Proposed Question: Have I Developed Enough Humility To Be Teachable?
If we desire to glorify the Lord, we must begin with the glass being half-full rather than half empty.
The main issue here is the viewpoint of the individual, is it positive of negative?
How do they see their glass?
Is their glass “full or empty”…
If it is full than they will move onto the next phase.
The athlete had to undergo ten months of strict training just to qualify and to participate in the Games., 1CO 9:25.
- 1. You had to enter a registered state gymnasium, analogous to living in the predesigned plan of God.
- 2. Every athlete went through identical training no matter what their event.
Every believer has equal privilege and equal opportunity to fulfill the calling of God upon their life. - 3. Only the protocol Christian is living the Christian way of life, therefore, is qualified to compete in the spiritual games found in the Angelic conflict.
The protocol Christian – is simply a term for the Christian living the spiritual life – that God has called them to live – so they are living in the PPOG for their life.
- 4. The athlete or the “athletai”, were the ones who trained under the rules of the national gymnasium for ten months.
- 5. You were not allowed to leave the large walled area of the gymnasium for ten months, and you had to exercise under the authority of the “gymnasiarch”, the ruler of the gym.
LUK 6:40 "A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.
LUK 6:40 everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher… - it does not mean to be like him, or to mimic him, it means to copy his dedication and devotion that they have to live the spiritual life.
The gymnasiarch had marshals under him who watched the athletes which is analogous to the deacons under the authority of the pastor-teachers.
The gymnasiarch also wore a purple robe with white sandals which is analogous to the pastor or the evangelist bringing forth the good news; ROM 10:15 "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!"
- 6. After the completion of the ten month course, then the athlete was allowed to compete.
- 7. The athlete followed a set of very strict rules which constantly tested his motivation, decisions, and momentum, 1CO 3:13; 1CO 4:5; PRO 16:2.
This is analogous to the concept of daily perception of doctrine and momentum testing to reveal what your true desire is.
- 8. You could not leave for any reason or you would be disqualified either from the games or from the military.
Everyone did the same exercise under the same authority which was analogous to us as believers under the authority of the pastor-teach they have been assigned to; 1Pe 5:3.
1Pe 5:3, pastor-teachers are commanded not to lord it over those allotted to your charge,
- 9. You are either a pastor-teacher or an evangelist, or you have been allotted to submit to their authority when needed.
We all have been appointed by God to a pastor-teacher who has been elected or chosen by God to teach you the mystery doctrine of the Church-age.
The Pastor-Teacher is responsible to teach you the mystery doctrine of the Church-age and you are responsible to learn it, to know it and to operate in it.
- 10. There were eight to ten exercise periods during the day which demanded that everyone would be prepared and ready to exercise at all times.
Everyone participated in group exercise naked, regardless of the weather which is analogous to everyone getting the same doctrinal teaching under the filling of the Spirit which reveals our nakedness before God; HEB 4:12-13; REV 3:14
HEB 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two‑edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
HEB 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
Everything we think is hidden is crystal clear to God, including our own thoughts and motivations. We may fool other people (1SA 16:7), and we may even fool ourselves (JER 17:9), but we cannot fool God (PSA 44:21).
- 11. There were also Daily trumpet calls which had to be met at various times and if you missed one you were disqualified.
We have a God who is: …full of Grace and Truth…
from “His fullness” - we have all received, -- grace upon grace.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (JOH 1:14-17)
Am I really honoring - and loving God with all my heart?
Everyone has equal privilege and opportunity to compete.
- 12. The athlete also wore no clothes, analogous to the filling of the Holy Spirit that causes us to be clothe naked before the Lord and be honest with yourself and with Him. JOB 1:21; ECC 5:15
ECC 5:15 As he had come naked from his mother's womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.
It does not say “He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his SOUL and Human spirit, because we can especially if we desire to. ISA 20:2-3
- 13. All the athletes ate the same food: wheat, cheese, figs, no wine, no sweets. This relates perception of doctrine to strict academic discipline.
You were on a strict diet, which everyone ate. Other foods refer to being analogous to distractions of the cosmic system.
- 14. All earthly distractions were prohibited during the ten months, including contact with family, friends, no sex, no social life.
1CO 9:24‑27, illustrates how we compete to reach a reward which is imperishable.
The Greek term Paul uses for "discipline" here is hypōpiazō, which literally refers to beating something black-and-blue.
Salvation is a gift, not something that comes as a result of strenuous effort (EPH 2:8–9).
The Lord's discipline in life for Christians who engage in sinful behaviors.
1CO 9:24–27 builds a metaphor comparing Paul's foregoing freedoms, in order to win people to faith in Christ, with an athlete training to win a prize.
1CO 9:9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing." God is not concerned about oxen, is He?
1CO 9:10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher {to thresh} in hope of sharing {the crops.}
1CO 9:11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material things from you?
1CO 9:12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
1CO 9:13 Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the {food} of the temple, {and} those who attend regularly to the altar have their share with the altar?
1CO 9:14 So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
1CO 9:15 But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things that it may be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.
1CO 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.
1CO 9:17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
1CO 9:18 What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
1CO 9:19 For though I am free from all {men,} I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.
1CO 9:20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law;
1CO 9:21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law.
1CO 9:22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
1CO 9:23 And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
1CO 9:24 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.
1CO 9:25 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.
1CO 9:26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
1CO 9:27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
Paul encourages Christians to willingly give up their ''rights'' for the good of those who are weak in their faith.
We must come to God, through Christ, in faith for salvation (HEB 2:9–10). We must be diligent in studying our faith in order to avoid catastrophe (HEB 2:1–4).
We must be obedient to God in order to fulfill our "rest" and find our spiritual inheritance (HEB 3:12–14).
This makes the Word of God (HEB 4:12) our most important tool as we strive to "hold fast" to our faith (HEB 3:6).
PSD # 7 Personal Love Toward God.
If a pastor keeps on studying, it is inevitable that he will have Personal Love Toward God which is love for TLJC who becomes his motivator; 1TI 4:10; 1TI 5:17.
1TI 4:10 For it is because of the doctrine (mystery doctrine) we labor and strive,
This is why the pastor-teacher must labor to study, pray, and teach, study, pray, and teach, study, pray, and teach, etc.
The Greek verb ‘kopiao’ means to be wearied,
exhausted, to labor with wearisome effort.
Putting a muzzle on the ox would prevent it from eating grain while it was working.
The analogy in context is that the pastor-teacher must be logistically provided for if he is going to fulfill his responsibility of studying until he is exhausted.
That is witnesses who have seen the accusation separately and agree with the accusation or accusations.
Regardless of the fact that people who are members of the congregation often act what they are......human.
No pastor can ever get his eyes on people, he just has to keep plugging and keep plugging which means study and teach, study and teach, study and teach, etc.
The pastor-teacher has Personal Love Toward God with emphasis toward TLJC as our prototype.
JOH 21:15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, {son} of John, do you love [agape] Me more than these?"
When our Lord said, “Do you agape love Me more than these” is was a reference to the other 10 apostles that were there.
Our Lord used the pres-act-ind of the verb agapao which is a reference to impersonal unconditional virtuous love.
The Lord was asking Peter if he had that type of love, that impersonal unconditional virtuous love, which emphasizes the virtue of the subject and not the object.
The Lord was saying you cannot serve Me without this virtue or this “impersonal unconditional virtuous agape love."
Phileo is used for personal love for God because of who God is not the one doing the loving.
We do not love the Lord because of who we are (with apapao love), we love the Lord because of who He is (with Phileo love, which is a personal love.
In fact,……
Personal love for God must come before impersonal unconditional agape love for all mankind.
"Simon, {son} of John, do you love [agape] Me more than these?" He [Peter] said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileo] You."
The Lord said, "do you agape me"?
Peter said, "you know I phileo you"!
Peter used the pres-act-ind of phileo which means I keep on loving you personally because of Who and what You are.
The present tense says that the winner believer loves the Lord habitually and makes a habit of doing so as his modus operandi l unconditional love for Me, and Peter said, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileo] You."
The active voice says that Peter produces the action of the verb of having personal love and attractiveness toward our Lord.
The indicative mood says that this is a dogmatic statement of reality in the life of believers who have PVTD.
Peter doesn't even say that he loves the Lord more than the disciples, instead he is focusing in on agape verses phileo love.
Peter is saying, "Lord I agape the disciples but I phileo you"!
This is a command for all pastors to produce the action of the verb which is to feed new believers.
New believers are often called "lambs" which comes from the noun arnion which refers to baby sheep or lambs and therefore, analogous to the new believers.
The Lord is saying to Peter, "if you really love me personally you're qualified to feed new believers."
- New Converts
2. Ignorant Believers
3. Carnal believers or cosmic believers who have repented!
No man can function as a pastor-teacher with his eyes on people.
The motivational virtue for the gift of pastor-teacher must come from personal love for TLJC.
JOH 12:43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
JOH 21:16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, {son} of John, do you love [pres-act-ind of agape] Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileo] You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."
JOH 21:16....And Peter said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileo] You."
You have two entirely different words in the verse and yet the English translates both words exactly the same!
- Isagogics is the historical setting of the passage.
- Categories is the systematic theology developed from combining Scripture with Scripture.
- Exegesis is the grammatical and syntactical analysis of the passage from the original languages.
Prin: If God the Holy Spirit intended for the words to be the same, wouldn’t He have used the same words.
JOH 21:16 "Jesus repeated the question: "Simon, son of John, do you really love me?" "Yes, Lord," Peter said, "you know I am your friend."
When our Lord said that He used the act-imp of the verb poimaino which means to rule or clobber which is how the pastor-shepherd must function with some believers at time.
A pastor doesn’t do it personally by going one on one, he does it through his message inspired by God the Holy Spirit.
This time he used the accusative plural of which refers to baby sheep or lambs and analogous to the new believers, probation is much different.
Probaton which is translated sheep and it refers to the sophomores in the Christian life.
Arnions are the ones that have a little knowledge of doctrine and think that they have a lot.
With arrogance, a little knowledge is assumed to be omniscience, all knowledge!
More people fall back into apostasy and the cosmic system in the sophomore stage.
JOH 21:17 Peter was grieved [distressed] because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love [phileo] You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.
The pastor must possess "personal love for TLJC" to be effective in the teaching of Bible doctrine.
And secondly,…..
The pastor who truly loves the Lord will feed doctrine to the Lord's people!
This means that the pastor must have phileo or personal love for the Lord and must have agape or impersonal unconditional love for all.
When pastors get their eyes on people they lose out and become discouraged, distracted, despondent, filled with self-pity, etc.
Peter said to the Lord, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love [phileo] You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.
The word for "tend" is the pres-act-imp of bosko which is the command to moderately and prudently feed my humble sheep which is a reference to the seniors or the mature believers.
All you have to do for mature believers is teach them doctrine.
Poimaino means you have to kick or use that stick a shepherd carries.
The shepherd has to whack the sheep at times to keep them from running off the cliffs.
Once a person becomes a senior, he has developed enough humility to be teachable.
There are only two categories of teachable believers basically; freshmen and seniors.
Prin-To live and die for TLJC is when we allow ourselves to be taken anywhere that the Lord desires us to go.
Prin: A pastor's love for TLJC is manifested by how often he feeds the Lord's sheep.
How much he feeds the Lord's sheep.
JER 3:15 "I will give you pastors after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.
JER 23:4 "I shall also raise up pastors over them and they will feed them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the Lord.
Personal Love Toward God also sets up the standard for grace, PSA119:132, Turn to me and be gracious to me, After Thy manner with those who love Thy name.
Personal Love Toward God is also the basis for supergrace blessing, 1CO 2:9, PSA 37:4‑5.
1CO 2:9 but just as it is written, "Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him."
PSA 37:4-5, Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
Personal Love Toward God is the basis for personal and national blessing, DEU 30:15‑20.
Personal Love Toward God also motivates combat courage and military victory, JOS 23:10‑11.
JOS 23:10 "One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you.
JOS 23:11 "So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God.
Personal Love Toward God provides strength for adversity and pressure, HEB 11:27.
HEB 11:27 By means of doctrine resident in the soul, Moses left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
This is why there is a special curse on believers who fail to have Personal Love Toward God in 1CO 16:22, they are said to be "cursed until the Lord comes."
Even witnessing must be motivated by category one love, 2CO 5:14 "The love of Christ motivates us."
The first sign of momentum and progress in your spiritual life is Personal Love Toward God manifested by occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ.
ROM 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him,
God does not "work all things together for good" until there is love Toward God.
There is no love Toward God until there is an X amount of metabolized doctrine.
There is no real divine love toward people until there is first, Personal Love Toward God.
ROM 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
Whether it's impersonal love or personal love, the Royal Family Honor Code demands no hypocrisy or mendacity.
Prin-When you start to love someone you have not seen, it's because you have linked up with their thinking; 1PE 1:8.
1PE 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe.
"in Him" is not found in the original Language.
The pres-act-part of pisteuo which refers to believing doctrine or having it metabolized.
- How do you come to love someone you cannot see?
A. Bible doctrine, you believe the Word of God!
1PE 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believing, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
"full of glory" is a reference to the spiritually sustained believer who reflects the glory of God with the structure in his soul.
This love then comes from believing the Word of God and then falling in love with TLJC.
Unfortunately, in the time in which we live, a lot believers are running around, putting their doctrinal differences aside and trying to love each other.
Loving God the Father, God the Son and fellowship with the Holy Spirit be set aside for a lot of nonsense called "Christian fellowship" or social life with Christians?
Learn to distinguish between fellowship with God and so-called Christian fellowship, which is nothing more than having social life with Christians.
You never put fellowship with visible people above your relationship or fellowship with invisible God.
You cannot fulfill the #1 priority of fellowship with God simply by resolving to make God #1; it comes through the daily perception of Bible doctrine.
This means that the most important person that you should consider in the selection of a church is the pastor-teacher.
This is because spiritual growth and the execution of the PPOG and subsequent glorification of God only occurs through perception of doctrine, not through Christian fellowship.
Assembling together for Bible study and other forms of worship must never be confused with Christian fellowship.
How can you ever assume that loving God the Father, God the Son and fellowship with the Holy Spirit be set aside for a lot of nonsense called "Christian fellowship" or social life with Christians?
Too many believers assume this erroneous concept because there is no organization of their life and thinking around Bible doctrine.
Learn to distinguish between fellowship with God and so-called Christian fellowship, which is nothing more than having social life with Christians.
You never put fellowship with visible people above your relationship or fellowship with invisible God.
Christian fellowship is no substitute for learning Bible doctrine from whomever is your right pastor.
The most important person that you should consider in the selection of a church is the pastor-teacher.
The communication of Bible doctrine and the teaching ministry of your pastor-teacher is the most important aspect of your Christian life.
This is because spiritual growth and the execution of the PPOG and subsequent glorification of God only occurs through perception of doctrine, not through Christian fellowship.
Assembling together for Bible study and other forms of worship must never be confused with Christian fellowship.
HEB 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.
HEB 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but gather together for the purpose of encouragement as you see the day drawing near.
The Word for encouragement is the present active participle of the Greek verb parakaleo which means to be encouraged, to be exhorted, to be comforted, and even to challenge.
This is a participle used as a noun in the Greek, and so it should be translated "encouragement."
This is known as a telic participle which indicates the purpose of the action of not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.
We are to assemble for the purpose of encouragement.
Perception of Bible doctrine, not Christian fellowship.
JOH 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
JOH 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The only way you can have fellowship with invisible God is to learn Bible doctrine.
Encouragement comes from Bible doctrine, not from Christian fellowship.
The real issue and your real motivation must be "I love TLJC and I need to learn His Word.
What keeps you coming to Bible class is your own motivation from your own understanding and perception of doctrine, and making it the #1 priority in your life.
In other Words, Heb 10:25 is talking about learning Bible doctrine in the company of other believers.
Prin-Your Christian fellowship with other believers is inconsequential.
The purpose of assembly worship is the function of PMA of Bible doctrine and through the momentum from metabolized doctrine, to execute and fulfill the PPOG for your life.
Heb 10:25 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the habit of some, but for the purpose of encouragement."
HEB 10:26 For if we go on sinning willfully……
How?
By forsaking the assembling of ourselves together] after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.
They are isolated because of geographics, handicaps, illness, lack of transportation or many other reasons.
Bible doctrine is the purpose of assembly, and they can learn Bible doctrine alone if they have some form of communication from their pastor-teacher.
The priority is to get doctrine to have fellowship with God.
God always supplies a right pastor with doctrine for positive believers.
A right pastor teacher also demands accountability of their flock.
You are told to submit to his authority and to be accountable to him; 1TH 5:12.
1TH 5:12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction,
1PE 5:3 Do not lord it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
As a pastor does his best to cause individuals who call him pastor to submit to his authority and be accountable to his ministry.
I have seen this happen and it is the lazy route for those who do not want to be accountable to anyone but themselves.
They copy others and never give them recognition or if they do, it’s superficial recognition to deceive the ignorant; ROM 16:17-18.
In other Words, positive volition will not be denied by God.
For some positive believers, doctrine is provided through face-to-face teaching in a local church.
For others, doctrine is communicated through the internet, audio, video, books, radio, etc.
(1) Through the local church under face-to-face teaching.
(2) In an isolated situation where no assembly with orthodox teaching is possible.
Isolation can be caused by illness, handicap, or lack of accurate teaching in a geographical location.
While the isolated Christian cannot assemble himself with other believers, he still fulfills the concept of Heb 10:25 through his daily perception of doctrine on tapes, video, audio, etc.
Under the principle of supply and demand, the demand of positive volition is for accurate Bible teaching regardless of the geographical location.
1TI 5:21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.
Regardless of the very disappointed attitudes that exists with regard to the Word of God.
Regardless of the criticism.
Regardless of the indifference.
Regardless of the instability.
As a result of that…..
If He does the inevitable occurs,……
And although you may be sick of hearing it, you need to be reminded of it once again!
How do you know if your pastor has category one love?
Let’s look at a passage that demands the exegesis to understand how the pastor must recognize something very important in Joh 21.
First of all, let’s read the passage.
JOH 21:15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs."
JOH 21:16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."
JOH 21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.
JOH 21:18 "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go."
JOH 21:19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!"
Now, this time let me show you some of the original language from the Greek…..
And when he said "do you love me more than these"…….
And Peter knew and understood what the Lord was saying!
However, when virtue love is directed toward God, another word is better to use which is phileo.
In other words, I love You Lord because of who what You are, not who and what I am.
So, in verse 15……..,
The Lord used agapao, He didn't use phileo.
So, in JOH 21:15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,…..
Peter is a little angry and disturbed.
Peter is saying I love you personally!
Now, I want you to notice that as a result of his answer Peter receives a command!
JOH 21:15.....He [the Lord] said to him, "Tend My lambs."
And……..
Arnion refers to the freshmen in the Christian life!
And there are three categories of freshmen in the Christian life.
So Peter is commanded to feed the Lord's lambs if he really loves the Lord.
And when the Lord asked Peter if he loved Him more than these, there is a very important principle here!
Secondly,…….
If people are more important than the Lord the pastor becomes a people pleaser and therefore a loser-pastor!
Even though there were no pastors at the time that our Lord said this but there are those as our Lord said in…..
So in verse 16, another command is given.
Note this time that our Lord dropped the phrase "more than these."
He just simply said "do you love me?"
You see, you don't see all of this in the English, do you?
Of course you don't!
And that is sad because under the principle of ICE, you remember that Bible doctrine must be taught based upon three principles.
And the third one applies to our subject.
Of course He would.
In fact, at least the Living Bible made an effort to distinguish between the two.
In John 21:16 the Living Bible says…….
So, in verse 16, the Lord gives him a second command!
He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."
Now, this time he didn't use the word arnion for sheep as in verse 15.
Always remember,……
And when there is this high opinion of self-knowledge there is the rejection of the authority of the pastor-teacher.
And therefore, the authority of the pastor now becomes a major issue in the believer's life!
And so "probation" are the sophomores.
And the sophomore stage is the most dangerous stage of the Christian life.
So in verse 17, we have a final question and command!
JOH 21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, {son} of John, do you love [phileo] Me?"
And this time our Lord switched from agape to phileo.
This is the type of love that is expected from a believer who has proper momentum in the spiritual life.
Now, the Lord was making a point not only for Peter but for the benefit of all future pastors in the Church-age.
This is what made Paul so great!
No pastor can survive in the ministry apart from personal love toward God.
Now,…….
You cannot do that in the sophomore stage as in verse 16, you have to poimaino them.
And the pastor doesn't do that literally, he does that with his communication of doctrine.
The pastor must use his authority in a very strict way with sophomores.
You can't horse around with sophomores!
However,…..
So, this is a passage that definitely brings out the function and the role of the communicators of doctrine.
And then finally, in Joh 21:18, we have the same principle said to Peter that Paul practiced in PHI 1.
Joh 21:18 "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to {go."}
Not if he counsels the Lord's sheep!
Or visit's the Lord's sheep!
Or loves the Lord's sheep!
But,…..
You have to have capacity to be grace-oriented.
Look at PRO 3:1 concerning super grace blessings.
PRO 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments;
PRO 3:2 For length of days and years of life, And peace they will add to you.
PRO 3:3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.
PRO 3:4 So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man.
PRO 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding.
PRO 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
PRO 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
PRO 3:8 It will be healing to your body, And refreshment to your bones.
PRO 3:9 Honor the Lord from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce;
PRO 3:10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
PRO 3:11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord, Or loathe His reproof,
PRO 3:12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father, the son in whom he delights.
DEU 30:15 "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;
DEU 30:16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commands and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.
DEU 30:17 "But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them,
DEU 30:18 I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You shall not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it.
DEU 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,
DEU 30:20 by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."
Speaking of the military and universal military training we read in……
So, how important is your love toward God?
The answer is given in….
"Those who love God" are those who study God's Word seriously.
ROM 8:28 is only true for those who love God!
And that can only come when you accept God's priorities over your personal priorities.
Love toward God then becomes a major issue!
Not love for people but as we will see love Toward God.
In fact,…….
This is why we see so much hypocrisy among believers because they really do not know God and therefore they cannot love God.
Their love is hypocritical.
Why do you think Paul warned us when he gave to us the Royal Family Honor Code?
He said in……
There is a love which is saturated with hypocrisy!
Actually we have a verb.
There's the key to loving God...believing!
Believing what?
And so it says in…..
It other Words there is an inexpressible inner joy that is full of glory.
So love Toward God is the most important love that a believer develops.
This is not a part of the Christian way of life.
How can you ever assume that…….
Too many believers assume this erroneous concept because there is no organization of their life and thinking around Bible doctrine.
Therefore, they have no focus on invisible God.
All their focus is on turning churches into Christian country clubs.
Christian fellowship is nice, but it is not the Christian way of life.
Christian fellowship is no substitute for fellowship with God.
The reason there are so many problems and sins among Christians is simply because of wrong priorities.
Christian fellowship is no substitute for learning Bible doctrine from whomever is your right pastor.
And……
Does he do the Job God has called him to do?
Now, if all of these principles are true, and they are,……
Therefore, they have no focus on invisible God.
All their focus is on turning churches into Christian country clubs.
Christian fellowship is nice, but it is not the Christian way of life.
This means that……
Does he do the Job God has called him to do?
And this wrong emphasis may be the result of misunderstanding such passages like…..
The problem here is the phrase "one another", it is not found in the original!
So it should sound something like this
Furthermore,……
What is encouragement in the assembly?
Bible doctrine must have #1 priority in your life.
Without that you will never have fellowship with invisible God.
The manifestation of invisible God is Bible doctrine.
As the apostle John said in JOH 1:1…….
Then in JOH 1:14……
The only way you can learn Bible doctrine is to expose yourself to doctrine every time you can.
Someone may inspire you to come to Bible class once in a while, but that cannot keep you there.
That's why I'm very careful not to motivate individuals to come for the wrong reason!
The wrong reason is "Where have you been, I missed you?"
Or, "Why are you missing so many services, don't you know how important your daily intake is?"
So, assembling with other believers in a local church or its equivalent is for the purpose of encouragement through the perception of Bible doctrine.
It is your fellowship with God that counts.
That's why missing assembly worship and gathering together with other believers is a very serious thing.
In fact, without taking scriptures out of context notice the context and the next verse:
Some believers even try to make sacrifice for missing services or doctrinal teaching but that doesn't hold any weight with God.
Some believers cannot assemble for Bible doctrine and encouragement from the Word of God.
And they are not violating this verse.
Since they are getting doctrine, they are in effect "assembling themselves."
While some believers are isolated from Christian fellowship, they are not isolated from the communication of Bible doctrine.
By the way,……
You are also told to honor God’s word face to face or non face to-face……
There is something wrong with individuals who set up a ministry without holding his students accountable to him.
They violate the purpose of the ministry and normally they are plagiarist.
ROM 16:17 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.
ROM 16:18 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.
God always supplies a right pastor-teacher with doctrine for the positive believer.
He does so:
Not everyone's right pastor is located in the same geographical location.