Focus: Doctrinal Faith (Pt.2)

Text: Rom.10:17

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Doctrinal faith is faith that is anchored to God's word. God is the God of doctrine, and indeed, the God of truth. His word or doctrine originates or generates faith in our hearts. Faith comes as God's word comes. The hearing of God's word produces faith in the heart. Faith to believe God comes by hearing the word of God.

Paul talks about "the word and doctrine" (1Tim.5:17). True faith is built on the doctrine of God, not on any other doctrine. Paul tells to acknowledge "no other doctrine" (1Tim.1:3).

Scripture unveils these other doctrines to us, namely, the "doctrines of men," "doctrines of devils," "strange doctrines," "every wind of doctrine," "doctrine of vanities," "doctrine of Balaam," and "doctrine of the Nicolaitans" (Mk.7:7; Col.2:22; 1Tim.4:1; Heb.13:9; Eph.4:14; Jer.10:8; Rev.2:14,15). These doctrines produce in those who believe in them spurious or false faith. The doctrine of Christ is pure and astonishing. The writers of the Gospels tell us that the people were astonished at the doctrine of Christ (Mk.1:22; 11:18; Lk.4:32). Paul tells us that the Scripture is "profitable for doctrine…" (2Tim.3:16), and upon this doctrine of Scripture our faith is built. The orality and textuality of God's Word originate, inform and influence our faith.

Faith is never based on nothing, and it doesn't function in a vacuum.

Faith and truth are eternally connected. Faith is founded and grounded on truth. Moses says, "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" (Dt.32:4). The Hebrew word for truth here is 'ĕmûnâh. Isaiah says, "That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the GOD OF TRUTH; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the GOD OF TRUTH" (Isa.65:16). The Hebrew word for truth here is 'âmên. The two Hebrew words for truth stems from the word 'âman, which is the word for 'amen,' meaning faith or 'to believe, to lean, or to rely upon.' So you can see that truth and faith belong together, and God is the God of truth, and He is the Amen. Jesus Christ says, "I am…the truth," and He describes the Spirit as "the Spirit of truth" (Jh.14:6,17). In God, in Christ, and in the Spirit, the truth is personified. God is the bedrock of truth on which our faith depends and proceeds from. 

Beyond propositions, our faith is founded on the person of God and His word.

Faith in Jesus Christ never fails, because Christ never fails. Our faith avails and prevails, because of God who is behind it. Doctrinal faith is the foundation for Christian character and conduct.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter