An Introduction to Bible Doctrines

It is written,…OF WHOM WE HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY, AND HARD TO BE UTTERED, SEEING YE ARE DULL OF HEARING. FOR WHEN FOR THE TIME YE OUGHT TO BE TEACHERS, YE HAVE NEED THAT ONE TEACH YOU AGAIN WHICH BE THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE ORACLES OF GOD; AND ARE BECOME SUCH AS HAVE NEED OF MILK, AND NOT OF STRONG MEAT. FOR EVERY ONE THAT USETH MILK IS UNSKILFUL IN THE WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: FOR HE IS A BABE. 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-Heb 5:11-14. THEREFORE LEAVING THE PRINCIPLES OF
		THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST,
		LET US GO ON UNTO PERFECTION;	Meat
		NOT LAYING AGAIN THE FOUNDATION OF
	1.	REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS,	Milk—first principles
	2.	AND OF FAITH TOWARD GOD,	Milk—first principles
	3.	OF THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS,	Milk—first principles
	4.	AND OF LAYING ON OF HANDS,	Milk—first principles
	5.	AND OF RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD,	Milk—first principles
	6.	AND OF ETERNAL JUDGMENT.	Milk—first principles
		AND THIS WILL WE DO, IF GOD PERMIT-Heb 6:1-3.

    Biblical doctrines, therefore, can be catalogued under these six categories. These are considered as milk. These are considered to be the first principles a person should learn. A person that is learning basic doctrines is:
   not skillful in God’s Word.
    He is a babe.
    His spiritual senses are not exercised.
    He is not able to rightly understand or discern good and evil.
    He is carnal, not spiritual.
    1 Cor 3:3, 4-FOR YE ARE YET CARNAL: FOR WHEREAS THERE IS AMONG YOU ENVYING, AND STRIFE, AND DIVISIONS, ARE YE NOT CARNAL, AND WALK AS MEN? FOR WHILE ONE SAITH, I AM OF PAUL; AND ANOTHER, I AM OF APOLLOS; ARE YE NOT CARNAL?

    It is written, AS NEWBORN BABES, DESIRE THE SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD, THAT YE MAY GROW THEREBY-1 Pe 2:2. A new born-again Christian (babe) needs the milk of the Word in order to grow and to be established in the faith. He is not yet ready for strong meat, which is the doctrine of perfection. Many ministers will say that this or that is meat, and they are incorrect. Meat is perfection. It is not a diet suited for babes. This comes only after much time spent in the Word, and walking with Christ, and by going through many spiritual battles and testings, always using God’s Word as our guide. As a result of these things, we begin to grow, and in process of time come to full age. By reason of use, our spiritual senses become exercised, so that we are able to discern what is right and what is not right in the eyes of a HOLY GOD.
    If we are still learning the first principles, or first doctrines, then we have not reached the point where we are ready for the doctrine of perfection. We could not be considered a spiritual Christian that is able to understand or discern both good and evil.
    Many people can study a lifetime and never reach the stage of going on unto perfection. This is because they are dull of hearing. Being dull of hearing can often be related to some sin that a person does not want to give up. This sin deceives him. He is carnal, or worldly, or lukewarm.

    The church age we are now living in (Laodicean) is a lukewarm age. It is the church age that will be spit out. It is a carnal church age that will not endure sound doctrine, yet it considers itself as perhaps the best church age. God forbid!
    Most people in this latter day generation are not even receiving sound doctrine. Rather, they are receiving preaching that is filled with worldly stories about the preacher, his wife, his family, things that have happened to him, quotes from other people and other books, community affairs, and politics. They are not receiving the pure milk of God’s Word, but that which is greatly watered down with other things. In some cases, they may not be receiving any milk at all.
    Spiritual preachers and spiritual Christians are hard to find in this last church age generation. There are very few people that can really understand what has just been said.

    The word "doctrine" is mentioned in the KJV of the Bible 51 times. The word "doctrines" is mentioned 5 times.
    People were astonished at the doctrine of Jesus-ref Mt 7:28. Jesus made it clear that the doctrine He preached was not His, but was of His Father-ref Jn 7:16. Jesus went on and told the people, IF ANY MAN WILL DO HIS WILL, HE SHALL KNOW OF THE DOCTRINE, WHETHER IT BE OF GOD, OR WHETHER I SPEAK OF MYSELF-Jn 7:17.
    Doctrine is to be obeyed from the heart-ref Ro 6:17.

    Jesus warned about those that taught false doctrines. It is written, NOW I BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN, MARK THEM WHICH CAUSE DIVISIONS AND OFFENCES CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH YE HAVE LEARNED; AND AVOID THEM. FOR THEY THAT ARE SUCH SERVE NOT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BUT THEIR OWN BELLY; AND BY GOOD WORDS AND FAIR SPEECHES DECEIVE THE HEARTS OF THE SIMPLE-Ro 16:17,18. IF ANY MAN TEACH OTHERWISE, AND CONSENT NOT TO WHOLESOME WORDS, EVEN THE WORDS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH IS ACCORDING TO GODLINESS; HE IS PROUD, KNOWING NOTHING, BUT DOTING ABOUT QUESTIONS AND STRIFES OF WORDS, WHEREOF COMETH ENVY, STRIFE, RAILINGS, EVIL SURMISINGS, PERVERSE DISPUTINGS OF MEN OF CORRUPT MINDS, AND DESTITUTE OF THE TRUTH, SUPPOSING THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS: FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF-1 Tim 6:3-5. MANY CORRUPT THE WORD OF GOD-2 Cor 2:17.
    WHOSOEVER TRANSGRESSETH, AND ABIDETH NOT IN THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, HATH NOT GOD. He is not saved. HE THAT ABIDETH IN THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, HE HATH BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON. IF THERE COME ANY UNTO YOU, AND BRING NOT THIS DOCTRINE, RECEIVE HIM NOT INTO YOUR HOUSE, NEITHER BID HIM GOD SPEED: FOR HE THAT BIDDETH HIM GOD SPEED IS PARTAKER OF HIS EVIL DEEDS-2 Jn 9-11.
    FOR THERE ARE MANY UNRULY AND VAIN TALKERS AND DECEIVERS, SPECIALLY THEY OF THE CIRCUMCISION: WHOSE MOUTHS MUST BE STOPPED, WHO SUBVERT WHOLE HOUSES, TEACHING THINGS WHICH THEY OUGHT NOT, FOR FILTHY LUCRE'S SAKE. We are not to give HEED TO…FABLES, AND COMMANDMENTS OF MEN, THAT TURN FROM THE TRUTH.
    UNTO THE PURE ALL THINGS ARE PURE: BUT UNTO THEM THAT ARE DEFILED AND UNBELIEVING IS NOTHING PURE; BUT EVEN THEIR MIND AND CONSCIENCE IS DEFILED. THEY PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD; BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, BEING ABOMINABLE, AND DISOBEDIENT, AND UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK REPROBATE-Titus 1:10,11,14-16. Beware of those that bring forth false doctrines and false teaching. Get away from them.

    This is the church age of lukewarm and unsound doctrines-ref Rev 3:14-22; 2 Tim 4:3,4. This is the church age that will be spit out-ref Rev 3:16. Many are being deceived with very unbiblical teaching and doctrines. God tells us, THAT WE HENCEFORTH BE NO MORE CHILDREN, TOSSED TO AND FRO, AND CARRIED ABOUT WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, BY THE SLEIGHT OF MEN, AND CUNNING CRAFTINESS, WHEREBY THEY LIE IN WAIT TO DECEIVE; BUT SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, MAY GROW UP INTO HIM IN ALL THINGS, WHICH IS THE HEAD, EVEN CHRIST-Eph 4:14,15. BE NOT CARRIED ABOUT WITH DIVERS AND STRANGE DOCTRINES-Heb 13:9.
    People teaching other doctrines was a problem in the days of Paul-ref 1 Tim 1:3.
    Most denominations in this generation mix doctrines. They teach some Bible doctrines and then mix them with their own DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN-Mt 15:9; Mk 7:7. Many are deceived. There are also doctrines of religious leaders-ref Mt 16:12. Multitudes of new deceptive doctrines are coming forth at an alarming rate and many are being deceived. Beware. God’s Word has shown us these things. Be not deceived. TAKE HEED WHAT YE HEAR-Mk 4:24, lest you be misled.

    A good minister (there are very few these days) will teach, as it is written, 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. BUT REFUSE PROFANE AND OLD WIVES' FABLES, AND EXERCISE THYSELF RATHER UNTO GODLINESS-1 Tim 4:6,7.
    BUT BE THOU AN EXAMPLE OF THE BELIEVERS, IN WORD, IN CONVERSATION, IN CHARITY, IN SPIRIT, IN FAITH, IN PURITY. TILL I COME, GIVE ATTENDANCE TO READING, TO EXHORTATION, TO DOCTRINE. 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 Tim 4:12,13,16. HOLDING FAST THE FAITHFUL WORD AS HE HATH BEEN TAUGHT, THAT HE MAY BE ABLE BY SOUND DOCTRINE BOTH TO EXHORT AND TO CONVINCE THE GAINSAYERS-Titus 1:9. BUT SPEAK THOU THE THINGS WHICH BECOME SOUND DOCTRINE-Titus 2:1.
    LET THE ELDERS THAT RULE WELL BE COUNTED WORTHY OF DOUBLE HONOUR, ESPECIALLY THEY WHO LABOUR IN THE WORD AND DOCTRINE-1 Tim 5:17. Reading 2 or 3 chapters a day is NOT laboring in the Word. For God’s will is to STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKMAN THAT NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH-2 Tim 2:15.

As servants of God, we should preach and bring forth GOD’S WORD, not worldly stories about ourselves, our families, and people and events we know, or politics and community affairs. Rather, when illustrating something from God’s Word, use other Scriptures to bring forth the meaning. As it is written, IF ANYONE SPEAKS, HE SHOULD DO IT AS ONE SPEAKING THE VERY WORDS OF GOD-1 Pe 4:11 NIV. COMPARING SPIRITUAL THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL-1 Cor 2:13.