The Doctrine of Supergrace. Part 21.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
PHI 4:13 I have the endowed power [maximum doctrine resident in the soul], to attain all things [ultra-supergrace and dying grace], By means of the One [God the Holy Spirit], who keeps on pouring the power [the doctrine], into me.
Anyone who grows and advances spiritually under the ministry of a pastor-teacher becomes a source of happiness for that pastor.
All growth, all blessing, anything that is worthwhile in life, loving Jesus Christ, capacity for life, capacity for love, capacity for happiness - all of these things are tied into Bible doctrine.
When a right pastor has gone to supergrace and then on to ultra-supergrace, nothing makes him happier than to have his congregation follow.
His happiness must be related to believers who respond to his doctrinal teaching.
He is on his way to the next objective, he has cracked the maturity barrier himself, he has regrouped in supergrace, and now he’s out crossing that no man’s land to the next objective, ultra-supergrace.
Steko = to stand firm, to be stabilized, to persevere, to persist, especially under pressure.
Paul is commanding them to advance to ultra-supergrace and not to retreat into reversionism.
The church tends to pursue stability in areas where it does not live, reside, exist - such as loving the things of the world and the ways of the world.
This is a hostile world, there is hostile flesh, and there is a hostile devil - and if you are a grace-oriented believer, you will be in conflict with them.
1. Subtle persecution in our society sometimes is more difficult than that which is not so subtle.
2. Paul says, “Stand firm in the Lord, my beloved,” because Paul does not want to see a division hit the church at Philippi.
1PE 5:9 But resist him, firm in your faith,
1CO 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
GAL 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
EPH 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
1PE 5:12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!
Studying the book of Philippians, we have noted very clear hints that there was a selfishness in that church, PHI 2:3-5.
Two women who couldn’t agree doesn’t seem like a lot of problems, except that these were two prominent women in the church, so it was significant enough for Paul to have identified the women by name in PHI 4:2.
3. “Stand firm in the Lord, my beloved” and PHI 4:13 “I have the endowed power, to attain all things, By means of the One, who keeps on pouring the power, [the doctrine] into me” =
commands to advance beyond supergrace to ultra-supergrace.
4. There is a no man’s land between supergrace and ultra-supergrace which has certain occupational hazards and hindrances to the spiritual advance.
5. One of these occupational hazards is personality conflict with members of the congregation, which can even occur when you’re in supergrace or no man’s land on your way to ultra-supergrace.
6. The believer cannot advance from supergrace to ultra-supergrace and at the same time become involved in pettiness or personality conflicts either in the local church, or at home, or anywhere else.
7. Two women in the Philippian congregation have reached supergrace and started out into no man’s land.
MAT 25:40 “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”
2CO 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh;
1CO 2:2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.