Since the birth of the New Testament church, the church of Christ has been given a specific charge from the Apostles. The charge is to stay steadfast in the doctrine of Christ; also known as the Apostles’ doctrine. We can see this in Acts 2:42: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers”. We also see that Paul said there would be false teachers that would plague the church, “For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple. And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.” (Acts 21:29).
Knowing this, Paul wrote to Timothy concerning the church and how to keep yourself pure. 1 Timothy 1 3-4 says, “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”.
Paul knew that by rebuking false teachers, this action alone would keep out the elements that would corrupt the church. Timothy was to keep himself pure (1 Timothy 4:16), and by doing so he would save others. How is this possible? Only those who stay pure in the doctrine of Christ will make it, and Paul knew that. Therefore, by keeping the pure doctrine, we shall be saved through the Gospel of Christ. We’ll end with this: “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:9).