Sound Doctrine, the Bible above all. by E.G - HTML preview
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DOGMAS OF THE FAITH
Many doctrines are not based on biblical revelation or the Holy Scriptures (God's Word), the foundations of these doctrines (the foundations of the teaching of that "faith") are based on dogmas of faith, which are accepted as "a truth" and which at the same time distance us from the true teaching.
To understand this, we will define what a dogma is:
DOGMA: It is the essential point of a religion, a doctrine or a system of thought that is taken for granted and that cannot be doubted within a system.
As opposed to what is a dogma, Christian doctrine is the teaching or instruction that can be defined as the fundamental truths of the Holy Scriptures, ordered in a systematic way. This doctrine is God's revelation of a truth as found in the Holy Scriptures. Dogma is man's declaration of that truth, expressed in a creed.
Many times this statement that man makes regarding this truth is not in accordance with God's revelation, and its interpretation distances it from the truth and these teachings can alienate many people by believing the dogmas or statements of a leader, authority (mortal human being and sinner like all of us) ignoring the Word of God.
There are doctrines that have been taken as the basis of some faith whose foundation is not the Word of God.
It must be clarified that "Dogma" itself goes against the Bible, we cannot be accepting any revelation other than the Bible, even if they say that this "dogma" is based on some biblical verse (which is out of context and misinterpreted). The only thing that must be accepted purely is the Bible, in its entirety as the truth and not only part of it and even worse mixing it with other ideas, customs or traditions, because the message is corrupted or perverted and distorted away from the truth. The Word of God is the only true revelation and there is no other after it (Biblical Canon).
Revelation 22:18-19 |
"I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will bring upon him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the book of life, and from the holy city, and from the things that are written in this book." |
Matthew 15:8-9 |
This people honors me with their lips; But his heart is far from me. For in vain do they honor me, Teaching as doctrines, commandments of men. |
Paul was faced with situations in the churches of Galatia where they were mixing the teachings of the gospel which perverts the message. False teachers had gone to the Galatians to try to persuade them to reject Paul's teachings regarding Christ's redemptive work and accept a different gospel.
They taught that salvation involved not only believing in Christ, but also being incorporated into the Jewish faith through circumcision (Galatians 5:2 "Behold, I Paul say to you, if you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing."), obedience to the law (Galatians 3:5 "He therefore who supplies you with the Spirit, and does wonders among you, Does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing in faith?") and the observance of the days that the Jews considered sacred. (Galatians 4:10 "You keep the days, the months, the times, and the years.")
The Bible clearly states that there is only one gospel, the "gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7 "Not that there is another, but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ."), which has come to man by revelation from Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12 "For I neither received it nor learned it from any man, but by revelation from Jesus Christ.") and inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21 "For prophecy was never brought by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke being moved by the Holy Spirit.")
This gospel is defined and revealed in the Bible, the Word of God. Teachings, doctrines, and ideas from individuals, churches, or traditions that are not expounded or implied in God's Word should not be included in the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:11 "But I tell you, brethren, that the gospel which I preached is not according to man;"). To mix them with the original content of the gospel is to "pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7 "Not that there is another, but there are some who disturb you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.")
All of this Paul explains in the next portion of the Word:
Galatians 1:6-16
There is no other gospel "I am amazed that you have so soon turned away from the one who called you by the grace of Christ, to follow a different gospel. Not that there is another, but there are some who disturb you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But if we, or an angel from heaven, preach to you any gospel other than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, I repeat it now: If anyone preaches to you a different gospel from that which you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now seek the favor of men, or that of God? Or do I try to please men? For if he were still pleasing to men, he would not be a servant of Christ. Paul's Ministry But I tell you, brethren, that the gospel which I preached is not according to man; for I neither received nor learned it from any man, but by revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have already heard of my conduct in Judaism in former times, which persecuted the church of God exceedingly, and laid waste it; and in Judaism I was ahead of many of my contemporaries in my nation, being much more zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who set me apart from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach to him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately inquire with flesh and blood." |
It is necessary to instruct ourselves in the knowledge of the Word so as not to be deceived, to develop a devotional time every day in prayer and with the Word.
Ephesians 4:13-15
"until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we may no longer be children who are faltering, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men who cunningly employ the wiles of error to deceive, but that following the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, that is, Christ." |
Paul defines a spiritually mature person because he possesses the fullness of Christ.
Spiritual maturity means not being like children, unstable, easily deceived by the false doctrines of others, and susceptible to cunning theatrics. People remain like children if their understanding of biblical truth and their faithfulness to it are insufficient. (Ephesians 4:14-15)
Spiritual maturity involves expressing truth in love (verse 15).
The truth of the gospel, as presented in the New Testament, is to be held, presented, and defended with love. That love has as its first object "Christ" (Ephesians 4:15), and then the Church (Ephesians 4:16 "from whom the whole body, being joined together and joined together by all the joints that help one another, according to the proper activity of each member, receives its growth to build itself up in love.") and the others (Ephesians 4:32 "But be kind to one another, merciful, forgiving one another, as God also forgave you in Christ." And 1 Corinthians 16:14 "Let all your things be done in love.")
Other verses that speak to false teachers and false teachings are:
Tito 1:10-11 |
"For there are still many stubborn people, who talk about vanities and deceivers, especially those of circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped; who overturn whole houses, teaching for dishonest gain what is not convenient." |
Hebrews 13:9 |
"Do not be carried away by diverse and strange doctrines; for it is a good thing to strengthen the heart with grace, not with food, which never profited those who have cared for them." |
Romans 16:17-18 |
"And I beseech you, brethren, watch out for those who cause dissensions and stumbling blocks against the teachings which you have learned, and turn away from them. For such are slaves, not to Christ our Lord, but to their own appetites, and by soft and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the naïve." |
1Timothy 1:3-4 |
Warning Against False Doctrines "As I begged thee to remain in Ephesus, when I went to Macedonia, that thou mayest command some not to teach different doctrine, nor to pay attention to fables and endless genealogies, which involve disputes rather than the edification of God, which is by faith, so I charge thee now." |
2 Peter 2:1 |
"But false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, denying even the Lord who bought them, bringing upon themselves sudden destruction." |
"Let no one think that a doctrinal error is a trifling practical evil," the famous theologian D. C. Hodge once declared. He added: "No road to perdition has been more traveled than that of false doctrine. Error is a breastplate on conscience, and a blindfold on the eyes." —Matthew 22:29; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Timothy 4:2-4)
The whole Bible is one unit. If I believe that the Bible is the Word of God, I must believe it as such and not just part of it, much less mix it with other arguments, since that would be perverting the gospel.
Verses that show us that in God's Word we have sound doctrine and therefore we should not accept dogma.
2 Timothy 1:13 |
Hold fast the form of the sound words which you heard from me, in the faith and love that is in Christ Jesus. |
1 Timothy 4:6 |
If you teach this to the brethren, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished by the words of faith and good doctrine which you have followed. |
Proverbs 4:2 |
For I teach you good; Do not forsake my law. |
Deuteronomy 28:14 |
and if you do not turn away from all the words that I command you today, neither right nor left, to go after other gods and serve them. |
Job 11:4 |
You say: My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in your eyes. |
Malachi 2:6 |
The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found on his lips; in peace and righteousness he walked with me, and he turned many away from iniquity. |
Luke 1:4 |
that thou mayest know well the truth of the things in which thou hast been instructed. |
Romans 10:16-17 |
16 But not all obeyed the gospel; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who believed our proclamation?" 17 So faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. |
1 Timothy 6:3 |
If anyone teaches otherwise, and does not conform to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine that is according to godliness, |
2 Timothy 4:3 |
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but having itching ears, teachers will be heaped up according to their own lusts, |
2Corinthians 10:5 |
casting down arguments and every lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, |
Ephesians 4:14 |
that we may no longer be fluctuating children, carried to and fro by every wind of doctrine, by the stratagem of men who cunningly employ the wiles of error to deceive, |
Titus 1:9 |
He is the withholding of the faithful word as it has been taught, that he may also exhort with sound teaching and convince those who contradict. (Since dogmas contradict Scripture) |
Acts 2:42 |
And they persevered in the apostles' doctrine, in fellowship with one another, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. |
Titus 2:1 |
But you speak what is in accordance with sound doctrine. |
2 John 1:9 |
Whoever goes astray, and does not persevere in the doctrine of Christ, has no God; he who perseveres in the doctrine of Christ, he does have the Father and the Son. |
Titus 2:7 |
presenting yourself in all things as an example of good works; in teaching showing integrity, seriousness, |
Titus 2:10 |
not defrauding, but showing themselves faithful in everything, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. |
John 7:16-17 |
16 Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not mine, but the one who sent me." 17 Whoever wants to do the will of God will know whether the doctrine is from God, or whether I speak on my own account. |
Some examples of dogmas that do not conform to the Scriptures are: