Importance of Preserving Apostolic Truth Kewal Pradhan 1305, The Importance of Apostolic Doctrine Bro Sam David 10 November 2013
Kewal Pradhan 1305, The Importance of Apostolic Doctrine 10 November 2013 The Importance of preserving Apostolic Truth
Jesus Christ, being the Chief Apostle and the Chief Cornerstone, along with His apostles and prophets laid the foundation of the doctrine of the church (Ephesians 2:20-22) that seemed to almost become extinct through the dark ages and many generations due to religious mind-set. Generations after generations, the truth (doctrine) has been protected and preserved for the next generation. What started as a mighty blaze that could be seen and experienced around the various regions slowly began to diminish to a flickering flame. But the fire of His Word would not burn out and truth continued to burn in the hearts of men and women down the generations to bring renewal and restoration through the centuries. This shows how important it is to preserve the Apostolic Truth. Ronald Reagan, 40th president of US (1911 - 2004) wisely said “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” Jesus built His church but He placed the responsibility of preserving Apostolic Truth squarely and firmly in the hands of His apostles and by extension to all His followers. Apostolic doctrine is the basis or foundation for how one lives or conducts his life (Purpose Institute notes: Lesson1). We are committed to preserving not just intellectual facts, but “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Faith is more than facts. It is right facts combined with the affection of trust and it is right facts felt rightly. Today the Spirit of God is breathing afresh to ignite the hearts of the people of God with revelation and understanding concerning the foundational principles of the church of the living God to set into motion the building of His holy temple as a spiritual habitation. This has never been more important now than before with the coming of Christ in the last days. If we preserve statements of doctrine alone in the form of systematic doctrine and yet we have
not preserved a biblically informed imagination of those facts, we have not succeeded in preserving the truth. The importance of obedience to the doctrine was clearly taught by the apostles in the 1st century. It was then and still is the means by which the Church can be saved from an untoward generation. (Purpose Institute notes: Lesson3) Obedience is the product of a surrendered will and only obedience to the doctrine (truth) has the ability to make men free (John 8:31-32). Obedience to Apostolic doctrine is the basis for all Christian conduct and living. It is the apostolic doctrine that upholds stability and endurance in the hearts of the believers as it is imparted through the fivefold ministry. Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 clearly said “All Scripture is God-breathed.” The scripture implies that God inspired the Bible’s ideas, words, and forms, and this demands a commitment to preserving not just the ideas of truth expressed in the Bible but also the way those ideas are imagined through Scripture’s various aesthetic forms. It is within this impartation of truth in love that the body of Christ begins to grow and mature in the faith. No longer can children be influenced by the doctrines of men as false doctrines cannot stand the test of time and cannot empower the believer to withstand the testing and trials that are before them. The equipping of the saints can only be accomplished through the scriptures which are the word of God. In such a time as this, God moves upon the hearts of His people. This move of the Spirit cannot be held back by men or false doctrines any longer. Truth shall prevail and people of God once again will be garment with righteousness and praise. The preserving of the apostolic doctrine is vital to the church concerning His purpose and design as set forth by the will of God. Sound doctrine (truth) will dismiss worldly parables that are so predominant in the body of Christ and bring to an end the disagreement and carnality. The people of God must embrace sound biblical doctrine in order to facilitate the divine order of God in our midst.
Works Cited
The Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982. Purpose Institute Note: #1305- The Importance of Apostolic Doctrine, Lesson 1: Doctrine Defined. Lesson 3: Obedience to Doctrine. Butler, Daniel L.: The Last Generation of Truth. USA Hazelwood: Word Aflame Press, 1989 Reagan, Ronald. Quotation #33739 from Classic Quotes: http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/33739.html