Continuing in the Old Paths part I

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them – II Timothy 3:14

I am glad to be identified with the old time way. Paul told his young preacher boy Timothy to “continue thou in the things which thou hast learned…” We need to continue in the old time religion, if it is going to survive this generation. I believe that walking in the old paths involves continuing in the things which we have learned. In my previous message, we examined Jeremiah 6:16 and saw that we must walk in the old paths. Now we will examine three ways in which we must continue in the “old-time religion.” This will be done in a series of posts. Remember you can post questions and comments on here. I hope that if you are lost and reading this, that you will pay close attention to the first point. Those who are saved, I pray that the following messages will help you to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saint.” (Jude 3)

I. Continue in Old Time Doctrine I Timothy 4:16
Continue in the right Beliefs
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. – I Timothy 4:16

First, we must continue in the old time doctrine, or to put it another way, we must continue in the right beliefs. We have to make sure our doctrine is right. What is doctrine exactly? Doctrine is defined as a body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject. We can continue in the old time doctrine because it comes from the Word of God. Let us examine two ways in which we can continue in old time doctrine.

A. Continue in the Biblical Doctrines
We must continue in Biblical doctrines. Why is our doctrine so important? Because as Dr Ernest Childs taught me – “What people see me do, they think I believe.” Therefore it is fundamentally important that we have the right beliefs, and those beliefs must come from an incorruptible, unchanging source – The Holy Scriptures. Dr. Tom Farrell says often “The Holy Spirit wrote the Holy Scriptures to make us holy saints.” If we don’t continue in Bible doctrines, they will not make it to the next generation. I would like to examine three important Bible doctrines in which we must continue.
1. Salvation
This doctrine is the most important doctrine to continue in because it determines your eternal destiny. If your doctrine is not right about salvation, you will die and go to a devil’s hell. Salvation is the work of God.
Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. – Psalms 3:8
Salvation is of the LORD. – Jonah 2:9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9
From the above verse, there is only one condition for salvation and that is faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary. I would like to be very detailed in this matter of soul salvation, so we will consider the means, method and nature of salvation. The following is not a result of my own study, but a organized outline of the Biblical doctrine of salvation as given in my Systematic Theology class taught by Dr. Ernest Childs. Dr. Childs’ outline is not based on his opinion but on a careful study of the Word of God.
a. The Means of salvation.
There are four means by which God has supplied salvation.
1) Substitution
Because we are born in sin, we deserve to die and spend eternity separated from God.
Romans 3:10 – 23
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.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

The above passage clearly teaches us that man is sinful and unable to satisfy the demands of a righteous and holy God.
Romans 6:23a – For the wages of sin is death….
The death referred to in this verse is not just physical death, but also eternal death in the lake of fire eternally separated from the God of Heaven. But I am glad that God did not leave us in that state. The verse ends by stating – but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Because we needed to die, a substitute was required, One Who is innocent, willing, and acceptable to God. Only One has ever fulfilled those requirements and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.
II Corinthians 5:21
For he [God the Father] hath made him [God the Son] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Hallelujah for the Accepted Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ!
Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus became my sin for me and took my place, dying for me! Hallelujah, what a Savior!