What Is Apostolic Doctrine?
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine . . . (Acts 2:42) Apostolic doctrine, therefore, is not the new and novel teachings of someone who calls himself/herself an apostle. Apostolic doctrine is the message of Jesus, His redemptive work, and His call to selfless discipleship that is found in the 27 books of the New Testament. The apostles doctrine of Acts 2:42 is a reference to the original eyewitness accounts of Jesus by the 12 apostles. This doctrine consisted of their first-hand reports of His life, teachings, death, and resurrection. This was, at first, an oral message spread by the Twelve and those that heard them. It was later written down in what we know as the four gospels. Pauls writings were later added to this original testimony and, with the addition of James, Jude, Hebrews, 1 & 2 Peter , 1, 2, & 3 John , and Revelation there came into existence what we know as the New Testament canon. Canon, of course, refers to a measure or rule. As such, the twenty-seven
