Grace Bible Church
Gbible.org
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Sunday,
January 2, 2022
Notice that He would be high and lifted up, and greatly exalted. Which refers to His resurrection, ascension, and session.
High = Resurrection
Lifted up = ascension
Greatly exalted = Session
He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief so that we need not be.
He had no sins and limitations; He was not sad for His sake, but for ours.
He was a man of sorrows so that we could be men and women filled with happiness.
He was acquainted with grief so that we could be filled with joy.
He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows so that we could bare His happiness and rejoice within ourselves.
He was pierced through for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities so that we would not be condemned for any personal sins.
If we remain gloomy and condemned after understanding what He did for us, it is because we do not accept what He did for us.
Self-contained happiness is the “endowment” of Bible doctrine.
COL 1:10-11, "That you might in a manner worthy of the Lord, bearing fruit in every good of intrinsic value achievement; in fact, growing by means of metabolized doctrine from God. Because you have been endowed with all divine power from that superior power of His glory, resulting in all endurance and patience associated with self-contained happiness."
The Lord is the "God of endurance" (ROM 15:5), a quality needed by all Christians (HEB 10:36).
Patience is part of the fruit of the Spirit (GAL 5:22–23) and is an essential part of spiritual maturity.
The Concept of Self-Contained Happiness.
Most people have become slaves to a system of dependency which says in effect happiness or unhappiness depends on the circumstances of life.
For most people, an instant change of circumstances means a rapid transition from happiness to unhappiness.
Self-contained happiness is that contentment or delight, that active or passive state of pleasure and satisfaction, that rest without stress which is resident in a person at all times regardless of the circumstances of life.
You are worthy of God’s perfect happiness and not only are you worthy but you are “appointed” by God Himself - as an ambassador to represent TLJC and share this perfect happiness…
Self-contained happiness depends on the believer providing one’s own happiness through one’s own right priorities and consistent perception, metabolization and application of Bible doctrine.
You are responsible for your own happiness, and nothing outside of you is responsible for that happiness.
If you are unhappy, look to yourself rather than to entertainment or frustration in your social life.
Autonomy is the right or condition of self-government.
The right or condition of self-government relating to or affecting the human spirit as opposed to material or physical things.
You are dependent upon what you think because as a man thinks in his heart so is he…Proverbs 23:7.
Self-contained happiness does not depend on someone else making you happy by their presence, approbation, attractiveness, attention, or love for you.
Your basic happiness and contentment must remain in place, so that if their approbation, attention, or love turns to disapproval, you remain in a state of contentment.
Self-contained happiness does not depend on someone else making you happy or providing happiness for you.
It has capacity for appreciation of the love, kindness, thoughtfulness of others.
It has the ability to cope with all the categories of adversity, such as rejection, disappointment, antagonism, maligning, judging, slander, hatred, conspiracy, and all other interaction problems with others.
HEB 13:2 Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!"
Self-contained happiness is a Biblical subject as part of the PPOG for the Church as it relates to the filling of the Spirit and cognition of Bible doctrine through the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.
PHI 3:1 "Finally, my brethren, keep on having happiness in the Lord."
"Rejoice" is a theme repeated nine times in this letter, seen in PHI 1:18 [2X]; 2:17, 18, 28; 3:1; 4:4 [2X], and 10.
Self-contained happiness begins at the point of spiritual self-esteem, continues with growing force when one attains spiritual autonomy, and is stabilized and perpetuated as a means of coping with everything in life once you reach spiritual maturity.
PHI 4:4 "Keep on having happiness in the Lord at all times. Once more I repeat this mandate: keep on having happiness."
Self-contained happiness is the greatest problem solving device related to self; for it does not depend upon anything else for its function.
It enhances the faith-rest drill in PSA 146:5 "Happiness belongs to the one whose confidence is in the Lord."
It enhances occupation with Christ in PSA 128:1 "How happy is everyone who is occupied with the Lord, who walks in His ways."
1TI 6:6 "But godliness [life in the PPOG] is a means of great profit when accompanied by contentment."
1TI 6:7-8, "For we have brought nothing into this world, and it is obvious that we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and shelter, we shall be content with these."
This ability to endure a lack of "wants," and even a scarcity of "needs," is the kind of trial for which Paul declares the Christian uniquely empowered (PHI 4:10–13).
Rather than seeking power and fortune for His teachings, He depended on the financial support of others, even living without a home at times (MAT 8:20).
Occupation with the Lord EMPHASIZES “Bible Doctrine” as the number one priority in life.
“Sharing the thinking of Christ” as well as “the happiness of Christ” is the principle behind - this greatest of all ways - by which self copes with life.
Self-contained happiness not only motivates personal love for God but the function of impersonal love for all mankind.
For the believer, virtue and integrity come from epi-gnosis doctrine in the soul, not abstaining from sin.
Self-contained happiness emphasizes grace-orientation, MAT 19:19.
Self-contained happiness contributes to the poise that goes with a personal sense of destiny, Heb 13:5
Heb 13:5 "Let your lifestyle be free from the love of money and be content with what you have; for He himself has said, `I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you."
Self-contained happiness as a problem solving device in adversity. JAM 1:2 "Consider it all happiness, my brethren, when you encounter various testings."
1PE 4:14 "If you are reproached because of the person of Christ, you are happy, because the Spirit of glory and of God refreshes you."
1PE 3:14 "But if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are happy. Therefore, do not fear what they fear, and do not let yourself be intimidated."
1JO 1:4 "In fact we write these things that our joy may be brought to completion."
Self-contained happiness is the endowment of Bible doctrine.
PSD #9, the Happiness of God.
- Happiness is a problem-solving device that causes one not to look over the horizon and want more.
- Ever since the Fall of Adam and the woman, God in His matchless grace designed something that can overcome the best or worst of environment and can handle prosperity and adversity the same way.
- The happiness of God +H can give you the capacity to handle being alone or in a crowd.
- There is no problem in life too great for what God has given to you as a part of your portfolio of invisible assets, a part of which is the problem-solving device of God's perfect happiness.
The mechanics for the attainment of +H in our life.
First of all, the Holy Spirit is the source of our sharing God's perfect happiness because He is the teacher of Bible doctrine.
Perfect happiness is said to be by means of the Holy Spirit in ROM 14:17.
ROM 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and prosperity and happiness by means of the Holy Spirit."
The spiritual part of our life, the predesigned plan of God, goes way beyond our normal functions of eating and drinking.
In that sense, we have a dual life, a natural life and a spiritual life.
COL 2:16 Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink
The Bible never teaches against the foods that we eat and the drinks that we drink but promotes health and moderation in both categories.
In fact, TLJC participated in eating certain foods and drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation and that is why he was called a drunk in LUK 7:34.
LUK 7:34 "The Son of Man has come eating [Greek says eating refers to fine food] and drinking [Greek says alcoholic beverages] ; and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a friend of tax‑collectors and prostitutes!'
We have a phenomenal amount of alcoholism and so pastors should encourage those who have the pre-disposition toward alcohol to live a life of abstinence.
For example, we are told that the Lord made wine to make glad the heart of man, PSA 104:15.
PSA 104:15 The Lord made wine which makes man's heart glad,
No matter how much grape juice you drink, it will not make your heart glad.
Solomon said in ECC 9:7 Go then, eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.
DEU 14:26 "And you may spend the money for whatever your heart desires, for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.
1TI 5:23 No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
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.
ROM 14:23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
Gal 5:22 "The fruit of the Spirit is virtue-love, happiness, prosperity."
Happiness here refers to three categories of perfect happiness = Love, Happiness, and Prosperity.
Part of the great power experiment of the Church-age is perfect happiness produced by God the Holy Spirit.
1TH 1:6 "You also become imitators of us and of the Lord [by fulfillment of the PPOG through divine power], having received the Word in much pressure [adversity, opposition] with happiness from the Holy Spirit."
One is the only invisible hero of the great power experiment of the Hypostatic Union, Jesus Christ.
The other is Paul or any other great invisible hero of the great power experiment of the Church-age.
We are to imitate them by imitating the copybook in PHI 3:17, which comes by receiving the Word consistently.
PHI 3:17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.
The same power that sustained Jesus Christ during those last three hours on the cross when He was being judged for our sins is now available to us in the Church-age.
(1) The omnipotence of God the Father is used to attain perfect happiness through the perception of our portfolio of invisible assets and using those assets; EPH 1:3-4.
(2) The omnipotence of Jesus Christ is used by knowing He gives us one day at a time and He is faithful in sustaining our life so we can attain perfect happiness; ROM 14:8.
ROM 14:8 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.
(3) The omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit is used to attain perfect happiness because God the Holy Spirit is the teacher of Bible doctrine; JOH 14:26; 1Co 2:9‑16, JOH 4:24.
JOH 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
1CO 2:14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
If you want this perfect happiness, it only requires daily decisions from the right scale of values.
You must listen, learn, advance, and grow, and you will be happy for all time and for all eternity.
Thinking with the thoughts of God produces the divine energy of God in the life of the believer.
There is a change that takes place in a believer’s life that causes the believer to become strengthened and energized.
"be transformed" is a present passive imperative of the verb metamorphoo which means to transform, to change into another form that it was not before, it’s a complete change.
The present tense is for a command which must be habitual, you must keep on making decisions to be transformed.
The passive voice, the voce of grace in this passage says that the believer doesn't have to change himself, God does that.
The imperative mood is the imperative of command if the believer desires to be transformed into a vessel that God can use.
2CO 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
"are being transformed" is the present passive indicative of metamorphoo which again means to transform, to change into another form that it was not before.
The present tense is a descriptive present which describes what takes place when a believer is faithful to the Word of God.
The passive voice again the believer receives the action of the verb......he is being transformed.
The indicative mood is the reality of being changed as you behold the glory of the Lord or who He is.
ROM 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
2CO 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
There are many distractions to try and side-track the believer from this fantastic stage of the ultimate PSD.
Distractions related to the Christian way of life:
1. Negative volition to Bible doctrine.
2. Lack of spiritual self-esteem, therefore, hypersensitivity and subjective arrogance in life.
- Ignorance of or failure to use the problem-solving devices.
- Legalism. The legalist always assumes he is a very spiritual person, when actually he is in one of the stages of Christian degeneracy leading to moral degeneracy.
- Failure to execute the PPOG.
6. The distraction of Christian service.
8. Failure to understand and use your spiritual gift. - Holding the erroneous assumption that Christian service is spirituality.
- Neglect of responsibilities in life related to marriage, business, the details of life, etc.
- Christian service beyond one's energy level, health status, or capacity for service.
- The distraction of Christian fellowship.
13. Distractions related to carnality. - Distractions related to emotions such as the emotional revolt of the soul, fear, worry, anxiety, hatred, anger, violence, murder, guilt, self-pity.
- Distractions related to pleasure, time distractions, the problem of a disorganized life.
- Other distractions in life include judging other believers or being judged by other believers, failure to recognize the privacy of other believers.
- Failure to understand that there are degrees of spiritual growth and the accompanying modus vivendi related to that stage of spiritual growth.
All these distractions are designed to prohibit the believer from ever reaching occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The believer then turns to a substitute system which we call human power manifested by substitute systems of stereo-type spirituality in Christianity.
- A system of personality imitation.
2. Superficial mannerisms considered to be Spiritual.
3. Use of cliches or stereo-type holy language. - Program Christianity
5. Human power in place of divine power.
6. The works of the flesh
7. Change of behavior pattern - Spirituality by works
9. Spirituality by yielding or presenting.
10. Spirituality through self-crucifixion (when the wild man becomes tame). - Spirituality by prohibition, (in your body) 12. Spirituality through relativity (comparing)
13. Spirituality with rituals
14. Spirituality by emotionalism
The phrase " be diligent" means to make a consistent effort.
to be found by him - literally at the judgment seat of Christ.
in peace which is in prosperity (eirene).
It should read that you may be found by Him at the bema seat jugdment in prosperity.
spotless and blameless means without embarrassment at the judgement seat of Christ.
There will be embarrassment at the judgment seat of Christ; REV 3:18, 1JO 2:28.
REV 3:18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself,
and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
1JO 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
This passage indicates the tremendous spiritual growth of Peter not competing with Paul any longer.
When Paul rebuked Peter in Jerusalem and chewed him out for compromising with the Jews, it was one of the greatest things that ever happened to Peter.
Notice the untaught and those who are unstable are those who have NVTD and reject the concept of spiritual metabolism.
"beloved" agapetos - this is a word that indicates the tremendous privileges that belong to you and me as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
"knowing this beforehand" is the verb proginosko which means to know in advance.
Since you know this in advance refers to doctrines which have previously been learned academically.
You will never have doctrine as a Red Alert warning system until you metabolize doctrine.
However, you cannot solve the problems of life with gnosis doctrine.
You cannot solve the problems of life with academic information only, it must be more then knowledge, it must be wisdom.
Between the academic and the spiritual there must be metabolism.
In verse 17, the phrase "be on your guard" indicates that with metabolized doctrine we have an instant red alert system in our soul.
Metabolizing PSD #9, the happiness of God gives us the ability to be alert, or to beware.
The degree of metabolize doctrine in the heart determines the degree in which the believer will be spiritually self-sustained.
2PE 3:17 "Knowing this beforehand" is the word proginosko which means before the moment needed the word is given.
"be on your guard" present middle imperative of phulasso which means to be on your guard; to be on alert.
This is a command to be alert and have proper discernment concerning cosmic Christianity.
Verse 18 is the main reason why I wanted to teach how PSD #9, sharing the happiness of God is related to spiritual metabolism and the free-will of man to grow up spiritually.
The word "but" is the particle de used to emphasize the contrast with the previous verse.
Verse 17 deals with the warning against cosmic Christianity.
"but grow" – pres-act-imp of auxzano which means to grow, to increase, to progress.
Joseph Thayer says that the word means to become greater with a substance, which is grace and knowledge.
The present tense means keep growing...be persistent.
Gnosis is food on the table.
The active voice...the mature believer eats the Word of God and produces the action of the verb.
”grow in grace” = en plus the locative of charis which means in the sphere or the location of grace.
Grace is the provision of divine character and divine integrity.
Grace is God doing all the work and providing everything for us to execute His plan.
- The formation and the preservation of the canon of scripture which is the Bible.
- The divine authorization of the local church as a classroom.
- The provision of a certain pastor for the communication of doctrine.
- The filling of the Holy Spirit and spiritual phenomena understood, to that it can be metabolized.
- The provision and the privacy of the royal priesthood for receiving doctrine.
- Logistical grace support to sustain your life so that you can fulfill the divine commands.
"growing in grace" is a process that starts with the authority of your pastor-teacher who knows doctrine and who teaches it.
There must be a willingness to sit down and listen to it without getting arrogant or emotional.
The word knowledge is gnosis not epignosis or not the word for metabolize.
You might think that it should say “grow in the grace and wisdom or metabolize doctrine of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ but it does not say that.
”grow in grace and “gnosis" or by means of knowledge.
The noun knowledge is in the instrumental of manner which refers to the instruments that God uses so that doctrine can become metabolized.
The believer is not to grow in grace and metabolized doctrine but he is to grow in grace and the knowledge of how to metabolize doctrine.
Epignosis is one of the Greek words that means metabolize doctrine or the only doctrine that works in your life.
Peter only brings us to the point of gnosis which is knowledge.
One of the reasons why is that God will not violate the free will of the believer and command him to believe it whether they want to or not.
Because volition is the issue at gnosis and Peter will not command you to eat it, you must choose to eat yourself.
You might not have the ability to eat if you lack certain problem solving devices the filling of the Spirit.
God the Holy Spirit is a gentleman and He will not force it upon you either.
Without "your consent,” God the Holy Spirit will not metabolize the doctrine.
Gnosis is the instrument that indicates the method or the means that a believer reaches spiritual adulthood.
It is by means of gnosis...we grow...that is if we eat it!
Only metabolize doctrine provides occupation with Christ and the motivation for living the Christian way of life.
The next phrase tells us what type of knowledge we are to grow in and that is of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Once the doctrine is communicated it is up to you to make the decision...no one else.
If you make a positive decision the enabling power of the Spirit will metabolize it and make it a part of your spiritual growth.
The last part of the verse says he is accountable to teach his students that it is “to Him be glory both now and to the day of eternity; Amen.
The objective of metabolize doctrine is the glorification of our Lord Jesus Christ in the life of the believer.
Your life forever and ever depends upon having a maximum amount of metabolize doctrine in your soul which will manifest itself by living in PSD #9, the perfect happiness of God.
There will be those who will not be wearing the uniform of glory over the resurrection body; REV 3:5.
There will be those who will not have the magnificent decorations and privileges that belong to those who were winners in time; REV 2:26-28.
Being a winner in time is marvelous but being a winner in eternity is above all that we could ever ask or think; 1CO 2:9.
When PSD #9, the perfect happiness of God (+H) is metabolized then it will change your life now and give you advantages you never dreamed of in eternity.
It is only when gnosis is transformed into epignosis that the believer can receive the momentum to keep going on to PSD #10, occupation with Christ.
- The will of God for mankind is two‑fold:
For the unbeliever: Salvation.
For the believer: Metabolize doctrine.
1TI 2:3-4, This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- The pastor‑teacher through teaching is the source of metabolized doctrine, TIT 1:1.
- The cosmic believer fails to metabolize doctrine, 2TI 3:2‑7.
- Only metabolized doctrine can be useful for problem solving, EPH 1:17.
EPH 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the epignosis knowledge of him.
The "spirit of wisdom" refers to the application of metabolized doctrine under the enabling power of the Spirit.
This is God the Holy Spirit taking epignosis doctrine and giving you the ability to handle your problems.
Whether in adversity or prosperity, you must solve your problems from the base of inner happiness from epignosis doctrine.
- Only metabolized doctrine can fulfill the mandate of virtue first in the PPOG; PHI 1:9.
PHI 1:9 "I pray that your [virtue] love may abound more and more through epignosis doctrine and all discernment."
- Only metabolized doctrine can fulfill the PPOG; COL 1:9-10.
- Only metabolized doctrine can provide blessing under the PPOG; 2PE 1:2-4.
- You can have a zeal to know God but if you do not have metabolized doctrine it is useless; ROM 10:2.
ROM 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
- True wealth and prosperity comes from epignosis doctrine, COL 2:2.
COL 2:2 that their right lobes may be confident, {attaining} to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, {resulting} in a true knowledge of God's mystery, {that is,} Christ {himself},
1O. The new man can only be renewed and energized through metabolized doctrine. EPH 4:22-24.
God's happiness belongs "naturally" to the new spiritual species; it is a happiness that only the new spiritual species can have.
It is a happiness that gives the most fantastic capacity for life, whether you have little or much, whether you are great or insignificant.
All human distinctions mean nothing now as a result of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and being in union with Christ.
2CO 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new [spiritual] species. The old things have lost their power; behold, new things have come."
The adjective KAINE means new; the noun KTISIS means species.
The old things that have lost their power over us is are the Genetic, environmental, and volitional handicaps; the human dynamics, personality, talent, and works and flaws.
The "new things" that have come refer to your portfolio of invisible assets, to the ten unique characteristics of the Church Age, and the ten problem solving devices of the PPOG.
The "new things" that have come refer to PSD #10, our last PSD, Occupation with Christ.