The Apostolic Doctrine

Chapter 1

Introduction to the Apostolic Doctrine

And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. Luke 4:31-32

The teaching of the doctrine is the most important thing for a Christian, especially when the Christian life begins. When a person comes to Christ, one of the most indispensable things for his or her spiritual journey, is undoubtedly the knowledge of faith – in other words, what one believes in. If people do not know the basic points of their doctrine, they will be easy prey to any misguided teaching. Therefore, in this chapter, we will learn about the meaning of the word doctrine, what apostolic doctrine is, the teaching of Jesus and His apostles, as well as the importance of doctrine in the life of a child of God.

Definition

When we talk about doctrine, we should ask ourselves, “What is doctrine? What does it mean? Also, what is the effect of doctrine in the life of a child of God?”

To begin with, in the Bible itself we find some definitions of this word. For example, in the Old Testament, the word doctrine, is translated from the Hebrew word shemua and means, “what is received.” In the New Testament, the word used is didaché, which means “teaching; what is taught; the act of giving some instruction.” Taking these words into consideration, we can affirm that doctrine is a teaching or instruction that is taught or received.

When people refer to the doctrine of a Christian, they usually refer to what and how a person believes in a certain topic related to his or her faith and how to teach on it. In some Christian circles, it is also known as religious tradition. Finally, the doctrine has a powerful impact on the life of the believer because it determines how the believer is to serve God and how to live.

The Apostolic Doctrine

Many times, we have heard about “the apostolic doctrine”, but what is it? In a simple answer, we can say that apostolic doctrine is the teaching given or received according to the teachings of Christ and the apostles of the Lord. It is the teaching that Christ and his apostles taught their followers.

We, as a Christian church must follow the doctrine of Christ and his apostles as taught by the very word of God.

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. Ephesians 2:20

Based on this scripture, we must focus our study on the teachings of Christ and the apostles.

The Doctrine of Christ

When Christ came into this world, He dedicated himself to preaching the word of God, and all the words He said were his doctrine or teaching. For example, Matthew counts an episode where what we are saying is manifested:

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Matthew 7:28–29

In this text, we can see the difference between the teachings of Christ and the teachings of the contemporary religious leaders. The Lord spoke to them a different word and taught them with authority. Here we can notice two things:

1. It’s a true teaching.

Jesus’s' teaching included the complete truth of God. One should not take part of the Bible alone, but every doctrine must be in harmony with the rest of the scripture. The scribes and Pharisees taught only what was right for them, and often their teachings were of men and far from the truth, so Christ criticized them strongly (Mark 7:7–9). It is precisely these types of teachings that must be exposed – the many false doctrines that have emerged to form religions on a single verse of scripture or only a part that suits them.

2. It is a teaching with authority.

Another thing that differentiated the doctrine of Christ from that of the religious of his day was authority. The authority Jesus spoke to was not only because he was the Christ, but also because his actions supported what He said – unlike the religious, who spoke the Law of God, but did not practice what they preached (Matthew 23:2–3). This last point is so important, for the doctrine is something that marks the life of all who practice it. It is unfortunate to see people who claim to be Christians to live contrary to what they preach.

The Doctrine of the Apostles

The apostles of Christ received all the teachings of Jesus and taught them to the church. The early church practiced the doctrine of Christ and the apostles. The biblical text reads:

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts. 2:42

It was the apostles who continued with all the teachings Jesus gave them intensively. They simply passed them on to the early Christians and thus, made it possible for them to be transmitted today. Apostolic doctrine is a teaching based on what Christ and His apostles preached and lived. If people want to know about true doctrine, they must go to the Bible to see what Christ and the apostles taught.

This book will address fundamental themes of the apostolic faith, such as the Bible; God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost; humans, their creation and fall; sin; repentance; and how to be saved. In addition, the reader will learn about church practices, such as standards of holiness, tithes and offerings, holy supper, and his or her future with Christ. The child of God will enjoy and build faith with apostolic doctrine.

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