Grace Bible Church
Pastor/Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
July 22, 2008
Basic Training in Doctrine
John 1:4-8 “Jesus Christ comes to give eternal life”
John 1:1
In the beginning [in a beginning which was not a beginning] was [eternally] the Word, and the Word was with [face to face] God, and the Word was God [God was eternally the Word].
John 1:2
He [This same One] was [eternally] in the beginning [a beginning which was not a beginning] with [face to face] God.
John 1:3 All things [all creation] came into being [were created] by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
This same life is given to every Church-age believer at the moment of salvation, but he will not realize its full magnitude until he reaches spiritual maturity.
Just because you are alive doesn’t mean you know how to live.
JER 29:13
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
But thanks be to God for 1CO 1:27, God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.
But then He turned to those who had believed and said, now you are the light of the world, MAT 5:14. In His absence, as He sits at the right hand of God, we are to reflect the love of the hypostatic union.
Matt 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
We are to be JOH 5:35 Christians, a burning and shinning lamp.
John 3:30
He must increase, but I must decrease.
The world is blinded by darkness but all men are accountable because of their conscience.
The light gives us a purpose and direction, for without light there is no vision, no view, hence no reality.
Jesus Christ is eternal life – 1 John 5:11.When we believe in Christ we enter into union with Him and His life becomes our life.
Darkness in the Bible denotes ignorance, guilt, misery, it represents corrupted humanity and angels.
Light is pure and cannot be defiled
Light is gentle as the Lord is full of mercy
Light is transparent and pervasive
Light reveals the Jesus Christ that we can see.
Comprehended – receive; to seize; to overcome; to admit. Darkness and light cannot dwell together or co-exist. If one exists the other must be displaced.
John 12:35
Jesus therefore said to them, “For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.
The darkness also represents the cosmic diabolicos which never understands Christ and hates Him.
Those who live in the world system controlled by Satan are:
1) Haters of God, JOH 15:23
2) Enemies of the cross, PHI 3:18
3) Enemies of God, JAM 4:4
4) Double minded, JAM 4:2
5) Anti-Christ, 1JO 2:18-23
God uses people. All believers today are in full time Christian service.
“sent from God” – para means immediate source. In God’s plan God can take imperfect man, unstable man, man who has an old sin nature and who is oriented to cosmos diabolicus, oriented to the thinking of this world, to human viewpoint, and use him in His plan;
It is not the man; it is the message. It isn’t his personality; it is the content of his message.
Matt 11:11
“Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
John 3:30
“He must increase, but I must decrease.