MAY 2004

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

True happiness depends on virtue manufactured inside the Pre-designed Plan of God.

Sunday, May 2, 2004

Virtue is the foundation on which that which is true, honorable, just, of proper motivation, and that which is commendable is built upon.

Virtue in the believer is the visible manifestation of the invisible – metabolized doctrine and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Turn to 2Pe 1

True happiness depends on virtue manufactured inside the PPOG and it does not depend on fame, success, prosperity, power, approbation, sex, etc.

As virtue is the visible manifestation of humility toward God, arrogance is the visible manifestation of Satan’s invisible cosmic system.

It can only be manufactured through the laws of divine establishment and living the spiritual life, inside the PPOG.

The opportunities of being in touch with eternity exist now and yet most believers can just keep in touch with time.

JOH 8:31-32 If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

LUK 9:25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

MAT 16:23 “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

MAT 26:34 Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this {very} night, before a cock crows, you shall deny Me three times.”

He realized that being good and treating people right was not the main issue of life, Ecc 1.

He realized that seeking happiness in pleasure or in ECC 2:1-11, eating drinking and being merry, was not the main issue of life.

He realized that having children and living for family was vanity, Ecc 2.

He realized that looking for happiness from money, wealth and prosperity was vain,
Ecc 5.

He realized that building a reputation was vain, Ecc 7.

He realized that living for sex and intimate relationships was vain, Ecc 7.

He realized that looking for happiness in the hero image was vain, Ecc 9.

Bond-servant – noun doulos – doulo” = a slave.

He is emphasizing the fact that as long as God wants you to be alive, you will be alive and you will lack nothing that is necessary to sustain your life.

Apostolos = a high-ranking officer, either an Admiral or general officer in the Athenian navy (Fifth Century B.C. in Athens).

Whether it was an Admiral of the fleet or a governor, apostolos meant command responsibility.

Until the completed canon of scripture, God selected “apostolos” to command the church.

The importance of the divine plan or the PPOG.

The importance of Bible doctrine.
The importance of spiritual metabolism.
The importance of election.

Turn to 1CO 1:26

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Being a slave is the greatest occupation in life when God is your master.

Wednesday, May 5, 2004

Virtue is the foundation on which that which is true, honorable, just, and personal love, and of proper motivation, and that which is commendable is built upon.

PHI 4:8 if there is any virtue [and there is] and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

Bond-servant – noun doulos = a slave.
Being a slave is the greatest occupation in life when you are the slave and God is the master.

Every believer starts with the same amount of faith but none of us end up that way.

We all start out with an equal amount of faith, then we are given equal privilege and equal opportunity.

DEU 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live,

In eternity past, the sovereignty of God elected us to privilege, but we have the freedom to either accept or reject His way of doing things.

In contrast, some fail, some are winners, some are losers, some are under divine discipline, some are under the sin unto death.

God has a perfect plan to reveal His perfect will, but we all have the freedom to accept it or reject it.

Believers who advance toward spiritual maturity advance in grace, but believers who live in the cosmic system use grace.

When Bible doctrine or the word of God is not #1 priority in a believer’s life, the believer is using grace.

JOH 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

ROM 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

ISA 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.

God the Holy Spirit not only provides the power, but He also provides the freedom necessary to advance in God’s plan.

Grace gives us all an equal start and sufficient provisions to go forward unto spiritual maturity.

All they will have is a resurrected body and nothing else to show for a life full of bad decisions.

Psychosis is usually the result of a matter of bad decisions hooked up with arrogance.

The only way to become a winner is to start reversing bad decisions.

Learning to take responsibility for your own decisions is the principle of human maturity and the beginning stage of developing virtue.

Righteousness – dikaiosune =
righteousness; it also means integrity.

1. There must be good decisions.
2. There must be truth.

They seek those things which gratify themselves not realizing that the greatest road to happiness is integrity.

En + instrumental of dikaiosune = this virtue, this integrity comes by means of TLJC.

GAL 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;

LUK 2:40 And the Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

LUK 2:52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

PHI 2:5 Keep on thinking this [doctrine] within yourselves which was also resident in Christ Jesus,

“To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours or from the instrument of our Lord’s character and integrity.”

Christian service has a place, but it must be a result of virtue first.

God – Deity of Christ.
Savior – Humanity of Christ.

2PE 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Grace – charis = the policy of God toward man.
Grace is God’s right to deal with us on the basis of the cross.

GAL 4:29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
GAL 4:30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”

GEN 16:2 Now behold, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children through her.

GEN 16:4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived;
GEN 16:15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

GEN 17:15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.”
GEN 17:16 “And I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”

Legalism is man’s ability, man’s work intruding into the plan of God.

Grace rejects human plans, human talent, human ability, gimmicks, games, and human viewpoint.

PSA 26:3 For Thy lovingkindness [grace] is before my eyes, And I have walked in Thy doctrine.

God is waiting (tapping His foot) to be gracious unto you, ISA 30:18.

God is our host in the devil’s world; however, the host cannot pour unless we have a cup.

The cup is your very own soul and represents the capacity that comes from Bible doctrine.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Every believer starts out with the same amount of faith, but none of us end up that way.

Sunday, May 9, 2004

Virtue is the foundation on which that which is true, honorable, just, and that which is true personal love and of proper motivation, and that which is commendable is built upon.

PHI 4:8 if there is any virtue [and there is in the winner believer] and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

Every believer starts out with the same amount of faith but none of us end up that way.

We all start out with an equal amount of faith and then we are given equal privilege and equal opportunity to cultivate or develop that faith.

DEU 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live,

Grace – charis = the policy of God toward man. Grace is God’s right to deal with us on the basis of the cross.

Grace always depends on the character and nature of God.

Morality produced by the laws of divine establishment recognizes the sacredness of life.

Grace is the policy of God the Father.
Grace is the work of God the Son.
Grace is the enabling power of the Spirit.

God will never bless you because of human merit, God blesses you because you have His righteousness.

God blesses on the basis of His merit, His virtue, His holiness.

Those of you who are born again made one non-meritorious decision to believe in TLJC, and at that moment God did at least 40 things for you.

1. He imputed to you, (your soul), His righteousness.

2. He created in you a human spirit and gave you eternal life, TIT 3:5.

Arrogance is usually the result of the combination of emotion with stupidity.

The imputation of righteousness at salvation means instant justification and a lifetime of grace provision.

2PE 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

JOH 1:17 – grace and truth
ROM 1:7 – grace and peace
EPH 2:8 – grace and faith
1TI 1:2 – grace and mercy
2PE 3:18 – grace and knowledge

God has established the means whereby He can give to us magnificent things without compromising His attributes.

The correct word order = “Grace to you.”

HEB 10:23b “He who promised is faithful.”

A. 1KI 8:56 – His promises are unfailing.
B. ROM 4:21 – His promises are assured by divine ability.

ROM 4:21 And [Abraham] being fully assured that what He [the Lord] had promised, He [the Lord] was able also to perform.

1. PSA 37:3 “Trust in the Lord, and produce divine good, and you will receive all that is needed for your life.”

2. Unlimited blessings are promised to those who believe –
MAR 9:23 “All things are possible to him who believes.”

3. MAR 11:24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be given to you.”

4. LUK 17:6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.”

5. JOH 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

6. JOH 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
7. PSA 30:5 Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

8. PSA 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
9. PSA 41:3 The Lord will sustain you upon your sickbed; In your illness, The Lord will restore you to health.

10. PSA 50:15 And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.
11. PSA 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me; thou wilt stretch forth thy hand against the wrath of my enemies, and thy right hand will save me.

12. ISA 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
13. JOH 14:1-2 Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

14. ROM 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
15. 2CO 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

16. REV 21:4 and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.

17. PSA 41:1 How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble.

PRO 22:9 He who is generous will be blessed,

LUK 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

18. PSA 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, And delivers those who are crushed in spirit.
JER 3:22 “Return, O faithless sons, I will heal your faithlessness.” “Behold, we come to Thee; For Thou art the Lord our God.”

HOS 14:1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
Joel 2:13 Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, And relenting of evil.

19. There are the special promises to those who serve and honor God, the special rewards.

DAN 12:3 And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
20. MAR 9:41 “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

ROM 2:10 but glory and honor and prosperity to every one who produces good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The illustration of virtue in Greek drama.

Sunday, May 23, 2004

The correct word order is “Grace to you.”

Peace – eirene – “Irene”
Eirene = peace, blessing, prosperity; the basic meaning is prosperity.

En + instrumental of epignosis = “through the instrument of metabolized doctrine.”

“Grace to you and peace be multiplied by means of epignosis knowledge or metabolized doctrine.”

The power is the ministry of God the Holy Spirit as well as HEB 4:12.

“Applying all diligence” – aor-act-part – pareisphero = to make every effort, to make a constant effort or having made every effort.

MAR 12:30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

HEB 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek for Him.

Supply – aor-act-imp – epichoregeo – introduces us to the Greek drama; Epichoregeo was used for the man who provided the finances to train the Greek actors of the day.

The group of actors was called the chorego (chorus).
The chorego was made up of a small group of very excellent dancers and singers.

They had to have an epichoregeo – someone with a pocket full of money to pay for the yearly expense.

Epichoregeo came to mean supply and furnish.

It was very expensive for the epichoregeo to supply and furnish all the money needed for the Greek chorus – but no more expensive than what it takes to be a winner in the Christian life.

Actor – hupokrites = “hypocrite.”

Pareiseichomai – a minor actor entering the stage to play a minor part.
ROM 5:20 – Paul said the Mosaic law is a Pareiseichomai or a minor actor playing a minor part.

Mechane = machines used to lower actors onto the stage who played the parts of gods.

“DEUS EX MACHINA” came from the malfunction of this machine, when the actor should have been removed from the stage but was still hanging there.

1CO 1:10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Epichoregeo = to supply the money necessary to train and to costume the chorus; used for logistical grace wherein God provides everything for us, 2CO 9:10, GAL 3:5, 2PE 1:5.

The patron, or epichoregia, is used in EPH 4:16 – “supply.”

En + instrumental of the noun pistis.

1. It has the non-meritorious action of faith in an “active sense.”
2. It also is used as an attribute, and it means reliability or faithfulness.
3. It has a passive connotation – “that which is believed” or the “body of truth” and therefore doctrine.

It is the only possession you have that can please God, glorify God, and at the same time provide for you capacity in every concept of life.

Spectacle – nominative neuter singular – theatron – “theater” = a theater, a place for public shows, a play, a place for the performance of dramatic representations.

Your life will either be a drama that glorifies God, 1CO 6:19-20, or a drama or lifestyle that lives for the god of this world, Satan, 2CO 4:4.

Moral excellence – arete = manliness, excellence, virtue.

Virtue = to know what is good and what is evil, useless, shameful, or dishonorable.
To be the enemy of bad men and bad customs and to be a friend and protector of those who are good.

1. Devotion and loyalty to your family.

PSA 130:3 If Thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
1KI 8:46 for there is no man who does not sin.
ROM 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

ROM 3:10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;”
ECC 7:20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who {continually} does good and who never sins.
PRO 17:17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

1PE 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

JOH 8:7 “He who is without sin among you, let him {be the} first to throw a stone at her.”

The Romans knew that no one could be virtuous unless they accepted authority, (beginning with the authority of their parents).

2. Virtue meant reverence and devotion to the authorities over the Romans at that time.
3. Justice or faith.
4. Virtue through absolute self-control.
5. Consistency or perseverance.

“Nothing is too difficult for the power of the faithful.”
You may break but you will never break me.
Fortune can take away riches but can never deprive me of my courage.

Spectacle – nominative neuter singular – theatron – “theater” = a theater, a place for public shows, a play, a place for the performance of dramatic representations.

EPH 5:18 and Bible doctrine can produce the moral excellence or the virtue that is needed for your very own personal drama.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The illustration of virtue in Greek drama, Part 2. The chorus line.

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

“Supply” – aor-act-imp – epichoregeo – introduces us to the Greek drama;
Epichoregeo was used for the individual who provided the finances to train the Greek actors of the day.

The group of actors was called the chorego (chorus).
The chorego was made up of a small group of very excellent dancers and singers.

2PE 1:6-7 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

Epichoregeo came to mean to supply and furnish; to furnish everything that is necessary or to supply everything necessary or needed.

There are very few epichoregeo’s in the Christian life because there are very few believers willing to pay the price.

Metabolized doctrine is the epichoregeo or supplier of your very own drama.

Moral excellence – arete = manliness, excellence, virtue.

1. Devotion and loyalty to your family.
2. Reverence and devotion to legitimate authorities at that time.

3. Justice or faith.
4. Virtue through absolute self-control.
5. Consistency or perseverance.

In the Christian life, virtue is the number 1 priority in God’s system.

1CO 3:13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.

Only EPH 5:18 and Bible doctrine can produce the virtue that is needed for your very own personal drama.

Virtue is the visible manifestation of the invisible – metabolized doctrine and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Arrogance is the visible manifestation of Satan’s invisible cosmic system.

Virtue is the monopoly of God.
Therefore, it can only be manufactured inside the PPOG.

Basic virtues developed in the PPOG include enforced and genuine humility, love, worship, morality, courage, and confidence.
Humility is the foundation for all virtue.

Virtue is the quality of intrinsic good.

Virtue is manifested by enforced humility directed toward authority; genuine humility directed toward God and man.

Virtue is manifested by worship toward God; morality toward man.

Virtue is confidence toward God, courage toward man and circumstances.

It is personal love toward God; impersonal love toward man.
Virtue toward self is humility.

For the believer, virtue and integrity is composed of epignosis doctrine in the soul, not abstaining from sin.

1. Unity of action.
2. Unity of time.
3. Unity of place.

PHI 2:2 – be thinking the same things, maintaining the same virtue-love, united in soul, concentrating on the same objective.

In the spiritual life, the epichorogeo, the supplier or provider of the chorus is metabolized doctrine.

The lead actor in your life must be moral excellence (virtue).

Your life must have virtue as its action.
You must be in the right place – PPOG.
At the right time, or under the right timing or the timing of God.

Virtue entails humility – and we live in the day of arrogance.

Because there is no humility there is no RMA.

When you are minus virtue everything is wrong.

a. Action.
b. Time.
c. Place.

GAL 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

MAT 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”

PHI 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The illustration of virtue in Greek drama, part 3. The three forms of unity.

Thursday, May 27, 2004

Epichoregeo – “supply” = used for the individual who provided the finances to train the Greek actors of the day.

Your epichoregeo in the spiritual realm is metabolized doctrine.

1. The will of God for mankind is two-fold.
For the unbeliever: Salvation.
For the believer: Metabolized doctrine.

1TI 2:3-4 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the [epignosis] knowledge of the truth.

2. The pastor-teacher through teaching is the source of metabolized doctrine, TIT 1:1.

TIT 1:1 Paul, a bond-servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the [epignosis] knowledge of the truth which is according to living the spiritual life,

3. The cosmic believer fails to metabolize doctrine, 2TI 3:2-7.

4. Only metabolized doctrine can be useful for problem solving, EPH 1:17.

5. PHM 1:6 – all genuine fellowship with believers is based on metabolized doctrine and virtue.

6. Only metabolized doctrine can fulfill the mandate of virtue first in the PPOG, PHI 1:9.

7. Only metabolized doctrine can fulfill the PPOG, COL 1:9-10.

8. Only metabolized doctrine can provide blessing under the PPOG, 2PE 1:2-3.

9. You can have a zeal to know God but if you do not have epignosis OR metabolized doctrine it is useless,ROM 10:2.

10. True wealth and prosperity comes from epignosis doctrine, COL 2:2.
11. The new man can only be renewed and energized through metabolized doctrine – COL 3:10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a [epignosis] true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him.

1. Unity of action.
2. Unity of time.
3. Unity of place.

The action all took place in one time just like your life takes place in one particular time.

The action had to have consistency and unity just like your life, if it is to bring glory to God, must have consistency and unity.

Without an objective or unity of action, the drama fails to hold attention, fails to stimulate emotion, and fails to establish the mood of the drama.

We get the unity and continuity of our action in the Christian way of life from our implementation of our very own portfolio of invisible assets and the ten problem-solving devices.

The drama of the fifth century B.C. compressed all the action into one day.

The drama must occur in one locale; every scene must take place in that setting.

One day at a time is the order for the Christian way of life, ROM 14:5-6.

PSA 90:12 So teach us to number our days, That we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom.

The effectiveness of your drama in that one day is determined by whether you as a believer are a winner or a loser, in fellowship and learning doctrine and living in the PPOG, or out of fellowship in the cosmic system.

Unity of action demands that the believer understand his portfolio of invisible assets and utilize the omnipotence of God to advance through the three stages of spiritual adulthood.

The chorus described the greatness of the hero, just as doctrine explains the greatness of the mature believer as an invisible hero.

Virtue is the lead actor in your life or drama.

1. In God’s plan, Bible doctrine is first.
2. In God’s authority, divine commands are first.
3. In God’s policy, grace is first.
4. In God’s objective, momentum is first.
5. In God’s system, virtue is first.
6. In God’s purpose, occupation with Christ is first.

There is no drama without an actor.
There is no service without virtue.

You have been ordained by God to be the lead actor in your life or to live in your very own personal sense of destiny.

“Real virtue” leads to personal love for God. Real virtue means you are teachable.

The only way you can love someone you have never seen is to know all about them and when it comes to God, that is Bible doctrine metabolized, 1PE 1:8.

A person who is ignorant of Bible doctrine does not love God.

Love requires thought.

The thoughts that you have, the frame of reference, determines the love you will have for those in your life.

The content of thought in the case of loving the Lord is metabolized doctrine.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The illustration of virtue in Greek drama, part 4. What is your chorus line?

Friday, May 28, 2004

All Christian service, praying, giving, witnessing, serving, etc. is all action.

Success, Pleasure, Wealth, Sex, Prosperity, Promotion

All Christian activity has no meaning in itself unless you have virtue.

Just because the Bible says “do certain things” that does not mean that is the Christian way of life.

Motivation by love eliminates the strain and the sacrifice of life.

2CO 5:14 For the love of Christ motivates us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;

Motivational virtue – personal love toward God.
Functional virtue – unconditional love toward mankind.

You have wood, hay, straw at the judgment seat of Christ, 1CO 3:12.

Virtue
Knowledge
Self-control
Perseverance
Godliness
Brotherly kindness
Love

In the ancient Greek dramas if a person entered what was known as the “dramatic contests” they had a chance to become winners overnight.

To enter a dramatic contest you had to have 3 tragedies, 1 comedy, 1 sad play.

The action of the play must have unity of flow and develop under the concepts of consistency.

The second unity that had to be observed was time.
The drama in the fifth century B.C. must be compressed into one day.

The third concept was place.
The drama had to take place in one location.

The action is the ability to meet any particular circumstance of life.

The place that you perform your life must be the PPOG.

The action takes place in a 24-hour period which points to the doctrine of one day at a time. The plot in Greek drama had to have unity, ROM 8:28.

Virtue
Knowledge
Self-control
Perseverance
Godliness
Brotherly kindness
Love

Hypocrisy
Ignorance
Anxiety
Deceitfulness
Revenge
Hatred
Loss of temper

We, as believers, will face X-number of problems and situations in life.

Knowing how to deal with situations comes from learning the ten problem-solving devices of the PPOG.

The greatest expense in the performance of a Greek drama was the money needed to hire, train, and costume the Greek chorus, which took an entire year – it takes time to learn the problem-solving devices.

In Greek drama, there was a dancing circle there called orchestra – the stage on which the action took place.

“The earth is a stage” for our spiritual growth and the dynamics of our Christian life.

“Supply with your doctrine – virtue” is in the imperative mood.

Knowledge – dative singular feminine noun – gnosei – gnwvsei = academic information. Gnosis = perception of doctrine; knowledge of doctrine.

Gnosis is used and not epignosis because Peter can only take us as far as our volition.

1. You must subject yourself to academic teaching and therefore positive volition toward doctrine (including staying up to date with the communication of every doctrine your pastor-teacher communicates).

2. You must mix faith with what you hear at the point of perception, HEB 4:1-2.

To be a winner “gnosis doctrine” must always be metabolized.

Virtue motivates the believer to be humble, teachable, and therefore motivated to perceive “more doctrine.”

“Humility causes teachability” and virtue causes metabolism.

Humility is a virtue which causes you to listen to doctrine under EPH 5:18.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The illustration of virtue in Greek drama. Part 5. Routine is designed to help you organize your life.

Sunday, May 30, 2004

Your former sins = all the past sins you committed before salvation that have been completely blotted out or wiped away, ISA 43:25; 44:22.

Even your present sins, once you confess your known ones, are no longer remembered, 1JO 1:9; HEB 8:12;
HEB 10:17.

1. The epichoregeo – used for the one who provided the finances to train the Greek actors of his day.
Bible doctrine metabolized is our epichoregeo. It provides all the furnishings and supplies needed for our very own drama.

2. The choregeo – the Greek chorus.
The choregeo was made up of a small group of very excellent dancers and singers.

There are 7 qualities in 2PE 1:5-7 – Virtue, Knowledge, Self-control, Perseverance, Godliness, Brotherly kindness, Virtue-love.

3. It took time to train those in the chorus and it cost a tremendous amount of money and effort.

PRO 23:23 Buy doctrine, and do not sell out, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

MAR 12:30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

4. Just like every Greek chorus has a chorus leader, Bible doctrine is the leader of our “divine chorus,” 2PE 1:5.

5. The lead actor in the Greek chorus was the most important actor and therefore the lead actor and the first one mentioned. Virtue is the first one mentioned in our chorus line.

Virtue is the visible manifestation of the invisible – metabolized doctrine and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Basic virtues developed in the PPOG include enforced and genuine humility, love, worship, morality, courage, and confidence. Humility is the foundation for all virtue.

Virtue is greater than morality, it is the quality of intrinsic good.

1SA 16:7b for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Hypocrisy is a manifestation of an evil mental attitude.

People use evil thinking to justify their wrong actions, and hypocritical speech to conceal their thoughts.

The ones who every time they walked into a room where our Lord was, they got our Lord angry, MAR 3:5.

2SA 12:7…. “You are the one!”

We need these people in our life, we cannot always run from them because that would be loss of people testing and therefore loss of spiritual growth.

6. In Greek drama action, time and place were very vital.

Your life must have virtue as its action.
The time is one day at a time.
The place is the “PPOG.”

7. There was no Greek drama without an actor; and there is no Christian service without virtue first.

8. Christian service – praying, giving, witnessing, serving, etc., are all actions of the Christian life, but without the lead actor (virtue), there is no part to be played.

9. As the action of the drama was required to flow together with consistency so the believer’s lifestyle is to be one of unity and consistency from the power of God within.

MAT 11:30 “For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”

10. The “dramatic contests” also have an analogy to the Christian life.

The winner believer who is successful with his life can become a winner overnight,
REV 2:7;11;17;26; 3:5,12,21.

Routine is designed to help you organize your life.

Routine is very important in life because “routine” prepares you for what is not routine.

“Routine” prepares you for what is exciting, pleasurable, fun, and enjoyable.

ECC 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might;

COL 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Because she does not sense in her activity any meaning, aside from just the essentials of getting it done, therefore, she thinks it is meaningless.

It may be a part of the plan of God for her life and a manifestation of her pressing on toward the objective for the purpose of the reward belonging to the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus.

MAT 25:21 “Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.”

ZEC 4:10 “Do not despise the day of small things!”

MAT 10:42 “And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you he shall not lose his reward.”

When you failed to prepare for life in a Greek drama it was known as “tragedy.”

When you succeeded in preparing it became known as “comedy.”

Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.

Life is a tragedy for those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.

If you fail to prepare for the spiritual life through metabolized doctrine it will be known as a “tragedy.”

If you succeed in preparing through metabolized doctrine it will be known as a comedy or a relaxed situation.

Once you begin to metabolize doctrine as routine in your life, taking it in tomorrow, the next day, the next day, and the next, you develop capacity from this routine and there comes a time when you take it and use it in a magnificent way.

From your capacity you can handle the pleasures of life which is the comedy.
You can handle the disasters of life which is the tragedy.

Knowledge – dative singular feminine noun – gnosei – gnwvsei = academic information. Gnosis = perception of doctrine; knowledge of doctrine. Gnosis is used and not epignosis because Peter can only take us as far as our volition.

Under the subject of election, God wills the highest and the best for you.
Negative volition toward doctrine.
Even though the sovereignty of God wills you to be a winner, you are still a loser.

Virtue must take you to gnosis, then your volition must be positive so that gnosis is converted to epignosis.