“Sound Doctrine and a Fruitful Life”

Exodus 39:24-26

24 And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen. 25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates; 26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses.

    The basis for this message are the bells and pomegranates on the helm of the garment of the High Priest of Israel. The bells are symbolic of soundness and the pomegranates are symbolic of fruitfulness. 

    There is a difference in being a Baptist in name and in being a sound Baptist. There is a difference in being active in a church and in bearing spiritual fruit. There is a difference in busy work and fruit bearing. Fruit is borne on a tree that has roots that draws nutrients and moisture out of the ground. Man can only produce spiritual fruit though the aid of God. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: There is a difference in being faithful to a Baptist church as an institution and in being faithful to God and His Word. Being a good Baptist is more than skin deep. I’m am not talking about being legalistic. I’m talking about being spiritual. I am talking about being rooted in the Word and bearing spiritual fruit. I’m not talking about going through the motions because they have become a habit. Just doing anything in any old way you can is not pleasing to God. Isaiah 55:7-13 gives the process of accomplishment in the spiritual realm.

    Psalms 1:1-3. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” 

    Without Bible truth the so-called best church members are only empty shells. Far too many are living in la la land and never never land with rose colored glasses on. Make contact with reality, read the Bible and apply it. If you are not doctrinally sound you are missing the most important part of the Christian life. “Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.” Psalms 119:80 A doctrinally sound musician? A musician with more than talent! A musician with substance! A musician that is grounded in “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” A musician with his feet on the ground! Here was a man who was a real man. Hey! Singers! Turn down the music and preachers crank up the doctrinal preaching!

    It doesn’t matter how talented one is. It doesn’t matter how smart one is. It doesn’t matter what kind of personality one has. It doesn’t matter how good a mixer one is. It doesn’t matter how many children one has. It doesn’t matter how successful one is. It doesn’t matter how neat a person is. It doesn’t matter how cool one is. It doesn’t matter how sweet a person is. If doesn’t matter how shrewd one is. It doesn’t mater how influential one is. It doesn’t matter how popular one is. It doesn’t matter how good looking a person is. It doesn’t matter what one’s pedigree is. It doesn’t matter how good a talker one is. If first he is not grounded and rooted in the truth he is not going to be what God wants him to be. I’m not talking about being legalist I’m talking about being authentic and genuine! I’m talking about being for real! I’m talking about having substance, depth, stability, and soundness. I’m talking about having the spiritual health and strength that it takes to bare spiritual fruit. There are already too many phonies in the world today, especially phony Christians. Christianity is not an act; it is bearing spiritual fruit because of a deep abiding personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Its not tagging along with someone who is a Christian. Its an inside thing that shows up on the outside. There is a difference between those that borrow their Christianity from others and those that draw theirs out of the Word. You don’t train someone to bear fruit. Real spiritual fruit is a result of a solid inward life. For God’s sake lets get away from superficially in Christianity. Quit talking the talk and start walking the walk! 

    So many say that doctrine will not build a church. You cannot build a church that is worth anything without it. There is more to authentic Christianity than being doctrinally sound. You can be doctrinally sound and sound asleep at the same time. Some doctrinally sound folks that know what is right need to wake up and live for God and start bearing fruit.

    Don’t be swayed by everything you hear or by anything that is not Biblical. Ephesians 4:14 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” Quit being what’s popular in the religious world. Quit going alone with what's in and get in the book. Jesus Christ didn’t come to popularize religion He came as truth in the flesh to put down the popular religion. Quit being a little bit of everything and a whole lot of nothing. Be something! Be really something and be what God wants you to be. Be both doctrinally sound and fruitful. The world doesn’t need buddy boys or put-ons. The world needs authentic Christians who promote truth and produce fruit. The world needs evergreen Christians not those who get nipped in the bud before the fruit matures. Doctrinal soundness would put a stop to the silliness that goes on in many churches today. There not a command in the Bible to be silly nor shallow. Jesus Christ was not a silly little man. Neither was He a super salesman with a good pitch. Neither was he a pied piper nor a shyster with ulterior motives. He definitely was not a politician. He was for real and He meant business. He was the incarnation of the truth. He never would fit in with all of these slick preachers today.

    Matthew 28:20 “...Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:” Being a disciple of Christ involves more than hearing the Word it involves heeding the Word. True teaching and true doctrine make hearers of the Word and doers of the Word! “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22 

    

    A true Christian applies the Word by doing from a born again heart what it says to do. The question is not do you know the truth but are you obeying the truth. Are you putting it into practical use in everyday life. Are you a fruit bearing Christian? Do you bear fruit or do you just leaf???????