John 7:15-18

15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”

16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 

17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 

18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.

There is Only One Doctrine…The Doctrine That Came From God

As Jesus was speaking in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jewish leaders were surprised at how well-spoken He was. The Greek word for the term “letters” that we see in verse 15 is “grammata,” meaning “literate” or “a person with educational skill”. They are asking, paraphrasing, “How is this man literate?” or “How does this man sound so educated?” They considered Jesus to be an uneducated man because He had never had formal rabbinic training. He spoke like no other rabbi they had ever heard before. I would assume that most rabbis would refer to the teachings of other rabbis on the law. But Jesus needed no teachings from past or present rabbis, because His teaching came straight from God. 

The word “doctrine” in verse 16 means teaching or instruction. Jesus says, “My teaching or instruction is not Mine, but His who sent Me.” We have so many different “doctrines” or “teachings” floating around in the religious world today. It seems to me that this word is used loosely today to validate different opinions on scripture. This is how I see this word used today. If they call what they are teaching a “doctrine”, then it makes it sound more official or more real. People will be more likely to believe it if it is called our “doctrine”. That may not make sense, but it is how I view the use of the word in today’s religious world. I can hear people saying things like, “Well…that is your doctrine, but this is our doctrine. But…they are both “doctrines”, so they are both fine to live by.” It is very sad that men have come up with all these “doctrines”, and put them out in the world as truth. It is very confusing. There is only one “doctrine”, and that is the “doctrine” that Jesus is speaking of here in John 7:16…..the doctrine that comes straight from God. I am reminded of Romans 16:17, where Paul says, “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.” The word “doctrine” that Paul uses is singular.

In verses 17-18, Jesus says, paraphrasing, “Anyone who aligns his own will with God’s will, shall know for certain whether the doctrine that I speak is from God or if I’m just making it up for My own glory with my own authority. Anyone who speaks a doctrine on his own authority is only wanting glory for himself, but the doctrine of a person who is seeking to give all glory to God is speaking the truth, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” Being a disciple of Jesus means that we don’t seek any glory for ourselves. And Jesus plainly said that anyone who makes up a doctrine that does not align with Jesus’ doctrine is seeking his own glory. We are to strive to bring God glory in everything we do. And part of bringing God glory means that we are to keep His doctrine intact. Human nature causes us to want to be noticed or recognized for the things that we do. We worry about whether other people agree with or like what we are doing or saying. However, it should never be about what other people like or don’t like. It shouldn’t be about what we ourselves prefer or don’t prefer. It should be about what pleases God, and nothing else. We tend to rely on other people’s opinions of what we are doing for validation. It is something we have to fight against even as we work in the Lord’s kingdom. Being a disciple of Jesus is all about diverting 100% of the glory away from us and onto God…100%. John the baptizer said, “He must increase, I must decrease.” This should be my attitude… zero attention for me, ALL attention for the One who created me. 

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about how to be saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t or you are not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what is going to happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has outlined in His Word so that humankind can receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)