4 Biblical Characteristics of Sound Doctrine

What does "healthy" teaching include?

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What does that mean to teach or preach “sound doctrine?”

What should Christians expect as “sound doctrine” from the pulpit, the Bible classrooms, and life?

Sound doctrine is devoted to the truth of the gospel.

Paul urged Timothy to “charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:3). These “certain persons” were drifting toward “myths and endless genealogies” and desired to be teachers of the law without understanding the things they were teaching (1 Timothy 1:4, 7).

Paul reminded Timothy that the “law is good” if it is used lawfully (1 Timothy 1:8). He then explained that the law was not given for the just but for sinners who had committed all sorts of sins (1 Timothy 1:9-10). This was “in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God” (1 Timothy 1:11).

Sound doctrine means being devoted to the truth that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23) and have earned death (Romans 6:23). And there is no way on our part to earn or merit anything other than what we have deserved.

Life, forgiveness, and justification only come through Christ Jesus, who “came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). The gospel glorifies God for what He has done for us. Sound doctrine is devoted to this “good news.”

Sound doctrine is concerned with what God has said rather than what people want to hear.

Paul told Timothy to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2). This “word” refers to the “God-breathed Scripture” (2 Timothy 3:16) that is profitable and equips God’s people for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17).

Even if people demand something other than God’s Word to satisfy what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4), sound doctrine must continue to be proclaimed. Sound doctrine is devoted to what God has said rather than what the audience may want to hear.

Sound doctrine includes rebuking those who contradict God’s word.

As Paul gave Titus the qualifications for elders in the Lord’s church, he concluded by mentioning how elders must be “sound” in doctrine (Titus 1:9). Not only are the elders to “hold firm” to God’s Word so they can “give instruction in sound doctrine,” but also so they can “rebuke those who contradict it.”

Teaching sound doctrine includes confronting those who proclaim false or contradictory doctrine and correcting error.

Sound doctrine means teaching Christians how they must live.

Paul commanded Titus to “teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). In this context, He addressed how the older Christian men and women are to live and behave, as well as the younger Christian women and men (Titus 2:2-8).

He even told Titus to address how bondservants are to serve and work for their masters (Titus 2:9-10). This is all taught in view of God’s grace that has been shown to us (Titus 2:11-14).

Proclaiming sound doctrine includes reminding Christians of how they are to live their lives each day as “living sacrifices” to God (Romans 12:1-2).