THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST Devotion 5 of 12 The "doctrine" of Christ is the teaching OF Christ – what He proclaimed and proclaims. It embodies His Person and His purpose. Jesus is the One chosen by God to speak to earth's closing generation. As it is written, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by Whom also He made the worlds" (Heb 1:1-2, KJV). The phrase "sundry times and in divers manners" refers to periodic messages during unique times. The NKJV translates the phrase "at various times and in various ways." The NASB gives this rendering, "many portions and in many ways." The NIV says, "at many times and in various ways." TIMES PAST The ways in which the mind of the Lord was communicated in the past varied. Sometimes He provided personal directions, guiding holy people in particular ways to particular places (Noah building an ark - Gen 6:14ff; Abraham going to the promised land - Gen 12:1ff; etc.). Sometimes the Lord spoke through dreams (Abimelech - Gen 20:3ff; Jacob - Gen 31:10ff; Joseph - Gen 37:5ff). Lofty visions were sometimes employed in Divine communication (Abraham- Gen 15:1; Samuel - 1 Sam 3:15; Ezekiel - Ezek 1:1). There were also Divine influences on the minds of the holy prophets (Daniel - Dan 7:28). These revelations were true, and they were good. However, they were vastly inferior to the teaching of Jesus. JESUS IS PREEMINENTLY A TEACHER Jesus is preeminently a Teacher! He is the One through Whom God has "SPOKEN" to this generation. The final message of the Living God has come through the living Christ! One of the great proclamations of this reality is found in Matthew the eleventh chapter. We have dealt with this passage before, but the gravity of it demands that we probe its depths once again. Here is a truth of which my soul never tires. Long it was hidden from my eyes, obscured, as it were, by the academic clouds of worldly wisdom. THE SON MUST WANT TO SHOW US THE FATHER There is only one way to know the Lord--to "know the Father." The Son must want to reveal the Father to the individual; i.e., "he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal (Him). The NIV translates the phrase, "those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him." Who is the person to whom Jesus wills to reveal the Father? It is the one that comes to Him--the one that abandons all other pursuits, fleeing to Jesus for refuge and instruction. The following words of our Lord confirm this to be the case. While the words are well known, their meaning is little known. "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Matt 11:28- 29). NOT INTRODUCTORY KNOWLEDGE The knowledge that Jesus ministers is not meant to be introductory. This is the appointed means of saving us. Isaiah prophesied of this ministry of Christ. "By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many . . . " (Isa 53:11). This is the "knowledge" that Jesus ministers from within the yoke of Divine fellowship (1 Cor 1:9). Remember, "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ . . . " (John 17:3). That indispensable knowledge – knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ – is administered by Jesus Himself. It is not possible to know God part from the Son! That is an elementary unit of knowledge that Satan has almost completely obscured from this generation. SATAN'S STRATEGY Satan tempts men to push Jesus into the background. He offers a number of other priorities, ranging from personal gratification to political, domestic, and social pursuits. However, you cannot afford to allow your adversary, the devil, to turn you away from Jesus--in any sense, or at any time! The world has nothing to offer that will compensate for a lack of fellowship with Christ. You have been "called" into that fellowship by God Himself. "God is faithful; by Him you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor 1:9). You cannot ignore that fellowship and be saved! Those that attempt to go forward without Jesus abandon the only means of knowing and approaching to the Father. They have avoided "the doctrine of Christ," and have thus excluded themselves from eternal life. – Tomorrow:
"Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son." (2 John 8-9, NASB)
Those enamored of dreams and visions do well to hear the Lord speak on this matter. Such experiences are not to be considered invalid or impossible – they are to be considered inferior to the teaching of Jesus Himself. Through Jeremiah the prophet, the Lord addressed this matter. "Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain? declares the LORD. Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" (Jer 23:28-29). A similar word was given in regards to Moses, the servant of the Lord. "Listen to my words: "When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles" (Num 12:5-7).
If the words of prophets and Moses were considered superior to dreams and visions, what must be said of the tutelage of the Son of God Himself
"All things have been delivered unto Me of My Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal (Him.) Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Matt 11:17-30, ASV).
The Divine affirmation is clear. No one--absolutely no one--knows the Son except the Father. Neither, indeed, does any man know who the Father is, except the Son. Supposed scholars may find difficulty with this affirmation, but faith does not. Remember, those to whom Jesus spoke had the Word of God. There were also scholars in that day--men that had expertise in the text and context of Scripture. Yet, Jesus informed them that "no one" knew the Son or the Father; i.e., knew Who they were or how they worked. If someone claims they know the Son or the Father, and yet does not have fellowship with the Son, they simply have lied in their claim.
Those that "labor and are heavy laden" are the ones seeking to know the Lord. They are challenged to come to Jesus, Who alone knows Who the Father is. He is graciously disposed to make Him known to those desiring to know Him.
The "yoke" of Christ is the fellowship in which He communicates the good knowledge of God. If you will "learn" from Jesus, you must plow in the field of truth with Him!
The meekness and lowliness of Christ is His gracious disposition to show the Father to hungry and thirsty souls.
The "rest" experienced by the believer is a state in which God is known. No longer does the seeker weary himself with a fruitless search. What is more, the "yoke" and "burden" of Jesus are "light" and "easy." That is another way of saying the knowledge of God will not cast us down, but rather will lift us up. It is not a "burden" to know God!
John's point is simply this: those that choose to ignore the Son, striving to make progress without Him, abandon their only hope of eternal life. They may seem innocent in their pursuits, but they are not! They must come to Jesus or they cannot come to God! They must be taught by Jesus, or they cannot learn of God. There is no point in the life of faith where these things cease to be true!
The reason for this procedure is quite simple. God has appointed that Jesus bring you to Himself (1 Pet 3:18). This is not just a legal requirement, it is an indispensability! Only Jesus knows Who the Father is. If He does not teach you, the devil will deceive you!
The individual who does not abide in "the doctrine of Christ" refuses to sit under His tutelage. He rejects the fellowship of the son, and refuses to hear Him who is speaking from heaven (Heb 12:25). Those who do abide in "the doctrine of Christ" as described as those who "learned Christ," being "taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus" (Eph 4:20-21).
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You for the teaching of Jesus, and for its unfailing effectiveness.