Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
The riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy which He prepared beforehand for glory; Prt 7.
Friday, January 28, 2011
The Doctrine of the Riches of His Glory upon Vessels of Mercy.
Point 1. The Bible uses vessels as a reference to the doctrine of election where the believer is said to be a chosen vessel unto God.
Not putting the cart before the horse.
If you have divine viewpoint resulting in a positive outlook while filling up your vessel with the appropriate doctrine, you will recognize your need for God.
The appropriate doctrine is whatever doctrine the Spirit leads your right pastor-teacher to teach you “what the Spirit has to say,” to the churches; Rev, 2:7;11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22, seven times.
The pastor-teacher has been ordained and appointed by God the Holy Spirit for equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
EPH 4:11-12.
It is also the proper application of the Word of God in times of suffering and under pressure that produces your spiritual growth.
We experience the reality that God is “a very present help in time of trouble,”
PSA 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in time of trouble.
As a result of using His divine provisions, our love for Him grows stronger, and we accelerate and do our part in furthering our spiritual advance.
Whether as a protector or a motivator for spiritual growth, all suffering in the Christian life must be understood in relation to the plan of God.
Suffering for our good =
we are in need of a filled up vessel;
Suffering for His glorification =
He is glorified by sustaining and blessing us in any situation, whether prosperity or adversity.
It is for His own glory, and that’s why in the midst of hardships and disasters of life, God promises, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (JOS 1:5; HEB 13:5).
JOS 1:5, “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”
ISA 26:15, Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, Thou hast increased the nation, Thou art glorified; Thou hast extended all the borders of the land.
ISA 60:21, “Then all your people will be righteous; They will possess the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.”
“laying his hands on him” is identification.
“Brother Saul” means that Saul of Tarsus is already saved.
He ministers on the principle of grace, he does not mention Saul’s past or hold Saul’s past against him.
The verb “may regain your sight” aor-act-ind of anablepo
anablepsees here it really isn’t receiving physical sight at all. Ana = up or again
Blepo = to look up again and again. Here, physical sight wasn’t as important as spiritual sight.
Taking scales off of his eyes, as it were, giving him physical sight back is inconsequential; it is the spiritual sight that counts.
He does receive the restoration of his physical sight but the word which is used here indicates that it was much more than the restoration of his physical sight but it is his spiritual insight that counts.
Paul was only prepared to communicate the Gospel message because he knew the Christ, the Messiah, as He was revealed in the Old Testament.
1. Service in the large field is often determined by faithfulness in the small field of service.
2. Ananias was faithful in teaching one man but the dividends were fantastic.
3. Like Ananias, the believer must be ready for team contribution.
4. It isn’t what we do for Christ that counts, it is what Bible doctrine does for us. Serving Christ is just the result.
5. Christian service is not doing, but transmitting, communicating. This brings in the power of the Spirit plus doctrine.
1. He was not only a ruler in his own land.
2. In addition to this, he was famous for his persecution of Christians.
Isagogics, the historical setting of the passage, and categorical doctrine, the theology developed from combining Scripture with Scripture.
Between verse 22 and verse 23, we have 3 years of preparation where Paul learned and lived under the principle of not putting the cart before the horse.
We want a “fastfood faith” and “remote-control Christianity.”
If we are thinking more about “ourselves than we are about God,” we have put the cart before the horse, and things will never be what they ought to be until we change that.
This verse is saying first plant your fields, than build your barn.
In their efforts, they often put “the cart before the horse,” as the old saying goes. In their sincerity they often forget the basic principle that Christ has laid down for being accepted of Him and by Him.
Don’t put the cart before the Horse.