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Pastor/Teacher - Jim RickardPastor/Teacher - Jim Rickard Sunday, July 19, 2009Sunday, July 19, 2009

1 John 5:161 John 5:16

Virtue Limitations of Virtue Limitations of Prayer, Pt 2Prayer, Pt 2

““Not Not leadingleading to death to death” ” ME PROS THANATOS. ME PROS THANATOS.

PROS means, “to or PROS means, “to or toward”. The idea of being toward”. The idea of being

““face to faceface to face” with ” with someone or something. someone or something.

““Not Not bringing himbringing him face to face to face with deathface with death”.”.

There is a category of sin There is a category of sin that does bring us face to that does bring us face to

face with death, a.k.a. face with death, a.k.a. the Sin Unto Death.the Sin Unto Death.

Sin “face to face” with Sin “face to face” with death is not a specific sin. death is not a specific sin.

It is when the believer It is when the believer resides and functions resides and functions

consistently inside Satan’s consistently inside Satan’s Cosmic System.Cosmic System.

It is motivational evil It is motivational evil toward self and functional toward self and functional evil toward others, which evil toward others, which

results in maximum results in maximum punitive discipline from punitive discipline from

God. God.

Sin Unto Death is typically a Sin Unto Death is typically a process leading to one’s final process leading to one’s final

physical death as the third physical death as the third stage of Divine discipline, stage of Divine discipline,

1 Cor 11:30, but can also be a 1 Cor 11:30, but can also be a swift judgment by God, swift judgment by God,

Acts 5:1-11.Acts 5:1-11.

You can pray for someone You can pray for someone that is under stage one or two that is under stage one or two of Divine discipline, but you of Divine discipline, but you don’t pray for the discipline don’t pray for the discipline to be removed, you pray for to be removed, you pray for

them to wake up as a result of them to wake up as a result of the discipline. the discipline.

When someone is about to When someone is about to be taken out under a be taken out under a

“dishonorable discharge”, “dishonorable discharge”, you don’t want to get in the you don’t want to get in the

way of God’s way of God’s administration.administration.

Principles:Principles:1. Observation of a fellow 1. Observation of a fellow

believer is a very believer is a very dangerous thing because dangerous thing because

we have no right to intrude we have no right to intrude upon the privacy of upon the privacy of

someone else’s priesthood.someone else’s priesthood.

2. Where observation does 2. Where observation does occur there is no command occur there is no command to gossip, malign or judge. to gossip, malign or judge.

The best you can do in The best you can do in respecting their privacy is respecting their privacy is

pray for them.pray for them.

“ “He will askHe will ask”, if you have ”, if you have seen someone sinning you seen someone sinning you should subsequently turn it should subsequently turn it

over to God in prayer, over to God in prayer, verses taking matters into verses taking matters into

your own hands.your own hands.

““And He (And He (GtFGtF) will give ) will give life to himlife to him.” .”

The Grace of God in action The Grace of God in action in response to the protocol in response to the protocol intercessory prayers of the intercessory prayers of the

mature believer for a mature believer for a sinning fellow believer. sinning fellow believer.

““TTo those who commit sin o those who commit sin not face to face with not face to face with

death.death.””Sinning believers, who are Sinning believers, who are not under the Third Stage not under the Third Stage

of Divine Discipline.of Divine Discipline.

Principles:Principles:1. Prayer is virtue 1. Prayer is virtue

dependent, but even an dependent, but even an intercessory prayer intercessory prayer

possessing virtue has possessing virtue has certain limitations. certain limitations.

“God’s Will”“God’s Will”

2. Once a believer is under 2. Once a believer is under the Sin Unto Death, prayer the Sin Unto Death, prayer

cannot reverse its cannot reverse its administration, because it administration, because it

involves the sovereignty of involves the sovereignty of God. God.

3. Illustration: 3. Illustration: The incest relationship of The incest relationship of

born again believers at born again believers at Corinth.Corinth.

1 Cor 5:1-5; 1 Cor 5:1-5; 2 Cor 2:1-11; 7:8-11 2 Cor 2:1-11; 7:8-11

4. Virtue limitation does 4. Virtue limitation does not lie with the one not lie with the one

offering the prayer, but offering the prayer, but with the object of with the object of

intercession who resides in intercession who resides in the Cosmic System. the Cosmic System.

Grace OfferingGrace Offering

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchSunday, July 19, 2009

Tape # 09S-029

Virtue Limitations of Prayer, Part 21 John Series

1 John 5:14-15; 1 Tim 2:1-3; 4:3-5; Col 4:2-3  

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2009