Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship Church

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

New Memory VerseNew Memory Verse

John 17:4, “I glorified You on the earth,

having accomplished the work which You have given

Me to do.”

John 17John 17

The Great High Priestly The Great High Priestly Prayer of our Lord!Prayer of our Lord!

John 17:3John 17:3

Experiential Eternal Life!Experiential Eternal Life!

““Now this is (Now this is (keeps on beingkeeps on being) ) Eternal LifeEternal Life.”.”

God Has Eternal LifeGod Has Eternal Life::1. God the Father, John 5:26; 1. God the Father, John 5:26;

6:57; 1 Thes 1:9. 6:57; 1 Thes 1:9. 2. God the Son, John 1:4; 5:26; 2. God the Son, John 1:4; 5:26; 6:35; Phil 2:16; 1 John 1:1-2.6:35; Phil 2:16; 1 John 1:1-2.

3. Holy Spirit, John 6:63; 3. Holy Spirit, John 6:63; Rom 8:2. Rom 8:2.

Eternal life is given by Christ Eternal life is given by Christ to the believer positionally, to the believer positionally, but there is more to it than but there is more to it than

just that.just that.

““Namely, that they might Namely, that they might keep on knowing You, the keep on knowing You, the

only true God.”only true God.”

““They may know” - They may know” - GINOSKO Pres. Act. Subj. GINOSKO Pres. Act. Subj. 33rdrd Sing. “Come to know, Sing. “Come to know,

recognize, or perceive.” It has recognize, or perceive.” It has the sense of knowing the sense of knowing

experientially. experientially.

PrinciplesPrinciples::

1. Eternal life is a personal 1. Eternal life is a personal relationship with God gained relationship with God gained by experiential knowledge of by experiential knowledge of

Him. Him.

2. It is not the 2. It is not the causecause of eternal of eternal life nor the life nor the preludeprelude to eternal to eternal life; this experiential knowing life; this experiential knowing is the very eternal life itself.is the very eternal life itself.

3. The only way you can 3. The only way you can know the Father is by know the Father is by studying His Word, by studying His Word, by

learning Bible doctrine. learning Bible doctrine.

4. T4. The knowledge of “the he knowledge of “the only true God” is through only true God” is through Jesus Christ, John 14:6-9. Jesus Christ, John 14:6-9.

5. If you study the Word of 5. If you study the Word of God, you will know the God, you will know the

Father. Father.

5. If you study the Word of 5. If you study the Word of God, you will know the God, you will know the

Father. Father.

6. If you do not study the 6. If you do not study the Word of God, you will not Word of God, you will not

know the Father. know the Father.

7. If you do not know the 7. If you do not know the Father, you will not know Father, you will not know

Eternal Life experientially here Eternal Life experientially here in time.in time.

8. 8. Those who know God Those who know God possess experiential eternal possess experiential eternal

life. life.

““It includes all the It includes all the impressions on the mind and impressions on the mind and life which a just view of God life which a just view of God and of the Savior is fitted to and of the Savior is fitted to

produce.” produce.” (Albert Barnes)(Albert Barnes)

““The only true God”, is used The only true God”, is used in opposition to all false gods. in opposition to all false gods. It is in opposition to idols, not It is in opposition to idols, not

to Jesus Himself, who, in 1 to Jesus Himself, who, in 1 John 5:20, is called “the true John 5:20, is called “the true

God and eternal life”.God and eternal life”.

““And Jesus Christ whom And Jesus Christ whom You (You (God the FatherGod the Father) sent) sent.”.”

In this prayer Jesus makes In this prayer Jesus makes six references to being sent six references to being sent by the Father, (vs. 3, 8, 18, by the Father, (vs. 3, 8, 18,

21, 23, 25). 21, 23, 25). In each, the word “sent” In each, the word “sent”

refers to “being refers to “being commissioned”. commissioned”.

IESOUS CHRISTOS IESOUS CHRISTOS The One “sent” is no mere The One “sent” is no mere

creature, because only deity can creature, because only deity can reveal deity. Neither mere man reveal deity. Neither mere man nor any other created thing can nor any other created thing can

fully relate who God is.fully relate who God is.

We must come to know His We must come to know His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the

revealer of the Father.revealer of the Father.John 1:18; 6:46; 1 Tim 6:16; John 1:18; 6:46; 1 Tim 6:16;

1 John 4:121 John 4:12

““To know Him is to have a just, To know Him is to have a just, practical view of Him in all His practical view of Him in all His perfections as God and man; as perfections as God and man; as

a mediator; as a prophet, a a mediator; as a prophet, a priest, and a king. And to yield priest, and a king. And to yield

our entire soul to Him.”our entire soul to Him.”(Albert Barnes)(Albert Barnes)

John 17:3, John 17:3, “Now this is (“Now this is (keeps on beingkeeps on being) )

Eternal Life. Namely, that they Eternal Life. Namely, that they might might keep onkeep on knowing You, knowing You, the only true God and Jesus the only true God and Jesus

Christ (Christ (the Messiahthe Messiah) whom You ) whom You ((God the FatherGod the Father) sent.”) sent.”

PrinciplesPrinciples::1. Eternal life is the ongoing 1. Eternal life is the ongoing knowledge of the Father and knowledge of the Father and

the Sonthe Son. .

PrinciplesPrinciples::1. Eternal life is the ongoing 1. Eternal life is the ongoing knowledge of the Father and knowledge of the Father and

the Son.the Son.

2. We must know the Father 2. We must know the Father who is the author of the plan. who is the author of the plan.

3. We must know the Son 3. We must know the Son who is the revealer of the who is the revealer of the

Father and the executor of the Father and the executor of the plan. plan.

4. The Spirit’s job is to glorify 4. The Spirit’s job is to glorify the Son, John 16:14; the Son, John 16:14; 2 Peter 2 Peter

1:2-31:2-3. .

5. Jesus came into the world 5. Jesus came into the world to give eternal life to men so to give eternal life to men so

that they could enjoy and that they could enjoy and experience fellowship with experience fellowship with God eternally. John 1:1-4; God eternally. John 1:1-4; 1 John 1:1-3; 5:11-13, 201 John 1:1-3; 5:11-13, 20

1 Tim 6:12, 1 Tim 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith; “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal lifetake hold of the eternal life to to which you were called, and which you were called, and

you made the good confession you made the good confession in the presence of many in the presence of many

witnesses.”witnesses.”

6. Eternal life is not simply 6. Eternal life is not simply endless existence. Everyone endless existence. Everyone will exist somewhere forever will exist somewhere forever

(cf. Mat 25:46), but the (cf. Mat 25:46), but the question is, in what condition question is, in what condition or in what relationship will or in what relationship will

they spend eternity?they spend eternity?

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchTuesday, October 18, 2011Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Tape # 11-117Tape # 11-117

Experiential Eternal LifeExperiential Eternal Life

Great High Priestly Prayer, Part 25Great High Priestly Prayer, Part 25

John 17:3, 2 Peter 1:2-3; 1 Tim 6:12; 1 John 1:1-3; 5:11-20 John 17:3, 2 Peter 1:2-3; 1 Tim 6:12; 1 John 1:1-3; 5:11-20

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011