The Doctrine of Suffering - Reorienting Ourselves To the Major Categories of Suffering – Part 2
July 11, 2010
OUTLINE:
Is BD your life?
Point 44
Creatures who take offense to any part of the inspired Word of God and/or any part of God’s divine plan have in fact, FIRST taken offense to God’s grace!
Point 45
God’s grace is revealed when HE is given the opportunity to solve the problem for us, NOT when someone else intercedes with their own problem solving strategy.
Point 46
Effective support of someone else who is suffering is a consequence of divine wisdom. Good intentions are only effective if the owner is worth their salt (eg: Mar 9:50; Col 4:6).
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
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. Our decisions/actions are based on our volition towards our discernment.
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.
Inside the Power System
Being “IN” the DPG means you have real power (dunamis) - a total system designed from eternity past for victory upon victory.
The Spiritual Life
Advancement is only wrought from an area of strength and power (dunamis) that is granted through the 2 spiritual power options.
Doing the Word
The spiritual life means you “DO” the Word of God. Doing is thinking! (Jam 1:22). Thinking is deterministic.
Emotionalism is never deterministic!
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.
Major Divisions of Suffering
- Undeserved (IN the DPG)
- Deserved (OUT of the DPG)
Obedience
Which category of suffering in view in your life is a matter of obedience to God’s will.
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.
Point 41
As the “first fruits” in all things, TLJC stands as the living Word that guarantees humanity’s successful passage through the most intense pressure. By a fortiori, the prototype guarantee stands for all lesser testing/suffering.
The Prototype Plan
As the prototype, TLJC established undeserved suffering as a preeminent feature of the DPG.
“according to”
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).
Point 43
Faith is the bridge that reconciles the vast chasm between God’s infinite Wisdom and man’s finite wisdom.
“obtaining”
from komizo - means to receive back with interest, referring to God’s promises being granted and with an abundance, even more than expected
Rom 1:17
“from faith to faith”, moving from Salvation Adjustment to Doctrinal Adjustment is the theme of the entire Book of Romans.
Experiential Sanctification
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.
Behind the Suffering
Suffering is a unique opportunity for God to reveal His GRACE to us.
Point 40
Passing Evidence Testing is simply an “expert” witness using the spiritual power options in the most masterful way.
Point 42
As with Job, the key to success in in God’s plan, especially while suffering, is to never give up on seeking God.
Point 43
Faith is the bridge that reconciles the vast chasm between God’s infinite Wisdom and man’s finite wisdom.
F.U.D.
Fear feeds on subjective thinking. Strength and perseverance feeds on objective, doctrinal thinking.
Point 48
Fear is emotional subjectivity and therefore precludes someone from operating in virtue love towards self or others while under pressure, adversity, or suffering.
Rev 2:4
‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.’
What Can We Cling To?
We may not always have the firmest grip on the “why”, but with BD resident in our souls, we ALWAYS have a firm grip on the “how” (eg: deliverance by means of BD).
Point 50
The boundaries of God’s divine providence are not set by time, but rather God’s purposes. His deliverance is loosed from the envelope of temporal conditions, yet guarantees eternal value.
Book of Romans
Are You “In” or “Out” of DPG?
Person Sins
- Sins of Cognizance: known sins
- Sins of Ignorance: unknown sins