True to Sound Doctrine

Hey, this is Tim Pratt Jr. and I want to welcome you to the Student of Life Podcast. Listen, we're going to get into so many transferable truths throughout the content of these episodes that I believe God is going to use to help you apply, because he's going to reveal what's already been there the entire time. Enjoy.

Hey yo, what's up? So this is your host Tim Pratt Jr. and listen, I'm just going to get straight into it if that's okay with you. Your boy is back. And I do have a really, really good episode that I believe for you today. But before I get started, I just want to apologize. Season 7, I promised a 3-part series and I stopped at 2. And life be lifin', man. Like, I— your boy just— I rushed something out there, I didn't like it, and I was like, nah, I'm gonna take that down. And I should have came back and did something, said something, and I just, just forgot. Like, I remembered and I forgot, remember, and I forgot, and I just forgot.

So I just want to be honest, you know how we rock on this one.

But I I'm gonna jump around a little bit with this flow. Like I say, you know, I'm very sound-driven. I strive to be very sound-driven. Sometimes I make errors and I get corrected, and that's cool. That's a part of life. It's no one in here that knows this Bible just thorough, but we should rightly divide, we should study, you know, not unto man but unto God. But if someone points out error, you know, we should be quick to repent, especially if it's presented to us And, um, and you know, we'll get into it in this episode. So, um, but we want to just make sure that, you know, we stay true to God's word. Uh, but at the same time, I'm not operating in the role of a pastor, a minister right here, right now. I'm not operating as a theologian or anything like that. Uh, it's just Tim Pratt Jr. and I'm just, just Tim. And I want to have like a one, I guess a one-way conversation with you. It's just the simplicity of things. Um, I believe I've been called to this space. Let me pace myself and slow down because That's some good feedback to always get. Um, but I believe I've been called to this space and I want to be obedient. I don't do it for anything else other than to be obedient. Like, I don't care about— I mean, it'd be nice to be all be truthful with you, but, uh, I just do it to reach souls, uh, and connect with people and just help them and as well as myself look a little bit more like Christ day by day, moment by moment. Um, so that being said, I'm not gonna really get into like a lot of what's been going on. I just want to really get into the content, uh, if hopefully that's cool with you all. So Season 8, Season 8, man. Um, 100 episodes in. Uh, clap! That's me clapping. I should have had an applause plan, but I didn't. Uh, but Season 8, the first episode, uh, Staying True to Sound Doctrine. Staying true. And, and why is that important to me? Like, if I can just kind of ramble for a little bit, uh, it is some of everything out there, like all kind of teachings. And it's important to us. Like, we can see in 1 and 2 Timothy, and we go look at Acts 17, you know, for those that just want to kind of do their own personal Bible study, check out those. Of course, I can point to many, many more, but 1 and 2 Timothy, um like the, the whole book, you know, primarily if you want to do 1st and, uh, 2nd Timothy, I believe 1st Timothy chapter 3, and I believe 1st, 2nd Timothy chapter 4, maybe 3, one of those. But I encourage you to read the whole chapters, but Acts 17 for sure. And that's going to kind of be the heart of, of this message. And you kind of see me probably hit on this in another episode called Testing All Things or something like that, of that nature, last season that I dropped. Uh, but like I say, that like it is so much out there, like, and it is so many gullible people chasing a really just a crazy type of doctrine. Like, I mean, the doctrine doesn't even point to Jesus. It doesn't even point to God. It doesn't point to the Holy Spirit. I'm not separating them by any means because Jesus is God. Like, Jesus is God, but he operates— and I want to get this right, you know— he operates— I mean, God operates. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. But Jesus is God. They all one. He is one. He encompasses all of that. So, so But the thing is, they don't even point to him. So I'm gonna just use Jesus. They don't even point to him. It's like we are literally worshiping the god of self, um, and we just, we love our desires being tickled and drawn in by these, you know, I'm not knocking becoming an effective communicator because I study a lot of communication techniques and I've strived to really, really grow in my communication at work, with my wife, with my kids, uh, just everyday people. Especially in the, in the pulpit, or even when I'm on this. So we have to like really, really understand like what's going on. So again, just check those out— Acts 17, 1 and 2 Timothy, uh, if you want to do a deep dive around it. And even the Bible told, you know, Paul was writing to Timothy, you know, hold fast, preach the word in and out of season. Like we want to stay true to sound doctrine. Um, and that brings me to basically my, my— well, almost bring me to one of my first points is, uh, because I've been reflecting a lot on this lately. I've been praying a lot, um, and I just, like I say, want to just share some thoughts on why it is so crucial to remain to the core truths of our faith. And when I say our faith, I am saying the same faith, the same God that the Bible preaches about, like nothing else, nothing more. Even when it's challenging, and it's going to be challenging, we love things to affirm us outside of God. And so point number one, point number one, if you're taking notes, uh, if you are just whatever, if you're taking notes, it's the importance of sound doctrine. The importance of sound doctrine. And I'm gonna start out with myself, like, just being straight up with you now. And I actually kind of kicked this off with a Facebook status. I've started to watch my own doctrine a lot more closely than I've ever have before. Like, I'm literally starting to scrutinize and just everything, uh, and, and I still miss things to this day. Like I said, you know, if I error, I error. If it's rightly divided and it's presented to me, uh, even, man, I don't even really trip how it's delivered to me. I mean, you know, if people want to be critical or whatever, that's fine, uh, I accept it, especially if it's proven to be true. Some people can come in on a high horse and deliver it. Some people have a humble, uh, a posture of humility. But at the end of the day, if they are right and it's rightly divided, I just eat it. Uh, that is a little bit easier when they humble versus when they're arrogant with it. Uh, but nevertheless, I just eat it. I've just, by the grace of God, matured into that and, you know, just take it on the chin and move on. Um, but I've really been watching my doctrine closely and making sure that it is aligned with what the Bible teaches, what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ taught, and what the disciples profess. Because like, it is so easy to be so indoctrinated with things that we've heard over the years from people we love. Like, and even some of those same people can be ministering and preaching today, and they don't even hold tight to the views that they taught us. But we gravitated to that, and we could be wrong. And so we want to make sure that we actually do a lot of unlearning, but as well as, uh, renewing our mind in things of the Lord. And, and do it— so doing a lot of unlearning and learning. And so for me, like I say, it's just something I've been watching a lot more closely, and I'm praying. I found myself praying a lot more for those that remain committed to the truth of the Gospel. But this is the thing— remaining committed to the Gospel with pure motives. I'm not going to get into that. I have another episode, man, that— oh, it's, it's out a while back. I even— I think a Facebook memory popped up the other day with preaching a message on mixed motives, and I want to revisit that, uh, but I'm not gonna chase that rabbit hole right now. But, um, but with pure motives, man, and, and again, sometimes we don't even know, and this is why we have to like really just cry out to God and ask him to consistently show us and face it. Like, not just up here skillfully talking and talking good, uh, because again, there's so much information out there and people can talk well, they can share the gospel, but we want to make sure they're living it. So it's just, it's so easy to get caught up in teachings that sound good but stray away from what Jesus taught. Like I say, straying away from the things that Jesus held near and dear to him. Like, I believe according to the text, so sound doctrine truthfully, like being just straight up with you. Sound doctrine is our only safeguard. The sound doctrine that's talked about in Acts, the sound doctrine that Paul referred to in the Bible, it is our safeguard and is what is going to keep us grounded in the truth. Like, just being real with you. And again, like I said, like, I'm, I'm, I'm very aware that we all make mistakes. I'm very aware. Like, all— it's all inclusive. And not every error is a false teacher, because that's something that's running rapid now, like false teacher or preaching false doctrine and these type of things. Like, ah, I think we use a little bit too loosely today, uh, but again, that's not the episode for this particular thing, uh, but it's crucial to recognize when we, when we have strayed away, like in our teachings, in our whatever, our life, we need to repent quickly rather than doubling down on that wrong. Because a lot of times we, we offended when someone corrects us And it's not even about that. It's about being humble enough to correct ourselves because we've been corrected through God's word and one of God's people, if not the Holy Spirit. And, um, we just need to move on it. So when we are shown the truth, eat it. Like I say, take it on the chin and move on. So that's point number one. Like, we really need to examine our doctrine closely and make sure that we're doing it with a pure motive. Point number two Uh, I would like to say this one, the balance of belief and behavior. Uh, point number 2, the balance of belief and behavior. Now, what do I mean by this point, the balance between belief and behavior? Well, we often see people that who can communicate the word like just amazingly, like brilliantly, like it's just like I said, they're a world-class communicator, man. They can sway us. They know all the, the art and science behind communication. Uh, they have You know, they, they know that just how to tap into our emotions. Like, man, it's crazy. Uh, and the— and there's nothing wrong with that. Like, we can't look at everybody and be like, oh man, because, you know, it's always back and forth about hooping and all of that. And man, I'm not— everybody has a style. But what I'm saying is, even if you're a great teacher, you don't even do all that hooping, but you're like, I'm just sitting here, man, I'm learning how to become a masterful teacher of the scriptures. So, and I'm not doing all of these, you know, um, theatrics and things like that. That still doesn't mean you're living it. Just like you might think the hooper is clowning. No, everybody has a style. We all are different. Uh, but what I am saying is that we can't be so quick to affirm people just because they can do these things. Like, that means absolutely nothing, nothing at all. And again, like, it's a video floating around out there. I'm not going to get into names or anything like that, but you know, something happened and now a lot of people are sharing it. And it's like, oh, you know, this guy is this and this guy is that. And it could be— I mean, it— because I don't want to get caught up because like Pastor Brandon Clark say, like, we need to learn how to accept things from flawed people that God is using or could be using. We don't know, we don't know the heart, but nevertheless, we still have to be careful. Because if I examine the fruit of that individual and it is in opposition with scripture, or the lack of fruit, and I see works of the flesh, I need to be very, very careful. I can take the truth, but I need to be very, very careful of affirming them in the faith. Maybe it— maybe it's just a process, because that's a very, very dangerous game between, uh, the balance of belief and behavior. Because what I'm saying is that true faith in Jesus Christ— yes, we're all going to have sin and deal with sin because we live in this humanity, but there should be some fruit of the Holy Spirit, like straight up. So it's, it's just very important to remember that the right beliefs without right living, intentional living, are empty words. You're just talking. No matter how much you can sway, you can move the people, you can move the crowd, but you can't move heaven. Like, the, the power is— my dad say, my, my, my, um, in his teaching and preaching of the gospel, the power is in living it. Yes, we know that power is in the power of God, but it's in living it. Like, it's actually with a heart posture of living it. And again, like, we can't see a person's heart, but we can observe their life and whether it aligns with the fruit of the Spirit or the works of the flesh. Although none of us are perfect, and I don't want to hide behind it because that's another thing we hijack, but habitually sinning, like habitually sinning, should not be a part of someone's life, uh, someone's life that's truly following Christ and crucifying their flesh daily. Like, just straight up. So yes, there's a difference from sinning and falling into sin, and we need to make that distinction. So let's not be so quick to affirm people. Let's, let's follow the Bible once again. And, and look, like I say, like Don't try to judge the heart, you know. If it's truth, accept it, but examine the person. See it like, man, um, does their life— not their gift, but you— and I don't want to put gifts and fruit against each other, but at the same time, I can fool you with my gift and my fruit be dried up, or I don't have any fruit. So that's on us because we are emotional creatures. Like, we, we just get caught up in a lot of stuff. Um, so again, man, the balance between belief and behaviors. Uh, point number 3, like we're rolling. Point number 3, just returning to the core, uh, the core teachings of Jesus. So today, like I say, you know, many people are searching for just like all these new experiences. Oh man, lay hands on me. Oh, I'm looking for these new, these new revelations and all this type of stuff, or words that affirm my desires rather than seeking the truth itself. Like, like I say, you see a lot of gullible people, and this is not true to sound doctrine. Not saying again, there's nothing wrong with that. People are going to fall out. I do believe in the laying on the hands and the power of the glory of God moving, uh, whether it's in a building, outside, or whatever. I do believe that the glory of God, uh, we can have encounters and experiences. But some experiences not biblical, bro, like, or sis, like some experiences just ain't biblical. Like that was a very emotional experience and you want to put God on it, and then in the context of scriptures, like, man, God don't even move like that. Uh, but we don't study our Bibles enough because we are governed by our feelings. If I felt it I know it to be true. And what if it contradicts scripture? Now we live in a life where if it contradicts scripture, uh, it's like, well, I felt this, so scripture must be wrong. Like, that's literally how a lot of us live because we are coming— becoming experience junkies. I mean, even to the point, like, when you think about what— and again, I'm not knocking the local church, I love the local church— but you have some people that think that they cannot get a breakthrough until they get to the local church Why can't you pick up someone— the phone— someone is discipling you? Why can't you go in there and decree and declare in your own home and trust in the Lord? Why is it when, you know, someone's at the hospital, it's like the pastor or a person has to come? And I believe in prayer warriors. I believe we should reach out to those people. But at the same time, like, yes, where two or more gather and touch and agree. But at the same time, like, we don't want to operate as if we can't, um, reach God ourselves. Like, lack of better terms, if we can't like pray to him and call out and decree and declare his word, uh, back to him. And so we just want to be very careful. All I'm saying is that we haven't become experience junkies, because I do believe in being around other believers, uh, and just seeing— and, and it's just something about that energy, um. And I'm not on that whole manifestation type mess with like energy of people. I'm just saying there's something about the glory of God amongst fellow believers that come together collectively. I will never negate that. But at the same time, be very, very careful to make sure you don't have your faith in that and not Jesus Christ, because there's a distinction. Because again, some of us, we are so caught up on the local church as if it's the savior, a building, or that community is the savior and they have the power. But they are all operate more— should be operating out of the power of God. And you can stand flat-footed in your home, you can stand flat-footed outside, you stand flat-footed in your gym, you stand flat-footed at your job and decree and declare the word of God over your life. So a little bit tangent there, but I just, just wanted to share that, uh, with us because we gotta really, really return to the core teachings of Jesus Christ. And again, I do believe God is a God that can be experienced, but at the same time, uh, get to know him. Get to know him. Uh, and like I say, you know, we don't need anything new. We just need to return to the familiar truths of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us apply those things freshly to our lives. Like, it is really about application than it is about new revelation. Ain't nothing new. Like, ain't nothing new. We just haven't discovered it yet, but it's really nothing new. And I don't know why we live in this generation where it's always chasing a word. Like, oh, a word, man. Just chase Jesus. Like, just follow Jesus. Follow him. Like, first just die to you, accept him as Lord and Savior to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, and then start the process to crucify that flesh and spend time with him. Just start there. Like, seriously. And, and, and I'm telling you, I, I truly believe in my heart. I was, I was telling my wife this, uh, Pastor Cam, when he was preaching and teaching the gospel at my father and mother-in-law's Pastore anniversary celebration. Um, man, it was just— oh my God, that dude is— um, but I was sitting there like earlier and I was like, man, you know, you live in a world where anybody can just— especially with ChatGPT— can't just always sound good and just all this type of stuff. And it's just like, man, what do you do? Like, what— how do you operate in this? It's like you know, a lot of regurgitating and just looking at logos and all these different platforms and resources and commentaries out here. Really, like, it's— you don't have to do no work. And I just haven't wrestled with it enough, but in that moment, I'ma just say how I believe it was in my spirit beginning. Lord, give me some grace. But I just believe that the deepest revelations come from a heart posture that's pure and devoted to Christ. Like just as much privately as they are publicly. I don't— I believe that you are— if you are just up there preaching and not really striving to live it or have a hard posture to live it, I believe that you are just a conduit. You're just a regurgitator because you're not even convinced that the same power that you're preaching about can reach you. And that's a dangerous game, uh, in my, in my opinion, and just my estimations of the gospel. I set myself down. Matter of fact, I have many times. I've called my pastor and be like, hey, and you know, and we've had those conversations of not— and I'm just like, hey, I got some areas and they need to be dealt with. I have not, you know, done anything like, you know, moral failure or seen anything, but I don't want to become a performer of this. And I'm very serious with that. Like, I have literally set myself down, and maybe I should say the Holy Spirit led me, but I do believe that— but I was obedient to him. Like, I didn't get up there and say, oh, you know, God used me in spite of me. Of God, this isn't it. Like, I set my butt down, um, and that's just me. Uh, so what's like, what bringing all this together? So I'm just saying, like, no matter what, no matter what season you are in your ministry as a pastor out there, a believer or whatever, like, we are all trying to weather like the challenges that we are facing through the power of God. We are. Um, like, some ministries you might be a part of that they're growing and it's like, man, they have caught fire. And there are some ministries that's just facing challenges and it's like, man, are we going to make it? But regardless of— especially preachers, pastors of the gospel, teachers, uh, trust God and stay faithful to his word. Just trust God and stay faithful to his word, um, because at the end of the day, uh, the focus of it should be on Christ and souls. Like, man, am I truly following Christ and I'm out here being obedient to what he told us to do? Because a lot of times what happened Oh, let me say this, and, um, thank you, Holy Spirit, because another thing we have to understand too is that this— this— I might do an episode on this, uh, but God didn't come to save just no local church, uh, and, and again, this might be painful because yes, your ministry can be blessed, but we need to learn how to partnership and come together. But like I say, I'm gonna table that right there. But he just didn't come to save the local church, he came to save uh, to, to build the church. He purchased the church. He, he came to save the church souls. And this is the thing, uh, sometimes as a pastor, if you're out there and you're thinking more about survival, um, versus like impact, it might be time to merge a partnership and start that transition with moving into another ministry so we can be better and stronger together versus thinking about survival and not even making no impact out there. Like, I'm just being real with you, like, this might be something that we really have to consider and contend with. Uh, so we want to focus more on ministry and doing God's work versus sitting up here just trying to survive and barely, um, pay the bills and these things of that nature. But again, you pray, you hear God, but it might be something to consider. Uh, and but nevertheless, outside of that, just stay grounded in the truth and remember, just remember that we are called to be faithful to the text. And what I mean by that, to God himself. Not just a specific, uh, local church. Again, uh, yes, now let me, let me back that up and clean that up a little bit. Yes, we should be faithful to a local church as a believer, like we should be plugged in. I believe we should have a primary feeder of the gospel. But what I'm saying more so in the context of this to Pastor, he just didn't come to save a local church. Let's stay true to the text and netlight. Like, it's nothing wrong with coming together and working. And like I say, I know it's a lot of stuff to figure out, organizational stuff and all of that. Who's going to do this? Who's going to do that? Who's going to lead? What is it going to be named? Rest of— like, I, I get it, I get it. But I believe the power of God can work through that, and if both people are pure in their motives and committed, uh, to reaching souls versus their agenda, like, just straight up. So let's seek to live out the teachings of Jesus Christ, like, just authentically. Like, let's seek out to live out the teachings of the Bible and the light of this world. Like, straight up. Like, so this is why I just believe it's important, like, these points, you know. Uh, point number 1, the importance of sound doctrine. Point number 2, the balance and belief of behavior. And point number 3, uh, returning to the core teachings of Jesus. Like, this is what I believe in my heart, what it means to stay true to sound doctrine. Be blessed, man. Love you all.

Hey, what's up? I want to thank you for taking the time to listen to the Student Life Podcast today. If this content has impacted you in any kind of way, please take some time to share it on your social media feeds. And also, if you want to connect with me or just learn more about me, go over to www.timothyprattjr.org. Once again, thanks.