Grace Fellowship Grace Fellowship Church Church www.GraceDoctrine.org www.GraceDoctrine.org Pastor/Teacher Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Jim Rickard Sunday, Sunday, August 17, 2008 August 17, 2008
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