#103 -- Gospel and Spiritual Growth

Valley – November 23, 2003

                                                                                                                              

THE PROVISION OF THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD SYSTEM OF PERSONNEL FOR THE PRACTICE OF RELIGION – VIII

The information presented in this message does double duty.  First,it presents an opportunity to review the differences between the two Greek words for "teaching" or "doctrine."  Be reminded that "teaching" and "doctrine" mean the same thing and translate the same Greek words.  Second, it presents revelation that indicates that the world system duplicates the two types of teaching in its deception.  Because of this many times teaching that is addressed to grace believers is infiltrated with religious doctrine or teaching from the world system.  As a result, world system doctrine has become acceptable in much of Christendom as though its teaching is from God for the Church.  Teachers from the world system religions communicate both types of teaching.  One of the objectives of the Satanic world system religions is to substitute its doctrine for the doctrine clearly given by the Holy Spirit for the Church.  The differences between the two types of teaching are extremely important for all Christians.

 

I. deals with the distinctions between the two types of teaching in the New Testament revelation addressed to the Church.  The first term is didaskalia.  It occurs 21 times in the New Testament.  The second term is didache.  It occurs 30 times in the New Testament.  They are both derived from the verb didasko which occurs 97 times.  Didaskalia is the term for doctrine or teaching for faith but not for practice.  It is to be believed but not lived.  Didache is the term for doctrine for faith and practice.  It is believed and practiced.  The distinction is maintained by one's understanding of what God provides for Christians – the Church which is His Body – to live.  God expects the believer to apply revelation addressed to him or her as the basis for how one practices the Christian life.  On the other hand, there are many truths in the Bible not addressed to Christians or which are not possible for a human being to live.  I believe the revelation in the genealogies of Genesis five and Matthew one  but there is no way that I can live them for they are historical record.  There are no spiritual applications possible for me except by allegorizing these passages.  The same is true of the passages that describe the capabilities of the Persons of the Godhead.  No human being can practice those capabilities because the man or woman does not have these capabilities as a human being.  To attempt to do so is delusional.  A key verse that distinguishes the two words in the Greek text is Titus 1:9.  Both nouns are in the same verse and both words are given distinct meanings in their immediate contexts.  The AV conceals the meanings as noted in the notes last week.  Examples of translations that hide the nouns are the AV (KJV), ESV, NIV, NKJ and RSV.  He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it (English Standard Version, 2001). Notice that the first noun is translated "as taught." Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers (AV).  The AV makes it appear as a verb complete with a subject contradicting the Greek text.  Let me use some other translations to demonstrate the distinction.  Notice that they interchange "teaching" and "doctrine" in an effort to distinguish between the two distinct Greek terms.  Holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers (American Standard Version).  Clinging to the faithful word according to the doctrine taught, that he may be able both to encourage with sound teaching and refute gainsayers (Darby). Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict (New American Standard). And he must have a firm grasp of the unchanging message of the tradition, so that he can be counted on both for giving encouragement in sound doctrine and for refuting those who argue against it (New Jerusalem Bible). He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it (New Revised Standard).  He must hold to the trustworthy message of the doctrine, so that he may be able to encourage by his wholesome teaching, as well as to refute those who raise objections (Berkeley Version). I have highlighted the words for doctrine in each one.  (Note: I do not endorse these but use them to illustrate.)  Most cited use "teaching" for one and "doctrine" for the other without uniformity.  NJB uses "tradition" for didache and "doctrine" for didaskalia.  My translation {also in the last synopsis and in the outline} is:  Holding firmly to the faithful word according to (or down from) the doctrine to be believed and practiced, in order that he may possibly be able (or have the power) both to be exhorting by the healthy doctrine to be believed but not practiced and to be convincing the ones who are contradicting (or speaking against.  This maintains the distinction between holding fast to the reliable word down from or as measured by doctrine to be believed and practiced and exhorting by healthy doctrine to be believed but not practiced.  2 Timothy 4:3, 4 also makes the distinction between the two words in adjacent verses. The AV confuses the terms by translating the two Greek words for "doctrine" or "teaching" by the same word "doctrine" without distinguishing the two.  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.  Verse 2 uses didache while verse 3 uses didaskalia as well as the noun for "teachers."  Preaching the Word of God involves exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine for faith and practice. In the future men will not endure healthy doctrine for faith but not practice.  Instead they will heap up for themselves teachers that will gratify their itch of their unscriptural beliefs with doctrine that is not for Christian practice.  The world system has its own distinctions between these types of teaching.  The word didaskalia is used five times in the New Testament of doctrine taught by the world system religious establishment and its false teachers.  Didache is used six times of the teaching of the world system.  In both cases these doctrines oppose the clear revelation of Scripture for its proper recipients.

 

We covered the material in II. and are saving III. for this coming Sunday.  Didaskalia is found twice in the Law section of the Gospels.  The other three are in grace revelation.  Matthew 15 and Mark seven describe a confrontation Jesus had with the scribes and Pharisees in Jerusalem concerning their doctrine.  These had come and accused Jesus' disciples of transgressing the traditions of the elders of Israel.  They accused the disciples of washing their hands in an improper way when they ate.  Mark 7:2 says that they said their hands were "unclean" while the Greek says "common hands (as in 7:5)" like common unpracticing Jews.  They accused the disciples of not washing their hands in a proper way.  For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders (Mark 7:3). The word translated "oft" in the AV literally means "fist" or "with a fist" indicating the traditional ritual by which they ceremonially washed their hands and raised their fists in the air allowing the water to drip off of their elbows so as not to pollute their hands by drying.  The tradition of the elders was made up of doctrine the Jesus did not see as something that should be practiced.  In Matt. 15:4 Jesus calls them to task concerning a commandment (5th – Ex. 20:12) and a penalty (Ex. 21:17).  In verse five they take from their parents and call it a gift without the parents consent violating the 5th commandment claiming that their theft was for the benefit of the parents.  Verse six indicates that "Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition."  Then Jesus identifies them as hypocrites citing Isa. 29:13.  Matt. 15:9 identifies their teaching as the commandments of men and not from God and so their practice is futile by God's standards.  But in vain (uselessness) they do worship (by physical action) me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Ephesians 4:14 identifies a teaching (from the world system) that sabotages Christian maturity. God provides certain spiritual gifts to adjust the saints thoroughly for a work of a ministry and for the building up of the Body of Christ spiritually (Eph. 4:11, 12).  The goal is spiritual maturity which brings together saints in a unity of the faith (that body of teaching concerning how the Christian has victory over all three spiritual enemies) and full experiential knowledge of the Son of God (in the realm of His deity).  When this is true believers are not unstable and thrown around by the waves of false doctrine to be believed and not practiced. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. This kind of doctrine is for Christian faith but not for practice.   It is presented by the slight of men.  The Greek word for "slight" is the word kubeia from which the word "dice" or "cube of dice" is derived.  The doctrine of the world system is a roll of the dice, a chance that needs not be taken.  Furthermore its methodology is one of error, that which leads astray. This is by a cunning craftiness.  The idea of the AV word "cunning" is that of doing everything possible by any means to get the false doctrine across = all working.  The word "craftiness" is the Greek word methodeian and involves tactics, methods and approaches that make one wander = err.  There is always a "method in their madness!" The right option is the spiritual life in the context.

 

Colossians 2:20 Says that a Christian has died together with Christ to the essential elements of the world system.  Why is the Christian living in the world system then subject to its decrees or dogmas?  Examples of these are in 2:21: Touch not; taste not; handle not.  These were often perversions of the Mosaic Law that were applied to Christians by false teachers.  They all perish in the using.  They are measured by or are down from the injunctions even doctrines for faith but not for the practice of men.  They are designed to gratify the flesh.  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh (2:23).

 

1 Timothy 4:1 links some of these teachings in the later times to demons (that are part of the operation of the world system's religion).  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.  "The faith" is again that body of doctrine that provides revelation for Christians telling them how to have victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.  There is doctrine that is not for practice for grace believers that is attempting to get the attention of Christians by demonic manipulation in order to make the Christian wander or err.  They present the doctrine which had no business being applied for Christian practice seeking to mislead the believer from Christian victory and the spiritual life.

 

 

THE PROVISION OF THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD SYSTEM OF PERSONNEL FOR THE PRACTICE OF RELIGION – VIII

 

REPLACEMENT DOCTRINE FOR BIBLICAL DOCTRINE

 

False Teachers of Human Moral Religion

 

1 John 2:15

Proposition:   To present the two types of doctrine that teachers from the world system teach in place of the two types of doctrine described in grace revelation.

 

        Introduction

              A. The Isolation of Two Types of Doctrine (=Teaching) in the New Testament

              B. The Infiltration of Grace Doctrine with World System Doctrine

              C. The Presentation of Doctrine by Teachers of the World System

              D. The Duplication of the Types of Doctrine by World System Religion

              E.  The Substitution of World System Doctrine for Grace Doctrine

 

TRANS:  Two types of doctrine are distinguished in grace revelation:  doctrine for faith and doctrine for faith and practice.  The two words come from the same verb yet are distinguished in their content and application.  These are found together in the Greek text of Titus 1:9.

                                                                                                                              

I.    THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN TWO TYPES OF DOCTRINE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT – THE REVELATION OF THE TWO TYPES OF TEACHING IN THE BIBLE FOR THE CHRISTIAN – A QUESTION OF FAITH OR FAITH AND PRACTICE – Titus 1:9

      A.  The Occurrences of the Two Terms

            1. didaskali,a (didaskalia) – 21 times

            2.  didach, (didache) – 30 times

            3.   The Verb dida,skw (didasko) – 97 times

      B.   The Significance of Their Meaning

            1. didaskali,a (didaskalia) – Doctrine to Be Believed and Not Practiced

            2.   didach, (didache) – Doctrine to Be Believed and Practiced

      C.  The Importance of Titus 1:9

            1.   Both Nouns in the Same Verse

            2.   Both Words Given Distinct Meanings

            3.   Translation:  Titus 1:9 Holding firmly to the faithful word according to (or down from) the doctrine to be believed and practiced, in order that he may possibly be able (or have the power) both to be exhorting by the healthy doctrine to be believed but not practiced and to be convincing the ones who are contradicting (or speaking against) [My translation].

 

      D.  The Distinction Maintained in the Verse

            1.   Holding Fast the Reliable Word Down From Doctrine to Be Believed and Practiced

            2.   Exhorting by Healthy Doctrine to Be Believed but Not Practiced

TRANS:  Human moral religion of the world system has a system of doctrine that doesn't always need to be practiced.  Often it practices doctrine that is of other origin than from God that should not be practiced.  It is believed in place of the clear teaching of the Word of God.

 

II.  THE DISTRACTION FOR A CHRISTIAN'S FAITH BY DOCTRINE FROM THE RELIGIONS OF THE SATANIC WORLD SYSTEM – THE REPLACEMENT OF TEACHING FOR CHRISTIAN FAITH WITH TEACHING FROM THE WORLD SYSTEM FOR FAITH – THE CONFUSION CONCERNING THE PREMISES FOR FAITH – didaskali,a (didaskalia) – Doctrine to Be Believed and Not Practiced

      A.  The Teaching of the Commandments of Man for External Practice – Replacing Inward

            Reality with External Unreality – Matt. 15:9; Mark 7:7

            1.   Tradition of the Elders – 15:2

      2. Wash Hands Before You Eat Food (cf. Mark 7:3, 4)

            3.   "It Is a Gift" – Tradition – 17:5, 6

            4.   Hypocrites – 15:7 (cf. Isa. 29:13)

            5.   Useless Physical Worship – 15:8

            6.   Teaching Doctrines for Faith the Commands of Men

      B.   The Teaching for Faith that Sabotages Christian Maturity – Eph. 4:14

            1.   The Wind of World System Teaching

                  a.   A Wind That Blows

                  b.   A Wind That Carries Around

            2.   World System Teaching by the Slight of Men

            3.   World System Teaching The Is All Working

                  a.   Developing a Methodology with a Purpose

                  b.   Determined to Lead the Believer Astray

      C.  The Teaching That Causes Faith in the Commandments Even Teachings from Men – Col.

            2:22

            1.   The Believer's Position as Dead to the Rudiments of the World System – 2:20a

            2.   The Believer's Potential for Subjection to Dogmas of the World System – 2:20b-22a

                  a.   Three Examples

                  b.   They Are All for Decay in the Using

            3.   The Basic Position of the World System – 2:22b

                  a.   The Injunctions

                  b.   Even Doctrine for Faith from Men

      D.  The Teaching That Will Be Presented in the Later Times – 1 Tim. 4:1

            1.   Some Will Depart from the Faith

            2.   Paying Attention to Spirits of Error Even the Teaching of Demons

     

TRANS:  The world system religions all have their doctrine for faith and practice.  These often are modifications of true Christian doctrine that permit their entry into the church to dissuade Christians from accurately following the teachings for grace living.

 

III.    THE DISTORTION AND DETOURING OF DOCTRINE FOR CHRISTIAN PRACTICE BY WORLD SYSTEM HUMAN MORAL RELIGION – THE REQUIREMENTS OF WORLD SYSTEM RELIGION FOR PRACTICE – THE IMPOSITION OF TEACHING THAT REPLACES GOD'S INSTRUCTION FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING – didach, (didache) – Doctrine to Be Believed and Practiced

      A.  The Doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees – Matt. 16:12

            1.   A Doctrine That Permeates – 16:11

            2.   A Doctrine That Needs to Be Avoided – 16:12

      B.   The Doctrine That Carries Christians Around – Heb. 13:9

            1.   The Provision of a Variety of Options for Christian Doctrine for Practice

            2.   The Peculiarity of Doctrine Foreign to Biblical Christian Practice

      C.  The Doctrine of Balaam – Rev. 2:15 [Num. 25:1-3; 31:16]

            1.   Deception by Misdirection of Practice

            2.   Gratification by Cohabitation as Practice

      D.  The Doctrine of the Nicolaitans – Rev. 2:16

            1.   Victory Over the People

            2.   Hierarchy Over the People

      E.   The Doctrine of Jezebel – Rev. 2:24 [20-23]

            1.   Teaching and Leading Christ's Slaves Astray – 2:20

            2.   Teaching to Fornicate

            3.   Teaching to Eat Sacrifices Made to Idols

            4.   Teaching to Focus on Works – 2:23, 24

            5.   Teaching Possessed – 2:24

            6.   Teaching to Experientially Know the Deep Things of Satan

      F.   The Treatment of Those Who Deny the Incarnate Son – 2 John 9, 10

 

TRANS:  The teachers of the Satanic world system religion infiltrate the church with teaching that is similar to Christian truth or that misapplies non-Christian truth from the Bible.  Sometimes they mix the Mosaic Law, Kingdom Law and human doctrine that seem to come from the Bible and God and teach these doctrines either as a premise for practice or for practice itself.

 

     

 

© by David K. Spurbeck

Valley Baptist Church

P. O. Box 99, Gaston, OR 97119