Lord Jesus, It is so important for us to be built up in Your word, which is Your doctrine. We can be the fullness of Your body as we grow in Your doctrine. We do not want to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine but be led by Your Holy Spirit. We commit ourselves to Your loving hands. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
Act 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
We continue to focus on the church being built up in the doctrine of God, which was taught by the apostles. We will now have an overview of some passages of scripture that gives us an overarching understanding of the doctrine of God that we must embrace.
What is God’s overall purpose?
Colossians 1:19-20 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, (20) and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
God is reconciling all things to Himself through Christ and through the blood of His cross. Reconciliation is the Shalom of God. The Lord is bringing us back into His Shalom. This is the experience that we had in the beginning but sin took us away from God, we died and we lost His Shalom. In Christ, we are brought back to life because we are reconciled with God and we are brought back into His Shalom.
As those, who have been brought back into His Shalom, we have been entrusted with the message of reconciliation. As His church, we must reconcile many others, who are languishing in darkness and death.
II Corinthians 5:18-20 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
What is the doctrine of God in building up His church?
Ephesians 4:11-13 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, (12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (13) till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
This passage gives, briefly but precisely, what it takes to build up His church. The church is on the move and we have a destination. Our destination is Christ. We as the body of Christ, are growing into the fullness of Christ, who is our head.
What is the basis of oneness in His church?
We see so many divisions in His church but the doctrine of God gives us the basis for oneness in His church.
Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; (5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism; (6) one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
When we know that God has given us oneness in His body, then the matter is only about seeking the leading and guidance of His Holy Spirit to help us experience oneness. We must put aside our ego and in humility seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to show us how we can appropriate oneness in the doctrine of God. Surely, we will learn, experience, and grow in oneness in His church.
What is the core Gospel?
I Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, (2) by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. (3) For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
The death of Jesus, His burial and His resurrection are the non-negotiable core of the Gospel. To become a member of the family of God, a person must identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The old man, the Adamic nature in us, the self or the flesh must die and be buried with Christ. If there is no death and burial there can be no resurrection. When our old man dies and is buried with Christ, then our new man rises up with Christ, through His Holy Spirit.
These are some of the passages that give us certain parts of the doctrine of God but the entire scriptures are the doctrine of God. This is what we must appropriate and grow by, as His church.
We praise the Lord that the early church grew steadfastly in the doctrine of God, which was taught by the apostles.