Why Doctrine DOES Matter.

 To listen to this podcast: Ep. 18- Titus 2 Time: Why Doctrine DOES Matter. pt 1 — The Christian Podcast Community (strivingforeternity.org)

INTRODUCTION

Hello Ladies, and welcome back to another episode of Thoroughly Equipped. I am your host MelbaToast and am, like always, so happy that you have taken time from your busy schedule to listen to it. If you are new, welcome! I pray this episode blesses you and brings glory to God as we discuss a very important topic and that is DOCTRINE. 

Now it wasn’t entirely my plan, but a pattern has begun to emerge in the way I conduct this Podcast. Whether it stays that way, God only knows, but the pattern looks like this – an episode that revolves or relates to Titus 2, a couple episodes on critique and then an episode or 2 comparing the traditional doctrine taught in the church with the new or false doctrine being promoted. Now I try to relate that to the critique. And so I find it interesting that it’s begun to be laid out this way and I’d like to keep it like that, Lord willing.

 This episode that starts the pattern is what I have begun to call Titus 2 Time so before I get into a book critique or a critique of any kind, I feel that some sort of teaching that revolves around urging women to follow the Titus 2 example would benefit not only myself but those who listen.

The reason I bring this up is to explain how these next 2 episodes fit into the Titus 2 instruction. Paul urges Titus to direct the older woman to teach a younger one what is good. And then describes why they should – because teaching what is good will cause the younger woman to love husband’s, love children, be self controlled, pure, working at home,kind, and submissive to their husband. So we see these actions are the result of teaching that which is good. 

Now immediately my thoughts go to what is good? And of course I think of Christ when the rich young ruler called him “good teacher” – and he said ” Why do you call me good? There is no one good but God” (Mark 10:18). If there is no one good but God, then all his words, all his teachings are good. And so this is why I feel it is necessary to discuss this topic – the topic of doctrine.  I wish I had started the Podcast episodes I centered on Titus 2 with this but… it is what it is. But this topic is the whole focus of this Podcast. I want to urge you and myself to study scripture, to be taught and know what is good so we may accomplish the good that Paul urges in Titus 2.

Now you have, perhaps, heard at least once in your Christian circles and from Christian friends that doctrine divides, that doctrine doesn’t matter, or such statements as “no creed but Christ”. Surprisingly, these statements come from a set of beliefs and as we’ll see…are in truth…doctrine.

What does God’s Word say? Does doctrine matter? Should Christian women study and know about doctrine? And if they should, WHY study doctrine?

WHAT IS DOCTRINE

Doctrine is a set of beliefs about God. There are fields of study such as Theology (the study of God), Anthropology (the study of man), Christology (the study of Christ), Ecclesiology (the study of the Church), Hamartiology (the study of sin), Soteriology (the study of salvation), etc. to which we gather information and come to trust and believe in the information.

There is right doctrine and false doctrine. And so we can have either a true set of beliefs or a false set of beliefs. Either way, true or false, we put our faith and trust in these teachings, these doctrines. 

The question that is of most importance to Christians should be where does one get their sets of beliefs or doctrine from? Man’s observation, man’s experience, man’s tradition and teaching, or God’s Word?

HUSTON…WE HAVE A PROBLEM (we cannot know God and therefore have right beliefs)

We have the problem of sin: sin has corrupted our nature and causes man to believe falsely about God, to know and trust in that which is not God, that which is not good, that which is evil.

The Holy Spirit tells us through the Apostle Paul that no one honors God, no one understands, no one seeks for God (Rom.3:11) and they love darkness (John 1:19). Unregenerate men suppress the truth, and do not honor God, therefore they become futile in their thinking causing their hearts to be darkened (Rom. 1:21).  In their unrighteousness they suppress the truth (Rom. 1:18). They believe false doctrine.

This was us. We too were in darkness believing false doctrine before God called and saved us. All men, you and I included, were born with this curse to love darkness and suppress the knowledge of God. And like all men- because of our suppression, we did not seek God nor were we able to accomplish good works because without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb.11:6)

BUT GOD…

While we were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God calls those He has predestined (Rom.8:30) and draws us to Him (John 6:44) giving us faith to go to Christ and know God. Through this call and gift of the Holy Spirit regenerant man now acknowledges God, trusts in who He is and what He has done, and through the word that was with Him (the word that became flesh, Christ (John 1:14)) we hear and study this word and get to know God more and more.

 His word not only tells us about him but also what he wants to teach us, what to believe and how to live –  this is God’s precepts and teachings, this is His doctrine (Titus 2:10). What He teaches about Himself, about His Son, about the Holy Spirit, about humanity, about the Church, about salvation, etc is very important. It has implications on the way we live now and what happens to us when we die.

The more we come to understand the right set of beliefs or doctrine of God and his character, the more we understand that He cannot lie, the more we see His word as truth, the more we trust and obey it.  The more we do this, the more we see that all other doctrines apart from His word are lies.

And this is why we christians need to make a distinction between God’s word and man’s word. We hold God’s word to be our only teaching for salvation, holiness, faith, and right living. This is the over encompassing issue in American evangelical women’s ministry today – in all of American Christianity even – where do we receive God’s word? Where do we receive His teachings? Because if we know where God gives His doctrine then we can identify where He doesn’t.

WHERE DO WE GET DOCTRINE?

Now, I know that most of you will answer the right answer: Scripture. We know that God’s word was given by the prophets and the apostles. Are there still prophets and apostles today?

So I’ve set this up to beg this question: Has God finished giving His Word or does he still speak through prophets/ apostles and personal revelation today?

 What is a prophet and what was their purpose?

In essence, a prophet was one who was a servant who God would reveal His secrets to (Amos 3:7), revealing to His prophet himself, putting His words into the prophets mouth so that he would speak all God commands of the people (Deut.18:18). The revelation and instruction were doctrine. Whether they were words of comfort, words of warning, words of instruction, words of destruction, words of the future, or words of salvation and deliverance. Ultimately, they were words that God’s people were to trust and believe in and in that belief they were called to obey.

Take Noah for example, the first prophet we see in Scripture, is told of a flood to come yet God will save (this is the words given to which Noah is to believe, which He does) and then he is instructed because of this word to proclaim the coming wrath and build an ark (which he does, because he believes). And we see this over and over in Scripture, prophets being given words from God to the people to be believed and then in belief to obey what God commands. This was the role of the prophets and the purpose of the prophets.

Now, here’s a side note- God was very strict about His word. To use His name to back up man’s word, his dreams, his inclinations, and heart nudges was and is a transgression of the 3rd commandment and was to be punished with death (Deut 13:5). To be a prophet, to speak for God, was no light thing. And neither was there any question as to whether they heard God or were unclear on what was meant or said. To get God’s word wrong was to risk their very life.

I will dive more into this more in part 2 of this series, where, Lord willing, I hope to discuss false doctrine and false teachers.

But continuing on…

Now if you’ve ever done a study on Old Testament prophecy you will find something interesting. You will find that like I said, the prophets brought God’s revealed words, usually of warning of wrath due to sinners and His grace of the deliverance of His people. You’ll start to see a pattern. A pattern that ultimately points to the final wrath to come and God’s complete deliverance, Christ, the messiah who would save us from God’s wrath. ALL prophecy points to this: These prophecies and all the other histories and genealogies were about the coming Messiah, the Chosen one who would save God’s people from their sins and God’s wrath. This is why we see Jesus saying in Luke 24:44-47 “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

And now that Christ has come and has done all that was needed to save His people, has revealed to us the Father (John 14:9), and has revealed His Second coming, what more is there to be revealed? For as the Holy Spirit says, through the writer of Hebrews stated in chapter 1 verses 1-2: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 

What about Apostles?

Well, what made one an apostle?  An apostle had to be chosen by Jesus himself, or was one who had been an eye witness of the Lord. In Christ’s instruction to the remaining 11 apostles to replace Judas there was certain qualifications- “‘…Let another take his office. ’So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” (Acts 1:20-22)

So maybe there are no more prophets or Apostles today but does God now speak to all his children individually? Yes and no. – Yes if we say he speaks through the apostles, prophets,and Christ as found in scripture. Christ himself says (speaking to the Apostles)“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” (Matt.10:40). God has spoken and speaks to us today through Scripture. But the answer is NO, if you mean God speaks and is giving new revelation, individually or corporately. Now I have done an a couple episodes that relate to this topic, if you have missed those they are titled: “Let’s Talk about Lysa Turkeurst’s book ‘Is God Speaking to Me: How to Discern God’s Voice and Direction’”, and “2 Opposing Doctrines: Sola Scriptura vs Hearing the Voice of God”. I will include these episodes in this episode’s description.

We have Moses, the prophets, the Apostles and Christ Himself in Scripture. We have God’s teachings through the writings of the prophets and we have the gospel’s eyewitness accounts recording Christ’s work and teachings. We then understand why 2nd Timothy 3: 16-17 says that it is the Scriptures that teach and equip the man or woman of God for every good work. Because of this we have all the doctrine or sets of beliefs we need to know about The Father, The Son, the Holy Spirit, salvation, and godliness.

WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY ABOUT DOCTRINE?

So now that we’ve laid the groundwork of what doctrine is and where we get it from, what does Scripture have to say about doctrine?

The 1st thing that we see in Scripture is that there is true Doctrine and then there are commandments of men

I’m going to specifically appeal to Christ here. Christ in Matt 15:1-9

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ² “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” ³ He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ ⁵ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is (in other translations: Corban or)given to God,” ⁶ he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. ⁷ You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

⁸  “‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

⁹  in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

The Pharisees taught the precepts of men: in this case the necessity of washing hands before they eat (Matt. 15:15-20), and urging men to dedicate what they would have given to their parents to God instead. The Pharisees taught a set of beliefs (or doctrine) that pushed men to wash hands fearing they would be defiled by touching what they eat.They also  taught what they thought God wanted instead of what God actually commanded. 

There is a right doctrine that needs to be taught. God’s precepts, which Christ contrasts with men’s percepts.  The precepts of men may seem to honor God, dedicating service or money to what they believed God wanted calling it Corban, but the heart is far from them and produces vain/worthless worship. These precepts of men are traditions of men that result in the invalidation of God’s word. They do what they deem as good instead of simply obeying what God has commanded. It puts a conflict in the individual to put aside God’s word, God’s precepts, God’s instructions and instead follow man’s precepts and instructions.

Scripture also says that true Doctrine should be proclaimed, taught, and exhorted

 Since God has given us words that determine what we are to believe and how we are to live the first thing we should recognize is that God has instructed that His doctrines be taught. 

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and 

you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ¹⁹ You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ²⁰ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, ²¹ that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. ²² For if you will be careful to do all this commandment that I command you to do, loving the LORD your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him, (Deut 11:18-20)

Why it must be proclaimed, taught, and exhorted

The doctrine that God has given to us in Scripture needs to be taught for several reasons:

1. It’s the power of God unto salvation

It (God’s word) proclaims the Gospel which is  the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, the jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Rom. 1:16-17

2. It trains unto godliness and causes us to devote ourselves to good works.

So there are 3 epistles, 1&2 Timothy, and Titus, which were written by the Apostle Paul that Theologians call the pastoral epistles. These epistles give instruction on what a shepherd of the flock’s role is. What pastors are to focus on,  train their congregants to strive for, and how they save both themselves and their hearers.

In 1Timothy 4:1-16  we see Paul advising Timothy:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, ² through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, ³ who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

⁶ If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. ⁷ Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; ⁸ for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ⁹ The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. ¹⁰ For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. ¹⁶ Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Paul instructs Timothy to give attention to public reading of scripture, exhortation and teaching of it, because in the last days people will depart from the faith. God’s word is that which reveals and teaches all we need to believe so we may pursue godliness. He is to take pains in these things, to be absorbed in them. To pay close attention to himself and his teachings to persevere in them because the scripture, the exhortation of it and the teaching of it saves not only Timothy but also all those who learn from him.

In Titus we have more from Paul on the purpose for teaching sound doctrine.

Paul writes to Titus :“Insist on these things (the doctrine that Paul had given in the 2 chapters before this), so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works”. (Titus 3:8)

Paul is saying that when these things are insisted upon then it causes believers to devote themselves to good works. What are these things? God’s doctrine, which he mentioned in Titus 2 verse 10. Basically all of Titus is a letter from Paul urging Titus to teach and exhort( Which means to strongly encourage or urge) sound or right doctrine and to refute those who contradict it (Tit.1:9). Paul here is explaining that there is a relationship between doctrine and practice. That knowing, understanding and trusting in sound doctrine causes good works. The specific doctrine that Paul is talking about here that causes us to do good works is the doctrine of justification by faith alone(vs 4-7).

Other passages that express this relationship between right doctrine and good works are our 1st Corinthians 6:1-3 and 1 Corin 7:15. In these passages Paul is pointing out certain acts that he identifies as being sinful and not good. Instead of merely saying – you need to do better and just stop sinning- He appeals to them, reminding them of what they should know – what they had been taught – sound doctrine. He states – “do you not know…”- This is his remedy… to remind them of the sound doctrine that was taught to them, the sound doctrine that urges them and causes them to trust Christ and produce good works. In fact as you read more and more of the epistles you see that it is a common prayer among the writers that the church grow in wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and discernment(Jam.1:5; Col.1:9; Eph. 1:17) all which come from true doctrine. Because this knowledge and discernment causes our love to abound more and more(Phil.1:9).

3. It matures a disciple of Christ:

Ephesians 4:11-16 Paul explains why God has given apostles, prophet’s, evangelists, pastor’s and teachers. To equip the saints for the work of service, to build-up the body – the goal being to attain to the unity of the faith, the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature a man to the measure  of the statue which belongs to the fullness of Christ. In essence to become like Christ. As a result of maturity, being like our Lord, we will no longer be tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine. In knowing right doctrine we will no longer be led away by trickery of men, or craftiness of deceitful scheming but we will speak the truth and love to each other we are to grow up, in all aspects, into Christ.

The purpose of our salvation is to glorify God through the good works that God prepared for us to walk in. So there is a connection from the doctrine/teaching which God gives to us in Scripture and the works that God has for us to do. This is why doctrine matters – because right living, God’s teaching, equips us for all the good works God prepared beforehand, for us to walk in. (Eph. 2:10)

False doctrine does not equip us to walk in good works. Believing false doctrine, is believing false teachings about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and their work in and for us therefore hindering our good works for it is faith that pleases God. It is our faith that makes our work good.

I desire that women know and believe right doctrine because the typical American evangelical women of today receive law.. The popular women speakers preach and teach law -5 steps for this 10 steps for that, all to push women to love God and love neighbor more. But I constantly saw in scripture that the prayer among the apostles was for the church to grow in knowledge, understanding, discernment, and faith. This was their desire for the church so that their love would abound more and more. But knowledge, understanding, discernment, and faith about what?

Faith in Christ. For Paul desired to know nothing among the church but Christ and Him crucified(1 Corin 2:2). To know Christ and Him crucified, this doctrine. And either one can come to know and believe rightly of Christ and his work on the cross or wrongly. But it is clear in scripture through 1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy, Titus, 2nd John, and other epistles that right doctrine was a driving force behind our love. And this is why Paul says that we do not need the law to teach us(1Tim 1:10) . Because it is written on our hearts as God promised to give (Heb 10:16), and because we know Christ, we know God, and we have the Holy Spirit who guides us into this knowledge (John 14:17,John 16:13; 1 Corin 2:10). It is this knowledge that causes us to love others and love God more and more.

Our Popular American women’s ministry of rtoday  is missing God’s doctrine. His teaching about himself, his teaching about the Son and the Holy Spirit. It especially misses God’s wonderful teaching of the Gospel. All God’s teachings cause a woman to devote themselves to repentance, godliness, to Christ likeness- to Becoming women who reflect a psalm 31 and and Titus 2.

CONCLUSION

So I hope I’ve laid out for you what doctrine is: a set of teachings that a person believes. And how God has given His teachings and that we are called to believe and walk in these teachings. I hope I have shown from Scripture how right teaching or doctrine produce godliness, maturity and good works. 

And so, how does this apply to us and our homes?

My question is, and it can be a tough one: Are you spending time and effort to learn what God wants you to learn, to know what God wants you to know, about him, about Christ, about the Holy Spirit? Do you have a hard time abounding in love for family and friends? Are you having a hard time working at home? Or being self-controlled? Or kind? Are you having a hard time submitting to your husband? We saw clearly that it was the teaching of what is good, God’s very word to us in Scripture, that causes us to do these good works. So maybe there is a set of beliefs that we need to correct, or maybe it’s just finding our joy again in Christ, joy in the Gospel, what He has completed for us on the cross. Maybe these need to be our focus, instead of merely focusing on how to love (the LAW) we study WHY we love. That being because of Christ, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). 

Next Titus 2 Time I want to think and talk about false doctrine, what it’s effects are, how to identify it, and finally look at how God’s teaching specifically produce good works in our homes.  

But until then, I pray you are searching the Scriptures to learn right teaching on who God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are, what they have done, and what they promise to do. I pray, like Paul that you grow more and more in knowledge and discernment so your love may abound more and more…I pray you are in God’s Word. 

PART 2

Introduction:

Are you consuming false doctrine? 

As women we have a lot that we can become concerned about. Such things as our looks, our health, what we put in our bodies, as mothers we are even concerned with what our children consume, they’re health. We long to bring nourishment as it is part of our hospitality, part of our nature.

Yet, for most of us Christian women, we week after week sit under preaching and teaching of the typical American church. How do we know if we and our family are receiving spiritual nourishment? Is our pastor feeding the sheep healthy food or rubbish? And it’s not just on Sunday but what we consume spiritually when doing devotions, Christian books, social feeds, memes, Podcasts, videos, and even real life conversations. I’m not talking about worldly philosophy’s or worldly entertainment as we as christians can identify the falsehood and spiritual rubbish those things teach. But I’m talking about social spheres that claim to be Christian and claim to help us grow in faith, maturity, and trust in God.

1st Timothy 1:10-11

This passage contrasts good and bad teaching. False teaching produces spiritual sickness (1 Tim 1:3; 6:3-4). While true teaching produces long term spiritual health (2Tim 4:3-4; Tit.1:9;2:1).

All sound doctrine is in accord with the Gospel. All true doctrine revolves around, explains and supports this central doctrine- that ” Christ came in the world to save sinners”(vs15) While false teaching blurs, mutes and obscures it.

Take the doctrine of the Trinity for example. Why must christians hold to a right view of the Trinity? Because any false teaching of the Trinity has a false view of Christ impacting His work on the cross.

Also, all right doctrine reveals to us God’s glory, who he is, what he has done – in his grace (Ephs. 1:6). God’s doctrine is his revealing of his grace in creation and redemption, his eternal, infinite value, his worth and his glory. We reflect his glory in our good works most especially in our sacrifices and our love. And because of God’s glorious redemption in Christ we can know Christ and be like him – this is the purpose of sound doctrine.

This is where my heart gets so heavy. Because we put so much importance on the physical that will one day, for all of us and all our children, pass away and neglect the spiritual. If we understand the implications of having and trusting in sound doctrine we would make it a priority like Paul instructs. To feed off it and give it to those we love. At the very start it is the faith in God’s doctrine, God’s teaching of the Gospel that justifies. Like Abraham who believed God and it – the belief – was credited to him as righteous(*). We too, look at God’s teachings in Scripture, especially the doctrine of justification by faith alone through Christ alone that God credits to us as righteousness. 

Because right and true doctrine must be taught to bring about salvation, sanctification, for our future glorification -ALL false doctrine must be rejected, and rebuked; and ALL false teachers should be silenced and rebuked

“If a prophet or ^qa dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, ² and ^rthe sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ ³ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God ^sis testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴ You shall ^twalk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and ^uhold fast to him. ⁵ But ^vthat prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. ^wSo you shall purge the evil¹ from your midst.

1)What is false doctrine?

It is any set of beliefs that originate from man and not God.

Ephesians 4:17-25- Right doctrine and right teaching is truth. Man’s doctrine and man’s teaching comes from the futility of their mind – which is darkened in their understanding, making them excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them. What they do not know about God produces a fertile mind that lacks understanding. All of this is because of their hardened hearts as they reject God. Even some acknowledged God but hardened against the God of Scripture because they chase or create a God of their own imaginations committing idolatry  (Exodus 20:4-5).They use their darkened understanding and futile minds to make a God that is like themselves They take the Lord’s name in vain, “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds. 

In Psalm 50:16-23 we see that the wicked have a tendency to think God is like them.

 But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes

or take my covenant on your lips? ¹⁷  For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. ¹⁸  If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers. ¹⁹  “You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. ²⁰  You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. ²¹  These things you have done, and I have been silent;

you thought that I was one like yourself. 

And so these men, because their hearts are hardened, give themselves over to their senses and imaginations. They look for experiences, things they dream, things they see, hear, taste, and touch as evidence of truth and proclaim these experiences to others.

But Paul says we did not learn Christ this way. We do not look to experiences to learn about Christ but instead, if we have heard him and have been taught by him as truth is in him, we learned Christ by laying aside the old self and are to be renewed in the spirit of our mind. Putting on the new self, which in the likeness of God, has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth . The truth that is in Jesus. Because we are to renew the spirit of the mind we lay aside falsehood and speak truth.

2)What does it look like?

What is the main distinction between God’s teachings and man’s?

 God’s doctrine is god centered. Man’s doctrine is man centered.

– things such as – is God’s character determined by his own revelation given to us in scripture or do we come to know his character through our reason – what what we/ Man think he is like dad ( you think I am like you *). Does this teaching make much of God, Christ, Holy Spirit or make much of man? Phone false teaching mixes god’s glory with let’s glory with man’s glory heresy takes it all the way – completely rejecting clear teachings and scripture on who God, Christ, Holy Spirit R and what they have done.

3)What does false doctrine produce?

It produces ungodliness -2Tim 2:14-26

False doctrine does not produce the fruits of the spirit. Because the Holy Spirit game the 3rd person of the Trinity teaches us all things *, Has spoken through scripture ( Inspired 2nd Timothy *), His teaching is truth – 1st John 1717 – and produces certain specific fruit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, Self control. * * this is the fruit of God’s doctrine.

   – ultimately it leads to idolatry – putting on faith and trust in a false God, false Christ karma falsely spirit.

   – we women have our idols – we worship and look to these to save or satisfy our flesh.. 1 – husband’s – trusting and man to give us love and comfort. To – we trust in our works to save our children – things such as healthy eating to save them physically or education Christian or none to save them physically and even spiritually.. 3 – we trust in relationships to give us love and affection and information. 4- we trust in our jobs to provide for us I’d for us 5 – we trust in our comfort Health and wealth tell us whether we are in God’s favor and many more such idols.

– Wright doctrine, God’s doctrine  – reveals to us our idol’s, exposes our sinful desires, calls us to repentance and preaches Christ crucified for those Sims. Then write daughter and – God’s teaching instructs us into righteousness and good works because buy it our face grows in knowledge and discernment knowing what is good and true therefore directing us into all the works god has for us to do.

4) Because false doctrine is dangerous and can shipwreck (*)  a person’s faith pastors and overseers are to point out and rebuke false Doctrine (*)Pointing out why Scripture urges the overseers in the Church to correct and point out false doctrine but rebuke false teachers as well.

Titus 1:9- Paul instructs Titus to hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching so that the overseer  We’ll be able to both exhort and sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it.

1 Tim 1:3- Paul’s instruction to Timothy was to instruct certain men not to teach strange or different doctrines, to not pay attention to myths or stories and endless genealogies – because they give rise to distractions, mirror speculations commacculations, that do not further the administration of God which is by faith.

The goal of Paul and all the apostles’ instructions/ directions is love from a pure heart, a good conscience and sincere sincere or true faith.

Some men, Turning away from the goal of love from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith – teach the law instead -they teach moralistic therapeutic deism. The warning of later times and those in the church falling away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.

1st Timothy 1:10 – The law is for the law less. For those who perform the acts that are a result of unsound teaching. Dad it does sound teaching from right doctrine produce love – – the fulfillment of the whole law. It brings one to know and love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love are neighbor as ourselves.. As Paul says we do not need someone to teach Us as we have the Holy Spirit and are taught by God through his word *. This sound teaching comes from Jesus Christ in which are found faith and love(vs 14)

That we must hold fast and contend for true Doctrine

Holding fast to truth – 2nd John

The letter written by John to an unknown woman in the church instructing  her  Remain in the truth and abide in the teaching of Christ.

Contending for the faith – Jude

Why does Jude call my brother of James, write this letter? Tude tude call my 1st States that he it’s that he writes the letter to those called Paul and kept for Christ. They are kept calm and nothing can ever snatch them from Christ hands *. Yet he writes that they contend for the faith. Contend means to struggle to surmount  or overcome, to assert something as a position in an argument.

The need for discernment to know what is the true will of God so we may obey*

HOW TRUE DOCTRINE AND RIGHT TEACHING EQUIP AND ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO BECOME TITUS 2 WOMEN

The truths about God the Father bring faith without fear, leading to true submission

The truths about The Son bring joy, assurance, leading to peace

The truths about the Holy Spirit bring knowledge, discernment, and the fruits of the Spirit

The truths about the Gospel bring salvation

CONCLUSION

Conclusion thoughts:

Paul in giving his instruction of how teachers should teach, that instructs inverse 3 that older women that older women are to teach what is good so they may encourage the younger to love husband’s, love children, be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, and submissive to husband’s so the word of God is not reviled.. All this to show why right teaching , why right doctrine is important because it is from God, makes us like Christ, is true and encourages us women to do those things that Do not revile God’s word.

So here’s the question. Are the teachers that you look to to teach you So here’s the question. Are the teachers that you look to to teach  And instruct you, ladies, do they teach right doctrine? Do they point you to Christ or talk about themselves more ? Do they point you to your worth call my York lorry glory or Christ glory and christworth? Do they teach you hell not to revile God’s  Word by encouraging you you too love your husband’s children to be Titus 2 women? Do they focus on what to do to be righteous, to live righteous lives without pointing to Christ or righteousness?? Do they  Put themselves up as examples instead of Christ as the example?

A good question to ask after listening to a teacher is – – do I Now no more about godfather God the son and the Holy Spirit from scripture are do I know more about the teacher, their experiences and their knowledge? Did they boost my ego,  Or boost my confidence in Christ?

A good teacher who has right doctrine will teach on  God the father God the son and the Holy Spirit aligning their teaching with what scripture reveals about them. While false teachers, especially among women’s ministry today, will mostly speak about themselves and about you. They may say some true things but the bulk of what they teach and talk about is themselves And you’re worth, not Christ not the father not the Holy Spirit and not scripture.