Masterpiece Number 32
Going beyond the Doctrine of Christ?
November 12, 2005
Pastor, Brian
Kocourek
This morning I
would like to address the thought of “Going
beyond the Doctrine of Christ”. Now, you might be thinking why would
anyone think of going beyond the doctrine of Christ. Especially after what
Now, remember in, MATTHEW 10:32 Jesus said, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. And in LUKE 12:8 we also read the same thing. Also I say unto you,
Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess
before the angels of God: Now, the word confess here was translated
from the Greek word Homologeo which is two greek words “homo” and “logeo” which
are combined together make one Greek word, and the word “homo” means “the same”
and logeo means “word”. So Jesus is saying, He that says the same word about me
to men, I will say the same thing to my father about them.
Now let’s read how this promise of
God given to us through His Son was put to the test.
JOHN 9:22 These [words] spake his
parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if
any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
JOHN 12:42 ¶ Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many
believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [him], lest
they should be put out of the synagogue:
I JOHN 4:1 ¶
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are
of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know
ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in
the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist,
whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the
world.
I JOHN 2:23
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [(but) he that
acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the
beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you,
ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised
us, [even] eternal life.
I JOHN 5:12 He that hath the Son hath
life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
Jesus told us that JOHN 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on
him.
JOHN 20:31
31 But these are written, that ye might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might
have life through his name.
JOHN 6:40
40 And this is the will of him that sent me,
that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting
life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
JOHN 5:26
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so
hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
Now, I want you to notice that He is
telling us here, that who ever goes beyond the limits of the doctrine of Christ
and notice he adds, and abideth not, which means to remain not in the doctrine
of Christ, hath not God. So if you go beyond the limits and do not remain in
the doctrine of Christ, then you could never say what God says, and it shows that
you not only do not have God, but you are incapable of echoing God, you are
incapable of saying what God says.
Then if we are not
to go beyond the doctrine of Christ, what did the Apostle Paul mean when he
said in Hebrews chapter 6, Hebrews 6: 1 Therefore leaving the principles of the
doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the
foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.
Leaving the doctrine of Christ to
go on unto perfection? Is that what Paul is saying? No, that
is not what he is saying. But if you read the Bible carelessly like most people
read it, you would have read just that, and you would have been thrown into a
misinterpretation of the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul did not say we are to
leave the doctrine of Christ in order to go on unto perfection. He said leaving
the “principles” of the doctrine of
Christ we go on unto perfection. So you see it is the principals first, and
then going beyond those principles that brings us to perfection.
Now, I know you may not be
following me right now, because you may be saying in your mind, what could be
beyond the doctrine of Christ? I mean the same Apostle John that said, 2 John 1: 9 Whosoever
transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, does not even have God,
and neither can heecho God or say what God says. (Then he adds,) He that abideth in
the doctrine of Christ, he hath (he echoes) both the Father and the Son.
Well, if you are paying close
attention to my words you will notice that I never quoted the Apostle Paul as
saying we must go beyond the doctrine of Christ but he said, leaving the
principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on into perfection.
Not leaving the doctrine, but
leaving the principles of the doctrine. Now, the word principles was translated
from the Greek word arche, which means the first part or the beginning part. So
you see Paul is not suggesting that we leave the doctrine of Christ in order to
enter into perfection, but rather he is telling us that we must not stay and
dwell on the first part of the doctrine of Christ, but rather if we are to go
unto perfection, we must go beyond that fist part of the doctrine of Christ.
Therefore the Apostle Paul is
giving us a clue here that perfection lays within the boundaries of the
doctrine of Christ, but to get there we must not stop when we come to the
doctrine of Christ but we must enter into it fully and not stop at the first
understanding we have concerning the doctrine of Christ. He is telling us that
in order to reach perfection we must go further into the doctrine than the mere
principle which is the first part.
So we must then ask our
selves what does this mean and what is the principles of the doctrine of
Christ. What is the first part in understanding the doctrine of Christ. And we get our answer from a vindicated prophet
of God to this last age.
In his
sermon on Hebrews 6 Brother Branham said, Hebrews Chapter 6 57-0908E P:10 Now.
Leaving… Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go
on to perfection;...I like Paul saying those things. Paul never was a person
that liked to stay too long in one place; he liked to move on deeper. One time
in the Scripture he said, "I... Forgetting those things which are in the
past, I press towards the mark of the high calling." See, he keeps pressing
on. Here he said: Now forgetting the principles of the doctrine of Christ...
(Who He was, What He was),... let's go on to perfection;...
Hebrews Chapter 5 and 6 57-0908M P:25 Now
notice. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who
by reasons of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
(Know what's right and what's wrong by the discernment.) Now, notice, starting
now on our lesson. This great background now, let's go for the 1st verse: THEREFORE
leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,...What's he saying? All these
first five chapters has been laid on Christ to show Who He is. Now, we're
leaving those principles of the doctrines of Christ.
And
what does Paul do in Hebrews? He moves from Who and What Christ is to, right
into perfection in chapters 7 and on.
Notice
Hebrews chapter 1 tells us the son of God was made in the exact image of the
Father.
HEBREWS 1:3 Who being the
brightness of his (The
Father’s) glory,
and the express image of his (The Father’s) person, and upholding all things by the word
of his (the Father’s) power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on
the right hand of the Majesty (God) on high; 4 ¶
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance
obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For unto which of the angels said
he (God) at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?
And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Now, in Chapter 2 the Apostle Paul
tells us that we had better not let so great an understanding as this slip from
our grasp. HEBREWS 2:1 ¶ Therefore
we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest
at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast,
and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so
great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was
confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Then as the Apostle Paul moves
from the birth of Christ and His relationship to the Father, he then begins to
show us that we also have relationship with the Son of God.
HEBREWS 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was
made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
10 ¶
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things,
in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings. Now, what Paul is telling us here is that Jesus was crowned with Glory
and honour, and the glory is the doxa of God which is the very opinion,
assessment and judgment of God. In other words the very mind of God. Let this
mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Now, notice the relationship between
Jesus as a Son and the fact that God has others children is mentioned in the
next verse. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who
are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call
them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, (and
remember that Jesus came in His Father’s name) in the midst of the church will I sing praise
unto thee. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and
the children which God hath given me.
So you see Paul was talking about family here.
Now, that the Apostle Paul has
established the relationship between the Father and the Son and then sons, he
now turns our attention in the next verse to our partaking of the role that we
have to play in the family.
HEBREWS 3:1 ¶ Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers
of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our
profession, Christ Jesus;
Then the Apostle Paul speaks of the faithfulness of the Son of
God to His Father. HEBREWS 3:2 Who was
faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his
house. And then the Apostle Paul makes comparisons between this son
Jesus, and other sons like Moses, etc. Then about half-way through this third
chapter the Apostle Paul begins to show how that we also are made partakers
with Christ if we hold fast to the end. HEBREWS 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the
beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Then in chapter 4 we are told that this relationship between
the Father and the Son was based upon the Father’s Word, and the Son’s
obedience to it.
Now, when we get to chapter 5 we see
that no man can enter into this role as a son without being ordained to it. HEBREWS 5:4 And no man taketh
this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also
Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said
unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. (Now, I want
you to stop here for a moment to read what the Apostle Paul is saying here. He
is telling us that no man can honor himself with this role of a son. But it is
something that we are either ordained to or we are not. And notice that Christ did not play out his
role to honor himself but to honor the Father, ) 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art
a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Now the
word after means in the same manner or expression) 7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered
up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was
able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he
were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he
suffered; (Now the focus is not that he suffered, but rather that he
learned obedience, he learned his place as a son.) 9 And being made perfect, he became the author
of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Now, notice then
that Jesus was made perfect, which means finished or capped off. And notice we
are also given a promise that through obedience we shall be made perfect.) 10 ¶
Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Now, let’s read on about this
doctrine of Christ… HEBREWS 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of
full age,(that means those who are fully mature. ) even. those who by
reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. And
here we come full circle to what the apostle is telling us to begin with. 6:1 ¶
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on
unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,
and of faith toward God,
MATTHEW 11:27 All things are delivered
unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither
knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and [he] to whomsoever the Son will
reveal [him].
1 John Chapter 5
Verse 12 He
that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath
not life.
John Chapter 20
Verse 31 But these are written, that ye might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might
have life through his name.
John Chapter 5
Verse 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is
coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and
they that hear shall live.