The Church

The church was brought into being by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. As with everything that the Lord does, the church also has a God given purpose. The Lord brought the church into being to fulfill His purposes.

Therefore the Churches doctrines, as revealed to the Apostles, are God’s truth and purpose revealed for ALL Christians.

There is only one truth, for the Church, given by God and illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Every human being since Pentecost has had to be successfully wooed by the Holy Spirit. Wooed to receive Christ, and then wooed to understand, believe and live according to the doctrines and purposes of God for the Church. We cannot simply believe what is convenient, or what is the popular belief in the time we are living in. Just as we allowed ourselves to be wooed to Christ by the Holy Spirit, we must rely on His lead for us to find, understand and live correct doctrine.

These doctrines were given by the Holy Spirit to the apostles and recorded in the epistles.

The Scriptures Reveal …

That Revelation To The Apostles Was Promised

John 16:12-15
12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13   Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14   He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15  All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

The Lord Jesus, before He left our world, promised that He would send the Holy Spirit Whom He called the ‘Comforter’, and the ‘Spirit of truth’ in this passage. The Lord told His disciples that He had many things to say to them, but they were not able to ‘bear them’ yet. They would not be able to understand them yet. The promised ‘Spirit of truth’ would be their guide ‘into all truth’. The Holy Spirit would not only reveal these truths, but would also open their understanding of the truths. These truths that they would later receive, would be the doctrines and purpose of the then future Church.

The apostles received God’s revelation for the Church

Eph 3:3  “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,”

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

The apostle Paul shares how he received direct revelation from God.

Galatians 1:11-12
11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Example: Paul sharing how the Lord spoke to him while in a trance …

Acts 22:17-21
17  And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18  And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19  And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20  And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21  And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

1 Thessalonians 2:13  “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”

The Lord lead Cornelius to send for Peter to come and teach him the truths that the Lord had revealed to him (Peter).

Act 10:33  Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

The bible in our hands, with the New Testament in it, shows that the Lord kept His promise.

The Revelation was to be followed precisely

The revealed purpose and doctrines were to be followed exactly as revealed. We told that the young church ‘continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.’

Act 2:42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

1 Corinthians 11:1-2
1  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2  Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

Paul told the Corinthians to “keep the ordinances (doctrines) AS I DELIVERED THEM TO YOU”. They were not to take liberties with the teaching that they received from Paul. They were to keep the teaching as he delivered it to them. They were not allowed to change it.

The Lord gave His approval to the young church by blessing it with growth.

Act 2:47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Sound Doctrine

The term ‘sound doctrine’ was coined referring to the accurate, faithfully holding to the apostle’s doctrine:

1 Timothy 1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Thing that are wrong are wrong because they are contrary to ‘sound doctrine’.

2 Timothy 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

A prophecy about how that believers will turn from the apostles doctrines in favour of those that will entertain them. For those that will tell them ‘new’, ‘interesting’ things. These ‘new’ and ‘interesting’ things that they hold higher than the apostles doctrines / truth will expose their carnality.

Titus 1:9  Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

It is only with the apostle’s doctrine that an effective ministry can be had. An effective ministry is where there are genuine conversions, and growing believers.

Titus 2:1  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

i.e. Speak truth! What we say is either according to truth or error.

Non-conformity to the apostles doctrines rebuked

Those not following the apostles doctrines are soundly rebuked and warned against.

Gal 1:6-12
6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul writes of ‘another gospel: that is not another gospel, and of those who ‘pervert the gospel of Christ.’

V8 – 9/ When the early church was taught anything that was different from that which they were already taught, they were to know that it was wrong!

None may bring other teaching that contradicts that which they have received. Not an apostle nor an angel from heaven!

Rom 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

They were to separate even from believers that turned from ‘the doctrine which ye have learned’ – the apostle’s doctrine.

Unity Through The Apostle’s Doctrine

Believers are expected to unite through the apostles doctrine.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

We have already seen that it is the apostle’s doctrine that believers are to understand, believe and practice. So ‘the same mind and in the same judgment’ are referring to the apostles doctrine. Not some other standard.

The unity teaching is given to an individual church. Within the local church there must be unity through doctrine. The local church, like the individual, are to look to the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth. i.e. to discover and live the true apostle’s doctrine. This must be by individual and then by local church.

Fellowship between local churches is based on whether of not there is unity in doctrine. Unity between local churches is based on unity of doctrine, not on the fact that they may be both Christian.

James 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, THEN peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Wisdom, or God’s perspective, is first accurate (pure according to God and therefore according the doctrines He delivered to the apostles), then ‘peacable’. i.e. Fellowship and cooperation between churches is based on same belief. The Holy Spirit will guide those who care as to how much difference is permissible, between believers and churches that the Lord leads into fellowship and cooperation.

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