Grace and Truth Bible Ministries

Grace and Truth
Bible Ministries

Phil 1:11 Gal 5:22 Conclusion of the study on Divine Good; Beginning of Study on Faithfulness

We are continuing in the study of the mandate for believer's prayer in the PPOG. . Phil 4:6; 1Thes 5:17;

At the moment we are considering Paul's prayer for the spiritual growth of believers that was recorded in Phil 1:9-11;

In verse 11 Paul is praying for believers to be filled with the "fruit of righteousness." which is the result of the believer's PMA of Bible Doctrine which is the mind of TLJC.

Phil 1:11; having been completely filled up (perfect tense passive voice) with the production of righteousness [which is the total fulfillment of spiritual progress] which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God

This righteousness is produced in the believer by God when the believer is functioning in the spiritual life through the application of Bible Doctrine under the mentorship of God the Holy Spirit.

We have seen that in the Phil 1:11; passage the production is viewed with regard to the quality of its character as the “fruit of righteousness,” and in Gal 5:22, the same production is viewed with regard to its source as the “fruit of the Spirit.” where details of its characteristics are also described.

We are presently studying the sixth characteristic of the fruit of righteousness which is the production of the Spirit in the believer who has the thinking of TLJC through metabolized Bible Doctrine as described by the Greek noun "agathosune", which is from the root "agathos" which means which is translated as "goodness" means to be generous, virtuous and to produce divine good.

Since Divine good is the production of God it has inherent or intrinsic value that has eternal impact.

We have seen that Divine good is an absolute concept related to God and his perfection and that Human good is a relative concept related to mankind and imperfection. And that there are (3) categories of good in human history: Human Good, Morality or Establishment Good and Divine Good.

In our previous session we closed with the scriptures which show that since human good and human works are excluded from salvation, Eph 2:8-9; it follows that human good and human works are excluded from the PPOG for the believer. Col 2:6;

God provides the filling of the Holy Spirit, our portfolio of invisible assets, problem solving devices, promises from the Word of God, and the doctrine which motivates us to perform divine good.

Some concluding principles: for Distinguishing Divine Good from Human Good

Divine good is an absolute concept and is produced by divine power.

Human good is a relative concept and is produced by energy of the flesh

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Divine good is determined by God's perfect standards of righteousness.

Human good is determined by the vacillating standards of human belief systems.

Divine good is permanent and eternal and becomes a factor in the believer's evaluation for eternal rewards at the judgment seat of Christ.

Human good is temporary and temporal and becomes a factor in the believer having rewards withheld at the judgment seat of Christ and is the basis of the unbeliever's incarceration in the lake of fire.

Divine good is based on the absolute and immutable standards of divine viewpoint.

Human good is based on the relative and arbitrary standards of human viewpoint.

Divine Good is produced by the believer who is functioning in the Directive Will of God

Human Good is often the result of the believer functioning in the Permissive Will of God.

Consequently, divine good is incorruptible gold, silver, precious stones while human good is corruptible wood, hay, straw.

Divine good has invisible impact in time and is rewarded in eternity while human good has visible impact in time and is judged in eternity.

The believer's eternal security in their salvation must be a cognitive reality in the believer's thinking before any divine good works can result, therefore the believer's confidence regarding their salvation must be determined not from production but by faith in what the Bible teaches.

In order for believers to serve, praise, or glorify God they must execute the spiritual life that corresponds to their dispensation. For the Church Age believer this means the filling of the Holy Spirit, fellowship with God, and the advance to maturity inside the PPOG.

This results in the production of divine good, which is a system of works that is motivated and produced in the believer by God the Holy Spirit and consequently is approved by the righteousness of God as the believer lives inside the PPOG.

Phil 1:11; Gal 5:22; In the context or our study of Paul's prayer for believers to have the fruit of Righteousness we will now examine the seventh manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit is translated faithfulness which is the Greek word "pistis ðßóôéò " which we have studied before and refers to:

The trust that one has in another, which in this case refers to our trust in God and His word, Bible doctrine.

"Pistis" also refers to the virtue which is a production of the Spirit it also which means being faithful, trustworthy, reliable, and steadfast.

It also is used for Confidence, assurance, conviction, or belief,

and for doctrine, which is the body of information which is to be believed, understood and applied by the believer.

Since this is another divine characteristic that is being reproduced in the believer by God the Holy Spirit, we need to understand what divine faithfulness is so that we can identify that which the Holy Spirit will accomplish within us.

Divine faithfulness is the basis or position for the believer's function or production in faithfulness. John 15:5-9;

in the same way that God's Love is the basis for the believer's love, 1John 4:19; God's faithfulness is the basis for the believer's faithfulness.

TLJC in the humanity of his Hypostatic Union depended on the faithfulness of God the Father during his ministry on this earth. John 5:19-20;

The word translated "answered" is the Greek word "Apokrinomai ἀðïêñßíïìáé " which means to discern from the ultimate source of your own inner resources. This is knowledge of bible doctrine in the soul resulting in discernment. Jesus Christ is discerning from his own inner resources of his humanity, through the doctrine in his own soul to give the divine viewpoint answer.

In the original Language, uses a double negative which emphasizes his inability apart from God the Father.

Jesus literally said 'I am not able to do nothing' meaning strongly ' I am not able to do anything'. Jesus learned the Plan of God in time, through doctrine, one day at a time. His humanity had to learn doctrine, just as we do.

Everything that the believer does is dependent on God and his faithfulness so the faithfulness that the believer exhibits as the production of the Spirit is established in the faithfulness of God through the power of God the Holy Spirit and the application of Bible Doctrine inside the PPOG

There is only One who has always been, and will always be, totally faithful, and that is God, who because of His perfect character, can only be faithful. 2Tim 2:13; Divine faithfulness is God's grace expression to believers using His perfect character as the basis for that expression.

Faithfulness hinges on the essence of God who is perfect, fair, and stable to Himself, and He will be all of these things to you as well, Lam 3:22-23;

God's faithfulness is demonstrated in his provision for mankind in the person of TLJC which resulted in his propitiation, which means that God the Father is satisfied with the sacrificial ministry of our Lord on the cross. 1Cor 1:9;

God's faithfulness does not depend on the believer's spiritual status. 2Tim 2:13; Rom 3:3; it is based in God's immutability. Mal 3:6; James 1:17b;

Since God is immutable, He must be faithful to believers even if they reject and deny Him, because part of God's salvation package for the believer is the imputation of divine righteousness. 2Cor 5:21; and eternal life John 10:27-28;

Divine faithfulness manifests itself in divine discipline to the reversionist, Heb 12:6; and in blessing to the mature believer who is living inside the PPOG 3John 2.

Faithfulness is a loyal attitude to something or someone in life who you love, respect, admire, or whose authority you recognize. You are alive, and have all that you have because of God's faithfulness. He is faithful and loves you every moment, Deut 7:9;