Jesus
reduced all of the Old Testament to two commands: love God and love your
neighbor. What it means to love God and your neighbor, and how that works out
in practical living, is what the Bible is all about. We believe a lot more than
just these two commands are important; but, in the words of Jesus, everything
we believe relates to these two commands. Everything we believe can be better
understood when connected to these two commands.
For
seven weeks, we have looked at some basic doctrines. We have declared the fact
that we believe that the Bible is our ultimate, final authority. Everything
that we believe and teach at Christ the Rock must be held accountable to the
Word of God. We came into this world with no information, and we have chosen to
make the Bible the authoritative source book for us. It is the authority that
inseparably binds us together.
We
took a look at the God Who is revealed in the pages of
the Bible. No other God will do. God is Who He is; He does not change. Creation
reveals His attributes; we know Who He is by what is said about Him in the
Bible. He is in control. He has a plan for history that cannot be altered and
will be realized. He is tender toward those who repent of sin and call upon His
name.
Jesus,
we noted, is man’s only hope for salvation. Through His death and resurrection,
the love of God has been revealed at its highest level. The Bible states the
truth rather simply: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son
does not have life.”
We
noted that the Holy Spirit is God’s agent among us during this time of human
history and dwells in every believer. He is God present with us, and at
Pentecost, He was given to the Church as its power source. He brings us
conviction of our sin and healing in our bodies. His methods and gifts are His,
not ours; He functions according to His will in agreement with the Bible, which
we believe results in the unity of the believers.
When
all of our differences operate in submission to the authority of God’s Word and
the power of His Spirit, unity prevails, and God is glorified. To bring God
glory is our highest calling. We are committed to diminish man’s involvement
and to enhance God’s action. All glory goes to Him and to Him alone.
We
expect His return and find that the Bible predicts that it comes “in an hour
that we do not expect it.” Our hope of His soon return causes us to live godly
lives in anticipation of meeting Him. This is our blessed hope.
The Use of Doctrine
The Glory of God
INTRODUCTION
Clarifying the meaning of doctrine
II Timothy 4:8
The invigoration of criticism
1. Faithful
2. Reminder
3. Renewal
4. Rejecting eisegesis
5. Nursing a wounded bird
1. Reviewing Eschatology
A.
B.
C.
2. Reviewing Theology
A.
B.
C.
3. Reviewing Christology
A.
B.
C.
4. Reviewing Pneumatology
A.
B.
C.
5. Reviewing Unity
A.
B.
C.
INSTRUCTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.