| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ( L ) TRUE APOSTLES � SOUND DOCTRINE vs. FALSE DOCTRINE The importance of sound doctrine holds true for Gods� apostles and well as His prophets. Jesus Christ, Gods� Prophet and our Apostle and High Priest made clear that what He spoke came directly from God. Jesus spoke sound doctrine. His spiritual teaching, His reproof of sin, His instruction was good and sound because it came directly from God ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ). This standard which meets Deuteronomy 18:18 is the standard Christ taught His apostles ( who also spoke prophetically ) and His apostles knew it well; 19. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. - Matt. 10:19-20 11. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. - Mark 13:11 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. - John 6:63 23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 25. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. - John 14:23-26 12. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. - 1 Peter 1:12 21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. - 2 Peter 1:21 Just as God required His prophets and His Son to speak and command all and only what God wanted them to speak, God made the same requirement of His apostles as the above scriptures show. A true apostle of God will not speak and teach a gospel or doctrine or any spiritual instruction that has any opposition or contradiction to what God has spoken. To be certain, the Christians of the early church showed that they held the word and teaching of the apostles as being the spiritual doctrine and teaching from God; 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. - Acts 2:41-42 6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. - 1 Timothy 4:6-7 11. These things command and teach. 12. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. - 1 Timothy 4:11-16 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. - 1 Timothy 5:17 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 And in one specific instance we see Christians examining the very preaching of the apostle Paul by none other than the Word of God, the holy scriptures themselves; 10. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. - Acts 17:10-12 Just as a false prophet can be discerned by what he or she spoke and taught, so also a false apostle or a true apostle of God can be discerned. That discernment is obtained and measured by the Word of God itself, the scripture of truth ( Daniel 10:21 ). In order to know and discern between the good and the false of spiritual matters then we must know Gods� Word; 2. Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. - 2 Timothy 4:2-4 13. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. - Hebrews 5:13-14 The Word of God sufficiently shows that there is no evidence whatsoever that Gods� foundation which comprises His Son, Jesus Christ and then His apostles and prophets, has needed to be restored. No evidence in all of holy scripture reveals that there has ever been a justified reason to restore Gods� foundation. No evidence in all of Gods� Word reveals that at anytime in the period of the Christian church was Gods� foundation ever lost, stolen, in a process of deterioration or destroyed completely. Instead, all evidence that is present in Gods� Word reveals clearly that the foundation of God is a righteous foundation which is sure, everlasting, and most certainly unmovable. These enduring characteristics which describe Gods� foundation are not only certainly true of Jesus Christ, the corner stone of Gods� foundation but also they are certainly true of the apostles and prophets of God who also comprise that righteous and everlasting foundation. Thus, if you are a Christian in need of an apostolic word or teaching, if you are in need of prophecy, then grab a King James Version Bible. All that God wants us to know and understand in regard to what His apostles and prophets have both taught and prophesied are sufficiently provided in its� entirety of His holy Word; 29. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. - Luke 16:29-31 4. Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5. Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6. That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: - Ephesians 3:4-6 1. This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2. That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: - 2 Peter 3:1-2 17. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; - Jude 1:17 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |