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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE SOUND? 

 

 

 

It has been so long since many in the church have heard sound doctrine that when a preacher does come along and preach the whole counsel of God, his words are STRANGE in their ears! It’s a shame that many have said, “I haven’t heard preaching like that since I was a child.” What are you hearing from the pulpit? Brethren, LOVE THE TRUTH. Obedience to the truth is what saves.

 

Of the 89 times the English word “sound” appears in the Bible, 17 of them refer to the theme of this discussion. 

 

Webster defines “sound” as: “free from injury or disease: robust; free from flaw, defect, or decay; solid, firm, stable; free from error, fallacy, or misapprehension; accurate, precise.” 

 

Strong’s gives as the definition of the Greek word: “to have sound health, i.e. be well (in body); figuratively to be incorrupt (true in doctrine).” 

 

Thayer says: “to be sound, to be well, to be in good health. Is used of one whose Christian opinions are free from any admixture of error. True and incorrupt doctrine.” 

 

Psalm 119:80 says it well, “Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.” Surely, all desire to be sound in the faith. 

 

Twenty different phrases speak of sound doctrine. It is called:

 

In 1 Timothy 1:10, a list of sins is found that is contrary to “sound doctrine.” Those who do not consent to “wholesome (sound) words” are “destitute of the truth.” We are commanded regarding such people, “from such withdraw thyself’ (1 Timothy 6:3-5). 

 

A man qualified to be an elder is one who holds “…fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9). He must know sound doctrine when he hears it and, when he does not hear it, he is able to refute those who are in error. Concerning such false teachers, Titus 1:11 says, “whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.” 

 

Those who are teaching contrary to the Gospel (the whole New Testament) are to be exposed for what they are. “Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:13). 

 

Titus was exhorted to speak “sound doctrine” and to teach men to be “sound in faith” (Titus 2:1-2). He was to be a pattern of good works and in doctrine he was to show “uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you” (Titus 2:7-8). Oh, how we need men today who will heed these words! Where are they? Far too many give an “uncertain sound” (1 Corinthians 14:7-8) which leads men away from the truth, not toward it. 

 

We are to hold fast the form (pattern) of “sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13). “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). 

 

The number is growing fewer today who are able to endure sound doctrine or even know what sound doctrine is! It has been so long since they have heard sound doctrine (the “whole counsel of God,” Acts 20:27) that “sound words” are “strange” in their ears. There was such a famine of hearing the words of the Lord in Hosea’s day that when they did hear it proclaimed they counted His words “strange” (Hosea 8:12). They were destroyed for their lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

 

WHAT CONSTITUTES SOUNDNESS

There are a number of things that are required in order for one to be counted as “sound.” To “say” that someone is sound does not mean it is so. What then is the criteria by which we can determine if one is sound? 
 

1. To be sound, one must LOVE the Truth. 
 

Those in Zechariah 8:19 were exhorted to “love the truth.” All must “buy the truth and sell it not” (Proverbs 23:23). There are many who do not believe the truth nor love the truth; and, without the love of the truth, one will be content to believe a lie and be damned (2 Thessalonians 2:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:12)! Only the truth will save (John 8:32). This one point in itself ought to be sufficient to establish if one is sound or not, for if one loves the Truth, how could he not be sound? Who would admit, though, to not loving the Truth? However, it does not necessarily follow that one would be sound simply because he “says” he loves the truth. The points that follow will establish whether he truly loves the truth or not. 


2. To be sound, one must BELIEVE and TEACH the Truth. 

When the Truth (the Gospel) is believed, it will be taught in its completeness without fear or favor of any man. There will be no “testing the wind” to see what brethren will accept and what they will not. The message will be the same to all audiences. Truth is consistent. Paul had declared the “whole counsel of God” to those at Ephesus (Acts 20:27).

 
Even though one may claim to teach the truth, it does not necessarily make it so. His teaching/doctrine must be examined. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). 
 

3. To be sound; one must LIVE the Truth. 

One may teach the truth, nothing but the truth, and still not be “sound.” No one is sound who does not live according to the truth. 

“Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7:10). Luke wrote of all “that Jesus began both to do and teach” (Acts 1:1). Timothy was to be “an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). Jesus warned of the scribes and Pharisees saying, “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not” (Matthew 23:3). 

 

One’s life must be in compliance with the Truth, i.e., the Doctrine of the Lord, the Gospel. All of God’s Word is doctrine, regardless of the subject matter. The doctrine (gospel/teaching/truth) of the Lord must be obeyed in morality (1 Peter 1:15), worship (John 4:24), fellowship (2 John 9-11) — ALL that God commands. 
 

4. To be sound, one must DEFEND the Truth. 

 

Defending the truth is certainly involved in “living the truth” as point three describes. However, in light of the fact that so few are obedient to this command, it needs special attention as a separate point. 

 

Heaven’s directive is that every child of God “…earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). Gospel preachers are to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). “No” fellowship does not mean “some” or a “little” fellowship! 

 

No one is sound that does not defend the faith — the Gospel. Paul was always ready to defend the Gospel (Philippians 1:7; Philippians 1:17). He told the brethren at Rome to “mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18). 

 

To bid God speed to those in error makes one a partaker of their evil deeds. “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 9-11). 

 

To fellowship those in error instead of reproving them does not make one “sound.” Such an individual may say he loves the truth and teaches the truth, but his practice proves he does not! Such a person is not living nor defending the truth! If he were, he would rebuke those in error. 

 

CONCLUSION

What does it mean to be “sound?” One is sound when he: 1) Loves the truth, 2) Teaches the truth, 3) Lives the truth, 4) Defends the truth. When any of these are absent, a brother is not sound, no matter how much he says he is or how many others say he is! The proof (evidence) is in, not only what he teaches, but also in what he practices. Actions speak louder than words!