Category: sound doctrine

Established Saints #6

Monday, January 7, 2013

“For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end that ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith of you and me” (Romans 1:11,12 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is God’s will for every believer.

God wants “perfected” (matured) saints, an “edified” (built up) Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12). Thus, the layout of Paul’s epistles in Scripture is designed to educate the grace saint from spiritual infancy to spiritual adulthood, so the Christian can understand God’s will, delight in His will, and then work with Him to accomplish His will, like an educated, grown son would help his father in the “family business!” Hence, the “doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness” of the Holy Bible makes “perfect” Christians who are “throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

“For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age [spiritually mature], even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:13,14). As 1 Peter 2:2 says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

The Apostle Paul, in today’s Scripture, wanted to visit Rome and teach the saints sound Bible doctrine. The Holy Spirit through Paul desired these saints to be “established,” that their minds would be firmly settled in a clear understanding of God’s Word to us. However, Paul was repeatedly hindered by Satan’s policy of evil (verse 13). So, he wrote an epistle—the book of Romans—and sent it to Rome.

Dear saints, as in the case with the Roman saints, Satan will attempt to prevent you from learning God’s truth, too. Denominationalism hinders your spiritual growth, stunting the growth of your inner man as junk food does your outer man, thus robbing you and leaving you ignorant of God’s will. According to today’s Scripture, if you want to be “established” spiritually, you must rely on what Paul wrote 2,000 years ago, and forget appealing to church tradition!

Established Saints #5

Sunday, January 6, 2013

“For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end that ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith of you and me” (Romans 1:11,12 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is God’s will for every believer.

God wants us believers “established;” that is, to have us understand His Word as the Apostle Paul did. Our Lord Jesus Christ desires to His fill us with His life, but He cannot live His life in and through us until we know the doctrine that is His life!

“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 perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17). Paul’s epistles follow this “doctrine, reproof, correction” pattern. Notice:

  • Romans – basic grace doctrine (Calvary’s finished crosswork: how it saves us and impacts our daily living; Israel’s past, present, and future statuses; practical grace living)
  • 1&2 Corinthians – reproof (carnality/spiritual immaturity, fornication, philosophy, pagan idolatry, denial of bodily resurrection, abuse of spiritual gifts, misuse of the Lord’s Supper, denial of Paul’s apostleship, embracing false teachers, condemned)
  • Galatians – correction (works-religion/legalism [Mosaic Law-keeping] condemned)
  • Ephesians – advanced form of Romans (Calvary’s finished crosswork: how it forms the Body of Christ and accomplishes God’s overall plan in creation).
  • Philippians – advanced form of 1&2 Corinthians (reproving disorderly saints)
  • Colossians – advanced form of Galatians (correcting asceticism, “self-denial” for religious purposes)
  • 1&2 Thessalonians – doctrine of the Lord’s coming for the Church Body of Christ (1), and for the nation Israel (2). After our glorification in heaven, reproof and correction are unnecessary.
  • 1&2 Timothy – church order
  • Titus – church order and good works
  • Philemon – brotherly love and Christian fellowship

The moment we trust Christ as our Saviour, we are spiritual babies. But, God wants us to grow spiritually, to become mature believers, to learn more and more and more about what He is doing and why He is doing it. We can then appreciate His Word and understand His purpose and plan for creation.

Established Saints #4

Saturday, January 5, 2013

“For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end that ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith of you and me” (Romans 1:11,12 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is God’s will for every believer.

“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 perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

The Bible’s canon—the arrangement of its books—is no coincidence, especially the order of Paul’s epistles. They follow the “doctrine, reproof, correction” pattern listed in the above verses. The Holy Spirit worked through believers in centuries past when they copied and collated the Bible manuscripts, and He supervised even the order of the Bible books!

Paul’s epistles are usually not arranged in the order he wrote them. The doctrine in the book of Romans is the most basic information for this the Dispensation of Grace, so it is the first of Paul’s epistles in the canon of Scripture (though Romans was not Paul’s first letter written). As we progress in reading through his epistles, we delve into deeper material (especially in Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians). Before we try to grasp his latter epistles, we must first gain an understanding of the basic doctrine in Romans.

“Doctrine” is what we are to believe, “reproof” is a reprimand for misbehavior, and “correction” is to fix bad thinking. Paul’s epistles serve in all three capacities for the Body of Christ; the remainder of the Bible serves a similar purpose for the nation Israel. The Bible serves in these three capacities to “instruct in righteousness,” and its overall purpose is that, “the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17). God’s Word completely equips you to do everything He has for you to do and tells you everything you need to know. When you learn that information, you are “established” (today’s Scripture). God can then use you for His purposes because you know what He is doing.

Established Saints #3

Friday, January 4, 2013

“For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end that ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith of you and me” (Romans 1:11,12 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is God’s will for every believer.

God wants to build in us a “form of sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13). That word “form” is translated “pattern” in 1 Timothy 1:16. God wants to build inside of us a structure (an edifice) of sound doctrine. Thus, edification (building up) is necessary. “Ye are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Paul writes that he is “a wise masterbuilder” and he has “laid the foundation… Jesus Christ” (verses 10,11). The Apostle Paul is the chief architect. You must, must, MUST go to Paul’s epistles for the blueprints!

To wit, God wants to “stablish” (stabilize) your Christian life and inner man. He wants you to understand the life that He has given to you in Christ Jesus, so that you can understand what He is doing today. Then, you can, by faith, follow Him and work with Him (1 Corinthians 3:9)!

We read in Romans 16:25-26: “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.”

Notice the three-fold process of Christian edification:

  • “my gospel” — Paul’s Gospel, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, is the foundation of the Christian life
  • “the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery” — this is Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon, the sound doctrine (building materials) which we use to build on that foundation
  • “the scriptures of the prophets” — this is all of the Holy Scriptures, in light of the doctrine revealed to Paul.

When we understand this information, we become “established,” firmly set, fixed, in a clear understanding of God’s Word (today’s Scripture).

Established Saints #2

Thursday, January 3, 2013

“For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end that ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith of you and me” (Romans 1:11,12 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is God’s will for every believer.

The division, contention, and Bible ignorance that proliferate within the professing church today is due to a deliberate failure to understand and appreciate the Apostle Paul’s special ministry, message, and doctrine. Rather than focusing on what God is doing today—described in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon—religion “takes and fakes” Israel’s program. Nearly every church today attempts to follow the Old Testament, the Four Gospels, Acts, and Hebrews through Revelation. In doing so, they completely miss what God is doing today! They emphasize Christ’s earthly ministry in Matthew through John to the extent that they ignore Christ’s heavenly ministry through the Apostle Paul.

When we trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, He saved us from sin, death, and hell. But, how did He save us? Why did He save us? What will He do with us in the future? How does the Christian life operate? How should we pray? What does God want us to do on a daily basis as Christians? It cannot be emphasized enough—we must, must, MUST go to the Apostle Paul for the answers, for you cannot find them anywhere else in Scripture.

Usually, the average church member will thus respond with a snide, “Paul worshipper!” On the contrary, Paul wrote, “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). To demean and disregard Paul’s ministry is to disgrace and discard the Lord’s commandments to us. Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13): He is God’s spokesman to us. Friend, if you ignore the Apostle Paul in order to retain your church tradition, you are only hurting yourself, for Paul is the man God sent to “establish” us spiritually (today’s Scripture).

For more information, read this study regarding Paul’s special apostleship and message.

A New Year’s Resolution

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 KJV).

Today’s Scripture should be a New Year’s resolution for every Christian, every year.

Every New Year’s, people set goals they hope to accomplish in the next 12 months—lose weight, get organized, spend less and save more, stay healthy, quit smoking, get a job, enjoy life more, graduate, and so on. Life is filled with choices, and all too often, Christians struggle needlessly wondering about “God’s will” regarding every last detail.

Dear saints, make an effort to memorize today’s Scripture; keep it in mind throughout the year. The life that God has for us in Christ is the life that He wants to live in and through us. “We have this treasure in earthen vessels [our physical bodies], that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). God the Father has deposited within us the very life of His Son Jesus Christ (today’s Scripture). God wants Christ to “dwell in [our] hearts by faith” (Ephesians 3:17). Hence, we Christians are, “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:23).

What is God’s will for your life? God wants you to let Christ live His life in and through you (Galatians 2:20)! He desires the sound doctrine in His Word, the Holy Bible, to be believed, so He can then transform your life. God the Holy Spirit, who indwells us Christians, uses that doctrine to “strengthen [us] with might… in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” (Titus 2:11,12).

Although the sound doctrine regarding Christian living is found in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, God’s viewpoint regarding many of life’s issues are specifically discussed in Romans chapter 12, Ephesians chapters 3 and 4, and Colossians chapter 3. This year, walk by faith in an intelligent understanding of God’s Word to us, especially these verses, and you will be doing the will of God! I wish you all the best this coming year! 🙂

If you are interested in reading through your Bible in one year, is a printable schedule: One-Year Bible Reading Schedule.

The End of the World? #4

Sunday, December 30, 2012

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36 KJV).

We take the remainder of the year to contemplate the term “the end of the world.”

When the Bible speaks of “the end of the world” such as in Matthew 13:39,49; Matthew 24:3; and Hebrews 9:26, it refers to the future destruction of the underlying (satanic) world system that governs earth and its realms. The rebellious, anti-God attitude that operates in Satan is quite evident in the spheres of education, politics, society, religion, and economics: hence, “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4), to which “world” we Christians should not be conformed (Romans 12:2). Remember, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 19:36).

After our Dispensation of Grace closes (rapture), our planet will experience seven years of Tribulation, which Christ will end with His Second Coming. Jesus Christ will then bind Satan in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years, removing him from earth, so that God’s earthly kingdom can be established and accomplished throughout that millennium (Revelation 20:1-7). It will be the end of this present world—Satan’s evil world system—and the beginning of God’s authority and righteousness reigning on earth, which is called “the world to come” in Matthew 12:32, Mark 10:30, Luke 18:30, Hebrews 2:5, and Hebrews 6:5. However, that world to come—Christ’s reign on earth—will be interrupted.

In Matthew 28:20, our Lord told His eleven disciples, “…Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” That world is the world to come, which will one day replace this present evil world. That “end of the world”—compare verse 19 to Daniel 7:13,14 and 1 Corinthians 15:24,25—is the end of Christ’s earthly reign (the conclusion of the aforementioned 1,000 years). The world that Christ will establish will exist for 1,000 years, ending when God makes a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 20:1-21:1). Then, Christ will again reign, this time forever (Daniel 2:44; Luke 1:33; Revelation 11:15).

Indeed, the definition of the term “world” in “end of the world” makes a “world” of difference in Scripture! 🙂

The End of the World? #3

Saturday, December 29, 2012

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36 KJV).

We take the remainder of the year to contemplate the term “the end of the world.”

The King James Bible uses the expression “the end of the world” seven times. We want to focus on the latter five instances—Matthew 13:39,49; Matthew 24:3; Matthew 28:20; and Hebrews 9:26.

In Matthew 13:39,49, our Lord spoke of the end of the seven-year Tribulation period, when He will send His angels to sort believers from unbelievers: “the harvest is the end of the world… so shall it be at the end of the world.” Later, His disciples ask about “the sign of [His] coming, and of the end of the world” (Matthew 24:3). Christ’s Second Coming here is contemporary with the harvest of Matthew chapter 13 (above). But, exactly what is “the end of the world” in these instances?

Ever since Lucifer/Satan was cast out of heaven, he has tainted every region of creation with sin. In fact, on earth, he encouraged mankind to join him in rebelling against God. Ever since man’s fall into sin, Satan and sin have ruled planet earth. Hence, the Bible calls Satan, “the god [ruler] of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4; cf. Matthew 4:8,9); Satan’s fallen angels are called, “the rulers of the darkness of this world” (Ephesians 6:12). Galatians 1:4 mentions, “this present evil world.” This is the “world” of Matthew 13:39,49 and Matthew 24:3 (previous paragraph).

One day, the evil, anti-God system that governs society will be abolished—that is “the end of the world.” Earth’s wicked social, economic, religious, and political systems will pass away. Satan’s reign on earth will come to a violent end, for the glorified Lord Jesus Christ will descend from heaven, militarily defeat Satan and his minions, and then usher in everlasting peace and righteousness on earth (Christ’s Second Coming; see today’s Scripture). This victory over Satan’s evil world system is accomplished through Christ’s finished crosswork at Calvary: hence, Calvary’s crosswork is termed to have occurred, “in the end of the world” (Hebrews 9:26).

The End of the World? #2

Friday, December 28, 2012

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36 KJV).

We take the remainder of the year to contemplate the term “the end of the world.”

When people discuss the “end of the world,” they need to explain what they mean by the term “world.” “World” means different things in diverse contexts. For instance, the first time the term “the end of the world” appears in Scripture is Psalm 19:4. This passage is beyond the scope of this study; suffice it to say that the testimony of the heavens regarding God’s glory and handiwork reaches to the farthest parts of mankind’s habitation on earth (verse 3). This usage of “the end of the world” has nothing to do with end times (prophecy), nor does “world” refer to the physical earth.

The second time God’s Word uses the expression “the end of the world” is Isaiah 62:11: “Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world,….” This is the same sense as Psalm 19:4 (above).

However, when we come to Matthew 13:39,49, the Bible uses “the end of the world” another way. These verses involve end times (prophecy): “…the harvest is the end of the world…. so shall it be at the end of the world.” Jesus Christ is describing the day—His Second Coming—when He will send angels to gather His believers and collect the unbelievers.

In Matthew 24:3, Jesus’ disciples inquired, “And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Here, “world” is in the same sense as in Matthew 13:39,49 above. Like Matthew chapter 13, Matthew chapter 24 is prophetic.

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus Christ told His eleven apostles, “…And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” This is very similar to the sense of Matthew chapters 13 and 24, but referring to a different “world.” Lastly, Hebrews 9:26 says, “now once in the end of the world hath [Christ] appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

We will proceed to discuss these usages in depth….

The End of the World? #1

Thursday, December 27, 2012

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36 KJV).

We take the remainder of the year to contemplate the term “the end of the world.”

Last year, May 21 was heralded as the “end of the world.” When that failed to come to pass, it was changed to October 21. December 21, 2012 was the latest “apocalyptic” hoax. The serious Bible student does not know the next date that the sensationalists will set regarding the “end of the world.” Nonetheless, he or she does know that much of that prophecy preaching and teaching—both in the secular world and the professing church—is grossly in error. Doctrinal integrity is of little to no importance when there is much to gain: record book sales, large television and radio audiences, a following, a name, and… an early retirement!

In common English, “world” can mean several things, such as the universe, the planet earth, this present life, a time period, society and its practices and customs, a system of related things, and the nations of the earth. The King James Bible uses the term “world” 289 times, in various different senses (the meaning being dependent upon the context).

Oftentimes, when people speak of and think of the “end of the world,” the classic imagery is—the planet earth blown to smithereens, and the human race and all other life forms on earth entirely wiped out, usually by a meteorite, biological or chemical warfare, a global natural disaster, and so on. While the Bible does speak of God’s future destruction of the present universe—the heavens and the earth (2 Peter 3:10-13)—it also anticipates a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1), the latter verse (understandably) ignored by the “doom and gloom” sensationalists.

Our King James Bible uses the term “end of the world” seven times. We will examine these instances, to understand how God’s Word utilizes this expression and what it means in light of God’s purpose and plan for heaven and earth. We will also briefly discuss other ways in which the Bible uses “world.”