Doctrine

1Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Start with the Scripture

• Mark 7:7; Acts 2:42
• Romans 6:17; 16:17
• 2 Timothy 3:10; 4:3-6
• Titus 1:9; Hebrews 6:1-2
• 2 John 1:1-13

The Bible

• What a wonderful gift from God
• We've discovered it's origin
• Learned how to study and apply it
• Need to understand it's purpose
• God's gift of instructions/doctrines

It is God's blueprint for living!

Doctrine

• Largely misunderstood
• Doctrine - instruction, that which is taught
• So everyone has a doctrine
• Parents, teachers, policemen, judges
• Preachers dispense doctrine in preaching

Most importantly the Bible offers its doctrine to "whosoever will".

Denominational Doctrine

• Religious movements have doctrines
• They all claim to teach the Bible
• In part they all do
• But it's based on their interpretation
• Some churches try to be "Interdenominational"

Denominational Doctrine

• Whatever church you attend you accept that doctrine
• Some try to teach one person one thing
• Then try to teach someone else something else
• What they're saying is it doesn't matter what you believe
• We know that it does matter what you believe!!

Doctrine

• God gave us the Bible
• It's how we know how to live
• We have to obey it to be saved
• If God didn't care how we believed
• Why did He give us the Bible?

Doctrine

• We know God gave the Bible to us
• It's His plan for man
• Some people interpret it incorrectly
• 2 Peter 1:20
• Peter went on to tell us 2 Peter 2:1-3

Doctrine

• The only doctrine that is right is
• The doctrine of the Bible!
• We have to follow Philippians 2:12 
• We have to do our due diligence
• We have to verify the doctrine with the Word

Devoted to Doctrine

• The Bible should be our doctrine
• 2 Timothy 3:16
• If we love God, we love His Word
• Paul told Timothy (2 Tim 4:2)
• He told the church at Rome (Rom 6:17)

Devoted to Doctrine

• Paul told Titus that bishops should obey doctrine
• Paul told Corinthians they could profit from doctrine
• Paul was devoted to doctrine
• John loved Christ, translated into love of doctrine
• 1 John 5:3 (commandments = doctrine)

Developing Doctrine

• It's important that we master the Doctrine
• We can't be novices
• Let's look at Doctrine like a builder
• We can follow God's blueprint 
• Our life can be like a beautiful building  

Developing Doctrine

• Builder receives blueprints from architect
• Builder can do nothing without them
• The world was given a complete set of plans
• Designed by the Master Architect
• Bible contains every instruction for life

Developing Doctrine

• Builder looks over the plans
• He familiarizes himself with the type of building
• Plot plans, foundation, framing, plumbing, electrical
• A long way from the finished product
• A glance at the Bible gives us a glimpse of God's plans

Developing Doctrine

• We can look at Moses' law
• The OT characters, life of Christ
• Apostles' doctrine
• This all shows us the character God wants in us
• We can see what God expects of us

Developing Doctrine

• The Builder determines the stages to take
• He begins with the foundation
• Most important part
• We must lay foundational doctrines first
• What are "foundational doctrines"?

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Repentance

• Turning from one way of living
• Making up our mind to serve God
• We have to start here
• Can't go any further until we have this
• Is your mind made up to serve God?

Baptisms

• We have to be baptized 
• Baptized - G907 to make whelmed(fully wet)
• John 3:5 Born of water and spirit
• We have to know this and do it
• Baptized of the water and the Spirit

Faith

• Heb 11:6 - "Without faith it is impossible"
• Faith is foundational
• We have to have it to go anywhere in God
• Faith is what carries us 

Laying on of hands

• If we're sick or have a need
• We can call on the elders of the church
• Mark 16:17-18; James 5:14-15
• This will "save" the sick

Resurrection of the dead

• This is our hope
• 1 Peter 3:15 - reason for the hope
• This isn't our only life
• James 4:14
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - "sorrow not"

Eternal judgment

• There is a judgement coming
• Rom 14:12 - give an account
• Mat 12:36 - every idle word
• Heb 10:26 - sin willfully
• We have to lay this foundation

After the foundation is ready, the walls and roof are erected. First there's the structural skeleton.

The framework

- Only ONE God -
Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

- Fruit of the Spirit -
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

- Second Coming of Christ -
1Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

- Good works -
James 2:18 ...I will shew thee my faith by my works.
20 ...faith without works is dead?

- Holiness -
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

- Forgiveness -
Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

- Brotherly love -
1John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

- Freedom from sin -
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

The Framework

• There are many other doctrines
• Best way to get them - 1 Cor. 1:21
• After this the builder will adorn the building
• Trim, paint, decor
• These are the last stages

The building

• Prayer, faith, devotion, fasting
• Not always visible traits
• But they are necessary
• These are the things that shine through

Doctrine that Decorates

• A novice cuts corners
• They regret it later
• Novice Christians can do the same thing
• Prayer may not seem important
• Some make outward appearance more important

Doctrine that Decorates

• Don't spend more time on the outward man
• Than you spend on preparing to receive from God
• The outward appearance is important
• God cares how we dress, how we entertain ourselves
• Our clothing styles, our hair, our habits

Doctrine that Decorates

• God wants us to be modest
• Well-groomed, well-behaved
• But God also sees the heart
• 1 Sam 16:7
• He knows if the heart is holy

Doctrine that Decorates

• A person that looks holy on the outside
• Their heart is unholy
• It's like a facade on a building
• God wants to see us growing in Him
• Following His blueprint  for our lives

Doctrine that Decorates

• We need to apply foundational doctrine
• Develop a prayer life
• Discover real faith
• Gain knowledge by going to church
• Be a hearer and a doer - James 1:23

Doctrine that Decorates

• There will be visible signs of our growth
• Our clothing will reflect our pure heart
• Our hair will reflect our submissive spirit
• Our choices of friends will reflect our friendship with God
• Our entertainment will reflect our clean heart

Ephesians 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

This will all come as we grow in Him.
Lay the foundation
Put up the walls
Put the roof on
Decorate your life to please the KING.