Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Wednesday,
May 15, 2019
There are many believers who believe in certain doctrines and who try to make a verse say what they want it to say to back up their ignorance of the Word of God.
These are the types of individuals who pick a subject and then they look for scriptures to back-up what they believe when it should be just the opposite.
Opposite = We should learn what the verses and passages say and teach us first, then we should allow the Word of God to dictate to us the correct interpretation of the passage.
We don’t use the Bible or misquote the Bible and take it out of the context to back up what we claim to believe by taking scriptures out of their context.
”taken scriptures out of context” = the #1 reason for the biggest problems of interpretation that most believers not only take God’s Word out of context but they also reject the concept of ICE.
Most believers are either ignorant of the principle of ICE because they have learned the doctrine and have rejected it.
They have not learned that because they have rejected the guidance and direction of God the Holy Spirit, Who gives every believer the opportunity to come to the right interpretation.
Two important blessings that God the Holy Spirit offers every believer after salvation so that they have the opportunity to grow in grace and knowledge and become a “winner” believer.
Two blessing or gifts are:
(1) Being assigned to a certain pastor.
(2) Being assigned to a certain local assembly.
(1) The right man and the right woman; 1Co 7:17.
(2) The right job; Ecc 9:9.
(3) The right children; PSA 127:3.
(4) The right friends; Pro 17:17.
These are great gifts from the Lord to us but we will never really be truly thankful or appreciate them or even enjoy them until we see them as gifts from our Lord who truly loves us unconditionally.
(Q) What is our Lord’s attitude when it comes to gifts and giving?
2CO 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
JAM 1:17 Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.
(Q) How many of you desire to be the best employer or employee?
(A) You can find the right job or your niche in life is also a gift from above, for both believer and unbeliever; ECC 9:9.
ECC 9:9 Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun;
for this is your reward in life, and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.
(Q) How many of you desire to be the best children?
(A) The Bible teaches that children are a gift from the Lord; PSA 127:3; Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward.
(Q) How many of you desire to be the best friend a person could have?
The Bible teaches that you can in PRO 17:17 when Solomon said “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.”
Not only are these right blessings from the Lord but I am sure that there are other right blessings that I have not mentioned that are also given to believers who love the Word of God.
They were more noble because they received the word of God with great eagerness and zeal, and they also examined the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things that the apostle Paul was teaching were so.
Many of the Churches were known because of the faithfulness of prominent Greek women and men.
ICE =
1. Isagogics – the historical setting.
2. Categories – combining Scripture with Scripture.
3. Exegesis – the grammatical and syntactical analysis of the passage from the original languages.
Our first principle concerning what our Lord has given us which I will call “The Eternal Security Approaches.”
In our main passage in Joh 15 on the Vine and the branches, our Lord is teaching His disciples the difference between suffering for blessing and suffering for divine discipline.
One of the questions that should stimulate your curiosity is why did the Lord teach His disciples such a controversial subject which really is about divine discipline and suffering for blessing?
1PE 3:15 Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
You cannot lose your salvation and we will approach this subject very carefully by using the word “Approach.”
As you are living the spiritual life, you proceed to advance toward the goal that is set before us as PHI 3:14 says, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
You have to make sure that you do not fall away from the Lord but believe that you can live the spiritual life as you forget what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.
- We are finally at the beginning of our “first approach” concerning the doctrine of eternal security which I call the Positional Approach: Rom 8:1; Eph 1:3-6; Jude 1.
Every believer is in union with Christ and is perfect in their position but not in their condition which is why the apostle Paul says certain things the way he does in Rom 8.
If you are “in Christ,” then this verse says you will never be condemned or judged by God no matter what you think, say, or do.
There is conviction by God the Holy Spirit, which is legitimate, but condemnation is not.
Holy Spirit conviction verses satanic condemnation is always a crossroads as to which way we will go.
Holy Spirit conviction always gives us a way out in which the grace of God is magnified and reconciliation is the goal of God the Holy Spirit.
Satanic accusations condemn a person and has no way out except satanic condemnation.
It is the Spirit verses Satan.
Conviction verses condemnation.
It is life spiritually or death experientially.
Even though our lives will be judged according to the word of God, it is an evaluation of our works not condemnation for our sins.
Our Lord’s word on the type of judgment we will face; Joh 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
In Joh 3:17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.
JOH 5:22 “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,
Even when our Lord had to judge us which was really His way of evaluating the lifestyle that we live; He did so with grace and honor motivated by agape love.
We are “in Christ” that is our position and not our condition.
Our position in Christ guarantees that there is no condemnation for any of us who have been saved.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
The prepositional phrase “in Christ” gets right to the point — Because we are “in Christ” we will never lose our salvation.
The apostle Paul stresses that we are in Christ and we can never lose what God has given by means of grace.
What we have noted so far really has to do with the fact that we share what Christ has and we share who Christ is.
What a great doctrinal principle backed up by the “Divine Promises” from God; 1Jo 3:1-2.
Our Lord is seated at the right hand of the Father and we share everything that He has and everything that He is; Rom 8:29.
Blessings we have “in Christ.”
1. Christ is absolute righteousness; 2Co 5:21.
2. Christ is elected, we share His election — Eph 1:4.
- Christ has a destiny; we share His destiny — Eph 1:5.
4. Christ is the Son, we are in union with Christ, we share His sonship; 2Ti 2:1. - Christ is the heir; we share His heirship; Rom 8:16-17.
6. Christ is sanctified, we share His sanctification; 1Co 1:2. - Christ is a King; we share His kingdom; 2Pe 1:11.
8. Christ is the High Priest; we share His priesthood; Heb 10:10-14.
The Bible says we will all have to face not only deserved suffering but also underserved suffering as well; PHI 1:29; 1Pe 3:12-18.
You and I can suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. = Undeserved Suffering.
One of the most important messages our Lord taught His disciples in the Vine and the branches is the place of suffering according to the Word of God.
The apostle Paul taught His disciples and followers how they can glory in their sufferings and the great principles that suffering produces, such as perseverance; character; and hope.
Rom 5:3-4 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
The apostle Paul also gave some great doctrinal advice to the Corinthians concerning the divine viewpoint on suffering; 2Co 1:2-7.
1PE 4:1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.
”ceased from the power of the Old Sin Nature = controlling the souls of believers and unbelievers.
“ceased from sin” does not mean that they no longer sin but it does mean they have reached a point where the sin nature no longer has dominion over the individual.
ACT 5:41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Prin-All undeserved suffering requires you to use the inventory of your doctrine resident in your soul.
GAL 6:5 For each one shall bear his own load.
In LAM 3:27-28, we read from the prophet Jeremiah; “It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth [time of youthful vigor]. Let him sit alone and be silent since has laid it on him.