A Bishop or Pastor is to hold fast to sound doctrine so that he may exhort and convict those who contradict (Titus 1:9). That begs the question, “What is sound doctrine?”
Remember what Paul told Timothy about doctrine. “All scripture is given by inspiration of /god and is profitable for doctrine…” (2 Timothy 3:16). It is not enough to take a sentence or partial sentence out of context and use it to teach a doctrine (a principle to live by). The entire Bible must be taken into consideration. Does the Bible as a whole support the teaching? Do the verses before and afterward support the teaching? In other words, is the doctrine being taught what the writer was addressing or using as a foundation to address another concept?
Here is a brief example. “To my beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 1:2). Many teach that this means all believers should be healthy and prosperous. But Paul also prayed “My heart’s prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1). Yet he says “I magnify my ministry; if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some” (Romans 11:14). Note not all are saved but some, yet he prays for all.
A prayer for something by Paul is not necessarily a basis for a doctrine.
