Culture, Doctrine, Beliefs, Gods Word......

We are leaving the book for minor prophets for awhile.  We trust you have found the lesson both educational and spiritually challenging.  We are now moving into the New Testament and 1 Timothy is were we will begin.  Sound Doctrine is the first topical study beginning this Sunday.  But before we know what Sound Doctrine his we must understand what Doctrine is and what God's word teaches us it is.  From that we can determine soundness.

Our culture tells us that all beliefs are equally valid. Culture states that there is no way to discern if one belief has more authority than another belief, even if they conflict. Rather than call anything truth, we are led to refer to truth as our personal beliefs or belief system.

Is our culture correct? Are all beliefs equal, subjective and to be respected? Not according to Jesus Christ in John 14:6 where he stated, "I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." When Jesus said he was "the way," he made it clear that all beliefs are not equal. When he said he was "the truth," he made it clear that there is truth greater than your opinion or experience. When he stated that he was "the life," he was stating clearly that all other beliefs are irrelevant.

Thus, the proper question is not "what" is truth but rather "who" is truth? Truth is not a personal belief system. Truth is a person. Truth is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is truth.

Jesus is the way. Jesus is life.

Take time to study God's word this week.  Don't just read it.  Ask yourself questions about what you are reading.  Who are the characters, who wrote it, who are they speaking to at the time, what is the culture of the time, what is the CONTEXT.  We hope to see you all there Sunday morning.  God Bless....

Sundays Scripture is below...

 

1 Timothy 1:3-17 (New American Standard Bible)

³ As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, ⁴ nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. ⁵ But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, ⁷ wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

⁸ But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers ¹⁰ and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, ¹¹ according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, ¹³ even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; ¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. ¹⁶ Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.