Stick with Sound Doctrine

Two Saturdays ago, was our last men's Bible study on Nehemiah. Ten minutes into the lesson, a stranger walked into the church with his Bible. I thought, "Fantastic!" I introduced myself as Pastor Zarling. He introduced himself as Karan. For a while during the class, he called me "Pastor Darling", which I was fine with. During the discussion, Karan mentioned that he's a street preacher passing through Casper on his way to the state of Washington.

Everything was polite and respectful during the lesson ... until the lesson was over. Then the mood and the conversation changed. It became less than fantastic. Matt, Steve, and Chuck left. Jon stayed with me in Karan. Jon later said that he stayed because he felt something was off.

You can usually find differences between denominations on two specific topics -- the nature of Jesus and the Sacraments. The Sacraments are what set Karan off. He started talking about Transubstantiation. Transubstantiation is where the Catholics believe that the bread and wine change substance into Christ's body and blood. The elements look and taste like bread and wine, but now they're only body and blood. I told Karan that Lutherans believe the Bible teaches Real Presence in the sacrament. We believe that Christ's body and blood are really present in, with, and under the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper.

I quoted Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper. He said, "'Take, eat, this is my body.' Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins'" (Matthew 26:26-28). I said that "is" an only and ever mean "is." It can never ever mean "symbolize" or "represent." Then I quoted where St. Paul discusses that we receive four things in the Lord's Supper -- bread and wine, body and blood. "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:16)?

Karan disagreed ... vehemently. He started to raise his voice.

But I really set him off when we discussed Baptism. He's like most Reformed and non-denominational Christians that don't believe in God's gifts in the Sacraments. He insisted that we are saved by faith alone and not Baptism. I agreed that we are saved by grace alone and faith alone. I added that Baptism saves. I then quoted St. Peter, "Baptism now saves you" (1 Peter 3:21).

Karan disagreed ... vehemently. He raised his voice again. He started calling me to repent for what I was teaching. The conversation was no longer beneficial to either of us. I know what Scripture teaches on the Sacraments. He refused to listen. Instead, Jon and I ushered toward the door. Karan kept shouting loudly, "Repent! Repent! You need to repent!"

While everything was cordial during the Bible study, Karan had mentioned that we should be more like Nehemiah with no divisions or denominations. Except, he later proved why there are divisions and denominations. There are currently over 45,000 different Christian denominations around the world. There are about 70 different churches in Casper, each with its own unique teachings. So, if there is only one Lord and only one Bible, where is why is there so much variety?

Pastor Paul answers that question in his letter to young Pastor Timothy. These are some of his last words before he died a martyr's death. These words are meant specifically for pastors, but they can also be applied to lay Christians. He encourages all of us to stick with sound doctrine.

During the lesson on Nehemiah, I had mentioned catechesis and confirmation. Karan asked what those were. I explained the Catechism, youth confirmation classes, and adult instruction classes. When I later reflected and re-told the story to the guys who had left before the fireworks began, I mentioned that I should have paused the conversation to get my Catechism. The Catechism wonderfully lays out the Scriptures on the saving power of Baptism and the Real Presence of the Lord's Supper. The Catechism helps us stick with sound doctrine.

Paul begins, "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word. Be ready whether it is convenient or not. Correct, rebuke, and encourage, with all patience and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Paul solemnly charges Christians to preach the Word -- both in formal settings when we're surrounded by like-minded confessional Lutherans and when we're in informal and uncomfortable settings. He says this is a "solemn charge" -- one that we don't take lightly. For Lutheran pastors, preaching is a divine mandate, not a mere career choice.

At one time or another, all of us have probably felt like the prophet Jeremiah. Those who opposed God's truths tried to stop him from preaching. Passhur, the chief officer of the temple, heard Jeremiah preaching and had him beaten and put in a stocks. Jeremiah says that he wished he would have been able to stop preaching, but he couldn't. He could not hold in the Word. It was like a fire in his heart that had to pour forth from his mouth. "Whenever I speak, I cry out. I cry out, 'Violence and destruction!' But the word of the Lord has brought scorn on me. I am mocked all day long. If I say, 'I will not mention him or speak in his name anymore,' then there is a burning fire in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I am weary of holding it in. I cannot" (Jeremiah 20:8-9)!

We are to preach this Word, "whether it is convenient or not." Always be ready to preach the truths of God's Word, even when these truths are not popular or acceptable in society. Perhaps you've heard about Major League Baseball disciplining three San Francisco Giants' pitchers. It was Pride night at the Giants' stadium. All the players were to be wearing rainbow baseball caps. These three players wore the caps, but they wrote Genesis 9:12-16 next to the rainbow. Genesis 9 is where God gives the reason for the rainbow. The rainbow was given as a sign of God's promise to never again destroy the earth with a worldwide flood in his righteous judgment. But the rainbow has been co-opted by those who want to celebrate their degenerate and deviant sexuality, thereby calling God's righteous judgment down on them.

It wasn't convenient for those players to stand up for the truth, but they did it. Now they are facing backlash for it from pagans, idolators, and even weak, misguided Christians. You probably have similar issues in your workplace, in the Casper community, or in your own family. It's easy to shut our mouths, keep our heads down, compromise and equivocate to the bullies. Christians have been doing this for far too long in America. We are much more willing to offend God than offend our idolatrous culture or adulterous family member.

Follower of Christ, it's time for you to stand up and stand out. Be bold. Proclaim God's truths, whether it is popular and convenient or countercultural, inconvenient, and dangerous. True Christianity remains faithful regardless of trends.

Perhaps we are dealing with so much filth and foolishness today because pastors and people have stopped preaching God's Word into the pagan culture. We're afraid. We've become risk adverse. We count the cost ... and it's too much. But every time we remain silent, the Devil keeps talking, he keeps gaining ground, while the Christian Church keeps losing ground.

Paul gives the reason why paganism abounds, Pride Month is celebrated, and so many denominations exist. "For there will come a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, because they have itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in line with their own desires. They will also turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). People won't put up with sound doctrine. Many people only want to hear things that make them feel good. They'll avoid topics of God's Law that will make them feel guilty. They want to hear false teaching out of the mouth of Satan that confirms their sexual sins. Unbelief avoids the truth.

There's a difference between what people want to hear and what they need to hear. They need to hear sound doctrine. The pure teaching of the divinely inspired and inerrant word of God. Unfortunately, many people are looking for preachers and teachers who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear, even if it contradicts the truth of the Bible.

Thankfully, Paul doesn't just describe the problem; he also gives the solution. "Preach the word. Be ready whether it is convenient or not." Stick with the Bible's sound doctrine, not only when it's popular but especially when it isn't.

Paul commands pastors and people to "Correct, rebuke, and encourage, with all patience and teaching." Rebuking and correcting are using God's Law to expose sin and pride. True love for the sinner means you show them they are lost and condemned creatures who deserve God's punishment now and forever. This is never fun or easy or convenient, but it is always necessary. If you ignore their sin, then they will too. If they have no sin, they have no need for a Savior. When you point out their sin, that's correcting and rebuking.

Then you can share the good news of the gospel to encourage them. You tell them how Jesus has taken on God's punishment, so they can now be reconciled with God now and forever. You tell them how Jesus humbled himself for their sinful pride. How he as God in human flesh died for the way they make their flesh their gods. How he is the truth to remove all their false beliefs. He is the one who cares when they change their bodies, minds, and sexualities because they don't feel loved by anyone else.

Jesus promises "Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without the knowledge and consent of your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:29-31). This is pure Gospel! A copper coin was worth almost nothing, yet God closely monitors every single sparrow. If God cares for inexpensive birds, how much more does he care for you---his blood-bought child? Jesus knows you so well that he even knows how many hairs you have in your head. Admittedly, some of you make it easier on him than others.

Jesus knows what it's like to be unpopular for speaking the truth -- he was crucified for it! He gave his life as a sacrifice for sins, and you are forgiven when you avoid the truth, ignore the truth, and forget the truth.

That's the key: When God has spoken it, it is the truth. He promises to bless all his words that come from your mouth. When you speak the Word with great patience, you won't always tell people what they want to hear, but you will always tell them what they need to hear. Stick with the sound doctrine that prepares you for your eternal home.

Going back to the conversation with Karan, I was smiling, confident, and confessional. With the words given to me by the Holy Spirit, I stuck to sound doctrine. I have the Bible, and the Catechism and Confessions to explain the doctrines of the Bible. You have the same tools. You will be confronted. Jesus promises his disciples of all ages that these confrontations will come. But you have the Bible, Catechism, and Confessions. Be bold and confident when you make your confession. Jesus promises that when you confess him to others, he will confess you before his heavenly Father. "Everyone who confesses me before others, I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33). You can confidently confess because you continue to stick with sound doctrine. Amen.