Weekly Bible Study – December 29, 2014

Doctrine of Election, Part 10.
The Hypocrisy of the Roman Catholic Church.

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:

Doctrine of Election, Part 10.
The Hypocrisy of the Roman Catholic Church.



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

Doctrine of Election, Part 10.
The Hypocrisy of the Roman Catholic Church.

So far in our study we have noted;

Point 1. Definition.
Point 2, There have only been three Elections in history.
Point 3, The Election of Israel.
Point 4. The unique Election of history: Thee lord jesus Christ.
Point 5. The Election of the Church.
Point 6. Election and the believer’s escrow account.
Point 7. Winner and loser believer.
Point 8. SElection and Election.
Point 9. Election and the sovereignty of God with the free will of man and all His creatures.

We are now ready for Point 10 which deals with the equal privilege of Election manifested by the universal priesthood of every Church-age believer. Our royal priesthood shows that God’s plan for us in the Church-age as Royal family is totally and completely unique. Never before the Church-age and never after the Rapture is there ever another universal priesthood; it is only for us in the Church-age. This makes this dispensation the dispensation of personal responsibility.


A priest is a human being who represents people before God. And in the Church-age, since every believer is a priest, every believer represents himself before God.


GAL 3:26-28, For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

This establishes a system of what is known and what is called: Privacy. This is why the apostle Paul said what he did in ROM 14:4, Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

ROM 14:5-8, One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

ROM 14:10-12, But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.” So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

ROM 14:22, The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

Under the privacy of your priesthood, you are responsible for yourself before God.

This means you are responsible for; every thought you think, every thing you say, every motive you have, and every decision you make, whether it is good or bad. In other words, God is holding you personally responsible for your own decisions. Because he made you a priest so that you could represent yourself before Him. And a very vital part of representing yourself before God is to receive what you have been elected to receive. What really gives God pleasure is when He is able to give to you that which He has elected you to receive, fantastic blessing. The Bible is the mind of Christ and ACT 20:35 tells us that God derives more pleasure from “giving to us” then He does from “receiving from us.”

The Royal priesthood of the believer is taught many times in the New Testament. In fact, it was a favorite subject of Peter. Although his teaching has been was distorted by the Catholic Church, he was really teaching about the Royal priesthood of each Church-age believer. The Catholic Church, not Peter are the ones who:

Promoted making the sign of the Cross in 300 A.D.

The worship of angels and dead Saints in 375A.D.

Exaltation of Mary, As the Mother of God was first applied by the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.

The idea of Purgatory established by Gregory I in 593 A.D.

Latin language, used in prayer and worship, imposed by Gregory I in 600 A.D.

Prayers directed to Mary.

Dead Saints and Angels in 600 A.D.

The Title of Pope, or universal Bishop, given to Boniface III by Emperor Phocas in 607 A.D.

Kissing of Pope’s foot, began with Pope Constantine in 709 A.D.

Worship of the Cross and the images and relics authorized in 786 A.D.

Holy water, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by a Priest in 850 A.D.

Fasting on Fridays and during Lent in 998 A.D.

The Rosary mechanical praying with beads, invented by Peter the Hermit in 1090 A.D.

Sale of Indulgences in 1190 A.D.

Transubstantiation, proclaimed by Pope Innocent III in 1215 A.D.

Confession of sins to a Priest instead of God, instituted by Pope Innocent III, in 1215 A.D.

Adoration of the wafer (Host), decreed by Pope Honorius III in 1220 A.D.

Bible forbidden to laymen, placed on the Indes of Forbidden Books by the Council of Toulouse in 1229 A.D.

Cup forbidden to the people at communion by Council of Constance in 1414 A.D.

Purgatory proclaimed as a dogma by the Council of Florence in 1439 A.D.

Apocryphal books added to the Bible by the Council of Trent in 1546 A.D.

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854 A.D.

Infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals, proclaimed by the Vatican Council in 1870 A.D.

Forty days Lent-holy week

Palm Sunday

Ash Wednesday

All Saints day

and many, many others:

In the true word of God, Peter was the first to teach the doctrine that every believer is a Priest around 65 A.D., found in 1PE 2:5 and 9. John taught the doctrine as well. However in 1PE 2:5, we read you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1PE 2:6-9, For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone, A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

As a Royal priest, every believer has a direct line to God, which means he represents himself before God, he evaluates himself, and he offers prayer for himself. Hence, the privacy of your priesthood is related to the importance of the Perception, Metabolization and Application of Bible Doctrine. You have privacy so that you can learn the word of God or Bible doctrine yourself. However, you can never learn anything if you are not objective, if you reject authority, or if you have any form of arrogance. You can never learn anything if you already have a preconceived knowledge about the one who is teaching you are therefore you become critical and judgmental concerning the communicator.

1TI 4:10, For this reason, we [pastors] work hard to the point of exhaustion, and we hang in there tough [keep on contending], because we have confidence in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

Notice that a distinction is made between all men and believers. Now, first of all, all mankind is born in sin and is sinful and separated from God and therefore incapable of saving himself, PSA 51:5; PSA 58:3; 1CO 15:22. The perfect righteousness of God cannot have fellowship with sinfulness so the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for our sins and He satisfied the righteousness of God the Father, we call that propitiation. However, this separation has been dealt with through Lord Jesus Christ.

We are told that in ROM 3:23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Secondly, there is the penalty of sin which is spiritual death. ROM 6:23, For the wages of sin is [spiritual] death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thirdly, we are born spiritually dead and physically alive. This is why the lord jesus Christ said in JOH 3:6-7, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”

Fourth, man’s righteousness is unable to meet the demands of the perfect righteousness of God.

ISA 64:6, For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;

Then number five, there is the problem of our position in Adam, 1CO 15:22, For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.

The problem of sin is removed by the doctrine of redemption which is the unlimited atonement, 2CO 5:18-21, Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

So, the problem of sin is removed by the doctrine of redemption which is the unlimited atonement.

The penalty of sin is removed by the doctrine of expiation, the satisfying of the holiness of God, JOH 19:30.

The problem of physical birth is removed by the doctrine of regeneration, JOH 3:3, TIT 3:5.

The problem of man’s righteousness is removed by the doctrine of justification and imputation, GAL 2:16, ROM 3:24. The problem of our position in Adam is handled by our new position in Christ, or the doctrine of positional truth through the baptism of the Spirit, 2CO 5:17, GAL 6:15. The point is that all of these things are barriers that no member of the human race could ever solve himself. We cannot solve these problems by religion, works or deeds. To learn Bible doctrine under the principle of perception requires a tremendous amount of objectivity. This is why the local church should be an environment where believers can gather together and yet have their privacy respected. This means both your sins and your strengths should be kept private.

The pastor-teacher, as the final authority in the local church, must protect the privacy of all priests in his congregation by disciplining or removing those who violate or impose upon others’ privacy. The believer priest cannot account for his thoughts, motives, decisions, or actions in undefinable terms. Under the privacy of your priesthood, you must be able to define your life in terms of the PPOG, which means you must learn the technical language and vocabulary. Once you do, you as your own priest can analyze and evaluate your own life and your own problems, and apply doctrine and make corrections to your own life under the privacy of your own priesthood.

God does not want you to depend on someone else for counsel or for a crutch, God wants you to become spiritually self-sustained! Therefore, the privacy of the priesthood demands that we learn doctrine so that we can define our situation at any given time. The Royal Priest’s self improvement is based on the function of perception of doctrine, not upon the advice and counsel of others. Any self improvement based on the advice and counsel of others is really a set back. The Royal priesthood is designed by God to function under the concept of thought. And no believer can think, apply doctrine, or solve problems through the mind or the personality of another Christian. This is why each one of us is a Priest.

To the extent that we seek counsel or advice, we’re not getting enough doctrine or we’re not using our own doctrine. Initially there’s a place for giving advice for new believers, but as you grow you should begin to handle your own life. You should know when you’re wrong and when you’re right, and you should be able to utilize all the doctrine you have learned to advance to maturity. This is because only in spiritual maturity will you truly glorify God.

Under the privacy of your priesthood, you have the right to assemble with other believers in a group, where your privacy is respected, to learn doctrine from your pastor teacher. The privacy of your priesthood permits the function of both your positive volition toward doctrine plus the right to metabolize and apply that doctrine to your own experience. The tendency is to get arrogant and want to apply it to everyone else’s experience.

The only human dependence of the royal priesthood is the divine provision of your very own pastor teacher, and consistent positive volition under his teaching ministry. In that sense, a pastor is very much like a parent and should be honored and respected, not loved personally. Your pastor should not bully you or intrude upon your privacy (unless, of course, you intrude on someone else’s privacy). He should communicate and teach doctrine faithfully. Remember those two verses which we have noted in the past concerning this principle;

ACT 20:28which teaches that the Holy Spirit assigns a certain pastor to a certain congregation.

1PE 5:3 which teaches that there are certain believers who are allotted or assigned to a certain pastor.

So, Your pastor should not bully you or intrude upon your privacy and he should communicate and teach doctrine faithfully. And faithful Bible teaching from your right pastor demands your faith perception, metabolization, and application of that teaching to your own life as a royal priest. You cannot advance to maturity on your own; someone has to train you.

Life in the PPOG is not only spiritual freedom under the filling of the Spirit, but spiritual independence within the framework of your royal priesthood. This means that as a believer priest, you cannot fulfill your Election and the PPOG by advancing to spiritual maturity on someone else’s thinking, motivation, decisions, actions, advice, counseling, emotion, or even their leadership. The only exception is your dependence on the teaching of your pastor teacher. You have to advance to maturity on your own.

The first stage of spiritual adulthood is spiritual self esteem, which is when you know how to do it on your own, and you no longer feel threatened by all the things in life that cause fear, worry, and anxiety. Major functions of the royal priesthood include:

a. Rebound as the basic technique for the recovery of fellowship.

b. A consistent prayer life.

c. Perception, metabolization, and application of doctrine to your own experience.

d. Worship.

e. The sacrifices of life, such as praise, which is your doctrinal momentum resulting in spiritual adulthood and the manner of operating of virtue-love.

f. Divine viewpoint mental attitude from metabolized doctrine. It isn’t what the other person thinks that counts; it’s what you think from metabolized doctrine that counts.

g. Self motivation from metabolized doctrine.

You have to motivate yourself; you can’t depend on someone else’s leadership. If you depend on them, then you are borrowing their inspiration. That will never work, for it results in stifling your own motivation. Then when you are under adversity, you have no motivation to keep driving. Remember, your pastor is neither the leader of your social life or the head of a lonely hearts club. He is neither a counselor nor a crutch to lean on.

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.

Internet Church Service – December 28, 2014

This week’s sermon title:
The Sword of the Spirit manifested in the life of Jesus Christ.
A memorial service. Passover and the Lord's Supper.

Today’s Sermon Message:
The Sword of the Spirit manifested in the life of Jesus Christ.
A memorial service. Passover and the Lord's Supper.
Video & Audio

Please join us as we fellowship in the Word of God, listen to
Christian Music, Pray in Christ’s Name and Praise the Lord
in our Hearts and Minds.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!

# # # # # # # #

from - Romans 8:38-39

Thank you for joining us for today’s worship service. Please enjoy the music before you watch and|or listen to today’s message.

TIP to enlarge the print hold down the “Ctrl” key on your key board, while it is being held down, move your mouse forward until the desired print size is just right for you. To return to normal screen size, reverse the process (some will see a % in the lower right corner of your screen, normal is 100%)

The lyrics have been provided so you can sing along with the artist in your mind and soul; imagine that the artist’s voice is your voice. I’m not a very good singer myself so I often get the lyrics for some of my favorites and sing along in my mind and soul, this way it’s as if I’m doing the singing to the Lord; try it.

Hymn #1

Little Drummer Boy – No Lyrics
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Hymn #2

Away in a Manger – Lyrics in Video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Preparing yourself for the study of God’s Word

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is— you have trusted in Him for eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to take-in God’s Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge your sins privately to God the Father.

1 John 1:9 says—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” NKJV (New King James Version)

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 faith alone in Jesus Christ alone:

John 6:47 says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” NKJV

Notice again what John 6:47 says, “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 Jesus Christ’s promise of everlasting life, you have it (it’s really just that simple), and it can never be lost or taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift 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: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 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:

Lectionary

The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) GNB-UK

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) GNB-UK

Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth. (2 Tim. 2:15) GNB-UK

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Opening Prayer
(Do your best to make it your own – below is a sample prayer)

Heavenly Father, we pray that we will all be richly edified by Your Word today and that You will make what we study today clear to us. We pray that all participants in this service as well as those who review it at a later date will be edified and blessed by today’s message. We pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

Our guest Pastor-Teacher is:

Robert McLaughlin - Grace Bible Church
and Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Doctrinal Statement

This ministry is non-denominational and is dedicated to teaching the Word of God from the original languages and making it available at no charge throughout the world.

Today's Sermon

The Sword of the Spirit manifested in the life of Jesus Christ.
A memorial service. Passover and the Lord's Supper.

TO VIEW THE SERMON: Right click the link above, a small window will open then left click either “Open in New Window” or “Open in New Tab” and the church service notes page will open, it has three options in the upper right side of the page, right click the link titled “download mp3” and just like before, select either Open New Window or Open New Tab to open the MP3 player, this will leave the notes page open so you can move back to it, so go back to the notes page to follow along in the notes, the streaming audio should begin automatically in your default audio/video player (like, Windows Media Player).

If you need to leave the service, when you come back, to move the MP3 player forward, press and hold the left click down on the player progress bar where you see the little arrow under the time on progress bar and move your mouse forward

OPTIONAL: On-line Bible – NASB95

If you wish to use it, right click the link and in the drop-down box, left click the "Open Link in New Window"; when the new window opens, reduce the window size of both the on-line bible and the slideshow and configure them to be side-by-side. Also, the window opens to John 3:16, click the word “more” below the verse, you will then see two online bible columns, Use the column on the left as it is set for the NASB95, at the top of the column where you see John 3:16 in the search box, type the book and verse the Pastor asks you to go to a particular Bible verse, e.g., 1tim 5:21, or eph 3:10, etc., then click “Enter” on your key board. You can use the “right column” if you wish for a different bible version but you’ll need to type in the verse you want each time as I directed you for the column on the left side.

Hymn #3

Mary Did You Know – Lyrics in Video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

CLOSING PRAYER:
(Again, below is a sample prayer, do your best to make it your own)

Heavenly Father, we pray that the Holy Spirit will make what I’ve learned today clear to me, for I pray this in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s name. Amen

If you have any questions that are pertinent about today’s message, please don’t hesitate to ask, you are welcome to ask them via a private message or by a reply in today’s post. However, sometimes questions can be real short but require a much longer answer in order to give an adequate answer. If I don’t think that the question is able to be answered quickly I’ll reply back telling you that I’ll research it and get to you with the answer (it may even be a few days as I’m a little slower than I used to be). Please don’t let what I’ve just said make you hesitate to ask questions.

I want to thank all of you who have attended this Sunday service as well as those who will view it at a later time or date.

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

Weekly Bible Study – December 22, 2014

Doctrine of Election, Part 9.
Election and the Winner Believer.

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:

Doctrine of Election, Part 8.
Election and the Winner Believer.



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

Doctrine of Election, Part 9.
Election and the Winner Believer.

In our study of the Doctrine of Election, we have now begun to note the the Christian Winner. Remember the main principle concerning election which is the fact that Under election, God wills the highest and best for every believer. That means that as a loving Father, He willed for you to have the highest and best He has to offer.

Election connotes the grace work of God the Father on your behalf in eternity past. For example, in the Bible we have the illustration and the analogy of at least five categories of Crowns for believers which are found in the word of God:

The first four are available to all believers; the last is available to pastor teachers only.

1) The crown of righteousness.
2) The crown of life.
3) The incorruptible crown
4) The crown of rejoicing.
5) The crown of glory.

Some will have the Crown of Righteousness for loving his appearing or being totally occupied with the lord Jesus Christ and producing divine good.

2TI 4:6-8, For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Some will have the Crown of Life for enduring trials, heartaches, disasters and coming out glorifying the Lord, JAM 1:12, REV 2:10.

JAM 1:12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

REV 2:8-10, “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the Crown of Life.”
Some will have the incorruptible crown for mastering their O.S.N.

1CO 9:24-27, Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Some will have the Crown of Rejoicing for being soul winners. 1TH 2:19, For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

Some will have the Crown of Glory for being willing to feed the flock of God, 1PE 5:4. Then there is the ultimate decoration: The order of the morning star. The winner who receives the above crowns not only has vast estates in the eternal state, but he receives this decoration and others that go with it. The order of the morning star is given to winners as the highest of all decorations in escrow blessings given by God.

REV 2:26,28, “Furthermore, the winner, even he who keeps my assignments [execution of the pre-designed plan of God] until the end [perpetuation of spiritual maturity through evidence testing], to him I will give authority over the nations.”

Verse 28, “Furthermore I will give to him the order of the morning star.”

The mature believer will be a king over a Gentile nation and rule during the Millennium.

Receiving this decoration is the highest manifestation of glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ in the Church-age.

This is just a tiny glimpse of what you have been elected to receive. Someone says, well that's fine for the eternal state, what about time? What kind of blessings does God bless His people with in time?

GEN12:2, blessings of success
GEN17:16, blessings of posterity
DEU 7:13, blessings in business
DEU 15:4, blessing of finance
DEU 23:20, blessing of land
DEU 28:12, blessing of prosperity
DEU 30:16, blessing of property
PSA 5:12, Blessing of divine protection
PSA 29:11, blessing of peace (inner peace)
PSA 132:15, blessing of more blessing
GEN 49:25, blessing of sexual prosperity
GEN 24:35, blessing of silver & gold
2SA 6:11, blessing of entire household
DEU 29:5, blessing of divine character
1KI 3:13, blessing of riches & honor
EXO 23:25, blessing of health & no sickness
1KI 3:14, blessing of length of days
DEU 7:15, blessing of vengeance upon your enemies
ISA 41:10, blessing of strength

All of this is based upon your attitude towards Bible doctrine.

PRO 3:15-18, She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.

PRO 4:7-10, ‘The beginning of wisdom {is:} Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding. Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty. Hear, my son, and accept my sayings, and the years of your life will be many.

PRO 4:20-22, My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their whole body.

PRO 8:10-36, “Take my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold. For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things can not compare with her. I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge {and} discretion. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate. Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine. By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly. I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield than choicest silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. Now therefore, {O} sons, listen to me, For blessed are they who keep my ways. Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect {it.} Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts. For he who finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord. But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death.

When God the Father completed this work of election in eternity past He said in effect, it is finished, because everything you would ever need as a Christian was provided. And since this existed in eternity past, it continues to exist forever. However, the purpose of election only becomes apparent when living in the PPOG under the ministry of the Spirit, and by hearing correct and accurate Bible teaching so that we become inculcated with the PPOG. Blessings for time are distributed to the Church-age believer shortly after he attains spiritual growth.

Peter gives us some insight regarding election and the fantastic blessings given to us in 1PE 1:3.

1PE 1:3-5, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a deliverance ready to be revealed in the last time.


The apostle Paul tells us that not all believers will receive their inheritance of fantastic blessings in TIT 3:7.

TIT 3:7 That being justified by His grace, we might become heirs on the basis of the confidence of eternal life.

Paul also tells us that the means of receiving these blessings is pre-destination.

EPH 1:11 ‘In Whom also we have received an inheritance, having been predestined with reference to a predetermined plan [PPOG] from Him who works all things in conformity with the purpose of His will.

So you have been elected, not only to receive salvation, but to receive the greatest blessings for time and for eternity and that especially includes spiritual blessings. Spiritual blessing means maximum awareness of life. This means that you are very much alive and you treasure every moment of life, whether in adversity or prosperity. You have zeal for life and an enjoyment of every moment of life, regardless of what it brings. And this zest for life excludes being depressed or upset by the up's and downs of life.

- Spiritual blessing means orientation to reality, a maximum amount of objectivity in your life, and the accumulation of all the characteristics of spiritual adulthood.
- Spiritual blessing means maximum contentment, tranquility, and happiness in life regardless of your station, circumstances, or status quo in life.
- Spiritual blessing means maximum use of the problem solving devices provided by God for spiritual growth.

These problem solving devices are used in varying degrees until you reach spiritual maturity when they are used to the maximum. And the use of these problem solving devices gives you an edge on life which no one else has.

In a moment's time, you can use; rebound, the filling of the Spirit, the faith rest life, grace orientation, doctrinal orientation, a personal sense of destiny, personal love for God the Father, impersonal unconditional love for all mankind, contentment and perfect happiness with God, the ultimate-occupation with the Lord jesus Christ.

All of which produce a fantastic confidence unique and exclusive to spiritual maturity. Spiritual blessing means that your relationship with God is fantastic and is based upon a tremendous confidence that, while you have never seen God, you know Him and understand Him as He wants to be understood through the mystery doctrine for the Church-age, 1PE 1:8. And you will also be blessed in your contacts with all kinds of people, both loving and antagonistic. This means that people can no longer disturb you or cause you to be disillusioned and full of self pity. And you also have a relationship with yourself that is honest and virtuous.

Although the emphasis is on spiritual blessings, God also provides temporal blessings. Temporal blessings vary with the individual and with his environment. But some of the categories can be noted.;

- Establishment blessing includes the blessings of privacy and freedom; the enjoyment of both life and property; protection from crime, reprisal, violence, and vindictiveness from others.

COL 3:4-7, When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

- Professional blessing is maximum success or efficiency in a profession, whether law, medicine, engineering, science, military, teaching, law enforcement, athletics, art, music, literature, etc.

- Business blessing, where applicable, means success in business as an owner or an executive of a large corporation; or where pertinent, success as a salesman, administrator, laborer, etc.

- Social blessing is the possession of loving, faithful, reliable, and stable friends, and maximum enjoyment of your relationships with them. It is the ability to handle all sorts of social situations. Your great happiness and enthusiasm for life is expressed both vocally and in silence with friends.

- Romantic blessing can mean a wonderful relationship with a member of the opposite sex where happiness replaces sinfulness. Rromantic prosperity is perpetuated under all circumstances of adversity and prosperity. This includes sexual prosperity in marriage. Or it could just mean not having a nagging wife; nevertheless, a successful marriage can be a reality.

- Mental blessing is the ability to concentrate; to organize both your thinking and your life; to synthesize, to analyze; and to have courage, which is the ability to think under pressure.


- Mental prosperity also includes freedom from the mental sins of fear, worry, and anxiety. You will have a relaxed mental attitude and a true sense of humor. Perhaps this category also includes freedom from the mental diseases of old age.

- Cultural blessing is maximum capacity for good entertainment; the enjoyment of the best in music, art, literature, drama, history, and whatever your hobbies.


- Health blessing is given to some mature believers as well.

But if you have violated too many principles of health already, you may not have good health, but you will have the ability to cope with your lack of good health.

- Leadership blessing, though not for everyone, is a blessing for some by virtue of either their genetics or spiritual gift, or it can be acquired. This is the ability to take any assigned responsibility and do it efficiently, cheerfully, and effectively. Several passages refer to some of these forms of prosperity.

PRO 8:18, “Riches and honor are with me [doctrine], enduring wealth and virtue [righteousness].”

PSA 23:6, “Surely prosperity and grace pursue me all the days of my life [your blessings for time], and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever [the blessings for all eternity].”

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.

Internet Church Service – December 21, 2014

This week’s sermon title:
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: What it means to celebrate our Lord's birthday
and how it relates to our union with Him and our spiritual birth.

Today’s Sermon Message:
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: What it means to celebrate our Lord's birthday
and how it relates to our union with Him and our spiritual birth.
Video & Audio

Please join us as we fellowship in the Word of God, listen to
Christian Music, Pray in Christ’s Name and Praise the Lord
in our Hearts and Minds.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!

# # # # # # # #

from - Romans 8:38-39

Thank you for joining us for today’s worship service. Please enjoy the music before you watch and|or listen to today’s message.

TIP to enlarge the print hold down the “Ctrl” key on your key board, while it is being held down, move your mouse forward until the desired print size is just right for you. To return to normal screen size, reverse the process (some will see a % in the lower right corner of your screen, normal is 100%)

The lyrics have been provided so you can sing along with the artist in your mind and soul; imagine that the artist’s voice is your voice. I’m not a very good singer myself so I often get the lyrics for some of my favorites and sing along in my mind and soul, this way it’s as if I’m doing the singing to the Lord; try it.

Hymn #1

What Child is This? – Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Hymn #2

The First Noel – Lyrics in Video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

Preparing yourself for the study of God’s Word

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is— you have trusted in Him for eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to take-in God’s Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge your sins privately to God the Father.

1 John 1:9 says—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” NKJV (New King James Version)

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 faith alone in Jesus Christ alone:

John 6:47 says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” NKJV

Notice again what John 6:47 says, “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 Jesus Christ’s promise of everlasting life, you have it (it’s really just that simple), and it can never be lost or taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift 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: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 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:

Lectionary

The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) GNB-UK

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) GNB-UK

Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth. (2 Tim. 2:15) GNB-UK

Study to show yourself approved to God!

Opening Prayer
(Do your best to make it your own – below is a sample prayer)

Heavenly Father, we pray that we will all be richly edified by Your Word today and that You will make what we study today clear to us. We pray that all participants in this service as well as those who review it at a later date will be edified and blessed by today’s message. We pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

Our guest Pastor-Teacher is:

Robert McLaughlin - Grace Bible Church
and Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Doctrinal Statement

This ministry is non-denominational and is dedicated to teaching the Word of God from the original languages and making it available at no charge throughout the world.

Today's Sermon

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: What it means to celebrate our Lord's birthday
and how it relates to our union with Him and our spiritual birth.

TO VIEW THE SERMON: Right click the link above, a small window will open then left click either “Open in New Window” or “Open in New Tab” and the church service notes page will open, it has three options in the upper right side of the page, right click the link titled “download mp3” and just like before, select either Open New Window or Open New Tab to open the MP3 player, this will leave the notes page open so you can move back to it, so go back to the notes page to follow along in the notes, the streaming audio should begin automatically in your default audio/video player (like, Windows Media Player).

If you need to leave the service, when you come back, to move the MP3 player forward, press and hold the left click down on the player progress bar where you see the little arrow under the time on progress bar and move your mouse forward

OPTIONAL: On-line Bible – NASB95

If you wish to use it, right click the link and in the drop-down box, left click the "Open Link in New Window"; when the new window opens, reduce the window size of both the on-line bible and the slideshow and configure them to be side-by-side. Also, the window opens to John 3:16, click the word “more” below the verse, you will then see two online bible columns, Use the column on the left as it is set for the NASB95, at the top of the column where you see John 3:16 in the search box, type the book and verse the Pastor asks you to go to a particular Bible verse, e.g., 1tim 5:21, or eph 3:10, etc., then click “Enter” on your key board. You can use the “right column” if you wish for a different bible version but you’ll need to type in the verse you want each time as I directed you for the column on the left side.

Hymn #3

Silent Night-Temptations – No Lyrics, just listen and enjoy.
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)

CLOSING PRAYER:
(Again, below is a sample prayer, do your best to make it your own)

Heavenly Father, we pray that the Holy Spirit will make what I’ve learned today clear to me, for I pray this in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s name. Amen

If you have any questions that are pertinent about today’s message, please don’t hesitate to ask, you are welcome to ask them via a private message or by a reply in today’s post. However, sometimes questions can be real short but require a much longer answer in order to give an adequate answer. If I don’t think that the question is able to be answered quickly I’ll reply back telling you that I’ll research it and get to you with the answer (it may even be a few days as I’m a little slower than I used to be). Please don’t let what I’ve just said make you hesitate to ask questions.

I want to thank all of you who have attended this Sunday service as well as those who will view it at a later time or date.

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

Weekly Bible Study – December 15, 2014

Doctrine of Election, Part 8.
The Winner and the Loser believer when it comes to Election.

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:

Doctrine of Election, Part 8.
The Winner and the Loser believer when it comes to Election.



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

Doctrine of Election, Part 8.
The Winner and the Loser believer when it comes to Election.

Point 1 which was our definition.

Election is the expression of the sovereign will of God in eternity past before the universe existed and before mankind lived on the earth.

Point 2 dealt with the fact that there have only been three elections in history.

a. Israel under the ritual plan of God.
b. Christ under the incarnation plan of God.
c. The church under the pre-designed plan of God.

Point 3 dealt with the election of Israel.

The election of Israel, as with all elections, applies only to those who have personally believed in Jesus Christ. This is why the Bible says that ROM 9:6, For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel.

Point 4. The Unique Election of history: the Lord Jesus Christ.

JOH 3:16, For God so loved the world, that He gave His uniquely born Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Point 5. The election of the Church.

ROM 8:33, Who will bring a charge against Gods elect? God is the one who justifies;

Point 6. Election and the believers escrow account.

Point 7. Election is Related to also the Winner and the Loser believer.

The Christian loser is defined as the Church-age believer in Jesus Christ who, through negative volition toward Bible doctrine, has failed to execute the Pre-Designed Plan of God (PPOG) for the Church-age. However, for whatever the reason, at this time he does not fulfill Gods plan for His life after salvation. So that its important to note that the loser does not lose his salvation; he only loses his escrow blessings for time and for all eternity. This is registered and backed-up by 1CO 3:15, If any mans work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.

Look at REV 3:18 for those of you who do not believe in loser believers: The apostle John wrote what our Lord said to him when he said in verse 18: I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and {BUY} white garments, that you may clothe yourself, so that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and [buy] eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

The Christian loser fails to use power options (the filling of the Spirit and metabolization of doctrine) that have been made available. The loser is the believer in Jesus Christ who has wrong priorities and spends his life in the cosmic system. The loser has a right Pastor, but because of cosmic involvement, he never sees his right pastor, or he only visits occasionally.

The same thing is true with the right man-right woman relationship, because many individuals ignore the divine signals which God gives so they miss out on having God’s highest and best in a relationship. No discernment in those areas means no recognition of the divine signals. This is especially true in the right man-right woman recognition as well as the right pastor -right congregation recognition, and in some cases even both! In many cases, the loser finds his right Pastor but rejects him, or accepts him but gets distracted. Rejection of ones right Pastor is tantamount to rejection of the mystery doctrine of the Church-age especially the doctrine of Election.

However, its important to note that even the loser continues to receive logistical grace support and blessing. The loser has equal privilege and equal opportunity to execute the PPOG with all believers who become winners. But, instead of becoming an invisible hero, the loser is bored, dissatisfied, preoccupied with self, arrogant, frustrated, distracted, unstable, and unable to utilize the ten problem solving devices. Therefore, the loser provides cursing by association which has adverse historical repercussions in the client nation. Cursing by association means the family is cursed, social life is cursed, your job, the church, the city, state and finally even the client nation is under a curse.

The Christian loser is called:

1. The carnal believer, ROM 8:7; 1CO 3:1-3
.
2. Prisoner to the law of sin, ROM 7:23.

3. A wretched believer, ROM 7:24.

4. Grieving the Holy Spirit, EPH 4:30.

5. Quenching the Spirit, 1TH 5:19.

6. The enemy of the Cross, PHI 3:18.

7. The enemy of God, JAM 4:4.

8. The flawed believer, JAM 1:23-24.

9. The psycho believer or double minded, JAM 4:8.

This is manifest in the great number of believers who become psychotic. The bottom line is that these type of believers are implacable, impossible to satisfy! They are usually critical, judgmental, negative, gossipers, malingers, fault finders, Thats why we are told in ROM 16:17-18, Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

JUD 1:16, These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

The Christian loser has the option of rebound, which means restoration to fellowship with God, recovery of the filling of the Spirit, and the continuation of the spiritual life. He is described in GAL 5:4 as drifting off course from grace. However, please notice in Gal 5, where the context of the phrase fallen from grace or drifting off course from grace comes from. GAL 5:1-4, It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [legalism]. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from or drifted off course from grace.

Notice in this context that fallen from grace has to do with going back under the law, not some form of immorality! It has to do with going back into legalism!

The loser is also described in HEB 12:15 as coming short of the grace of God. And in that passage it has to do with judging and becoming very bitter toward others.

HEB 12:15, See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

The Loser believer is described as the tormented soul of 2PE 2:7 8. And in that passage it is because of compromise with the immoral crowd. 2PE 2:7-8, and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds),

The Loser believer is described as the lukewarm believer of REV 3:15 16. This is the believer who is passive and indifferent toward the things of God. REV 3:15-16, I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

The Loser believer is described as the shipwrecked believer of 1TI 1:19, Having doctrine and a good conscience, which some believers have pushed aside, concerning which doctrine they have become shipwrecked. In this context the shipwrecked believer is the one who listened to gossip and slander and ended up shipwrecked from the faith.

The Loser believer is described as being under the body of death in ROM 7:24 25, Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

The escrow blessings of the loser will remain on deposit forever as a memorial to his failure to utilize the unique assets of the Church-age, to fulfill the will, plan, and purpose of God between his salvation and his departure from this life, whether by death or resurrection. And while he cannot lose his salvation, the loser spends his life on earth in a state of misery, resulting in two categories of punitive suffering.

1. The misery he brings on himself, i.e., self induced or volitional misery.

2. Divine discipline in three categories: warning discipline, intensive discipline, and dying discipline.

So, logistical grace extends equal opportunity to every believer, beginning on the day of his salvation, to receive his escrow blessings. Every believer is kept alive by logistical grace long enough so that he could become a winner. Therefore, every loser is a loser by his own decisions. Every believer must take the responsibility for his own decisions in eternity future. Some believers exploit the equal opportunity of election and predestination and fulfill the PPOG in time. Losers do not. At the judgment seat of Christ, they become double losers.

Time provides the opportunity for the obligee to attain Gods highest and best under election, i.e., under the deposit of the obligor in eternity past. The fulfillment of the PPOG in time leads to a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom. This dramatizes the importance of life inside the PPOG under the enabling power of the Holy Spirit and the consistent perception of doctrine and its spiritual metabolism.

The fulfillment of the PPOG in time leads to a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom. This dramatizes the importance of life inside the PPOG under the enabling power of the Holy Spirit and the consistent perception of doctrine and its spiritual metabolism. Nothing dramatizes the PPOG more than the spiritual blessings held in the eternal escrow.

What brings your blessings out of escrow? Staying in the PPOG; quickly rebound to get back in after sinning. Remaining under the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Metabolizing and applying the doctrine you learn.
How will you know when youre in spiritual maturity? You will recognize your spiritual blessings! Your escrow blessings are actually a conveyance from the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, the depositary, to the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ in you by virtue of your union with Him. The purpose of this escrow account in eternity past even before the believer was elected is two-fold:

1. The conveyance and the transfer of certain blessings in time known as temporal blessings and super blessings.

2. The conveyance and the transfer of certain blessings in eternity known as eternal blessings, rewards, decorations and privileges.

All of which are above and beyond the resurrected body for winners. Now, Im not saying that being poor in heaven is bad, Im saying that what you will be in contrast to what winners have will be like poor to rich! I don't know what it means to be poor in Heaven, but I'd rather encourage being rich! When it comes to the spiritual life there is no excuse for anyone! If you are spiritually poor it's all upon your own shoulders. Under election, God wills the highest and best for you, you've heard a thousand times, but you can dispute it! Logistical grace blessings are nothing compared to the fantastic blessings held in the escrow account. So, election connotes the grace work of God the Father on your behalf in eternity past.

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.