What is the Apostle’s Doctrine? Essential Questions

A brief word at the beginning of each post will help keep the purpose of these posts in mind as this blog goes forward. If you haven’t read the introductory post, I suggest that you take the time to do it before reading on. I am keeping the posts short so that they can be quickly read and digested. It is my hope that you will reflect on these articles and put them to the test. When you encounter something that seems contrary to everything you have been taught or know to be true…remember the assignment….smile…be a Berean. This is the most important thing to do; test it and see if what I am saying is true by scripture in context 

In the last post we took a look at the apostle’s doctrine and apostolic succession. It’s time to take a look at the apostle’s doctrine. There are many ideas about what the apostle’s doctrine was; there are even denominations that call themselves apostolic. We do not want to confuse this with any of them. In fact, as we look at the apostle’s doctrine over the many following posts, we will actually bring into question some of the apostolic denominations beliefs . .but again, that is for future posts.

Likewise, there is a first century document that is called The Didache. The actual name is the didache of the twelve apostles. It is a document that dates from the early first century and describes the two ways. Didache is Greek for teaching or doctrine…in fact, it is where our word doctrine came from. In Acts 2:42 when it mentions the apostle’s teaching, it is actually the apostle’s didache. However, we think that this is not the apostle's doctrine and may well be part of the leaven of the Pharisees.

Essential Questions for Discovering or Recovering the Apostle’s Doctrine:

Assuming that there was a great falling away…shue, just assuming that the reformation was necessary and, that the church got off track in its doctrine, would make it essential to ask and answer some basic questions. I have actually written previously about these essential questions and will include some of my former writing but, will actually cover some new ground with additional questions but here is the first seven.

1. How did Jesus and His Apostles (Peter, James, John, and et.al.) interpret scripture? (The Lord’s Hermeneutical Lens)
2. What is the meaning of the phrases word of God, word of truth and word of his grace; how was this term understood by the apostles?
3. What is the importance of the Jew/Gentile distinction in understanding the gospel?
4. What is the significance of the way in which the New Testament moves from Old Covenant before the cross to Jews only, to the cross and the resurrection still for Jews only, to the inclusion of the Gentiles in the gospel and kingdom, to the fulfillment of the destruction of the temple?
5. What is the significance of the Cross – and what is the significance of 70AD when considering the New and Old Covenants?
6. What was meant by the leaven of the Pharisees (Matthew 16:6 & 11; Mark 8:15 and Luke 12:1)?
7. What is meant by the phrase “strong delusion” in 2 Thess 2:11?

It shall become obvious as we move along answering these questions that there is an overwhelming preponderance of evidence that current doctrine is off the mark. As usual, I welcome any comments or questions.