For the Joy Set Before Us We Carry Our Own Cross
January 8, 2012
OUTLINE:
Freedom
Virtue love is a selfless love that guarantees a life of freedom. The average person does not possess virtue love, which is why they love selfishly. Selfish love is in bondage to poor expectations.
Selfish Love
Selfish lovers are consistently disappointed with those they love because their expectations of others are unreasonable and inconsistent with God’s.
Self-Induced Bondage
You sacrifice your own freedom every time you choose your own expectations over God’s.
“Do you have capacity for love?”
“you keep”
from tereo – means to guard something that belongs to you (eg: the Word of God – aka “commandments” - John 15:10); if you guard the light in your soul, the light in your soul guards you!
“abide in My love”
from meno agape – means to reside in the sphere of His love; refers to the enveloping nature of being sanctified by Him and for Him; this is your daily residence in the DPG
Capacity for Love
You will possess capacity for love IF (3rd class condition) you have positive volition towards doctrine (PVTD). “If you keep My commandments…” (John 15:10).
“joy”
from chara – refers to the H+ of God that has existed eternally and is shared with man through the 2SPO’s; this is the same joy expressed by love that motivated TLJC to go all the way to the Cross
“may be made full”
from pleroo – means to fill up the deficiency; to fully possess; to fully influence; to fill with a certain quality
“he must deny”
from arneomai – means he must deny righteous self, and renounce all his own works of righteousness; this refers to areas of human good (ala fruit from the TKGE)
“take up his cross daily”
refers to the fact that we are commanded to produce divine good as a function of the 2SPO’s; it’s impossible for us to pick up our cross if we are functioning outside of the DPG
Luke 9:24
- “save his life” – salvation
- “will lose it” – pick up your cross (lose the self-life)
- “loses his life” – setting aside creature credit
- “will save it” – “will find it; find divine good
Luke 9:25 – Ill Profit
To “gain the whole world” is to adopt an evil SoT. The cost of doing so for the unbeliever is the Lake of Fire. The cost of doing so for the believer is loss of blessings in time and rewards at the Bema Seat.
Evil Hates Truth (John 3:20)
Evil doesn’t like being exposed because it loses its power. Evil’s power is rooted in darkness constructed of lies. Truth shines light into darkness, exposing evil by equipping the saints with divine viewpoint.
The Light Reveals Reality
God is Light (1John 1:5). With God all things are clear, secure, and stable. Jam 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
“does not have God”
Refers to not operating in the one true reality that is God’s to give through the study of the Word.
John 15:17
“This I command you, that you love one another.”
The Command to Love
Our Great Shepherd commands that we love one another because He is protecting His sheep! Virtue love protects the POSSESSOR of it! 1Cor. 13:8 Love never fails (you)!