveals more and more of Himself and other things:

John 16:13 NKJV

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

This series will cover all the basics which are:

Understanding the Bible

Understanding God

Understanding Jesus

Understanding the Holy Spirit

Understanding angels

Understanding sin

Understanding Salvation

Understanding the Church

Understanding the Future (Last Things)

Unless we become established in our faith, the what, who and why we believe, then we will be those that Scripture says are thrown all over the place whenever we hear a new doctrine or teaching.

With that in mind we should know that doctrine does not only come from God. The word doctrine appears 219 times in the New Testament alone. However, alongside doctrine that comes from God there is also doctrine of men and doctrine of demons.

First, there are the

Doctrines of God

I will read a few verses which relate to the doctrine of God:

Matthew 7:28–29 NKJV

And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 1:27 NKJV

Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

The issue with today’s Christians as it seems to have always been is our lack of understanding our faith as find in:

Hebrews 5:12–6:2 NKJV

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Here we find an outline of what are the first principles that we should know:

1. repentance from dead works

2. faith toward God,

3. doctrine of baptisms,

4. laying on of hands,

5. resurrection of the dead,

6. and eternal judgement

These are the infant school things. And Scripture makes it plain that this is no place for a Christian to be or remain. But don’t worry if you don’t yet know…we will cover all these in this series.

Second, there are the

Doctrines of Men

Matthew 15:8–9 NKJV

‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Wrong doctrine can be devastating:

Ephesians 4:13–14 NKJV

till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

Some men come with teaching deliberately trying to destroy our faith. This would appear to be the case with The Churches in the Book of Revelation that were condemned for allowing some doctrines to take hold.

Revelation 2:14 NKJV

But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

This verse is not about idols or sexual immorality but about greed. Balaam sold the people of Israel, knowing how God would not bless a sinful people – and he did it for financial gain. If the early Church did things for financial gain then it is true of the Church today. And we don’t have to look far to see some of the excesses especially among TV-evangelists;

2 Corinthians 2:17 NKJV

For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

In Revelation 2 God explicitly says that he hates the doctrines that these people held. Hates.

The doctrines of men leads us away from God. The Bible talks of false apostles, false prophets, false teachers and many others who would bring false doctrine and warns us against them.

Thirdly and lastly, there are

Doctrines of demons

1 Timothy 4:1–3 NKJV

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

These men teach half-truths deliberately deceiving people away from the truth of God’s Word.

Let us not remember the first time a demon spoke it led to deception in the Garden of Eden. Satan perverted God’s Word. “Did God say?” he asked. And Satan influences those that are his to pervert God’s Word. We have an enemy who wants to bring us down. It is clear that he is having his way with the world especially with the agendas of world leaders undermining all that is right and leading people into all perversion.

It is also the case that some well-known Christians are teaching things that they ought not to perverting and distorting God’s Word for their own end and for the devil’s domain. Such people will surely be condemned with those they have deceived. Scripture makes it clear that there is eternal punishment for them:

Galatians 1:6–8 NKJV

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

Conclusion

The only way we can be sure for ourselves about whether what is taught is of God is to know the Word of God in all its parts for ourselves. You are to test my teaching and the teaching of others against this authority. If it does not match – then it is to be rejected or at least questions to be raised in case there is a misunderstanding.

Doctrine can come from three sources: God, man or the devil. In “Understanding Our Faith” our discernment will grow about where each comes from.