Tuesday March 10, 2015

Weekly Challenge:

As we look at investing in each other in this community, brain storm as a cell ways that your cell might serve or invest in the body this coming Sonday. Decide what you will do and bring blessing to the community this Lord’s Day.

Read Titus 2:1

Many years ago I was the unfortunate recipient of an unplanned and unexpected meeting where two leaders in the church sat with me over coffee and demanded that I stop teaching doctrine because doctrine divides the church.  I was so astonished and shocked I could hardly speak.

In Titus 1:9 it’s commanded that the elders must be sound in their doctrine so that they encourage the believers and refute those who disagree with the teachings of our Lord and Saviour. In fact, Paul even says that a time is coming when men will not put up with sound doctrine (2 Tim 4:3) and will surround themselves with teachers who say what their itching ears wish to hear. Obviously he’s talking about people in the church (not true believers) because people outside the church have never put up with sound doctrine! As this happens all teachers and preachers need to watch their doctrine and life closely so that they can persevere and save themselves and their hearers, 1 Tim 4:16.

Interestingly, in Titus 2 Paul begins with this injunction to teach doctrine. He’s responding the to false teachers, such as the circumcision group, that are spreading and teaching lies and heresies among the believers. These false teachers claim to know God but deny Him by their actions. They claim to be believers but live as enemies of the cross. It’s no wonder that Paul writes to Titus and urges him to teach what is in accord with sound teaching.

What is fascinating is that Paul doesn’t go directly into a paragraph of good, biblical theology. He doesn’t talk about such things but rather talks about the way we live! Paul moves on to talk about older men, older women, younger women and younger men and how each group is to live in the light of the sacrifice of Christ.  I suspect that if we were writing to Titus about the false teachers our very next chapter after Titus 2:1 would be a dissertation of the truths that we think should be taught and then in a closing paragraph or two the application of those truths. Paul reverses our expectations.

What we learn from these words in Titus 2 is that sound doctrine is not some abstract truth devoid of reality. Sound doctrine is the kind of doctrine that allows us to live lives that glorify and honour God. Sound doctrine equips the saints for daily life. Sound doctrine brings the sacrifice of Christ to bear upon everyday reality for each believer.

Should we give up teaching sound doctrine? According to the Bible, the answer is a clear and decisive NO!

Prayer:

Use the day’s reading notes and Bible passage to pray meaningfully:

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Next Monday the Committee of Management will meet. Pray that the Lord will grant them wisdom and insight to grow His kingdom and to do His bidding with the funds entrusted to their care.

· Pray that the elders of your church would be wise, godly men who apply the Scriptures firstly to themselves and their own families and then to the congregation.

 Discussion & Reflection

1. What is meant by the word doctrine?

2. What is the point of teaching doctrine?

3. Why should each person in the church have a good knowledge of doctrine?

4. Most denominations have a doctrinal standard such as the Westminster Confession of Faith, showing what they believe. Are such standards biblical? Are they helpful? Please discuss thoroughly.