One clear qualification of all elders, (bishops, pastors) is to be theologically trained. This qualification is stated succinctly in the list of qualifications that Paul gave to Titus. He said it is necessary for an elder (bishop, pastor) to be – 鈥渉olding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convince鈥 those gainsayers who like to contradict (Titus 1:9).
This qualification points clearly to 鈥渉olding fast鈥 to sound doctrine, and to being able to positively 鈥渆xhort and convince鈥 those with wrong theology, or what should be called 鈥渦nsound doctrine.鈥 It would be helpful to look more closely at what Paul meant by the terms – 鈥渉olding fast鈥, 鈥渟ound doctrine鈥, and by 鈥渆xhort鈥 and 鈥渃onvince.鈥 But before describing those ideas further, it cannot be overlooked that Paul said 鈥 鈥渁s he has been taught.鈥
This phrase is paralleled in Paul鈥檚 exhortations to Timothy 鈥 鈥淎nd the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also鈥 (2Tim 2:2), and, 鈥淏ut continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them鈥 (2Tim 3:14). Timothy 鈥渓earned鈥 because Paul and others taught him. Timothy was to train others in the same teaching he had been trained in.
How structured or formal Timothy鈥檚 training might have been is not the issue. Maybe Timothy had personal sessions of instruction, or maybe he had formal sessions of training with others for two years in the rented 鈥渟chool of Tyrannus鈥 (Acts 19:9). Probably, his training was a little bit of both. But what really matters is that Timothy became the biblical example of the importance of learning from those who have gone before as faithful ministers of God鈥檚 Word.
It can be argued that this exhortation to be theologically trained can also be seen in Paul鈥檚 use of the phrase 鈥 鈥渁ble to teach鈥, which is translated from one original word that has a suffix that means more than just ability, when it used at the end of other words. The idea of being 鈥渄octrinal鈥 fits well with the meaning of 鈥渁ble to teach鈥, implying this qualification includes training, ability, and doctrinal content requirements for bishops (1Tim 3:2) and for servants of the Lord (2Timothy 2:24).
But how does a believer discern what is 鈥渟ound doctrine鈥? If pastors must hold fast to it, and if believers are to be able to recognize qualified pastors by it, sound doctrine must be objectively stated clearly enough in Scripture for any believer with normal education to read and understand. If it is not, the believer is at the mercy of any subjective interpretation that might be given by those whom that believer thinks are the most persuasive leaders, who also might say that they speak for God! Such thinking puts those leaders above the Scriptures, and it encourages people to follow theologians over Scripture. Paul clearly spoke against such choosing of human subjective authorities when he said 鈥 鈥淎nd these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against the other鈥 (1Cor 4:6).
鈥淪ound doctrine鈥 means, according to the definition offered in God鈥檚 Word, 鈥渢he words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness鈥 (1 Tim. 6:3). And sound doctrine includes more than the teachings that produce 鈥渓ife,鈥 (i.e., teachings related to the gospel). Sound doctrine also consists of teachings that produce soundness of mind and spirit (i.e., essential for spiritual health and growth).
鈥淪ound鈥 is an adjective translated in the NT from the adjective 峤懳澄刮, (hugi脓蝉), or found mainly in the form of an adjectival participle from the verb form, 峤懳澄刮蔽较, (hugiain艒). In all, there are twenty-three verses of Scripture in which this adjective and verb are used in the NT, thirteen are located in the gospels and consistently mean only physical health. But nine of the uses are found in the pastoral epistles of Paul, and exclusively they are related to spiritual health as a result of correct teaching (1Tim 1:9-11, 6:3-5; 2Tim 1:13-14, 4:3; Titus 1:9-13, 2:1-8). The remaining passage is 3 John 1:2 where both spiritual health and physical health are wished for by John, using the one term.
This exclusive use of spiritual health by Paul in his Pastoral Epistles becomes highly significant, for the very reason that it identifies a category of doctrine necessary for spiritual health and Paul relates it to the qualification of pastoral leadership. It would be very helpful to look at each use of 鈥渟ound鈥 in each context to help recognize this significance. One can do this on their own using books produced for theological training, like concordances and theological lexicons.
But, better still would be formal instruction from those already well skilled in using those study tools, as well those very experienced in how to 鈥渆xhort and convict those who contradict鈥 such sound doctrine. Such formal instruction is received from those who can be questioned for clarification, whereas books are often just silent 鈥渋nstructors鈥 who cause more questions than they answer. And sometimes what those silent instructors have written are accepted too quickly as authoritative voices for sound doctrine. What is needed is a personal instructor鈥檚 critique to help the one being trained theologically to test how biblically sound a book鈥檚 teaching might not be.
This blog post has provided some written 鈥渢heological training鈥, which only introduced the Bible鈥檚 meaning of 鈥渟ound doctrine.鈥 It did not even cover the meaning of the terms 鈥 鈥渉olding fast鈥, 鈥渆xhort鈥 and 鈥渃onvict鈥. Maybe the reader will consider getting some quality personal theological training from 17草视频 to understand better the sound doctrine tied to those other biblical terms! You could even get some personal further follow-up on the instruction found in this blog post!