Sermon Tone Analysis

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Theme: The early Church was doctrinally careful.

Theme: The early Church was doctrinally careful.

Date: 08/13/17 File name: Romans50.wpd

ID Number:

Date: 08/13/17 File name: Romans50.wpd

ID Number:

“It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error.

It is better to speak the truth that hurts and then heals, than falsehood that comforts and then kills.

It is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie.

It is better to stand alone with the truth, than to be wrong with a multitude.

It is better to ultimately succeed with the truth than to temporarily succeed with a lie.

There is only one Gospel.”

— Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1996

“It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error.

It is better to speak the truth that hurts and then heals, than falsehood that comforts and then kills.

It is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie.

It is better to stand alone with the truth, than to be wrong with a multitude.

It is better to ultimately succeed with the truth than to temporarily succeed with a lie.

There is only one Gospel.”

— Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1996

Does doctrine really matter any more?

To the Early Church, to these first Christians and their successors who labored over codifying and explaining exactly what they believed — doctrine mattered.

Straying from it meant straying from the Gospel.

In the opening verses of his letter to the Christians of Galatia, Paul wrote: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 which is really no gospel at all.

Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (, NIV).

The passing down of doctrinal truth from one generation of Christians to another was critically important to the early Christians.

Unfortunately, in much of the Church today there is a laissez faire attitude about doctrine and theology.

The attitude seems to be, “Can’t we all just believe in Jesus and call it a day?” It’s a call for "doctrineless Christianity" but non-doctrinal Christianity is impossible.

The real question is not whether Christians will have doctrine but which doctrine or whose doctrine?

Because the Early Church wrestled for it; lived for it and died for it.

Because the Christians who spoke and wrote and preached against ideas like Arianism and Gnosticism firmly believed that it mattered.

Because our Protestant forebearers thought it important enough to fracture the Church over it in an effort to reclaim biblical Christianity it ought to be important to us, too.

The stakes were high because doctrine mattered.

The stakes are still high.

Doctrine is, quite literally, the teaching of the church — what the church understands to be the substance of its faith.

It is no substitute for personal experience, but it guides us in our faith once we’ve been born from above through faith in the redemptive work of Christ.

As the Apostle brings his letter to a speedy conclusion, he warns the Christians in Rome to be on guard against false teachers who would teach contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught.

In this last chapter, the Apostle would have us understand The Early Church Was Doctrinally Careful.

I. THE EARLY CHURCH WAS 1st DEEPLY RELATIONAL

I. THE EARLY CHURCH WAS 1st DEEPLY RELATIONAL

1. we learn from this chapter that the Church is family

a. we are part of a family of faith

1) to be a sister or a brother is not just an honorary title for a fellow believer

2) it is descriptive of the believer’s relationship with fellow Christians

2. one of the characteristics of a healthy congregation is that they live in relationship with each other — there’s a unity and a harmony born out of genuine love for each other

with each other — there’s a unity and a harmony born out of genuine love for each other

II.

THE EARLY CHURCH WAS 2nd MINISTRY-MINDED

1. the second characteristic of a healthy congregation is that they are deeply concerned about ministry — extending a loving hand to those in need in the name of the Savior

about ministry — extending a loving hand to those in need in the name of the Savior

2. the ministry of the church is spelled out in what we call the Great Commandment and the Great Commission

the Great Commission

a. 1st, the ministry of the Church can be defined by the Great Commandment —

“Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind ... 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

(, , NIV)

b. 2nd, the ministry of the Church can be defined by the Great Commission —

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

(, NIV)

c. that’s it ... every ministry of a local New Testament church flows out of those two commandments

commandments

III.

THE EARLY CHURCH WAS 3rd DOCTRINALLY CAREFUL

1. when we look at the first two points, there’s something we can miss about church life if we’re not careful

we’re not careful

a. yes, church life is relational — i.e. we’re family

b.

yes, church life is ministry-minded — i.e. we’re to do good works

2. but if that’s all that church is about, than we are no different than many civic groups or a fun charitable organization

a fun charitable organization

a. and unfortunately, that is what many, many churches have become because they’ve forgotten points three and four

forgotten points three and four

1) The Early Church Was Doctrinally Careful

2) The Early Church Was Gospel-Centered

b. yes, the church is relational, and yes the church is about doing good works, but these two points are predicated on the fact that the church has a message that is doctrinally true that we are bringing to the world

these two points are predicated on the fact that the church has a message that is doctrinally true that we are bringing to the world

3. what’s missing in so many churches in America today is the Gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ — that men are unrighteous, but God, in Christ, can justify us, and in justifying us the righteousness of God is revealed in us, and in all those who come to him by faith

Christ — that men are unrighteous, but God, in Christ, can justify us, and in justifying us the righteousness of God is revealed in us, and in all those who come to him by faith

a. if you’re in a Church and there is no preaching of the Gospel; no teaching of the Apostle’s doctrine, you’re not in a Church regardless of how friendly they are or how civic-minded they are ... you’re in a social club

Apostle’s doctrine, you’re not in a Church regardless of how friendly they are or how civic-minded they are ... you’re in a social club

ILLUS.

If you remember, we spent a lot of time looking at where the Apostle dealt with disputable matters.

But here, in verses 17-20 the Apostle is dealing with indisputable matters.

There are some core-doctrines of the church which are simply not open to debate — to deny them or alter them is to lose the gospel.

Apostle dealt with disputable matters.

But here, in verses 17-20 the Apostle is dealing with indisputable matters.

There are some core-doctrines of the church which are simply not open to debate — to deny them or alter them is to lose the gospel.

4. the third characteristic of a healthy congregation is that they take seriously the preservation of the truth — we will be doctrinally careful

preservation of the truth — we will be doctrinally careful

a. well this begs the question: What doctrines are we to protect and be careful about?

b. in the Book of Acts we have a description of the early church

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.

45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.

They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.