SALVATION QUESTION # 9 Why can’t we just preach Jesus and not worry so much about doctrine? Isn’t the body of Christ bigger than any one church organization? The body of Christ is bigger than one denomination or organization, but it is not bigger than one church, because the body of Christ is one church (See Matt. 16: 18). You can remove the labeling of organizations, but you can never remove the following truths: 1. There is one body and one Spirit. One Lord, one faith, and one baptism. (See Eph. 4: 4 – 6) 2. Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. (See John 14: 6) 3. There is not Salvation in any other name but the name of Jesus. (See Acts 4: 12) 4. If any man, or even an angel from Heaven, preaches any other gospel than that which the Apostles preached, they are cursed. (See Galatians 1: 6 - 10) Doctrine is a belief (or set of beliefs) taught by a church. The New Testament Church was built upon the principles and doctrines taught by Jesus Christ and His chosen Apostles. Here are just three scriptures on the importance of keeping and obeying the correct doctrine: Matthew 15: 8 – 9 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 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. Romans 16: 17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. Paul charged Timothy to teach no other doctrine (1 Tim. 1: 3), he told him in the latter days some would depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Tim. 4: 1). He then tells him to hold fast to the doctrine, because it will save him and all who will hear it. (See 1 Tim. 4: 16) You cannot separate the Church from doctrine. If we remove these ancient landmarks, and just go with the philosophy that “your truth is your truth and my truth is my truth”, then we might as well lay down our Bibles and just go play golf. There is an account in the Bible of a high ranking Ethiopian man, a treasurer under the Queen, a eunuch who feared God and read his Bible. He was riding in his chariot and reading from the book of Isaiah (Chapter 53: 7, 8) when God honored his sincerity by sending an Apostolic Preacher, named Phillip, to him. Acts 8: 34 – 39 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. Phillip taught the Ethiopian a Bible Study that day. There is so much that can be taken from this entire account (Acts 8: 26 – 40): God took time to single out one man who loved His word and had a heart set on worship. He thought so much of one hungry soul, that He spoke to a preacher to go and find him. The Bible simply says that Phillip “preached Jesus to him”. This is more proof that “preaching Jesus” means to preach the whole gospel of Salvation. And this undoubtedly includes the necessity of water baptism. For as soon as they came to a body of water (and keep in mind they were in a desert), the Ethiopian wanted to know if there was anything hindering him from being baptized. It is apparent that Phillip preached what Jesus taught: “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.” (Mark 16: 16) We know it was baptism by immersion because they went in and came up out of the water, and we know he was baptized in Jesus’ name because that is how Phillip baptized converts. (See Acts 8: 4, 5, 14 – 16) The Bible is not just a book of stories about people, it is a book of stories for people. (See 1 Corinthians 10: 11) Could it be possible that you have been in the desert, a dry place, for quite some time? Could it be that you are the Ethiopian, and this Bible Study is your Phillip? If there is nothing hindering you from doing so, it may be time to stop the chariot. (See my page or message me for info on ordering Studies)
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 19:00:01 +0000
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