The Premier Principles (Lesson 1)
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Understanding the significance of the first, or premier principles.
++It seems obvious that certain principles take precedence that they would be considered “first” among the others.
++With this understanding we should place greater emphasis on the “first principles”!
++This is NOT to diminish or take away from the other principles.
++We just need to understand that the importance of these other principles is derived from their point of origin!
There are 4 “first” (or premier) principles that we will unpack in this lesson.
++Establishing the significance of these particular principles it will help us to understand the rest of the lessons in the “Understanding Separation” series.
Premier Principle #1, the Premier Doctrine
Premier Principle #1, the Premier Doctrine
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
We need to consider our Premier Doctrine!
++Jesus himself told us what this premier (first) doctrine is.
++It is the declaration of the Oneness of God!
++EVERYTHING else that we believe is based on THIS teaching!
What things are predicated upon this teaching?
++We are baptized in Jesus’ name because there is ONLY one God!
++We preach the necessity of the Holy Ghost because there is ONLY one God!
++If you don’t have the Holy Ghost you don’t have God!
++Because we have a unique message of oneness, we must be unified and unique in our lifestyle!
The Message of the Mighty God in Christ is a matter of salvific essentiality!
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Jesus said that we must believe that He is the “I AM” Who spoke to Moses from the burning bush - or you WILL die in your sins!
Premier Principle #2, the Premier Focus
Premier Principle #2, the Premier Focus
The Premier Focus is our FIRST objective as children of God!
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Jesus instructed His followers to seek God’s Kingdom and righteousness FIRST! THIS IS OUR PRIORITY!
++Whatever else we pursue in life should NEVER take precedence over God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.
++Every other area of our lives ought to be governed by a driving desire to promote, propagate (multiply, breed, or transmit), and preserve the Kingdom of God.
++Where we work, where we live, how we spend our time, how we interact with others, and how we respond to the situations of life should be driven by our Premier Focus on the Kingdom and Righteousness of God!
Premier Principle #3, the Premier Responsibility
Premier Principle #3, the Premier Responsibility
This is our FIRST obligation.
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
Our life will represent how important God is in your life.
++We should begin every day with prayer!
++We cannot hope to please God if we don’t stay in constant communication with Him!
++We cannot “walk in the Spirit” if we don’t “pray in the Spirit”!
++Regardless of what else we do FOR God, if we don’t regularly spend time WITH God, our best efforts will be in vain.
Premier Principle #4, the Premier Characteristic
Premier Principle #4, the Premier Characteristic
The first 3 principles in this list of “first principles” concern us; the fourth one involves God.
It says something about His nature, however, it affects us.
It probably has a GREATER effect on us than all of the other three combined!
Although there isn’t a specific scripture using the word “first” to prove this is a “premier doctrine”. It is evident from the prominent place it has in Scripture that it is, indeed, a “first.”
As we endeavor to define this premier characteristic lets consider what Jesus said in the prayer He used teaching His disciples how to pray.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Based on this Scripture we know that whatever happens in heaven IS the will of God.
++We also see that whatever occurs in heaven is what God WANTS on earth.
1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory.
8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
God’s holiness is declared and worshipped!
Both Old and New Testaments bear witness to the fact that, in Heaven, angelic creatures proclaiming one - and only one - attribute of God!
God has many attributes:
Love, Faithfulness, kindness, wisdom, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, and so many more!
Yet out of all of those, ONLY ONE is proclaimed nonstop throughout eternity, and that is His holiness!
Holiness is His “Premier Characteristic”!
This fact does not take away from the other attributes.
It simply means that His holiness is the origin of a series of other attributes which get their beginning from it.
God is merciful and loving and not willing that ANY should perish!
His love and mercy are constrained by His holiness!
God’s love causes Him to want us to be saved and His mercy causes Him to reach us IN our sin.
His holiness demands that our sin be dealt with so we can be saved!
If not for holiness, He would have saved us without going to Calvary!
It was His holiness that demanded that there be the shedding of blood to remit (pay in full) sin!
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
6. For this reason both the Old and New Testaments repeat a constant command: “Be Holy!”
6. For this reason both the Old and New Testaments repeat a constant command: “Be Holy!”
44 For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
45 For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
We must be holy because God is - first and foremost - a HOLY God!
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Even His power is associated with His holiness.
This includes the proclamation and practice of holiness!
“The posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried!”
What they said brought such power.
They proclaimed “Holy, Holy, Holy!”
As they said it things began to move in God’s house!
Jesus Christ was the seed of David “according to the flesh,” but He was the Son of God “with power, according to the spirit of holiness”!
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
As the church we are the children of God.
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
We cannot experience God’s power if we don’t practice God’s holiness!
He loves enough to save us as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us as we are!
He doesn’t want to save us from Hell; he wants to save us from ungodliness.
This all us to have fellowship and communion with Him!
When the angel announced His coming birth to Joseph, he declared that Christ would come for ONE REASON!
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Jesus didn’t come to save us IN our sin or WITH our sin!
He came to save us FROM our sin!
We must be united and in agreement in order to walk together!
3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
If we want to walk with God, we have to be in agreement with Him!
The doctrines God considers premier must become so to us!
Until you are living in agreement with God’s holiness, you will never truly walk together with Him!
VI. Summary
VI. Summary
Our Premier Doctrine (our Primary Message) is the declaration of the Oneness of God.
Our Premier Focus (our Primary Objective) is promoting, propagating, and preserving the Kingdom of God.
Our Premier Responsibility (our Primary Obligation) is prayer and supplication.
God’s Premier Attribute (His Primary Characteristic) is His holiness.
The Bible associates each of the first 3 principles with the final one.
God is “ the Holy One”! (Job 6:10; Isaiah 40:25, 49:7; Habakkuk 1:12; 1 John 2:20)
His Kingdom is associated with His righteousness (Matthew 6:33; Romans 14:17; Hebrews 1:8) and His holiness (Psalm 89:10; Isaiah 43:15).
We should offer our prayers with “holy hands” (1 Timothy 2:8) and build up our “holy faith” (Jude 1:20).
