"My Doctrine"

2 Timothy 3:10

My doctrine is not a complicated system of intricate mysteries that can only be understood by a well-trained, theological mind. Rather, it is the very simplicity of Christ, easily understood by all who believe God. It is essentially setforth in five points.

1. THE LORD OUR GOD IS THE ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN OF THE UNIVERSE (Isa. 14:24, 26, 27; 46:9-11; Psa.115:3; 135:6; Dan. 4:35-37).To say that God is sovereign is to simply declare that God is God. A god whose will can be broken,purpose defeated,power resisted, grace frustrated, or work overturned is no God at all, but a useless idol carved from a tree in the dark forest of man's depraved mind. God is sovereign in creation (Prov. 16:4), in providence (Rom.11:36), and in grace (Rom. 9:16-18).

2. THE BIBLE ALONE, AND IN ITS ENTIRETY, IS THE WORD OF GOD. It was written by Divine inspiration (II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 2:20). It is complete, final, and authoritative (Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 22:18-19). The Bible alone is our rule of faith and practice (Isa. 8:20).

3. ALL MEN AND WOMEN, SINCE THE FALL OF OUR FATHER ADAM, ARE BORN IN A STATE OF SIN, TOTAL DEPRAVITY, ALIENATION FROM GOD, AND SPIRITUAL DEATH. Man is not just poor. He is bankrupt. Man is not just weak. He is helpless. Man is not sick. He is dead. We are all by nature totally depraved (Gen. 6:5), haters of God (Psa. 81:15; Rom. 1:30; 8:7), and incapable of doing good, or even coming to Christ in faith (Rom.3:9-10; John 6:44).

4. "SALVATION IS OF THE LORD" (Jon.2:9). Salvation is God's work alone. It is a work of eternal, covenant grace (II Tim. 1:9), beginning with sovereign, electing love (II Thess.2:13), secured for God's elect by Divine predestination (Eph.1:4,5,11), purchased for the chosen by the effectual atonement of Christ's death as our Substitute (Heb. 9:12), effectually applied to the redeemed at the appointed time of love by God the Holy Spirit (Psa. 65:4; Rom. 9:16), and infallibly secures the perseverance of every true believer (Eccles. 3:14).

5. EVERY SINNER WHO TRUSTS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS SAVED, HAS PASSED FROM DEATH TO LIFE, AND MUST POSSESS ALL THE BLESSEDNESS AND GLORY OF HEAVEN FOREVER (John 5:24). If you trust Christ, you are right now forgiven of all sin, justified completely, freed from the law, made worthy of heaven, "accepted in the Beloved", sealed by the Spirit, and assured of glory!

Don Fortner