1. Definition of Terms
2. The Importance of Doctrine
3. Doctrinal Preaching
4. Chapter Questions

1. Definition of Terms
Baptist – That group of people who have had a continuous existence from the days of Jesus Christ and the apostles, down to this present day.
Doctrine – That which is taught; which is held, put forth as true, and supported by a teacher, a school, or a sect; a principle or position, or the
body of principles in any branch of knowledge; a theological tenet; dogma.
Baptist Doctrine – The teachings and instructions as set forth, supported and taught by that group of people whom the world knows as “Baptists.”
Key to Remember – Baptist Doctrine is the interpretation of the Bible as understood and taught by (Historic) Baptists.

2. The Importance of Doctrine
- The Lord personally shared His doctrine during His earthly ministry.
- The Apostles and Spirit-Filled teachers of the early Church taught the Lord’s doctrine and wrote the New Testament.
- In searching and studying the scriptures, we find His doctrine.
- Consider the following scriptures:
 John 7:16-17; John 5:39; Deut 32:2; Ps 19:7; Rom 1:16
- 2 Tim 3:16-17, These verses help us to understand that all scripture is given to communicate the facts which God desired His people to have.
Therefore, all God wanted His people to know is revealed to them in His Word. God has made it the duty of His servants to go to His Book and
search out His “doctrines” that they might teach it to others.
- According to John 7:16, Christ’s doctrine came from God the Father and
so should ours. All true doctrine is found in the Word of God and can be
understood by those who seek to know it.
- Christ said that those who taught doctrine which cannot be sustained by
His Word face punishment, see Matt 5:19; Matt 15:9-13. He warned His people against false teachers, as did Paul, Peter, John, and Jude: Matt 16:12, Gal. 1:6-9; 2nd Pet 2:1-22; 2nd John vs 7-11; Jude vs 3-4

3. Doctrinal Preaching
- Baptists are unwilling for their teaching and practice to vary from the Scriptures. Error is a subtil thing; leaven. It brings destruction with it.
- Baptist hold that the Lord Jesus Christ brought the truth of God down to us from heaven. He said, “I am the truth”, see John 14:6.
- The world is in the condition it was in during Isaiah’s day. See Isa 30:10
- Paul also described the condition of the world in 2 Tim 4:3.
- Too many preachers among us are cowards. The Churches want smooth things, and the preachers, in order to hold their positions, give it to them.
- We need men like Zerubbabel and Jeshua who are described in Ezra 4:3.
- When Baptists intermingle with other denominations and doctrinal error, they cease to be the separate people God would have them to be.
- Baptists need to cling to the doctrine and practices of God in order to be separate from error.
- God has called His people out from error. John and Paul wrote of this.
Notice these scriptures: Rev 18:4; Col 2:21-22; Heb 13:10, 2 Cor 6:16-17

4. Questions
a. What is meant by the word “doctrine”?
b. What is meant by the word “Baptists”?
c. What importance is attached to the preaching of doctrine?
d. What did Jesus say do with the scriptures?
e. What is the will of the Lord concerning doctrine?
f. What effect did the preaching of Jesus have?
g. What did Paul say the “gospel” is?
h. What is the condition of the world today as compared to Isaiah’s?
i. What did Paul say about people having “itching ears”?
j. What does it mean to have “itching ears”?

Optional written assignment
Will welcome a topic of your own choosing as long as it stems from the lesson. Will review and respond to first three pages if submitted in a
timely manner. In three pages or less, use the scriptures given in this lesson to explain the instructions provided in the Bible as to how the followers of Jesus Christ and His Churches should respond to doctrinal error. Provide examples that illustrate how this should be practiced.

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