[Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:105]

Introduction

A. If we didn’t have the Bible, think of all we wouldn’t know.

B. Paul tells us of four things essential to our spiritual wellbeing for which the inspired Scriptures are profitable (2 Timothy 3:16).

C. The first of these is doctrine, that is, what we are to teach.

I. We cannot base doctrine on human traditions or commands.

A. This was the problem that Jesus had with the Pharisees (Matthew 15:1-6).

B. This was also the problem with generations of the Samaritans (John 4:20; 2 Kings 17:33).

C. There is an ever-present danger of letting this destroy churches of Christ (Acts 15:24).

II. We must let the Scriptures determine what we teach.

A. This is what Jesus did (John 7:16; 12:49-50; 5:19).

B. This is what the apostles did as well (Acts 15:16-18; Matthew 28:20; 16:19).

C. This is what the early evangelists did everywhere they preached (Acts 2:14-36; 8:35; 17:1-3).

D. Because my ways are no better than anyone else’s, I need God’s ways (Isaiah 55:8-9; Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 6:16).

Conclusion

A. “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11).

B. If the Bible is the only document profitable for doctrine, we should spend a lot of time with its teachings, we should write them on our gates, and we should teach them to our children.