Weekly Bible Study – September 15, 2014

The Doctrine of The Open Door. Part 4

PLEASE READ FIRST

Scripture References, Word & Phrase descriptions: If available on the website you're viewing this on, a few links (i.e., those without an already written scripture quote or brief explanation) are hover pop-up active, meaning the scripture reference will just pop-up if you hover your cursor over it (don’t click on the link, just hover your cursor over it), they work best using the Firefox browser – pop-ups in Internet Explorer, Chrome & other browsers only appear for a few seconds at best. If you don’t have Firefox (or hover pop-ups aren’t available on the website you’re viewing this on), that’s OK, move your cursor off and on the link until it is read; or left click the link which will open the verse at the online bible; or you can always use your Bible to look up the verses.

Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is; you have believed [trusted] in Him for His promised gift of eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to learn God's Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge (confess) your sins privately to God (i.e.; with your thoughts directed only to God the Father).

1 John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (known sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [unknown or forgotten sins]." NKJV (New King James Version) [italics added]

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is to have faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life:

John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]

Notice again what Jesus said in John 6:47: "…he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." It doesn't say, "will have"; it says, "has." Therefore, the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ for His promise of everlasting life, you have it (it's really just that simple; nothing more and nothing less), and it can never be taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift (Ephesians 2:8c) of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: "¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God's Word. If there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Grace Bible Church
Robert R. McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings

STUDY TITLE:

The Doctrine of The Open Door. Part 4



OPTION: If you would prefer to go directly to the Grace Bible Church website to read this study message, all verse reference links are active there (but not hover active) and Enlarged Text is also an available option – right click the above link then left click “Open Link in New Window” or “New Tab”

Terms & Abbreviations used:

PPOG = Predesigned Plan of God
Human Good = Evil + Good Deeds while not in fellowship with God
OSN = Old Sin Nature
TLJC = The Lord Jesus Christ
SSE = Spiritual Self Esteem
PVTD = Positive Volition Towards Doctrine
+H - The Happiness of God
NVTD = Negative Volition Towards Doctrine
Doctrine = Bible Truth

To look up other “terms”, go to:

Alphabetical Listing

BEGIN BIBLE STUDY
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes and references
are from the NASB – New American Standard Bible

The Doctrine of The Open Door. Part 4

Point 4 in our Doctrine: The open door of service and the cosmic opposition to the truth or the communication of Bible doctrine.

For a wide door, even effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. (1CO 16:9)

Please notice that there is much cosmic opposition called here many adversaries to the effective service or communication of the truth.

So far we have noted four basic biblical principles concerning the open door of service:

a. The open door of service is when you see a need and God gives you the opportunity of fulfilling that need.

b. The open door of service can also refer to rendering financial help to others, ACT 11:29; 2CO 9:12-13; ROM 15:31.

c. The open door of service can also refer to personal help rendered to individuals in leadership positions, ACT 19:22; ROM 16:1-2.


d. The open door of service is when God gives certain members of the body of Christ direction to identify the unmentioned needs involved in the local assembly and to do something about it.

The open door of service is accompanied by the many adversaries or much cosmic opposition to the truth or the communication of Bible doctrine. This is why every local assembly should have as one of it’s goals, the desire to hear what the apostle Paul said in 2TH 1:4, Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. That’s why Paul said in 2TI 3:12, And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus [execute the PPOG] will be persecuted.

We noted these principles down concerning the type of believers who allow the details of life hinder them from the open doors of opportunity.

1. The type of believer who allow the details of life to hinder them from the open doors of opportunity become entangled with and distracted by public opinion.

“You shall not follow a multitude in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice;” (EXO 23:2)

Public opinion is only a force for good when it is related to truth in three categories: The laws of divine establishment, the Gospel, and Bible doctrine. The rise of the news media as a propaganda agent for communism and socialism means the public is constantly bombarded and inculcated with false concepts. The only protection the public has against the inculcation of evil propaganda is positive volition to the truth of the word of God. Whenever there’s a small pivot that means public opinion becomes a powerful evil weapon.

The Latin phrase "Vox populae (pop-u-lie) vox diabolus" means "the voice of the people is the voice of the devil."

One thing is never true, and that is another Latin phrase Vox populae (pop-u-lie) vox dei (dee-e), "the voice of the people is the voice of God." Public opinion never has the facts or the truth; it is irrational, irresponsible, emotional, and arrogant. So, this person becomes entangled with and distracted by public opinion or whatever a lot of people are presuming to be the truth.

PSA 19:13, Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

2. If they choose to go through the open doors of opportunity, usually their family, friends and society would not understand. What society or people do not understand, they reject and attack. Ignorance is the basis and normal function of society.

3. This person thinks more about people than he does about the Lord, therefore he fails people testing.
Many call this type of person sweet, nice and humble because they never rock the boat.

GAL 1:10, For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ.

1TH 2:4, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who examines our hearts.

JOH 12:43, for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

4. For these types of individuals, as long as there is no conflict, it is convenient to follow the Lord, but now that there is a conflict because of the open door, it becomes inconvenient.

The worst thing that could happen to a believer, especially a pastor is to be concerned about what others are saying about him. It is a huge satanic trap and plot to distract him from his calling.

5. There will always be a lot of negativity surrounding you whenever you are faced with the open doors of opportunity.

The reason being is because the majority of believers live upon human viewpoint even though they are born again, 2CO 5:7. These type of believers, who allow the details of life to hinder them from the open doors of opportunity, do not have the moral courage necessary to face the ridicule of their friends and the condemnation of society. They are distracted disciples. Never be ashamed of doctrine, it is the most valuable thing in life!

MAR 8:38, "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

Many believers will fall apart when the open doors of opportunity and disaster comes in because they are distracted disciples. One area that the believer must really be on guard against when it comes to the open doors of opportunity is people testing and personality conflicts. The reaction factor in personality conflict becomes a source of great irritation and misery to most believers today. The reaction in personality conflict is generally expressed through the arrogance complex as hatred, bitterness, maligning, judging, revenge motivation and function, all a source of terrible unhappiness. When you react to people in some form of antagonism, they immediately have control over your life, so that you resort to either mental or verbal hostility or even violence. To recover control you must have impersonal love. Most believers never get this far. Therefore, you destroy the person who has control over your life, and at the same time you destroy your own happiness when you are frustrated and react from any phase of the arrogance complex.

Response and reaction to people can become a major distraction to the open doors of opportunity. Response results in cosmic evangelism, whereas reaction leads to motivational and functional evil. This means you must derive your happiness from God and from His plan. When that happens, then all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place and your relationships in life become wonderful. To avoid reaction in personality conflict, you must reside in your very own plan, the PPOG, under the enabling power of the Spirit, with momentum from metabolized doctrine. This will bring you to spiritual adulthood when you have great happiness even while suffering for blessing. When you can utilize impersonal love as a problem solving device in these stages, you have made the greatest stride in your spiritual life.

Impersonal love is the most obscure and underrated factor in the spiritual life today. Since happiness is the monopoly of God and His plan, you cannot depend upon people or circumstances for your happiness.

So if you surrender your happiness to someone else, you will blame that person for everything that goes wrong in your life. In personal love or hatred, the object controls your life. When you become upset with someone, you surrender the custody of your happiness to that person. When you blame them for your unhappiness, which is produced by your own volition, you have intensified the suffering in your life under the law of volitional responsibility. Grace disappears when you try to mold the life of those around you. This is true especially in the spiritual realm.

That's why PHI 2:12 says, So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; PHI 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. PHI 2:14, Do all things without grumbling or disputing; you must learn to mind your own business and work out your own salvation. The apostle Paul also warned the Thessalonians about the seriousness of violating the privacy of others and not operating in the Royal family honor code in 2TH 3:11.

2TH 3:11, For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.

Notice here that an undisciplined life is one that violates the privacy and the freedom of others.....called in this passage, being a busybody. Then Paul goes on to say,

2TH 3:12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.

"Eat your own bread" is a Greek idiom, which means mind your own business.

In 1TI 5:13, Paul actually tells us that violating the privacy and the freedom of others is something that people learn to do, being under the influence of Satan. 1TI 5:13 "And at the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention." So you must work out your own salvation and mind your own business and not get sidetracked with people. When you do, you can no longer deal with your problems from the strength of your own priesthood and you will miss out on the open doors of opportunity.

As the believer grows spiritually in the PPOG, he becomes aware of this pattern, rebounds quickly, and any suffering left over he can scoop up for blessing, and he moves on. The real solution is related to virtue-love as a problem solving device, which is for spiritual adulthood only. Believers in spiritual childhood do not have personal love for God or impersonal love for all mankind.

With the attainment of spiritual autonomy through spiritual self-esteem plus providential preventative suffering, you begin to peak out in the use of virtue-love as a problem solving device. Up until you reach spiritual adulthood, you become aware that you are a person with a relationship with God. You realize God intends for you to be blessed, and for you to be strong in every situation in life. without being sustained by impersonal love, all human relationships are vulnerable to the tragic flaw syndrome. The influence of those whom you love can be detrimental and distracting unless you advance to spiritual self-esteem and spiritual autonomy.

There are very few people who actually have control of their own lives; yet that is normal Christianity. Their lives are controlled by the objects of their affection. So there are very few believers who are spiritually self sustaining. You make your own decisions in your choice of friends and loved ones. After that they begin to make all the decisions for you unless you have the function of impersonal love.

Ladies find devious ways to make a man feel guilty because of his neglect, his failure, or his fading love. The woman is not using impersonal love, nor is the man who succumbs to her. Remember these passages:

1CO 15:33, "Be not deceived, evil companions corrupt good morals."

We create evil companions, by being intimate with those who distract us from Bible doctrine, by allowing them to control our life and happiness.

PRO 13:20, "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the friends of fools will suffer evil."

2TH 3:14, "If anyone does not obey our doctrine through this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with them."

JER 17:5 8 teaches the importance of personal love for God and spiritual self-esteem in people testing, "Cursed is the man who puts his trust in mankind; and makes flesh his strength; and whose heart turns away from the Lord."

PRO 9:7-12, "He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man {gets} insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you, Reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give {instruction} to a wise man, and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man, and he will increase {his} learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

PRO 10:8, "The wise of heart will receive commands, But a babbling fool will be thrown down."

PRO 10:12, "Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions."

PRO 10:22, "It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it."

PRO 11:17, "The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm."

So, impersonal love does not function effectively until the believer attains spiritual independence. No one really becomes spiritually mature until his relationships are all handled by impersonal love from being spiritually independent from others. The best thing that you can do is pray for your friends and hope that they reach spiritual adulthood because the sooner your friends reach spiritual autonomy, the more tranquil your life will be because they will tolerate you as you are. Impersonal love is the sum total of the believer's honor, integrity, and objectivity first acquired in attainment of spiritual self-esteem, but becomes strong in spiritual independence.

So, people testing is a part of cosmic evangelism by those you either love or hate. Cosmic evangelistic appeal is generally based on some form of arrogance, which may be disguised in the form of flattery, intellectuality or affection or even passion. The moral cosmic evangelist is affectionate without being passionate, and with affection lures you into the cosmic system. The immoral cosmic believer is passionate without being affectionate, and with passion lures you into the cosmic system. In either case, friendship or sex become more important than Bible doctrine. Cosmic evangelism never attracts you through capacity for love, or honor or integrity or virtue. The tool of the cosmic evangelist is always arrogance.

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life:
Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.