Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Point 5. Idolatry and the influence of the Phallic Cult.
There is a direct relationship between your soul perception and the presentation of your entire body.
Once doctrinal soul perception takes place, the believer must make his physical body "his slave" rather than becoming a slave to the needs of his body.
Prin-Without making your body a slave to the new nature, your body will become a slave to the old sin nature.
You have "not" discovered what it means to be free from your Christian obligations and free from the OSN.
The believer must make his physical body "his" slave rather than becoming a slave to the needs of the body.
The believer is commanded to present the "members" of his physical body, such as the eyes, ears, hands, feet, etc. as instruments for God to use.
Freedom does not mean irresponsibility, no commitment, dedication and devotion, freedom means the opportunity to become a slave or servant to God.
Gal 6:17, From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand‑marks of Jesus.
Is there anything about us that "marks" us out as belonging to Christ and identifies us with Him?
EXO 20:7 "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
The word “I” is emphatic in the Greek. Paul said, “I bear in my body the marks of Jesus.” Was he boasting? No, but in this letter Paul was vindicating his ministry.
What is the proof of our attachment to Christ?
There should be some distinctive marks about our lives that identify us as Christians.
He had in mind a common custom of those days, namely, that of branding certain people with a hot searing iron.
Slaves were branded as a mark of ownership; they were also branded as a mark of shame, for if a man ran away and was recaptured his master would brand him as a mark of shame and disgrace.
Soldiers were branded as a mark of their allegiance to their generals, just as, at one time, soldiers would have the crest of their favorite general tattooed upon their arm.
The "brand-marks" identified him as the slave of Christ (Phile 1:1); they were the marks of shame and reproach in the eyes of the world (1Co 9:22); they were the brand-marks of the soldier (2Ti 4:7); and they were marks of devotion and fidelity (2Co 5:14).
For the apostle Paul, they were the bodily scars and blemishes which he had received as the result of the persecution he suffered because of his faithfulness to the Lord Jesus.
Let us pray that should we ever be called upon to suffer shame for His name we may be given grace to be faithful even to the point of death (Rev 2:10).
- A Manifestation of fruit (Gal 5:22-23). These are the marks of the Lord Jesus for He personified them all and as we are united with Him by faith, these marks will characterize our life also.
- A spirit of meekness especially. (Gal 6:1).
The opposite of this spirit of meekness is mentioned in Gal 5:26 – Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
The apostle says, ““Don’t be proud!”” and Jesus says, ““Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart”” (Mat 11:28-30).
- The "marks of Christ in our bodies" is also A willingness to share the burdens of others (Gal 6:2).
- A willingness to help support those who minister (Galatians 6:6). Compare 1Co 9:7-15 and 1Ti 5:18.
- A life made up of doing good” (Gal 6:9-10).
- A complete separation from the world (Gal 6:14.
- A glorying in the Cross (Galatians 6:14).
The cross to Him was the token of God’s will for Him, and He gloried in doing the will of His Father.
Do we do any of those things I just mentioned? That, supremely, is the mark of the Lord Jesus which should be upon all His followers.
The will of God was the consuming passion of His life (Luk 22:42), and it should be the consuming passion of your life and mine.
2TI 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
2TI 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
2TI 4:8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
The apostle Paul wore a badge that marked him out as being a true servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, do you have such a badge or just your own badge.
The question is, is this, Is there anything about us that marks us out as belonging to Christ and identifies us with Him?
The word “I” is in an emphatic position in the Greek which means that the apostle Paul said, “I bear in my body the marks of Jesus” but he was not boasting.
ISA 2:11 The proud look of man will be abased, And the loftiness of man will be humbled, And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
Paul did not walk with Him, nor talk with Him, but through doctrine resident in the soul, he knew more about Him than the average disciple......just like we can.
- The literal explanation of the apostle's statement.
What did he mean when he said in Gal 6:17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand‑marks of Jesus.
He had in mind a common custom of those days, namely, that of branding certain people with a hot searing iron.
Slaves were branded as a mark of ownership; they were also branded as a mark of shame, for if a man ran away and was recaptured they would see the brand-mark of being a slave and it would brand him as a mark of shame and humiliation.
Soldiers were branded as a mark of allegiance to their generals, just as they would have the crest of their favorite general tattooed upon their arm; and would be branded as a mark of devotion and dedication to their master.
The Prin: Whatever price you have to pay to present your physical body unto the Lord, you should!
Many people withdraw from a local assembly because of personality conflicts with others.......how petty and babyish one can be.
He's talking to people who are on their way to the place of worship, and he says guard your steps.
The word for guard is the Qal imperative of shamar meaning to guard, to take heed, to pay attention, to be aware, to be careful.
If the kingdom of darkness cannot hinder you from coming to Bible class, it can try to hinder you from receiving the word of God once you are here.
1TH 2:18 For we wanted to come to you‑‑ I, Paul, more than once‑‑ and yet Satan hindered us.
The kingdom of darkness will do anything that it can to distract you and get you involved with M.A.S. and disturb your concentration on the word of God as you go to the house of God!
EPH 6:16 talks about the flaming missiles of the evil one.
This means that when people go to the house of God, true worship is listening!
Listening to the communication of the word of God.
That's why our Lord said in MAT 15:9 "But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men."
Or in JOH 4:23 He said "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. JOH 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in
spirit and truth."
In ACT 18:13 Paul was accused of "persuading men to worship God contrary to the law."
Meaning that worship in the Old Testament had to do with the doctrine found in the Law but now the New Testament form of worship is found in the mystery doctrine of the Church-age.
True worship is either teaching or listening.
Psa 138:2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word. (NIV)
NKJ - Psa 138:2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name. (NKJ)
RSV - Psa 138:2 I bow down toward Thy holy temple and give thanks to Thy name for Thy steadfast love and Thy faithfulness; for Thou hast exalted above everything Thy name and Thy word. (RSV)
In JOH 12:48, the Lord said "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My doctrines, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day."
God is not interested in any of these things, He is interested in His word, which is active and living, changing your life for the better!
JOH 2:16 answers that "And to those who were selling the doves [for the Lord] He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a house of merchandise."