Grace Bible Church
Basic Training in Doctrine
Pastor Joseph P. Sugrue
Tuesday,
June 29, 2010
“follow” is akoloutheo which means to follow someone because you want to, because it is your own personal soul desire.
Proper motivation is reflected in this passage. He goes before them and that is why they follow.
Acts 20:29-30
I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; butthey went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.
“for they know” – now they know Him better because when they feed in His pasture they get to know Him, and therefore they know His voice.
“they know” – oida, they know it and can never forget it. Once you get Bible doctrine you love the Lord and you’ll never forget Him. Nothing will ever take His place.
“his voice” – this time the voice is the voice of categorical doctrine.
EPH 4:14
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
The word “stranger” is allotrios, which literally is “one whom you know belongs to another.” In context it refers to religion which belongs to satan.
Therefore this is a person you could never love as a friend or companion once you learn Bible doctrine because they are religious.
“they will not follow” – Once you have become spiritually self-sustaining you will always despise religion and therefore will never be sucked into a religious system.
This means to avoid or separate from the religious person’s false doctrine. You flee from false doctrine because you have true doctrine; you have fed in the pasture.
“they do not know the voice of strangers” – oida [inherent knowledge] plus the negative. Once you are spiritually self-sustaining you will never fall for religion.
One road you know, so you put another road alongside it so you understand that road.
The sheep “know” – oida = inherent knowledge. The religious crowd did not understand – ginosko = to come to know.
“I am” is the present active indicative of eimi, the absolute status quo verb: “the door” – He is not only the door but He keeps on being the door.
Ex 3:14
And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM [the self existing One] has sent me to you.'”
Inside the door are the 33 years that Jesus Christ was on earth as David’s greatest son. The shepherd is bona fide, He was virgin born – Isaiah 7:14; and He is now in hypostatic union – Isaiah 9:6; He has the lineage of David – Isaiah 11:1.
“puts forth” – exbalo, the same word used for tossing out the once blind man. They threw him out in excommunication. Christ throws him out into the pasture to grow in grace and truth.