The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum DoctrineOf Christ

Hitch,

What John wrote in his second Epistle is consistent with and repetitive of what he previously wrote in his Gospel and the other two Epistles. In other words, you can come to understand the meaning of "doctrine of Christ" both from the immediate context (verses preceding and following the text) AND from the far context, the remainder of the Epistle and then comparing that to his other writings and finally to all of Scripture; aka: Analogy of Faith.

I think R.C.H. Lenski puts it accurately when he writes:

...'doctrine' is correct [vs 'teaching']. "Of Christ is the subjective genitive: the doctrine of Christ taught and still teaches through his apostles, John 1:18. This word does not occur in First John, but its equivalents, "The light, the truth, the Word," are found. "The doctrine," like "the Word," means that the truth is put into words which we hear (verse 6), and so the truth comes to be taught, realized and apprehended (ginoskein, verse 1), which means "believed," trusted....

No matter in what direction one goes forward and does not remain in the doctrine of Christ, "he has not God" although he may shout ever so loudly, "I know him!" (I John 2:4). This is the great delusion. I John 2:23. God, the real God (I John 5:20, is found only in Christ (John 14:9; 11; 20:30), hence only in the doctrine of Christ (John 1:18). John does not need to add "and has not Christ" because he who forsakes Christ's doctrine certainly also forsakes Christ.

The one remaining in the doctrine, this one, this one alone, "has both the Father and the Son." By having the one he has the other; a separation of the two is impossible. To have them is to have salvation. Not for nought does John say "has not God" and now "has both the Father and the Son." These Gnostics imagined that they had "God," but in their estimation he was not "the Father" of "the Son"; to true believers in Christ and in his doctrine God is "the Father" of "his Son Jesus Christ" (I John 1:3).

In short, the "doctrine of Christ" is both the reality of Christ's personal identity; the incarnate second person of the Trinity, and that body of truth which He taught; the Word of God. Deny Christ's deity and you deny the biblical God.

Here are some articles on the deity of Christ:

- "The Eternal Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ"- J.C. Philpot [Book]
- "What Think Ye of Christ?" - John A. Witmer
- "The Divine and Human Nature of Christ" - Herman Bavinck
- "The Divinity of Christ" - J. Ligon Duncan
- "The Deity of Jesus Christ" - Michael Bremmer
- "A Primer on the Deity of Christ" - Dr. John H. Gerstner
• Part I
• Part II
- "On the Deity of Christ" - J. Gresham Machen