Category: Scriptural understanding

Sound Doctrine

Sound Doctrine

Many today dismiss the importance of doctrine – opting instead for:

  • opinions,
  • emotional experiences
  • or the everchanging community expectations.

But let’s be reminded in this lesson of the vital importance of sound doctrine.

1. The source of sound doctrine

2. The effects of sound doctrine

“Sound doctrine” = “healthy teaching”.

  • Anything else is regarded as “a different doctrine” (1Tim. 6:3) or “strange doctrines” (1Tim. 1:3).

Sound doctrine saves lives, nourishes churches and brings glory to God.

  • 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Sound doctrine: Know it, speak it, live it, defend it.

Sound doctrine saves lives!

How can you make sure that you will get to heaven?

How can you make sure that you will get to heaven?

“Life” or “fire” are the only two destinations on the day of judgment:

  • Recall 20:15 .

How can you make sure that your name is “found written in the book of life” (v. 15)?

  • How can you make sure that you will get to heaven?
  • The devil is very happy when people are confused about how to get to heaven!

A sobering example

The answer is really very simple:

  1. Become a Christian!
  2. Remain/Stay a Christian!

Jesus said “I am …”

Jesus said “I am …”

Why are we gathering together this morning?

  • There are no doubt many good reasons: obedience to God (Heb. 10:25), worship of God (Jn. 4:24), encouraging one another, (1Cor. 14:26), etc.
  • But surely a very important reason is because of who Jesus is!
Jesus said “I am …”
1. I am the bread of life (John 6:35,41,48,51)
2. I am the light of the world (8:12; 9:5)
3. I am (8:58)
4. I am the door (10:7,9)
5. I am the good shepherd (10:11,14)
6. I am the Son of God (10:36)
7. I am the resurrection and the life (11:25)
8. I am the way, and the truth, and the life (14:6)
9. I am the true vine (15:1,5)

Lessons from the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15)

Lessons from the Parable of the Prodigal Son

(Luke 15)

Four Lessons from the Parable of the Prodigal Son

(Luke 15)

  1. Sin leads to the opposite of what it promises
  2. Repentance and confession are essential
  3. God is compassionate and gracious
  4. Don’t be appallingly selfish like the older brother

Luke 15 is one of the most loved chapters in all the Bible!

Its “parable” (i.e., v. 3) in four parts– the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, and the lost older brother – show many wonderful truths:

  • God’s great love for the lost,
  • His great efforts to restore them to Himself,
  • and His great joy when they are returned.

God allows us all choice, but longs for us all to be with Him. God wants all to be saved.

Do we have to be in the church of Christ to go to heaven?

Do we have to be in the church of Christ to go to heaven?

1. Community misunderstanding of the question

2. The proper understanding of the question

3. How to recognise the church of Christ today

4. How to be in the church of Christ today

(a) How to BE saved

(b) How to STAY saved

“One Another”

“One Another”

The NT contains numerous “one another” passages.

  • They show us different ways that we can “do good … especially to those who are of the household of the faith”.
  • These passages teach us how we should interact as Christians.
    • “One another” = reciprocal, mutual, joint, shared! It should not be just one-sided.
  • Simply stated: It’s less me and more we.

We’ve been reminded of some of these Scriptures this morning:

  1. We are to love one another (Jn. 13:34,35)
  2. We are to admonish one another (Rom. 15:14)
  3. We are to serve one another (1Pet. 4:10)

[Of course, these three points overlap.]

Was John a Baptist?

Was John a Baptist?

  1. John was “A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS”
  2. John was a man of godly parents
  3. John was a man with a godly purpose
  4. John was a man who denied himself
  5. John said “change your ways”
  6. John pointed people to Jesus
  7. John was courageous

We may feel that we are crying in a wilderness today:

  • We are surrounded by denominations who have digressed from the truth!

But let’s continue to be committed to the Lord and do His will, as John did!

Do not add to or take from God’s commands

Do not add to or take from God’s commands

 

1. In the first century

 

(a) The sect of the Pharisees added to the word of God

(b) The sect of the Sadducees took away from the word of God

(c) Jesus and His disciples simply obeyed the word of God

 

2. Today

 

(a) Modern sects/denominations also add to the word of God

(b)  Modern sects/denominations also take away from the word of God

(c) Like Jesus, we must simply obey the word of God

Conclusion

Our lesson today has been:  Do not add to or take from God’s commands

Reject all modern sects/denominations which add to or take away from the word of God!

Simply be added to and remain in the church that Jesus built