THE FAITH: A Form of Sound Doctrine

What is "THE FAITH "

Col.2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in THE FAITH, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you [corrupting THE FAITH] through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Paul uses the phrase, "THE FAITH", to identify the working of an independent, living truth, existing as a foundation, in the heart of the believer. THE FAITH is in simple terms, the Bible, the Word of God, embedded in the heart of the believer. However, in a more accurate definition, THE FAITH is not all the Bible, but rather, a "specific set of doctrine" from within the Bible. What is more, the "specific set of doctrine", as foundational truth in the heart, is determined by the dispensation in which one lives. Let me explain.

Paul writes the following,

1 Cor.3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

Even though there were other dispensations before this grace dispensation, Paul clearly tells us that he has laid a foundation (by inspiration of the risen and glorified Christ). The grace foundation is different from the preceding law foundation. In turn, the law foundation is different from others that exist before or after it. In each dispensation, God dispenses his Word and Will for that time, and His relationship with humanity is different. The foundation that Paul laid determines how God administers His Will by grace through His Son, which is very different to how God administered the law dispensation to Israel through Moses and the prophets. For more clarity on what is a dispensation, see here.

So, in generalization, the phrase, "THE FAITH", as Paul uses it, refers to God's Word for a specific dispensation, that forms a solid foundational standard of truth in the heart of a believer, that will guide their core values and purpose, their responses and behaviors, their lifestyle and relationships, and their commitment to THAT FAITH.

What is "THE FAITH" for this Grace Dispensation?

A form of sound doctrine

The Word of God (contained in the pages of the Bible) is a form of sound doctrine, which are words that can be trusted and are completely worthy to be believed. These sound words, for us, is the doctrine of the grace dispensation, encapsulated in the epistles of Paul.

Rom.6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Later in the same letter to the church at Rome, Paul classifies this form of doctrine into two parts. He says the following, 

Rom.16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

We must first note that the purpose of both parts is to stablish the believer. The word "stablish" is defined as: "to make stable or firm"; see the full definition at the end of this article. Both parts of this form of doctrine is for the laying of a solid foundational truth in the heart of the believer. This truth will firm them up, making them stable so as not to be swayed and influenced by "every wind of doctrine", Eph.4:14.

Next, we must note what Paul identifies as the two parts to stablish a believer in THE FAITH. 

The first part is according to "my gospel", which is the unique gospel that Paul preached to the Gentiles. This is not the gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus preached. Nor is it the gospel of God that the 12-apostles preached in Acts. What Paul preached is the gospel of Christ, which has its basis in God's grace alone, through faith alone in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, without works and ordinances.

The second part is according to "the revelation of the mystery". This part is too broad to deal with here, but in essence, it is a doctrine that is not found in the prophetic scriptures, hence being a mystery. This doctrine provides us the instructions to live under the new dispensation, or administration, of God's grace and will. Examples of the doctrine of grace from Paul's epistles that make up this foundation of "THE FAITH" are:

• The cross of Christ
• Salvation through grace without works
• Dead to sin and free from the law and ordinances
• From faith to faith, with a spiritual calling
• Rooted and established in love
• Maturing in Christ who is our Head
• Being renewed in the spirit of your mind
• Perfecting of the saints, edifying of the body of Christ
• Being led by the Spirit
• Ambassadors with a ministry of reconciliation
• Waiting for our great hope, the catching away
• etc...

Both the grace gospel of our salvation and the basic doctrines of Paul's epistles, produce "THE FAITH" foundation upon which our lives should be based. Paul attributes both justification and sanctification (1 Cor.6:11; 2 Thess.2:13) to this dynamic foundation of faith that becomes established within us by regeneration, followed by a constant exposure of the Word of God, rightly divided.

How do we become stablished in "THE FAITH"?

Our mind becomes informed of the doctrine

When we hear (perceive, understand) this form of sound doctrine, when these words of the grace gospel enter our minds, we become informed of God's salvation. Through the hearing of faith*, the foundation of "THE FAITH" begins to get laid. It begins with the message of the gospel. 

Rom.10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ... 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Gal.3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ... 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Informed, then transformed

Paul writes that one should become transformed after the mind has been informed. 

Rom.12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [in your heart] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

The power of the gospel causes the heart to become quickened or regenerated by the Spirit of God. It is at this point that the form of sound words is truly revealed to the understanding. God's Spirit removes the veil from the Word and it becomes spiritually discernable to the new believer. 

1 Cor.2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. ... 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Laying the foundation of THE FAITH in the human heart starts with 'informing the mind'. It then continues transforming the believer as they are exposed to the body of truth from the epistles of Paul. The strength of this foundation is determined by the quality of rightly divided, dispensational truth, that the believer is exposed to and begins to understand.

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* As a sidenote, it is important to understand that one cannot hear this doctrine without faith (without the desire to hear, and learn, and be changed). If what one hears is not sound doctrine, and if one is not ready to hear truth, then they won't receive it by faith, and the saving power of the gospel becomes the powerless words of men. It becomes of no value and no effect. What we end up hearing does not result in salvation and does not produce reverential fear. It becomes the letter of the law. It gets altered to suit the needs of the flesh (2 Cor.11:3; 1 Tim.6:5; 2 Tim.3:8). Without the desire to hear, one is blinded to the truth,

2 Cor.4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Staying in "THE FAITH"

2 Tim.1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words [doctrine], which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

Staying in THE FAITH is neither idle, nor static. Paul told Timothy to hold fast to the words of truth. It requires active learning and development. It is a continually progressive walk of faith, exposing oneself to the study and exercising of the Word of God. The Colossians were encouraged to walk worthy of the Lord, the Corinthians were instructed to examine their growth, and the church at Ephesus were encouraged to aim for perfection in Christ, to add value to the Body of Christ. 

2 Cor.13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in THE FAITH; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Rom.1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to THE FAITH among all nations, for his name:

2 Tim.4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept THE FAITH:

Paul was continually in prayer for the churches, asking God to fill its members with all wisdom and spiritual understanding so they might be strengthened in spirit and be able to walk worthy of the Lord. 

Eph.1:18 The eyes of your understanding [heart] being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Col.1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 

How many of us can truthfully say that we pray for others to be zealous of the Word, to be filled with the Word of the Lord, to be faithful to search out the scriptures and not to find our truth in other forms of media or print. The world today is full of readily available, online sites where we can become engrossed in people's opinions of Biblical matters. We can so easily turn to social media and find ourselves in arguments and never-ending debates over theological nonsense. Worst of all, it is so easy to become entangled in deception and lies if one is not grounded in THE TRUTH. People fill their websites with their own doctrines, many of them have never studied the rightly divided truths, and lead people astray by their intellectual views and philosophical tales. Today, more than any other time, it is so crucial to find our comfort and grounding in the Bible itself. Let the Word interpret the Word. Let the Word be your source from start to finish.

Exposure to the Word of God is the foundation of THE FAITH that keeps us stable. It is the basis of our spiritual walk. The Holy Spirit directs our steps according to the knowledge we have of the Word of God. In addition to our personal walk of faith, it is the Word of God within our heart that keeps us in the truth and prevents us from being tossed to and fro by all manner of false doctrines. Furthermore, the doctrine of THE FAITH is the very living Word that forms and upholds the unity of the faith in the Body of Christ. It binds us together in the knowledge of the Son of God so that we might grow up into a perfect man, walking in the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Col.1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Eph.3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Purpose of "THE FAITH"

Paul informs us best what is the ultimate purpose of having a strong foundation of THE FAITH in our heart,

Eph.4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Departing from "THE FAITH"

1 Tim.4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from THE FAITH, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; ... 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from THE FAITH, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

As I start to end this article, I feel compelled to draw attention to what happens if the wrong doctrine is added to the foundation of "THE FAITH"? What becomes of that person who gets deceived and who tries to build upon the foundation with wood, hay and stubble? As paraphrased from 2 Cor.3:6, the foundation of "THE FAITH" can quickly become unstable by the addition of deception, by mixing in the letter of the law and traditions, and by dissolving the truth with works of the flesh. Sadly, "THE FAITH", which is best preserved in the heart of people, is often glorified externally; written into creeds, weaved into doctrinal formulations, and forced into systematic theologies. These documents have worked themselves into church denominations, into their theologies and traditions, where they have become part of "the problem" for so many. In these written statements, "THE FAITH" gets reduced down to a set of logical rules about Christian living, ordinances, outward appearances, conduct, spiritual practices, and do's and don'ts, that the would-be believer readily "accepts", thereby trapping them in a system of performance and acceptance or some form of denominational box. Just as the Israelites added to and distorted the Mosaic law, so too does most of post-Acts Christianity repeat the cycle, distorting "THE FAITH" and getting entangled again with the yoke of bondage, making Christ become of no effect, Gal.5:1-4. 

Conclusion

Being established in "THE FAITH" starts with a work of God through the gospel of grace. Through hearing the gospel, it opens the mind to the truth and quickens the spirit. Thereafter, it is the fundamentals of Paul's epistles that lays the foundation of "THE FAITH" in your heart. This body of truth identifies you as Christ's by establishing a set of living values and principles within you. It is this foundation of truth that sets you apart unto God and makes you a useful instrument for good works specific to the grace dispensation.

You cannot be established in the Lord without allowing the Word of God to fill your mind, enabling it to overflow into your heart, causing you to grow up in "THE FAITH", to walk worthy of the Lord, and to add value to the Body of Christ. Christians try to live for God without getting into the Bible first!! Without the truth of the Word of God, they succeed only to live in the letter of the law, in the flesh, and in dead works. They are easily deceived without having the correct foundation of "THE FAITH" within their heart. Investing the time to understand the foundational doctrines of "THE FAITH" is of critical importance. This responsibility is not just for pastors and theologians. All Christian believers should take time to understand what they believe…and why! As Paul let's us know, we all should be "rooted and built up in him, and stablished in THE FAITH, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving", Col.2:7.

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* The full meaning of "stablish"

The word establish is well understood.  The synonyms include founded and beginning at.

Stablish, in its briefest definition, means built up. It's not the founding of anything, but rather the building or strengthening of the already existing person or principle. It is to do with being edified and strengthened.

Stablish may be considered archaic, but for the serious student it's both practical and clear in communicating the 'sense'. In Paul's epistle to the Colossians, he first thanks God for their faith in Christ Jesus—established (1:4). Next, he prays that they may be strengthened (stablished) upon the foundation of their faith (1:11). He repeats the theme in Chapter 2: "…the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord (already established in Christ), so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished…" (Col. 2:5-7). The foundation is in Christ (established) and the building up follows (stablished).