How can we discern "sound instruction" from false teachings today? Foundation Verse: 1 Timothy 6:3 “If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,” Two Paths: Sound vs. Unsound • “Sound words” = the wholesome, life-giving teaching that flows directly from Jesus and the inspired writers (2 Timothy 3:16-17). • “Another doctrine” = anything that drifts from, edits, or opposes that fixed revelation (Galatians 1:8-9). One leads to godliness and life; the other breeds confusion and ruin (1 Timothy 6:4-5). Hallmarks of Sound Instruction • Agreement with the explicit words of Christ (John 14:6; Matthew 28:20). • Harmony with the full counsel of Scripture—never forcing texts to clash (Psalm 119:160). • Produces reverence, love, and practical obedience (Titus 2:1, 11-14). • Elevates the gospel of grace: salvation by faith in Christ alone, apart from works (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Preserves the historic faith once for all entrusted to the saints (Jude 3). • Affirmed by a community of biblically qualified elders (Titus 1:9). Exposing the Marks of False Teaching • Adds to or subtracts from the written Word (Proverbs 30:5-6; Revelation 22:18-19). • Diminishes Christ’s deity, humanity, or exclusive saving work (1 John 4:1-3). • Promotes speculation, endless controversies, or secret “insights” (1 Timothy 1:3-7; 6:4). • Appeals primarily to emotions, novelty, or cultural trends (Colossians 2:8). • Brings immoral fruit—greed, pride, or sensuality (2 Peter 2:1-3). • Avoids accountability and rejects correction (3 John 9-10). Practical Discernment Checklist □ Read and study the Bible daily, letting it set the agenda. □ Compare every teaching with clear Scripture, not isolated verses. □ Note the teacher’s life: Do humility, generosity, and holiness mark it? (Matthew 7:15-20). □ Stay rooted in a Bible-preaching local church; weigh ideas together (Acts 2:42). □ Remember the plain meaning first; symbols and figures never cancel literal truths. □ Guard the gospel essentials: the triune God, the sinless Christ, His substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, and imminent return. □ Depend on the Holy Spirit, who guides into all truth and never contradicts the Word (John 16:13). Staying Anchored in the Word Acts 17:11 commends the Bereans because they “examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.” That same steady, Scripture-saturated habit keeps believers today from drifting into error and ensures that the “sound instruction” of our Lord continues to shape hearts, homes, and churches. |
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