Austin Bible Church
How is scar tissue removed? For the unbeliever, it is receiving Christ as Savior. The unbeliever loses all scar tissue of the soul at the point of salvation. Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 44:22.
“"I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25, NASB)
“"I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."” (Isaiah 44:22, NASB)
Scar tissue can completely cover the soul. For an unbeliever like Judas Iscariot, this resulted in suicide. Matt. 27:3-5.
“Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? See to that yourself!" And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27:3-5, NASB)
For believers like Ananias and Sapphira, it meant the sin unto death. Suicide can take place in believers as well, but they are eternally saved. The antithesis of scar tissue in the Christian life is the existence of the edification complex of the soul. 1 John 5:16.
“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.” (1 John 5:16, NASB)
For the believer in the Christian walk, it is confession of known sins to God the Father followed by the filling of the Holy Spirit Who causes the renewal of the mind through intake and application of Bible doctrine to experience. 1 John 1:9; Eph. 4:23; Heb. 6:1; Eph. 4:24.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)
“and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,” (Ephesians 4:23, NASB)
“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,” (Hebrews 6:1, NASB)
“and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:24, NASB)
The believer’s recovery from scar tissue requires confession of sin as the starting point. Confession of sin does not remove scar tissue, but provides the filling of the Holy Spirit so Bible doctrine can replace scar tissue. Spiritual recovery should involve a crash program of learning and applying Bible doctrine. This results in reconstruction of the edification complex of the soul. Epignosis doctrine in the right lobe of the soul is the building material for erection of the edification complex with grace orientation, mastery of the details of life, a relaxed mental attitude, the capacity to love, and inner happiness. Heb. 6.
In Ephesians 4:20-21, “you did not learn” is μανθάνω (manthanō) and means to learn from a teacher of doctrine, to receive categorical instruction. “To learn Christ” means to learn the mind of Christ. Christ is no longer here, but He has left His thinking behind, Bible doctrine. 1 Cor. 2:16.
“But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,” (Ephesians 4:20-21, NASB)
“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)
“If indeed you have heard Him” is the first class condition and means “you have heard him” while sitting in Bible class, listening in a public assembly where Bible doctrine is being taught. If you are on negative volition, it is possible for you to come to Bible class night after night and not learn Bible doctrine, to not absorb it and not have it become a part of you. The purpose of public assembly in the local church is privacy. This isn’t possible in a one on one situation. “Just as truth is in Jesus” means that only Bible doctrine, the thinking of Jesus Christ, removes soul scar tissue.
A daily intake of sound Bible doctrine is critical. Find an accurate, categorical Bible teacher who has a dogmatic delivery. Make the intake of Bible doctrine a habitual walk in the Spirit. Be a responder to Bible doctrine instead of reacting to Satan’s world system of evil around you. 2 Tim. 1:12-14; 2 Cor. 4:16; Heb. 12:13.
“For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. “ (2 Timothy 1:12-14, NASB)
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16, NASB)
“and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” (Hebrews 12:13, NASB)
In 2 Timothy 1:11, the “preacher” is a pastor-teacher and is the primary communicator of Bible doctrine in the Church Age. The pastor-teacher is the source for your Bible doctrine. You must keep coming to Bible class. You cannot learn Bible doctrine on your own. 2 Tim. 1:11; 2 Peter 3:17-18.
“for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.” (2 Timothy 1:11, NASB)
“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:17-18, NASB)
Consistency is the key. The world is filled with distractions that can get in the way of your spiritual growth. For example, on Bible class night, there might be a fantastic show on television. Instead of recording it and watching it later, you decide stay home from Bible class. The next week, friends drop over, so you stay home from Bible class. The next night you are too tired to come. Bible doctrine must be your priority in the spiritual life. This is a command of our Lord. You are to keep on growing in grace and knowledge.
You as a believer priest have a right to live your life before the Lord. Anyone should be welcome into the local church regardless of apparel. The local church isn’t a sanctuary, it’s an auditorium. There is nothing sacred about the building.
When one person is speaking, it is impolite to giggle, whisper, pass notes, etc. Some believers are great starters and poor finishers. Bible doctrine was communicated to believers where some stuck with it and learned such as Onesiphorus. Others cut out as did Phygelus and Hermogenes. 2 Tim 1:15-16.
“You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains;” (2 Timothy 1:15-16, NASB)
All pastors, missionaries, and evangelists are human. The believer should get their eyes off of people. It isn’t the man, it’s the message. In 2 Timothy 1:12, “I also suffer” refers to Paul’s second imprisonment. “I am not ashamed” tells us that we are never to be ashamed of our eternal relationship with Christ. Paul knows exactly in whom he has believed for eternal life.
“For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12, NASB)
Bible doctrine knocks out religion, which always seeks to work to earn a relationship with God. The entire world system is designed to make you think this way. The world system is Satan’s domain and he always opposes God and anything to do with His plan for mankind.
In 2 Timothy 1:12, “I know” is οἶδα (oida) in the Greek and means knowledge in the soul. The perfect tense used as a present tense to indicate knowledge in the right lobe of the soul, ready to apply. “Whom I have believed” means that having believed once, I keep on believing. I have believed in the past with the result that I am a believer forever.
“I am convinced” is the perfect tense of πείθω (peithō) and means to have confidence. Confidence comes through knowledge of Bible doctrine. Perfect passive means I believed and received confidence as I learned Bible doctrine. I know that God keeps on having inherent power.
God keeps His promises. God does not welch on an obligation. Most people cheapen God by not believing in eternal security. You reduce Him to your own pitiful thinking. “He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” means God is able to preserve you and protect you. Every second since you have been saved, He has protected you. See category on Deposits.
In 2 Timothy 1:13-14, “Retain the standard of sound words” refers to categories of Bible doctrine from positive volition. Positive volition means consistent intake and application of Bible doctrine via the Grace Apparatus for Perception. Then, you are “in Christ Jesus” which refers to Positional Truth received at salvation. “The treasure” is Bible doctrine, learning doctrine categorically so you can apply it.
“Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. “ (2 Timothy 1:13-14, NASB)
In 2 Timothy 1:15, “turned away from me” is ἀποστρέφω (apostrephō) in the Greek and means to revolt or repudiate or reject me. Phygelus was a fugitive from Bible doctrine and was living in Ephesus. Hermogenes had no Bible doctrine in his soul.
“You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.” (2 Timothy 1:15, NASB)
In 2 Timothy 1:16, the name Onesiphorus means mercy or grace in action. Paul had communicated to Onesiphorus what God provided for him billions of years ago. God is merciful to His children. Onesiphorus learned Bible doctrine and his children benefitted. Children are no excuse to keep you away from Bible doctrine or Bible class. Did Onesiphorus provide an estate for his children? We don’t know. We do know that he provided them a heritage of Bible doctrine.
“The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains;” (2 Timothy 1:16, NASB)
“He often refreshed me” refers to Onesiphorus providing refreshment or encouragement to Paul in Ephesus. He also consistently refreshed other believers. Have you ever refreshed other believers or are you a pain in the neck? Onesiphorus was not ashamed because of Bible doctrine in his soul. He was a true friend. 2 Tim. 1:17.
“but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me—” (2 Timothy 1:17, NASB)
The Word of God and the Holy Spirit gave Onesiphorus the highest honor, the memory of a believer who was famous in God’s sight. How does the vapor trail of your life affect others? Are you a ship that passes in the night? In 2 Timothy 1:18, the Lord gave Timothy a maximum revelation concerning grace.
“the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.” (2 Timothy 1:18, NASB)
He was not a preacher, he was Mr. Ordinary Christian. The point is, are you going to learn Bible doctrine or not? Do you want to be that same miserable person you’ve been for years?