The Bible Doctrine Hour

presents

Special Guest

"The Colorado Kid" Cliff Spier

Today what we are going to study I have called Adjacent Scriptures … Hidden Treasures.

In a doctrinal ministry like Grace Bible Church and Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries, Pastor McLaughlin has asked us turn to a number of scriptures during a bible lesson for us to see what the bible teaches on various subjects.

So many scriptures we have seen over and over again.  After a while we are very familiar with them, passages such as:

 

1 John 1:9 If we name and cite our sins God is faithful and just to forgives us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave us his only begotten son, who so ever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

EPH 3:8 You have been saved by grace through faith

Deut 6:5  "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

GAL 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

And many others.

 

But are we familiar with the verse before 1 john 1:9 or the verse after 1 john 1:9?

 

Over the last few years I have discovered the value of reading the paragraph the verse Pastor asks us to turn too. 

I know that paragraphs re not Divinely inspired but they area a good way of understanding the context of a verse which is a part of the ICE method of studying the bible.

 

Also I rediscovered that many verses are not even complete sentences.  So understanding the context and the complete sentence adds value in many cases to what is being taught.  And for me they help me understand and remember the doctrinal concepts (DO) around these popular verses.

 

That is why I think this additional way of studying as Adjacent Scriptures … Hidden treasures.

 

So lets look at a few of these.

Because I am going to read quite a few scriptures I decided putting them into slides is more distracting so I chose not to.  So if you want to just sit back, even close your eyes and listen to what I will read or follow along in your own bible that is fine.

 

Let’s look at Deut 6:5

 

Deuteronomy 6:5 "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart [thinking - rt lobe of the soul] and with all your soul and with all your might.  

 

Now lets look at the entire paragraph - v4-9.

 

[isa: this is the first great command from JC]

Deuteronomy 6:4 ¶ "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God [Elohim - plural Gods], the Lord is one!

Deuteronomy 6:5 "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart [thinking - rt lobe of the soul] and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 6:6 "And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart [in your thinking];

Deuteronomy 6:7 and you shall teach them diligently to your sons [children] and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

Deuteronomy 6:8 "And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.

Deuteronomy 6:9 "And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

 

The first time a read this I said WoW -

… and you shall teach them diligently to your children - nephews, nieces, grand children

… and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house

… and when you walk by the way - walking to/from your car to the store, when you’re driving down the road

… And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house

 

That certainly gives an additional dimensionality to -

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might

 

 

Let’s look at 1 john 1:9 next.

 

1 John 1:9 If we confess [name or cite] our sins, He [G/F] is faithful and righteous to [with the result that G/F] forgive us our sins [known sins] and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [unknown sins].

 

Most of us in this and other doctrinal ministries are very familiar with this verse.

 

What does 1 john 1:8 say?

 

1 John 1:8 If [1CC] we [RFG] say [assert] that we have no sin [nature], we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth [doctrine] is not in us.

 

How about v10?

 

1 John 1:10 If [3CC] we say that we have not sinned [personally], we make Him [G/F] a liar, and His word [BD] is not [does not reside] in us.

 

How about the whole context - v 5 - 2:6

 

1 John 1:5 ¶ And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light [God’s glory], and in Him there is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:6 If [3CC] we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk [lifestyle or habit] in the darkness [cosmic system], we [keep on living a] lie and do not practice the truth;

1 John 1:7 but if [3CC] we walk in the light as He Himself [humanity] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another [fellowship w/ other believers meaning we think alike - BDRS], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:8 If [1CC] we [RFG] say [assert] that we have no sin [nature], we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth [doctrine] is not in us.

1 John 1:9 If [3rd CC] we confess [name or cite] our sins, He [G/F] is faithful and righteous to [with the result that G/F] forgive us our sins [known sins] and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [unknown sins].

1 John 1:10 If [3CC] we say that we have not sinned [personally], we make Him [G/F] a liar, and His word [BD] is not [does not reside] in us.

1 John 2:1 My little children [technons - technical students], I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

1 John 2:2 and He [JC] Himself is the propitiation [Doc of Propitiation] for our sins; and not for ours [believers] only, but also for those of the whole world [unlimited atonement].

1 John 2:3 And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments [mystery doctrines].

1 John 2:4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him, "and does not guard [in our soul and keep as many as possible] His commandments, is a liar, and the truth [doctrine] is not in him;

1 John 2:5 but whoever keeps His word, in that person the love of God has truly been perfected [matured]. By this we know that we are in Him:

1 John 2:6 the one [believer] who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He [JC] walked.

 

As we all know if it not just about naming and citing sin but recovery from sin and living a lifestyle as JC lived on this earth.  A lifestyle of GO to your self and others, DO (thinking as God thinks), Rebounding when necessary.

So when you think about rebounding - think about your lifestyle and that we are to be technons - technical students of the life of Christ, how he behaved and what he thinks.

 

Lets look at another…

What is special to me in this next example is we have two verses that rarely get read together - yet we are familiar with them individually.  Le’s start with EPH 6:12

 

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle [warfare] is not against blood [people’s souls] and flesh [OSN], but against the rulers [ruler demon angels - general officers], against the powers [demon officers], against the world forces of this darkness [Satan’s demon ambassadors], against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places [rank and file demons]. [4 levels of opponents]

 

This verse has a lot in it but let me stick to my subject.

Do you recall what the verse before this is?

 

Ephesians 6:11 [CMD] [Pick up and] Put on the full armor from God, that you may be able to stand firm [hold your ground] against the schemes [and strategies] of the devil.

 

Makes sense…

 

Now lets look at the entire paragraph….

 

Ephesians 6:10 ¶ [CMD??] Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.

Ephesians 6:11 [CMD] [Pick up and] Put on the full armor from God, that you may be able to stand firm [hold your ground] against the schemes [and strategies] of the devil.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle [warfare] is not against blood [people’s souls] and flesh [OSN], but against the rulers [ruler demon angels - general officers], against the powers [demon officers], against the world forces of this darkness [Satan’s demon ambassadors], against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places [rank and file demons]. [4 levels of opponents]

Ephesians 6:13 Therefore, [CMD] take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist [hold your ground] in the evil day [notice not if but when]  [evidence testing or holding your ground], and having done everything, to stand firm.

Ephesians 6:14 [CMD] Stand firm [holding your ground] therefore, having girded your loins with truth [BD], and having put on the breastplate of righteousness [God’s total essence],

Ephesians 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Ephesians 6:16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith [Faith Rest Drill] with which [shield] you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles [HVP or Satanic VP] of the evil one.

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation [salvation and total deliverance in time], and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in [by means of] the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints [OTHERS - RFG],

Ephesians 6:19 and pray  on my behalf [pray for P/Ts], that utterance may be given to me in the [when I] opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery [doctrine] of the gospel,

Ephesians 6:20 for which [BD - mystery doctrines] I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it [BD] I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

 

So when you think about the spiritual warfare we are in, we are to pick up and put on the full armor of God.  And we are not to take the offensive (Stand firm … hold your ground) and let BDRS using the 10 PSDs and Doctrinal rationales be your defense in battle - God’s got it covered!

 

 

Now let’s move on to EPH 3:20.  The late Col RB Thieme Jr used this verse many time to open his messages so it is familiar to many of us.

 

Ephesians 3:20 ¶ Now to Him [G/F] who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

Ephesians 3:21 to Him [G/F] be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

 

Did you know it was a prayer that the apostle Paul offered up?  A Prayer from Paul to G/F interceding for us - Church Age believers.  Maybe you can figure that out because it ends with amen?  But do you recall what the prayer was?  Let’s listen to it.

 

Ephesians 3:14 ¶ For this reason [v3:1-13 - Doc Predestination], I bow my knees before the G/Father, [doctrine of prayer]

Ephesians 3:15 from whom [G/F] every [royal] family [member] in heaven [those dead] and on earth derives its name [title],

Ephesians 3:16 that He [G/F] would graciously give to you, according to the riches of His glory [portfolio of invisible assets], for you to be strengthened with power through [by means of] His Spirit [F/HS] in the inner man [human spirit - that you would grow up spiritually via the mentorship of G/HS];

Ephesians 3:17 so that Christ may be at home in your hearts [rt lobe - or thinking] through [by means of] faith [doctrine]; and that you, being rooted [inculcation of BD] and grounded in [virtue] love,

Ephesians 3:18 may be able to comprehend with [in the presence of] all the saints what is the breadth [width] and length and height and depth [of the PoG - freedom],

Ephesians 3:19 and you might come to know the [impersonal] love of Christ [virtue love] which surpasses knowledge [beyond gnosis - i.e. epignosis or wisdom], that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God [spiritual life].

 

Notice the progression -

It means to be at home; to make a home. It means abiding under very relaxed conditions. It means to settle down permanently and be at home.

[Trinity sentence v14-19]

 

Ephesians 3:20 ¶ Now to Him [G/F] who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

Ephesians 3:21 to Him [G/F] be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

 

So because of Predestination - God graciously providing us a plan, we can be strengthen (maybe even picking up and putting on the full armor from God) , we can be strengthen via the mentorship and F/HS, Christ will be at home in our thinking (‘ah technons in 1 john 1)  and then we can comprehend the superiority and the greatness of God’s plan and grace he has provided and utilizing that knowledge we will become wise and mature in our spiritual lives.

 

Ephesians 3:20 ¶ Now to Him [G/F] who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

Ephesians 3:21 to Him [G/F] be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

 

Pretty powerful stuff….

 

 

Next let’s look at

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace [common, call of God & efficacious - Doc of Grace] you have been saved through faith; and that [grace, faith & the resultant salvation is] not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Ephesians 2:9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.

 

Lets look at the whole paragraph because this verse come towards the end of a paragraph.

And ‘oh by the way it is another prayer…

 

Ephesians 1:15 ¶ For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your [virtue] love for all the saints,

Ephesians 1:16 I do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

Ephesians 1:17 [Paul's prayer] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ [G/F], the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit [lifestyle] of wisdom and of revelation [having metabolized BD] in the epignosis knowledge of Him [G/F].

Ephesians 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart [rt lobe - mind, mental attitude - thinking] may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope [confidence] of His [G/F] calling [election], what are the riches of the glory of His [G/F] inheritance for the saints [portfolio of invisible assets leading to super grace],

Ephesians 1:19 and [you may know] what is the surpassing greatness of His [G/F] power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working [delegation] of the strength of His might [power] [G/F]

Ephesians 1:20 which [power] He [G/F] brought about [make operational in you] in [by means of] Christ, when He [G/F] raised Him [JC] from the dead [Resurrection - Church Age power not Jewish Dispensation], and seated Him [JC] at His [G/F] right hand in the heavenly places,  

Ephesians 1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age [dispensation], but also in the one to come [millennium].

Ephesians 1:22 And He [G/F] put all things in subjection under His [JC] feet [Operation Footstool], and gave Him [JC] as head over all things to the church,

Ephesians 1:23 which is His body