Sermon #14811 Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: “My Doctrine”
Text: Deuteronomy 32:1-4
Subject: Gospel Doctrine
Date: Monday Evening –
Introduction:
(Deuteronomy 32:1-4) "Give
ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
{2} My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech
shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the
showers upon the grass: {3} Because I will publish the name of the LORD:
ascribe ye greatness unto our God. {4} He is the Rock, his work is perfect:
for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just
and right is he."
When people cannot
refute our message, when they cannot break down and destroy our doctrine, if
they refuse to believe it, if they refuse to bow to the Scriptures, they have
only one method of defending themselves, only one method by which they can try
to get people not to hear us. Their chosen, most loved weapon is slander. They
try to smear us, and the gospel we preach with ugly names.
Gospel preachers always
have their detractors. Like you, I have had a few in my day. We are often
condemned by legalists as base antinomians. The legalists assert that the
gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ promotes licentiousness. –
People who live in bondage are scared to death of liberty.
Recently, some little imps have been
running around declaring: -- “Fortner is a compromiser. His doctrine has
changed. He’s not as strong as he used to be.” – Well, I’ll leave that for you
to decide. I gave up the business of defending myself a long time ago. The
yelping of little dogs doesn’t bother me. I ignore them, but always in such a
way as to let them know they are being ignored. I do like to aggravate them a
little.
Others, attempting to cast one of God's
servants in what they imagine is an ugly light, will
some times say, "He is a doctrinal preacher,” or “He’s a dogmatic
doctrinalist."
What they fail to realize is that to people who read
their Bibles, that is not a detraction but an
attraction. All gospel preachers are doctrinal preachers. “Doctrine” is
not an ugly word. It simply means “teaching”. The doctrine of Christ is the
teaching of Christ. The doctrine of the Bible is the teaching of the Bible. The
doctrine of the gospel is the teaching of the gospel. Those who despise
doctrine despise the teaching of the Bible, the teaching of Christ, the teaching
of the gospel.
The Bible talks a lot about doctrine. All true doctrine is
described as...
·
“Pure Doctrine” (Job 11:4).
·
“Good Doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:6).
·
“Sound Doctrine” (1 Tim.
The gospel of Christ, the
teaching of the Bible is called “the
doctrine of God” (Tit.
It is the business of every gospel preacher to give himself
wholly to prayer, the study of the Word, and doctrine. -- The doctrine of
Christ! And it is the duty of every gospel preacher to establish his hearers in
sound doctrine, so that they be not tossed about with
divers and strange doctrines. That preacher who labors in the Word and in the
doctrine, Paul says, is “worthy of
double honor” (1 Tim.
In the light of these things, I make no apology for asking you
to turn with me to Deuteronomy 32 and preaching this message to you tonight.
The title of my message is found in verse 2: -- “My Doctrine.” Like the apostle
Paul, our Lord Jesus himself, and God’s prophet Moses, I avow the doctrine of
the gospel, the doctrine of this Book, the doctrine of God to be “My
Doctrine.”
·
My doctrine is public knowledge (2 Tim.
·
My doctrine will bear the scrutiny of Holy Scripture (John
(John 7:16-17) "Jesus
answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but
his that sent me. {17} If any man will do his
will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I
speak of myself."
·
My doctrine is the joyous doctrine of song and praise (Deut. 32:1-4).
(Deuteronomy 32:1-4) "Give
ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
{2} My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech
shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the
showers upon the grass: {3} Because I will publish the name of the LORD:
ascribe ye greatness unto our God. {4} He is the Rock, his work is perfect:
for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just
and right is he."
I take Moses’ words in this song to be my own, for his doctrine
is my doctrine and my doctrine is his doctrine.
1. My doctrine drops as the dew
and the rain from heaven.
·
It is of God. -- In its origin. -- In its revelation. - In its
teaching.
·
It is refreshing and delightful.
·
It is vital, necessary for life.
2. My doctrine publishes the
name of the Lord.
·
Johovah-Jireh -- The Lord Will Provide (Gen. 22:14).
·
Johovah-Nissi -- The Lord Our Banner (Ex.
·
Jehovah-Rapha -- The Lord That Healeth Thee (Ex.
·
Jehovah-Qadash – The Lord That Doth Sanctify You (Ex. 31:13).
·
Jeohvah-Shalom -- The Lord Our Peace (Jud.
·
Jehovah-Ra-Ah -- The Lord Our Shepherd (Psa. 23:1).
·
Jehovah-Tsidkenu -- The Lord Our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6).
·
Jehovah-Shammah -- The Lord Is There (Ezek. 48:35).
·
Jehovah-Jesus -- The Lord Our Savior (Gen. 43:3; Matt.
3. My doctrine calls for all
men everywhere to ascribe greatness to God.
·
Great is his Person!
·
Great is his work!
4. My doctrine declares that
the Lord our God is the Rock, not a rock, but the Rock.
“Their rock is not our Rock” (v. 31).
The God who is our Rock is the Man Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 10:4).
·
The only Rock of Foundation! -- Build on Him!
·
The only Rock of Refuge! -- Hide in Him!
·
The only Rock of Hope! -- Hope in Him!
5. My doctrine declares that
all the works of the triune God are perfect.
When rightly understood, all
his works are one, all that God does is for the saving of his people for the
glory of his name; and “his work is
perfect” (Isa. 63:12, 14; Eph. 1:3-14).
6. My doctrine declares that
all God’s ways are judgment.
(Psalms 97:2) "Clouds and
darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the
habitation of his throne."
Everything that he does and everything he permits, the whole work of providence, grace, and judgment reflects...
·
The wisdom of God.
·
The justice of God.
7. My doctrine asserts that our
great God, the only true and living God, in contrast to all the imaginary gods
of men, is a God of Truth.
·
He cannot lie.
·
He is without iniquity.
·
He is just and right in all he does.
“My Doctrine” is not a complicated, intricate,
mysterious system of theology. It is “the
simplicity of Christ.” It is as plain and obvious as the nose on your face,
and is easily understood by all who believe. “My Doctrine” can be essentially set forth in five statements. It
has not varied so much as a hair’s breadth since I was seventeen years old. Let
me give these five statements, and I will sit down.
I.
The
Lord our God is the absolute sovereign of the universe.
To say that God is sovereign
is simply to declare that God is God. A god who is not sovereign, a god whose
purpose can be overturned, whose will can be resisted, whose power can be
defeated, whose grace can be frustrated, is no God at all, but only the
idolatrous figment of man’s depraved imagination. I say of this generation what
the Lord God said of Isaiah’s generation: -- “They pray unto a god that
cannot save.” The god of this age is an idol carved from one of the trees
in the dark forest of man’s depraved heart of spiritual ignorance. The God of
the Bible is totally sovereign, the absolute Monarch of the universe. Read your
Bible and tell me whether or not I speak the truth (Isaiah 14:24, 26, 27;
Isaiah 46:9-11; Psalm 115:3; Psalm 135:6; Daniel 4:35-37).
(Psalms 115:3) "But our God
is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."
(Psalms 135:6) "Whatsoever
the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in
earth, in the seas, and all deep places."
(Isaiah 14:24) "The LORD of
hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so
shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:"
(Isaiah 14:26-27) "This is
the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the
hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. {27} For the LORD of
hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and
his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?"
(Isaiah 46:9-11) "Remember
the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I
am God, and there is none like me, {10} Declaring the end
from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet
done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
{11} Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my
counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to
pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it."
(Daniel 4:35-37) "And all
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth
according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants
of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What
doest thou? {36} At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for
the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my
counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom,
and excellent majesty was added unto me. {37} Now I Nebuchadnezzar
praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth,
and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase."
I want everyone who hears my voice to understand exactly what I
am saying. God is totally sovereign...
A.
In predestination (Rom.
B.
In creation (Pro. 16:4).
C.
In providence (Rom.11:36).
D.
In grace(Rom.
II.
This
Book alone and in its entirety is the Word of God.
·
It was written by Divine inspiration (2 Tim.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17) "All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
{17} That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works."
(2
Peter 2:20) "For if after they have
escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the
latter end is worse with them than the beginning."
·
It is complete, final, and authoritative (Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 22:19).
(Hebrews 1:1-3) "God, who
at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by
the prophets, {2} 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;
{3} Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of
his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by
himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on
high;"
(Revelation 22:19) "And if
any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall
take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from
the things which are written in this book."
Illustration:
Sister Ruth’s vision.
·
It is our only rule of faith and practice (Isa.
(Isaiah 8:20) "To the law
and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them."
III. All men and women, since
the fall of our father Adam, are born in a state of
(Romans 3:9-19) "What then?
are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we
have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; {10}
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not
one: {11} There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh
after God. {12} They are all gone out of the way, they are together become
unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. {13} Their
throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit;
the poison of asps is under their lips: {14} Whose mouth is full
of cursing and bitterness: {15} Their feet are swift to shed
blood: {16} Destruction and misery are in their ways: {17} And
the way of peace have they not known: {18} There is no fear of God
before their eyes. {19} Now we know that what
things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every
mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."
(Romans 5:12) "Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned:"
Find out what happened in the garden and you will have no trouble understanding both the history of man and the necessity of salvation by grace. Here are five facts revealed in Holy Scripture about all human beings by nature, by birth, and by practice. We are all...
A.
Totally
depraved (Gen. 6:5).
B.
Haters
of God (
C.
Justly
children of wrath (Eph. 2:3; Gal.
D.
Spiritually
dead (Eph. 2:1-5).
(Ephesians 2:1-5) "And you hath
he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: {2} Wherein in
time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience: {3} Among whom also we all had our conversation in times
past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the
mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. {4} But
God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, {5} Even
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye
are saved;)"
E.
Incapable
of doing good, or of even coming to Christ (John
A dead man cannot change his
condition. He is not even ware of his condition! He must be raised to life, or
he shall never have life.
Illustration: Lazarus (John 11).
IV.“Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah. 2:9)
(Jonah 2:1-9) "Then Jonah
prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, {2} And said, I
cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the
belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. {3} For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the
seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed
over me. {4} Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look
again toward thy holy temple. {5} The waters
compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about,
the weeds were wrapped about my head. {6} I went down to the bottoms of
the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast
thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. {7} When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my
prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. {8} They
that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. {9} But I will
sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that
I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD."
Salvation is the work of God alone. Man has nothing to contibute
to it and nothing to do with it. All we can do is “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.”
A.
God’s salvation is an eternal,
covenant salvation (2 Tim. 1:9; Eph. 1:3).
B. God’s salvation began in sovereign, electing love (Jer.
31:3; 2 Thess.
Read Deuteronomy 33:3, and you will see who God’s elect are.
(Deuteronomy 33:3) "Yea, he
loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at
thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words."
1. The People He Loved
2. His Saints – The People He
Sanctified
3. Those Who Are In His Hand
4. Those Who Sit At His Feet
5. Those Who Receive His Word
C.
The salvation of God’s elect
was secured by Divine predestination (Eph. 1:4-5, 11; Rom.
(Deuteronomy 32:8) "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance,
when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to
the number of the children of
(Romans 8:28-30) "And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose. {29} For
whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. {30} Moreover
whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
(Ephesians 1:4-5) "According
as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love: {5} Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,"
(Ephesians
1:11) "In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"
D.
The salvation of God’s elect
was obtained by a legal purchase and an effectual atonement made specifically
for them by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
·
Isaiah 53:8 - Limited atonement!
·
Hebrews
·
2 Corinthians
E.
God’s saving grace is
irresistibly and effectual applied to every chosen, redeemed sinner at the
appointed time of love by God the Holy Spirit.
·
Psalm 65:4
·
Psalm 110:3
·
John 6:63
·
Romans 9:16
F.
Every saved sinner, every
true believer, is infallibly secure and shall persevere in grace because he is
kept by the power of God (Mal. 3:6; Eccl. 3:14; John
10:27-30).
“The Lord’s portion is his people. Jacob is the lot of his
inheritance.” Look
what God does for his Jacobs (vv. 9-10).
(Deuteronomy 32:8-10) "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance,
when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according
to the number of the children of
1. “He found him in a desert land, in the waste and howling wilderness” (Ezek. 16:1-8).
2.
“He led him about.’
3.
“He instructed him!”
4.
“He kept him, as the apple
of his eye!”
V. Every
human in this world who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ is saved, has passed from
death unto life, and must possess all the blessedness and glory of heaven (John 5:24).
(John
5:24) "Verily, verily, I say unto
you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from
death unto life."
If you now believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, whoever you are, no
matter how old, how young, or how vile you are, if you now trust Christ, you
are right now...
A.
Forgiven Of All Sin (
B.
Completely Justified (Acts
C.
Free From The
Law (Rom.
D.
Made Worthy Of Heaven (Col. 1:12).
E.
“Accepted In The Beloved” (Eph. 1:6).
F.
Sealed By The Spirit “Today shalt thou be with me in
Application:
Here is a test by which you
may determine whether any doctrine, the doctrine of any church, the doctrine of
any preacher is of God. Does it give you rest? (Jer. 6:16).
(Jeremiah 6:16) "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the
ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and
walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."
Let’s put some doctrine to the test...
1. The doctrine of
2. The doctrine of the
Campbellite - Baptismal regeneration.
3. The doctrine of the legalist
- Obedience to the law.
4. The doctrine of the Arminian
- Freewillism - works!
5. The doctrine of grace - My
doctrine - Trust Christ. He did it all. Here is my Sabbath!
1 Sermon #1155