1. Health Watch #2 “Doctrine Diggers” 2 nd Sign of Healthy Church Members Health Watch Series #2 November 1, 2015 AM Thanks to IX Marks Ministries 2 nd Sign of Healthy Church Members Health Watch Series #2 November 1, 2015 AM Thanks to IX Marks Ministries

2. A healthy church member is a ready listener  The first sign of health is truly listening to biblical preaching.  Listening to expos itional preaching is called expos itional listening.  BUT - What is expos itional preaching?  The main point of a passage is the main point of the sermon.  the preacher exposes the meaning of the passage to the ready listener.  The Holy Spirit blesses God’s Word and hearts are changed.  The first sign of health is truly listening to biblical preaching.  Listening to expos itional preaching is called expos itional listening.  BUT - What is expos itional preaching?  The main point of a passage is the main point of the sermon.  the preacher exposes the meaning of the passage to the ready listener.  The Holy Spirit blesses God’s Word and hearts are changed.

3. Fill In the Blanks  Two examples of expositional preaching mentioned last week …  ______________ used as his text the Law given at Sinai to remind God’s people and warn them to r________________ what their parents had forgotten. They then moved ahead in obedience.  ______________ also used as his text the Law of God after God’s people had returned to the land of Judah and they began to observe the f_________ of God that they had forgotten for centuries.  When God’s people hear God’s Word as He wrote it, there is r______________, j___, and o________________.  When you listen to preaching ask, “What has God written in His wisdom, love, and mercy for His glory and for our good in the passage of scripture being preached?”  Two examples of expositional preaching mentioned last week …  ______________ used as his text the Law given at Sinai to remind God’s people and warn them to r________________ what their parents had forgotten. They then moved ahead in obedience.  ______________ also used as his text the Law of God after God’s people had returned to the land of Judah and they began to observe the f_________ of God that they had forgotten for centuries.  When God’s people hear God’s Word as He wrote it, there is r______________, j___, and o________________.  When you listen to preaching ask, “What has God written in His wisdom, love, and mercy for His glory and for our good in the passage of scripture being preached?”

4. Today we consider a second “health watch.”  The church is weak today because “Christian minds have been conformed to the modern spirit…that spawns great thoughts of man and leaves room for only small thoughts of God.” J.I.Packer (spoken 30 years ago)  Ignorance of God and lack of communion with Him is very common among Christians today.  We have neglected our great calling - to KNOW GOD.  To be healthy we must commit ourselves to know Him – to being Biblical theologians – to search out the teachings of the Scriptures - to DIG DOCTRINE.  The church is weak today because “Christian minds have been conformed to the modern spirit…that spawns great thoughts of man and leaves room for only small thoughts of God.” J.I.Packer (spoken 30 years ago)  Ignorance of God and lack of communion with Him is very common among Christians today.  We have neglected our great calling - to KNOW GOD.  To be healthy we must commit ourselves to know Him – to being Biblical theologians – to search out the teachings of the Scriptures - to DIG DOCTRINE.

5. We Are Healthy Through the Book  The Bible is our source of knowing God.  It is the self-revelation of God.  It is His auto-biography.  To know the Book is to know God.  To know God means commitment to the Book.  The Bible is our source of knowing the story of salvation. (redemption)  Salvation’s themes, doctrines, and progress or dispensations.  Salvation through a creating, holy, faithful, loving, sovereign God.  Salvation’s promises made and kept from Genesis through Revelation.  The Bible is our source of knowing God.  It is the self-revelation of God.  It is His auto-biography.  To know the Book is to know God.  To know God means commitment to the Book.  The Bible is our source of knowing the story of salvation. (redemption)  Salvation’s themes, doctrines, and progress or dispensations.  Salvation through a creating, holy, faithful, loving, sovereign God.  Salvation’s promises made and kept from Genesis through Revelation.

6. What are the benefits of digging for doctrine?  Growing in the fear and amazement of the Lord.  He is seen in Scripture from the life of Noah to the lines of David to the letters of Paul  Genesis 3:15; 17:15-19; 21:1,2; 29:31; 30:22; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:20-23.  Overcoming wrong ideas and sins.  Sometimes we avoid dealing with our sin because it was only 1 sermon or one passage.  But when we see a clear teaching through the entire Bible, and see that it is consistent with all of God’s teaching, and that He means what He says we bow the knee.  Becoming vaccinated against false doctrine.  We learn doctrine three ways through - - - Biblical, systematic, and historical theology.  We learn that all doctrines are connected to each other like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Searching and finding, trying and discarding, building the big picture. I Cor. 10:11; I Timothy 4:1-7  Growing in the fear and amazement of the Lord.  He is seen in Scripture from the life of Noah to the lines of David to the letters of Paul  Genesis 3:15; 17:15-19; 21:1,2; 29:31; 30:22; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:20-23.  Overcoming wrong ideas and sins.  Sometimes we avoid dealing with our sin because it was only 1 sermon or one passage.  But when we see a clear teaching through the entire Bible, and see that it is consistent with all of God’s teaching, and that He means what He says we bow the knee.  Becoming vaccinated against false doctrine.  We learn doctrine three ways through - - - Biblical, systematic, and historical theology.  We learn that all doctrines are connected to each other like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Searching and finding, trying and discarding, building the big picture. I Cor. 10:11; I Timothy 4:1-7

7. More benefits  Obeying the Great Commission.  “As you are going be reaching, baptizing, and teaching” all that Christ taught us  What do I teach? Everything in the OT? How do I apply it all to my life?  When we learn Biblical theology we learn the what, how, and why of the Bible’s teachings.  Deepening my understanding of, and my skill in explaining the Gospel.  From Genesis through Revelation  Luke 24:27,32, 44-45.  “why do you need to be saved?”  “How can the death of Christ save my soul?”  Obeying the Great Commission.  “As you are going be reaching, baptizing, and teaching” all that Christ taught us  What do I teach? Everything in the OT? How do I apply it all to my life?  When we learn Biblical theology we learn the what, how, and why of the Bible’s teachings.  Deepening my understanding of, and my skill in explaining the Gospel.  From Genesis through Revelation  Luke 24:27,32, 44-45.  “why do you need to be saved?”  “How can the death of Christ save my soul?”

8. How to Be a Healthy Doctrine Digger  Read the Bible through and see: the big picture, the trail the Gospel leaves, the story of Israel, the birth of the church, the struggles of mankind, the ever-present God…  Study the Bible by themes – God Himself, the Holy Spirit, the Messiah, sin, redemption, the home, the kingdom, the church, the prophets, the priesthood, the covenants, prophecy, world missions, faith, etc.  Adopt the New Testament’s attitude toward the Old Testament  Is there a fulfillment, how are they different or similar, is there a clarification or unveiling or amplification, how does a passage fit on the redemption timeline,  Good examples are found in the Gospels and in Hebrews.  Study the fulfillments of prophecy – the near and far – immediate and future – see Isaiah and Zechariah.  Read the Bible through and see: the big picture, the trail the Gospel leaves, the story of Israel, the birth of the church, the struggles of mankind, the ever-present God…  Study the Bible by themes – God Himself, the Holy Spirit, the Messiah, sin, redemption, the home, the kingdom, the church, the prophets, the priesthood, the covenants, prophecy, world missions, faith, etc.  Adopt the New Testament’s attitude toward the Old Testament  Is there a fulfillment, how are they different or similar, is there a clarification or unveiling or amplification, how does a passage fit on the redemption timeline,  Good examples are found in the Gospels and in Hebrews.  Study the fulfillments of prophecy – the near and far – immediate and future – see Isaiah and Zechariah.

9. (A Healthy Doctrine Digger)  Know and agree to support your church’s Statement of Faith.  Do you understand each part of it?  What is the Biblical support for each article of faith?  Are you willing to uphold the doctrinal position of your church?  Are you willing to sign the statement of faith?  Seek doctrinal unity and avoid disputes in your church.  How will you participate in the resolution of differences in your church?  Remember: “In all things essential – unity. In all things non-essential – liberty. In all things – love.”  Work to know the difference between beliefs that are essential to Biblical Christianity and beliefs that are not essential to our faith. Work to defend the essentials of the Gospel (Phil 1:27; Jude 3) and avoid contention over the non-essentials. II Tim. 2:14-17, Prov.20:3.  Know and agree to support your church’s Statement of Faith.  Do you understand each part of it?  What is the Biblical support for each article of faith?  Are you willing to uphold the doctrinal position of your church?  Are you willing to sign the statement of faith?  Seek doctrinal unity and avoid disputes in your church.  How will you participate in the resolution of differences in your church?  Remember: “In all things essential – unity. In all things non-essential – liberty. In all things – love.”  Work to know the difference between beliefs that are essential to Biblical Christianity and beliefs that are not essential to our faith. Work to defend the essentials of the Gospel (Phil 1:27; Jude 3) and avoid contention over the non-essentials. II Tim. 2:14-17, Prov.20:3.

10. Healthy?  Start by knowing God in salvation.  Continue by knowing Him as His disciple.  Keep on by drinking and eating from the themes of the Word.  By being an EXPOSitional Listener and a Doctrine Digger.  Know Him more deeply and richly as a mature Christian  Amazing – like last week – we find ourselves back in Ephesians 4.  Start by knowing God in salvation.  Continue by knowing Him as His disciple.  Keep on by drinking and eating from the themes of the Word.  By being an EXPOSitional Listener and a Doctrine Digger.  Know Him more deeply and richly as a mature Christian  Amazing – like last week – we find ourselves back in Ephesians 4.

11. Ephesians 4:11-32 – A healthy church and a changed life because of the Word.  11 …he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,  12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,  13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God– a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ's full stature.  14 … no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.  15 But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.  16 From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body grows in love.  17 ¶ …no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, …because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.  11 …he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,  12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,  13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God– a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ's full stature.  14 … no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.  15 But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.  16 From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body grows in love.  17 ¶ …no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, …because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.

12.  …20 But you did not learn about Christ like this,  21 if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus.  22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man …,  23 to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,  24 and to put on the new man who has been created in God's image– in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.  25 ¶ Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.  26 …do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger.  27 Do not give the devil an opportunity.  28 The one who steals must steal no longer; … 29 You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, … 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, … 31 You must put away every kind of bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and evil, slanderous talk. 32 Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.  …20 But you did not learn about Christ like this,  21 if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus.  22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man …,  23 to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,  24 and to put on the new man who has been created in God's image– in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.  25 ¶ Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.  26 …do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger.  27 Do not give the devil an opportunity.  28 The one who steals must steal no longer; … 29 You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, … 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, … 31 You must put away every kind of bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and evil, slanderous talk. 32 Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.