A Culture in Decline Let’s begin with God Life begins and ends with God. To leave God out of life’s equation is the epitome of arrogance. We Americans must look inward and we must look back to God if we are to preserve our freedom. The conscience and direction of our Western civilization is dramatically declining in subtle ways….
Notes on God and Grace As that timeless hymn tells us, “Grace, grace, God’s grace! Greater than all the world to me. There is perhaps no greater word brought over from the Greek language that can more adequately describe our undefinable God, than grace. Grace may be defined as: “All that God is free to do for man based on…
Divine Guidance “The pure thoughts of Biblical Truths, illumined by the Holy Spirit, not the deceptive thoughts of man, are the basis for divine guidance. The Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit, is the light by which everything is enlightened that has enlightenment.” — C. S. Craig Do not depend on human viewpoint. Do not depend on the…
Right Lobe of the Brain The right lobe is the dominant lobe of the mentality of the soul, designated by the Greek word kardia. The right lobe circulates Bible doctrine through the soul’s stream of consciousness—frame of reference, memory center, vocabulary, categorical storage, the conscience, momentum, and wisdom compartments—to support the spiritual life of the believer.
God’s Grace Resources These resources are divine provisions for our spiritual comprehension, growth, and advancement, where we are “empowered” by the filling of the Holy Spirit, which enables every believer to understand, learn, enjoy, and apply the entire realm of Bible doctrine, regardless of education or human IQ. There are basically two kinds of IQ: human and spiritual.
Human Good Human good is deeds and works done in the flesh while out of fellowship (perpetual sin unconfessed), therefore produced by the flesh, not by the Spirit. Divine good is produced by the Holy Spirit when the believer is “filled” of the Spirit. When filled with the Spirit, God the Holy Spirit is able to lead, guide, and direct…
Divine Good Divine good is “Christian service and deeds produced by the believer filled with the Spirit.” Only divine good is acceptable by Perfect God. Human good is deeds and works done in the flesh while out of fellowship (perpetual sin unconfessed). Human Good is not acceptable to God because human good is a product of the sin nature. Only…
Faith and Faith-Rest FAITH Faith is the acceptance of an established criterion as the basis of reality; it is confidence or belief in the authority and veracity of another. The assent (assent is the expression of approval or agreement) of the mind to the truth of a proposition, followed by acceptance and confidence. In theology, it is the assent of…
Civil Disobedience Civil disobedience refers to the action of disobedience (negative attitude followed by negative action), which is a manifested arrogance against the local, civil, state, or federal laws. It is also a direct action (rebellion) against God and the laws of divine establishment, in that God sets up the principles of law for the benefit, protection, orderly function, survival…
Degeneracy Degeneracy is the process of passing from a higher to a lower status – to decline progressively. Christian degeneracy is the decline to false or inferior standards, accompanied by loss of integrity. It is the subnormal status of fragmentation and reversionism, or “backsliding.”
Capital Punishment Capital punishment is the maximum use of jurisprudence under the laws of divine establishment. Capital punishment must be preceded by trial, authorized by the judicial function of government. Others must see punishment by death for the purpose of restraint.
Abrahamic Covenant The Abrahamic Covenant is the unconditional covenant between God and Abraham, and Abraham’s progeny (all born-again Jews). This Covenant promises a national land (Genesis 12:1-3; 13:15-17). And it promises a King from Abraham’s line (Genesis 17:1-11.)
Election Election is the expression of the sovereign will of God in eternity past, before creation of the universe, before anything existed (except the Godhead). Election is the sovereign right of God over His creation. Election is a Biblical term that is applied to the believer and to angels. God ordained history based on His foreknowledge. Reference Foreknowledge.
Abundant Life John 10:10b: “I am come that they (Jews and Gentiles—all humanity) might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.“ This abundant life has application to the believer’s walk through fields of grace with the Lord, who leads the way home to Heaven. But, it also speaks to eternal life, which is received at the point…
Maturity In Christ Maturity in Christ means we have become “adult sons,” occupied with Christ. Occupation with Christ is living life in the Grace Place, filled with the Holy Spirit on a consistent basis, by the consistent volitional exercise of 1 John 1:9 (if and when necessary), and the inculcation of Bible doctrine The ascent to spiritual maturity involves the…
Grace Place, Your The grace place is “occupation with Christ,” (communion or fellowship) which reaches its full potential at spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity should be every believer’s goal/objective. There is no sweeter place than occupation with our Savior in the grace place. Living in fellowship with the Lord is a life lived in resting faith (Reference Faith and Faith-Rest). Occupation…
Peace with God The believer is at peace with God based on the cross-sacrifice of the perfect man – Jesus Christ, who died on the cross as payment for the sins of all humanity. Therefore, to have true and lasting peace with God, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Peace with God (John…
Acceptable (to God) The believer is made “acceptable” to God (Ephesians 1:6; 1 Peter 2:5) because of Christ’s spiritual death in your place on the cross. This relates to the doctrine of Propitiation. God accepts Christ’s sacrifice for all who will believe in Christ (John 3:16,36), therefore there is no condemnation to the believer. Also reference Reconciliation.
Adoption For reference, please see Romans 8:15,23 (future adoption); Ephesians 1:5. The Biblical concept of adoption in the New Testament is based on the Roman aristocratic function of adoption during the first century. In Scripture, adoption means to be recognized by God as an adult son. This is our actual position at salvation. However, experientially at salvation, we are adopted…
Positional Truth The Church Age believer in Christ is “a little lower than the angels” while on Earth, but once in Heave, we will be superior to all angels, including Satan (Hebrews 1:4,13-14; 2:9-11). It is in our position in Christ that we are to view ourselves… this is how God sees us. Our Positional truth is that we are…