Spiritual Growth
Spiritual Growth Is A Choice – Part One
The blessings enjoyed in Christ include not only redemption, but renewal... In baptism, we undergo a "washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit" - Ti 3:5. From baptism, we rise to "walk in newness of life" - Ro 6:4. The renewal we find in Christ involves the concept of spiritual growth.... Just as a healthy physical life is one of growth so is a healthy spiritual life a process of growth. Sadly, not all Christians grow spiritually.... Many have been Christians for years, with little change or improvement. They are no more, often less, useful to the Lord than when they first became Christians. Failing to grow, they become stagnant, like a pool of water. That is because "Spiritual Growth Is A Choice".... It doesn't happen by default (unlike physical growth). Spiritual growth (like emotional maturity) occurs only when we choose to grow. -- If we do not make that choice, and stick to it, there will be no spiritual growth!
To encourage us to make the right choice regarding spiritual growth, consider that "Spiritual Growth Is A Choice" commanded by God. This is implicitly stated in the Great Commission. The Great Commission is found in Mt 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."’ Jesus commanded His apostles to make disciples. Baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things He commanded. -- Implicit in the command to teach, is that disciples would be obedient learners, i.e., constantly growing as they learned and obeyed their Lord.
We find the command to grow explicitly in the apostolic epistles. Peter ends his second epistle with a command to grow - 2 Pe 3:18 “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.” We are to grow in grace. We are to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Peter begins his second epistle describing how we are to grow - 2 Pe 1:5-8 “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We are to be making every effort to add to our faith such graces as virtue, knowledge, self-control, etc. Abounding in these graces, being fruitful, which implies growth. -- Christians who did not grow, were sternly rebuked - He 5:12-6:1 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,” Spiritual growth is a not an option, reserved for a few select Christians. The Word of God commands us to grow!
We should also remember that "Spiritual Growth Is A Choice" that requires diligent effort unlike physical growth which is controlled by body hormones. People grow physically by default (unless there is some disorder). No effort is required on our part; we mature physically whether we want to or not. -- Don't think that just because you grow older, you are growing spiritually! Spiritual growth requires concentrated effort. Jesus said it requires labor - Jn 6:27 “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal."’ Paul wrote that it requires work, pressing on - Ph 2:12 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,”; 3:13-14 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Peter wrote that it requires diligence - 2 Pe 1:5 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”, 10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” (KJV) -- Like physical health, spiritual growth requires regular exercise - 1 Ti 4:7-8 “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
Spiritual growth is not easy. We must work at it, today, tomorrow, always. But we can take comfort in knowing that "Spiritual Growth Is A Choice" which is assisted by God. We are not alone in our efforts. While we work out our salvation, God is at work in us - Ph 2:12-13 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Just as He was with us in producing our new birth - Ti 3:5-6 “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,” -- God desires to complete the work He started when He saved us - Ph 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Thus far in this lesson we have learned that our salvation is a process of growing spiritually by our diligent obedience to grow, as commanded implicitly in the command Jesus gave in Mt 28:18-20. We have examined the instructions given in the apostolic epistles. In the next portion of this lesson we will look at the blessings derived through growing spiritually and how God will help us in that growth.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Saved to Serve - Part Two
Saved To Serve - Part Two
In order that we not be negligent in our service, we need to be aware of some hindrances to sevanthood. We may find ourselves serving the wrong master. Jesus warned we cannot serve both God and Mammon - Mt 6:24 "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Serving the wrong things will render us fruitless - Lk 8:14 "And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection." Paul illustrated we can only serve the one we obey - Ro 6:16 "Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
We may find ourselves placing limitations on our service. Some limit how, where, and when they will serve as Moses tried to do - Exo 3:10,11 "Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" Many will serve God, but only when convenient. Some limit who they will serve as Jonah tried to do - Jon 1:1-3 "Now the word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah."
Many will serve God, but not when it means serving others (especially people we don’t like). We may find ourselves possessing certain attitudes such as sluggishness and laziness - He 6:11,12 "And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fulness of hope even to the end: that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."; Mt 25:26 "But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter;" We may find ourselves with an attitude such as ingratitude - 2 Co 8:9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich."; Ph 2:5-7 "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;" Which often comes when we forget how graciously we have been served. We like service with a smile; are we willing to give service with a smile? Such as pride or self-centeredness as when self-pity affected Elijah and he went and hid in a cave - 1 Ki 19:13-18 "And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And Jehovah said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him." Or as when some preached Christ out of envy - Ph 1:15-18 "Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel; but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds. What then? only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." As when some seek for recognition, praise - Mt 6:1-4 "Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee." -- Humility and unselfishness are basic prerequisites for servanthood - Ac 20:19 "serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews;"; Ph 2:3-4 "doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others."
The Christian has been "Saved To Serve". Called to serve God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Called to serve his brethren and those in the world. -- It is a noble calling, one that we should accept with humility and gratitude. If one chooses not to serve God then they remain a slave to sin - Ro 6:16a "Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey;" And the end of such slavery is eternal death - Ro 6:16b "whether of sin unto death," But when one chooses to serve God their servitude leads to righteousness - Ro 6:16c "or of obedience unto righteousness?" The end of such service is eternal life - Ro 6:22 "But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life." May what the apostle Paul wrote of the brethren in Rome be true of all Christians today. "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." (Ro 6:17-18). Have you been set free from sin, that you might serve Jesus Christ? - Please read Ro 6:1-7
This will conclude this series of lessons on The Significance of Being a Christian. I hope that they have helped you recognize the signifacance of the choice you made when you became a Christian. My hope and prayer is that this will help you live a fuller and faithful life in Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Jim Nested
In order that we not be negligent in our service, we need to be aware of some hindrances to sevanthood. We may find ourselves serving the wrong master. Jesus warned we cannot serve both God and Mammon - Mt 6:24 "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Serving the wrong things will render us fruitless - Lk 8:14 "And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection." Paul illustrated we can only serve the one we obey - Ro 6:16 "Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
We may find ourselves placing limitations on our service. Some limit how, where, and when they will serve as Moses tried to do - Exo 3:10,11 "Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" Many will serve God, but only when convenient. Some limit who they will serve as Jonah tried to do - Jon 1:1-3 "Now the word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah."
Many will serve God, but not when it means serving others (especially people we don’t like). We may find ourselves possessing certain attitudes such as sluggishness and laziness - He 6:11,12 "And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fulness of hope even to the end: that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."; Mt 25:26 "But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter;" We may find ourselves with an attitude such as ingratitude - 2 Co 8:9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich."; Ph 2:5-7 "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;" Which often comes when we forget how graciously we have been served. We like service with a smile; are we willing to give service with a smile? Such as pride or self-centeredness as when self-pity affected Elijah and he went and hid in a cave - 1 Ki 19:13-18 "And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And Jehovah said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him." Or as when some preached Christ out of envy - Ph 1:15-18 "Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel; but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds. What then? only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." As when some seek for recognition, praise - Mt 6:1-4 "Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee." -- Humility and unselfishness are basic prerequisites for servanthood - Ac 20:19 "serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews;"; Ph 2:3-4 "doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others."
The Christian has been "Saved To Serve". Called to serve God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Called to serve his brethren and those in the world. -- It is a noble calling, one that we should accept with humility and gratitude. If one chooses not to serve God then they remain a slave to sin - Ro 6:16a "Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey;" And the end of such slavery is eternal death - Ro 6:16b "whether of sin unto death," But when one chooses to serve God their servitude leads to righteousness - Ro 6:16c "or of obedience unto righteousness?" The end of such service is eternal life - Ro 6:22 "But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life." May what the apostle Paul wrote of the brethren in Rome be true of all Christians today. "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." (Ro 6:17-18). Have you been set free from sin, that you might serve Jesus Christ? - Please read Ro 6:1-7
This will conclude this series of lessons on The Significance of Being a Christian. I hope that they have helped you recognize the signifacance of the choice you made when you became a Christian. My hope and prayer is that this will help you live a fuller and faithful life in Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Jim Nested
Monday, February 12, 2007
Saved to Serve - Part One
The Significance Of Being A Christian
Saved To Serve - Part One
Please note that in the following lesson all scripture text will be taken from the American Standard Version rather than the Contemporary English Version as in previous lessons. This is for consistency in the use of the word "servant" in the text.
We have seen throughout this series that the Christian is truly blessed...
"A person reborn", he is provided the opportunity to live a new life. "Belonging to the Lord", he is God’s special child. "Living by faith", he walks with God. "Consecrated to God", he has been set apart to live a holy life. "Guarded by the power of God", he is not alone in his struggle against the powers of Satan and the evil world in which we live. But with blessings come responsibilities. There are obligations that come with our new opportunities. There are duties that come with our new calling. Indeed, the Christian is a person who has been called to serve God. We have been "Saved To Serve" - He 9:14 "But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death."; 12:28 "We should be grateful that we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect." It is only "reasonable" that we be expected to serve God - Ro 12:1 "Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God." Each person has a ministry (service) we are expected to fulfill - Co 4:17 "Remind Archippus to do the work that the Lord has given him to do."; 2 Ti 4:5 "But you must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard to tell the good news and to do your job well." Thus the concept of "servitude" or "servanthood" is a significant part of what it means to be a Christian.
That our service to God might be more acceptable and fruitful, consider the greatness of servanthood. Being a servant of God is a great honor. The title of "servant" was what many great men in the O.T. were called. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob - Deu 9:27 "Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin," Moses - 1 Ki 8:53 "For thou didst separate them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord Jehovah." Joshua - Josh 24:29 "And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, being a hundred and ten years old." Caleb - Num 14:24 "but my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it." Job - Job 1:8 "And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil." Isaiah - Isa 20:3 "And Jehovah said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia;" The prophets - Jer 7:25 "Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:"
Likewise, the New Testament writers referred to themselves as "servants". James - Ja 1:1 "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting." Paul - Ro 1:1 "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,"; Ph 1:1 "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:" Peter - 2 Pe 1:1 "Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ:" Jude - Ju 1 "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:" John - Re 1:1 "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John;"
Even Jesus came to serve. He was foretold to come as the "Suffering Servant" - Isa 52:13-53:12. He "did not come to be served, but to serve" - Mt 20:28 "even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."; Ph 2:7 "but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;" Even as our Lord and Master, He exemplified the servitude He desires of His disciples - Jn 13:12-17 "So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them." What a honor, if God were to look upon us as "His servants" as He did these great men, including His own Son, Jesus Christ!
He will, if we put into practice the concepts of servanthood. It involves complete obedience in a slave-master relationship. The slave knows no law but his master's word. He has no rights of his own. He is the absolute possession of his master. He is bound to give his master unquestioning obedience. Does this describe our relationship to Christ? It should, especially in light of 1 Co 6:19-20 "Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body." We have to come to Jesus on HIS terms, not our own - Lk 6:46 "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"; Mt 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven."
Coming to Jesus involves absolute humility otherwise, absolute obedience is not possible. When we have a humble opinion of ourselves, we are receptive to the idea of complete obedience. For example, consider Paul’s self-estimation - 1 Co 15:9-10 "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."; Ep 3:8 "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;"; 1 Ti 1:15 "Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:" Does this describe our relationship to Christ and His Will? Jesus said it should! - Lk 17:10 "Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do." But if we murmur or complain about what Jesus tells us to do, can we really be considered "servants"?
Coming to Jesus involves absolute loyalty. Since we become servants freely, it should be expected that we:
Are to be loyal to Him first - Ga 1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ." Do not consider our own profit or preference important, but that of the One we freely serve! It is amazing how any can claim to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, while:
Complaining about having to do the will of God, OR being negligent or slothful in carrying out His will. Yet some act as though they are being forced against their own will! They don't "have to" serve the Lord Jesus. Of course, the alternative is not very inviting. If we don’t serve Jesus, by default we serve Satan, and are destined for hell! But God by His grace has offered salvation, and how dare we ever grumble or complain that He calls us to a life of service in grateful appreciation!
In order that we not be negligent in our service, we need to be aware of some hindrances to sevanthood. We will look at these in Part Two of our lesson.
Saved To Serve - Part One
Please note that in the following lesson all scripture text will be taken from the American Standard Version rather than the Contemporary English Version as in previous lessons. This is for consistency in the use of the word "servant" in the text.
We have seen throughout this series that the Christian is truly blessed...
"A person reborn", he is provided the opportunity to live a new life. "Belonging to the Lord", he is God’s special child. "Living by faith", he walks with God. "Consecrated to God", he has been set apart to live a holy life. "Guarded by the power of God", he is not alone in his struggle against the powers of Satan and the evil world in which we live. But with blessings come responsibilities. There are obligations that come with our new opportunities. There are duties that come with our new calling. Indeed, the Christian is a person who has been called to serve God. We have been "Saved To Serve" - He 9:14 "But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death."; 12:28 "We should be grateful that we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect." It is only "reasonable" that we be expected to serve God - Ro 12:1 "Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God." Each person has a ministry (service) we are expected to fulfill - Co 4:17 "Remind Archippus to do the work that the Lord has given him to do."; 2 Ti 4:5 "But you must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard to tell the good news and to do your job well." Thus the concept of "servitude" or "servanthood" is a significant part of what it means to be a Christian.
That our service to God might be more acceptable and fruitful, consider the greatness of servanthood. Being a servant of God is a great honor. The title of "servant" was what many great men in the O.T. were called. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob - Deu 9:27 "Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin," Moses - 1 Ki 8:53 "For thou didst separate them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord Jehovah." Joshua - Josh 24:29 "And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, being a hundred and ten years old." Caleb - Num 14:24 "but my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it." Job - Job 1:8 "And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil." Isaiah - Isa 20:3 "And Jehovah said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia;" The prophets - Jer 7:25 "Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:"
Likewise, the New Testament writers referred to themselves as "servants". James - Ja 1:1 "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting." Paul - Ro 1:1 "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,"; Ph 1:1 "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:" Peter - 2 Pe 1:1 "Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ:" Jude - Ju 1 "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:" John - Re 1:1 "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John;"
Even Jesus came to serve. He was foretold to come as the "Suffering Servant" - Isa 52:13-53:12. He "did not come to be served, but to serve" - Mt 20:28 "even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."; Ph 2:7 "but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;" Even as our Lord and Master, He exemplified the servitude He desires of His disciples - Jn 13:12-17 "So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them." What a honor, if God were to look upon us as "His servants" as He did these great men, including His own Son, Jesus Christ!
He will, if we put into practice the concepts of servanthood. It involves complete obedience in a slave-master relationship. The slave knows no law but his master's word. He has no rights of his own. He is the absolute possession of his master. He is bound to give his master unquestioning obedience. Does this describe our relationship to Christ? It should, especially in light of 1 Co 6:19-20 "Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body." We have to come to Jesus on HIS terms, not our own - Lk 6:46 "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"; Mt 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven."
Coming to Jesus involves absolute humility otherwise, absolute obedience is not possible. When we have a humble opinion of ourselves, we are receptive to the idea of complete obedience. For example, consider Paul’s self-estimation - 1 Co 15:9-10 "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."; Ep 3:8 "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;"; 1 Ti 1:15 "Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:" Does this describe our relationship to Christ and His Will? Jesus said it should! - Lk 17:10 "Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do." But if we murmur or complain about what Jesus tells us to do, can we really be considered "servants"?
Coming to Jesus involves absolute loyalty. Since we become servants freely, it should be expected that we:
Are to be loyal to Him first - Ga 1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ." Do not consider our own profit or preference important, but that of the One we freely serve! It is amazing how any can claim to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, while:
Complaining about having to do the will of God, OR being negligent or slothful in carrying out His will. Yet some act as though they are being forced against their own will! They don't "have to" serve the Lord Jesus. Of course, the alternative is not very inviting. If we don’t serve Jesus, by default we serve Satan, and are destined for hell! But God by His grace has offered salvation, and how dare we ever grumble or complain that He calls us to a life of service in grateful appreciation!
In order that we not be negligent in our service, we need to be aware of some hindrances to sevanthood. We will look at these in Part Two of our lesson.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Guarded By The Power of God - Part Two
Guarded By The Power Of God - Part Two
The Bible teaches the security of the believer. No one can snatch a believer out of the hand of God - Jn 10:28-29 "and I give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost. No one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father gave them to me, and he is greater than all others. No one can snatch them from his hands," Nothing can separate a believer from the love of Christ - Ro 8:35-39 "Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death? It is exactly as the Scriptures say, "For you we face death all day long. We are like sheep on their way to be butchered." In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love--not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!" -- But note carefully: these promises are for one who is a believer! The Bible also teaches a believer may become an unbeliever - He 3:12 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God." A believer can develop "an evil heart of unbelief". In so doing, such a person "departs from the living God"’ -- When a believer becomes an unbeliever, the promises of security for the believer are no longer applicable! This explains the many warnings in the Scriptures to remain faithful - Re 2:10 "Don't worry about what you will suffer. The devil will throw some of you into jail, and you will be tested and made to suffer for ten days. But if you are faithful until you die, I will reward you with a glorious life."
The Christian’s responsibility is to take to heart the many admonitions in Scripture:
To take heed - 1 Co 10:12 "Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall."
Gird up the loins of your mind - 1 Pe 1:13 "Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"
Discipline yourself - 1 Co 9:27 "I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others."
Root yourself in Christ and His love - Ep 3:17 "and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love."; Co 2:7 "Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful."
Put on the armor of God, that you might stand - Ep 6:10-18 "Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people."
Be strong in the grace of the Lord - 2 Ti 2:1 "Timothy, my child, Christ Jesus is kind, and you must let him make you strong."
Stand fast in the faith - 1 Co 16:13 "Keep alert. Be firm in your faith. Stay brave and strong."
Resist the devil - Ja 4:7 "Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you."; 1 Pe 5:8-9 "Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord's followers are suffering just as you are."
Take advantage of activities conducive to remaining faithful:
Daily prayer
Daily Bible study
Frequent association with fellow Christians
Attendance at the congregational assemblies
Development of personal usefulness to the Lord
Involvement in the work of the Lord
Acceptance of correction, and repentance as necessary
Yes, the significance of being a Christian is that one is "Guarded By The Power Of God"...
In the spiritual warfare that we face, we can stand strong "in the power of His might" - Ep
6:10-13. In resisting the devil, God will "perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle" us - 1 Pe 5:9-10. But never lose sight of the importance of our faith. Our resistance must be "steadfast in the faith" - 1 Pe 5:9. We are "kept by the power of God through faith" - 1 Pe 1:5. If we seek to enjoy being "Guarded By The Power Of God", then let us not forget the admonition of our glorified Lord: "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Re 2:10)
Are you remaining faithful to the Lord?
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" That "Belong’s To The Lord", "living by faith", being "Consecrated To God" then we need to repent and take advantage of the wonderful blessings from our Lord and Savior. Then we can be "Guarded By The Power Of God". Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at: jimnewy@classicnet.net
This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002
The Bible teaches the security of the believer. No one can snatch a believer out of the hand of God - Jn 10:28-29 "and I give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost. No one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father gave them to me, and he is greater than all others. No one can snatch them from his hands," Nothing can separate a believer from the love of Christ - Ro 8:35-39 "Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death? It is exactly as the Scriptures say, "For you we face death all day long. We are like sheep on their way to be butchered." In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love--not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!" -- But note carefully: these promises are for one who is a believer! The Bible also teaches a believer may become an unbeliever - He 3:12 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God." A believer can develop "an evil heart of unbelief". In so doing, such a person "departs from the living God"’ -- When a believer becomes an unbeliever, the promises of security for the believer are no longer applicable! This explains the many warnings in the Scriptures to remain faithful - Re 2:10 "Don't worry about what you will suffer. The devil will throw some of you into jail, and you will be tested and made to suffer for ten days. But if you are faithful until you die, I will reward you with a glorious life."
The Christian’s responsibility is to take to heart the many admonitions in Scripture:
To take heed - 1 Co 10:12 "Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall."
Gird up the loins of your mind - 1 Pe 1:13 "Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"
Discipline yourself - 1 Co 9:27 "I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others."
Root yourself in Christ and His love - Ep 3:17 "and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love."; Co 2:7 "Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful."
Put on the armor of God, that you might stand - Ep 6:10-18 "Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people."
Be strong in the grace of the Lord - 2 Ti 2:1 "Timothy, my child, Christ Jesus is kind, and you must let him make you strong."
Stand fast in the faith - 1 Co 16:13 "Keep alert. Be firm in your faith. Stay brave and strong."
Resist the devil - Ja 4:7 "Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you."; 1 Pe 5:8-9 "Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord's followers are suffering just as you are."
Take advantage of activities conducive to remaining faithful:
Daily prayer
Daily Bible study
Frequent association with fellow Christians
Attendance at the congregational assemblies
Development of personal usefulness to the Lord
Involvement in the work of the Lord
Acceptance of correction, and repentance as necessary
Yes, the significance of being a Christian is that one is "Guarded By The Power Of God"...
In the spiritual warfare that we face, we can stand strong "in the power of His might" - Ep
6:10-13. In resisting the devil, God will "perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle" us - 1 Pe 5:9-10. But never lose sight of the importance of our faith. Our resistance must be "steadfast in the faith" - 1 Pe 5:9. We are "kept by the power of God through faith" - 1 Pe 1:5. If we seek to enjoy being "Guarded By The Power Of God", then let us not forget the admonition of our glorified Lord: "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Re 2:10)
Are you remaining faithful to the Lord?
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" That "Belong’s To The Lord", "living by faith", being "Consecrated To God" then we need to repent and take advantage of the wonderful blessings from our Lord and Savior. Then we can be "Guarded By The Power Of God". Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at: jimnewy@classicnet.net
This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002
Sunday, January 28, 2007
The Significance Of Being A Christian
Guarded By The Power Of God - Part One
Reviewing what we have seen thus far in this series, a Christian is "a person reborn", living in newness of life. One that now "belongs to the Lord", God’s special child sojourning in this world as a pilgrim. Is "living by faith", trusting in the Lord and desiring to be a trustworthy servant. Is "consecrated to God", set apart by the Spirit to pursue holiness. This does not mean being a Christian is easy. The world in which we sojourn does not encourage godly living. There are powerful forces that are bent on our spiritual destruction. Of course, this is true whether we are Christians or not, but the significance of being a Christian includes help that others do not have, from our Father in heaven, who is concerned for the child that now belongs to Him. His own special protection, available to those who remain faithful to Him. Peter writes of this protection in 1 Pe 1:5 "who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." He refers to how we are "kept by the power of God through faith..." He employs a military term meaning "to mount guard as a sentinel; figuratively, to hem in, protect" (Strongs) -- Therefore we can rightly say that a Christian is "Guarded By The Power Of God"!
To appreciate the need for such protection, the nature of it, and how we may ensure it in our lives will be the subject of our study. We begin by noting Satan’s goal: Our Destruction. Our adversary, Satan is like a roaring lion - 1 Pe 5:8 "Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour," He is on the prowl, seeking whom he may devour. He often appears as an angel of light - 2 Co 11:14 "And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light." Working through his ministers - 2 Co 11:15 "It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works." Misleading through false doctrines - 1 Ti 4:1-3 "God's Spirit clearly says that in the last days many people will turn from their faith. They will be fooled by evil spirits and by teachings that come from demons. They will also be fooled by the false claims of liars whose consciences have lost all feeling. These liars will forbid people to marry or to eat certain foods. But God created these foods to be eaten with thankful hearts by his followers who know the truth."
There is a need for Christians to beware. Some say there is no need to be concerned by proclaiming, "once saved, always saved", or "the impossibility of apostasy". But this would make all the warnings in the Bible pointless. The Bible warns about the danger of becoming hardened - He 3:12-14 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end." Hardened by "the deceitfulness of sin". Who better equipped to harden us than he "who deceives the whole world"? - Re 12:8-9 "But the dragon lost the battle. It and its angels were forced out of their places in heaven and were thrown down to the earth. Yes, that old snake and his angels were thrown out of heaven! That snake, who fools everyone on earth, is known as the devil and Satan." Because the danger is real, the need to "resist him" (1 Pe 5:9 "But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord's followers are suffering just as you are.") who seeks our destruction is very
real! But we are not alone in our resistance; "the God of all grace" (1 Pe 5:10) stands ready to
assist us.
This leads to our next point of God’s provisions for the Christian: Our Safe Keeping. God is our helper. He provides Jesus Christ:
As our Mediator - 1 Ti 2:5 "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus," (ASV)
As our Advocate - 1 Jn 2:1,2 "My children, I am writing this so that you won't sin. But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing, and he will speak to the Father for us. Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world's people."
As our merciful and faithful High Priest - He 2:17-18 "He had to be one of us, so that he could serve God as our merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness of our sins. And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted."
Whose blood cleanses us from our sins - 1 Jn 1:7-10 "But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away. If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and his message isn't in our hearts."
He provides other blessings designed to keep us safe:
Our public assemblies and mutual edification - He 10:24-25 "We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer."
Our mutual edification - He 3:12-13 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn."
The Scriptures - 2 Ti 3:16-17 "Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. The Scriptures train God's servants to do all kinds of good deeds."
Prayer - Ph 4:6-7 "Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel."
He therefore provides a way of escape:
In some cases, to avoid temptation altogether - Mt 6:13 "Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil."; 26:41 "Stay awake and pray that you won't be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak."’
In other cases, to bear up and overcome the temptation - 1 Co 10:13 "You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations."
God is our victory. Our confidence comes from God’s power, not our own - Ph 4:13 "Christ gives me the strength to face anything." He provides power that is greater than Satan - Ep 3:16,20 "God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers" "I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen."; 1 Jn 2:13-14 "Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning. Young people, I am writing you, because you have defeated the evil one. Children, I am writing you, because you have known the Father. Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning. Young people, I am writing you, because you are strong. God's message is firm in your hearts, and you have defeated the evil one."; 4:4 "Children, you belong to God, and you have defeated these enemies. God's Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one that is in the world." Yes, it is God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ (1 Co 15:57 "But thank God for letting our Lord Jesus Christ give us the victory!")! By His grace we are "Guarded By The Power Of God".
But that such grace might not be received in vain (2 Co 6:1 "We work together with God, and we beg you to make good use of God's kindness to you."), we need to remember our responsibility: Remain Faithful.
We will continue this lesson in a second part looking at what our responsibility as Christians is in order to remain faithful.
Guarded By The Power Of God - Part One
Reviewing what we have seen thus far in this series, a Christian is "a person reborn", living in newness of life. One that now "belongs to the Lord", God’s special child sojourning in this world as a pilgrim. Is "living by faith", trusting in the Lord and desiring to be a trustworthy servant. Is "consecrated to God", set apart by the Spirit to pursue holiness. This does not mean being a Christian is easy. The world in which we sojourn does not encourage godly living. There are powerful forces that are bent on our spiritual destruction. Of course, this is true whether we are Christians or not, but the significance of being a Christian includes help that others do not have, from our Father in heaven, who is concerned for the child that now belongs to Him. His own special protection, available to those who remain faithful to Him. Peter writes of this protection in 1 Pe 1:5 "who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." He refers to how we are "kept by the power of God through faith..." He employs a military term meaning "to mount guard as a sentinel; figuratively, to hem in, protect" (Strongs) -- Therefore we can rightly say that a Christian is "Guarded By The Power Of God"!
To appreciate the need for such protection, the nature of it, and how we may ensure it in our lives will be the subject of our study. We begin by noting Satan’s goal: Our Destruction. Our adversary, Satan is like a roaring lion - 1 Pe 5:8 "Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour," He is on the prowl, seeking whom he may devour. He often appears as an angel of light - 2 Co 11:14 "And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light." Working through his ministers - 2 Co 11:15 "It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works." Misleading through false doctrines - 1 Ti 4:1-3 "God's Spirit clearly says that in the last days many people will turn from their faith. They will be fooled by evil spirits and by teachings that come from demons. They will also be fooled by the false claims of liars whose consciences have lost all feeling. These liars will forbid people to marry or to eat certain foods. But God created these foods to be eaten with thankful hearts by his followers who know the truth."
There is a need for Christians to beware. Some say there is no need to be concerned by proclaiming, "once saved, always saved", or "the impossibility of apostasy". But this would make all the warnings in the Bible pointless. The Bible warns about the danger of becoming hardened - He 3:12-14 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end." Hardened by "the deceitfulness of sin". Who better equipped to harden us than he "who deceives the whole world"? - Re 12:8-9 "But the dragon lost the battle. It and its angels were forced out of their places in heaven and were thrown down to the earth. Yes, that old snake and his angels were thrown out of heaven! That snake, who fools everyone on earth, is known as the devil and Satan." Because the danger is real, the need to "resist him" (1 Pe 5:9 "But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord's followers are suffering just as you are.") who seeks our destruction is very
real! But we are not alone in our resistance; "the God of all grace" (1 Pe 5:10) stands ready to
assist us.
This leads to our next point of God’s provisions for the Christian: Our Safe Keeping. God is our helper. He provides Jesus Christ:
As our Mediator - 1 Ti 2:5 "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus," (ASV)
As our Advocate - 1 Jn 2:1,2 "My children, I am writing this so that you won't sin. But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing, and he will speak to the Father for us. Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world's people."
As our merciful and faithful High Priest - He 2:17-18 "He had to be one of us, so that he could serve God as our merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness of our sins. And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted."
Whose blood cleanses us from our sins - 1 Jn 1:7-10 "But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away. If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and his message isn't in our hearts."
He provides other blessings designed to keep us safe:
Our public assemblies and mutual edification - He 10:24-25 "We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer."
Our mutual edification - He 3:12-13 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn."
The Scriptures - 2 Ti 3:16-17 "Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. The Scriptures train God's servants to do all kinds of good deeds."
Prayer - Ph 4:6-7 "Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel."
He therefore provides a way of escape:
In some cases, to avoid temptation altogether - Mt 6:13 "Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil."; 26:41 "Stay awake and pray that you won't be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak."’
In other cases, to bear up and overcome the temptation - 1 Co 10:13 "You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations."
God is our victory. Our confidence comes from God’s power, not our own - Ph 4:13 "Christ gives me the strength to face anything." He provides power that is greater than Satan - Ep 3:16,20 "God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers" "I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen."; 1 Jn 2:13-14 "Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning. Young people, I am writing you, because you have defeated the evil one. Children, I am writing you, because you have known the Father. Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning. Young people, I am writing you, because you are strong. God's message is firm in your hearts, and you have defeated the evil one."; 4:4 "Children, you belong to God, and you have defeated these enemies. God's Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one that is in the world." Yes, it is God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ (1 Co 15:57 "But thank God for letting our Lord Jesus Christ give us the victory!")! By His grace we are "Guarded By The Power Of God".
But that such grace might not be received in vain (2 Co 6:1 "We work together with God, and we beg you to make good use of God's kindness to you."), we need to remember our responsibility: Remain Faithful.
We will continue this lesson in a second part looking at what our responsibility as Christians is in order to remain faithful.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Consecrated To God
The Significance Of Being A Christian
Consecrated To God
We have begun to see that there is much significance to being a Christian. A Christian is "a person reborn", experiencing a new creation that leads to a new life. A Christian now "belongs to the Lord", God’s special child that lives as a pilgrim, who sojourns in this world "living by faith", trusting in the Lord and being a trustworthy servant. Another significant fact about being a Christian involves the concept of "sanctification". The words "sanctify" and "sanctification" are translated from the Greek "hagiazo". It means to make holy, to set apart for a special purpose; related words include holiness, consecration, and saint. As we shall see, this pertains to both our standing before God and our conduct before God. Thus a Christian is "Consecrated To God".
As we take a closer look at this aspect of being a Christian, let’s first consider the progress of sanctification. All Christians are sanctified. Some understand sanctification as "all at once" or "in two stages", as in the Wesleyan concept of "entire sanctification". Some even suggesting that once "sanctified", one can no longer sin. The Biblical evidence suggests otherwise. The church at Corinth was made of people who were "sanctified in Christ Jesus" - 1 Co 1:2 "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:" (KJV)
They had been "sanctified" - 1 Co 6:11 "And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (KJV) -- Note the past tense. Yet many of these people were still "babes in Christ" and "carnal" - 1 Co 3:1-3 "My friends, you are acting like the people of this world. That's why I could not speak to you as spiritual people. You are like babies as far as your faith in Christ is concerned. So I had to treat you like babies and feed you milk. You could not take solid food, and you still cannot, because you are not yet spiritual. You are jealous and argue with each other. This proves that you are not spiritual and that you are acting like the people of this world."
They were filled with envy, strife and divisions. They were acting carnally, as mere men. Thus, while Christians may not be perfect, they are still called "saints". Note the use of the word "saint" in addressing all Christians - Ro 1:7 "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."; 1 Co 1:2 ""Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:"; Ph 1:1 "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:"; Co 1:2 "To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (KJV). Because they had been "set apart" to be "God’s holy people", it was appropriate to be called "saints" - 1 Pe 2:9 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done." -- This pertains to our standing before God; we are blessed to be considered His holy people.
Christians are also being sanctified. Sanctification is an ongoing process. Those in Christ are "being sanctified" - He 2:11 "For both he that sanctifies and they who are being sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (NKJV). It begins at conversion, and continues as we grow in the faith. As Paul prayed for the Thessalonians: "may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely" - 1 Th 5:23. Thus Christians are to pursue sanctification (holiness). As the Hebrews were admonished to do - He 12:14 "Try to live at peace with everyone! Live a clean life. If you don't, you will never see the Lord." As Paul commanded the Corinthians - 2 Co 7:1 "My friends, God has made us these promises. So we should stay away from everything that keeps our bodies and spirits from being clean. We should honor God and try to be completely like him." Because God is holy, so we are to be holy in our conduct - 1 Pe 1:15-16 "Always live as God's holy people should, because God is the one who chose you, and he is holy. That's why the Scriptures say, "I am the holy God, and you must be holy too."’ -- This pertains to our conduct before God, our responsibility to live holy lives. God has therefore called Christians to be holy, set apart, sanctified. In obeying the gospel we have been sanctified; but if we are truly "Consecrated To God", then we will pursue and perfect our holiness (i.e., our consecration).
To assist us in this goal, let’s consider the process of sanctification. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit. Note how sanctification is tied in with the work of the Holy Spirit:
"sanctified by the Holy Spirit" - Ro 15:16
"sanctified...by the Spirit of our God" - 1 Co 6:11
"sanctification by the Spirit" - 2 Th 2:13
"the sanctifying work of the Spirit" - 1 Pe 1:2 (NASV)
The Holy Spirit naturally has an important role in our ongoing sanctification, because He was instrumental in our spiritual regeneration when we become Christians - Ti 3:5-6 "He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit." The Spirit is the instrumental agent by which God strengthens the inner man - Ep 3:16 "God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers"
How does the Spirit accomplishes His work of ongoing sanctification? Read on...
Sanctification is also the work of the Word of God. Note that sanctification is also said to be tied in with the Word of God:
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." - Jn 17:17
"that He might sanctify...by the word" - Ep 5:26
Since the Word of God is said to be "the sword of the Spirit" (Ep 6:17), the Word is evidently the instrument used by the Spirit to help bring about our sanctification. One who sets their mind on things the Spirit has revealed through the Word is setting their mind on "the things of the Spirit" When we set our minds on "the things of the Spirit" (the Word of God), we are then able to "live according to the Spirit" - Ro 8:5. Led by the Spirit through the Word of God, we will then produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, instead of the works of the flesh - Ga 5:16-22 "If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires. The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should. But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you. People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom. God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways." -- If we wish to live holy, sanctified lives, we must allow the Spirit to do His work through the Word of God!
When a Christian understands that he or she is "a person reborn" who now "belongs to the Lord" and is "living by faith" they should have no trouble accepting the idea that they are also "consecrated to God". Do we appreciate the privilege of being "Consecrated To God"? That God has blessed us to be part of "a holy nation"? That God has called us to holiness, because He is holy? That having sanctified us, He desires to sanctify us completely?
-- That He does this because He desires to dwell among us? - cf. 2 Co 6:17-18 "The Lord also says, "Leave them and stay away! Don't touch anything that isn't clean. Then I will welcome you and be your Father. You will be my sons and my daughters, as surely as I am God, the All-Powerful."’
If we do, then we will take to heart the admonition of Paul:
"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2 Co 7:1). Are we perfecting holiness in the fear of God?
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" That "Belong’s To The Lord", "living by faith", being "Consecrated To God" then we need to repent and take advantage of the wonderful blessings from our Lord and Savior. Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at jimnewy@classinet.net
This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002
Consecrated To God
We have begun to see that there is much significance to being a Christian. A Christian is "a person reborn", experiencing a new creation that leads to a new life. A Christian now "belongs to the Lord", God’s special child that lives as a pilgrim, who sojourns in this world "living by faith", trusting in the Lord and being a trustworthy servant. Another significant fact about being a Christian involves the concept of "sanctification". The words "sanctify" and "sanctification" are translated from the Greek "hagiazo". It means to make holy, to set apart for a special purpose; related words include holiness, consecration, and saint. As we shall see, this pertains to both our standing before God and our conduct before God. Thus a Christian is "Consecrated To God".
As we take a closer look at this aspect of being a Christian, let’s first consider the progress of sanctification. All Christians are sanctified. Some understand sanctification as "all at once" or "in two stages", as in the Wesleyan concept of "entire sanctification". Some even suggesting that once "sanctified", one can no longer sin. The Biblical evidence suggests otherwise. The church at Corinth was made of people who were "sanctified in Christ Jesus" - 1 Co 1:2 "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:" (KJV)
They had been "sanctified" - 1 Co 6:11 "And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (KJV) -- Note the past tense. Yet many of these people were still "babes in Christ" and "carnal" - 1 Co 3:1-3 "My friends, you are acting like the people of this world. That's why I could not speak to you as spiritual people. You are like babies as far as your faith in Christ is concerned. So I had to treat you like babies and feed you milk. You could not take solid food, and you still cannot, because you are not yet spiritual. You are jealous and argue with each other. This proves that you are not spiritual and that you are acting like the people of this world."
They were filled with envy, strife and divisions. They were acting carnally, as mere men. Thus, while Christians may not be perfect, they are still called "saints". Note the use of the word "saint" in addressing all Christians - Ro 1:7 "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."; 1 Co 1:2 ""Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:"; Ph 1:1 "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:"; Co 1:2 "To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (KJV). Because they had been "set apart" to be "God’s holy people", it was appropriate to be called "saints" - 1 Pe 2:9 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done." -- This pertains to our standing before God; we are blessed to be considered His holy people.
Christians are also being sanctified. Sanctification is an ongoing process. Those in Christ are "being sanctified" - He 2:11 "For both he that sanctifies and they who are being sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (NKJV). It begins at conversion, and continues as we grow in the faith. As Paul prayed for the Thessalonians: "may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely" - 1 Th 5:23. Thus Christians are to pursue sanctification (holiness). As the Hebrews were admonished to do - He 12:14 "Try to live at peace with everyone! Live a clean life. If you don't, you will never see the Lord." As Paul commanded the Corinthians - 2 Co 7:1 "My friends, God has made us these promises. So we should stay away from everything that keeps our bodies and spirits from being clean. We should honor God and try to be completely like him." Because God is holy, so we are to be holy in our conduct - 1 Pe 1:15-16 "Always live as God's holy people should, because God is the one who chose you, and he is holy. That's why the Scriptures say, "I am the holy God, and you must be holy too."’ -- This pertains to our conduct before God, our responsibility to live holy lives. God has therefore called Christians to be holy, set apart, sanctified. In obeying the gospel we have been sanctified; but if we are truly "Consecrated To God", then we will pursue and perfect our holiness (i.e., our consecration).
To assist us in this goal, let’s consider the process of sanctification. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit. Note how sanctification is tied in with the work of the Holy Spirit:
"sanctified by the Holy Spirit" - Ro 15:16
"sanctified...by the Spirit of our God" - 1 Co 6:11
"sanctification by the Spirit" - 2 Th 2:13
"the sanctifying work of the Spirit" - 1 Pe 1:2 (NASV)
The Holy Spirit naturally has an important role in our ongoing sanctification, because He was instrumental in our spiritual regeneration when we become Christians - Ti 3:5-6 "He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit." The Spirit is the instrumental agent by which God strengthens the inner man - Ep 3:16 "God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers"
How does the Spirit accomplishes His work of ongoing sanctification? Read on...
Sanctification is also the work of the Word of God. Note that sanctification is also said to be tied in with the Word of God:
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." - Jn 17:17
"that He might sanctify...by the word" - Ep 5:26
Since the Word of God is said to be "the sword of the Spirit" (Ep 6:17), the Word is evidently the instrument used by the Spirit to help bring about our sanctification. One who sets their mind on things the Spirit has revealed through the Word is setting their mind on "the things of the Spirit" When we set our minds on "the things of the Spirit" (the Word of God), we are then able to "live according to the Spirit" - Ro 8:5. Led by the Spirit through the Word of God, we will then produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, instead of the works of the flesh - Ga 5:16-22 "If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires. The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should. But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you. People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom. God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways." -- If we wish to live holy, sanctified lives, we must allow the Spirit to do His work through the Word of God!
When a Christian understands that he or she is "a person reborn" who now "belongs to the Lord" and is "living by faith" they should have no trouble accepting the idea that they are also "consecrated to God". Do we appreciate the privilege of being "Consecrated To God"? That God has blessed us to be part of "a holy nation"? That God has called us to holiness, because He is holy? That having sanctified us, He desires to sanctify us completely?
-- That He does this because He desires to dwell among us? - cf. 2 Co 6:17-18 "The Lord also says, "Leave them and stay away! Don't touch anything that isn't clean. Then I will welcome you and be your Father. You will be my sons and my daughters, as surely as I am God, the All-Powerful."’
If we do, then we will take to heart the admonition of Paul:
"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2 Co 7:1). Are we perfecting holiness in the fear of God?
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" That "Belong’s To The Lord", "living by faith", being "Consecrated To God" then we need to repent and take advantage of the wonderful blessings from our Lord and Savior. Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at jimnewy@classinet.net
This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Living By Faith
The Significance Of Being A Christian
Living By Faith
An important aspect of being a Christian involves the element of "faith". The gospel to which a person responds in becoming a Christian is called "the faith" - Ju 3 "My dear friends, I really wanted to write you about God's saving power at work in our lives. But instead, I must write and ask you to defend the faith that God has once for all given to his people." Those who obeyed the gospel have been "faithful to the Lord" - Ac 16:15 "Then after she and her family were baptized, she kept on begging us, "If you think I really do have faith in the Lord, come stay in my home." Finally, we accepted her invitation."; Co 1:2 "To God's people who live in Colossae and are faithful followers of Christ. I pray that God our Father will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!" Christians are called or referred to as "the household of faith" - Ga 6:10 "So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith."
Indeed, "faith" is the underlying principle of all the Christian’s conduct. It is fundamental to our salvation in Christ - Ro 1:16-17 "I am proud of the good news! It is God's powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. The good news tells how God accepts everyone who has faith, but only those who have faith. It is just as the Scriptures say, "The people God accepts because of their faith will live."’ It is central to the life we now live in Christ - Ga 2:20 "I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me."; 2 Co 5:7 "But we live by faith, not by what we see." Yet the nature of faith and its importance in the life of a Christian is often misunderstood and is often neglected.
As we continue to examine "The Significance Of Being A Christian", we therefore wish to emphasize that it means "Living By Faith"! What that entails may be clearer as we first define the meaning of faith. Faith involves the idea of belief. The certainty or conviction that one has in some truth or proposition. For example, believing in things concerning Jesus and His kingdom - Ac 8:12 "But when they believed what Philip was saying about God's kingdom and about the name of Jesus Christ, they were all baptized." Such faith, or conviction, comes from the Word of God - Ro 10:17 "No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ."; also Jn 20:30-31 "Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life."
Faith involves the idea of confidence, the willingness to place one’s trust and reliance on someone else. For example, placing our trust in God, that He is reliable - Ro 4:3 "The Scriptures say, "God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him."’, 20-22 "But Abraham never doubted or questioned God's promise. His faith made him strong, and he gave all the credit to God. Abraham was certain that God could do what he had promised. So God accepted him, just as we read in the Scriptures." We are to have similar trust in God - 1 Pe 4:19 "If you suffer for obeying God, you must have complete faith in your faithful Creator and keep on doing right."
Faith involves the idea of fidelity, that one is loyal, committed, and can be trusted. An example is a faithful steward as one who is reliable - 1 Co 4:2 "And since our first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for,". Our faithfulness (commitment, trustworthiness) is to last even to the point of death - Re 2:10 "Don't worry about what you will suffer. The devil will throw some of you into jail, and you will be tested and made to suffer for ten days. But if you are faithful until you die, I will reward you with a glorious life.", 13 "I know that you live where Satan has his throne. But you have kept true to my name. Right there where Satan lives, my faithful witness Antipas was taken from you and put to death. Even then you did not give up your faith in me." A faithful Christian, then, is one who believes in the Word of God, he has confidence in the Person of God, and is himself loyal and trustworthy in the service of God.
Now let’s take a look at what can be said about the life of faith. The life of faith involves confessing our faith. For example, acknowledging our belief in Jesus Christ before others. Something we must do as a condition of salvation - Ro 10:9-10 "So you will be saved, if you honestly say, "Jesus is Lord," and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others." This is something we do throughout our lives - Mt 10:32-33 "If you tell others that you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven that you are my followers. But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven that you don't belong to me."; 1 Jn 4:15 "God stays one with everyone who openly says that Jesus is the Son of God. That's how we stay one with God and are sure that God loves us." -- The life of faith is never ashamed to admit that one believes in Jesus Christ.
Living the life of faith involves living by faith, for example, conducting one’s life with trust in Jesus Christ - Ga 2:20 "I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me." Trusting in the works of Jesus, not our own; that His death was truly for our sins - 1 Co 15:1-3 "My friends, I want you to remember the message that I preached and that you believed and trusted. You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don't, your faith was all for nothing. I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. That part is: Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say."; Ti 3:5-7 "He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life." Trusting in the words of Jesus, and living accordingly - e.g., Mt 6:33-34 "But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.\pard plain "; Lk 6:46-48 "Why do you keep on saying that I am your Lord, when you refuse to do what I say? Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When the flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didn't even shake." -- The life of faith is one that seeks to live in harmony with the teaching of Jesus.
Living by faith involves benefitting by faith, enjoying the blessings that come from a life of faith. Such as joy and peace, hope and power - Ro 15:13 "I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope." Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we can receive such blessings - Ep 3:12 "Christ now gives us courage and confidence, so that we can come to God by faith."; Ph 4:6-7 "Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.", 13 "Christ gives me the strength to face anything." -- The life of faith does not go unrewarded in this life, even though its primary concern is the life to come.
Living by faith involves maintaining our faith, remaining steadfast in the faith we have in Christ. There is a need to stand fast, for faith can turn into unbelief - 1 Co 15:1-2 "My friends, I want you to remember the message that I preached and that you believed and trusted. You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don't, your faith was all for nothing."; He 3:12-19 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end. The Scriptures say, "If you hear his voice today, don't be stubborn like those who rebelled." Who were those people that heard God's voice and rebelled? Weren't they the same ones that came out of Egypt with Moses? Who were the people that made God angry for forty years? Weren't they the ones that sinned and died in the desert? And who did God say would never enter his place of rest? Weren't they the ones that disobeyed him? We see that those people did not enter the place of rest because they did not have faith."; 4:1-2 "The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out. We have heard the message, just as they did. But they failed to believe what they heard, and the message did not do them any good.", 11 "We should do our best to enter that place of rest, so that none of us will disobey and miss going there, as they did." To maintain faith, we must add to it other things such as virtue, knowledge, self-control, etc. - 2 Pe 1:5-11 "Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. But if you don't grow, you are like someone who is nearsighted or blind, and you have forgotten that your past sins are forgiven. My friends, you must do all you can to show that God has really chosen and selected you. If you keep on doing this, you won't stumble and fall. Then our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will give you a glorious welcome into his kingdom that will last forever."; 3:17-18 "My dear friends, you have been warned ahead of time! So don't let the errors of evil people lead you down the wrong path and make you lose your balance. Let the wonderful kindness and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you to keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen."
A Christian is one who should take his faith very seriously. It is essential to salvation (both being saved and remaining saved). It is essential to life (to receive blessings now, and in the life to come). Are you "Living By Faith"? Do you believe what has been revealed about Jesus Christ? Do you have confidence in Him, that He can deliver on what He promises? Are you a trustworthy disciple of Jesus, someone He can count on to be faithful? Unless we can answer in the affirmative to such questions, we have yet to appreciate that "The Significance Of Being A Christian" which includes "Living By Faith"!
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" that Belong’s To The Lord then we need to repent and take advantage of the wonderful blessings from our Lord and Savior. Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at jimnewy@classicnet.net
This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002
Living By Faith
An important aspect of being a Christian involves the element of "faith". The gospel to which a person responds in becoming a Christian is called "the faith" - Ju 3 "My dear friends, I really wanted to write you about God's saving power at work in our lives. But instead, I must write and ask you to defend the faith that God has once for all given to his people." Those who obeyed the gospel have been "faithful to the Lord" - Ac 16:15 "Then after she and her family were baptized, she kept on begging us, "If you think I really do have faith in the Lord, come stay in my home." Finally, we accepted her invitation."; Co 1:2 "To God's people who live in Colossae and are faithful followers of Christ. I pray that God our Father will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!" Christians are called or referred to as "the household of faith" - Ga 6:10 "So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith."
Indeed, "faith" is the underlying principle of all the Christian’s conduct. It is fundamental to our salvation in Christ - Ro 1:16-17 "I am proud of the good news! It is God's powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. The good news tells how God accepts everyone who has faith, but only those who have faith. It is just as the Scriptures say, "The people God accepts because of their faith will live."’ It is central to the life we now live in Christ - Ga 2:20 "I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me."; 2 Co 5:7 "But we live by faith, not by what we see." Yet the nature of faith and its importance in the life of a Christian is often misunderstood and is often neglected.
As we continue to examine "The Significance Of Being A Christian", we therefore wish to emphasize that it means "Living By Faith"! What that entails may be clearer as we first define the meaning of faith. Faith involves the idea of belief. The certainty or conviction that one has in some truth or proposition. For example, believing in things concerning Jesus and His kingdom - Ac 8:12 "But when they believed what Philip was saying about God's kingdom and about the name of Jesus Christ, they were all baptized." Such faith, or conviction, comes from the Word of God - Ro 10:17 "No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ."; also Jn 20:30-31 "Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life."
Faith involves the idea of confidence, the willingness to place one’s trust and reliance on someone else. For example, placing our trust in God, that He is reliable - Ro 4:3 "The Scriptures say, "God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him."’, 20-22 "But Abraham never doubted or questioned God's promise. His faith made him strong, and he gave all the credit to God. Abraham was certain that God could do what he had promised. So God accepted him, just as we read in the Scriptures." We are to have similar trust in God - 1 Pe 4:19 "If you suffer for obeying God, you must have complete faith in your faithful Creator and keep on doing right."
Faith involves the idea of fidelity, that one is loyal, committed, and can be trusted. An example is a faithful steward as one who is reliable - 1 Co 4:2 "And since our first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for,". Our faithfulness (commitment, trustworthiness) is to last even to the point of death - Re 2:10 "Don't worry about what you will suffer. The devil will throw some of you into jail, and you will be tested and made to suffer for ten days. But if you are faithful until you die, I will reward you with a glorious life.", 13 "I know that you live where Satan has his throne. But you have kept true to my name. Right there where Satan lives, my faithful witness Antipas was taken from you and put to death. Even then you did not give up your faith in me." A faithful Christian, then, is one who believes in the Word of God, he has confidence in the Person of God, and is himself loyal and trustworthy in the service of God.
Now let’s take a look at what can be said about the life of faith. The life of faith involves confessing our faith. For example, acknowledging our belief in Jesus Christ before others. Something we must do as a condition of salvation - Ro 10:9-10 "So you will be saved, if you honestly say, "Jesus is Lord," and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others." This is something we do throughout our lives - Mt 10:32-33 "If you tell others that you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven that you are my followers. But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven that you don't belong to me."; 1 Jn 4:15 "God stays one with everyone who openly says that Jesus is the Son of God. That's how we stay one with God and are sure that God loves us." -- The life of faith is never ashamed to admit that one believes in Jesus Christ.
Living the life of faith involves living by faith, for example, conducting one’s life with trust in Jesus Christ - Ga 2:20 "I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me." Trusting in the works of Jesus, not our own; that His death was truly for our sins - 1 Co 15:1-3 "My friends, I want you to remember the message that I preached and that you believed and trusted. You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don't, your faith was all for nothing. I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. That part is: Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say."; Ti 3:5-7 "He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life." Trusting in the words of Jesus, and living accordingly - e.g., Mt 6:33-34 "But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.\pard plain "; Lk 6:46-48 "Why do you keep on saying that I am your Lord, when you refuse to do what I say? Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When the flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didn't even shake." -- The life of faith is one that seeks to live in harmony with the teaching of Jesus.
Living by faith involves benefitting by faith, enjoying the blessings that come from a life of faith. Such as joy and peace, hope and power - Ro 15:13 "I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope." Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we can receive such blessings - Ep 3:12 "Christ now gives us courage and confidence, so that we can come to God by faith."; Ph 4:6-7 "Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.", 13 "Christ gives me the strength to face anything." -- The life of faith does not go unrewarded in this life, even though its primary concern is the life to come.
Living by faith involves maintaining our faith, remaining steadfast in the faith we have in Christ. There is a need to stand fast, for faith can turn into unbelief - 1 Co 15:1-2 "My friends, I want you to remember the message that I preached and that you believed and trusted. You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don't, your faith was all for nothing."; He 3:12-19 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end. The Scriptures say, "If you hear his voice today, don't be stubborn like those who rebelled." Who were those people that heard God's voice and rebelled? Weren't they the same ones that came out of Egypt with Moses? Who were the people that made God angry for forty years? Weren't they the ones that sinned and died in the desert? And who did God say would never enter his place of rest? Weren't they the ones that disobeyed him? We see that those people did not enter the place of rest because they did not have faith."; 4:1-2 "The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out. We have heard the message, just as they did. But they failed to believe what they heard, and the message did not do them any good.", 11 "We should do our best to enter that place of rest, so that none of us will disobey and miss going there, as they did." To maintain faith, we must add to it other things such as virtue, knowledge, self-control, etc. - 2 Pe 1:5-11 "Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. But if you don't grow, you are like someone who is nearsighted or blind, and you have forgotten that your past sins are forgiven. My friends, you must do all you can to show that God has really chosen and selected you. If you keep on doing this, you won't stumble and fall. Then our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will give you a glorious welcome into his kingdom that will last forever."; 3:17-18 "My dear friends, you have been warned ahead of time! So don't let the errors of evil people lead you down the wrong path and make you lose your balance. Let the wonderful kindness and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you to keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen."
A Christian is one who should take his faith very seriously. It is essential to salvation (both being saved and remaining saved). It is essential to life (to receive blessings now, and in the life to come). Are you "Living By Faith"? Do you believe what has been revealed about Jesus Christ? Do you have confidence in Him, that He can deliver on what He promises? Are you a trustworthy disciple of Jesus, someone He can count on to be faithful? Unless we can answer in the affirmative to such questions, we have yet to appreciate that "The Significance Of Being A Christian" which includes "Living By Faith"!
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" that Belong’s To The Lord then we need to repent and take advantage of the wonderful blessings from our Lord and Savior. Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at jimnewy@classicnet.net
This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Belonging to The Lord - Part Two
The Significance Of Being A Christian
Belonging To The Lord - Part Two
In Part One of this lesson we looked at the principal of "Belonging to the Lord"; which has many connotations attached to it. One is that a Christian is God’s special person. Christians are now God’s own special people. In Part Two we will now turn our attention to the blessings and responsibilities we have in "Belonging to the Lord".
As God’s Children we have blessings and responsibilities. We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ - Ga 4:7 "You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, and you will be given what he has promised."; Ro 8:16-17 "God's Spirit makes us sure that we are his children. His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised. We will also share in the glory of Christ, because we have suffered with him." For we are heirs according to the promise of God - Ga 3:29 "So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family, and you will be given what God has promised." It is an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, that does not fade, and is reserved for us in heaven - 1 Pe 1:4 "God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear." As heirs, we have many responsibilities, including:
Being thankful for the inheritance we have - Co 1:12 "I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light."
Abstaining from the works of the flesh - Ga 5:19-21 "People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom."
Perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord - 2 Co 6:17-7:1 "The Lord also says, "Leave them and stay away! Don't touch anything that isn't clean. Then I will welcome you and be your Father. You will be my sons and my daughters, as surely as I am God, the All-Powerful." My friends, God has made us these promises. So we should stay away from everything that keeps our bodies and spirits from being clean. We should honor God and try to be completely like him."
If we wish to receive the promised blessings, we need to patiently carry out our responsibilities with an enduring faith - He 10:35-39 "Keep on being brave! It will bring you great rewards. Learn to be patient, so that you will please God and be given what he has promised. As the Scriptures say, "God is coming soon! It won't be very long. The people God accepts will live because of their faith. But he isn't pleased with anyone who turns back." We are not like those people who turn back and get destroyed. We will keep on having faith until we are saved."
Besides being God’s special person and God’s child, a Christian who "belongs to the Lord" also has a special relationship to the world in which he or she lives as God’s pilgrim. Christians are in the world, but not of the world. As Jesus mentioned in His prayer for His disciples - Jn 17:15-16 "Father, I don't ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. They don't belong to this world, and neither do I." Like Abraham, a Christian is a sojourner, a pilgrim - He 11:13 "Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth."; 13:14 "On this earth we don't have a city that lasts forever, but we are waiting for such a city." We are fellow citizens with members of God’s family - Ep 2:19 "You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family of God."
As such, our true citizenship lies in heaven, not here on earth - Ph 3:20 "But we are citizens of heaven and are eagerly waiting for our Savior to come from there."
As God’s pilgrims, we have special obligations to conduct our sojourn on earth with fear - 1 Pe 1:17 "You say that God is your Father, but God doesn't have favorites! He judges all people by what they do. So you must honor God while you live as strangers here on earth." We have an obligation to abstain from worldly lusts - 1 Pe 2:11 "Dear friends, you are foreigners and strangers on this earth. So I beg you not to surrender to those desires that fight against you."; 1 Jn 2:15-17 "Don't love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the world, you cannot love the Father. Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes from the Father. The world and the desires it causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, we will live forever." We are obligated to keep our conduct honorable, filled with good works - 1 Pe 2:12 "Always let others see you behaving properly, even though they may still accuse you of doing wrong. Then on the day of judgment, they will honor God by telling the good things they saw you do." We are also tlineobligated while here on earth to obey the laws, and respect the leaders, of the countries in which we sojourn - 1 Pe 2:13-17 "The Lord wants you to obey all human authorities, especially the Emperor, who rules over everyone. You must also obey governors, because they are sent by the Emperor to punish criminals and to praise good citizens. God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong. Respect everyone and show special love for God's people. Honor God and respect the Emperor."
We have seen that a Christian is a person who "belongs to the Lord", one who is God’s special person, God’s child and God’s pilgrim. The more we understand the significance of such privileges we ought to be filled with gratitude and humility. We ought to be moved to be the kind of people God intended. Are we living and conducting ourselves as those who "belong to the Lord"?. Are we acting like a special people?. Do we live like a child of God should?. Is our life truly a sojourn, or are we living like we want to make this earth our permanent home? As we saw in our beginning text:
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Co 6:19-20)
May the significance of belonging to God prompt us to always glorify God in our bodies and our
spirits!
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" That Belong’s To The Lord then we need to repent and take advantage of the wonderful blessings from our Lord and Savior. Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at jnlnewsted@nts-online.net
This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002
Belonging To The Lord - Part Two
In Part One of this lesson we looked at the principal of "Belonging to the Lord"; which has many connotations attached to it. One is that a Christian is God’s special person. Christians are now God’s own special people. In Part Two we will now turn our attention to the blessings and responsibilities we have in "Belonging to the Lord".
As God’s Children we have blessings and responsibilities. We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ - Ga 4:7 "You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, and you will be given what he has promised."; Ro 8:16-17 "God's Spirit makes us sure that we are his children. His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised. We will also share in the glory of Christ, because we have suffered with him." For we are heirs according to the promise of God - Ga 3:29 "So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family, and you will be given what God has promised." It is an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, that does not fade, and is reserved for us in heaven - 1 Pe 1:4 "God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear." As heirs, we have many responsibilities, including:
Being thankful for the inheritance we have - Co 1:12 "I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light."
Abstaining from the works of the flesh - Ga 5:19-21 "People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom."
Perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord - 2 Co 6:17-7:1 "The Lord also says, "Leave them and stay away! Don't touch anything that isn't clean. Then I will welcome you and be your Father. You will be my sons and my daughters, as surely as I am God, the All-Powerful." My friends, God has made us these promises. So we should stay away from everything that keeps our bodies and spirits from being clean. We should honor God and try to be completely like him."
If we wish to receive the promised blessings, we need to patiently carry out our responsibilities with an enduring faith - He 10:35-39 "Keep on being brave! It will bring you great rewards. Learn to be patient, so that you will please God and be given what he has promised. As the Scriptures say, "God is coming soon! It won't be very long. The people God accepts will live because of their faith. But he isn't pleased with anyone who turns back." We are not like those people who turn back and get destroyed. We will keep on having faith until we are saved."
Besides being God’s special person and God’s child, a Christian who "belongs to the Lord" also has a special relationship to the world in which he or she lives as God’s pilgrim. Christians are in the world, but not of the world. As Jesus mentioned in His prayer for His disciples - Jn 17:15-16 "Father, I don't ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. They don't belong to this world, and neither do I." Like Abraham, a Christian is a sojourner, a pilgrim - He 11:13 "Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth."; 13:14 "On this earth we don't have a city that lasts forever, but we are waiting for such a city." We are fellow citizens with members of God’s family - Ep 2:19 "You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family of God."
As such, our true citizenship lies in heaven, not here on earth - Ph 3:20 "But we are citizens of heaven and are eagerly waiting for our Savior to come from there."
As God’s pilgrims, we have special obligations to conduct our sojourn on earth with fear - 1 Pe 1:17 "You say that God is your Father, but God doesn't have favorites! He judges all people by what they do. So you must honor God while you live as strangers here on earth." We have an obligation to abstain from worldly lusts - 1 Pe 2:11 "Dear friends, you are foreigners and strangers on this earth. So I beg you not to surrender to those desires that fight against you."; 1 Jn 2:15-17 "Don't love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the world, you cannot love the Father. Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes from the Father. The world and the desires it causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, we will live forever." We are obligated to keep our conduct honorable, filled with good works - 1 Pe 2:12 "Always let others see you behaving properly, even though they may still accuse you of doing wrong. Then on the day of judgment, they will honor God by telling the good things they saw you do." We are also tlineobligated while here on earth to obey the laws, and respect the leaders, of the countries in which we sojourn - 1 Pe 2:13-17 "The Lord wants you to obey all human authorities, especially the Emperor, who rules over everyone. You must also obey governors, because they are sent by the Emperor to punish criminals and to praise good citizens. God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong. Respect everyone and show special love for God's people. Honor God and respect the Emperor."
We have seen that a Christian is a person who "belongs to the Lord", one who is God’s special person, God’s child and God’s pilgrim. The more we understand the significance of such privileges we ought to be filled with gratitude and humility. We ought to be moved to be the kind of people God intended. Are we living and conducting ourselves as those who "belong to the Lord"?. Are we acting like a special people?. Do we live like a child of God should?. Is our life truly a sojourn, or are we living like we want to make this earth our permanent home? As we saw in our beginning text:
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Co 6:19-20)
May the significance of belonging to God prompt us to always glorify God in our bodies and our
spirits!
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" That Belong’s To The Lord then we need to repent and take advantage of the wonderful blessings from our Lord and Savior. Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at jnlnewsted@nts-online.net
This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Belonging to The Lord - Part One
The Significance Of Being A Christian
Belonging To The Lord - Part One
In our previous lesson, we began this series by asking what is the significance of being a Christian. Starting with the idea that a Christian is "A Person Reborn" we noted that a Christian is a person reborn because in Christ; (1) they are a new creation - 2 Co 5:17; (2) They have been born again - 1 Pe 1:22-23; (3) they now have a new loyalty: to serve Jesus Christ - Ga 2:20. We begin this lesson by noting Paul’s comments to the Corinthians as recorded in 1 Co 6:19-20 "You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God."Paul challenged their thinking by asking "You surely know" The Christian needs to understand that he has been "bought at a price" and consequently is a person "Belonging To The Lord"
"Belonging to the Lord" has many connotations attached to it. One is that a Christian is God’s special person. Christians are now God’s own special people. Note how Peter describes them in 1 Pe 2:9-10 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, "Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness."
Note: "a chosen generation", "a royal priesthood", "a holy nation", "His own special people"
These are terms that were once reserved for the physical nation of Israel. The Lord had chosen them - Deu 10:15 "Yet the LORD loved your ancestors and wanted them to belong to him. So he chose them and their descendants rather than any other nation, and today you are still his people." He made them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation - Exo 19:5 "Now if you will faithfully obey me, you will be my very own people. The whole world is mine, but you will be my holy nation and serve me as priests." Thus they had become a special people above all other nations - Deu 7:6 "Israel, you are the chosen people of the LORD your God. There are many nations on this earth, but he chose only Israel to be his very own."
What had once been limited to physical Israel, is now possible to all people who are in Christ, as promised to Abraham - Ga 3:8-9 "Long ago the Scriptures said that God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. That's why God told Abraham the good news that all nations would be blessed because of him. This means that everyone who has faith will share in the blessings that were given to Abraham because of his faith.", 28-29 "Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family, and you will be given what God has promised."
Christians are special people with responsibilities to proclaim the praises of God - 1 Pe 2:9-10 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, "Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness."
Because He called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Because He showed mercy, and made us the people of God. To grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ - 2 Pe 1:8-11 "If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. But if you don't grow, you are like someone who is nearsighted or blind, and you have forgotten that your past sins are forgiven. My friends, you must do all you can to show that God has really chosen and selected you. If you keep on doing this, you won't stumble and fall. Then our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will give you a glorious welcome into his kingdom that will last forever.". To make our calling and election (as God’s people) sure. To have an abundance entrance into the everlasting kingdom.
From the example of physical Israel, let us beware of becoming hardened and not lose faith, or we may not enter the heavenly rest that awaits us! - He 3:12-4:2 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end. The Scriptures say, "If you hear his voice today, don't be stubborn like those who rebelled." Who were those people that heard God's voice and rebelled? Weren't they the same ones that came out of Egypt with Moses? Who were the people that made God angry for forty years? Weren't they the ones that sinned and died in the desert? And who did God say would never enter his place of rest? Weren't they the ones that disobeyed him? We see that those people did not enter the place of rest because they did not have faith. The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out. We have heard the message, just as they did. But they failed to believe what they heard, and the message did not do them any good.", 11 "We should do our best to enter that place of rest, so that none of us will disobey and miss going there, as they did." A Christian is truly "a special person" because he belongs to the Lord. He can rejoice in knowing that he is one of God’s "beloved" (Ro 1:7).
God’s love for the Christian is made even more evident when we note that he is also God’s Child. Christians are blessed to be children of God. In one sense, all people are God’s children - Ac 17:26-29 "From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be. God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. "We are his children," just as some of your poets have said. Since we are God's children, we must not think that he is like an idol made out of gold or silver or stone. He isn't like anything that humans have thought up and made." In another sense, many do not have God as their Father - Jn 8:42-44 "Jesus answered: If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and only from him. He sent me. I did not come on my own. Why can't you understand what I am talking about? Can't you stand to hear what I am saying? Your father is the devil, and you do exactly what he wants. He has always been a murderer and a liar. There is nothing truthful about him. He speaks on his own, and everything he says is a lie. Not only is he a liar himself, but he is also the father of all lies." Yet Christians are the children of God in a very special way. Because of their faith, and having put on Christ in baptism - Ga 3:26-27 "All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes." Redeemed and adopted by God, they have received His Spirit into their hearts - Ga 4:4-6 "But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God's children. Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father." Because we do the Father’s will, Jesus considers us His family - Mt 12:48-50 "Jesus answered, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "These are my mother and my brothers! Anyone who obeys my Father in heaven is my brother or sister or mother."’
Christians should be touched by this expression of God’s love - 1 Jn 3:1-2 "Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are. But since the people of this world did not know who Christ is, they don't know who we are. My dear friends, we are already God's children, though what we will be hasn't yet been seen. But we do know that when Christ returns, we will be like him, because we will see him as he truly is."
In this lesson we have looked at the principal of "Belonging to the Lord"; which has many connotations attached to it. One is that a Christian is God’s special person. Christians are now God’s own special people. In Part Two we will turn our attention to the blessings and responsibilities we have in "Belonging to the Lord"
Belonging To The Lord - Part One
In our previous lesson, we began this series by asking what is the significance of being a Christian. Starting with the idea that a Christian is "A Person Reborn" we noted that a Christian is a person reborn because in Christ; (1) they are a new creation - 2 Co 5:17; (2) They have been born again - 1 Pe 1:22-23; (3) they now have a new loyalty: to serve Jesus Christ - Ga 2:20. We begin this lesson by noting Paul’s comments to the Corinthians as recorded in 1 Co 6:19-20 "You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God."Paul challenged their thinking by asking "You surely know" The Christian needs to understand that he has been "bought at a price" and consequently is a person "Belonging To The Lord"
"Belonging to the Lord" has many connotations attached to it. One is that a Christian is God’s special person. Christians are now God’s own special people. Note how Peter describes them in 1 Pe 2:9-10 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, "Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness."
Note: "a chosen generation", "a royal priesthood", "a holy nation", "His own special people"
These are terms that were once reserved for the physical nation of Israel. The Lord had chosen them - Deu 10:15 "Yet the LORD loved your ancestors and wanted them to belong to him. So he chose them and their descendants rather than any other nation, and today you are still his people." He made them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation - Exo 19:5 "Now if you will faithfully obey me, you will be my very own people. The whole world is mine, but you will be my holy nation and serve me as priests." Thus they had become a special people above all other nations - Deu 7:6 "Israel, you are the chosen people of the LORD your God. There are many nations on this earth, but he chose only Israel to be his very own."
What had once been limited to physical Israel, is now possible to all people who are in Christ, as promised to Abraham - Ga 3:8-9 "Long ago the Scriptures said that God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. That's why God told Abraham the good news that all nations would be blessed because of him. This means that everyone who has faith will share in the blessings that were given to Abraham because of his faith.", 28-29 "Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family, and you will be given what God has promised."
Christians are special people with responsibilities to proclaim the praises of God - 1 Pe 2:9-10 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, "Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness."
Because He called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Because He showed mercy, and made us the people of God. To grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ - 2 Pe 1:8-11 "If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. But if you don't grow, you are like someone who is nearsighted or blind, and you have forgotten that your past sins are forgiven. My friends, you must do all you can to show that God has really chosen and selected you. If you keep on doing this, you won't stumble and fall. Then our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will give you a glorious welcome into his kingdom that will last forever.". To make our calling and election (as God’s people) sure. To have an abundance entrance into the everlasting kingdom.
From the example of physical Israel, let us beware of becoming hardened and not lose faith, or we may not enter the heavenly rest that awaits us! - He 3:12-4:2 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end. The Scriptures say, "If you hear his voice today, don't be stubborn like those who rebelled." Who were those people that heard God's voice and rebelled? Weren't they the same ones that came out of Egypt with Moses? Who were the people that made God angry for forty years? Weren't they the ones that sinned and died in the desert? And who did God say would never enter his place of rest? Weren't they the ones that disobeyed him? We see that those people did not enter the place of rest because they did not have faith. The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out. We have heard the message, just as they did. But they failed to believe what they heard, and the message did not do them any good.", 11 "We should do our best to enter that place of rest, so that none of us will disobey and miss going there, as they did." A Christian is truly "a special person" because he belongs to the Lord. He can rejoice in knowing that he is one of God’s "beloved" (Ro 1:7).
God’s love for the Christian is made even more evident when we note that he is also God’s Child. Christians are blessed to be children of God. In one sense, all people are God’s children - Ac 17:26-29 "From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be. God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. "We are his children," just as some of your poets have said. Since we are God's children, we must not think that he is like an idol made out of gold or silver or stone. He isn't like anything that humans have thought up and made." In another sense, many do not have God as their Father - Jn 8:42-44 "Jesus answered: If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and only from him. He sent me. I did not come on my own. Why can't you understand what I am talking about? Can't you stand to hear what I am saying? Your father is the devil, and you do exactly what he wants. He has always been a murderer and a liar. There is nothing truthful about him. He speaks on his own, and everything he says is a lie. Not only is he a liar himself, but he is also the father of all lies." Yet Christians are the children of God in a very special way. Because of their faith, and having put on Christ in baptism - Ga 3:26-27 "All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes." Redeemed and adopted by God, they have received His Spirit into their hearts - Ga 4:4-6 "But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God's children. Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father." Because we do the Father’s will, Jesus considers us His family - Mt 12:48-50 "Jesus answered, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "These are my mother and my brothers! Anyone who obeys my Father in heaven is my brother or sister or mother."’
Christians should be touched by this expression of God’s love - 1 Jn 3:1-2 "Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are. But since the people of this world did not know who Christ is, they don't know who we are. My dear friends, we are already God's children, though what we will be hasn't yet been seen. But we do know that when Christ returns, we will be like him, because we will see him as he truly is."
In this lesson we have looked at the principal of "Belonging to the Lord"; which has many connotations attached to it. One is that a Christian is God’s special person. Christians are now God’s own special people. In Part Two we will turn our attention to the blessings and responsibilities we have in "Belonging to the Lord"
Saturday, December 23, 2006
After Conversion, What Then? Part Two
After Conversion, What Then?
Part Two
In Part One of this lesson we looked at what one is to do after conversion that will ensure remaining faithful to the Lord? There are some additional things to remember. We now turn our attention to the things we are to do. One of those is to put God first. Love Him with all your being, in the words of Jesus - Mt 22:37 “And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Seek first His kingdom and righteousness - Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” -- This will ensure that you do all that is necessary to remain faithful!
Study the word of God. Long for the Word, like an infant longs for milk - 1 Pe 2:2 “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation”. Emulate the Bereans in their attitude - Ac 17:10-11 “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” -- Receive the Word with meekness, and it will save you! - Ja 1:21 “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
Be fervent in prayer. Jesus has made it possible to approach God’s throne - He 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Wonderful blessings come through prayer - Ph 4:6-7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -- Be devoted to prayer, with an attitude of thanksgiving - Co 4:2 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
Be diligent in assembling. We are not to forsake our assembling together - He 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” It is a time for fellowship, prayer, and on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Supper – Ac 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”; 20:7 “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.”; 1 Co 11:23-26 “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” -- Neglecting the assemblies is a symptom of spiritual stagnation!
Help save others. The Lord wants His disciples to make more disciples - Mt 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."’ Those diligent in saving others are more likely to save themselves - 1 Co 9:19-27 -- Lose your enthusiasm for saving souls, and you may lose your own!
While not meant to be exhaustive, these are just a few things to remember and to do -- that may be helpful for someone recently converted. But not just for new Christians; but for any Christian who has left their “first love” - Re 2:4 “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” For they should “repent and do the first works” - Re 2:5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” -- These are some of the “first works” that one needs to do.
Are you in need of doing the “first works”...? Perhaps you even need to obey the “first steps” of the gospel of Christ... - Mk 16:16; Ac 2:38; 22:16
Part Two
In Part One of this lesson we looked at what one is to do after conversion that will ensure remaining faithful to the Lord? There are some additional things to remember. We now turn our attention to the things we are to do. One of those is to put God first. Love Him with all your being, in the words of Jesus - Mt 22:37 “And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Seek first His kingdom and righteousness - Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” -- This will ensure that you do all that is necessary to remain faithful!
Study the word of God. Long for the Word, like an infant longs for milk - 1 Pe 2:2 “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation”. Emulate the Bereans in their attitude - Ac 17:10-11 “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” -- Receive the Word with meekness, and it will save you! - Ja 1:21 “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
Be fervent in prayer. Jesus has made it possible to approach God’s throne - He 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Wonderful blessings come through prayer - Ph 4:6-7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -- Be devoted to prayer, with an attitude of thanksgiving - Co 4:2 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
Be diligent in assembling. We are not to forsake our assembling together - He 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” It is a time for fellowship, prayer, and on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Supper – Ac 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”; 20:7 “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.”; 1 Co 11:23-26 “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” -- Neglecting the assemblies is a symptom of spiritual stagnation!
Help save others. The Lord wants His disciples to make more disciples - Mt 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."’ Those diligent in saving others are more likely to save themselves - 1 Co 9:19-27 -- Lose your enthusiasm for saving souls, and you may lose your own!
While not meant to be exhaustive, these are just a few things to remember and to do -- that may be helpful for someone recently converted. But not just for new Christians; but for any Christian who has left their “first love” - Re 2:4 “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” For they should “repent and do the first works” - Re 2:5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” -- These are some of the “first works” that one needs to do.
Are you in need of doing the “first works”...? Perhaps you even need to obey the “first steps” of the gospel of Christ... - Mk 16:16; Ac 2:38; 22:16
Sunday, December 17, 2006
A Person Reborn - Part Two
The Significance Of Being A Christian
A Person Reborn - Part Two
In Part One of this lesson we introduced the reader to the significance of being a Christian as a person reborn. A new creation made possible by virtue of a new birth. What makes such a new creation and a new life a reality? It is more than a mere obedience to some new doctrine. It is possible only when such obedience is the result of a new loyalty. A Christian is a "converted person." As exemplified by the Thessalonians - 1 Th 1:9 "Everyone is talking about how you welcomed us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God." Conversion inherently involves change, particularly a change of loyalties. From serving sin to serving God - Ro 6:16-18 "Don't you know that you are slaves of anyone you obey? You can be slaves of sin and die, or you can be obedient slaves of God and be acceptable to him. You used to be slaves of sin. But I thank God that with all your heart you obeyed the teaching you received from me. Now you are set free from sin and are slaves who please God." From serving idols to serving God, 1 Th 1:9 "Everyone is talking about how you welcomed us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God."
A Christian is converted to Jesus Christ. He or she acknowledges the Lordship of Jesus Christ - Ac 2:36 "Everyone in Israel should then know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, even though you put him to death on a cross."; 1 Pe 3:15 "Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope." Above family, life, and self, the Christian chooses to follow Jesus - Mt 10:37-39 "If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. And unless you are willing to take up your cross and come with me, you are not fit to be my disciples. If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it." When one makes that choice, Christ will become the focus of that person’s life - Ga 2:20 "I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me."
Such a loyalty to Christ results in a new life. In which God blesses the individual through Jesus Christ, Ph 4:6-7 "Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel." In which one finds strength to live the new life, Ph 4:13 "Christ gives me the strength to face anything."
A significant thing about a Christian, then, is that he or she experiences a new creation, enjoys a new life and entertains a new loyalty. Such an individual is truly "A Person Reborn". But not all professing Christians show evidence of this rebirth...why is that? They may have not yet truly experienced the new creation. Obedience not rendered in faith will not produce the new birth - Mk 16:16 "Anyone who believes me and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned." For God’s power to be at work, we must submit in faith - Co 2:12-13 "And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death. You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God's people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins." Though they may have been reborn and entered the new life, they may have gone back into sin. Hardened by sin’s deceitfulness, they have departed from God - He 3:12-13 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn." Entangled once again by the pollutions of the world - 2 Pe 2:20 "When they learned about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they escaped from the filthy things of this world. But they are again caught up and controlled by these filthy things, and now they are in worse shape than they were at first." In either case, their loyalty is certainly not where it ought to be!
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at jimnewy@classicnet.net or jimnewy@gmail.com
A Person Reborn - Part Two
In Part One of this lesson we introduced the reader to the significance of being a Christian as a person reborn. A new creation made possible by virtue of a new birth. What makes such a new creation and a new life a reality? It is more than a mere obedience to some new doctrine. It is possible only when such obedience is the result of a new loyalty. A Christian is a "converted person." As exemplified by the Thessalonians - 1 Th 1:9 "Everyone is talking about how you welcomed us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God." Conversion inherently involves change, particularly a change of loyalties. From serving sin to serving God - Ro 6:16-18 "Don't you know that you are slaves of anyone you obey? You can be slaves of sin and die, or you can be obedient slaves of God and be acceptable to him. You used to be slaves of sin. But I thank God that with all your heart you obeyed the teaching you received from me. Now you are set free from sin and are slaves who please God." From serving idols to serving God, 1 Th 1:9 "Everyone is talking about how you welcomed us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God."
A Christian is converted to Jesus Christ. He or she acknowledges the Lordship of Jesus Christ - Ac 2:36 "Everyone in Israel should then know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, even though you put him to death on a cross."; 1 Pe 3:15 "Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope." Above family, life, and self, the Christian chooses to follow Jesus - Mt 10:37-39 "If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. And unless you are willing to take up your cross and come with me, you are not fit to be my disciples. If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it." When one makes that choice, Christ will become the focus of that person’s life - Ga 2:20 "I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me."
Such a loyalty to Christ results in a new life. In which God blesses the individual through Jesus Christ, Ph 4:6-7 "Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel." In which one finds strength to live the new life, Ph 4:13 "Christ gives me the strength to face anything."
A significant thing about a Christian, then, is that he or she experiences a new creation, enjoys a new life and entertains a new loyalty. Such an individual is truly "A Person Reborn". But not all professing Christians show evidence of this rebirth...why is that? They may have not yet truly experienced the new creation. Obedience not rendered in faith will not produce the new birth - Mk 16:16 "Anyone who believes me and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned." For God’s power to be at work, we must submit in faith - Co 2:12-13 "And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death. You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God's people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins." Though they may have been reborn and entered the new life, they may have gone back into sin. Hardened by sin’s deceitfulness, they have departed from God - He 3:12-13 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn." Entangled once again by the pollutions of the world - 2 Pe 2:20 "When they learned about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they escaped from the filthy things of this world. But they are again caught up and controlled by these filthy things, and now they are in worse shape than they were at first." In either case, their loyalty is certainly not where it ought to be!
May the promise of a new creation and a new life in Christ remind us of "The Significance Of Being A Christian", and challenge us to examine our loyalties if we do not see in our lives the evidence of "A Person Reborn" Have you taken advantage of this wonderful gift, by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Would you like to be reborn in Christ to be a new creature with a new life? If you have not responded to the gospel message and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at jimnewy@classicnet.net or jimnewy@gmail.com
Sunday, December 10, 2006
After Conversion, What Then? Part One
After Conversion, What Then?
Part One
Wonderful blessings come to those who respond to the gospel of Christ. They receive remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit - Ac 2:38-39 “And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."’ They experience a washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit - Ti 3:4-7 “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Indeed, by God’s grace they are “saved”... Saved from their past sins - Mk 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” With their sins washed away by the blood of Jesus - Ac 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'”; Ep 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” Becoming heirs according to the hope of eternal life - Ti 3:7 “so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Yet in another sense, they are still to be “saved”.... They must make their call and election sure - 2 Pe 1:10 “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” They must be careful to save themselves - 1 Ti 4:16 “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” They must remain faithful to receive the crown of life - Re 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
What is one to do after conversion that will ensure remaining faithful to the Lord? There are some things to remember. You are a new creature by virtue of being in Christ - 2 Co 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Having been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life - Ro 6:3-4 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” -- God has given you new potential for living!
You are a babe in Christ. We begin our new life as “babes in Christ” - 1 Co 3:1 “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” We start with spiritual “milk” - 1 Co 3:2 “I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,” -- God allows you time to grow! - He 5:12-14 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
You are in a critical period. As a babe, you can be easily “tossed about” - Ep 4:14 “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Satan often strikes hardest at the beginning of our service – for example see, Mt 4:1-11 -- Satan would love to see you fail! - 1 Pe 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
You face the possibility of falling from grace if you allow yourself to hardened by the deceit of sin - He 3:12-14 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” Especially when you think you are strong - 1 Co 10:12 “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” -- God can be trusted to help us through temptations - 1 Co 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”; 1 Jn 2:1-2 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
You are to be a Good example. An example of those who believe - 1 Ti 4:12 “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” An example in both deed and word - Ti 2:7-8 “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” -- Others should be able to look to you as to how to live for Christ - Ph 3:17 “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.”
Remembering such things will certainly help keep one strong in the faith. Also helpful are the things we are to do. These will be covered in Part Two of this lesson.
Part One
Wonderful blessings come to those who respond to the gospel of Christ. They receive remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit - Ac 2:38-39 “And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."’ They experience a washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit - Ti 3:4-7 “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Indeed, by God’s grace they are “saved”... Saved from their past sins - Mk 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” With their sins washed away by the blood of Jesus - Ac 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'”; Ep 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” Becoming heirs according to the hope of eternal life - Ti 3:7 “so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Yet in another sense, they are still to be “saved”.... They must make their call and election sure - 2 Pe 1:10 “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” They must be careful to save themselves - 1 Ti 4:16 “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” They must remain faithful to receive the crown of life - Re 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
What is one to do after conversion that will ensure remaining faithful to the Lord? There are some things to remember. You are a new creature by virtue of being in Christ - 2 Co 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Having been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life - Ro 6:3-4 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” -- God has given you new potential for living!
You are a babe in Christ. We begin our new life as “babes in Christ” - 1 Co 3:1 “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” We start with spiritual “milk” - 1 Co 3:2 “I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,” -- God allows you time to grow! - He 5:12-14 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
You are in a critical period. As a babe, you can be easily “tossed about” - Ep 4:14 “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Satan often strikes hardest at the beginning of our service – for example see, Mt 4:1-11 -- Satan would love to see you fail! - 1 Pe 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
You face the possibility of falling from grace if you allow yourself to hardened by the deceit of sin - He 3:12-14 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” Especially when you think you are strong - 1 Co 10:12 “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” -- God can be trusted to help us through temptations - 1 Co 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”; 1 Jn 2:1-2 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
You are to be a Good example. An example of those who believe - 1 Ti 4:12 “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” An example in both deed and word - Ti 2:7-8 “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” -- Others should be able to look to you as to how to live for Christ - Ph 3:17 “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.”
Remembering such things will certainly help keep one strong in the faith. Also helpful are the things we are to do. These will be covered in Part Two of this lesson.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
A Person Reborn - Part One
The Significance Of Being A Christian
A Person Reborn - Part One
It is always exciting to see someone become a Christian. Even when an observer doesn’t understand all that is involved, they often sense something meaningful is going on. Especially as time goes on, and changes begin to occur in the person’s life. But often the significance of becoming a Christian appears to be lost. Sometimes even Christians fail to appreciate the significance of being a Christian. When this happens, Christians often fail to grow as they should. It never hurts for a Christian to reflect, and ask such questions as:
What did I do?
What have I received?
What are the implications and consequences of what I’ve done?
What has happened to me?
What have I become?
What is different about me?
To summarize these questions, what is the meaning, importance, and value of becoming a Christian? What am I now to do? Such are the questions we hope to answer in this series, "The Significance Of Being A Christian"
In this first lesson, we note that a Christian is "A Person Reborn". That is because in Christ one has become a new creation. A Christian rises out of the watery grave of baptism to newness of life - Ro 6:4-5 "When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father. If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him." Old things have passed away, and new things have come - 2 Co 5:17 "Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new."
A new creation made possible by virtue of a new birth. A new birth produced by responding to the Word of God - Ja 1:18 "He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth."; 1 Pe 1:22-23 "You obeyed the truth, and your souls were made pure. Now you sincerely love each other. But you must keep on loving with all your heart. Do this because God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever." A new birth produced by the working of the Spirit of God - Jn 3:3-5 "Jesus replied, "I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God's kingdom!" Nicodemus asked, "How can a grown man ever be born a second time?" Jesus answered: I tell you for certain that before you can get into God's kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit."; Ti 3:5-7 "He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life."
In this new creation we embark on a life of renewal. The inner man is to be renewed daily - 2 Co 4:16 "We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day." This renewal is ongoing, involving the renewal of one’s mind - Ro 12:2 "Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him."
Because of the new creation which has occurred, and the renewing which continues to take place, the Christian can be said to have a new life, having passed from death to life. As Jesus promised to those who hear His words - Jn 5:24-25 "I tell you for certain that everyone who hears my message and has faith in the one who sent me has eternal life and will never be condemned. They have already gone from death to life. I tell you for certain that the time will come, and it is already here, when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen to it will live!" Once dead in sin, we are now made alive to God - Ep 2:1-5 "In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn't obey God. Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else. But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God's wonderful kindness is what saves you."; Co 2:12-13 "And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death. You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God's people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins." We now have the promise and prospect of life eternal, given through God’s Son - 1 Jn 5:11-13 "God has also said that he gave us eternal life and that this life comes to us from his Son. And so, if we have God's Son, we have this life. But if we don't have the Son, we don't have this life. All of you have faith in the Son of God, and I have written to let you know that you have eternal life."
Because of the new creation which has occurred we pass from darkness into the light. Such is the objective of gospel preaching: to turn people from darkness to light. So Jesus told Paul - Ac 26:18 "I want you to open their eyes, so that they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins will be forgiven, and by faith in me they will become part of God's holy people."’ So Peter wrote to Christians - 1 Pe 2:9-10 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, "Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness." Though we once walked in darkness, we can now walk in the light. As children of light - Ep 5:8 "You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light"; 1 Th 5:5 "You belong to the light and live in the day. We don't live in the night or belong to the dark." ain The metaphor of light representing goodness, righteousness, and truth - Ep 5:9 "So act like people of the light and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful"
For which we should ever be thankful - Co 1:12-13 "I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light. God rescued us from the dark power of Satan and brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son,"
We will continue this lesson in a second part looking at what makes such a new creation and a new life a reality.
A Person Reborn - Part One
It is always exciting to see someone become a Christian. Even when an observer doesn’t understand all that is involved, they often sense something meaningful is going on. Especially as time goes on, and changes begin to occur in the person’s life. But often the significance of becoming a Christian appears to be lost. Sometimes even Christians fail to appreciate the significance of being a Christian. When this happens, Christians often fail to grow as they should. It never hurts for a Christian to reflect, and ask such questions as:
What did I do?
What have I received?
What are the implications and consequences of what I’ve done?
What has happened to me?
What have I become?
What is different about me?
To summarize these questions, what is the meaning, importance, and value of becoming a Christian? What am I now to do? Such are the questions we hope to answer in this series, "The Significance Of Being A Christian"
In this first lesson, we note that a Christian is "A Person Reborn". That is because in Christ one has become a new creation. A Christian rises out of the watery grave of baptism to newness of life - Ro 6:4-5 "When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father. If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him." Old things have passed away, and new things have come - 2 Co 5:17 "Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new."
A new creation made possible by virtue of a new birth. A new birth produced by responding to the Word of God - Ja 1:18 "He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth."; 1 Pe 1:22-23 "You obeyed the truth, and your souls were made pure. Now you sincerely love each other. But you must keep on loving with all your heart. Do this because God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever." A new birth produced by the working of the Spirit of God - Jn 3:3-5 "Jesus replied, "I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God's kingdom!" Nicodemus asked, "How can a grown man ever be born a second time?" Jesus answered: I tell you for certain that before you can get into God's kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit."; Ti 3:5-7 "He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life."
In this new creation we embark on a life of renewal. The inner man is to be renewed daily - 2 Co 4:16 "We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day." This renewal is ongoing, involving the renewal of one’s mind - Ro 12:2 "Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him."
Because of the new creation which has occurred, and the renewing which continues to take place, the Christian can be said to have a new life, having passed from death to life. As Jesus promised to those who hear His words - Jn 5:24-25 "I tell you for certain that everyone who hears my message and has faith in the one who sent me has eternal life and will never be condemned. They have already gone from death to life. I tell you for certain that the time will come, and it is already here, when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen to it will live!" Once dead in sin, we are now made alive to God - Ep 2:1-5 "In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn't obey God. Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else. But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God's wonderful kindness is what saves you."; Co 2:12-13 "And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death. You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God's people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins." We now have the promise and prospect of life eternal, given through God’s Son - 1 Jn 5:11-13 "God has also said that he gave us eternal life and that this life comes to us from his Son. And so, if we have God's Son, we have this life. But if we don't have the Son, we don't have this life. All of you have faith in the Son of God, and I have written to let you know that you have eternal life."
Because of the new creation which has occurred we pass from darkness into the light. Such is the objective of gospel preaching: to turn people from darkness to light. So Jesus told Paul - Ac 26:18 "I want you to open their eyes, so that they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins will be forgiven, and by faith in me they will become part of God's holy people."’ So Peter wrote to Christians - 1 Pe 2:9-10 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, "Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness." Though we once walked in darkness, we can now walk in the light. As children of light - Ep 5:8 "You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light"; 1 Th 5:5 "You belong to the light and live in the day. We don't live in the night or belong to the dark." ain The metaphor of light representing goodness, righteousness, and truth - Ep 5:9 "So act like people of the light and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful"
For which we should ever be thankful - Co 1:12-13 "I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light. God rescued us from the dark power of Satan and brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son,"
We will continue this lesson in a second part looking at what makes such a new creation and a new life a reality.
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