FOUR STEPS TO DOCTRINAL ERROR

What makes me think that I am right in studying and teaching the Bible rightly divided and so many others are wrong? First of all, I come to the Bible and I believe what it says to whom it says it! I am sorry that this is not being taught in churches or Bible colleges today. In 2 Timothy 1:13…“Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” Who is the me? It is the Apostle Paul. From I Cor. 3:11…“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Jesus is always the foundation. Peter built on Jesus as he taught the Program of Prophecy to Israel. Paul built on Jesus as he taught the Program of Mystery to the church (Jews and Gentiles). Prophecy is about Israel and Mystery is about the Church. If we fail to make that distinction, we make the Bible a book of contradictions and confusion. All of the Bible is written for us, but not all of the Bible is written about us or to us. 1. The first step in turning from truth to error is turning your back on the Apostle Paul. Everyone had the opportunity to get their doctrine right when Paul was here on earth 2,000 years ago. However, they turned from him according to II Tim. 1:15… “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.” The number one step to error is to turn your back on Paul. In Rom. 11:13 “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:” (Please note that Paul did not magnify his person, he magnified his office) I do not worship the Apostle Paul, but Paul was called by the Lord Jesus to give us sound doctrine about the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Jesus’ ministry was to the nation of Israel “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” (Rom. 15:8). Paul’s ministry was to Gentiles… “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” (Rom. 15:16) Paul explains this further in Eph. 3:2…“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward:” That’s a big if!!! I had been to church all my life but I had never heard of the dispensation of the Grace of God. How about you? Paul tells us that he is very special. “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;” (Col. 1:25 Paul tells us in I Tim. 1:16 that he is a pattern and he is to be placed first in doctrinal teaching… “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 2. You turn your face to something else. Whenever you turn to something or someone other than Paul, you are heading for doctrinal error. If you turn to the left of Paul’s writings in the Bible, you turn to the law and the dispensation of the Kingdom. If you turn to the right of Paul’s writings, you will put yourself in the Hebrew epistles and prophecy. Some Christians turn from Paul’s sound doctrine to Christian celebrities. Thanks to modern technology, Christians today have easy access to a wide variety of popular Christian leaders. This practice of riding your favorite preacher’s coattails has been around for a long time. 3. You become a resister of truth. Paul warned Timothy of this in II Tim. 3:8… “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” People will call you names when you start believing the Bible and rightly divide it. I have seen so many people get excited about finally understanding the Bible and when they share it with their family or their church the warnings and name calling will begin. If you teach tithing and water baptism everyone will love you. But if you teach Pauline doctrine, watch out. Most people are not worried about finding the truth of the Bible; they are concerned about “fitting in”. Religious people will fight you as you unteach them and they will fight you as you teach them. We have all done this at one time or another. Resistance is a favorite strategy of us all. Rom. 1:18… “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” The churches in your hometown have the truth if they have a Bible; however they are holding the truth in unrighteousness by focusing on Petrine doctrine. 4. To be turned to fables. In II Tim. 4:4…And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. Paul warns that when we turn from him, we embrace fables (stories with a moral application). Most of the preaching today fits into this category. Pastors will read a Bible text and then spend the rest of the time telling stories. Paul told Timothy to “preach the word”!!!