PRINCIPLES OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST (teaching)

[dkbwarrior]

This is the first of a series of lessons that I have been teaching at our church for the past two months based on Hebrews 6:1-2 entitled The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ. I intend to post the rest of the lessons one at a time. I thought some of you may enjoy them.

Peace...​

Lesson 1:
INTRODUCTION​

Knowing basic Christian doctrines is important for the believer because it provides a foundation of beliefs from which to live. Hosea 4:6 teaches us that God’s people can actually suffer destruction because of a “lack of knowledge.” Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived said:

5Get wisdom, get understanding:
forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:
and with all thy getting get understanding.
Ref. – Proverbs 4:5, 7(KJV)​

Understanding is the revelation of the wisdom of God’s Word and the corresponding ability (power/might) to apply it to our lives. As we learn the basic principles of God’s Word, the power of Gods wisdom that those principles contain will begin to change us from the inside out into the image of Christ, if we allow it to work in us.

Jesus put it this way:

46And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them,
I will shew you to whom he is like:
48He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep,
and laid the foundation on a rock:
and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house,
and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that
without a foundation built an house upon the earth;
against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell;
and the ruin of that house was great.
Ref. Luke 6:46-49(KJV)​

Jesus gives us two imperatives here for successful Christian living that will stand up to the storms of life. The first is to lay a foundation, and the second is to lay this upon a rock.

The lessons in Discipleship 201 are designed to help us accomplish this by laying a firm foundation in the basic doctrines of the Christian faith and showing us how to build them solidly upon the rock of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

[dkbwarrior]

SECTION I: THE BASICS OF A GOOD FOUNDATION
The first imperative that Jesus gives us for a successful Christian life that will stand up to the storms of life is to lay a FOUNDATION. The writer of Hebrews told the church that the principles of the doctrine of Christ are the foundation that he is talking about.

1Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Hebrews 6:1-2 KJV​

The principles of the doctrine of Christ that are laid out in this passage of scripture are the foundation which we will be covering in the Discipleship 201 class. They are as follows:

​

• A. Repentance from dead works​
• B. Faith toward God​
• C. Doctrine of Baptisms​
• D. Laying on of hands​
• E. Resurrection of the dead​
• F. Eternal judgment​

I. principles of the:
A. The English word principle is defined as:

A fundamental truth;
a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which others are derived, or on which others are founded;
a general truth; an elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate.
Example: Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection. Heb. vi. 1.
Ref. Webster’s 1913 Dictionary Unabridged​

A principle then is a fundamental truth.

B. The word principles is translated from the Greek word archē, (pronounced ärkhā'), which literally means:

beginning, origin
Ref. Strong’s Greek Dictionary & Thayers Lexicon​

The word archē occurs 58 times in the Greek New Testament, and in 40 of those instances it is translated as the English word beginning (in the King James Version of the Bible.)

C. We could therefore define the word principles as used in the context of this passage as the beginning fundamental truths.

II. doctrine of Christ:
A. The English word doctrine is defined as:

1. Teaching, instruction
Example: He taught them many things by parables,
and said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken. Mark iv. 2.
2. That which is taught
Ref. Webster’s 1913 Dictionary Unabridged​

The doctrine of Christ then is the teaching of Christ, or, to be more specific, that which Christ taught.

B. The word doctrine is translated from the Greek word logos, (pronounced lo’gos), which literally means word. It is found 330 times in the Greek New Testament, and in 291 of those instances it is translated in the English as word, saying, account or speech (in the King James Version of the Bible.)

However, the logos has a fuller meaning than its English counterpart. A well respected 19th century Bible Scholar had this to say about logos:

Logos/Word:
denotes
(I) "the expression of thought," not the mere name of an object,
(a) as embodying a conception or idea,
(b) a saying or statement,
Ref. W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words​

This is of note because Jesus the Christ was a perfect and complete expression of Gods person or thought; He not only taught us by His logos/word, through the WORDS of His sayings and statements (definition (I)(b) above); but He also taught us by His logos/word through the works which He performed that fully embodied a conception or idea of God as Father (definition (I)(a) above).

The disciples themselves had a difficult time grasping this while Jesus was on the earth, as evidenced by Philips request to Him.

8Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Ref. -John 14:8-10​

Therefore the WORDS that Jesus spoke came from the Father, and the works that Jesus performed were done by the Father, and both were His logos/word, a revelation to man of who God is.

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him;
and without him was not anything made that was made.
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
14And 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.
17For the law was given by Moses,
but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18No man hath seen God at any time,
the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father,
he hath declared him.
Ref. – John 1:1-4, 14, 17-18​

This is because Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. Both His WORDS and His WORKS were a revelation of God, because in Him bodily dwells the fulness of the Godhead.

9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Ref. – Colossians 2:9​

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Both in His words and in His works He is the express image of His person.

1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past
to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person,
Ref.- Hebrews 1:1-3a​

12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet
to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,
and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14In whom we have redemption through his blood,
even the forgiveness of sins:
15Who is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of every creature:
Ref. Colossians 1:12-15​

C. We could therefore define the word doctrine as used in the context of this passage as that which Christ taught both through His words and through His works, which reveal to us the Father.

III. These principles of the doctrine of Christ, or, to be more precise according to our study so far, these beginning fundamental truths which Christ taught both through His words and through His works that are laid out in Hebrews 6:1-2 provide the foundation for the Christian life.

This foundation composed of the principles of the doctrine of Christ can be further understood in the words and works of Christ as recorded in the Bible, specifically throughout the New Testament. The Gospels contain a record of the words and works of Christ while He was engaged in ministry on the earth in the flesh nearly 2,000 years ago compiled by those disciples that walked with Him during that time. The remainder of the New Testament contains additional revelation given by Christ to His disciples after His resurrection by way of the Holy Spirit.

It is through the record contained therein that we can be well grounded in the foundational PRINCIPLES of the DOCTRINE of Christ, ensuring that our foundation is sure.

 

[dkbwarrior]

SECTION II: BUILDING UPON THE ROCK

The second imperative that Jesus gives us for a successful Christian life that will stand up to the storms of life is to place this foundation upon a ROCK.

Jesus gave us an operative description of this rock in His words to Peter in the gospel of Matthew:

13When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked his disciples, saying,
Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias;
and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16And Simon Peter answered and said,
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:
for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,
but my Father which is in heaven.
18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church;
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Ref. - Matthew 16:13-19​

Jesus told Peter that he was blessed, because the knowledge that he had received had been revealed to him from the Father in heaven, and that this was the ROCK upon which He would build His church.

I. To be blessed means to be empowered by words spoken to us directly by God. For example, when God blessed Adam:

27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;
male and female created he them.
28And God blessed them, and God said unto them,
Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:
and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Ref. –Gen 1:27-28​

God blessed mankind by speaking words to them. These words gave Adam and Eve the power/ability to multiply, subdue the earth, and have dominion over it. And guess what? Mankind is still exercising that power/ability today, thousands of years later.

There was nothing between man and God in the garden, to prevent Adam from hearing God. But since the fall it is different. The Bible tells us:

3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Ref. -2 Corinthians 4:3-4​

This is true of the unbeliever especially, but it can be true of the believer also in certain areas where we have little knowledge, or wrong knowledge. We can hear the words that Christ has taught, but still not understand them, and we can see the works that Christ performed, yet still not perceive their meaning; which in turn means that we are not empowered by them.

14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand;
and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15For this people's heart is waxed gross,
and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed;
lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
and should understand with their heart, and should be converted,
and I should heal them.
Ref. –Matthew 14:14-15​

Jesus spoke this about the Jews of His day, who had memorized the Torah, (which included what we now call the Old Testament), before their bar-mitzvah at age 13. They believed in God, and knew the scriptures, yet they had no understanding, no perception, no spiritual revelation. This shows us all that simply knowing the scriptures is not enough. We need God to open the eyes of our heart, and give us revelation of His Word in order for us to be empowered by it.

II. To have a thing revealed to us by the Father is what we call revelation knowledge, or wisdom. It is supernatural understanding of the Word of God, and it comes directly from God. It is how God speaks to us, through the process of revelation.

Jesus described such supernatural understanding, revelation knowledge or wisdom as the rock upon which He would build His church. This is important, because only the ROCK of REVELATION produces faith.

We can obtain information about God by reading the Bible, and by being taught the Bible, and this is good because the Bible contains a record of what God has said (past tense) to mankind through the seed of Abraham. But the Bible is not alive in and of itself. After all, a Bible is only paper and ink, it contains no life, it contains no power.

Only God can bring life to the reading and teaching of the Bible through the process of revelation, by His Spirit speaking directly to our spirit. It is only though this process
that the Word of God becomes alive and powerful in us, and produces faith.

9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Ref. -1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 12​

And it is the Spirit that teaches us the words and works of Christ:

26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
Ref. –John 14:26​

 

[dkbwarrior]

SECTION III. HOW TO RECEIVE REVELATION:
There are two things we can do proactively to position ourselves to receive this understanding, revelation or wisdom from God. Or, we could say; there are two things we can do to position ourselves to hear the voice of God, as we have learned that it is through the ROCK of understanding, revelation or wisdom that God speaks to us.

I. The first thing that we can do to position ourselves to hear the voice of God is to spend time in the Word, through Bible reading, memorization and good teaching. We are instructed to do this throughout the Bible, as the means to a successful life:

8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:
for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Ref. –Joshua 1:8​

1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Ref. –Psalm 1:1-3​

11Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Ref. –Psalm 119:11​

God cannot give us revelation of His Word unless we first know what it says. His written Word is the tool that He has given us to seek Him.
A. We believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of God.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness”
Ref. -2 Timothy 3:16 KJV​

a) The word Bible means “book”. It is a collection of 66 books written over a period of 1500 years by 38 different human authors.
b) The true author of the Bible is God, for the entire Bible is divinely inspired and without error in the original manuscripts.
c) The Bible is the recorded revelation of Gods Words to man and the final authority for the Church and the believer in all matters of doctrine and daily living.
d) All the authors of the Bible are Jews, the seed of Abraham, in accordance with the promise God made to Abraham when He said:

16And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD,
for because thou hast done this thing,
and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17That in blessing I will bless thee,
and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed
as the stars of the heaven,
Ref. –Genesis 22:16-17a​

As Paul also said:

1What advantage then hath the Jew?
or what profit is there of circumcision?
2Much every way: chiefly, because that
unto them were committed the oracles of God.
Ref. –Romans 3:1-2​

B. It is by spending time in the Word that we show our love for God:

23Jesus answered and said unto him,
If a man love me, he will keep my words:
and my Father will love him,
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings:
and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
Ref. –John 14:23-24​

21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Ref. –John 14:21​

3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
Ref. -1 John 2:3-5​

And Loving God is the greatest commandment:

37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the first and great commandment.
Ref. –Matthew 22:37​

C. Hearing the Word is the avenue by which God imparts faith to us, (which comes from understanding, revelation or wisdom of that Word from God):

14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things!
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Ref. –Romans 10:14-15, 17​

 

[dkbwarrior]

II.The second thing that we can do to position ourselves to hear the voice of God is to ask for it in prayer. The Bible instructs us to do this also.

5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Ref. –James 1:5​

And Jesus said this:

7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread,
will he give him a stone?
10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Father which is in heaven
give good things to them that ask him?
Ref. –Matthew 7:7-11​

There are prayers recorded in the New Testament that I have found to be good formats to pray. We know they are good prayers, because they were prayed by the Apostle Paul.​

A. Paul’s first prayer in Ephesians:

15Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus,
and love unto all the saints,
16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened;
that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,
and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead,
and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Ref. –Ephesians 1:15-20​

B. Paul’s second prayer in Ephesians:

16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory,
to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;
that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Ref. –Ephesians 3:16-19​

C. Paul’s prayer in I Corinthians:

4I thank my God always on your behalf,
for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5That in every thing ye are enriched by him,
in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7So that ye come behind in no gift;
waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8Who shall also confirm you unto the end,
that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ref. –I Corinthians 1:4-8​

D. Paul’s prayer in Colossians:

9For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,
unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Ref. –Colossians 1:9-11​

E. Paul’s prayer in Philippians:

9And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more
in knowledge and in all judgment;
10That ye may approve things that are excellent;
that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
11Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ,
unto the glory and praise of God.
Ref. –Philippians ​

 

[dkbwarrior]

Sorry about the formatting. It didn't copy and paste well from Office. I will try to edit it to be more legible.

Peace...

 

[Faulty]

B. It is by spending time in the Word that we show our love for God:

23Jesus answered and said unto him,
If a man love me, he will keep my words:
and my Father will love him,
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings:
and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
Ref. –John 14:23-24​

21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Ref. –John 14:21​

3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
Ref. -1 John 2:3-5​

And Loving God is the greatest commandment:

37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the first and great commandment.
Ref. –Matthew 22:37​

You're the first person I've seen around here in quite a while properly tie in the commandments of Matthew 22 in with obedience as it pertains to our love towards God. Usually when I've seen that verse quoted around here it seems to be tied together with the conditions of personal salvation.

Kudos to you.

 

[Faulty]

There are prayers recorded in the New Testament that I have found to be good formats to pray. We know they are good prayers, because they were prayed by the Apostle Paul.​

​

​

I've always been fond of the format of the shortest prayer in the Bible.

“Lord, save me.” Matt 14:30

The next verse says, "Jesus immediately", in response to the prayer. I like that.

 

[map4]

Thanks for posting this. Good stuff for us to ponder. I think sometimes those of us who think we are so mature in spiritual things need to remind ourselves of what we first believed, what the foundation of our belief is.

I love reading the gospels. Each time I read them I see something or learn something I didn't see before. I like the way you brought out that it is the word and the works of Jesus that show us the Father. When I'm going through a 'dry' period, I always to back to the gospels. And I remember my first love, I see the love of our Savior in action and I long to know Him more and be more like Him.

The revelation Paul received is amazing. He shows us how we can be more like Jesus. How it is Christ living in us and not ourselves. How we are made righteous in Christ.

The gospels show us God through Jesus. They show His love for us in everything Jesus did, especially in sending Jesus to die and pay the penalty of sin for us...giving us eternal life through Him.
Paul shows us a deeper understanding of what the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus actually means for us. Reading Paul's prayers always 'stir me up'. Powerful prayers that still affect us today...like James said...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

[pdudgeon]

great lessons! i'll be reading these over again until they stick because i think these can be used as good points to show new Christians and those who are not yet Christians, what a Christian life is like.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

This is great!

Do you think that it would be plaigarism if I preached with these notes next time it is my turn? I think that our Presbyterian congregation needs this teaching.

 

[psalms 91]

Good stuff Oscar, are you goingh to continue with this and teach on the principles themselves because some of them are missing in most churches

 

[gratefulgrace]

Just wondered wouldn't the doctrine of Christ also encompass what He personally taught while on earth. Such as the beatitudes and the parables forgiveness of others, perseverence under trial? Jesus taught a simple faith and trust such as a little Child has, He also taught very strongly about being Yoked to Him being filled with the Holy Spirit and the continual abiding in Him (the vine) as well as the role of servanthood in our faith and walk with God. and more of course. I think this gets missed more than it should sometimes. The Words He spoke were very practical and He expected his followers to put into practise the sorts of things He spoke and showed them. COME FOLLOW ME>

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Good stuff Oscar, are you goingh to continue with this and teach on the principles themselves because some of them are missing in most churches

What has impressed me about the teaching is that it glorifies Jesus and leads people to a greater understanding of Him and His role in the plans and purposes of God for mankind and our salvation. This just has to be good for us spiritually and teaching this way creates an environment where the Holy Spirit can move very freely in a group of people.

 

[dkbwarrior]

Thanx people for all the positive feedback. I have eight lessons completed, and I have put over eighty hours of study into them so far, (to the annoyance of my wife who has lost our Saturdays together temporarily). But it is worth it, and it will provide a discipleship class syllabus study for the church to use for years to come. Thanx again, the affirmation is much appreciated.

Peace...

 

[dkbwarrior]

This is great!

Do you think that it would be plaigarism if I preached with these notes next time it is my turn? I think that our Presbyterian congregation needs this teaching.

Not at all Oscar. I would be honored. In fact, I plan on using some of the things that I have gleaned from your observations on the Baptism In The Holy Spirit in lesson number 10, THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS, (BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT), which is the week after next.

Thanx for your interest!

Peace...

 

[dkbwarrior]

Just wondered wouldn't the doctrine of Christ also encompass what He personally taught while on earth.

Agreed. You may have missed it, (as I know that the study was rather lengthy for an internet forum post), but the main body of the lesson expained that the word doctrine comes from the greek logos, and is a reference to:

1. The Words that Christ taught, and;
2. The Works that Christ performed.

The thrust of my point being that while we tend to focus on what Christ said as the Word of God, it is just as valid to focus on what Christ did as the word of God, as both are a perfect reflection of the Father.

Thank you for your response!

Peace...

 

[dkbwarrior]

You're the first person I've seen around here in quite a while properly tie in the commandments of Matthew 22 in with obedience as it pertains to our love towards God. Usually when I've seen that verse quoted around here it seems to be tied together with the conditions of personal salvation.

Kudos to you.

Thanx Faulty!

Peace...

 

[psalms 91]

What has impressed me about the teaching is that it glorifies Jesus and leads people to a greater understanding of Him and His role in the plans and purposes of God for mankind and our salvation. This just has to be good for us spiritually and teaching this way creates an environment where the Holy Spirit can move very freely in a group of people.

Yetif there is no understanding of these principles or a very limited knowledge if any then we miss what those verses are saying. That we must be grounded in those principles in order to build upon.

 

[MrBojangles]

Dids used to have an entire lesson plan based on these... there was a website back years ago.