A forgotten word and a little known one

I wish to talk to you about a dreadful word, one which itches the ear.
A word soaked in connotations of dogmatism and separation.
D-O-C-T-R-I-N-E; doctrine

It is a biblical word, mentioned 50 times in the Word of God
But what does it mean? Noah Webster's 1828 dictionnary has:

DOCTRINE, n. [L., to teach.]
1. In a general sense, whatever is taught. Hence, a principle or position in any science; whatever is laid down as true by an instructor or master. The doctrines of the gospel are the principles or truths taught by Christ and his apostles. [...]
2. The act of teaching.
He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine. Mark 4.
3. Learning; knowledge.
Whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Isa 28.
4. The truths of the gospel in general.
That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Titus 2.
5. Instruction and confirmation in the truths of the gospel. 2 Tim 3.

It is undisputable that doctrine has caused unspeakable damage and much petty and vicious strife. The Word of God concerns Himself with "sound", "good", "uncorrupt", "grave", and "sincere" doctrine.


1Timothy 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained

2Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

Titus 1:9 Holding 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 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

Titus 2:7 : in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Timothy is said to have "attained" "good doctrine". So there's some searching of the scriptures and studying involved, right? right!

John 5:39 Search the scriptures;

2Tiomthy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

"Rightly dividing the word of truth"... who here has ever heard of another biblical word,

D-I-S-P-E-N-S-A-T-I-O-N; dispensation?


2Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Did you know that as far as DOCTRINE is concerned (notice also that it comes first in the verse) not all the books of the Bible are targeted toward the church-age believer?

If you don't have this distinction, you are going to have a tough time reconciling some verses.
I always hesitated to believe in eternal security, "once saved always saved", though I felt it was true. I knew the verses of Romans, Peter, John... but then I would walk, for instance, into

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;

I've heard many interpretations, many glossings over, and tried to convince myself of them but if when I had to be perfectly honest with myself,something wasn't right, so I took it by faith, and studied the Bible, because I knew I was the problem.

Now consider that after the church's rapture, some will believe during the tribulation, and will be reading the Bible, you understand that for them it will be possible to lose their salvation. And they will understand more than we do, given accumulated knowledge and the advantage of hindsight. They will understand that Hebrews and James, and the beatitudes of Matthew,for example, are doctrinally theirs.
Notice the fact that in Revelation they KEEP BOTH the commandments of God AND the testimony of Jesus Christ, commandments coming first:

Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, AND have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, AND the faith of Jesus.

And to think that hundreds of churches and sites duke it over whether one can lose his salvation or not...

See what this understanding will do to clear up Paul (THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES WRITING TO THE CHURCHES) and James WRITING
"TO THE TWELVE TRIBES..."(James 1:1)

now try reconciling

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

and

James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Doctrinally, Romans is to you Bible-believers, in this time, the church (not Hebrews for example. Incidently, today there can be no such thing as a "Jew for Jesus", anyone who believes in Jesus is a Christian Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek)
; and James doctrinally is to the Jews of the tribulation

See how that clears up justification by faith vis-a-vis justification by works???
You are not saved in the same way that Old Testament folks were saved, are you? Can you think of a single epistle that tells you to keep "the commandments of God AND the testimony of Jesus Christ" in order to be saved? Must you sacrifice bulls and goats?
Remark also that when those Revelation verses are written there is no more mention of the church until the very end of the book...

Now granted this is meat, no milk

Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Naturally, one won't jump with this at the first Catholic or Jehovah's witness that passes by, lest they choke on it, but it is high-time for Bible-believers to get into the meat.
Do you now see the importance of 2 Timothy 2:15?

And of

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets

So we must be equiped

Ephesians 4:14 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;

The Bible yet also says of the Father

"...with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

And so to the mind that would charge God with precisely such things as he understands dispensationalism to be, there are few words as apt and fit as those of Calvin

"written before either the covenant or dispensational systems had been developed"
http://gospelpedlar.com/dis_dispensation.html

"It is not fitting, they say, that God, always self-consistent, should permit such a great change, disapproving afterward what he had once commanded and commended. I reply that God ought not to be considered changeable merely because he accommodated diverse forms to different ages, as he knew would be expedient for each. If a farmer sets certain tasks for his household in the winter, other tasks for the summer, we shall not on this account accuse him of inconstancy or think that he departs from the proper rule of agriculture, which accords with the continuous order of nature. In like manner, if a householder instructs, rules, and guides his children one way in infancy, another way in youth, and still another in young manhood, we shall not on this account call him fickle and say that he abandons his purpose. Why, then, do we brand God with the mark of inconstancy because he has with apt and fitting marks distinguished a diversity of times?"
http://gospelpedlar.com/dis_dispensation.html

I am no theologian, and some points need clarification while others werent dealth with, but I do hope I have pricked your consciences to study the Bible, and understand doctrine in a way scarcely taught, the soundness of which would avoid us many, many a problem.

The Bible is a deep deep ocean to swim, a mine to explore, yielding its delicious truths to the Holy Spirit and prayer and study. Isaiah teaches us how the Word of God is revealed

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little[...]

Isaiah 29:24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.