What is Doctrine?

Steve Nicholes

2 Timothy 1:13-14

This week we begin a study in theology. Theo means “God.” ology means “the study of.” Theology is the study of God. But what is doctrine? In 2 Timothy 1:13-14 the Apostle Paul teaches Timothy about doctrine. In fact, in the books of 1, 2 Timothy and Titus the subject of doctrine is talked about at least 20 times. , 2 Timothy 1:13-14 says, “Hold fast the form of sound words, which you have heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” Let’s take a closer look at these verses.

First, we see the phrase hold fast.

This Greek word eickay means “to cling to” or “to have a good handle on.” Someone said that “Doctrine is the rudder that will steer your ship and will keep you away from the hidden rocks of heresy and false teaching.”

Second, is the interesting phrase sound words.

The word “sound” (hygiainonton) is where the English word hygienic comes from. It’s the concept of healthy. If you look through 1, 2 Timothy and Titus you will find that bad doctrine makes you sick and good doctrine makes you healthy.

But third, notice that we are to hold fast to the form of sound words.

This word “form” (hypotyposin) is a combination of two Greek words which means “an outline, a pattern, a mold or an impression left by a seal.” When a pattern is used the results come out the same or almost identical. And that’s what a doctrinal statement is all about. It’s a pattern. Just like a lady uses a pattern to cut out cloth to make shirts and the shirts all come out almost identical so a doctrinal statement is a pattern to cut and shape our beliefs to be as identical as possible to the doctrine and teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

Fourth we see the word keep.

This is the word puloso in the Greek and means “to guard, watch or defend.” Someone may say, “You don’t have to defend doctrine. You don’t have to guard it.” Yes you do. Here we have the Biblical command to do that.

The Greek word for doctrine is this little word didache. When we talk about doctrine, when we go back to the meaning of the word, it basically means teaching. When someone says, “I don’t like doctrine” they are saying “I don’t like teaching.” And if you don’t like teaching you remain ignorant. And if you remain ignorant, you go the wrong way. And if you go the wrong way, you pay the consequences.

THE DOCTRINE OF JESUS

As you read through the gospels, the didache of Jesus, the teaching was very different from that of the scribes and pharisees. It was so noticeable that men said, “This one doesn’t didache like the scribes and the pharisees. His teaching is different” (Mark 1:22). But if you look through the usage of the word, it's more than just a one time teaching. It's talking about a set body of teaching, the didache. In the New Testament the word didache is that body of teaching which Jesus passed on to the apostles.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE APOSTLES

In Acts 2:42 it says, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.” Whose doctrine? The apostles’ doctrine. So from the day of Pentecost it was clear in the minds of those who read and received that there was a certain set of teachings called doctrine that they were to continue in. That’s important! And on the Day of Pentecost there came together Jews and Gentiles from many different cultures and languages and societies. But when they returned home they returned with the same set or group of beliefs called the apostles’ doctrine.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE EARLY CHURCH

In the generations after Christ went back to heaven Christian teaching soon took on very clear form. The form was challenged and the more it was challenged, the more it was defined and the more it was defined, the more it became definite in the minds of everyone. One of the earliest doctrinal statements was called the Didache. That’s what it was called. Now this document was not found until about 1056. But we know that its influence was seen as early as the fourth century.

Another statement of faith was called the Apostles’ Creed. And you can follow that back even to the year 215. The Apostles’ Creed was a clear commentary on the Trinity and the person and work of Christ.

Then you go to the Reformation and you see Luther’s beliefs and justification by faith and the Osburg Confession and you can move forward and see John Calvin and his teaching The Institutes of Christian Religion and then the Westminster Confession.

And so we say that Biblically and historically the idea of having a doctrinal statement is not new or strange. You can see from the early church all the way through to today there has been a need to verbalize and to write down the body of beliefs which were essential. We at Word of Life have a doctrinal statement because we believe it is essential. We are not the first ones to do something like this as we have seen Biblically and also historically.

In the New Testament doctrine is referred to as the doctrine of Christ, the apostles’ doctrine, sound doctrine and good doctrine. But it is also called another doctrine, the doctrine of Balaam, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans and the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. What are we saying here? Doctrine is teaching and there are some references here to false doctrine – the doctrine of Balaam, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans–false teaching. So the word doctrine just means teaching.

Now having said all that what do we consider our rudder, our essentials, our basic doctrines? We will give them to you today in what we call the Word of Life Statement of Faith. These are our essential teachings. This is where we stand. These are not changeable because one is in a different country. These are essential to our worldwide ministry. This is the heart and core of this ministry.