Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship Church

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Sunday, Sunday, August 17, 2008August 17, 2008

1 John Series 1 John Series 1 John 4:51 John 4:5

The Battle RoyalThe Battle Royal

Cosmic Viewpoint Cosmic Viewpoint versesverses

Divine ViewpointDivine Viewpoint

11. The Cosmic believer 11. The Cosmic believer begins to distort what he begins to distort what he

has learned from true has learned from true Christianity into a system Christianity into a system

of legalism from his of legalism from his arrogant self-righteousness,arrogant self-righteousness,

… … or, on the other hand, he or, on the other hand, he distorts grace into a system distorts grace into a system

of false liberalism of false liberalism theology.theology.

12. The result is the 12. The result is the inability to distinguish inability to distinguish unbelievers from the unbelievers from the

believer involved in the believer involved in the Cosmic System.Cosmic System.

13. Both are living in the 13. Both are living in the Cosmic System and Cosmic System and

ultimately think alike in ultimately think alike in compatibility with their compatibility with their

trends and mutual trends and mutual involvement in the same involvement in the same

world viewpoint. world viewpoint. Cf. 2 Cor 6:14-17Cf. 2 Cor 6:14-17

14. The Pastor cannot force 14. The Pastor cannot force the believer to learn the the believer to learn the truth of Bible doctrine. truth of Bible doctrine.

Your motivation must be Your motivation must be the function of your own the function of your own

soul and volition. soul and volition.

15. In the interaction of 15. In the interaction of social life, people are social life, people are

always trying to motivate always trying to motivate others to like them, to be others to like them, to be

friendly. friendly.

This concept has also been This concept has also been brought into the local brought into the local church erroneously to church erroneously to

motivate believers to join motivate believers to join the church and stay in the the church and stay in the church. But this is not a church. But this is not a valid method of grace. valid method of grace.

16. Every believer must be 16. Every believer must be self-motivated, which only self-motivated, which only comes from his or her own comes from his or her own personal love for God the personal love for God the

Father. Father.

This leads to a true desire This leads to a true desire to hear the communication to hear the communication of Bible doctrine from the of Bible doctrine from the faithful Pastor-Teacher. faithful Pastor-Teacher.

17. True teaching of Bible 17. True teaching of Bible doctrine will either drive doctrine will either drive

you away because you are you away because you are negative, or it will provide negative, or it will provide you with self-motivation you with self-motivation because you are positive. because you are positive.

18. Principle: 18. Principle:

Leadership motivates; Leadership motivates; management regulates. management regulates.

Leadership mustLeadership must::

a) Establish authority from a) Establish authority from the pulpit via accurate the pulpit via accurate

Bible teaching. Bible teaching.

b) Motivate the believer b) Motivate the believer under the virtue of under the virtue of

enforced and genuine enforced and genuine humility, to concentrate on humility, to concentrate on God’s Word regardless of God’s Word regardless of

the subject or the believer’s the subject or the believer’s circumstances in life. circumstances in life.

19. The leadership Pastor 19. The leadership Pastor teaches Bible doctrine and teaches Bible doctrine and some application but does some application but does

not coerce volition nor not coerce volition nor seek to regulate the life of seek to regulate the life of

the congregation.the congregation.

20. The management 20. The management Pastor seeks to motivate Pastor seeks to motivate

the congregation based on the congregation based on attention, flattery, attention, flattery,

recognition, and patronage. recognition, and patronage.

Rom 16:18; 1 Thes 2:5Rom 16:18; 1 Thes 2:5

21. The leadership Pastor also 21. The leadership Pastor also provides the basis for the provides the basis for the

manufacture of virtue, manufacture of virtue, happiness, capacity for life, happiness, capacity for life,

plus the application of honor, plus the application of honor, integrity and virtue to every integrity and virtue to every

circumstance of life. circumstance of life. John 21:15-17; 1 Peter 5:1-11John 21:15-17; 1 Peter 5:1-11

OfferingOffering

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchSunday, August 17, 2008Sunday, August 17, 2008

Tape # 08S-031Tape # 08S-031

Cosmic Viewpoint versesCosmic Viewpoint versesDivine Viewpoint, Pt 2Divine Viewpoint, Pt 2

1 John Series 1 John Series

1 John 4:5; John 21:15-17; 1 Peter 5:1-111 John 4:5; John 21:15-17; 1 Peter 5:1-11 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008