Reference: I Timothy 4:16
The definition for the word doctrine asaccording to Webster's dictionary is that which is taught, as the principlesand beliefs of a church, sect, or party; dogma.
There are many people today who have takenthe mistaken idea that doctrine has absolutely nothing to do with one'ssalvation, but according to what the apostle Paul tells us in the above verseof scripture we can only be saved if we continue in the doctrine. Now thedoctrine that Paul is referring to is of course the doctrine of Christ revealedin the gospel.
Paul tells us to continue in the doctrineand by our doing this he tells us that we will be saved and not only ourselves,but also them that will hear us. Now in order for a person to be saved thenit's necessary for them to continue in the doctrine and in order for us to dothis then we must know what the doctrine is. To continue in the doctrine meansthat we must continue in the word of God as Jesus said in John 8:31. In this verseof scripture Jesus told the people that if they continue in his word then theywere his disciples indeed and they would know the truth and the truth would setthem free.
To continue in the words of Christ simplymeans for us to continue in his doctrine. Jesus said in John 7:16 that hisdoctrine was not his, but it was rather his Father's that sent him. Christ'sdoctrine is simply saying that it's Almighty God's way of saving a person ifthey receive and obey what is said and revealed. We are told in Hebrews 5:9 that Christ isthe author of the eternal salvation that will save a person if they areobedient to him. The only way that we can possibly be saved is for us to submitourselves unto God and obey the gospel that Christ began to preach on thisearth as a man. Christ did not reveal the entire truths of this gospel to hisdisciples before the day of Pentecost simply because of the fact that he toldthem that they were not able to bear it now, but that the Holy Spirit wouldguide them into all truth after they received him as the promised gift.
Now we know that Christ commissioned hisdisciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel, and he also said thatthose who believed and were baptized would be saved and those who did notbelieve would be damned. What most people are totally ignorant of today is thatthe gospel that the disciples were told to preach is the very doctrine that weare to continue in if we ever expect to be saved.
Now this doctrine is made up of manyprinciples that must be received. Jesus said that to be only a hearer of God'sword will not save us or justify a person. He said that we must be not only ahearer, but also a doer. Now in order to be a doer of God's word, then it'splain to see that his word must contain some sort of instructions. To beinstructed simply means that we must be told to do something. Many people don'tbelieve that God's word tells us to do something simply because of the factthat this would mean that we would be earning our salvation.
We are of course saved by grace throughfaith, but very few understand what this simply means. Most people believe theyare saved by grace alone and nothing else outside of this will be meritedtoward their salvation. We of course cannot save ourselves no matter what we doin our own strength and power, but this doesn't mean that we don't haveanything to do with our becoming a saved and born again child of God. We can besaved if we are obedient to God's word, and to be obedient requires some efforton our part. We are told to continue in the word for the truth that will set usfree, but if we fail to do this, then we will not be saved as Paul reveals inour text of I Timothy 4:16. God's word tells us to repent, but if we do not do thisthen how is it possible for us to get anywhere with God?
We can repent if God has brought us tothis condition as he will do to anybody. It's the goodness of God that leads usto repentance, but we must accept God's invitation and submit ourselves untohim. To repent of course means to admit our sinful condition and be willing toaccept correction and instruction in a different way of life entirely. We arealso commanded to be baptized in water. Repentance and water baptism is onlyprimary principles of the doctrine of Christ that absolutely must be obeyed. Weare told to leave these principles of the doctrine and go on to perfection, butmillions of people today are hung up on these principles and can't advance nofurther in God's saving plan of salvation.
We absolutely must continue on in God'sword as Jesus said in order to be made free as he stated in John 8:30-32. Our continuingon in God's word is receiving the revealed truths concerning the mysteries ofthe kingdom of God. These mysteries reveal to us many of our own sinfulconditions as we are in the flesh being prone to sin's power and influence.
The things that we are told to do afterrepentance and water baptism is obeyed mostly pertains to the renewing of themind and the crucifying of the fleshly body. We learn how sin had dominion over us when we were in theflesh. In this state we find that we possess a power to abstain from thepleasures of sin etc. We are also aware of our every move as we are encounteredwith the daily ways of life and must abstain from the things that the fleshloves and enjoys.
God's word instructs us in allrighteousness as we walk in the light of it. Our walking in the light of theword of God will renew the mind and crucify our fleshly lusts and desires. Thisrenewing of the mind and crucifying of the flesh is the death of our carnal manin a daily process. The putting to death of our carnal man is at the same timeforming Christ in us. In order for the Lord Jesus to become our life then it'snecessary for us to die. Our death is a spiritual operation brought about bythe power of God's revealed word of truth. This revealed word of God is thedoctrine that Paul tells us to continue in that will not only save ourself, butalso those who will hear us.
God's word of truth forms Christ in thebeliever in a daily process, but the religious world today has been led tobelieve that God's word of the Bible just points to a split second of time whenChrist was supposedly received at confession on him as Lord and Saviour. Christis not revealed to be in us at a certain specific time such as at repentance,but rather he is revealed in us as we walk in and receive the truth of thegospel. Coming to the fulness and stature of Christ is not achieved at a splitsecond of time as the world has been led to believe.
We come to this fulness of Christ as theHoly Spirit reveals and leads us into all truth contained in the gospel. Theaverage preacher today teaches that Christ was received when he was believed onand accepted as Lord and Saviour and that all scripture points to this specificmoment of time. This doctrine will absolutely cause the believer to stay in adenominated state not being able to grow up in Christ and come to the statureof the perfect man that the scriptures speak of.
The gospel in it's entirety is thedoctrine and power of God to make and create true sons of God filled with allthe fulness of Christ. The Spirit of God takes the word of God revealed in thegospel and actually molds a new creation of a man that was once filled withuncleaness and iniquity. This new creation is not an overhaul of man's heartand spirit within itself, but is rather the believer and Christ becoming onelike Christ and the Father being one.....