Soundness
Developed from a tract by George Jones
Introduction
I. Going to talk about “soundness” its requirements and what produces it.
II. It is much broader than one particular issue.
A. Brethren sometimes ask “is so and so sound” and they may be referring
to one particular issue.
B. We will not be concerned with any particular issue but with different things
that constitute soundness or unsoundness.
Body
I. The word “sound” in the New Testament has several different meanings.
A. But the meaning we are mainly concerned with is: to be well, healthy,
whole, not sick.
1. Understanding its literal sense will help us understand its spiritual use.
a. The literal sense of the word can be illustrated by reading
Luke 7:10 - “And they that were sent, returning to the house found the servant whole.”
1) The word “whole” is the same verb that is translated
“Health” in other places and “sound” in yet other places.
2) The words are all from the same Greek word.
b. This was the centurion’s servant who “was sick at the point of
death" Jesus healed him and made him “whole” or “sound”.
c. John used the word when speaking to Gaius.
1) 3 Jn. 2 - “I pray that in all things thous mayest prosper and
be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
2) The verb occurs again here and is rendered “in health”
referring to his physical status.
3) John shows a concern here for his physical soundness as well
as his spiritual soundness or the condition of his soul; being
healthy, whole, not sick.
d. A person is enjoying good physical health only when all essential
parts of the body are acting in harmony with the law of Him who
made the body.
2. The figurative or spiritual use of the word is applied to man’s spiritual
and moral nature.
a. In this realm the word of God is the law one must respect.
b. All parts of ones nature must be brought into harmony with this law.
c. If such is true he is sound spiritually.
C. The word “sound” may be used with reference to a particular church as
well as to an individual person.
1. With either there can be a reputation for soundness in contrast with
real soundness.
2. Opposition to innovations, of itself, does not constitute soundness.
a. One who is sound will vigorously oppose every innovation
against the New Testament order.
b. But more than a fight against innovations is essential to soundness.
c. A person does not have to run a fever to be sick (unsound) physically.
1) He may have a chill and be just as sick although he has no fever.
2) Liberals have a “fever” in their determination to introduce
innovations into the work, worship, and org. of the church.
3) But some of us seem to have a “chill” when it comes to other
matters.
a) While these have no “fever”, they are just as sick as those
who have a fever.
3. It is entirely possible for a sect to be rallied around and built around a
certain point of truth.
a. When people rally around and embrace a certain point of truth, to
the exclusion and neglect of other truth, they are not submitting to
the authority of Christ.
1) For instance, Baptists have adhered to the scriptural form of
baptism by immersion, and have stuck to it regardless of its
unpopularity, but have disregarded other truth just as important.
2) Brethren, we need to see the real danger of our doing the same.
II. The Requirement of Soundness
I Tim. 1:8-11 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the
lawless and disobedient,for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and
profane, for murderers offathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 For whoremongers,for them that defile themselves with mankind, for
menstealers, for liars, forperjured persons, and if there be any other thing
that is contrary to sounddoctrine; 11 According to the glorious gospel of
the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
A. Note the list of sinful acts contrary to sound doctrine.
1. One of them is murder.
a. John said, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer” (1 Jn. 3:15).
b. Murder is contrary to sound doctrine.
c. Hating one’s brother is murder.
1) Therefore to hate ones brother is to be unsound.
2) When have you know anyone to be charged with unsoundness
because he hates his brother.
2. When have you heard one declared unsound because of lying or
fornication?
a. After mentioning several specific acts contrary to sound doctrine,
Paul adds, “And if there be any other thing contrary to sound
doctrine according to the gospel...”
1) Why, everything contrary to the gospel is unsound.
2) The gospel, the whole gospel, is the standard by which
soundness is determined.
b. If ones position on certain controversial issues is “right” he is
generally regarded sound in spite of the sins he engages in.
c. But according to the New Testament there are numerous things that, alone,
can make him unsound.
B. Our speech can cause us to be unsound.
1. Note the following passages:
Tit. 2:7 - “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in
doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech,
that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may
be ashamed, having to evil thing to say of you.”
Eph. 4:29 – “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace
unto the hearers.”
2. According to the New Testament., the ones who tells dirty jokes or
uses vulgar language is unsound.
3. Our speech is to be sound, speech that cannot be condemned so
that those that speak evil will be ashamed having nothing to say of us.
C. Another requirement of soundness is adhering to the pattern of sound
words.
2 Tim. 1:13 - “Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast
heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
1. There can be no soundness without the pattern of sound words.
I Cor. 2:13 - “Which things also we speak, not in works which
man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth.”
2. Paul also said, “And the things which thou hast heard from me
among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men,
who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim. 2:2)
a. Adhering to the pattern of sound words is to teach the same
things Paul taught.
b. One who deviates from this standard in his teachings is
headed in the direction of unsoundness.
3. To adhere to the pattern of sound words is to give a “thus saith
the Lord” for all that is taught or practiced.
a. The apostle Peter wrote : “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (I Pet. 4:11)
b. One whose preaching or teaching consists of his think-so’s or
experiences is not sound.
D. Soundness covers the whole range of human affairs, including the
everyday duties of life.
Tit. 2:1-6 Paul said: But speak thou the things which become
sound doctrine: 2 That the aged men be sober, grave,
temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. 3 The aged
women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness,
not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good
things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to
love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet,
chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed. 6 Young men likewise
exhort to be sober minded.
1. All of these become sound doctrine.
2. How can anyone be sound if he doesn’t practice these things.
III. How is Soundness Produced?
A. We know that before one can have good physical health he must
eat good food, exercise and live in a good atmosphere.
1. In order to be in good spiritual health one must do the same.
2. In comparison, the proper diet is the word of God.
3. The exercise is to be a worker for the Lord, a doer of the word.
4. The atmosphere is our associations and our communications.
B. The Christians spiritual diet must be the word of God.
1. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).
2. Children of God are charged to “Long for the spiritual milk which is
without guile, that he may grow thereby unto salvation” (I Pet. 2:2).
a. Children of God are to be desirous of the word of God as a
new born infant is of its mother’s milk.
b. A baby can’t eat just anything, it has to begin with babies food
and as it grows it has to learn to eat grown up food or it won’t
continue to grow properly and be in good health.
1) Some years ago, there was a Samboo’s commercial on TV
2) A little boy’s idea of good food for boys his age was
hamburgers and French fries.
a) He had found a place where he could have his
“Kid Food” and his parents could eat their “Grown up Food”.
b) Grown up food was stake and baked potatoes.
c) You that saw it know that that boy was big enough and
old enough to eat the grown up food and like it.
3. Hear Paul:
Heb. 5:12-14 For when for the time ye ought to be
teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first
principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have
need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth
milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even
those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil.
4. No one expects a baby to eat or act like a man, nor a man to eat
like and act like a baby, but one is expected to eat a proper diet
and grow accordingly.
C. Proper exercise produces soundness.
1. All exercise is not profitable.
a. Being a great worker does not necessarily make one sound.
b. It cannot be denied that the devil is a great worker.
2. Many people are doing “great” work but are not sound because
the great work they are doing is not pleasing to God.
Matt. 7:22,23 - “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have
cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity.”
a. This verse shows that works can make one unsound unless
they are authorized by God.
b. On the other hand a church can engage in works that God
approves without being sound.
1) The church at Ephesus is a good example.
2) The attitude of the church toward error and false
teachings was good.
Rev. 2:2,3 - I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience,
and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou
hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and
hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and
for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
3) They neither taught nor practiced anything not authorized, but
The Lord also said to this church:
Rev. 2:4-5 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,
because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore
from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;
or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy
candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
a) The church at Ephesus engaged in no unauthorized works,
yet its works were not done in the spirit of love.
b) The love which should prevail in a church of Christ was
not there.
c) It was an unsound church.
D. The right atmosphere is essential to soundness.
1. The wrong atmosphere can be deadly.
2. Most of our major cities have an atmosphere problem.
a. Gasses from industrial plants and automobiles constitute a
physical hazard.
b. Billions have been spent in an effort to dispel the effects that
such an atmosphere can have on a person’s health.
1) The right atmosphere is equally vital to spiritual health.
2) The associations we have is our spiritual atmosphere.
a) It can either contribute to our soundness or it can destroy it.
I Cor. 15:33 - “Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”
b) If our associations or companions are carnal and worldly, the passage
just used declares, this will corrupt our nature.
3. To be sound the Christian must have associates who are compatible
to his spiritual nature.
4. Yet it is sometimes necessary to go into an atmosphere that is not
compatible to our nature.
a. Deep-sea divers go into an atmosphere that would prove fatal if
they were to try to breath such.
b. But they are equipped with an apparatus which enables them to
breathe pure surface air for a time.
1) When training for certification, I learned that the longer a
diver stays down the greater the danger, even though he
may feel great and think he hasn’t a problem in the world.
a) The deeper the diver goes the shorter the period he can
safely stay down.
b) The deeper he goes the greater the danger he is in.
2) To stay at depth too long would likely result in serious
illness and very possibly death.
3) If you haven’t studied this science you cannot imagine the
risk that a person is taking when he dives without knowing
what the different atmosphere does to people.
a) One can be seriously injured and it not show up for a
period of time.
b) It may be more than ten yrs before he suffers greatly for
his ignorant or foolish mistake.
c) Divers get a disease called Aseptic bond necrosis when they don’t follow the dive tables that tell him how long one can stay at depth safely.
d) This disease actually destroys the body structure.
c. The divers use of the breathing apparatus and his knowledge
of the effects the atmosphere has on him enables him to dive
with a minimum of danger.
1) The breathing apparatus connects him with his natural
atmosphere.
2) In much the same way the Christian must maintain his connection
with the proper spiritual and moral atmosphere.
3) Our apparatus is the spiritual armor - shield of faith, helmet
of salvation, breastplate of righteousness. Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with
truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
4) Our instruction manual is New Testament.
IV. Reproof or Rebuke Contributes to soundness.
A. If a small child wouldn’t eat anything but candy, the mother would be
very disturbed and take measures to get him/her to eat right.
1. People can kill themselves by eating the wrong diet.
2. And often it is necessary for someone to tell them that they are
going to die if they don’t change their eating habits.
B. Doctors often have to tell their patients they are going to have to
exercise or they are going to die.
1. Because of neglect their body has gotten in such a shape that
it is just going to kill over.
2. It is so much harder to get back in shape than it is to stay in shape.
C. Doctors sometimes have to tell their patients that they are going to die
if they do not get themselves to a good atmosphere.
1. They have to leave their jobs and go to where the atmosphere is
good in order to continue living.
2. Many times to continue in the same bad atmosphere would mean
sure death in just a matter of time.
D. In the physical realm it is the doctor that diagnosis’s our illnesses and
tells us what to do in order to be sound once again.
1. But in the spiritual realm it is ourselves or other brethren that must
tell the person what is wrong with him and what to do.
2. The experience of being reproved or of reproving is not enjoyable
at the moment.
a. But in the long run, just as in the physical realm, we will be
happy that someone was caring and brave enough to do what
needed to be done.
Tit. 1:13 - “For which cause reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.”
b. Reproof may not be the most popular road to follow but it
contributes to soundness; for those that get it and for those that do it.
Conclusion
I. The scriptural idea of soundness; being “whole” or in good
health needs to be stressed a great deal more.
A. It needs to be seen that soundness is much more than one particular issue.
B. The apostle Paul, in reviewing his labor in Ephesus, declared himself to
be pure from the blood of all men because he had declared “the whole
council of God” (Acts 20:26,27).
1. A preacher who is not determined to do the same is not sound.
2. A church or Christian who is not determined to practice the “whole
council of God” has no right to be considered sound.
II. You may be in good health physically, having eaten a proper
diet, exercised regularly and breathed pure air all your life.
A. But if you haven’t been born again you haven’t even begun the spiritual life.
1. Spiritually you are dead.
2. John 3 - Jesus talks about the new birth.
a. "Except a man be born again...."
b. "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit...."
B. It could be that you have been born again but have failed to grow for
lack of spiritual food and exercise.
1. If this be the case do correct it while you have the time and opportunity.
2. We will gladly assist you in any way we can.
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