Join us every Sunday morning at 9:15 at Tabernacle Baptist Church for our Men’s Small Group!
Before Sunday’s class, please take the time to read and reflect on the scripture provided and be prepared to participate in the discussion of the assigned questions.
Bobby Jamieson, The Whole Truth about God: Biblical Theology, ed. Mark Dever, 9Marks Healthy Church Study Guides (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012)
MAIN IDEA
Sound doctrine is teaching that rightly explains what God has revealed to us in his Word. Sound doctrine is essential to the church and the Christian life because it is a central means by which we grow to maturity in Christ.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PASSAGES
1 Timothy 1:3–5: 3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
1 Timothy 4:16: “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
1 Timothy 6:2b–4a: “Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.”
2 Timothy 1:13–14: “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”
2 Timothy 2:15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
Titus 1:9–11: “[An elder] must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. 10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.”
Titus 2:1: “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.”
WHAT IS SOUND DOCTRINE?
Sound doctrine is the sum total of the Bible’s teaching on any given topic.
In other words, sound doctrine is what we get when we consider what all of Scripture has to say about a given topic: the character of God, sin, salvation, the church, and so on. In the passages above, Paul’s references to sound doctrine especially focus on the good news about Jesus Christ and how we are to live in light of that good news.
Based on the seven passages listed above:
- Be prepared to discuss the characteristics of sound doctrine and the outcomes of sound doctrine.
- Be prepared to discuss the characteristics of false doctrine (teaching) and the outcomes of false teaching.