(Galatians 5:22-26)
Love
Joy
Peace
Longsuffering
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control
Our Christian Character reflects these traits;Temptations Leads to Perfection (James 1:2 – 4)
develops patience
Patience develops perfection
Tribulation to Hope (Romans 5:1 – 5)
Tribulation worketh Patience
Patience worketh Experience
Experience worketh Hope
Hope maketh not Ashamed the Love of God
Faith to Love (2 Peter 1:5-11)
Faith gives Virtue
Virtue gives Knowledge
Knowledge gives Self-Control
Self-Control gives Perseverance
Perseverance gives Godliness
Godliness gives Brotherly Kindness
Brotherly Kindness gives Love
June 19, 2025
Ken F. Miller
As I said in my book, Understanding the Doctrine of Christ.
“The Doctrine of Christ” is the “heart and soul” of Christianity, it tells us the “what and why” of what we must do for us to have Eternal Life.
“The Gospel of Christ” is the heart and soul of the “who, what, when and where” of how we are to teach the Word of God to an unsaved world (concerning Salvation).
BOTH share the same teachings and message but are different in their presentation and purpose. Be very careful here and follow what I am saying. There is no way we can combine both into one doctrine because of their purpose.
GOSPEL of CHRIST
The Gospel of Christ is based on the “Great Commission”. There are many people who would argue that Matthew 28:19-20 is the only scripture that gives us the Great Commission. However, this is only a “snapshot” of it, and we must take into consideration the other two scriptures (Mark 16:14-16 and Luke 24:36-53) to get the “Big Picture” of what Jesus wanted us to understand and do. (The primary reason for using only one scripture is that it would fit better with Denominational Doctrine. This is another example of how man has twisted God’s Word to fit his own religious beliefs.) When you look at all three (3) passages the full message of the “Great Commission” goes like this. In no way have I changed any wording, nor have I added to or took away any words from the scripture. All I have done is rearranged the verses so that we can see a smooth conversation between Jesus and the Disciples.
Establishing Supreme Power
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Prophecy fulfilled
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Only Jesus can open our understanding of the Scriptures, we are to preach “death, burial and resurrection of Jesus”, as well as repentance and remission of sins. (This is the Gospel of Christ.)
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Jesus gives all Disciples a Command to do: Go into all the world, preach the Gospel, baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and finally teaching whatsoever I have commanded you.
15Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
DOCTRINE OF CHRIST
13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13 – 14 (KJV)
12 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 unskilful 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. Hebrews 5:12-14 (KJV)
9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (KJV)
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:12-13 (KJV)
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)
Six Major Points
1.) Doctrine of Christ:
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
Note: The next five points deal with being perfect in Jesus after our baptism. (According to verse one above this is perfection.)
2.) Can lose our Salvation:
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
3.) Living in Perfection:
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
4.) Not maturing as expected:
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
5.) Must maintain our Faith and Service to God till our Death:
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
6.) God’s Infallible Purpose in Christ
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 6:1-20 (KJV)
I want to make sure that I am very clear on this, so that I am not misquoted.
The Gospel of Christ is universally accepted by theologians worldwide as being;
- The first four books of the New Testament in the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John),
- In these books we find the birth, insights into His childhood, His baptism and temptations by Satan, the social environment He lived in, how He started His ministry and chose the disciples, what he taught not only to the disciples but to the people as well, and most importantly His death, burial, and resurrection, what His “Great Commission” means not only to His Disciples but to modern day Christians as well and that Jesus is God’s Son who was given by God to be the final sacrifice for our sins so we could have eternal life with Him.
- The Gospel of Christ also explains why Jesus was sent to be the final sacrifice according to prophecy.
The Doctrine of Christ covers these points as taken from Hebrews 5:12-14 and Hebrews 6:1-20;
- Foundation of Repentance from Dead Works ………….Leads to Salvation
- Faith toward God….…………………………..……………..Leads to Salvation
- Doctrine of Baptisms..………………………….Baptism of John the Baptist,
Christian Baptism,
Baptism of the Holy Spirit
- Laying on of hands…..…..…Receiving of the Holy Spirit and special gifts
- Resurrection of the Dead…..…….At Christ’s Death and End of the world
- Eternal Judgment….………After our Death then the Judgment by Jesus
- After our baptism we are expected to mature in God’s word,
Hebrews 5:12-14,
- We must produce good fruits,
- We are to grow and mature in God’s word,
- God always keeps His promise.
The Gospel and Doctrine do share thoughts and instructions but as we can see there are some differences, therefore, they cannot be combined into one doctrine as some denominations try to do.