Results 1 - 3 of 3
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What doctrines are essential? | Titus 2:1 | kalos | 156084 | ||
What doctrines are essential? Part 1. How can we determine what doctrines are essential and what are they? To begin with, the strongest words of condemnation in all the New Testament are aimed at false teachers who corrupt the Gospel. Therefore the Gospel message itself must be acknowledged as a primary point of fundamental doctrine. (...) I. All Fundamental Articles of Faith Must Be Drawn from the Scriptures First, if a doctrine is truly fundamental, it must have its origin in Scripture, not tradition, papal decrees, or some other source of authority. Paul reminded Timothy that the Scriptures are "able to make thee wise unto salvation" (2 Timothy 3:15, KJV). In other words, if a doctrine is essential for salvation, we can learn it from the Bible. The written Word of God therefore must contain all doctrine that is truly fundamental. It is able to make us "adequate, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:17). If there were necessary doctrines not revealed in Scripture, those promises would ring empty. (..) No papal decrees, no oral tradition, no latter-day prophecy can contain truth apart from Scripture that is genuinely fundamental. II. The Fundamentals Are Clear in Scripture Second, if an article of faith is to be regarded as fundamental, it must be clearly set forth in Scripture. No "secret knowledge" or hidden truth-formula could ever qualify as a fundamental article of faith. No key is necessary to unlock the teaching of the Bible. (..) The Word of God is not a puzzle. It does not speak in riddles. It is not cryptic or mysterious. It is plain and obvious to those who have spiritual ears to hear. "The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple" (Psalm 19:7). (..) III. Everything Essential to Saving Faith Is Fundamental Third, a doctrine must be regarded as fundamental if eternal life depends on it. (..) Since Jesus Himself is the true God incarnate (1 John 5:20; John 8:58; 10:30), the fact of His deity (and by implication the whole doctrine of the Trinity) is a fundamental article of faith (see 1 John 2:23). Our Lord Himself confirmed this when He said all must honor Him as they honor the Father (John 5:23). And according to Romans 4:4-5, justification by faith is a fundamental doctrine as well: "Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness" (emphasis added) . . . This is precisely the difference between Roman Catholic doctrine and the Gospel set forth in Scripture. It is at the heart of all doctrine that is truly fundamental. (..) IV. Every Doctrine We Are Forbidden to Deny Is Fundamental Certain teachings of Scripture carry threats of damnation to those who deny them. Other ideas are expressly stated to be affirmed only by unbelievers. Such doctrines, obviously, involve fundamental articles of genuine Christianity. (..) And since those who twist and distort the Word of God are threatened with destruction (2 Peter 3:16), it is evident that both a lofty view of Scripture and a sound method of Bible interpretation (hermeneutics) are fundamental tenets of true Christianity. V. The Fundamental Doctrines Are All Summed up in the Person and Work of Christ Paul wrote, "No man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11). Christ Himself embodied or established every doctrine that is essential to genuine Christianity. Those who reject any of the cardinal doctrines of the faith worship a christ who is not the Christ of Scripture. (..) That is why [John] wrote, "Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son" (2 John 9). Far from encouraging union with those who denied the fundamental truths of the faith, John forbade any form of spiritual fellowship with or encouragement of such false religion (vv. 10-11). (Adapted from John F. MacArthur, Reckless Faith [Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1997], pp. 108-17) |
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2 | What doctrines are essential? | Titus 2:1 | kalos | 156085 | ||
Part 2. How can we determine what doctrines are essential and what are they? ____________________ A list of fundamental doctrines would begin with: "the absolute authority of Scripture over tradition (sola Scriptura), justification by faith alone (sola fide), the deity of Christ, and the Trinity" ____________________ [Conclusion] It has not been my purpose here to attempt to give an exhaustive list of fundamental doctrines. Such a task is beyond the scope of this article. Furthermore, the attempt to precisely identify and number such a list of doctrines would be an extremely difficult thing to do. However, a reasonable list of fundamentals would necessarily begin with these doctrines explicitly identified in Scripture as non-negotiable: the absolute authority of Scripture over tradition (sola Scriptura), justification by faith alone (sola fide), the deity of Christ, and the Trinity. (..) Again, it must be stressed that those who act as if crucial doctrines were of no consequence only heap the false teacher's guilt on themselves (2 John 11). We have no right to pronounce a sentence of eternal doom against anyone (John 5:22). But by the same token, we have no business receiving just anyone into the communion and fellowship of the church. We should no more forge spiritual bonds with people whose religion is fundamentally in error than we would seek fellowship with those guilty of heinous sin. To do so is tantamount to the arrogance shown by the Corinthians, who refused to dismiss from their fellowship a man living in the grossest kind of sin (1 Corinthians 5:1-3). We must also remember that serious error can be extremely subtle. False teachers don't wear a sign proclaiming who they are. They disguise themselves as apostles of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:13). "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness" (vv. 14-15). In view of the current hunger for ecumenical compromise, nothing is more desperately needed in the church right now than a new movement to reemphasize the fundamental articles of the faith. (Adapted from John F. MacArthur, Reckless Faith [Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1997], pp. 108-17) |
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3 | What doctrines are essential? | Titus 2:1 | Dalcent | 156090 | ||
"A list of fundamental doctrines would begin with: "the absolute authority of Scripture over tradition (sola Scriptura)," Total nonsense: scripture says nothing of the kind, there is no proof text and the Bible expressively says the opposite: 2Th 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us. How can anyone with an ounce of nous not see this verse is saying there are authoritative doctrines in the Church committed to writing and delivered verbally; both of which must be held too. It really is completely beyond me why this verse is swept under the carpet. It disproves 'sola scriptura'. Why will they not accept this clear biblical teaching. 2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; does not say Only Scripture, not do we find any words synonymous with complete or sufficient. Again, not held by any Christian writer until Luther in the Sixteenth century. Furthermore, Hardly anyone apart for a small elite COULD READ until the modern era. Hardly anyone could own a Bible until Gutenberg invented the printing press. Thus only the tiniest minority of people had any access to Christian truth for 1500 years! Christ did not send the Apostles to write but to preach, hardly any of them wrote anything. Was there no Christian truth in the decades from the Ascension until the first NT books were composed. The list of the Biblical canon is not in scripture and is thus a 'tradition' itself. |
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