Grace Bible Church
PastorTeacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Sunday, January 12, 2014
1. The first one: Is there a God? Answer: PSA 19:1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
If there is a god, and there is, then is Jesus Christ God? Answer: COL 1:15-16.
COL 1:15-16, And He is the image of the invisible God, the first‑born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities‑‑ all things have been created by Him and for Him.
3. If Jesus is God, then who is Jesus Christ? Answer: His name is Emmanuel, as MAT 1:23 His Name is God with us, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
Note that the High Priest said, You claim to be “the Christ, the Son of God.”
“He is “The Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God and in verse 64, The Son of Man.
1. The first one: Is there a God?
2. The second question, If there is a god, and there is, then is Jesus Christ God?
3. The third question is; If Jesus is God, and He is, then who is Jesus Christ?
4. The fourth question, If Jesus Christ says that He is God and He is alive forevermore, then is there life after death for all of God’s people?
Answer: There is life after death says passages such as JOH 14:1-3.
Why do we need scriptural proof of something we believe in with all of our hearts?
1PE 3:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
AMP 1PE 3:15 But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [by and acknowledging Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope or the confidence that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully.
This is a verse that talks about our responsibilty to be an ambassador for TLJC and having elpis which is translated hope but meaning confidence, not “I hope so” but “I have confidence.”
The Message Bible – 1PE 3:15 Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy.
This means according to our flesh not theirs.
Most believers have a tendency toward legalism, think that this verse says don’t recognize anyone according to their flesh, or their
OSN, as if you are so holy that you think it’s their flesh that Paul is talking about and not yours.
It’s you not recognizing your own flesh not theirs.”
You are not qualified to stick your nose into the life of others. You are commanded not to recognize your own flesh not theirs.
Because you should be occupied with you and your relationship with God and not others and their relationship with God.
Scripture: ROM 14:4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the
Lord is able to make him stand.
Scripture: ROM 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. ROM 14:11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall give praise to God.” ROM 14:12 So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.
ROM 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this‑‑ not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.
PHI 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, be accomplishing your own preservation with respect toward Christ and reverence toward doctrine;
You should be occupied with your flesh not theirs says ROM 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.
Prin – There is a special need for those who communicate the word of God to do so with confidence, not arrogance, but confidence.
EPH 4:15 but speaking the truth in love [notice that the truth is to be spoken in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ,
In 1CO 16:14 “Let all that you do be done in love.”
JOB 40:8, the Lord said to Job, “Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?”
JOB 40:8 Will you also annul (set aside and render void) My judgment? Will you condemn Me [your God], that you may [appear] righteous and justified?
Some believers can say that they are right and others are wrong when they are both doing the same thing.
One person can claim to say one thing and for them to be justified in attacking others who do the same thing.
That confidence cannot exist unless they are occupied with the person of Christ, and have at least spiritual self-esteem, because they will be faced with constant negative volition from indifferent people.
But with spiritual self-esteem the communicator speaks with confidence no matter what the attitude of his listeners.
PHI 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, be accomplishing your own preservation with respect toward Christ and reverence toward doctrine;
ROM 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.
ROM 14:11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.”
ROM 14:12 So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Now, many believe in Christ but they do not have the answers to reveal why?
EPH 6:20 “On behave of which [Gospel] I am an ambassador in chains, that in this [proclaiming of the mystery doctrine], I might communicate with confidence as I ought to speak.”
Prin – There is a special need for those who communicate doctrine to do so with confidence.
That confidence cannot exist unless they are occupied with the person of Jesus Christ and have at least spiritual self-esteem, because they will be faced with constant negative volition from indifferent people.
A. Category one is toward God.
B. Category two is toward right man-right woman.
PRO 18:22; PRO 19:14, GEN 2:18,22, ECC 9:9, and 1CO 7:17, for those of you who doubt right man, right woman.
C. Category three is toward friends.
D. Category four is love toward members of the human race or impersonal unconditional love.
Category one love is the believer’s capacity to love God and to respond to God’s love based on Bible doctrine in his soul.
The command to have category one love is found in many passages in the Old Testament such as DEU 6:5; DEU 11:13;DEU 10:12.
Apart from the daily function of perception, metabolization and application of Bible doctrine, it is impossible to love God,HEB 12:2.
HEB 12:2 “Be concentrating on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our doctrine, who because of the exhibited happiness, He endured the cross, having disregarded the shame, He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Since God is invisible and the object of category one love, we must see and love Him through doctrine in the soul.
As we noted Job said, JOB 42:5 “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees Thee;
EXO 33:20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”
In JOH 1:18 No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
1PE 1:8 “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and thou you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,”
HEB 6:10 “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”
PSA 31:23 O love the Lord, all you His mature ones! The Lord preserves the faithful, And fully recompenses the proud doer.
PSA 119:132 Turn to me and be gracious to me, After Thy manner with those who love Thy name.
You have to have capacity to be grace oriented. And grace orientation comes from your personal love toward God.
Category One Love is the Basis for Supergrace Blessing, 1CO 2:9, PSA 37:4‑5.
1CO 2:9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
PSA 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
PSA 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
Category One Love Motivates Combat Courage and Military Victory, JOS 23:10‑11.
Category One Love Provides Strength for Adversity and Pressure, HEB 11:27; HEB 12:3.
HEB 11:27 “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.”
HEB 12:3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
There is a Special Curse on Believers Who Fail to Have Category One Love, 1CO 16:22.
Category One Love is the Basis for Personal and National Blessing, DEU 30:15‑20. DEU 30:15 “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; DEU 30:16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. DEU 30:17 “But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, DEU 30:18 I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You shall not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. DEU 30:19 “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, DEU 30:20 by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to our fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” So, category one love is the basis for personal and national blessing. JOS 23:9 “For the Lord has driven out great and strong nations from before you; and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. JOS 23:10 “One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you. JOS 23:11 “So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God.