DOCTRINE

    What Has Jesus to do With Doctrine?

Isn't Love all the world needs, because God is love?

True love will motivate a person to action. It will inspire us to show our love, through words, tender expressions, physical affection, patience, self-denial, long-suffering, and acts of kindness. It will also cause a person, when necessary, to do the uncomfortable thing that he knows is best for the one he loves.

It will motivate a parent to say 'no' to a child he loves when he would rather say 'yes.' It will cause him to give unpleasant consequences to a child who needs to learn the danger of his wrong actions when the parent wishes he could just ignore those actions.

It will cause a parent to make a child rest when he wants to play, eat healthy food when he wants sweets and do chores to learn responsibility and selflessness when he wants to play.

And love will give a parent the resolve to teach his child what he needs though he has no desire to learn it.

It will motivate a person to tell a friend the hard truth, rather than telling a lie to avoid discomfort and conflict, while the truth will do more good.

It will compel him to urge the one he loves to move out of his comfort zone and press toward a goal.

Today some want us to think we should never make another uncomfortable. We should never mention the sins that are separating them from God and sending them to eternal punishment. They would have us believe the only way to help another find salvation is to speak words of acceptance, wearing a warm smile and winking, so-to-speak, at their sin.

In reality, what we should do, is love those Christ died for with the love that motivated Christ to action.

The love that forgave the thief on the cross next to him, and told him he would be with Jesus in Paradise on the same day Jesus died. The love that caused Him to take on the sins of the world. The love that loved us while we were yet sinners.

The love that caused Jesus to preach repentance, to upbraid some who would not believe, to rebuke and reprove.

The Jesus we picture as gentle and tender of heart is the Jesus who called Pharisees vipers, told some they were hypocrites and took a whip to the money changers in the temple.

God is love and His love motivated Him to do that which was comfortable to the ones He created, even when at times, it may have shamed and embarrassed them.

If we are going to speak of the love of Jesus, let us honestly speak of Him as He was and as He is.

I recently read these statements about Jesus - “The only thing we can offer that will truly satisfy the heart's cry is Jesus. He isn't doctrine. He isn't theology. He is a person.”

The fact that the only thing that will satisfy the heart's cry is Jesus, is true. But the following statements is deceptive. Doctrines invented by men, are not Jesus. But Jesus' doctrine, are the words He spoke and these are expressions of Himself. As a matter of fact, the Word of God tells us that Jesus is the Word of God.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Not only so but speaking of Him we read in Revelations -

Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Jesus is the Word. His doctrine cannot be separated from Him.

Luke 4:32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.

Doctrine - (Greek) – idached, (id-akh-ay') - ... instruction (the act or the matter):--doctrine, hath been taught.

John 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

Hebrews 1:1-3 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

THE WORD OF HIS POWER

Word (Greek) – rhemah, (ray'-mah) - ... an utterance (individually, collectively or specially),....

How often do we think of God's power separately from His Word or the other way around? But look at the amazing thing that is said here. Jesus, the Son of God, who is the brightness of God's glory, the express image of God's person, is UPHOLDING ALL THINGS by the Word of His Power!

It does not say the power of His words, as if to say - “those are powerful words,” though His words are, indeed, powerful! But it says – the Word of His Power!

Consider the meanings given for the word 'of' in http://www.dictionary.com/browse/of.

1 (used to indicate distance or direction from, separation, deprivation, etc.): 2. (used to indicate derivation, origin, or source): 3. (used to indicate cause, motive, occasion, or reason): 4. (used to indicate material, component parts, substance, or contents): 5. (used to indicate apposition or identity): 6. (used to indicate specific identity or a particular item within a category): 7.(used to indicate possession, connection, or association):

Think for a minute. This word 'of' is used to indicate the source or origin of a thing. What is the source of God's Word? It is His power! Not only are His words powerful, but they usher out of or are created by - His Power! Think of a beautiful bowl taking form out of a piece of clay, or a piece of art coming out of or taking shape from a piece of wax.

This word 'of,' is to indicate the substance or the material of a thing. What is the substance of God's Word? It is His power!

This word 'of,' is used to indicate the specific identity of a particular item. Applying this definition, we might say that God's Word and His power are synonymous!

This word 'of,' is used to indicate possession, connection, and association. God's Word is connected to, associated with and possessed by His power!

This word 'of,' is used to indicate identity. Thus God's Word is the identity or is identified by, His power!

God's Word and His power cannot be separated!

If we truly want to love Jesus, we must love all that He is. This includes His Word, for He is the living Word and His Word is His doctrine.

Be not deceived. You cannot truly have Jesus and bypass His doctrine.

If you have been inundated with doctrines of men and conflicting opinions, you can go to God and ask Him to cleanse from you all that is not truly of Him. You can go back to the first words of scriptures and begin to take in the words of Jesus slowly. You can take time to digest a bit at a time, listening carefully to the voice of God found in His word with the influence of the Holy Spirit.

But do not be deceived into thinking the world does not need the true doctrine of Jesus. His doctrine is His Word and He is the Word.

If the enemy can get you to believe that the love of God is found only in what is easy to receive and makes you feel happy or gives you the warm fuzzies, then he will keep you from knowing what the true love of God is.

Jesus' Words are His doctrine and His Words are life.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

It is His words that are spirit and life. His Word draws us to salvation. It is His words that we believe to salvation. He is the Word and to have Him is to have His word. His words are His doctrine. The flesh is in a dying condition. It cannot give itself life. But the Spirit of the living God can give our flesh spiritual life and health now and eternal life after death. But do you hear what is said here? The Spirit does give life - but – it is the words that He speaks that are spirit and life! They are Spirit and life!

Some people may want to 'feel' the Spirit and/or have spiritual encounters and spiritual experiences without knowing God's Word. Others may want to try to determine what is or is not the correct interpretation of the Bible, without having the Spirit of God in their lives, not having submitted their lives to God.

Seeking the 'Spirit' without the Word of God can get you into all sorts of troubles. There are unclean spirits that will be glad to give you 'spiritual' highs and all sorts of spiritual experiences, none of which are of God.

Trying to understand the scriptures without the Spirit of God can produce all sorts of confusion and heresies.

The Words that Jesus speaks are spirit and life. If you want Jesus, you must have Him as He is. He is the Word, which is Spirit and life.

Psalms 107:17-20 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.

19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Even those who find themselves, afflicted, whether in soul or body or both, so that they find themselves near death, are healed - how? He sent his Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Some try to say that healing is not for today. If that is so, then God's Word is not for today! For He has sent His Word and it is what heals! Hallelujah to God!

If you have received enough of His Word to believe unto salvation, then you are blessed and have passed from death unto life. But you will need to go on and learn more of Him through His Word in order to stand against the wiles of the enemy.

.John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life

It is by hearing Jesus' words and believing on the God who sent Him that you will pass from death to life and not receive condemnation.

Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Yes! IF you have obeyed what? That form of doctrine which was delivered to you. You have everlasting life when you hear His WORD and believe on Jesus the Son and the father who sent Him (who are one God). You are no longer servants of sin - if - you have obeyed what? That form of doctrine that was delivered to you. And what was that? The Word of the living God!

1 Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Give attendance to -

1 Reading

2 Exhortation

3 Doctrine

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Take heed unto -

1 Yourself

2 the Doctrine

And – Continue in them. What will be the result? Thou shalt save thyself and them that hear you!

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine

Do all of these things with all -

1 Longsuffering

2 Doctrine

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

All scripture is profitable for what?

1 Doctrine

2 Reproof

3 Correction

4 Instructions

All of these things IN righteousness.

Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

This faithful word that we are to hold fast, is able to both exhort and convince the gainsayers how? - BY SOUND DOCTRINE.

John 7:1 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

How will we be able to know whether the doctrine is of God? If we do the will of God.

Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Those who are ashamed of Jesus and His Words, He will be ashamed of when He comes.

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

We are His disciples – IF – we continue in His Word. His Words are His doctrine.

Indeed let us love one another. Let us love the lost who Jesus died for.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

But let us live and love as Jesus did. He was in all ways obedient to His Father and spoke the things the Father wanted Him to speak'

John 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

Let us learn to listen to the Father's voice and speak as He leads us to do. Whether it is words that are pleasing to the hearer or words of reproof, let us speak in love and as directed by the Spirit of God.

John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Oracles are –(Greek [Strong's]) - logionlog'-ee-on - logios; an utterance (of God):--oracle.

Let us speak the words of God, in agreement with God and from a heart of love.

Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Let us purify our own hearts and then let us speak as the Holy Spirit directs, always speaking the truth in love.

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

How do you purify your soul? By obeying the truth through the Spirit! And where will that lead you? To unfeigned love of the brethren!

Never think you can love as you ought to do, without the Word of God. His Word cannot be left out of the equation. Go to the Word of God, ask Him to reveal the truth that is there, by His Spirit. Obey the truth you find there and let God teach you to love

If the way we are showing love, is only in words that we speak, words that we think others will want to hear and will make them feel good, words that originate from our thinking separate from the Word of God's Power, we are not only wasting time but may be doing more harm than good.

Our own words may be far removed from God's.

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Do not just speak words of so-called love, but love in 'truth' and in action. Remember that Jesus said -

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

If you think you are loving someone by presenting a Jesus to them that is not really who or what He is, while withholding from them the truth, do not think you are really doing them any good.

Let us not only speak the words that make the hearer comfortable in their condition but let us through hearts of true love, speak that which is needed, that which is right, that which is true and that which is the Word and heart of God.