Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
Florida Conference, Part 3.
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
In every local assembly there are some believers that succumb to false doctrines and assaults made against the soul.
2PE 2:16 He was a psychotic believer.
It is impossible for anyone, prophet or otherwise, to place a curse upon the people that God has placed blessing upon.
When he couldn’t curse God’s people, he kept on advising Balak to induce the children of Israel to commit acts of immorality.
These are things that belong to antinomianism, lawlessness, lasciviousness, the opposite of legalism.
Beauty cosmetically, beauty aesthetically, beauty in terms of symmetrical bodies, but no beauty of soul.
Pseudo toleration is always a potential problem and becomes a breeding ground for serious compromise, and therefore damage to the spiritual life.
“The unexamined life isn’t worth living.”
Many of the most dangerous situations we will ever face as believers are unknown to us until a later time.
2PE 2:15 Forsaking the right way [Function inside the PPOG], they have gone astray [left the PPOG for life in the cosmic system], having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness [He was mad for money, concupiscence].
The way of Balaam = residence and function in the cosmic system.
The way of Balaam = a constant series of bad decisions related to life in the cosmic system so that he eventually destroys his options as a believer and eventually dies the sin unto death, NUM 31:8.
The way of Balaam is the wasted life of the believer in Christ who by living in the cosmic system fails to utilize the provisions of logistical grace; therefore, fails to glorify God and instead follows Satan as the ruler of this world.
The way of Balaam is the willful involvement of compromise, contradiction and the flexibility of evil.
The genius of finding the weakness of another believer and exploiting it for personal gain and power.
The way of Balaam is rejection of authority resulting in involvement in the cosmic system and being filled with arrogance and hatred.
Balaam as a believer living in the cosmic system had a bad case of monetary reversionism = a lust for money and wealth.
Money is not evil in itself.
Money is a right and legitimate function of life – GEN 23:9 – JER 32:44.
Money is correct when it is used properly, MAT 22:17-22; Mar 12; Luk 20.
Money can be a very useful servant, but a very cruel and evil master.
JOB 27:16-17 The evil man may accumulate money like dust, with closets jammed full of clothing – yes, he may order them made by his tailor, but the innocent shall wear that clothing and shall divide his silver among them.(TLB)
God’s laws of prosperity are founded upon the basic fact that He owns everything and that we own nothing.
1TI 6:7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
1CO 4:7 For who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
DEU 10:14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.
1CO 10:26 for the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains.
HAG 2:8 “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” declares the Lord of hosts.
PSA 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.
ECC 5:10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance {with its} income. This too is vanity.
2CO 9:7 “Let each one (the believer priest) according to as you have determined by means of his own right lobe(not someone else’s) so give; not from distress of mind or compulsion of emotion (Never give because you are emotionally aroused), for the Lord loves true motivation in giving.”
1. Balaam made the erroneous assumption that money is a means of happiness.
2. Balaam also made the assumption that money can buy power and authority.
3. Balaam’s third erroneous assumption was that money can buy security.