INTRODUCTION TO BIBLE DOCTRINES

                                        INTRODUCTION TO BIBLE DOCTRINES
                                                        2 Timothy 2: 15; 3: 16:17. .

Doctrine to the church is what a foundation is to a building. It is the article c faith on which a believer's faith is anchored. A building with a weak foundation collapse under intense unfavorable weather and environmental conditions a building with solid foundation will weather through storms (Matthew 7:24-27). Believer’s steadfastness and stability in the Lord is dependent on a firm grasp of the Truth revealed in the Bible (Ephesians 4: 13, 14). Whereas, lack of knowledge leads to backsliding and destruction (Hosea 4:6). In a world of error and deceit engineered by Satan and his hosts (John 8:44), a believer needs to be well grounded in the truth; in order to frontally attack every lie of Satan if he is to remain in faith (Matthew 4:3,
The early believers understood perfectly the need to be grounded in the doctrines both old and young engaged in spiritual activities that built up their Christian character and convictions. They studied the doctrines, prayed and celebrated the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:41-47). It should be observed that, the study of the doctrines took a place of pre-eminence in their ministry.
These Spirit-directed activities of the early saints led to the phenomenal growth of the early Church. Apart from this brought about boldness, steadfastness, and growth (Daniel 11:32; Acts 4:19,20) the extent that the whole of Jerusalem was filled with Christ's doctrine (Act 5:28
Paul understood the centrality of Bible doctrines to Christian maturity, hence he counseled the Ephesians Christians that spiritual gifts were endowed them order to teach doctrines that will bring about Christian perfection (Ephesians 4: 11- 14). His counseling to Timothy, his son in the Lord was: "Take heed unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shall both save thy self and them that hear thee" (I Timothy 4: 16). Paul's counsel to Titus who was left in Crete to set things that are wanting in order was that he should hold "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" (Titus 1 :9).