Gospel versus Doctrine -

Is There A Difference?

By Gilbert Alexander

Doctrinal Matters": -- are a source of perpetual conflict and division, as some people view them, while they view "Gospel" as something on which people can be united. Such artificial separation of the information given us in the New Testament is both unwarranted and erroneous. The concept that "Gospel" is more important than "Doctrine" is without Scriptural foundation. Please consider carefully the following paragraphs and the Scriptures cited.

Gospel: -- (God-story or good story, glad tidings) is a term used for the message of salvation in Christ ( Rom. 1:1-17; Acts 20: 24). It contains facts to believe (1 Cor. 15:1-8; Col. 1:3-5, 23). It also contains commands to obey (Rom. 10:16; 2 Thes. 1:7-9; 1 Pet. 4:17). It covers the questions of doctrine such as circumcision (Gal. 2:3-5), Paul's authority as an apostle of Christ (1 Cor. 9: 18), the hope of Christians (Col. 1:23), and the work of exhortation (1 Thes. 2:1-13). The Gospel is the Word of God preached by the apostles (2 Pet. 1:22-25). In it is revealed, the righteousness of God (Rom. 1:17), and it is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16).

Doctrine: -- is teaching. It is the message taught. Sound doctrine contains the first principles of the Gospel including teaching concerning repentance, faith, baptisms, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment (Heb. 6:1,2). It is of God and thus is authoritative (Jno. 7:16). It is of Christ, and thus is authoritative (2 Jno. 9). Doctrine is contained in the Gospel therefore, if one teaches the law of Christ, he is using the Gospel (1 Tim. 1:8-11). Sound doctrine effects salvation through faithful obedience to its instruction (1 Tim. 4:16; Rom. 6:17, 18). It convicts sinners (Titus 1:9; Acts 2:37; Titus 2:1-15) and thus leads people to repentance. Sound doctrine is recognizable and distinctive, and those who teach a different doctrine must be noted and avoided (Rom. 6:17; 1 Tim. 6:1-5).

Dear brethren and friends, if you teach people anything relating to spiritual things, you are presenting doctrine over which there is division, whether the subject is faith in God, Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation, or the organization and work of the church. The all-important question is: are you teaching sound doctrine according to the Gospel, or are you teaching things contrary to the truth and without the authority of the Gospel of Christ? 

Gilbert Alexander via the Jackson Drive News & Notes, No. 22, May 29, 2005. (In an effort to bring unity to religiously divided people, brethren have concocted various schemes to try to minimize differences. One such method has been to make a difference between gospel and doctrine. In essence, some have said we must agree on gospel, but can differ on doctrine; "Agree on the Man, not the plan" has been a plea. Brother Gilbert Alexander does a good job answering this error. -- Philip A. Owens) &

 

Why I Want to Believe

By Bob Myhan

In a previous article, this writer made the statement: “The message of the Bible is such that any rational person will want to believe it.” (April 8, 2007), He continues to believe this is true. To his mind, those who do not want to believe the Bible simply do not understand its message.

What is the message of the Bible? It is, simply, that there is something far better in store for those who believe the Bible than that which is experienced by all mankind in this life. Consider the following:

“With gloomy face and grasping hands, death has stalked its prey from the beginning of man's recorded history. This aspect of man’s experience entered the world with a note of tragedy as brother, enraged against brother, arose to kill. Since that introduction, death has held men in fear of its power. But, because of Jesus' teaching on death and because of what His death means for those who unite with Him by faith, death comes to lose its fearsome aspect. It is never entirely welcome but it has lost its power to enslave man by fear.”

Biologically, death means "the cessation of life." When the rich fool's spirit was called from his body the life of the body ceased and the "goods" that he had stored up were of no use to him (Luke 12:16-20). The Greek word that is translated “death” means "the separation (whether natural or violent) of the soul from the body, by which life on earth is ended." When Jesus faced death on the cross, He prayed, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46). In death, the spirit lays aside the physical body. Peter, realizing the nearness of his own death, described it as the putting off of his "tabernacle" (2 Pet. 1:14-15). James wrote "the body without the spirit is dead" (2:26). The spirit leaves the body at death, bringing life and activity to an end on this material plane; but the inner man does not then cease to exist. Paul, for example, wanted to "depart, and to be with Christ," but he knew that to "abide in the flesh" would benefit others (Phil. 1:21-23).

The body of the faithful returns to dust, as does the body of the wicked. But the spirit of the faithful enters at once into a state of conscious blessedness, whereas the spirit of the wicked enters immediately into a state of conscious punishment (Luke 16:19-31). The immortal soul will one day be united with an immortal, resurrected body (1 Cor. 15:35-50; 2 Cor. 5:1-4). The faithful and the wicked will then be forever separated (John 5:28-29; 2 Thess. 1:6-10). Loved ones—separated by death—will be reunited in the resurrection.

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thess. 4:13-18).

David said, concerning his dead child,

"But now he is dead; why should I fast? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (2 Sam. 12:23).

The apostle John wrote,

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." (Rev. 21:3-4)

Surely, any rational person longs for an existence free from sadness, pain, sorrow and death.

Of course, those who believe the Bible believe that the miracles recorded therein actually occurred. Deists accept the reality of the creation but do not accept the reality of miracles. However, a miracle cannot be more difficult than the act of bringing all things into existence.

The following was sent to this writer via email by a self-proclaimed deist:

“Testimony, no matter how much integrity a person has, is not sufficient to prove a miracle claim. It is much more likely that the person is kidding, made an error in judgment, or even lying than that a miracle actually occurred. We believe this because all around us, all the time we see natural law commencing without any alteration at all. And as far as we know it has always been this way.

“If a man tells me he saw Robert E. Lee yesterday I immediately think he is either kidding me, that he is mistaken, or that he is lying. For me to believe that he actually saw the Confederate General Robert E. Lee, the evidence would have to be of such an unequivocal, unimpeachable, convincing nature that I would have no choice but to believe it. No testimony rises to that level. Whether it is testimony from a man from just yesterday about Robert E. Lee or much less hearsay testimony from 4 anonymous writers from 2000 years ago about a man coming back to life after being dead for about 3 days.”

A miracle is "an unusual act of God performed as a sign which men can observe but can neither explain nor perform themselves." By this definition, creation was not a miracle. But if God can establish order in creation, He can surely suspend order in a miracle.

Of course, Jesus did not expect anyone to accept the reality of the resurrection on the strength of testimony alone but gave to the apostles “unequivocal, unimpeachable, convincing” credentials so that those who heard—honest or not—would have “no choice but to believe it.” (Acts 4:14-16) &