FALSE GOSPELS / DOCTRINE By Rt. Rev. Samuel Kofi Osabutey The Bishop of Accra Diocess Sunday 26.06.2017
ANCHOR PASSAGES: GALATIANS 1:1-10
BACKGROUND PASSAGES: ROMANS 5 TO 8; 1 JOHN 1 AND 2
I. INTRODUCTION
Our task is to:
(a) Define what doctrine is.
(b) Give reason why doctrine is needed.
(c) State the origin of false doctrine.
(d) Clarify the doctrine of sin.
(e) Give a final standard of Biblical usage.
(f) Affirm our Wesleyan Quadrilateral.
II. MAIN BODY
A. What is Doctrine? In relation to Christianity:
* Body of teaching, belief accepted as standard of faith as worked out from the Biblical evidence.
Example:
* Doctrine of the Father
* Doctrine of the Son
* Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
* Doctrine of Man
* Doctrine of Sin
* Doctrine of the Church
B. Why the need for Doctrine?
* Save us from theological food poisoning.
* 2 Timothy 4:1
* 1 Timothy 4:13-16
* 2 Timothy 4:1-4
C. What is the Origin of False Doctrine?
* Personal Christian immaturity.
* Lack of understanding of the gospel – message.
* Taking passages out of context.
* All these were involved in the church at Galatians.
* The Judaizers distorted the simple gospel and interpreted it out of context due to their maturity that even challenged Paul’s authority.
* We shall have people in our churches who from time to time surface with false doctrines – preaching another the gospel.
* Paul warns such people
* Galatians 1:8-9
* One such false doctrine is about sin.
D. What is the Doctrine of Sin?
* It is all the teaching about sin as we read from the bible.
* We can only be brief here.
* A few highlights.
1. The meaning of sin
* To miss a mark (Hamartema-Greek) – Romans 3:23
* To overstep a forbidden line (Parabasis Greek) – 1 John 3:4; James 2:11
2. The Origin of Sin
Angel (...... and man)
* Ezekiel 25:11-19
* Isaiah 14:12-25
* Luke 10:18
* 1 John 3:8
* Revelation 12:3-4
* Genesis 2:16, 17
* Genesis 3:16
* Romans 5:12
3. The University of Sin
* 1 Kings 8:46
* Isaiah 53:6
* Romans 3:23
* James 3:2
4. The Consequences of Sin
* Physical death (Gen. 5:5; Psalm 90:10; John 19:30)
* Spiritual death (Mat. 7:23, 25:41; Rev. 2:11, 20:6, 14, 21:18)
Both are involved in Genesis 2:17 when God spoke to Adam.
5. Various kinds of Sins as indicated by the Bible
a) Sins of Ignorance
* Luke 23:34
* Romans 2:12
b) Sins of Infirmity
* Psalm 19:12
* Psalm 103:10, 14
* Romans 8:26
* Romans 15:1
* Matthew 26:41
c) Sins of Carelessness
* Psalm 39:1
* Deuteronomy 11:16
* 1 Corinthians 10:12
* Hebrews 2:1
d) Sins of Presumption
. Psalm 19:13
. 2 Peter 2:10
6. Can the Christian Sin?
. By Christian, we mean one born again in the blood of Jesus.
. Can such a person sin?
. We allow the Bible to speak
The Testimony of Paul (Romans 5-8)
. Paul teaches about Justification by faith (5).
. Paul warns that grace should not be take for granted (6)
. Paul confessed his own struggle with sin (7)
. Paul claims that only in the Holy Spirit can victory be won (8)
A. The Testimony of John (1 John 1, 2) Charles Ryrie Writes; Being a Christian does not save one from sinning. Of course there are some who teach eradication of the sin nature in this life, but the picture of Doctrine of the New Testament seem to teach otherwise. In fact, John mentions three false claims which people in his day made in this regard in 1 John 1:8-10.
B. Here are the three false claims.
. Denying the presence of the principle of sin (v. 8)
. Denial of particular sins (v. 9)
. Denial of personal sinning (v. 10)
* How do you understand 1 John 2:1-3 as a Christian?
A WARNING!!!
Read and explain 1 Corinthians 10:1-12 (read 13A refer)
7. How can Christian overcome or prevent sin?
* The ministry of the Word of God.
. Psalm 119:11
. John 15:7, 17:17
. 2 Timothy 3:16
* The ministry of the Son of God.
. Luke 22:32
. John 17:15
. Roman 8:34
. Hebrews 7:23-26
* The ministry of the Spirit of God
. Zechariah 4:6
. John 7:37-39
III. CONCLUSION
A. Doctrine is important
B. We must rooted in the Word of God – the Bible
. Ephesians 4:14 – Be selfless
. 2 Timothy 3:13-17 – Be equipped
C. We need to in all matters of Doctrine as Methodists, affirm our Wesleyan Quadrilateral.
. Scripture – What does the Bible say?
. Tradition – What has been the teaching of the Church?
. Reason – What is thoughtful?
. Experience – What is our own encounter with the spirit?
D. CHRIST INVITES US
. Revelation 3:14-22
Thank you for reading this wonderful teaching By RT. Rev. Samuel Kofi Osabutey. Please Send us your Feedback here.
Very Rev. Dr. Jacob W. French (Resident Minister) Rev. Edmund Yirenkyi-Fianko (Resident Minister) Very Rev. Helena Opoku-Sarkodie
