Epistle for December 13, 2002
Posted by: info <info@...>
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Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation December 13, 2002
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In This Issue:
Sermon: I John 2:1-29
Bible Study: II Peter 2
Carol: "Now When The Fullness of Time Had Come"
PIAC Degrees
An Anointing From The Holy One
(I John 2:1-29)
I Concentration: on persons who received God's "anointing"
1. In the Old Testament, priests were anointed (Aaron, Exodus 40:13).
2. In the Old Testament, kings were anointed (Saul, I Samuel 15:1).
3. In the Old Testament, prophets were anointed (Elisha, I Kings 19:16).
4. In the New Testament, Jesus bore the title of the "Anointed One" . . . the
Messiah . . . the Christ. (See Luke 4:18; Matthew 16:16.) He fulfilled Old Testament
types by becoming our Prophet, Priest, and King!
II. Meditation: on what the "anointing" represented
"You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things," v. 20.
1. The anointing (oil) symbolized the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon a person who was
chosen by God's sovereign will.
2. The anointing symbolized the setting aside of a particular person for a specific ministry or office.
3. The anointing symbolized the endowment of supernatural power for effective, God-honoring service.
4. The anointing symbolized the working of the Holy Spirit within a believer, guiding, convicting, comforting,
and teaching, John 16:13.
III. Revelation: on a believer's "anointing"
"The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone
teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and not a lie,
and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him," v. 27.
1. The anointing is the gift of the Holy Spirit received from God the Father.
2. The anointing is the Master Teacher, Who is the revealer of all spiritual things.
3. The anointing gives us spiritual perception, so that we are able to distinguish between truth and lies.
4. The anointing not only teaches believers, but He (the Holy Spirit) also indwells all Christians . . . Jesus
Christ, the Son of God "abides" within us, John 15:4-10.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Rejoice that I am a chosen person, according to God's plan and purpose.
2. Realize that the Holy Spirit brings me divine power for effective service.
3. Recognize that the Holy Spirit is available as my "private tutor," if I allow Him to teach me
God's word and ways.
4. Receive the "Anointed One" into my personal, devotional life . . . allowing Him to "abide" in me,
as I "abide" in Him.
False Prophets and False Teachers
(II Peter 2:1-22)
I. Concentration: on false prophets and teachers
1. They are part of the local church congregation, v. 1.
2. They secretly bring in destructive heresies, v. 1.
3. They deny the Lord and blaspheme the truth, vv. 1-2.
4. Out of covetousness, they exploit the believers, v. 3.
II. Meditation: on the future of these false prophets and teachers
1. They will be cast down into hell with the fallen angels, v. 4.
2. They will be delievered into chains of darkenss, reserved for judgment, v. 4.
3. They will be punished as the people who were drowned in the flood of Noah's day, v. 5.
4. They will be punished as the people who were burned with fire from heaven in Lot's day
(Sodom and Gomorrah), vv. 6-8.
III. Revelation: on God's view of false prophets and teachers
1. God sees them as unclean, rebellious, presumptuous, self-willed, arrogant fools, vv. 9-10.
2. God sees them as brute animals who will be caught and destroyed, v. 12.
3. God sees them as persons whose evil works will pay them the wages of sin . . . death, v. 13.
4. God sees them as totally ignorant of spiritual things, on their way toward utterly perishing
in their own corruption, v. 12.
5. God sees them as pleasure-mad carousers, full of adulteries and covetousness . . .
"accursed children," vv. 13-14.
6. God sees them as Balaam, a prophet who prophesied for money, vv. 15-16.
7. God sees them as wells without water, as clouds within rain . . . promising life and refreshing,
but giving neither, v. 17.
8. God sees them as speakers of emptyness (wind-bags) . . . promising spiritual liberty
but producing slavery to corruption, vv. 18-19.
9. God sees them as back-sliders whose end condition is worse than their original sinful state, vv. 20-21.
10. God sees them as dogs returning to their own vomit (consuming again what made them sick);
as pigs wallowing in the mud after getting a bath, v. 22.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Be alert and on guard against false teachers/teachings in my church.
2. Courageously affirm that "Jesus is Lord!" . . . that He is the truth and that He speaks the truth.
3. Get God's perspective on persons who are hypocrites and who teach false doctrines . . . that
they are doomed, and that they need to come to Christ in repentance and faith to receive salvation.
4. Make sure my personal motivations and spiritual fruits are worthy . . . that all I am (and all I do)
will bring honor and glory to the Lord.
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through distance learning at Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity,
check our web-site http://www.freewayfoundation.org
Now When The Fullness of Time Had Come
(Galatians 4:4-7)
Now when the fullness of time had come,
A Son, God's only begotten,
Was sent to earth, of a woman born,
But men through the years have forgotten.
REFRAIN
Love, love is the Father's gift,
To save us all from our sin and strife;
Love, love is the Father's gift,
A child born to give to us God's life.
He came to earth to redeem mankind,
The Law brings us condemnation;
Adopted into His family,
Praise God for His grace and salvation.
As sons and daughters behold the gift,
The Father's Spirit is giving;
Into our hearts, crying out to God,
His joy makes our life worth the living.
Through Christ no longer we live as slaves,
His richest blessings now please us;
We're heirs of God, for He sets us free,
All glory and honor to Jesus.
Come, let us worship the newborn King,
Who came to earth as a stranger;
We bow before Him this Christmas Day,
He's Almighty God in a Manger.
(Tune: Greensleeves)
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