Sound Doctrine

Last week I received an email from an individual who watches one of our weekly programs on PACT. In the email he expressed his frustration of not being able to find a church in the greater Duluth area that teaches correct doctrine; he also made some comments about the new birth. But for the moment, here are my remarks about “correct doctrine.”

You said that you are “having trouble finding a church that teaches correct doctrine. Not legalism but doctrine.” I understand what you are saying. Sadly, many are persuaded that it is legalistic to insist upon pure doctrine. Yet, when one examines the scriptures it is clear that in the first century churches loyal to God were also loyal to “the apostles’ doctrine (teaching)” (Acts 2:42). It is their doctrine/teaching that we must be interested in; one cannot be loyal to Christ without being loyal to them – to their teaching. Jesus taught this in John 15:20 when He told the apostles: (John 15:20) "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” In his first epistle John declared that our fellowship with God is determined by whether or not we remain in fellowship with him and his inspired companions. Having warned his readers about false prophets and encouraged them to test the spirits to see whether or not they are from God, John gives three tests; all of which are essential.

1. Who does the spirit confess? - (1 John 4:2-3) By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God….

2. Are they of the world – do they act on its principles, do they live for it? - (1 John 4:5) They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.

3. Do they listen to the apostles? - (1 John 4:6) We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

This last test, especially, makes it clear that one knows God – has an intimate relationship with Him – only as he listen to the apostles. We must remain in the apostles’ doctrine. Apart from this, how cannot be in fellowship with Jesus and the Father (cf., 1 John 1:1-4).