Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, podcasters, welcome back to Beyond Sunday,
so excited that you're here withme today.
I've been getting a lot ofquestions about this email
series that I'm doing, which ison doctrine and theology, and
we're just talking to generalquestions of why do we believe
the Bible?
Where did the Bible come from?
What evidence supports theBible?
Who is God?
Who is Jesus?
What is the Trinity?
We're going through just somebasics, foundations of the faith
(00:25):
, and I keep getting thequestions on why we're doing
that and I want to address thattoday.
Drop a podcast that'll talk alittle bit about the foundations
, and when I say foundations,I'm saying two things One, the
foundations of our faith, butalso a class I took years ago
with Tom Holliday and Kay Warrenout of Saddleback called
Foundations, and a lot of whatI'll share with you today comes
from that class, some of itdirectly from that class.
I'm not going to quote it ifyou will, but just know this is
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where it's coming from andthrough that series we really
talked about some of the mostimportant aspects of everyone's
life.
It's the center of how we live.
It determines the decisions wemake, how we treat people.
We love the emotions that weexperience, the internal impact
that we have, and so today Iwant to talk a little bit about
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developing a Christian worldview, the set of beliefs that form
the glasses, if you will,through which we see the world.
One of the first series I everpreached here at South Shore was
a series on how you view things, your worldview, and there are
four classic worldview questionsthat, in order to have this
conversation that you have tograpple with One, who am I?
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Two, where am I?
Three, what's wrong?
And four, what's the remedy?
And so we're going to wrestlethrough those questions a little
bit today to help youunderstand this idea of a
worldview.
Often, the result is a view ofthe world that is more ours than
God's.
That's how we create aworldview.
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We create one, and then, all ofa sudden, we've created one
that really is more about usthan is about God.
It's more about how weinterpret the Bible, or our
thoughts and beliefs, than whatGod actually says.
The good news is, god doesn'twant us to stay that way.
He doesn't want to leave you inthe dark.
God wants to give you hisknowledge, his insight, and so
we can see this clearly in thefact that he sent his son and
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gave us his word.
God wants you to know him.
Look at Philippians 1, verse 9and 10.
It says and this is my prayerthat your love may abound more
and more in knowledge and depthof insight, so that you may be
able to discern what is best.
Our love and our ability tochoose what is best are not
ultimately a matter of feelingsor even experiences.
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They grow out of the knowledgeand insight we have about life.
A great author by the name ofChuck Colson, or Charles Colson,
said this that the termworldview may sound abstract or
philosophical, a topic discussedby pipe-smoking, tweed-jacketed
professors in academic settingsbut actually a person's
worldview is intensely practical.
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It is simply the sum total ofour beliefs about the world, the
big picture that directs ourdaily decisions and actions.
That's the quote by ChuckColson.
Now look at Jude out of theBible verses, or chapter 1,
verse 20,.
But you, dear friends, mustcontinue to build your lives on
the foundation of your holyfaith.
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This is the theme verse forwhat I'm talking about
throughout this the foundationsof your faith.
Your view of this world isdetermined by the foundation
that you choose to build yourlife on.
You build your life on moneyand you'll have one view of the
world.
You build it on popularity andyou'll have an entirely
different view of the world andwhat's happening around you.
But the foundation that Godwants you to build your life on,
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the foundation that has themost steadiness, the foundation
that's the greatest for you andI is when our lives are built on
faith in Jesus Christ.
Another word for worldview,honestly, is doctrine.
Now don't let your mind go downthe wrong path.
When you hear the word doctrine, many of us can't think of
anything more dry or boring.
I took a lot of doctrineclasses in college.
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I went to college for way toolong, have five college degrees
and I hear this word doctrine.
And even as a theologian, as apastor, I begin this is going to
be boring, right?
We envision a pastor lecturingon and on in a monotone voice
while most of the students justsleep.
And if you wonder if thathappens in seminary, it
definitely happens in seminary.
But the word theology is oftenintertwined with doctrine and
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the word theology literallymeans the study of God.
Study is an important part oftheology.
You can have no theologywithout study, without seeking
understanding.
You can't just read somethingand all of a sudden you have a
theology.
You've got to actually study it.
Christianity is a thinkingfaith.
If you're not asking questions,if you're not growing in faith.
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In fact, it's my hope that thisstudy will stir up some
questions in you, and that'spart of the idea of the email
series that I have going on.
People are emailing theirquestions in and some of them
we're addressing, some of themwe're saving for another day to
hit a podcast with.
But questions by themselvesaren't enough, and I think
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that's part of the problem withChristianity.
Today.
A lot of people aredeconstructing their faith
because they have a lot ofquestions but they're not
actually seeking the answers,and their questions are
destroying their foundationwithout seeing the answers in
the Word of God to the questionsthat they're wrestling with.
This study that we're doing mayoften make you think, and it's
not going to be easy.
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Someone once said that anyonewho gives the illusion that they
are thinking will be loved bythem, whereas anyone who
actually prompts them to thinkwill be hated.
Thinking about truth is likeexercising we tend to resist it
at first, but enjoy its benefitsafterwards.
Let me just make the case todayon why to learn doctrine, and if
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you kind of land in a goodplace with me.
I hope you go tonick-williamscom and join my
newsletter.
Come on this journey with me.
But there's several reasons whywe should learn doctrine.
One is because knowing thetruth about God helps me know
God better.
Let me say that again Knowingthe truth about God helps me
know God better.
Ji Packer said we are cruel toourselves if we try to live in
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this world without knowing thatGod.
Without knowing the God whoseworld it is and who runs it.
The world becomes a strange,mad, painful place for those who
do not know about God.
Living in this world withoutknowing God is like driving a
car with the windows blacked out.
It doesn't matter how hard youstep on the accelerator or what
direction you steer, you keeprunning into things and you
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never really get anywhere.
We all have a deep desire toknow God.
We're born with that.
You even hear it in phraseslike oh God or my God right,
that people utter when they'reshocked.
The good news is God wants usto get to know him.
That's why he sent his sonJesus and gave us his word.
Let's put this in perspectiveKnowing truths about God is not
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enough to give you arelationship with him.
We all know people who knowtruths about the Bible and about
God, but don't really know himin a personal way.
Phil, to get to know him better, you and I must learn more and
more of the truth about him.
I have a friend that has beenin church for a long time, is
currently not going to church,has come a little disillusioned
with the church and she isbasically mad that the church
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believes the Bible over what shebelieves.
Now she wouldn't say it likethat, because she tries to
defend her beliefs out of theBible, but there's just not
solid ground to what shebelieves.
She has taken her worldviewover God's worldview and he even
made statements to the contrarythat I can't support a God who
believes this, and then youcan't support God, right, and
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she's struggling with her faith.
And I think through thesethings the doctrine and theology
, and how to communicate them inthe view and lens of people
like her that I deeply careabout and deeply want them to
find a relationship with God.
The desire to read God's word,to learn about him, is a sign of
your love for God.
Imagine a college studentsaying to his girlfriend back
home I received the 23 loveletters you wrote to me this
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semester and intended to readthem as soon as things settle
down a bit, but I really do loveyou.
If you're going to get to knowGod, you have to know the truth
about him.
You cannot develop arelationship with God based on
your guesses or your wishesabout what he is like.
Healthy relationships are builton the truth.
You can't know someone if youbelieve a lie about them.
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Proverbs 2, 2-5 says listencarefully to wisdom, set your
mind on understanding, cry outfor wisdom and beg for
understanding, search for itlike silver and hunt for it like
hidden treasure.
Then you will understandrespect for the Lord and you
will find that God.
I love that verse because ifyou and I knew that there was
silver on the property you'restanding on right now, or there
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was a hidden treasure in thebackyard of your house, you
would take some days off work.
You would grab a shovel, youwould grab some friends.
Maybe not some friends, maybeyou just want to do it on your
own, but you would find some wayto find that.
And the word of God is that forour lives, it is those nuggets
of treasure and silver that canchange your life.
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God has a purpose for all of us, yet sometimes we miss the most
important purpose for which wewere made.
You weren't made primarily tohave a successful career.
You weren't made primarily toproduce wonderful children.
You weren't made primarily towrite great books or stop the
injustice in the world and thatmay be one of the passions of
yours but that's not why you'reprimarily made.
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You weren't primarily made tomake a lot of money.
That doesn't mean you can'tmake a lot of money, but that is
not your primary goal.
You were made primarily to knowGod.
K Warren once said knowing Godwill make you wise.
Knowing God will open your eyes.
Knowing God will give you hope.
Knowing God will help you cope.
Now there's a second reason whyit's worth your time to learn
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God's truth, and that's simplybecause knowledge is an
essential foundation.
Look at Hebrews 6, verses 1 and2.
Therefore, leaving theelementary teaching about the
Christ, let us press on tomaturity, not laying again a
foundation of repentance fromdead works and faith toward God,
of instruction meaning doctrineabout washings, meaning baptism
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and laying on of hands and theresurrection of the dead and
eternal judgment.
We all build our lives on afoundation that guides the
decisions we make and thedirection we take.
Sometimes we try to build ourfoundation on the opinion of
others, but we get a lot ofdiffering opinions, right?
Sometimes we attempt to makeour feelings our foundation.
I think this happens way moreoften than not.
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How I feel becomes truth andall of a sudden, my feelings
which aren't always true, theyare true to me that I feel that
way, but they aren't true aboutthe situation they become my
foundation.
It makes things very dangerous.
Sometimes we build ourfoundation on traditions.
Sometimes our foundation isonly strong enough to build us
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up if we really have knowledgeof God.
Just as you have to know yourABCs before you can read and
write, you have to know thetruth about God before you can
live.
Right?
You know the old phraseignorance is bliss.
It's not true.
If I drive through a town going65 miles per hour and I get
pulled over by a police officerwho tells me didn't you see the
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sign that said it was 35 milesper hour?
My ignorance is not bliss.
In that situation, right,ignorance can put you at risk
and ignorance of God's truth isincredibly dangerous.
Your joy is at stake, yourfamilies are at risk.
Your place in eternity is atrisk if you're just living off
ignorance and feelings about God.
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Building a good foundation forlife takes a great deal of time
and, to be honest with you, it'stough work.
To build a foundation, you haveto get down and dig, you have
to want to, you have to desire,you have to be willing to do the
tough work, and so I hope thatis a place that you are at in
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your walk with God.
Now, life without a foundation.
Let me give you a verse.
Ephesians 4, 13 through 14 saysthis Until we all reach unity
in the faith and in theknowledge of the Son of God and
become mature, attaining to thewhole measure of the fullness of
Christ, then we will no longerbe infants, tossed back and
forth by the waves and blownhere and there by every wind of
teaching and by the cunning andcraftiness of men and their
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deceitful scheming.
I love that verse and I alsohate that verse.
I love it because it reminds usthat we are, when we're being
tossed back and forth, when ourfate is struggling, we're not
living on the foundations of God.
This passage in Ephesianspresents two clear pictures of
what life is like without thefoundation of God's truth.
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The first picture was tossedback and forth by the waves.
Without truth.
I am vulnerable tocircumstances.
I love to fish and my wife andI have found ourselves on the
water before when the sea israging and we're thinking why
are we out here?
How do we get back soon?
That's what it's like in thisworld without the anchor of
God's truth.
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The second imagery it gives usin here is blown here and there
by every wind of teachingWithout truth.
I am victimized by falseteachings.
Think of what it would be liketo be caught in a hurricane.
That's you and me without God'struth.
Now to live life with afoundation.
Let's look at Matthew, chapter 7.
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It says, therefore everyone whohears these words of mine and
puts them into practice is likea wise man who built his house
on the rock.
The rain came down, the streamsrose, the winds blew and beat
against that house, yet it didnot fall because its foundation
was on the rock.
Did you notice the two thingsJesus said our foundation is
built on?
It's built on hearing thesewords of mine, but it's also
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built on putting those wordsinto practice.
It takes both.
It's easy to have the threelittle pigs faith right.
We build our lives with thestraw or the sticks of our own
ideas and emotions.
It's easier, it's quicker to doit that way, but then the
troubles of life inevitably comealong, huff and puff, and blow
your faith down and all of asudden you find yourself in a
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place that you're wondering God,where are you, god?
Why would you let this happen?
And although we're all going tosit in seasons of asking those
questions, you'll never find theanswers, because your faith
wasn't built on a truefoundation of who Jesus is.
Another reason we need doctrineis because doctrine literally
feeds our soul.
1 Timothy 4, 6 says in pointingout these things to the
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brethren, you will be a goodservant of Jesus Christ,
constantly listen, constantlynourished on the words of the
faith and of the sound doctrinefor which you have been
following.
The nourishment of our soul isnot automatic.
We have to choose to eat thissolid food.
I don't know if you have kidswe have two and they don't like
to eat things that are good foryou.
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They love sugar and carbs andall the things, and so we have
to force them to eat some foodthat actually brings nourishment
into their body and they pushback.
Just last night we're sittingat dinner and one of my kids
eats all the carbs off theirplate, ignores the protein,
ignores the vegetables, and thensaid they're full and they know
the rules.
That was not a moment toannounce you're full, and we had
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to have a come to Jesus momentand just know it wasn't easy to
remind them.
No, you're going to sit thereand eat the food that's actually
good for you.
You can't just eat the badstuff.
The nourishment of your soul isnot automatic.
You have to have it, you haveto choose it.
You have to chew for a while onsome of the truths in the Bible
to understand them.
Some things you're going toread and you don't understand
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right away.
In Hebrews, we're warned veryclearly that if we don't decide
to dig into God's word, we'llremain baby Christians.
Look at this Hebrews, chapter 5, verses 12 through 14.
For, though, by this time youought to be teachers, you have
need again for someone to teachyou the elementary principles of
the oracles of God, and youhave come to need milk and not
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solid food for everyone.
Who partakes only of milk isnot accustomed to the word of
righteousness, for he is a babe,but solid food is, for the
mature Shears, a challenge foryou right now.
How long have you been aChristian.
How long have you been studyingthe word of God?
The Bible, in this verse here,says for some of you you should
already be a teacher, but youstill need the elementary
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principles of the oracles of God.
Does that define you?
And if it does, that shouldchallenge you to say man, I've
been doing this too long tostill be a baby Christian.
How do I get to a place that Idig in more?
And the truth is, it's throughcontinued feeding on God's word
that we are built up.
Acts 20, verse 32,.
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Another reason we need doctrineis because knowing the truth
enables me to serve others.
Paul tells us that knowingGod's truth shows us how to live
a godly life of serving God'speople.
The Bible is a how-to manualfor God's servants.
1 Timothy 4.6,.
If you give these instructionsto the believers, you will be a
good servant of Christ Jesus.
As you feed yourselfspiritually on the words of
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faith and of the true teachingwhich you have followed.
First you feed yourself, thenyou serve others by sharing with
them what you've learned.
It's the old adage you get onthe airplane and they tell you
hey, if there's an emergency,put your own oxygen mask on,
then help the next person,because if you don't, you won't
be able to help many people.
If you do, you'll be strongenough to do.
The same is true in the Word ofGod First feed yourself.
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Then you serve others bysharing with them what you've
learned.
Look at Titus 1.9.
He must hold firmly to thetrustworthy message as it has
been taught, so that he canencourage others by sound
doctrine and refute those whooppose him.
One of the keys to realencouragement is actually
knowing the truth of God.
Without God's truth, yourencouragement is just words and,
to be honest, that's prettyweak encouragement.
Another reason we should knowdoctrine is because knowing the
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truth protects against error.
Colossians 2, 6-8,.
So then, just as you receivedChrist Jesus as Lord, continue
to live in Him, rooted and builtup in Him, strengthened in the
faith as you were taught, andoverflowing with thankfulness.
See to it that no one takes youcaptive through hollow and
deceptive philosophy whichdemands on human tradition and
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the basic principles of thisworld rather than on Christ.
Once you get rooted in God'sword, it'll be difficult for
anyone to throw you off with afalse doctrine.
For example, in order to drive acar, you don't have to know
anything about an internalcombustion engine, right.
You just push the gas pedal andthe car goes.
Likewise, you don't have toknow all the truths we're going
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to study to become a Christian.
All you have to know andbelieve is that Jesus loves you,
that he died for your sins andthat he's resurrected to give
you new life.
But let's get back in the car.
Let's say you're driving downthe street and the car starts to
make this horrible sound.
You think the sound is comingfrom the engine, but you're not
sure.
Boughting an auto repair shop,you pull in and ask a mechanic
what might be wrong.
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The mechanic tells you you needto fill your gas tank with
water.
That'll fix everything.
At that point, even a littlebit of knowledge about cars
would be extremely helpful toyou.
Right?
The best way to protect yourselfagainst errors of any kind is
to know the truth.
Book of Hebrews, 5.14, againsays but solid food is for
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mature who, by constant use,have trained themselves to
distinguish good from evil.
Think about that term usedthere.
They've trained themselves byconstant use.
By constant use of the Word ofGod, they've trained themselves
to understand truth fromnon-truth.
Another reason we should studydoctrine is because how I think
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determines how I act.
Proverbs 4.23,.
Be careful what you think,because your thoughts run your
life.
Beliefs determine behavior.
Thoughts result in actions.
Determine behavior.
Thoughts result in actions.
Another reason we studydoctrine is because I'm
commanded to, simply put studythe truth.
2 Timothy 2.15,.
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Be diligent to presentyourselves approved to God, as a
workman who does not need to beashamed, handling accurately
the word of truth.
Knowing the truth enables youto better use the truth.
We're to study the truth, butwe're also to live in the truth.
The prayer in Psalm 25 is aprayer you could pray every day
of your life.
Lord, teach me to liveaccording to your truth, for you
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are God who saves me.
I always trust in you.
Or listen to what Titus 1.1says I've been sent to bring
faith to those God has chosenand to teach them to know the
truth that shows them how tolive godly lives.
So we're called to study thetruth.
We're called to live the truth,but we're also commanded to
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defend the truth.
The Bible demands that everyone of us be ready and able to
defend the truth of God's word.
I said this on Sunday that wearen't just to defend, but we're
also to be prepared to declarethe truth.
But in declaring we're alsodefending.
1 Peter 3.15 says sanctifyChrist as Lord in your hearts,
always being ready to make adefense to everyone who asks you
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to give an account for the hopethat is in you.
Yet with gentleness andreverence, notice the Bible even
tells us what attitude to haveas we defend the truth.
A lot of people defend thetruth in very loud, obnoxious
and hurtful ways, just beingwith an angry attitude, thinking
I'm defending the truth so Ican say it however we want.
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But God gives us this warningas we value truth.
Knowledge all by itself can bevery dangerous.
Knowledge is the foundation,but it's just the beginning.
Many believers fall into asubtle trap.
Satan, knowing the magnificentthings that God can build in our
lives on the foundation ofknowledge, sets a snare for us.
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He tempts us to think youreally know a lot.
In fact, you know much morethan the guy sitting next to you
in church.
You may even know more than thepastor.
You ought to be proud of howmuch Dayton is trying to get you
stuck on your knowledge.
But what's the use of afoundation if you never build
anything on it?
I tell people all the time thelonger I'm a Christian, the more
I learn about God, the more Irealize I don't know anything
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about God, and that's a littlebit of a far stretch.
I know some things about God,but I realize more and more as I
fall in love with God, more andmore, that God is so much
bigger, so much deeper, so muchmore complex, so much gentler,
so much grace-filled than I'veever imagined.
So knowledge must be balancedwith discernment.
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Philippians 1, 9 through 10says and this is my prayer that
your love may abound more andmore in knowledge and depth of
insight, so that you may be ableto discern what is best.
Discernment is simply theability to see how the knowledge
you've gained is to be used forliving, not your neighbor's
living right, your living.
Warning signs of knowledge.
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Without discernment, knowledgeremains theoretical.
One person or group becomes aperson's exclusive source of
knowledge.
Knowledge must be balanced withgrace 2 Peter 3.18,.
But grow in the grace andknowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Knowledge must be balanced withlove.
Read 1 Corinthians 13.2.
If I can fathom all mysteriesand all knowledge but have not
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love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 8.1 tells us whyknowledge without love is so
dangerous.
Knowledge puffs up, but lovebuilds up.
Knowledge is not the problem.
The problem is the lack of love, and I see this constantly.
When people are trying todefend the Bible and tell people
about Christ, they drop thelove side and they just chase
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out knowledge, hoping to getpeople and fall in love with
Jesus without showing them thelove of Jesus.
And how absurd is that.
I'm going to wrap up today.
I hope that you have a desire,like I do, to know more about
God, to dive deeper in love withHim.
Over the course of this year,my podcasts are going to be
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fairly random.
Some will be leadership lessons, some will be theology, some
will drop back into doctrine,some will be on Romans.
We're preaching Romans throughthis year and this coming up
weekend.
One of the passages we'repreaching is one of the harder
passages in Romans.
I'll record a podcast in thenext two weeks that kind of
covers that.
But until next time, study theword of God, fall in love with
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Christ more every day.
If you're here at South Shore,join us on this journey through
the book of Romans, gettingprepared for the next couple of
weeks.
You can read Romans 1 andchapters 1 and chapters 2 to be
on par with where we're at.
Anyway, I hope you have anincredible week.
I hope the word of God fills upyour life and you chase God in
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all moments.
God bless, thanks for listeningtoday.
Hey, podcasters, welcome back to Beyond Sunday,
so excited that you're here withme today.
I've been getting a lot ofquestions about this email
series that I'm doing, which ison doctrine and theology, and
we're just talking to generalquestions of why do we believe
the Bible?
Where did the Bible come from?
What evidence supports theBible?
Who is God?
Who is Jesus?
What is the Trinity?
We're going through just somebasics, foundations of the faith
(00:25):
, and I keep getting thequestions on why we're doing
that and I want to address thattoday.
Drop a podcast that'll talk alittle bit about the foundations
, and when I say foundations,I'm saying two things One, the
foundations of our faith, butalso a class I took years ago
with Tom Holliday and Kay Warrenout of Saddleback called
Foundations, and a lot of whatI'll share with you today comes
from that class, some of itdirectly from that class.
I'm not going to quote it ifyou will, but just know this is
(00:46):
where it's coming from andthrough that series we really
talked about some of the mostimportant aspects of everyone's
life.
It's the center of how we live.
It determines the decisions wemake, how we treat people.
We love the emotions that weexperience, the internal impact
that we have, and so today Iwant to talk a little bit about
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developing a Christian worldview, the set of beliefs that form
the glasses, if you will,through which we see the world.
One of the first series I everpreached here at South Shore was
a series on how you view things, your worldview, and there are
four classic worldview questionsthat, in order to have this
conversation that you have tograpple with One, who am I?
(01:27):
Two, where am I?
Three, what's wrong?
And four, what's the remedy?
And so we're going to wrestlethrough those questions a little
bit today to help youunderstand this idea of a
worldview.
Often, the result is a view ofthe world that is more ours than
God's.
That's how we create aworldview.
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We create one, and then, all ofa sudden, we've created one
that really is more about usthan is about God.
It's more about how weinterpret the Bible, or our
thoughts and beliefs, than whatGod actually says.
The good news is, god doesn'twant us to stay that way.
He doesn't want to leave you inthe dark.
God wants to give you hisknowledge, his insight, and so
we can see this clearly in thefact that he sent his son and
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gave us his word.
God wants you to know him.
Look at Philippians 1, verse 9and 10.
It says and this is my prayerthat your love may abound more
and more in knowledge and depthof insight, so that you may be
able to discern what is best.
Our love and our ability tochoose what is best are not
ultimately a matter of feelingsor even experiences.
(02:33):
They grow out of the knowledgeand insight we have about life.
A great author by the name ofChuck Colson, or Charles Colson,
said this that the termworldview may sound abstract or
philosophical, a topic discussedby pipe-smoking, tweed-jacketed
professors in academic settingsbut actually a person's
worldview is intensely practical.
(02:54):
It is simply the sum total ofour beliefs about the world, the
big picture that directs ourdaily decisions and actions.
That's the quote by ChuckColson.
Now look at Jude out of theBible verses, or chapter 1,
verse 20,.
But you, dear friends, mustcontinue to build your lives on
the foundation of your holyfaith.
(03:14):
This is the theme verse forwhat I'm talking about
throughout this the foundationsof your faith.
Your view of this world isdetermined by the foundation
that you choose to build yourlife on.
You build your life on moneyand you'll have one view of the
world.
You build it on popularity andyou'll have an entirely
different view of the world andwhat's happening around you.
But the foundation that Godwants you to build your life on,
(03:37):
the foundation that has themost steadiness, the foundation
that's the greatest for you andI is when our lives are built on
faith in Jesus Christ.
Another word for worldview,honestly, is doctrine.
Now don't let your mind go downthe wrong path.
When you hear the word doctrine, many of us can't think of
anything more dry or boring.
I took a lot of doctrineclasses in college.
(03:59):
I went to college for way toolong, have five college degrees
and I hear this word doctrine.
And even as a theologian, as apastor, I begin this is going to
be boring, right?
We envision a pastor lecturingon and on in a monotone voice
while most of the students justsleep.
And if you wonder if thathappens in seminary, it
definitely happens in seminary.
But the word theology is oftenintertwined with doctrine and
(04:24):
the word theology literallymeans the study of God.
Study is an important part oftheology.
You can have no theologywithout study, without seeking
understanding.
You can't just read somethingand all of a sudden you have a
theology.
You've got to actually study it.
Christianity is a thinkingfaith.
If you're not asking questions,if you're not growing in faith.
(04:45):
In fact, it's my hope that thisstudy will stir up some
questions in you, and that'spart of the idea of the email
series that I have going on.
People are emailing theirquestions in and some of them
we're addressing, some of themwe're saving for another day to
hit a podcast with.
But questions by themselvesaren't enough, and I think
(05:05):
that's part of the problem withChristianity.
Today.
A lot of people aredeconstructing their faith
because they have a lot ofquestions but they're not
actually seeking the answers,and their questions are
destroying their foundationwithout seeing the answers in
the Word of God to the questionsthat they're wrestling with.
This study that we're doing mayoften make you think, and it's
not going to be easy.
(05:27):
Someone once said that anyonewho gives the illusion that they
are thinking will be loved bythem, whereas anyone who
actually prompts them to thinkwill be hated.
Thinking about truth is likeexercising we tend to resist it
at first, but enjoy its benefitsafterwards.
Let me just make the case todayon why to learn doctrine, and if
(05:48):
you kind of land in a goodplace with me.
I hope you go tonick-williamscom and join my
newsletter.
Come on this journey with me.
But there's several reasons whywe should learn doctrine.
One is because knowing thetruth about God helps me know
God better.
Let me say that again Knowingthe truth about God helps me
know God better.
Ji Packer said we are cruel toourselves if we try to live in
(06:10):
this world without knowing thatGod.
Without knowing the God whoseworld it is and who runs it.
The world becomes a strange,mad, painful place for those who
do not know about God.
Living in this world withoutknowing God is like driving a
car with the windows blacked out.
It doesn't matter how hard youstep on the accelerator or what
direction you steer, you keeprunning into things and you
(06:33):
never really get anywhere.
We all have a deep desire toknow God.
We're born with that.
You even hear it in phraseslike oh God or my God right,
that people utter when they'reshocked.
The good news is God wants usto get to know him.
That's why he sent his sonJesus and gave us his word.
Let's put this in perspectiveKnowing truths about God is not
(06:54):
enough to give you arelationship with him.
We all know people who knowtruths about the Bible and about
God, but don't really know himin a personal way.
Phil, to get to know him better, you and I must learn more and
more of the truth about him.
I have a friend that has beenin church for a long time, is
currently not going to church,has come a little disillusioned
with the church and she isbasically mad that the church
(07:18):
believes the Bible over what shebelieves.
Now she wouldn't say it likethat, because she tries to
defend her beliefs out of theBible, but there's just not
solid ground to what shebelieves.
She has taken her worldviewover God's worldview and he even
made statements to the contrarythat I can't support a God who
believes this, and then youcan't support God, right, and
(07:40):
she's struggling with her faith.
And I think through thesethings the doctrine and theology
, and how to communicate them inthe view and lens of people
like her that I deeply careabout and deeply want them to
find a relationship with God.
The desire to read God's word,to learn about him, is a sign of
your love for God.
Imagine a college studentsaying to his girlfriend back
home I received the 23 loveletters you wrote to me this
(08:02):
semester and intended to readthem as soon as things settle
down a bit, but I really do loveyou.
If you're going to get to knowGod, you have to know the truth
about him.
You cannot develop arelationship with God based on
your guesses or your wishesabout what he is like.
Healthy relationships are builton the truth.
You can't know someone if youbelieve a lie about them.
(08:25):
Proverbs 2, 2-5 says listencarefully to wisdom, set your
mind on understanding, cry outfor wisdom and beg for
understanding, search for itlike silver and hunt for it like
hidden treasure.
Then you will understandrespect for the Lord and you
will find that God.
I love that verse because ifyou and I knew that there was
silver on the property you'restanding on right now, or there
(08:46):
was a hidden treasure in thebackyard of your house, you
would take some days off work.
You would grab a shovel, youwould grab some friends.
Maybe not some friends, maybeyou just want to do it on your
own, but you would find some wayto find that.
And the word of God is that forour lives, it is those nuggets
of treasure and silver that canchange your life.
(09:06):
God has a purpose for all of us, yet sometimes we miss the most
important purpose for which wewere made.
You weren't made primarily tohave a successful career.
You weren't made primarily toproduce wonderful children.
You weren't made primarily towrite great books or stop the
injustice in the world and thatmay be one of the passions of
yours but that's not why you'reprimarily made.
(09:29):
You weren't primarily made tomake a lot of money.
That doesn't mean you can'tmake a lot of money, but that is
not your primary goal.
You were made primarily to knowGod.
K Warren once said knowing Godwill make you wise.
Knowing God will open your eyes.
Knowing God will give you hope.
Knowing God will help you cope.
Now there's a second reason whyit's worth your time to learn
(09:52):
God's truth, and that's simplybecause knowledge is an
essential foundation.
Look at Hebrews 6, verses 1 and2.
Therefore, leaving theelementary teaching about the
Christ, let us press on tomaturity, not laying again a
foundation of repentance fromdead works and faith toward God,
of instruction meaning doctrineabout washings, meaning baptism
(10:14):
and laying on of hands and theresurrection of the dead and
eternal judgment.
We all build our lives on afoundation that guides the
decisions we make and thedirection we take.
Sometimes we try to build ourfoundation on the opinion of
others, but we get a lot ofdiffering opinions, right?
Sometimes we attempt to makeour feelings our foundation.
I think this happens way moreoften than not.
(10:37):
How I feel becomes truth andall of a sudden, my feelings
which aren't always true, theyare true to me that I feel that
way, but they aren't true aboutthe situation they become my
foundation.
It makes things very dangerous.
Sometimes we build ourfoundation on traditions.
Sometimes our foundation isonly strong enough to build us
(10:59):
up if we really have knowledgeof God.
Just as you have to know yourABCs before you can read and
write, you have to know thetruth about God before you can
live.
Right?
You know the old phraseignorance is bliss.
It's not true.
If I drive through a town going65 miles per hour and I get
pulled over by a police officerwho tells me didn't you see the
(11:19):
sign that said it was 35 milesper hour?
My ignorance is not bliss.
In that situation, right,ignorance can put you at risk
and ignorance of God's truth isincredibly dangerous.
Your joy is at stake, yourfamilies are at risk.
Your place in eternity is atrisk if you're just living off
ignorance and feelings about God.
(11:41):
Building a good foundation forlife takes a great deal of time
and, to be honest with you, it'stough work.
To build a foundation, you haveto get down and dig, you have
to want to, you have to desire,you have to be willing to do the
tough work, and so I hope thatis a place that you are at in
(12:02):
your walk with God.
Now, life without a foundation.
Let me give you a verse.
Ephesians 4, 13 through 14 saysthis Until we all reach unity
in the faith and in theknowledge of the Son of God and
become mature, attaining to thewhole measure of the fullness of
Christ, then we will no longerbe infants, tossed back and
forth by the waves and blownhere and there by every wind of
teaching and by the cunning andcraftiness of men and their
(12:24):
deceitful scheming.
I love that verse and I alsohate that verse.
I love it because it reminds usthat we are, when we're being
tossed back and forth, when ourfate is struggling, we're not
living on the foundations of God.
This passage in Ephesianspresents two clear pictures of
what life is like without thefoundation of God's truth.
(12:45):
The first picture was tossedback and forth by the waves.
Without truth.
I am vulnerable tocircumstances.
I love to fish and my wife andI have found ourselves on the
water before when the sea israging and we're thinking why
are we out here?
How do we get back soon?
That's what it's like in thisworld without the anchor of
God's truth.
(13:05):
The second imagery it gives usin here is blown here and there
by every wind of teachingWithout truth.
I am victimized by falseteachings.
Think of what it would be liketo be caught in a hurricane.
That's you and me without God'struth.
Now to live life with afoundation.
Let's look at Matthew, chapter 7.
(13:27):
It says, therefore everyone whohears these words of mine and
puts them into practice is likea wise man who built his house
on the rock.
The rain came down, the streamsrose, the winds blew and beat
against that house, yet it didnot fall because its foundation
was on the rock.
Did you notice the two thingsJesus said our foundation is
built on?
It's built on hearing thesewords of mine, but it's also
(13:49):
built on putting those wordsinto practice.
It takes both.
It's easy to have the threelittle pigs faith right.
We build our lives with thestraw or the sticks of our own
ideas and emotions.
It's easier, it's quicker to doit that way, but then the
troubles of life inevitably comealong, huff and puff, and blow
your faith down and all of asudden you find yourself in a
(14:12):
place that you're wondering God,where are you, god?
Why would you let this happen?
And although we're all going tosit in seasons of asking those
questions, you'll never find theanswers, because your faith
wasn't built on a truefoundation of who Jesus is.
Another reason we need doctrineis because doctrine literally
feeds our soul.
1 Timothy 4, 6 says in pointingout these things to the
(14:33):
brethren, you will be a goodservant of Jesus Christ,
constantly listen, constantlynourished on the words of the
faith and of the sound doctrinefor which you have been
following.
The nourishment of our soul isnot automatic.
We have to choose to eat thissolid food.
I don't know if you have kidswe have two and they don't like
to eat things that are good foryou.
(14:54):
They love sugar and carbs andall the things, and so we have
to force them to eat some foodthat actually brings nourishment
into their body and they pushback.
Just last night we're sittingat dinner and one of my kids
eats all the carbs off theirplate, ignores the protein,
ignores the vegetables, and thensaid they're full and they know
the rules.
That was not a moment toannounce you're full, and we had
(15:17):
to have a come to Jesus momentand just know it wasn't easy to
remind them.
No, you're going to sit thereand eat the food that's actually
good for you.
You can't just eat the badstuff.
The nourishment of your soul isnot automatic.
You have to have it, you haveto choose it.
You have to chew for a while onsome of the truths in the Bible
to understand them.
Some things you're going toread and you don't understand
(15:37):
right away.
In Hebrews, we're warned veryclearly that if we don't decide
to dig into God's word, we'llremain baby Christians.
Look at this Hebrews, chapter 5, verses 12 through 14.
For, though, by this time youought to be teachers, you have
need again for someone to teachyou the elementary principles of
the oracles of God, and youhave come to need milk and not
(15:58):
solid food for everyone.
Who partakes only of milk isnot accustomed to the word of
righteousness, for he is a babe,but solid food is, for the
mature Shears, a challenge foryou right now.
How long have you been aChristian.
How long have you been studyingthe word of God?
The Bible, in this verse here,says for some of you you should
already be a teacher, but youstill need the elementary
(16:20):
principles of the oracles of God.
Does that define you?
And if it does, that shouldchallenge you to say man, I've
been doing this too long tostill be a baby Christian.
How do I get to a place that Idig in more?
And the truth is, it's throughcontinued feeding on God's word
that we are built up.
Acts 20, verse 32,.
(16:48):
Another reason we need doctrineis because knowing the truth
enables me to serve others.
Paul tells us that knowingGod's truth shows us how to live
a godly life of serving God'speople.
The Bible is a how-to manualfor God's servants.
1 Timothy 4.6,.
If you give these instructionsto the believers, you will be a
good servant of Christ Jesus.
As you feed yourselfspiritually on the words of
(17:10):
faith and of the true teachingwhich you have followed.
First you feed yourself, thenyou serve others by sharing with
them what you've learned.
It's the old adage you get onthe airplane and they tell you
hey, if there's an emergency,put your own oxygen mask on,
then help the next person,because if you don't, you won't
be able to help many people.
If you do, you'll be strongenough to do.
The same is true in the Word ofGod First feed yourself.
(17:39):
Then you serve others bysharing with them what you've
learned.
Look at Titus 1.9.
He must hold firmly to thetrustworthy message as it has
been taught, so that he canencourage others by sound
doctrine and refute those whooppose him.
One of the keys to realencouragement is actually
knowing the truth of God.
Without God's truth, yourencouragement is just words and,
to be honest, that's prettyweak encouragement.
Another reason we should knowdoctrine is because knowing the
(18:00):
truth protects against error.
Colossians 2, 6-8,.
So then, just as you receivedChrist Jesus as Lord, continue
to live in Him, rooted and builtup in Him, strengthened in the
faith as you were taught, andoverflowing with thankfulness.
See to it that no one takes youcaptive through hollow and
deceptive philosophy whichdemands on human tradition and
(18:21):
the basic principles of thisworld rather than on Christ.
Once you get rooted in God'sword, it'll be difficult for
anyone to throw you off with afalse doctrine.
For example, in order to drive acar, you don't have to know
anything about an internalcombustion engine, right.
You just push the gas pedal andthe car goes.
Likewise, you don't have toknow all the truths we're going
(18:43):
to study to become a Christian.
All you have to know andbelieve is that Jesus loves you,
that he died for your sins andthat he's resurrected to give
you new life.
But let's get back in the car.
Let's say you're driving downthe street and the car starts to
make this horrible sound.
You think the sound is comingfrom the engine, but you're not
sure.
Boughting an auto repair shop,you pull in and ask a mechanic
what might be wrong.
(19:04):
The mechanic tells you you needto fill your gas tank with
water.
That'll fix everything.
At that point, even a littlebit of knowledge about cars
would be extremely helpful toyou.
Right?
The best way to protect yourselfagainst errors of any kind is
to know the truth.
Book of Hebrews, 5.14, againsays but solid food is for
(19:26):
mature who, by constant use,have trained themselves to
distinguish good from evil.
Think about that term usedthere.
They've trained themselves byconstant use.
By constant use of the Word ofGod, they've trained themselves
to understand truth fromnon-truth.
Another reason we should studydoctrine is because how I think
(19:46):
determines how I act.
Proverbs 4.23,.
Be careful what you think,because your thoughts run your
life.
Beliefs determine behavior.
Thoughts result in actions.
Determine behavior.
Thoughts result in actions.
Another reason we studydoctrine is because I'm
commanded to, simply put studythe truth.
2 Timothy 2.15,.
(20:07):
Be diligent to presentyourselves approved to God, as a
workman who does not need to beashamed, handling accurately
the word of truth.
Knowing the truth enables youto better use the truth.
We're to study the truth, butwe're also to live in the truth.
The prayer in Psalm 25 is aprayer you could pray every day
of your life.
Lord, teach me to liveaccording to your truth, for you
(20:30):
are God who saves me.
I always trust in you.
Or listen to what Titus 1.1says I've been sent to bring
faith to those God has chosenand to teach them to know the
truth that shows them how tolive godly lives.
So we're called to study thetruth.
We're called to live the truth,but we're also commanded to
(20:51):
defend the truth.
The Bible demands that everyone of us be ready and able to
defend the truth of God's word.
I said this on Sunday that wearen't just to defend, but we're
also to be prepared to declarethe truth.
But in declaring we're alsodefending.
1 Peter 3.15 says sanctifyChrist as Lord in your hearts,
always being ready to make adefense to everyone who asks you
(21:12):
to give an account for the hopethat is in you.
Yet with gentleness andreverence, notice the Bible even
tells us what attitude to haveas we defend the truth.
A lot of people defend thetruth in very loud, obnoxious
and hurtful ways, just beingwith an angry attitude, thinking
I'm defending the truth so Ican say it however we want.
(21:34):
But God gives us this warningas we value truth.
Knowledge all by itself can bevery dangerous.
Knowledge is the foundation,but it's just the beginning.
Many believers fall into asubtle trap.
Satan, knowing the magnificentthings that God can build in our
lives on the foundation ofknowledge, sets a snare for us.
(21:54):
He tempts us to think youreally know a lot.
In fact, you know much morethan the guy sitting next to you
in church.
You may even know more than thepastor.
You ought to be proud of howmuch Dayton is trying to get you
stuck on your knowledge.
But what's the use of afoundation if you never build
anything on it?
I tell people all the time thelonger I'm a Christian, the more
I learn about God, the more Irealize I don't know anything
(22:15):
about God, and that's a littlebit of a far stretch.
I know some things about God,but I realize more and more as I
fall in love with God, more andmore, that God is so much
bigger, so much deeper, so muchmore complex, so much gentler,
so much grace-filled than I'veever imagined.
So knowledge must be balancedwith discernment.
(22:36):
Philippians 1, 9 through 10says and this is my prayer that
your love may abound more andmore in knowledge and depth of
insight, so that you may be ableto discern what is best.
Discernment is simply theability to see how the knowledge
you've gained is to be used forliving, not your neighbor's
living right, your living.
Warning signs of knowledge.
(22:58):
Without discernment, knowledgeremains theoretical.
One person or group becomes aperson's exclusive source of
knowledge.
Knowledge must be balanced withgrace 2 Peter 3.18,.
But grow in the grace andknowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Knowledge must be balanced withlove.
Read 1 Corinthians 13.2.
If I can fathom all mysteriesand all knowledge but have not
(23:20):
love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 8.1 tells us whyknowledge without love is so
dangerous.
Knowledge puffs up, but lovebuilds up.
Knowledge is not the problem.
The problem is the lack of love, and I see this constantly.
When people are trying todefend the Bible and tell people
about Christ, they drop thelove side and they just chase
(23:41):
out knowledge, hoping to getpeople and fall in love with
Jesus without showing them thelove of Jesus.
And how absurd is that.
I'm going to wrap up today.
I hope that you have a desire,like I do, to know more about
God, to dive deeper in love withHim.
Over the course of this year,my podcasts are going to be
(24:01):
fairly random.
Some will be leadership lessons, some will be theology, some
will drop back into doctrine,some will be on Romans.
We're preaching Romans throughthis year and this coming up
weekend.
One of the passages we'repreaching is one of the harder
passages in Romans.
I'll record a podcast in thenext two weeks that kind of
covers that.
But until next time, study theword of God, fall in love with
(24:21):
Christ more every day.
If you're here at South Shore,join us on this journey through
the book of Romans, gettingprepared for the next couple of
weeks.
You can read Romans 1 andchapters 1 and chapters 2 to be
on par with where we're at.
Anyway, I hope you have anincredible week.
I hope the word of God fills upyour life and you chase God in
(24:42):
all moments.
God bless, thanks for listeningtoday.
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