Gtcotr/ss060709
In about the year AD56 or AD57, approximately one year after the Apostle Paul had been forced to leave the city of Ephesus due to his teachings which incited a riot against him, he felt a strong spiritual desire to return to Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Pentecost. He greatly cared for and dearly missed the Church in Ephesus but because time disallowed, and due to there being no guarantee he would be wholly welcomed into the city, he was unable to visit there.
Instead he sent for the elders of the church to meet him some 30 miles south in the port city of Miletus. Knowing by the spirit that he would never again have the opportunity to teach his beloved Church family in Ephesus, Paul makes his defense to these elders before sailing on.
Key Scripture: Acts 20 NKJV
26 "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”
Interesting to note that Paul equated his eternal innocence with the fact that he had not singled out his own personal favorite scriptures or those of his listeners, nor did he stick to any one subject, no matter how it excited the congregation, when teaching the people at Ephesus. Rather, he made sure the people were exposed to the whole counsel of God. In doing so, he was freed from the blood of all men. In other words, he left them well able to please God in every area of the Believer’s life and ministry, the rest was up to them.
The Apostle Paul was given the privilege and honored position of writing two thirds of the New Testament under the inspired direction of the Holy Spirit. These 14 books, beginning with Romans and concluding with Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews, are considered by many to be the absolute heart of the Bible.
Jesus chose Paul to be His Apostle, sent to the whole world to declare the Gospel and establish sound doctrine for each believer and every church in every generation to follow. The most important and protected treasure Paul possessed was the doctrine of Christ and the Church. Not just the favorite or exciting verses, but the whole Word.
It is generally agreed that from all of his journeys and his many disciples, Paul loved and favored his young son, Timothy, along with the Church in Ephesus, above the others. It seems this way to me as well, seeing how much time and attention Paul spent indoctrinating them both in the word, the way and the will of the Lord.
We know that Paul spent 3 full years teaching the Church in Ephesus and while there he boasts that all who dwelt in Asia had heard the Word of the Lord as a result of the Kingdom Expansion efforts of that Church. The Church in Ephesus is most likely responsible for planting the seeds which ultimately became those seven churches spoken of in the first chapters of the Book of Revelation.
We also know that Paul left Timothy in Ephesus and at one point wrote to Timothy to remain there in order to protect the doctrine. As we understand, Timothy ended up being the Senior Pastor of the Ephesian Church which grew to tens of thousands in membership.
What gave this Church and those leaders such strength? Paul spent time establishing them in the sound doctrine of the Gospel of Christ. Not only did he spend time teaching the Church sound doctrine, but he also spent time teaching sound doctrine to Pastor Timothy.
Paul was so focused on Church doctrine that he saw fit to continually write Timothy exhorting him concerning this matter. No less than twelve times Paul takes his valuable and limited opportunities to encourage Timothy to pay close attention to the doctrine.
What is doctrine? Doctrine refers to the solid and immoveable eternal truths which make up the foundational teachings of Christianity. Every believer should understand Church doctrine and each Church should teach doctrine as the standard of Christian faith and practice.
You see, when the Holy Spirit was sent to those 120 Believers locked in that upper room on the day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2, they received power to be a witness. Before then, those Believers were weak, afraid and doing nothing at all for the Lord. Afterwards they all immediately unlocked the doors, went out into the crowded, festival-filled streets of Jerusalem and began witnessing. That day 3000 souls were saved and thus the first Church was birthed.
But what did the Church do to teach and keep those 3000 straight and strong? Let’s read …
Acts 2 NKJV
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
42 ¶ And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine …
This was the foundation of their faith and this morning I want to give you an overview of the doctrines of Christ as taught by those Apostles of Jesus our Lord. These foundational teachings are essential to making and keeping each Believer and every Church strong and in God’s will, doing God’s work.
1. The Lost Estate Of All Mankind
* Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
2. Salvation By Grace Through Faith In Jesus Alone
* Ephesians 2
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
3. Water Baptism By Immersion Because Of Salvation
* Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
4. The Authority Of God’s Word
* John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
* John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
* Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
5. The Baptism Of “Power To Be A Witness”
* Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
* The Great Exchange
6. Kingdom Expansion
* Two Great Commandments
Matthew 22
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
* One Great Commission
Matthew 28
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
7. Impending Judgment
* 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
8. Eternal Reward
* Revelation 21
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Certainly we have not exhausted the doctrines of the church. We have not discussed the aspects of divine intervention, healing, deliverance, prosperity, angels on assignment, fallen angels, demon possession or Church government. (Now I did not say demon possession of Church government … that’s another subject entirely)
Just remember, not every spiritual experience rises to the level to be accepted as a foundational doctrine of the Church. Some claimed and verified spiritual experiences, although not invalid, are still not strictly taught in scriptures and thus do not afford us enough information from heaven’s perspective with which to support and defend a doctrine based on that experience. Doctrines are taught as truth which every believer should embrace and seek to experience for themselves. These need scriptural foundation and confirmation.
What we have covered today is representative of the essential elements of both the faith and practice of a New Testament Church.
So I pray, as did the Apostle Paul, that you be established in sound doctrine, which is the whole counsel of God. Amen!
