The Doctrine of Suffering - Reorienting Ourselves To the Major Categories of Suffering
July 8, 2010
OUTLINE:
Reflecting His Goodness
All good things originate with Him, including Job’s promotion - our PVTD allows His I+ to pour out blessings for the world to see, bringing glory to Him.
Double Blessing
Job originally had 10 children, but they were killed by Satanic attack. Job’s 10 additional children constitute double blessing as deceased children aren’t considered lost.
2 Sa 12:23
“But now he has died [David’s 1st son from Bathsheba]; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him [still his child though dead], but he will not return to me.”
Side-Note: Heirship
Job made his daughters co-heirs of his fortune, which is considered extra-Israelitish, pre-Mosaic, since those traditions provided sons only with heirship.
Job’s Years
The Septuagint states Job lived a total of 240 years, but there is some conjecture here, it seems. Some contend that Job lived 140 years total, 70 before and 70 more after his calamity (years doubled in alignment with other blessings).
The End of Days for Job
Like the Patriarchs (eg: Gen 25:8; 35:29), Job died satiated of life; for long life is a gift of God, but neither His greatest nor His final gift.
What are we to think of Satan?
Satan is God’s Satan!
God’s Satan (Accuser)
Point #1: Satan is in opposition to God’s Person.
Point #2: Satan is in opposition to God’s program.
- A Counterfeit Religion
- The Counterfeit Messiahs
- The Counterfeit Followers
- The Counterfeit Theology
- The Counterfeit Miracles
1Jo 4:4
…because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
The Book of Job
- 63 hours of study
- Began: March 14, 2010
- Primary purpose: Undeserved Suffering
- Key Supporting Doctrines: grace, humility, the Cross, faith, salvation, resurrection, divine decree, comfort, angelic conflict, wisdom, sovereignty
Parallel Conflicts (Book of Job)
- External: Satan’s appeal trial (theatron)
- Internal: Job’s lamentation (personal)
Why Are We Here?
- To be potential witnesses in the A.C. appeal trial (ala External Conflict)
- To glorify God in time (ala Internal Conflict)
Breadcrumb Trail
- “to faith” (Doctrinal Adjustment)
- Doctrine of Suffering
- Sanctification Overlap
- Positional Sanctification
- Unbeliever’s Suffering
- TLJC’s Unique Suffering
- Experiential Sanctification
- Undeserved Suffering
- Job
The Doctrine of Suffering
Attitude Is Key!
You need to be CONVINCED beyond the shadow of a doubt that your suffering is a function of your attitude towards the DPG for you life!
Point 1
The day to day decisions we make effect which category of suffering is in view in our lives.
The Manufacturing Plant
Our decisions/actions are a product of two things: discernment & volition.
Point 2
Our volition either actuates or destroys the potential of good discernment.
Suffering as a Byproduct
Suffering is directly related to whether you are ‘IN” or “OUT” of the DPG for your life.
In or Out?
“In” or “Out” of the DPG (Divine Plan of God) is in reference to your status regarding His will for your life.
The Spiritual Life
Advancement is only wrought from an area of strength and power (dunamis) that is granted through the 2 spiritual power options.
CPU Logic
- 0 = false or negative
- 1 = true or positive
- Computers rely wholly on whether or not the smallest piece of information (bit) is a 0 or a 1 to compute output.
- Discernment is Unemotional
“doers”
from poietes - means “thinkers”; means to submit to the authority of the word as a continuous duty
Doing is thinking!
Jam 1:22
Emotionalism is never deterministic!
Eg: emotional women drive men crazy!
Are You “In” or “Out” of DPG?
“0” Outside the DPG
“0’s” have the ability to put you OUTside of the DPG for your life.
Bearing Fruit
Fruit can only be as good as the root that bears it; therefore, if the root is bad, the fruit is bad.
Principle
Poor discernment renders good intentions useless. (discernment precedes volitional choices)
What is at the “root” of any good decision?
Bible Doctrine
Point 3
Failure to adjust to God’s justice (correct “0’s” in any column) results in falling or remaining OUTside of the DPG.
Point 11
In all three stages of sanctification, the suffering one experiences is directly related to the current state of the believer either being inside or outside of the divine plan of God.
Major Divisions of Suffering
- Undeserved (IN the DPG)
- Deserved (OUT of the DPG)
Obedience
Obedience to God’s will means remaining INside the DPG, where undeserved suffering awaits.
Reference Standard (TLJC)
The Reference Standard (TLJC) depicts the ideal spiritual life, where there is no deviation from God’s will/plan for one’s life.
The Prototype Plan
As the prototype, TLJC established undeserved suffering as a preeminent feature of the DPG.
The Prototype Life
Christ proved this grace plan works and thus established the prototype life, highlighted by His trip to the Cross.
Point 28
Suffering is meant to eliminate any arrogance in an individual.
“sufficient”
from arkeo – produces contentment => “My grace produces contentment” (2Co 12:9)
“is perfected”
from teleo – carried out; completed (same root as Phi 1:6)
Humility
We must LEARN (by means of BD) to get out of our own way!
Point 29
Arrogance is the antithesis of grace and so it must be removed from the soul in order to facilitate spiritual growth. Undeserved suffering is a catalyst to growth.
Point 40
Passing Evidence Testing is simply an “expert” witness using the spiritual power options in the most masterful way.
“according to”
From kata – reference to the norms & standards of the will of God; also points to the fact that God can only demonstrate His grace through suffering in time (not eternity).
“obtaining”
from komizo - means to receive back with interest, referring to God’s promises being granted and with an abundance, even more than expected
“from faith to faith”
Rom 1:17: “from faith to faith”, moving from Salvation Adjustment to Doctrinal Adjustment is the theme of the entire Book of Romans.
Setting Expectations
The Word reveals definitively to us that moving “from faith to faith” isn’t something that’s meant to be without failure, without setbacks, without various forms of resistance.