Talk of JESUS . com

Category: Doctrine

Church doctrine a line in the sand. - How will a leader or council of leaders choose what the Church will teach?
About Roger – TalkofJESUS.com Doctrine & teaching

What do Christians believe?

Doctrine = Teaching

What do you know about Biblical teaching and preaching?

WHAT DOCTRINES DO YOU BELIVE?

WHAT DOCTRINES DOES YOUR PASTOR PREACH (or avoid)?

  • Inerrant TRUTH: Our reasoned Biblical Faith

    Inerrant TRUTH: Our reasoned Biblical Faith

    WHY would you study the HOLY BIBLE?

    For inerrant truth!

    Do we believe by faith? YES, but not a fantastical faith or unrealistic religious calling to that which cannot be known.

    In most circumstances and communications, truth matters to me and also to you. Certainly God speaks only truth and the Bible is where ‘it is written’ by God, through men and confirmed by the Holy Spirit of God.

    Truth matters to God as it ought to mankind of His creation.

    A Perfect Lord God does not make mistakes, nor does He lie to a man (as men frequently deceive one another).

    In review:

    We have just studied several of His doctrines as students seeking knowlege and truth.

    [Oops! I frequently make an error in knowledge. Did YOU catch it?]

    Do we also make errors in TRUTH?

    ONLY SCRIPTURE: The Highest Authority of GOD!
    ONLY SCRIPTURE speaks to man with the Highest Authority of TRUTH.

    THE HOLY BIBLE SPEAKS

    Why would you study the BIBLE?

    open Bible and hands with pen
    Share your question about scripture with other Christians at talkofJESUS.com

    GOD speaks to man through the HOLY Spirit in what is written in Holy Scripture. Since man now seeks knowledge of good and evil, our first question of reasoned faith becomes where to look. Our logical pursuit of good also leads man to weigh God-given and God-evident truth.

    Besides our own observations of evidence and fact, where will one learn truth without error?

    Where do we find this unshakable faith in what GOD has said?

    In the Holy Bible, which contains Inerrant truth of what God has said.

    Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

    John 17:17 KJV – prayer of Christ Jesus

    The Highest Authority of the Lord God will confirm unequivocal inerrant truth ONLY in the HOLY BIBLE, if we will READ and Study the very Word of God.

    KNOWING GOD

    In his book, ‘Knowing God,’ J.I. Packer, after beginning, “..the Bible is his word,” in five theological points writes”

    Godliness means responding to God’s revelation in trust and obedience, faith and worship, prayer and praise, submission and service. Life must be seen and lived in the light of God’s word. This, and nothing else, is true religion.

    Knowing God p.20 – five basic truths #5

    What is truth?

    Most Christians will recognize the question of Pontius Pilate to Christ Jesus to which the Prefect of Judea from Rome expected no answer.

    Like Pilate, we sometimes ask about truth rhetorically, expecting no answer or having no measure of relative truth.

    Where can we find reliable Truth (with a capital ‘T’)?

    The BIBLE is your source.

    And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

    Gospel of John 1:14 NASB20 – Do you seek the Truth in the flesh?

    Objective, Subjective & relative truth

    Packer makes the important point that God’s truth does not change. [p.78]

    Again, quoting Packer in KNOWING GOD:

    Truth in the Bible is a quality of persons primarily, of propositions only secondarily. It means stability, reliability, firmness, trustworthiness, the quality of a person who is entirely self-consistent, sincere, realistic, undeceived.

    KNOWING GOD, p.113

    I like this definition of Truth. Don’t you?

    Look back that this list of qualities of such a person. Then note what Packer says next:

    God is such a person: truth, in this sense, is his nature, and he has not got it in him to be anything else.

    J. I. Packer

    To fully understand objective Truth (with a capital ‘T’) you must meet the Person of a personal God.

    When God tells Moses to tell the people his Name, “I AM that I AM,” the LORD states objective truth.

    Subjective truth on the other hand depends on the separate minds of mankind.

    Therefore philosophers (theists and atheists alike) refer to subjective truth as the nature of a thing, essential attributes that which makes it what it is, or its inherent essential qualities.

    All that to say, I think, therefore I am this or I am that. And that makes me what I am.

    Perhaps God is required (the conclusion of theists) or perhaps not (even definitely not, say the atheists who deny the evidence, lack faith and cannot prove either theory).

    In any case, the case of philosophers is subjective truth, conjecture, as it were.

    Theories of Relativity

    But it gets worse. From the varying opinions of men and acceptance of all possibilities (whether possible or not, whether true or not), we get:

    Relative truth (Capital ‘R’ + very small ‘t’).

    a parable of the madman who is searching for God

    — Of course you think ‘God is dead,’ because you buried your BIBLE.

    • The theory.. truth.. morality, have no universal validity – source
    • philosophical doctrine (teaching) of the relativity of knowledge
    • theory, especially in ethics.. conceptions of truth and moral values are not absolute..

    That is to say, the theory of relativism, by accepting ALL truths (small ‘t’), teaches a philosophy of tolerance, void of moral values and insistent that only their truth is absolute.

    All gods and all religions are valid except any which proclaim absolute Truth {capital ‘T’) and One God with true authority of man. Relativists, as universalists, do NOT believe in the One True God of the Bible. In practice, though some may claim ‘god,’ their worship (if any) is idolatry. These false philosophers and teachers are, in fact, atheists.

    God is NOT dead; only Truth, murdered by atheists.

    psalm 14:1 fool says there is no god

    Truth (capital ‘T’) may not exist

    (they claim).

    • Refuting the absolute Truth of God denies facts in evidence.
    • Truth (capital ‘T’ absolute truth) is unprovable in the separate and sinfully separated minds of mankind.
      • (although relativists deny sin, morality & truth –
        • {see their denial by definition above})

    What do you believe about Biblical Truth?

    God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind

    To see if there is anyone who understands,

    Who seeks after God.

    Psalm 53:2 [Foolishness and Wickedness of People.
    (also Psalm 14:1–7 )] {v.1 is about the fool}

    A man (or woman) can understand truth.

    And we can understand [שָׂכַל] [to be prudent, be circumspect or wisely understand, prosper] in truth by seeking the Lord God by faith in Holy Scripture.

    Once again, Packer, in KNOWING GOD, states:

    True Christians are those who acknowledge and live under the word of God.

    J.I. Packer in Knowing God, p116

    Quoting Daniel, Packer adds: They submit without reserve to the word of God written in “the Book of Truth”..

    “However, I will tell you what is recorded in the writing of truth.

    Daniel 10:21a NASB20 [additional translations]

    IF you seek truth in the Bible, you would do well to seek after God in the Scriptures included in this verse.

    But IF you do NOT seek Biblical Truth or the TRUTH written by God in Scripture, you will need to note the enemy of Truth mentioned in the second part of Daniel’s writing in 10:21b (also linked above).

    Christians do believe proven facts; however science frequently claims THEORY as FACT.

    Science is NOT the highest authority of Truth. God IS.

    Roger@talkofJESUS.com

    Therefore we do NOT believe certain THEORIES of scientists and philosophers which claim TRUTH, but are NOT FACT. These include:

    First – false ‘facts’ we do NOT believe
    • Evolution is theory built on the premise and philosophy that the created is god.
      • The Bible refers to such beliefs as idolatry, of which the most prevalent in man is idolatry of self.
    • Naturalism is theory, not scientific fact.
      • Carbon dating conjectures calendars with complex limited variables, but beta testing of the late 20th century and calibration curves for calendar examples fail to prove origin of most things (let alone the world).
    • Environmentalism is a movement and ideology..
    • Physical cosmology, by definition is dependent on ‘the scientific theory‘
      • (without reference to what happened BEFORE the big bang!
      • or reasoning: Who (or what) caused it?)
    • This list of FALSE so called ‘facts’ is NOT exhaustive.

    Truth is illusive in the unproven theories of science which man mirrors as “fact.”

    Roger@talkofJESUS.com
    chalkboard - written Sola Scriptura! Only Scripture

    “Woe to him who strives with his Maker! .. Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’

    Isaiah 45:9a,c NKJV

    Seek TRUTH in Scripture

    • Start with Scripture studied and taught with precision and clarity
    • AND grow in your faith by its inerrant TRUTH.

    “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

    Gospel of John 8:31b-32 NASB20 – The words of Jesus to those Jews [who knew scripture well &] who had believed Him

    If you continue..

    I have shared opposing views of inherent truth today. In fact, IF I have not provoked some reasoned thought about the Truth of the Bible I have missed the mark.

    • Do YOU really believe THAT about the Bible?
    • Does Scripture convey inerrant truth?

    Please COMMENT & SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.

    NEXT: We will ask you some pointed doctrinal questions about the inerrancy of Scripture from a panel of distinguished theologians of the late 20th century. Until then, may the Lord bring the clarity of reasoned faith to your heart as you respond to this Saturday Doctrinal Post on talkofJESUS.COM 

    To be continued...

  • Scripture Teaching Survey – 1

    Do you believe THAT? A Scripture Teaching Survey.

    (Does your Pastor preach THAT?) (Have you read that in your Bible?)

    Would you answer 3 questions about Bible teaching you believe?

    YES
    no
    Simply answer YES or NO to a few fundamental questions about Scriptural teaching you have heard and believe.

    1. Is Scripture the word of God?

    1. Does the BIBLE have Divine Authority? (QUESTION #1 paraphrased] {click YES or no button for each question}
    YES
    NO

    2. Is Scripture the Sole Authority of God’s word?

    YES
    NO

    3. Is every word of the Bible TRUE?

    YES
    NO

    Please COMMENT WHY you answered YES or no to questions 1, 2 & 3.

    Pages: 1 2 3

  • ONLY SCRIPTURE: The Highest Authority of GOD!

    ONLY SCRIPTURE: The Highest Authority of GOD!

    What is perhaps the most divisive issue of the ages? THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE! – ONLY Scripture.

    And GOD SAID..!

    Who said, God said this or that?

    Must we consult the authority of a man? Dare we follow such a teacher? How can I know IF God really said it and where can I find the TRUTH of what I must do?

    “It is written: ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

    Gospel of Matthew 4:4b +Response of the Messiah (Christ) Jesus to satan.

    EVERY written WORD! Trouble is (and was) that MOST could not read OR would not read what is written.

    So our dilemma becomes faith in the authority of a man reciting AND teaching the WORD OF GOD; that is, SCRIPTURE.

    “Assemble the people, the men, the women, the children, and the stranger who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn H3925 [לָמַד ] and fear the LORD your God, and be careful to follow all the words of this Law And their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live on the land..

    Deuteronomy 31:12-13a NASB20 – The teaching of Moses

    Our Lord Jesus Christ raises a crucial question of interpretation by even the highest of religious authorities who study Scripture.

    Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God?

    Gospel of Mark 12:24 NASB20

    Do we trust that a man interprets the TRUTH of SCRIPTURE from what is written?

    Could it be that YOU do NOT understand the Scriptures? (Do you overlook the power of God in what YOU have misinterpreted from Scripture?)

    ‘Words [logos egō, λόγος ἐγώ – gk] of Mine’

    “You shall therefore take these words of mine to heart and to soul; and you shall tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead. – Moses

    “And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. – Jesus – Parable of the wise and foolish builder

    Deuteronomy 11:18; Matthew 7:26 NASB20

    Christ Jesus taught His Apostles to build a foundation of the church grounded in Scripture. These disciples of the Teacher recorded in writing the truth of Jesus’ authority.

    And it happened when Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

    Gospels of Matthew [7:28-29 NASB20] and Luke

    After His resurrection Scripture records:

    And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

    Matthew 28:18 NASB20 – authority

    The Apostle John even begins his Gospel by connecting the Written Word {logos} with a Higher Authority of Christ Jesus, Son of Man, the Only Son of God!

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    Gospel of John 1:1 – logos theos – THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
    Sola Scriptura ! written on a blackboard (Latin for ''only scripture'

    ONLY SCRIPTURE

    Along with so many others, I am grateful to God for the teaching ministry of our beloved brother R. C. Sproul and his ongoing work through Ligonier Ministries, without whom this witness of Doctrine would not have been possible. RH

Source: R. C. SPROUL - A life 
by STEPHEN J. NICHOLS
(whose 5 Minutes in Church History I also recommend highly)

    γραφή – graphē – a thing written

    What happens when authoritative men (Shepherds of God’s flock), fail to reiterate SCRIPTURE accurately or teach God’s Holy Word of TRUTH fully?

    Jesus IS the Higher Authority who challenged the Scribes and other Shepherds of Israel for this very reason. A remnant of the LORD’s leaders recognized their Messiah from the written word of Scripture. The flocks of the lost sheep of Israel heard the Higher Authority of Jesus and followed Him.

    Christ’s resurrection of the true word of God became veiled once more by errant teachings of the Church. As in the days of Ezra the written word of Scripture would be forgotten and men once more had to trust the teachings of religious leaders for centuries. Scripture would once again be discovered by the lost sheep of Christ’s flock with the good news of the printing press.

    Then the faithful of the flock protested. The saints of the Church read Scripture for their own understanding through the Holy Spirit as given to them.

    The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)

    by Westminster Divines

    https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/westminster-confession-faith/

    IV. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.(i)

    (i) II Pet. 1:19, 21; II Tim. 3:16; I John 5:9; I Thess. 2:13.

    VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.(m)

    (m) II Tim. 3:15, 16, 17; Gal. 1:8, 9; II Thess. 2:2.

    The Apostle Paul’s Second Letter of instruction to Timothy

    and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus

    2 Timothy 3:15

    All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.

    2 Timothy 3:16-17 NASB20

    The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself

    IX. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.(y)

    (y) II Pet. 1:20, 21; Acts 15:15, 16.

    X. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined; and in whose sentence we are to rest; can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.(z)

    (z) Matt. 22:29, 31; Eph. 2:20 with Acts 28:25.

    Scripture is therefore the perfect and only standard of spiritual truth, revealing infallibly all that we must believe in order to be saved and all that we must do in order to glorify God. That—no more, no less—is what sola Scriptura means. – John MacArthur

    “The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.” —Westminster Confession of Faith

    This excerpt is taken from John MacArthur’s contribution in Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible.

    Sola Scriptura – Only Scripture

    Only Scripture. So what must I do?

    Since WE trust the absolute truth of God in ‘what is written,’ and acknowledge that Jesus Christ IS God, we must trust the very Word of God — in writing — and revealed through the Holy Spirit ONLY in SCRIPTURE.

    AND the interpretation of Scripture?

    • Can a group of learned Christian leaders provide the ONLY interpretation of the word of God?
    • Will one High Shepherd of the Church give the ONLY valid application of ‘what is written’ in the Bible?
    • And might the Holy Spirit reveal any unseen truth of the Lord Jesus Christ which will overturn ‘what is written’ in Holy Scripture?

    According to Christ Jesus and Holy Scripture, CERTAINLY NOT!

    For this reason we must pay much closer attention to the things that have been heard, so that we do not drift away from it..

    God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various works of power and by distributions of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

    Hebrews 2:1 NASB20 READ Heb. 1-4

    Who can say what God really said?

    Can you? May I?

    Leaders of men appointed by God certainly must know better than we how to interpret Scripture (perhaps).

    Will encyclical instruction of a Pope or clerical council confirm any new TRUTH of Scripture? Does a mere man enter a place of mystery to contradict what Scripture has already said? Has some new Prophet come along who claimed to unveil ‘what God said?’

    OR

    Does SCRIPTURE ALONE interpret Scripture?

    “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”

    But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive..

    Gospel of John 7:38039a NASB – Promise of the Christ, Jesus.

    And born again believers will receive the Holy Spirit to interpret Scripture. According to Christ Jesus the HOLY SPIRIT will interpret Scripture to ‘those who believe.’

    Therefore, once more the Doctrine of Scripture, in order to teach the HIGHEST Authority of God leaves no other choice for one in Christ.

    SOLA SCRIPTURA & the Reformation

    Do you recognize my DOCTRINE of the BIBLE topic today as Sola Scriptura, one of the Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation? I cannot address the remaining crucial doctrines of the church today, but I will introduce them here.

    Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation

    "Sola" is Latin meaning "alone" or "only" and the corresponding phrases are:
    1. Perhaps first in importance is: Sola Fide, by faith alone
    2. Sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone
    3. Solus Christus, through Christ alone
    4. Sola Gratia, by grace alone
    5. Soli Deo Gloria, glory to God alone

    THE Church AND Scripture

    chalkboard - written Sola Scriptura! Only Scripture

    Doctrine of the BIBLE

    The BIBLE IS HOLY – Spoken by God, Written by Men and confirmed by the Holy Spirit.

    SCRIPTURE ONLY interprets Scripture.

    The line in the sand delineates two choices:

    • SCRIPTURE OR the Authority of the Church
    • Scripture AND an AUTHORITY of the church.

    NOT any earthly ‘authority‘ AND Scripture

    IN the 15th and 16th centuries, Ulrich Zwingli, Martin Luther, Thomas Cranmer, John Calvin and many other faithful saints of the Church sought to reform Roman catholic [καθολικός katholikos ‘universal’] worship and traditions which had become corrupted over the centuries.

    As Good News from Gutenberg’s printing press [c. A.D.1440] spread throughout Europe and the world, many saints of the Church could read the BIBLE. The Protestant Reformers, who had hoped to renew the faith of the ‘catholic’ Church, consequently drew their line in the sand on the side of SCRIPTURE ALONE and stood their ground.

    Corrupted ‘christian’ churches of recent centuries (Protestant by denomination, but not by DOCTRINE) preach many heresies directly opposed to the ‘written Word of God’ in Scripture.

    Conclusion: Only Scripture conveys God’s Highest Authority

    The BIBLE IS HOLY! The LORD GOD IS HOLY! God speaks. “It is written..”

    Only Scripture – Sola Scriptura, as the Protestant reformers reminded, can assure an accommodating 21st century ‘christian‘ church which struggles to go in to all the world without a Doctrine of the Bible.

    No other authority will convince perishing flesh of God’s great mercy on mankind for those who love and worship Him by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. For many false teachers and false prophets do mislead the faithful away from God’s word.

    The early Creeds of the Church and Confessions of faith all confirm this from Scripture, but only Scripture through the Holy Spirit can reveal God’s will for those who believe.

    Only Scripture speaks the very Word of God through the Holy Spirit directly into the hearts of those who the Lord chooses. Believers, Christians – Bible believing Christians who confess Christ crucified, buried, risen in the body and ascended into heaven.

    IT IS WRITTEN.. in SCRIPTURE –

    WE have it on THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY: The Bible speaks God’s word through the men who authored its Holy Books.

    For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty...

    And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

    20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

    Excerpt from the Second Letter of the Apostle Peter to the Church

    THE BIBLE IS HOLY – ONLY Scripture – The Highest Authority of GOD!

    Let the Christian with ears to hear hear the word of the LORD.
Will a fellow saint say, AMEN?