https://prestonwood.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Doctrine-Week-2.pdf
The teaching of Jesus is a firm foundation we can build our lives on.
John 10:1–10, 14 and 14:6
Matthew 7:24–27 and James 1:22–25
1 Timothy 4:12–16 and 2 Timothy 4:1–5
""I MAKE NO APOLOGY WHEN I SAY THAT THE WHOLE WORLD IS CAUGHT UP IN LIES AND DECEPTION, AND ONLY THE BIBLE HAS THE TRUTH. IT IS THE TRUTH." ~ John MacArthur
https://docs.google.com/document/d/0BxjeOXleU9LIclNhMXlEZFFYd0E/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114642890281206187312&resourcekey=0-pHNc9PUTbH74Xe3S6CrmPg&rtpof=true&sd=true
Luke 6:47–49; Matthew 7:24–27
https://docs.google.com/document/d/0BxjeOXleU9LIbnpOVXRDbFVTYU0/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114642890281206187312&resourcekey=0-aw3T-t6KtphNQkRzMauHkg&rtpof=true&sd=true
Recapin' it: In our first lesson, we talked about the “why” behind this series, why it’s
necessary to learn sound doctrine. Not just so we can defend our faith to opponents
who try to argue against it, not just so we can know intellectually why we believe what
we believe, but most of all, so we can experience the joyful, peaceful, abundant life that
comes from truly knowing Jesus and following His ways. Because when we live in the
way God designed for human beings to live, we can experience life as it was meant to be
lived, a life of peace, kindness, gentleness, love, and all the other Fruit of the Spirit. Not
only does this make our own lives better, but it is also a draw for those of the world who
are seeking what they understand as happiness. Human beings all seek happiness, but
they look for it in all the wrong places; their pursuit through the things of this world
leaves them empty, anxious and depressed. When people see believers living this kind
of abundant life in communities that reflect Christ’s love, joy, peace, and so on, they will
be drawn to our church communities and ultimately to Christ Himself.
Now in this lesson: we’ll learn why knowing sound doctrine creates a firm foundation on
which we can build our lives. Jesus said that because His words are true, right and good,
following what He taught is like building our lives on a stable rock, a firm foundation.
But following the lies the culture teaches is like building our lives on sand – when hard
times come, it falls down like a house of cards. Too many people are building their lives
on the lies of the world without even realizing it because they haven’t really studied
God’s Word. Learning sound doctrine gives us the discernment to tell the truth from the
lies of the world.
Here is an essential for you: we believe in the authority of the Scripture, which is another way of saying that the Bible is God’s inspired, infallible and inerrant Word. It’s the ultimate source for knowledge about God, as well as the definitive guide for our everyday lives.
“In essentials unity, in nonessentials liberty, and in all things charity.” ~ Rupertus Meldenius
We believers don’t ever want to break fellowship with other Christians just because we can’t come into a full agreement about the periphery doctrines of our faith that really aren’t pertinent to salvation (the non-essentials). Maybe like me, you've experienced a situation where a TV preacher was verbally elevating secondary teachings to the level of cardinal/essential Christian doctrine and then watching these folk go divide with other Christians over these. That’s so wrong and should be addressed!
Today religious leaders from prominent Christian denominations spout untruths, like even Muslims and Mormons will enjoy salvation apart from knowing the Bible Christ. But real Christians must form their unity around nothing more than the Bible Jesus and the truth of God's Essentials, since essential Christian doctrine forms the only line of demarcation between the Kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the cults.
Seven Thoughts on Reading Bible Truth
1) Read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it and know the Lord.
2) Read the Scriptures with a simple, humble childlike faith and humility.
3) Read the Word with a teachable spirit of obedience and wise-application.
4) Read the Holy Scriptures everyday.
5) Read the whole Bible and read it an systemic orderly way.
6) Read the Word of God fairly and honestly.
7) Read the Bible with Christ constantly in view--what do You want of me today?
Both 1 and 2 Timothy (along with Titus) are pastoral epistles, letters written from Paul
to his “son” in the faith, a younger pastor he was mentoring/discipling (1 Timothy 1:2).
Paul met Timothy on his second missionary journey, saw in him potential to be a great
spiritual leader, and poured his life into training and equipping Timothy for ministry. As
both a Jew and a Roman citizen, Paul was in a unique position to be able to connect with
Jews and Greeks. In the same way, Timothy, whose mother was Jewish and father was
Greek, was able to connect to both Jews and Gentiles. When Paul wrote to Timothy,
Timothy was pastoring the church at Ephesus, where Paul commanded him to stay in
order to make sure they were well trained in sound doctrine and didn’t allow false
teaching to creep into the church (1 Timothy 1:3).
First Timothy was written when Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus to help correct their
teaching, and 2 Timothy was written about 10 years later, when Paul was in prison
awaiting the death penalty. Knowing the difference in time between the two letters
helps us understand his change in tone and urgency from 1 Timothy to 2 Timothy. In the
first letter, Paul was definitely encouraging Timothy to “be diligent” in teaching the
people sound doctrine and to be a positive example for them in what it looked like to
live out the faith. He told Timothy to watch both his doctrine and his life closely, both
what he taught and the way he lived it out.
But then in 2 Timothy, his sense of urgency had grown. Instead of just encouraging
Timothy, he gave him a “charge.” The tone is much more imperative, a series of
commands – preach the word, be ready, correct, rebuke, encourage. And he gave a
reason – because a time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine;
they will just believe it when people tell them what they want to hear.
Paul wrote this to his protégé almost 2,000 years ago. It was true then and it is just as
true now. We are living in a world of “relative truth” where people seem to think they
can just choose what is “true for me” and let others choose what is true for them. The
concept of an absolute standard of truth based on something outside ourselves is
considered antiquated, even laughable in some circles. People surround themselves
with those who tell them what they want to hear, even if it makes no logical sense.
People believe and follow what makes them feel good rather than what really is good,
true and right.
This is why it’s so important for us to study and know sound doctrine. If we want our life
to be built on the rock, for our life to withstand the storms of life, we need to know the
teachings of Jesus (Matthew 7:24–27). If we want to experience the joy and peace of
walking with our Good Shepherd even through the “valley of the shadow of death”
(Psalm 23), we need to be able to recognize His voice among all the voices of the world
(John 10:1–14). If we want to grow in the Fruit of the Spirit and live in love, joy, peace
and abundant life, we need to know how to walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–25).
According to Paul, this takes persistence, commitment and diligence to continue
studying and teaching sound doctrine regardless of what people around us are doing. A
Barna Research survey found that 64 percent of American adults and 83 percent of
American teenagers believe that “truth is always relative to the person and their
situation.” Even more staggering, only one in 10 of American teenagers who call
themselves born-again Christians believe in absolute moral truth.4 It’s difficult to
continue to stand for the absolute truth of Scripture when the culture – even some
Christians – tell us we can all choose our own “truth.”
It can also be hard to find the motivation to take time to study the context, background
and true meaning of Scripture and wrestle with the hard questions when we live in a
world that loves sound bites, instant gratification and quick and easy “answers.” But at
Prestonwood, we think it is worth it. This is the truth we are building our lives on. There
is nothing more valuable in which to invest our time and energy. Learning sound
doctrine is essential to our lives as believers. Not only so we can have theological
knowledge, but also so we can have abundant life, the way God intended us to live. As
Peter answered when many had abandoned Jesus, and He asked the Twelve, “‘Do you
want to go away as well?’ And Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have
the words of eternal life’” (John 6:67–68).
THINK: How have you grown in your understanding of God’s Word over the years of
walking with Jesus? What things have helped in your study of His Word? Certain types of
studies, specific people, listening to certain sermons or podcasts, reading particular
books, or something else? How can you trust that what you are learning is the truth?
How can discussing truth with other people help you to learn and grow? Which people
have been most helpful in your study of God’s Word and why? Which spiritual
disciplines have helped you grow the most and why? What other things have helped in
your understanding of God’s Word?
PRAY: for God to grow your understanding of His Word. Pray for the wisdom to apply His
truth to your everyday life. Ask God to help you hear His voice and follow it. Pray that
the Spirit would fill you with His presence and guide you on the path to following Him as
your shepherd, Lord and king. Pray that your life would be a light to the world around
you. Pray that our church community would stay faithful to His Word in the midst of a
relativistic culture.
ACT: Which of these truths would you like to deepen your
knowledge in? Commit to a plan to grow in this area. Utilize tools such as: The
Unshakable Truth by Josh and Sean McDowell, the works of our own Associate Pastor
Jeremiah Johnston, investing in trusted apologetics or systematic theology books (ask
your minister for suggestions).
Week 2: Truth as a Firm Foundation (PDF)
https://prestonwood.org/wp-
The teaching of Jesus is a firm foundation we can build our lives on.
John 10:1–10, 14 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
Jn 14:6 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Matthew 7:24–27
24“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
I'm not deconstructing my faith, I've decided to be daily constructing what's food together with the Lord (he grew up around carpentry building). Builders (Matt 7:21–29). To “build on the rock” means to hear, understand and to obey the Word of God (to wisely apply the truth of God's word). Saying it is not enough; there must be the wise doing (James 1:22–25). If you claim to be born again as a disciple of Jesus Christ, expect to have your profession tested by storms and trials in this life. Storms, cyclones, rain, twisters (small & F5) come and go. Fair-weather faith will not pass the test. Fairweather followers are not what we need as close friends.
James 1:22–25
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
