The text for this message is taken from I Timothy 1.3-11, in the New King James Version.
"As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust."
The term, "sound doctrine," doesn't appear in this particular text until the end, where Paul writes that sound doctrine is according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to the trust of Paul. So, we see the connection of sound doctrine and the gospel. In fact, we see that sound doctrine is according to the gospel.
Synonyms of doctrine include teaching and instruction. So this passage is concerning doctrine.
First, Paul enlisted Timothy to charge or command some to teach no other doctrine. No other doctrine than what? Perhaps no other doctrine than what was already taught by Paul, which is the gospel entrusted to Paul. So, the phrase "any other gospel," could be applied. An indication by Paul that there is only one gospel.
Next concern of Paul are fables, or myths, and endless genealogies. My purpose here is not to define what these words mean, but rather the effect of these. Paul wrote that these result in disputes rather than godly edification which in faith. Contrarywise, sound doctrine would result in godly edification, the building up of the saints, which is in faith. In this we also see a connection of sound doctrine and faith. The teaching of fables and endless genealogies would result in disputes, while sound doctrine builds up faith. The myth of futurism would certainly fit here. Time after time, futurists have speculated as to the meaning of Bible prophecy today, and even predicting the "second coming of Christ," which have all failed, and have caused disputes among the brethren, even fostering doubts of the coming of Christ, some concluding that there is no second coming of Christ, or at the very least concluding that it didn't matter if and when the second coming of Christ would occur. Thus, sound doctrine would include the proper teaching of Bible prophecy. Therefore, that too is a part of faith, as sound doctrine is in faith.
Next concern of Paul is the straying away from love which is from a pure heart and a good conscience, and turning aside to idle talk. This is the result of those who teach the law not understanding what they are teaching. The opposite of which is sound doctrine resulting in love from a pure heart and a good conscience.
Paul's response to those that improperly teach the law is that the law is good if one uses it lawfully. The law is not for the righteous but for the lawless and insubordinate, etc., and anything else contrary to sound doctrine. Therefore, the proper use of the law is to promote sound doctrine which is based on the gospel.
Paul makes a connection to faith and sound doctrine, and also a connection is made to the gospel and sound doctrine. Yet there are those that would say that sound doctrine is not important as a matter of faith. Yet, Paul plainly teaches that sound doctrine is in faith. Therefore, it must be concluded that sound doctrine is an important matter of faith. Any message that does not promote love from a pure heart and a good conscience is also not from a sincere faith, for this love is from a sincere faith, from which some have strayed from because of their teaching of fables, endless genealogies and idle talk.
So, sound doctrine is important as a matter of faith.
