Doctrine Six
THE BIBLE IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH
The Bible is the foundation of the Church. The Holy Scriptures are the authority over our lives (not men; not ministers*). Ministers must teach as Christ taught. We must obey God, not men (Daniel 3:18; Matthew 15:9, 14; Acts 4:19).
"The BIBLE had proved itself to contain AUTHORITY. I had now studied far enough to know that I must LIVE by it, and that I shall finally be JUDGED by it -- not by men, nor by man's church denominations, theories, theologies, tenets, doctrines, or pronouncements. I would be judged by Almighty GOD finally, and according to the BIBLE!"
-- Herbert W. Armstrong, Autobiography
A ROCK SOLID FOUNDATION
The message of the Bible originated with God the Father, and was given to mankind through Jesus Christ (The Word) who inspired the prophets to write the Old Testament, and the apostles to write the New Testament (I Peter 1:10-12; II Peter 1:21; 3:2; Revelation 1:1-3; 5:1-9; 10:1-11; 22:18-19).
Jesus taught that man must live by every Word of God (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). When we accept what Christ taught as well as what He did (Hebrews 1:1-3; 2:3-4), we are building our house on a rock solid foundation (Matthew 7:24-29; Luke 6:46-49) which cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:26-28).
The prophets and the apostles wrote the Bible. That is why the Bible is the foundation of the Church (Ephesians 2:20).
BIBLE IS THE FOUNDATION
"According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it, for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
(I Corinthians 10:10-11)
" . . . having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."
(Ephesians 2:19-22)
" . . . from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. . . ."
(II Timothy 3:15-16)
" . . . prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
(II Peter 1:21)
" . . . be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior. . . ."
(II Peter 3:2)
The Old Testament prophets predicted two comings of the Messiah -- the first time to suffer, and the second time to restore all things (the annual spring and fall Holy Days foreshadow the two comings of the Messiah):
"But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began."
(Acts 3:18-21)
"Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them was indicating when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you. . . ."
(I Peter 1:10-12)
A TWO-EDGED SWORD
" . . . the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. . . ."
(Hebrews 4:12)
" . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. . . ."
(Ephesians 6:17)
" . . . out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. . . ."
(Revelation 1:16)
"These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword. . . ."
(Revelation 2:12)
"Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth."
(Revelation 2:16)
"Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."
(Revelation 19:15)
THE BIBLE IS FOR US TODAY
"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."
(Romans 15:4)
"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come."
(I Corinthians 10:11)
" . . . it is written in the law of Moses. . . . For our sakes, no doubt, this is written. . . ."
(I Corinthians 9:9, 10)
" . . . until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away."
(II Corinthians 3:14-16)
We should read the whole Bible -- with understanding! Most Jewish people do not accept the New Testament. Christians tend to neglect the Old Testament. But true religion is based on the whole Bible.**
Doctrine Six continues with the following sections:
The Words of Christ Carry Authority
Christ Upheld the Law of God
The Words of the Apostles Carry Authority
The Apostles Upheld the Law of God
The Words of the Prophets Carry Authority
The Prophets Upheld the Law of God
A World in Confusion
* Such Scriptures as Hebrews 13:7, 17 and I Thessalonians 5:12-13 were addressed to the first century Church of God which was directly under the supervision of the original apostles and on the right track. God wants us to obey the original apostles. Succeeding generations of church leaders went off track and church government became an "abomination of desolation." God does not want us to obey such leaders. A World in Confusion
** Excluding the uninspired apocrypha which was written during the dark half of The Fourth Millennial Day and reflects a period when Israel and Judah were under the dominion of "Babylon the Great" (Daniel 2:28-45; Revelation 18:2), cut off from God (Deuteronomy 4:28; 28:36, 64; Hosea 1:9; 5:6, 15; Romans 9:25-26; 11:7-8) Doctrine Four
