Lesson for December 17, 2017
The Doctrine of Spirituality vs. Carnality
The Divine Dynasphere, Lesson #4 (cont’d)
Gate 4: The Momentum Gate: The Function of GAP
GAP is a term which stands for the Grace Apparatus of Perception. It is the divine system by which every believer with positive volition is able to understand the whole realm of doctrine. GAP is the momentum of the Christian Way of Life. Believers receive two commissions at salvation; 1) the Royal Priesthood, the basis for perception of doctrine and 2) the Royal Ambassadorship, the basis for application of doctrine.
GAP is the provision of grace for the believer’s spiritual growth and attainment of spiritual maturity. The whole system of the Christian Way of Life demands integrity before function. So when God designed a plan for the Royal Family, the first four gates were designed to build integrity; the last four gates were designed to manifest that integrity. Christian integrity is above and beyond mere morality. There are three basic systems of perception in the human race:
- Rationalism: it says that reason is the source of knowledge; therefore, reason is superior to and independent of any sensory perception. Reason becomes the norm or criterion for reality. Rationalism is the adherence to the supremacy of reason in matters of belief and conduct. The issue then becomes the IQ of the subject.
- Empiricism: it is the scientific system of learning by observation and experimentation. Therefore, reality lies in the function of the senses as they relate to observation, relaying all the information to the brain where it is categorized. Both rationalism and empiricism are meritorious systems of perception. They depend entirely upon human IQ.
- Faith: it is the way by which we begin all learning in life. It is the only non-meritorious system of perception. Faith is defined as learning by accepting the authority of a criterion. Faith as a system of perception builds knowledge on the basis of an absolute authority. The validity of faith depends on the criterion or the object of faith.
In salvation, Jesus Christ is the object and has all the merit. In GAP, Bible doctrine is the object, and Bible doctrine has the merit. Jesus Christ is the Living Word; Bible doctrine is the written Word. In the perception of doctrine, we must distinguish between human IQ (intelligence quotient) and spiritual IQ (intelligence quotient). Human IQ is the number assigned to a person on the basis of dividing his mental age by his chronological age. The results are multiplied by 100 to eliminate decimals. However, under the principle and policy of God’s grace, human IQ is not the issue in the perception of doctrine. To say that human IQ is a factor in learning doctrine is to imply that a believer with a low IQ would be handicapped in learning doctrine, which is neither true nor the issue. Anyone with positive volition can learn Bible doctrine regardless of their IQ.
Therefore, the only issue for a believer is one’s positive volition, residence and function inside the Divine Dynasphere, and use of the proper mechanics to convert academic doctrine into spiritual doctrine. Faith is the system of perception. So you must have both proper volition and proper faith perception. Faith perception applies to the second stage of GAP, retention of Bible doctrine. The objective of GAP is to have spiritual doctrine resident in all parts of your soul. The first four gates of the Divine Dynasphere provide the basis for our spiritual IQ. Great emphasis is placed on the Holy Spirit in learning doctrine in I Corinthians 1:19 – 2:16 because without the filling of the Holy Spirit, no one can learn doctrine. It is the key to having a spiritual IQ. (John 14:26, 16:12-14; I John 2:27)
There are several grace provisions from God for the perception of Bible doctrine. One provision is the local church. There are three factors involved in this provision: 1) the local church is organized humility 2) the authority of the pastor is enforced humility 3) the reception of doctrine is genuine humility. Formation and preservation of the Canon of Scripture is another grace provision. There are many other grace provisions, such as the Divine Dynasphere, the Rebound Technique, the Royal Priesthood, logistical grace, freedom within the client nation under the Laws of Divine Establishment, etc.
The Greek word for church is “ekkelsia,” which means called-out assembly. This word was first used in Attic Greek for an assembly of citizens convened to conduct the affairs of state. It was so used in Acts 19:25,32 for the assembly of the Ephesians to handle the problems of their city-state. It was also used for citizens who gathered in the city to conduct business in Acts 19:30. It is now used for the universal Church, composed of all members of the Royal Family of God, i.e., all believers in this dispensation of the Church Age. (Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27; Colossians 1:17-18) It was also used for occasions when a group of believers in a particular geographical location got together, even as few as two or three. Such a group was called a local church, as in I Corinthians 11:18, 14:19, 28, 34-35; Philippians 4:15; I Thessalonians 1:1; II Thessalonians 1:1; Revelation 2-3. These local churches mentioned were under the authority of pastors, whether the pastors were absent or present. Whether the pastor teaches face to face is not the issue; his authority may come in some other form of communication. The method of teaching does not determine whether or not the organization is a local church.
Jesus Christ is the ruler or the head of the Church. It is us as believers who He rules or does not rule, depending upon our volition. But whether He is allowed to function in your life as your ruler depends upon whether you understand and apply the pertinent mystery doctrine. If you understand this doctrine, you have the basis for submitting to the authority of Jesus Christ as the ruler of the Church. If you are advancing in the spiritual life and living inside the Divine Dynasphere, then you have accepted the authority of Jesus Christ as the ruler of the Church. But many Christians have rejected Christ’s authority as the ruler of the Church.
Jesus Christ has delegated authority for the communication of doctrine in the local church to the pastor-teacher. If believers have rejected the authority of Jesus Christ over their personal lives, they will obviously reject the authority of any pastor who communicates the Word of God, the mind of Christ. Without knowing doctrine, we cannot accept the authority of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is called the last Adam as the ruler of the Church, and the believers, the Church universal, is called a new spiritual classification, as found in I Corinthians 15:45-47; II Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15. This new classification is important because it focuses attention on the Church during the intensified stage of the Angelic Conflict. In the head and the body analogy, Christ is the head and the Royal family of God is the body. This speaks of Christ’s authority. The body emphasizes our differences in personality and spiritual gifts. (Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:16, 4:4-5, 5:23; I Corinthians 12; Colossians 1:17-18,24, 2:19) The shepherd and the sheep analogy is found in John 10; Hebrews 13:20; I Peter 5:4. This analogy connotes the security and great blessings that come to us as members of the Royal Family of God. The analogy is perfect for us since sheep have no sense of direction, cannot fend for themselves, are helpless, and therefore need the guidance, sustenance, and protection of the shepherd. The sheep must be guarded and fed by the under-shepherd, the pastor of the local church. The vine and the branches analogy is taught in John 15:1-6. Jesus Christ is the vine; we are the branches. This analogy is used for union with Christ, i.e., positional truth and/or positional sanctification.
The concept of Christ as the chief cornerstone, and the stones of the building as the Church, was first taught by Christ in Matthew 16:16-18 when He told Peter, “You are blessed, Simon, Son of Jonas. And on this rock [petra, giant rock, Lord Jesus Christ] I will build my Church [Royal Family of God]. Therefore, your name is now petras [part or chip of a rock].” This reference to Christ as the chief cornerstone is found in Ephesians 2:20; I Peter 2:4-8. Peter recognized that Christ, not himself or the Church, is the rock. The Church didn’t even exist in Matthew 16.
The analogy of the High Priest and the Royal Priesthood is found in Hebrews 7:25, 10:10-14; I Peter 2:5,9; Revelation 1:6. Only when Jesus Christ ascended and was seated in Heaven could He be our High Priest and could every believer be a Royal Priest. The groom and bride analogy is found in II Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-27; Rev 19:6-8. This eschatological analogy speaks of the future of the Church as Royal Family of God. This will not be fulfilled until the Second Coming at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. It takes seven years for the bride, the Church, to be prepared before the Judgment Seat of Christ. The King and the Royal Family of God analogy is taught in Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 2:10. Jesus Christ is the Royal King and we are His Royal Family. From each of these analogies, certain things are taught about your personal life as a Church Age believer.
The universal Church is a synonymous term for the Royal Family of God and is composed of all Church Age believers. You enter the universal Church at salvation through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the resultant positional sanctification by which the Royal Family of God is formed and by which equal privilege is given to every believer. Every Church Age believer is given equal privilege and opportunity.
The power which God gives to the Church is the omnipotence of God the Father related to our Portfolio of Invisible Assets and the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit related to the Divine Dynasphere.
The local church is an assembly of believers in a specific geographical location under the teaching ministry of their pastor, either face to face, or through some other system of communication. The local church has a policy and an administrative system based on doctrinal principles. This is why there are deacons and other administrative authority in a local church.
The pastor communicates doctrine using the ICE standard.
- “I” means Isagogics: the interpretation of the Bible within the framework of its historical setting. The Bible must be interpreted in the time in which it was written, as well as in the language in which it was written.
- “C” means Categorical. This fulfills the hermeneutical principle of comparing Scripture with Scripture; rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Scripture compared with Scripture determines the classification of doctrine.
- “E” means Exegetical analysis of Scripture. Each verse must be analyzed grammatically, syntactically, in the context of the original language. Not only must each verse be analyzed from the standpoint of grammar, syntax and etymology, but also from the standpoint of its relationship with the other verses in context.
The principle of the pastor-teacher is found in Ephesians 4:11-16, which covers everything from the gift to its purpose. Believers can be no stronger than the doctrine the pastor presents. So GAP demands faithful pastors teaching the Word. The first great malfunction of GAP is the lack of prepared pastors. God uses prepared men to teach His Word.
The Mechanics of GAP
(The way we originally learn Bible doctrine)
Stage 1: Reception – this is the function of the believer who resides in the Divine Dynasphere and is positive to Bible doctrine, fulfilling the principle of receptive comprehension. The mentality of the soul possesses two frontal lobes: the left lobe is the Greek word “nous” and the right lobe is the Greek word “kardia.” The left lobe is the receptive lobe designed to assimilate academic information. This is a staging area only. The reception of doctrine in the receptive lobe makes the believer a hearer, but not a “doer of the Word.” Receptive comprehension includes: (a) being in the Divine Dynasphere (b) having positive volition, and therefore being self- motivated c) making decisions from a position of strength to listen to Bible teaching from your pastor (d) having the academic discipline of concentration, poise, objectivity, and good manners so that maximum reception can occur (e) accepting the authority of the pastor and being under the function of general teachability (f) having receptive comprehension, which is the residence of academic doctrine in the left lobe as a result of hearing doctrine taught. So it is possible for a believer to learn doctrine but not believe it at that time. Once doctrine is learned it remains in the left lobe as academic knowledge until such time you say, “I believe it.”
Stage 2: Retention – this is where spiritual doctrine is transferred and retained in the right lobe. Only this doctrine can result in spiritual growth. In this process, you become a “doer of the Word” according to the book of James. Spiritual doctrine is the means of normal Christian growth. Spiritual doctrine occupies at least seven compartments of the right lobe: 1) the frame of reference 2) the memory center 3) vocabulary storage 4) categorical storage 5) the conscience 6) momentum and 7) wisdom. Academic knowledge is converted to spiritual knowledge through faith. Faith application is the Christian Way of Life, which is the function of the three stages of the Faith-Rest Drill (the application of doctrine to experience). The mechanics involve two things: 1) your faith and 2your volition. So the combining of your faith with your volition means, “I understand what you are teaching, and I believe it,” which results in converting academic knowledge into spiritual knowledge with the potential of spiritual growth and spiritual application.
Stage 3: Recall – this is the stage of faith-application, the function of the Faith-Rest Drill, the application of spiritual knowledge to experience. This is the function of the Royal Ambassadorship and accelerated growth. When you apply doctrine to the various tests in life or to prosperity, it accelerates growth. This stage protects the believer from demon influence. (II Corinthians 10:4-6) There are two categories of spiritual growth: 1) normal growth from spiritual knowledge and 2) accelerated growth from the application of doctrine to pressure, adversity, or prosperity.
Through both retention and recall, spiritual growth to maturity results in the glorification of Christ. This is the function of the right lobe. For example, the frame of reference retains basic doctrine as a system for developing and building up more doctrine; hence, the advance from simple to complex doctrine. The frame of reference sets up an alert section of the soul, where certain doctrines form an instant action force to meet the problems of life like Rebound when you sin, avoiding the guilt complex. The frame of reference raises the spiritual I.Q. of positive believers and provides capacity for worship, happiness, love, and blessing. The frame of reference also provides all the building material for the Edification Complex of the Soul. All of this is the basis for joining the Pivot, becoming a winner in the Angelic Conflict, avoiding demon influence, and producing divine good rather than human good.