Bible Doctrine Reflections

There are any number of ways this doctrine can be worded but the basic tenants of the doctrine of the Bible, found here, are rock solid. Without this biblical understanding of God's Word, all of the teachings in the Scriptures would have no true foundation or authority. No one can choose to accept as absolute truth one part of the Bible over another. Our responsibility is to believe what it says even before we understand it. And in some areas, we may never fully understand a biblical doctrine. Forcing a human explanation on a doctrine not fully explained in God's Word is as futile as trying to measure the full expanse of the universe God has created with our arms. It is wisdom to embrace ignorance with regard to the infinite God and folly to seek to fit Him in the limitations of our minds.

Doctrine: The Bible

This is the beginning of the doctrines that I believe must be uncompromising by any who would believe in the fundamentals of God's Word. I would separate and publicly expose any who do not wholeheartedly agree with this doctrinal position concerning our sacred Scriptures. Before other issues can be discussed, the basic doctrinal fundamentals must be laid as the unshakable foundation on which we stand.

I believe that every word of the original autographs of the Scriptures was breathed out by God Himself (II Timothy 3:16-17); that by virtue of the superintendence and empowering of the Holy Spirit, the human writers of the Scriptures wrote not their private interpretations but the very words of God   (II Peter 1:19-21), preserved from error of any kind on any subject whatsoever (John 10:35).

I believe that the Scriptures are, therefore, the unique, absolute, authoritative standard of faith and practice, to be studied, proclaimed, obeyed, and defended (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 19:7-11; John 17:17; Jude 3-4); that they are to be interpreted literally, historically, and grammatically (Matthew 12:39-41; II Peter 1:16) unless the context clearly indicates otherwise (John 6:35, 51-58; 10:7; 15:1); and that every portion is without exception profitable for doctrine and Christian growth (I Timothy 3:16). We believe, therefore, that the denial of their inerrant authority contradicts the clear position of Christ and the apostles and thus undermines all facets of their doctrine as reliable for faith and practice; that the sixty-six books of the Bible constitute the complete and only authoritative revelation of God to man (I Corinthians 14:37; II Peter 3:15-16); and that anyone who adds to or takes away from this completed revelation is cursed of God (Revelation 22:18-19).

What is Doctrine?

This entry is very elementary but  key to the fundamentals I embrace. So what is doctrine? If we were to read the "doctrinal statements" of those who would describe themselves as holding to the fundamental doctrines of the Bible, we may find statements that don't even fit in the simple definition of a biblical doctrine. The more of these we find in a statement of faith the less fundamental that statement becomes. When we force the definition of what a doctrine really is, everyone who believes in the fundamental doctrines of the Bible should be in complete agreement. There will still be disagreement in application of biblical principle and a host of other personal differences in a wide range of topics. Some circles separate the doctrines into categories of essential and not-essential. We can discuss these later but here we will emphasize what a doctrine is.

Now to the definition of a biblical doctrine. The word "doctrine" simply means "teaching". I would simplify it in this way; "What does the Bible say?" For example, the Bible says in numerous places that "all have sinned". The doctrine derived from those statements and the absence of any contradictory statements is the statement itself. Everyone is a sinner! Period! Other doctrines are derived from various clear statements but with the absence of a single statement. An example of this doctrine would be the nature of God. Who is God.? Is God one? Doctrines are statements of truth from God's Word. Our understanding of those statements can never alter a doctrine. The Bible contains statements concerning God the Father, Jesus being equal and one with the Father, and the Spirit being God. There are other statements that use these three personalities interchangeably. There are no direct statements referring to the Trinity but the doctrine of Trinity is obtained through numerous statements concerning each personality we identify as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Here is a negative example. I was recently reading a doctrinal statement which began, as most do, with the doctrine of the Bible. Within this statement was a statement concerning the King James Translation of the Bible as the preserved Word of God for today. However, this violates the definition of what a doctrine is. Doctrines are derived from direct statements in the Scriptures. Where in the Bible is there any mention of translations? This may be addressed in another section of a church's constitution but not in a statement of faith. When these non-doctrinal topics become doctrinal areas of separation between believers, one begins to encroach on the dangerous ground of adding or taking away from God's Word.

Conclusion:
We will find a lot more common ground that unifies us if we will honestly look at what is really biblical doctrine. Which one of us could reject direct statements from God's Word. All we know on which we stand for this life and the next is found solely in what we call the Bible; the 66 books, 39 OT and 27 NT books we carry to church every Sunday. There needs to be balance in our dealings with one another but there also should be an unmovable foundation on which we all stand. That unmovable foundation is God's Word and the direct clear teachings, doctrines, contained therein.

The Foundation

There is a very fundamental area that must be dealt with first. God's Word! Since this blog is about biblical fundamentalism, how God's Word is viewed and handled is of the utmost importance. If our discussion is to be valuable to all, there must be some consistency to the way God's Word is interpreted. The most basic truth about the Bible has to do with its authenticity and authority. This is not an apologetic on Scripture's historical veracity; however, this is a point on which we must agree.

1. God's Word is authentic! It is what it claims to be. It speaks truth. It not only contains truth, it is truth. God's Word is completely reliable in all of its claims. If you do not believe this fundamental truth, this forum is not for you. Psalm 119:160 The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

2. God's Word is authoritative! While God's Word is truth, it is also demands submission. When it speaks, it speaks with the absolute authority of God. In our discussions on various issues that face fundamentalism, this cannot be an area of difference. If you do not accept the absolute authority of God's Word on all of God's creation then this forum is also not for you. These truths cannot be subject to debate. John 10:35 ... the Scripture cannot be broken. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

I plan to introduce various doctrines from time to time that make up the "fundamentals" of what God's Word teaches with the goal of producing a doctrinal statement for this blog. Your comments and suggestions are appreciated and may this forum further ground us in the fundamentals of the Bible and help those of us who believe these truths be more unified in the task of glorifying God in our lives, families, and ministries.

Purpose

What is “Fundamentalism”? If you were to gather pastors from random locations across the world who would define themselves as “fundamental”, you would probably get many similarities and many differences. There is work to be done for Christ and some of the issues that divide fundamentalists should be reexamined. There should be clear lines over which we should never cross; lines of doctrine and works of the flesh clearly taught in the Scriptures. When it comes to issues that are not clearly defined in God’s Word, there needs to be balance and tolerance. When we separate from brothers who do not see things exactly as we see them, whether intentional or not, we have begun to define righteousness on our terms and not on God’s. The point of exposing a brother should only be done when he has persistently taught either by word or act doctrines contrary to what he has received in the Scriptures or has persistently embraced either by word or act works of darkness identified in the scriptures. Let us as fundamentalists serve the Lord with one voice. Let us fight what God fights and let us edify one another in brotherly love. When a brother seems to be straying from the “fundamentals”, let us personally and privately seek to admonish and correct him and be careful to not malign a servant of God based on the observations of others.

Introduction

Fundamentalism is being fragmented today. There are debates on issues including Bible translations, music, dress, grooming, separation, eschatology, and associations to name a few. This blog site is designed to be a place where doctrinally compatible brothers and sisters in Christ can discuss these issues in a civil and edifying manner. We will not all agree on everything. We are all fundamental in the clearly stated and restated doctrines of the Bible and we all want to honor the Lord in every aspect of our life and help others to do the same.