In our study of Mark we are in Mark 9:24; where after coming down from mountain where He was transfigured Jesus met a man whose son's demon possession caused epileptic like fits.
In his conversation with Jesus he had expressed a small amount of doubt regarding his son being healed and Jesus challenged him with the statement.
Mark 9:23; "If you (Jesus) can?????" With doctrine all things are possible. So we took up a study on the importance of doctrine.
When we left off last time we were looking at various words that are used for doctrine in the original languages of scripture.
We saw that "Logos" means speech, word, thinking, or teaching, Heb 6:1; 1Cor 1:18;. This is the word that is used to refer to Jesus Christ as the "Word" in John 1:1;
"Rhema" is doctrine that is communicated to address a specific situation. It is translated "word" in Matt 4:4;
"Didache" means instruction or teaching or what is taught, Matt 7:28, Matt 22:33; Mark 1:22,27; Mark 4:2; 1Cor 14:6; 2Tim 4:2; Heb 6:2; Rev 2:14; Rom 6:17, Rom16:17.
"Gnostos" means capable of being known referring to doctrine as potential for understanding, Rom 1:19.
"Didaskalia" means the teaching of doctrine. It is what is taught weather true or false, Matt 15:9; Eph 4:14; Col 2:22; 1Tim 1:10; 1Tim 4:1, 6,13,16; Titus 1:9, Titus 2:1,7,10; 2Tim 3:10,16; 2Tim 4:3.
"Sunesis", Suneidesis" means doctrine in the conscience or frame of reference it is translated "understanding " Mark 12:33; or "insight" Eph 3:4;
"Gnotes" refers to an expert in doctrine, Acts 26:3.
"Sophia" is translated wisdom referring to doctrine that is readily available for recall and application to life's circumstances. Col 2:3;
Bible doctrine was the Old Testament believer's legacy. Heb 11:1-2;
Psa 138:2; "I myself will worship toward the temple of Your Holiness (heaven), and I will be motivated to praise Your person because of Your grace and Your doctrine, because You have magnified (promoted) Your word over (above) Your person."
We see here that God has made his Word the major factor in his revelation to mankind. This means that true worship is the intake of Bible doctrine.
This means that the believer's reputation with God is proportional to their understanding and application of His Word (Bible doctrine).
Doctrinal teaching should therefore be your highest priority in life. Bible doctrine will motivate us to glorify God. Once you understand the integrity of God, you have enough doctrine to glorify Him by its application.
Doctrinal teaching is the only way anyone can understand the integrity or Holiness of God. This is why God magnifies doctrinal teaching above everything else.
God is glorified when His conveyance of our escrow blessings does not violate his integrity. He cannot convey them unless we have maximum Bible doctrine in our soul that creates the capacity to appreciate Him as the source of blessing.
Jesus Christ made Bible Doctrine the spiritual legacy of the royal family with His dying words that are recorded in Luke 23:46; that quotes Psa 31:5; "Into Your hands I deposit My spirit, for You have delivered Me, O Lord, God of truth (doctrine)."
Jesus set the example of the priority of doctrine that we are to follow:
Prov 8:33-36. "Heed Bible teaching, become wise, do not neglect it.
v34 Happiness to the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doors.
v35 He who finds me (Bible doctrine) finds capacity for life and obtains grace blessing from the Lord.
v36 But he who sins against me injures himself. All those who hate me love death."
Both Bible doctrine and evil were here before we came and they will be here after we leave. We cannot change them but they do change us.
The believer's attitude toward doctrine determines whether they receive blessing or discipline from God during their life in time, Prov 8:33-36; The issue in the believer's life is not sin, but whether evil (satan's lie) or Bible doctrine (God's truth) resides in the soul.
Doctrine is the basis for the distribution of escrow blessings in time, Isa 53:12. "Therefore, I (God the Father) will distribute the plunder of victory to Him (Jesus Christ) because of the many (royal family); then He will distribute the plunder of victory to the great ones (mature believers) because He poured out His soul to death..."
Doctrine is also the basis for the distribution of escrow blessings for eternity, Heb 11:9-10; Heb 11:13; James 1:25;
Bible doctrine must be more real to us than empirical knowledge, 2Pet 1:12-21. If there is a conflict between what you see in life and God's Word, God's Word is always right.
For the mature believer, Bible doctrine is more real than anything else in life.
Lack of Bible doctrine destroys a nation, Hos 4:1-6. This is what is wrong in the USA is today. The nation is rejecting the doctrine contained in the founding principles.
The communication of Bible doctrine is part of God's logistical grace support for believers, Col 1:25-29; Heb 13:7, 17; Eph 4:11-13;