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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 known unconfessed 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]; we call this REBOUND, read the full doctrine as to “why” we need to use 1 John 1:9 to grow spiritually. REBOUND
If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, 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 simply exercise faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life; when you do, you will instantly receive Eternal Life: John 3:16, 5:24, 6:47, 20:30, 31.
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 3:14-15, 16, 17, 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 McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is taught Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
God’s Word is taught Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
STUDY TITLE:
Truth always ultimately prevails, and truth is the
enemy of Satan and the Kingdom of Darkness.
We begin in John 15:1, where our Lord begins to teach His disciples His last message about the Vine and the Branches. And so, He begins in verse 1 by noticing what the “Word of God” says concerning the Vine and the Branches. This passage is one of the most astonishing passages as well as the most important overlooked doctrines in the NT [New Testament].
The word translated “fear” is normally a reference to respect, to esteem, to honor, to revere but, most of all, when God is the subject to fear it is translated “to worship.” From this passage we can extrapolate or learn the following principles:
1. First of all, the Lord Jesus Christ is called the “True Vine” because the word ‘True’ refers to His character and nature while the word ‘vine’ refers to His divine essence and that is why we have passages where the Lord He is called the God of Truth; Deut 32:4.
This refers to the guidance and blessings received from the God of all Truth. When a believer is totally sold out for the Lord, he is so because he has believed that God is trohn; 3Jo 1:4.
Beginning now, in 3Jo 1:4, the Apostle John reveals something fantastic about this man Gaius in verse 4 where the Apostle John says; “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”
Gaius was a member of a church that the Apostle John had oversight of, according to 3Jo 1:1 where the Apostle John complimented him for his perseverance in doctrine and not for his lying and crying. Which is why the Apostle John said in 3Jo 1:1, The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
The word elder is the Greek noun presbuteros which means the mature believers; the elder, “the old man,” all in the sense of being in the highest authority, commander, commanding officer, elder; it refers to the authority of the pastor.
Authority is one of the most important principles of doctrine that can unlock the prison doors of guilt within, as well as the prison doors of condemnation, hatred, anger, bitterness, jealousy. The presbuteros (elder) is truly taught that authority is our friend, and without it, the believer Christian has absolutely no spiritual strength to handle the problems that exist.
Remember, our Lord still had problems with the disciples concerning how to get them prepared, and which one of them will emerge as the leader of them all. Now, let me warn you, this is not something to take lightly but it should be taken easy so that we can learn the Word of God and not to plague ourselves from failure.
Look at 1Ti 5:17, Let the elders [the presbuteros] who rule well be considered “worthy of double honor”, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
A few principles are now needed to understand the whole realm of doctrine.
So, the first principle is that the pastor is called to lay down his life for the brethren because the word elders denotes the beginning of one with authority; 1Ti 5:17, Let the elders [the presbuteros] who rule well.
There can be NO real peace until those who are in positions of authority, function with godly character, integrity, and virtue over those who are moral but not spiritual.
1Ti 5:17, Let the elders [presbuteros] who rule well, and then we have the phrase, “be considered worthy of double honor”
Now, what is meant by double honor? Double honor must be interpreted in the time it was written and therefore, if the communicator didn’t know what honor meant back then, then how is the listener going to understand it now.
Prov 4:5-8, Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you. 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.
This is definitely the same principle that the Apostle Paul had to teach His disciples the importance of unity and separation, especially if they are ever going to fulfill the spiritual life.
Tit 1:4-5, to Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,
Look at 1Pe 5:1-4, Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as {your} fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to {the will of} God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
A few passages come to mind for me concerning these principles. For example, look at Phil 3 where the Apostle Paul reveals his spiritual status by describing for us what he was like before his salvation including his victories as well as his defeats. And, all of was designed to teach both Jews and Gentiles, the Mystery Doctrine of the Church-age.
In Phil 3:1-2, the Apostle Paul writes to the believers at Philippi, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
Next, we have the truth revealed rather than the truth concealed; Phil 3:3, for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and we put no confidence in the flesh,
The Apostle Paul goes on to say in Phil 3:4, although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
He is not bragging; he is actually humbled by the acceptance of our Lord toward him. He is not boasting, He is toasting our Lord Jesus Christ, for all of His victories especially on the Cross.
In verse 5, the Apostle Paul goes on to brag about all his accomplishments and then what he thinks about all those accomplishments and achievements.
First, the accomplishments or the achievements that causes some to brag about what they have done!; in Phil 3:5-15, where the Apostle Paul says that he was circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His
resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
Now, let me give you our corrected translation of these verses, not that the translators did a lousy job, but we need to modify or expand our study on certain words in the passage because some words have changed their meaning over the years.
An example of this is the word fear in the Bible, because we are told to “fear” God, when in reality, the word fear, as it is used throughout all three of the original languages in the Bible means to respect or revere, admire, but most of all, it means to worship.
If you replace the word fear with the word worship, you will see how great the passages are that refer to God, the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit as well as the Word of God which we are also told to fear, respect, and praise.
In fact, as many of you know, there are three different languages in the Word of God, Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, and all three of them translate the word “fear” in their own language as we do which is; = to respect, to esteem, to honor, to revere but, most of all, when God is the subject to fear, it is translated “to worship.”
Most of you know that I put many hours of study in when we studied the book of Philippians, verse by verse and I don’t like to study and read a passage once and not even mention it again.
So, bear with me as I take you through Phil 3 again but this times it is from my own interpretation and reveal to you how you need to go forward in the plan of God and not let carnality rule. Enjoy and live the spiritual life that God designed just for all of us because of His love which is never-ending.
Phil 3:1-17, Finally, my brethren, keep on having inner happiness in the Lord. On the one hand, to be writing the same doctrines to you is not troublesome to me, while on the other hand, it is a safeguard or a basis of security for you.
Beware of those dogs, beware of those evil workers, beware of the mutilation. For we [supergrace-believers] and only we keep on being the true circumcision [the true circumcision in the Church-age], who keep on worshipping in the Spirit of God and glory or boast in Christ Jesus and we put no confidence in the flesh. Even though I myself might be having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone of the same category [Judaizers] assumes to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, [born] out from the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews [an outstanding Hebrew]; with reference to the Law, a Pharisee; with reference to zeal, constantly persecuting the church; with reference to the self-righteousness which is in the Law, having become blameless. But whatever quality of things were gains to me, those things [gains] I have concluded as an expert as loss for the sake of Christ.
Not only this but more than this, I conclude as an expert all things [Paul’s pre-salvation human celebrityship and achievement] to be loss [singular] because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have forfeited all things, also, I keep on concluding as an expert them to be piles of dung in order that I may win for Christ, and that I may be found in Him, not having my own righteousness derived from the source of the Law, that [righteousness] which is acquired by means of faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from the source of the God at the point of faith, that I may come to know Him, and the power of [behind] His resurrection and the participation of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; if, in some way, I may attain to the resurrection away from the dead ones. Not that I have already obtained it [the resurrection life or the ultra supergrace status], or have already reached the objective, but I continue pressing on that I may attain that [or overtake that, or gain that, arrive at the objective] on account of which I was overtaken by Christ Jesus. Brethren [members of the Royal Family of God], I evaluate myself as not yet having attained the objective [ultra-supergrace or the ultimate objective in time, living in resurrection life]; but one thing I concentrate upon: constantly forgetting the things that lie behind and pursuing vigorously to what lies ahead, I keep on pressing on toward the objective for the purpose of the reward belonging to the upward call of God [Father], by means of Christ Jesus. Therefore, as many as are spiritually mature, let us have this attitude, in fact, if in anything you have a different attitude, the God will also reveal that to you.
However, the status to which we have attained [that is the spiritual growth from our discipline toward perception, metabolization and application of doctrine] let us keep marching or advancing in. Brethren [members of the royal family], be co-imitators of me, and be having respect for the same ones, who constantly walk according to the pattern you have in us.
The point is that Truth always prevails and truth is a direct enemy of the king of darkness. This is another reason why Satan is described in John 8:44 as a creature who refused to live in the truth and is said to be a liar and the father of lies; John 8:44.
Lying is one of the most powerful weapons that believers have especially uses for their self-preservation. People who live in sin or who are passive, lazy, and slothful despise truth.
But, truth always prevails so you might as well learn it and join it.
As God the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write in 2Co 13:8, For we can do nothing against the truth, but {only} for the truth.
Hell is filled with liars, but, then again, most religious people are also said to make their home there. In fact, as I have mentioned many times before, God is not all upset with what is going on in the human race, His omniscience knows all things God wants to lay back, relax, AND LOVE.
Here’s a passage that you should enjoy beginning in Rev 21:1-8, And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer {any} sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be {any} death; there shall no longer be {any} mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” And He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part {will be} in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
These passages are actually a more precise accurate picture of unbelievers who will experience one of the Divine Attributes of our Lord and the Divine Essence, as they begin to line up together to release us from any form of guilt and condemnation.
Our Lord was always looking for an opportunity to reveal “The Truth” to those who desired the truth. Even up till their death, like the thieves on the Cross, our Lord was always ready to reach out and try to get them saved before they died.
How do we know that?
We know that because the Apostle John told us that, John 13:1, Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
Plant the seed!
1Co 3:1-11, And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able {to receive it.} Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not {mere} men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave {opportunity} to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God, which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
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.
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