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What Does It Mean to be Sound?

by Tim Nichols

"But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1).

Many words in the English language have more than one meaning.  This circumstance can be a challenge for the Bible student and a holiday for the punster. Investigating word meanings, is of necessity, an important part of Bible study. It clarifies our thinking and helps us to understand more precisely what God inspired men to write.

The word "sound" is one of those words with more than one meaning. It is sometimes used to mean "noise". In that sense, all of the arguments used by false teachers are sound, - and often they are nothing but sound. Frequently they are also presented loudly and dramatically.

The word "sound" is also used in the New Testament to covey the idea of "healthy". Repeatedly we are taught to be careful to teach only those things that are "healthy" (Titus 2:1; 2 Timothy 1:13), and "wholesome" [same word in the original language] (1 Timothy 6:3). Sound, healthy, wholesome words are prescribed by God as the only cure for the spiritual ailments caused by false beliefs and practices (1 Timothy 1:9-11; Titus 1:9-11). The Great Physician has declared that it must be administered only as directed.

Just as children often refuse to take the medicine that is good for them, people often refuse to take the divine remedy of truth. They look, instead, for ineffective, candy-coated concoctions that are administered by spiritual quacks (2 Timothy 4:2-4). Clearly, those who teach false doctrine are doing false doctoring (1 Timothy 6:3-5) and are guilty of malpractice. Soundness is believing and practicing what God has revealed.

Some seem to mistakenly believe that being sound means always taking the "hard line". They seem to think that the more severe an idea is, the more sound it is.  But there is no virtue at all in being stricter than our Lord teaches us to be.  Forbidding what God allows is just as unsound as allowing what God forbids.  Just as an archer might miss the mark by hitting below or above, or to the left or right of it, - a man might miss the truth by either allowing what God forbids or by forbidding what God allows. The one who allows what God forbids seems to feel good about himself  because he has offered  himself and others more "freedom" (as though it were his to offer). The one who forbids what God allows feels more righteous because he requires more of himself and others (as if he had the right to require anything). Both have missed the target completely.

Those, for example, who declare that there is no allowable reason for divorce in spite of our Lord's statement in Matthew 19:9, have mistaken strictness and severity for soundness and good sense. Those who grant people the right to divorce for any old reason in spite of our Lord's statement in Matthew 19:9, have mistaken licentiousness for love. While we have a very real need to be unyielding and stubborn concerning the truth (Titus 1:9), we have no right to be obstinate concerning anything else (Romans 14). 

While we have a need to be tolerant of the foibles and preferences of others, there are some divinely drawn boundaries that we are obliged to honor (Jude 3).  Let every idea be weighed in the balance of God's word and never solely on the scale of severity and liberality.   

Other Articles by Tim Nichols
Our Shining Light -- Real or Pretended?
What Can be Known Can be Shown
Thoughts About the Difference Between Character and Reputation