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The
Pursuit of Purity
The
Biblical Doctrine of Separation
I.
The Anticipated Problem. 2 Timothy 3:1 “perilous times”
1.
The problem of pastors (Acts 20:29-31). Paul knew there would come
a time when false teachers would enter the churches.
2.
The problem of people (2 Timothy 4:3-5). “The time shall come when
they (the people) will not endure sound doctrine.”
II.
The Priority of Sound Doctrine in the Church.
1.
1 Timothy 4:16 – “Take heed…” Greek = ????? = to hold upon, to give heed
to, to fix attention upon (Linguistic Key to the Greek N.T).
2.
Titus 1:9 “Holding fast…” = holding out against something hostile or opposing.
3.
1 Timothy 4:13 “give attendance to…doctrine.” (ibid.)
4.
Acts 20:27 “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the council
of God.”
III.
Reasons Why Doctrine is Important.
1.
True doctrine preserves the purity of the Gospel message. In Galatians
2:5 Paul says his refusal to allow false doctrine was so that “…the truth
of the gospel might continue…” In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul gives the instruction
“And the things that thou hast heard of me (sound doctrine)…the same commit
thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” If
we fail to stand for true doctrine, according to these verses, the truth
of the Gospel will not continue and Christian teaching will not be perpetuated.
2.
True doctrine brings maturity, enables ministry, edifies believers, maintains
unity, and brings stability. In Ephesians 4:11-14 Paul describes
the purpose of Evangelists and Pastor teachers (also mentioning the Apostles
and Prophets of the early church). Verse 12 describes what they do,
and verses 13,14 describe why they do it “…that we henceforth be no more..carried
about with every wind of doctrine.” Therefore we see that sound doctrine,
a)
Brings maturity. “…perfecting of the saints.”
b)
Enables ministry. “…for the work of ministry.”
c)
Edifies believers. “…for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
d)
Maintains unity. “…Till we all come in the unity of the faith.”
e)
Brings stability. “…That we henceforth be no more…tossed to and fro…with
every wind of doctrine.”
IV.
How to Deal with False Doctrine.
***
OBJECTION ***
Is
it true that our fellowship with fellow Christians is far more restricted
than our relationships with the unsaved? YES! 1 Corinthians 5: 9-11
1.
Dealing with false doctrine as seen in principal.
a)
In Galatians 2:11 Peter was “withstood to the face, because he was to be
blamed.”
b)
In Titus 1:11,13 it is said that false teacher’s mouths “must be stopped”
and that we are to “rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the
faith.”
2.
Specific commands addressing dealing with false doctrine.
a)
In 2 John 1:10,11 we are told not to associate with or aid false teachers
in their work.
b)
In Romans 16:17 we are to “mark” those who cause “divisions and offenses“
which are “contrary to the doctrine.” False teachers both offend
and divide from the truth. We are to “avoid them.”
c)
In 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14 we are commanded to “withdraw” from and “have
no company with” fellow Christians who are “disorderly” (Greek = “to be
out of step”) with the teaching of the Apostles.
d)
In Titus 3:10 we are commanded to reject a heretick. The word “heretick”
describes one who is “sectarian” or one who “causes division” or holds
to a “self chosen teaching“ (Linguistic Key to the Greek N.T. & Abbott-Smith
Greek Lexicon) Verse 9 places the context of such “division” as regarding
doctrine. Therefore a man is a heretick who is contrary to sound
doctrine.
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