Lesson 10 Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church

Lesson 10: Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 – 21: 16) Paul’s 3 rd Missionary Journey

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • The doctrine of baptism preached in Ephesus (18: 24 -19: 7) – Apollos was mistaken about baptism & corrected (18: 24 -28) Apollos was “fervent in spirit, ” but he had to be corrected. One may be sincere but wrong. Ø Apollos “taught accurately the things of the Lord, ” but his views of baptism had to be corrected. Ø A part of the corrective teaching of Aquila & Priscilla in keeping with “the way of God” was that there is “one baptism” and no others. Ø

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • The doctrine of baptism preached in Ephesus (18: 24 -19: 7) – Twelve followers were mistaken about baptism & corrected (19: 1 -7) Paul used “believed” as a synonym for “baptism. ” Being baptized is part of the obedient faith we are to possess (cf. 16: 33 -34). Ø If baptism is not essential to salvation, why did these have to be immersed again? Ø If baptism is only done to obey God, why did these have to be immersed again? People were baptized with John’s baptism to obey God (Lk. 7: 29 -30). Ø

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • The doctrine of baptism – There is one baptism (Eph. 4: 5). – Immersion in water must be preceded by faith in Jesus & repentance (Acts 2: 38; 8: 36 -37). – Baptism is “in the name of” (i. e. , “based on the authority of”) Jesus (Acts 2: 38; 19: 4 -5). – Baptism is “for (i. e. , in order to obtain) the remission of sins” (Ac. 2: 38; 22: 16).

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • The doctrine of the church preached in Ephesus (19: 8 -41) – Paul spoke of the church’s exquisite nature—as the kingdom of God (19: 8). – Paul spoke of the church’s exclusive nature—as “the Way” to God (19: 9, 23). – Paul preached about the church to the Jews (19: 8 -20). – Paul preached about the church to the Gentiles (19: 21 -41).

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • The doctrine of the church – There is one church (Eph. 4: 4)—the only church that God recognizes and of which we should be members. – Only one church was planned (Eph. 3: 911), predicted (Isa. 2: 1 -3), prepared for (Matt. 3: 1 -3; 4: 17), promised (Matt. 16: 18 -19). – We must be members of that one church to be saved (Eph. 5: 23).

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • The doctrine of worship practiced in Troas (20: 1 -12) – The disciples “came together” Ø Passive verb indicating a response to an external incentive (cf. 1 Cor. 11: 23 -29) – The disciples assembled “to break bread” Ø An infinitive of purpose—their purpose=L. S. – The disciples assembled & Paul preached Ø They feasted on the Word of God – The disciples assembled weekly Ø “On the first day of every week” (1 Cor. 16: 2).

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • The doctrine of worship – There is only one way to worship (John 4: 24). – Our worship must be governed by God’s authority (Col. 3: 17). – Our worship must be “in spirit” (from the heart)—John 4: 24, Eph. 5: 19; Col. 3: 16. – Our worship must be “in truth” (as specified in God’s word which is truth)— John 4: 24; 17: 17.

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • The doctrine of doctrine preached in Miletus (20: 13 -38) – Proper focus on doctrine must be: Sensitive – “humility” and “tears” of concern characterized his preaching (20: 18 -19) Ø Prescriptive – he “kept back nothing that was helpful…publicly and from house to house” proclaiming faith & repentance (20: 20 -21) Ø Comprehensive – he preached about “the kingdom of God” & “the whole counsel of God” (20: 20 -27) Ø Protective – he warned of “perverse things” and charged the elders to “take heed, ” “shepherd, ” “watch” & “remember” the doctrine (20: 28 -31) Ø

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • The doctrine of doctrine – There is only one doctrine by which we are to live —the “one faith” (Eph. 4: 5). – We must “stand fast in the faith” (1 Cor. 16: 13). – We must “stand fast…for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1: 27). – The “one faith” which has been “once for all delivered” (Jude 3) that determines what we believe and how we behave is the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3: 16 -17). – What we believe and teach are important (1 Tim. 1: 3; 4: 1 -3; 6: 3 -5; 2 Tim. 4: 1 -4; Titus 1: 10 -11; 2 John 9 -11).

Doctrinal Purity Sustains His Glorious Church (Acts 18: 24 -21: 16) • Uncompromised BIBLICAL POSITIONS seasoned with BIBLICAL DISPOSITIONS is the unique balance that promotes, protects and sustains His glorious church!