The doctrine of the supergrace life

1. Definition. Supergrace is the final stage of spiritual growth in the Christian life. It is the stage beyond the construction of the ECS. It is the ultimate in spiritual achievement and it is the normal area for the function of the royal priesthood. The nomenclature for this term “supergrace” is taken from James 4:6 where the word “more grace” is really “greater grace.”

2. Characteristics. The supergrace life is characterised by the analogy of a cup running over — Psalm 23:5,6; 16:5. The cup is supergrace capacity. There are actually three basic characteristics: occupation with the person of Christ which comes from the construction of the ECS; the supergrace capacity which is doctrine in the soul; the pouring of supergrace blessing. The cup is supergrace capacity through Bible doctrine taken in the soul, the pouring is God providing the supergrace blessings. The believer reaps what God sows in eternity past.

3. The related categories of grace — four:

a) Salvation grace (phase one) — everything the Trinity has done to save man. There is non-meritorious involvement by the believer, it is faith in Jesus Christ which is the way of salvation. The salvation grace involves the strategic victory in the angelic conflict as well — Hebrews 2:14; Colossians 2:14,15.

b) Living grace (phase two) — everything that God does to keep you alive as a believer to give the opportunity of going to the supergrace life. There is no involvement by the believer since this is a matter of the sovereignty of God.

c) Supergrace — maximum growth resulting in occupation with Christ and God providing certain blessings. The involvement: non-meritorious volition expressed by the daily function of GAP, positive volition toward Bible doctrine. This time it is an attitude toward the written Word.

d) Surpassing grace (phase three) — called “the exceeding riches of his grace” in Ephesians 2:7. This is all that God will do for us in eternity. No volition is involved since the angelic conflict by that time has been terminated.

4. Illustrations of the supergrace life.

Abraham had supergrace, which means he had wealth, success, spiritual blessings. But there is one key in each illustration — supergrace sexual prosperity from which came a new race and many Gentile nations in the case of Abraham.

Joseph is a picture of supergrace promotion and prosperity with emphasis on ruling and blessing a Gentile empire which received its peak blessing under the administration of Joseph as Prime Minister. The key in Joseph’s case was a phenomenal administrative ability over an empire.

Moses is a picture of supergrace leadership making him the father of the Jewish nation.

David was so blessed of God in so many way that it would be hard to select a key were it not for the fact that up to this moment David is the greatest king who ever lived, and will be until the Lord Jesus Christ returns to break that record. So again, David had supergrace leadership but he also had everything else, the whole realm of supergrace blessings.

Isaiah in the realm of Bible doctrine represents the greatest information and knowledge over more subjects of doctrine of anyone in the Old Testament. Isaiah comes closer to representing the whole realm of doctrine as the apostle Paul does in the New Testament. He was the greatest prophet and greatest Bible teacher during the time of Israel’s kingdom.

Jeremiah is little different. He did not have all of the supergrace blessings that the others had. He represents supergrace blessings when one is in old age, supergrace blessings in time of national disaster, greatness under pressure.

Daniel represents supergrace blessing and promotion outside of the land.

5. The promotion of supergrace. Supergrace always means promotion — Psalm 84. The supergrace believer is God’s man for the crisis — 1 Samuel 17. Promotion comes at the point of supergrace.

6. The love problem in supergrace.

a) God loves every believer with a maximum love because of propitiation.

b) However, the believer does not love God until he knows Him.

c) No believer gets to know God apart from the consistent intake of Bible doctrine.

d) This means that the believer’s love varies according to the amount of doctrine in his soul.

e) The supergrace believer does love God. He has the capacity to love God, the ability to love God, from doctrine in the soul. Romans 8:28; Ephesians 3:19; 1 John 4:19.

7. The role of happiness in supergrace.

a) The key to supergrace is happiness or God’s +H given to the believer at that point.

b) Therefore the supergrace life is characterised by the happiness spectrum — all realms of happiness are found between ecstatics and tranquillity.

c) The same doctrine which provides +H provides the supergrace life.

d) The top floor of the ECS is the beginning of the supergrace life — Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16.

e) The fulfillment of +H through doctrine is the entrance into the supergrace life — 1 John 1:4.

8. The reality of the celebrityship of Jesus Christ. Remember that supergrace is so wonderful because for the first time the believer is occupied with the person of Jesus Christ. He understands who and what Christ is.

9. Areas of supergrace capacity.

a) Capacity for freedom. This comes from Bible doctrine — Romans 8:21; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1; James 1:25-2:12.

b) Capacity for life — 1 Samuel 17:47.

c) Capacity for love: Category #1, toward God — Deuteronomy 6:6; 30:20; Category #2, — Song of Solomon 8:7; Category #3 — 2 Samuel 1:26.

d) Capacity for happiness — Psalm 9:1,2; 21:1; 31:7; 43:4; 97:12; John 17:13; 1 John 1:4.

e) Capacity for suffering. This means we are always on top of any suffering that comes our way when we are in the supergrace life — 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.