On the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D. the apostle Peter gave a sermon that convicted many of his listeners: "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them" (Acts 2:41). Those first Christians didn't just accept Peter's word on that day, "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers" (verse 42).

Some 20 years later the apostle Paul commended Christians in Rome because they "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine [teaching]" which was "delivered" to them (Romans 6:17).

Paul also admonished the young evangelist Timothy to "take heed to yourself and to the doctrine . . . for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you" (1 Timothy 4:16). The fruit of elders' work should be to strengthen us in that doctrine, so we are not "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14).

Why is doctrine important? In the New Testament we do not find any example of the church receiving a salvational doctrine – or any other important doctrine, for that matter – from outside the church. Jesus, the head of the church, guides His church from within the church, as the example of the Jerusalem conference shows (Acts 15). The apostles and elders didn't go to the Jewish Sanhedrin to get a decision. Instead, guided by the holy spirit, they conferred among themselves and made a binding decision for the church.

The doctrine "delivered" by the church is very important in the end time, because some will give "heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Timothy 4:1). Such people "will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Paul had a good reason to warn the Christians in Rome about those who spread doctrine contrary to the doctrine "delivered" by the church: "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them" (Romans 16:17).

Have we made a commitment to continue "steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine"?

With these thoughts I wish everyone a rewarding Sabbath!