Pastor-teacher Don Hargrove

Faith Bible Church

Sunday, July 19, 2009

1 John 2:28

GOD’S PROBLEM SOLVING DEVICE #10:

OCCUPATION WITH JESUS CHRIST

Part 54: SATAN’S ATTACK ON THE UNIQUENESS OF JC AND HIS HYPOSTATIC UNION; SUFFERING IN THE POG

(Messiah & A.C. #235)

A. The superiority of the Person of Christ in the HU (CHU) and a look at Satan’s ceaseless attempts to water down, distort, and destroy the uniqueness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

1. CHU: Christ is fully man contra Gnosticism (90-300).

2. CHU: Christ is fully God contra Ebionism (100-300)

3. CHU Christ had a real human nature contra Alexandrianism (200-400).

4. CHU: Christ was not just God playing another role contra modalism (215).

5. CHU: Christ was not “a god” contra Arianism (250):

6. CHU: Christ was not just God in a human body contra Apollonarianism (310).

7. CHU: Christ was not some two person contra Nestorianism (428):

8. CHU: Christ was not some God-man mixture contra Eutychianism (448).

9. CHU: Christ was not transformed into a different being contra Monophysitism

10. CHU: Christ had one SC/will contra Dyothelitism (700).

11. CHU: Christ did not “become divine” contra Adoptionism (700).

12. CHU: Christ did not give up divine attributes contra Kenoticism (1800).

13. CHU: Christ is not the figment of one’s experiences contra Existentialism

14. CHU: Christ does not love the poor & the rich contra Liberation “Christology”

15. CHU: Christ is not against European theology contra Black “Christology”

16. CHU: Christ is not against women contra Feminist “Christology” (20th)

17. CHU: Christ does not change contra Process “Christology” (20th)

18. CHU: Christ is the only way contra Universalist “Christology.”

19. CHU: Christ brings absolute Truth contra Postmodernism.

20. CHU: Christ is the Absolute Truth contra Emergent Church (21st).

B. Satan’s never ending distortion of understanding of the CHU & Anti-Christ, Rv 13.

C. Doctrinal response to contemporary attacks on the Christ of Scripture & HU.

1. Contrary to the feminists’ attacks on Christ, the HU, and Christology, it was Christ who truly recognized and raised the dignity of women in the POG.

a) Jesus gave women a dignity that was unheard of in His time.

b) Jesus went against the customs of His time, Mt 5:28.

c) Jesus granted women the right to divorce husbands, Mk 10:12.

d) Jesus often used women in his spiritual illustrations, Mt 12:42

e) Jesus demonstrated a respect for women as persons, Lk 7:36-50; Jn 4:1-26.

f) Jesus took the initiative to talk with women about theology, Jn 4:17-18.

g) Jesus held up a woman as an example of giving, Mk 12:41-44.

h) Jesus addressed a woman as a daughter of Abraham, Lk 13:16.

i) Jesus respected women as students of the Word of God, Lk 10:38-42.

j) Jesus’ acceptance and respect for women is evident from followers, Lk 8:1-3.

k) Jesus appeared to women first at the resurrection and it was women who played a dominant role at the time of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection and are placed in a better light than His male disciples.

l) Jesus did not reinforce the common conception that the place of was only in the home to serve the man; they were encouraged to learn from Him just like the male disciples.

2. Doctrinal response to “Social Christology,” Gal 3:28, 2 Cor 8:9.

D. Fundamentals of Suffering in the POG.

1. Bible explains the causes of all human suffering and reveals powerful solutions to all suffering, Job 5:7; 14:1; Jn 16:33; 1 Thess 3:3; 2 Tim 3:12; Heb 12:6‑8; Job 42:5; Heb 5:8; 1 Cor 10:12; 1 Pt 2:20; 4:12; Rm 5:3.

2. No believer should be surprised at suffering in his life, Heb 12:5; 1 Pt 4:12-13; Rm 5:3-4; 8:28-39; Rev 2-3.

3. Through the SL the believer is able to triumph over suffering and parlay all suffering into tremendous spiritual momentum and fantastic blessings, Psa 31:23‑24; 55:22; Isa 43:2; Rm 8:37; 12:21; Eph 6:11‑20.

4. Suffering reminds us that no one can live beyond their capacity for life.

5. All suffering is located in one of two categories: deserved or undeserved.

a. Deserved: VR and DD - 1 Pt 2:20a; Heb 12: 5.

b. Undeserved: get believer to maturity (Js 1:2-4), to develop maturity (2 Cor 12:7-10), and to move beyond maturity (Philip 3:14).

6. Under the two categories of suffering we have 5 purposes – 5 final causes.

7. The issue is always the FHS/Word of God: no WOG/FHS = no growth; WOG/HS = gradual growth; WOG/HS + suffering = accelerated spiritual growth.

E. Understanding Suffering in the Plan of God – the 5 Categories:

#1 - VR, Gal 6:7; Hosea 8:7

#2 – DD – to get the believer back to the SL, Heb 12:5-11.

#3 – To get the believer to maturity, Js 1:2-4.

#4 – To develop the believer in maturity for greater blessedness, 2 Cor 12:7-10

#5 - Maximum glorification of God as a spiritual hero in the AC, Philip 3.

F. THE BLESSINGS OF FUTHER DEVELOPMENT IN MATURITY, 2 Cor 12:10.

1. Divine power, blessedness & glorification of God in weaknesses (ἀσθένεια).

2. Divine power, blessedness & glorification of God in people testing (ὕβρις).

3. Divine power, blessedness & glorification of God in thought testing (ἀνάγκη).

4. Divine power, blessedness & glorification of God in system testing (διωγμός).

5. Divine power, blessedness & glorification of God in disaster testing (στενοχωρία), Lev 26:16-46.