GRACE BIBLE CHURCH
PASTOR ROBERT R. MCLAUGHLIN
WEDNESDAY 10-26-2022
GBIBLE.ORG
EPHESIANS - 0290-017
DIVINE DECREES, PART 14.
GREEK DRAMA, PART 5.
6TH & 7TH ACTORS.
2PE 1:5-7; PHI 3:1-2; 1JO 2:9-11.
The Doctrine of the Divine Decrees.
Your first five members of your chorus line are:
- Virtue = respect, loyalty, devotion.
- Knowledge = perception of doctrine.
- Self-control = organized life.
- Perseverance = endurance or consistency.
- Godliness = living the spiritual life.
And we have begun the sixth member of the Chorus line mentioned in 2PE 1:7 which is called ‘brotherly love.”
2PE 1:7 and in your godliness [or spiritual living], brotherly kindness.
So far, we have as our corrected translation;
2PE 1:5 Now for this very reason also, making every effort, by means of your doctrine supply virtue, and in your virtue supply knowledge.
2PE 1:6 and in your knowledge, supply self control, and in your self control, supply perseverance, and in your perseverance, supply spiritual living;
2PE 1:7 and in your godliness [or spiritual living], supply brotherly kindness
"Brotherly kindness is the function of your Royal ambassadorship rather than your Royal priesthood.
Your priesthood is personal.
Your priesthood is private.
Your priesthood is your relationship with God.
Your ambassadorship is your relationship with man.
The only way you can love mankind with virtue is to love all mankind.
This requires "impersonal unconditional love and virtue" in the one doing the loving.
All true motivation in the spiritual life comes from our personal love for TLJC; 2CO 5:14.
2CO 5:14 For the love of Christ motivates us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
All true motivation in the spiritual life must be love for Christ.
People want to be honored and esteemed.
So, their motivation is arrogance.
The Stoics (so-called intellectuals) rejected Bible doctrine and biblical teaching but taught that God wants you to perform good deeds and have reverence toward Him.
They were legalistic to the core and they still came to this conclusion.
You cannot love God from your priesthood unless you have metabolized doctrine.
You can have great morality and be minus "brotherly kindness."
Legalistic believers always persecute other believers, yet they usually are very moral.
1JO 2:9 The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother fellow believer is in the darkness until now.
1JO 2:10 The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
1JO 2:11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Or in 1JO 3:10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
In 1JO 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
1JO 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1JO 3:17 But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
In 1JO 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
1JO 4:21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.
Paul was persecuted by believers and Paul was the greatest believer that ever lived; PHI 3:1-2.
PHI 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
PHI 3:2 Beware of the dogs [legalistic gentiles], beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
The false circumcision refers to those who had been circumcised physically in their body but not their heart.
Pharisees = legalistic.
Sadducees = didn’t believe in the resurrection
Scribes = interpreted the scriptures in a legalist way that they added to the scriptures.
In PHI 3:3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,
The true circumcision that counts is the circumcision of the heart spiritually.
These legalistic believers were very sincere.
They were arrogant and they persecuted Paul, the greatest believer who ever lived.
They had no virtue.
They had no personal love for God revealed by no metabolized doctrine and no virtue-love toward their fellow believer.
They had no "unconditional love" for all mankind.
Those with "virtue love" tolerate and love the legalists.
They don't love the legalism but they love the legalists.
They don’t love prostitution, but they love the prostitute.
They don’t love homosexuality, but they love the homosexual.
Whenever we have individuals in our life that we disagree with their lifestyles;
Do you have true virtue-love toward them, in spite of the way they live, do we still have impersonal love toward them?
Their love is revealed by not judging, criticizing, or putting down other believers.
This is where the legalist appears to be the strong Christian when in reality it is the legalist who has the tragic flaw.
The legalist always wants to do something for spirituality.
He wants to observe some system of works.
"Virtue love" or brotherly love offsets the entire concept of legalism.
They had no personal love for God revealed by no metabolized doctrine and no virtue-love toward their fellow believer.
They had no "unconditional love" for all mankind.
Now, Those with "virtue love" tolerate and love the legalists.
They don't love the legalism but they love the legalists.
Their love is revealed by not judging, criticizing, or putting down other believers.
This principle is brought out in MAT 7:1-5 and the double judgement that takes place.
MAT 7:1 "Do not judge lest you be judged.
MAT 7:2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
MAT 7:3 "And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
MAT 7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?
MAT 7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
This is where you get double discipline = you are judged for judging and you are judged by your standard of measure that you judge others with.
So, The double judgment means you are disciplined for the sin you committed and you’re disciplined by your standard of measure that you judge others for.
The point is “don’t judge” because there are too many negative results.
In fact, this is where the legalists appear to be the strong Christian when in reality it is the legalist who has the tragic flaw.
The legalist always wants to do something for spirituality.
He wants to observe some system of works.
"Virtue love" or brotherly love offsets the entire concept of legalism.
So, let's look at a summary of what we have so far.
- This "brotherly love" or virtue love is how we fulfill the divine mandate such as found in MAR 12:31 "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
- This love is a love that "covers sins" it doesn't repeat them, Pro 10:12, 17:9, 1Pe 4:8.
PRO 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.
PRO 17:9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.
1PE 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
- This "brotherly love" gives us the ability to fulfill, Mat 5:38-42 in principle.
MAT 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'
MAT 5:39 "But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
MAT 5:40 "And if anyone wants to sue you, and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.
MAT 5:41 "And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two.
MAT 5:42 "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
And for those of you who say well that's for the Millennium or the kingdom age, remember what Paul said in GAL 5.
GAL 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
Look at GAL 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
GAL 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
- This "brotherly love" causes us to treat one another as we would treat the Lord, Mat 25:34-40.
MAT 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
MAT 25:35 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me {something} to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
MAT 25:36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. '
MAT 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink?
MAT 25:38 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
MAT 25:39 'And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
MAT 25:40 "And the King will answer and say to them, '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.'
- "Brotherly love" is a revelation to others that we are the students or disciples of the Lord, Joh 13:13-15, 13:34-35.
JOH 13:13 "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for {so} I am.
JOH 13:14 "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
JOH 13:15 "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
Or JOH 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
JOH 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
- "Brotherly love" is revealed by an unselfish desire to lose one's life, Joh 15:12-13.
JOH 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
JOH 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
- Brotherly love is without hypocrisy and manifested by affection, Rom 12:9-11.
ROM 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
ROM 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
ROM 12:11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
- "Brotherly love" is not a love of independence or self-preservation, Gal 5:13, Eph 5:2.
GAL 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
EPH 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
- This love is totally from divine power and not from human emotion, 1Th 3:11-12.
1TH 3:11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you;
1TH 3:12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you;
- This brotherly love is manifested by a relaxed mental attitude; JOH 14:25-27.
JOH 14:25 "These things I have spoken to you, while abiding with you.
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.
JOH 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
"Brotherly love" is the absence of mental attitude sins toward those you know or do not know.
Toward friends or enemies.
LUK 6:27-28, "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
By giving doctrine number one priority in your life, you will rise above the pettiness that promotes mental attitude sins toward others.
Bible doctrine strengthens objectivity and sustains the RMA.
The perfect example of virtue-love of course was TLJC.
Our Lord never committed a mental attitude sin.
He never departed from His impersonal love for His followers or for that matter all mankind.
JOH 13:1b having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
In addition to being our unique Savior, Jesus was also a man of matchless grace, courage, thoughtfulness, honor, and integrity.
He was constantly in control of His mental attitude.
During His life on earth the ultimate demonstration of our Lord's virtue-love was His attitude throughout His trials and crucifixion.
Certainly no one can duplicate His saving work, but TLJC enjoins us to emulate toward others the attitude He sustained toward all of us.
MAT 10:37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
MAT 10:38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Christ does not suggest we stop loving our parents or to teach us a lesson on suffering.
He is commanding us to obey the plan of God for our lives, setting aside every distraction.
This means not letting members of Your earthly family stop you from being with members of the Royal family, your true family.
The growing believer's impersonal love establishes his inner strength and separates him from people, organizations and activities that would clutter his mind with false concepts.
In verse 38, taking up one’s cross occurs in the soul and it is mental separation from the influences of the cosmic system, Satan's world.
The difference between personal and impersonal love must now be noted.
- Impersonal love emphasizes the subject; personal love depends on the attractiveness, capacity, and response of the one who is loved.
Impersonal love emphasizes the subject.
Personal love emphasizes the qualities in the one you are loving.
- Impersonal love is a love that does not require intimacy, friendliness, or even acquaintance with the object of love.
Just think of it.
How in the world could you ever love ALL the brethren?
- "Brotherly love" is simply the consistent function of your own integrity toward other people.
In fact, it is a declaration to others that we are the students or disciples of the Lord.
JOH 13:13 "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for {so} I am.
JOH 13:14 "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
JOH 13:15 "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
Or JOH 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
JOH 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
So 2PE 1:7 and in your godliness, or living the spiritual life, [supply] brotherly kindness, and in you brotherly kindness [supply] love.
The seventh member of the chorus line is mentioned which is the accusative singular feminine noun from agape which is agapen (g) meaning impersonal love for all mankind; TIT 3:1-2; Eph 4:29:32.
TIT 3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,
TIT 3:2 to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
In Titus 3:2, this is the type "speaks evil of no one."
EPH 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.
EPH 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
EPH 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
EPH 4:32 And be kind to one another, tender‑hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
That includes the unbeliever.
Impersonal love is a challenge to treat all members of the human race, whether believers or unbelievers with the same type of love, with love.
So, we now have the entire seven members of your chorus line mentioned.
- Virtue (includes respect, loyalty, devotion).
- Knowledge - perception of doctrine.
- Self-control - organized life.
- Perseverance - endurance or consistency.
- Godliness - living the spiritual life.
- Brotherly love - love for members of the Royal family.
- Agape love - impersonal love for all members of the human race.
Principles concerning impersonal love.
- Impersonal love emphasizes the subject; personal love depends on the attractiveness, capacity, and response of the one who is loved.
Impersonal love emphasizes the subject.
Personal love emphasizes the qualities in the one you are loving.
- Impersonal love is a love that does not require intimacy, friendliness, or even acquaintance with the object of love.
- "Brotherly love" is simply the consistent function of your own integrity toward other Christians, members of the Royal family.
In fact, it is a declaration to others that we are the students or disciples of the Lord.
JOH 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
- Personal love requires that you know the object with some degree of intimacy.
The object of personal love must be attractive to you, share basic values with you, and have capacity to love you in return.
- Phileo love (philadelphia), which is personal love is mentioned before agape love, which is impersonal love in 2Pe 1:7.
The principle being is that:
First of all, you should be closer to some members of the Royal family (philadelphia love) than members of your own earthly family, Mat 12:46-50.
Secondly,
If you cannot love your fellow-believer whom you can see (with philadelphia love), you cannot love God whom you have not seen, 1JO 4:20.
1JO 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Thirdly, if you do not love God than you cannot really love yourself properly, 1Jo 4:19.
1JO 4:19 We love, because He first loved us.
Therefore, fourth, if you do not have love for yourself, you cannot love your neighbor which is agape love or impersonal love for all mankind, Mat 19:19.
MAT 19:19 Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
This is why phileo love (philadelphia), which is personal love is mentioned before agape love which is impersonal love.
- Only a few people qualify as objects of your personal love whereas all mankind are to be the objects of your "impersonal love," MAT 5:43-45; Luk 6:20-38.
MAT 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'
MAT 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you
MAT 5:45 in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
LUK 6:20 And turning His gaze on His disciples, He {began} to say, "Blessed {are} you {who are} poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
LUK 6:21 "Blessed {are} you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed {are} you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
LUK 6:22 "Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.
LUK 6:23 "Be glad in that day, and leap {for joy,} for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.
LUK 6:24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.
LUK 6:25 "Woe to you who are well fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe {to you} who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
LUK 6:26 "Woe {to you} when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the false prophets.
LUK 6:27 "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
LUK 6:28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
LUK 6:29 "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.
LUK 6:30 "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.
LUK 6:31 "And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way.
LUK 6:32 "And if you love those who love you, what credit is {that} to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
LUK 6:33 "And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is {that} to you? For even sinners do the same.
LUK 6:34 "And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is {that} to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same {amount.}
LUK 6:35 "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil {men.}
LUK 6:36 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
LUK 6:37 "And do not judge and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.
LUK 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."
By the way, for those of you who may say, well this passage is not for us?
This passage is for us because it is talking about the future dispensation when the kingdom of God is on earth, the Millennial reign, and there will be no hunger.
Because in the Millennial reign, there will not be believers who hunger as LUK 6:21 says because Christ will be on the throne and there will be universal prosperity.
LUK 6:21 "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
In the Millennial reign, there will not be believers who are ostracized as Luk 6:22 says because Christ will be ruling.
LUK 6:22 "Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.
This passage is not to serve as a cop-out for those who use dispensationalism to justify their rejection of a doctrinal concept.
This passage is dealing with the mental attitude we should all have if we possess the mind of Christ.
So, Point 6 again, Only a few people qualify as objects of your personal love whereas all mankind is to be the objects of your "impersonal love," Mat 5:43, Luk 6:20-38.
- Personal love is designed for interaction with a few.
Impersonal love is designed to benefit the human race.
Personal love is conditional, impersonal love is unconditional.
- Personal love creates weaknesses and you bring your own problems into any personal relationship, as well as the problems of the one you love.
The problems, shortcomings, and faults of two people are combined and multiplied by personal love.
Personal love can bring in subjectivity and mental attitude sins of jealousy, self-pity, and bitterness.
Personal love in the human race is complicated with unpredictable problems that personal love cannot control.
- Personal love is never stronger than the integrity of those involved in the personal relationship. Impersonal love is the integrity that alone can strengthen, stabilize personal love.
The most important function of impersonal love is the control of your own mental attitude.
- Personal love may lead to compromise the norms and standards and values of the individual.
This is when you do things that are in direct violation of the word of God but you justify them because you say, "Well, we're in love."
Whereas, impersonal love never compromises its virtue and its integrity.
In fact, the only time "brotherly love" has true character and integrity is when it is the result of impersonal love or "agape love."
- In 1Co 13:13, impersonal love is proclaimed the ultimate Christian virtue.
1CO 13:13 But now abide faith [FRD], hope [confidence or SSE], love [agape or virtue-love], these three; but the greatest of these is agape love.
This is why impersonal love is commanded and why personal love is optional.
The greatest of these is agape love.
Why?
Because as a member of the human race you can actually resolve every problem in your life with agape love.
Agape love gives the believer a relaxed mental attitude.
Agape love does not think with evil thoughts, 1Co 13:5.
The primary reason why God gave agape love to the human race then, was to solve problems.
- Personal love is legitimate and potentially wonderful, but it is virtue-dependent, hinging on the virtue of impersonal love which represents the highest degree of integrity the soul can attain.
- "Impersonal love" also produces independence.
A believer with impersonal love does not rely on the object of his love for strength and support.
He is sustained by the Bible doctrine in his own soul.
The believer who, over an extended period of time, learns to apply doctrine can solve or cope with the problems of personal love and maintain a marvelous relationship with others.
He functions consistently whether faced with hostility or admiration, or antagonism with others.
Why is this true?
- Answer - Because impersonal love does not depend on emotional stimulation or attraction.