Spiritual Growth - VB

The Importance Of A Positive Attitude – Part Two

For spiritual growth to continue, however, requires maintaining a positive attitude. Having noted in the previous lessons the need for a positive attitude in and towards our spiritual growth let's consider a few thoughts about maintaining a positive mental attitude. Choose to be positive! We can control our attitudes, our moods. We may not be able to control or change our circumstances, but we can control how we react to them. For example, we can choose to rejoice when times are hard as James commanded - Ja 1:2 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,” And as we understand the value of difficult times - Ja 1:3-4 “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” ; Ro 5:3-4 “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” When we know that hope and prayer can help us to rejoice - Ro 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” -- With a proper understanding, we can maintain a positive attitude despite our external circumstances - 2 Co 4:16-5:1 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”; Ph 2:17-18 “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.”

How do we control and maintain a positive attitude? By avoiding negative self-talk and looking for the positive. Such as "I can't do it..." to "I can do it...". Such as "It's too hard..." to "It's easy with God’s help...". By constantly reminding yourself of such things as:
You can do what God wants you to do (i.e., grow) - Ph 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”; 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.”
The more effort you make, the more results you will see - Ga 6:7-9 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”; 1 Ti 4:15 “Practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.”
Your labor will not be in vain - 1 Co 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

We can control and maintain a positive attitude by avoiding negative people. Choose your friends carefully - 1 Co 15:33 “Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."’ Stay away from "toxic" people (whose negativity poisons other people's attitudes by feeding their negativity to others). Otherwise you will join what Rick Pitino calls "The Fellowship Of The Miserable" and the killers of the dream. By surrounding yourself with positive people; people who will encourage you to do what is right - He 10:24 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,”; people who refresh your spirit, not discourage it - 1 Co 16:17-18 “I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men.”; Phe 4-7 “I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” Become an encourager, by noting such people like Barnabas, "Son of Encouragement" - Ac 4:36 “Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,”; 11:22-24 “The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.” When we become the encourager even though our emotions or our brain may tell us that our positive statements of encouragement to others is a lie, the more our brain hears what we say to others, the more it accepts the statements as being true. – So with the right self-talk and the right companionships, we can avoid becoming hardened by the sin of negativity - He 3:13 “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.”

We can control and maintain a positive attitude by living in the present, not the past. If anyone could have bemoaned his sinful past, it was Paul - 1 Ti 1:12-15 “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” Yet he chose not to dwell on past mistakes (or even past successes), but to press on in the future - Ph 3:12-14 “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 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.” Live in the present, with an eye to the future. This is what Paul did, reaching forward to the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus - Ph 3:12-14. It was the future glory that enabled him to endure the present trial - 2 Co 4:17-18 “For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” -- This mature attitude (Ph 3:15 “Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.”) is what helped Paul to maintain a positive attitude even in the most difficult of times - 2 Ti 4:18 “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

We have every reason to have a positive attitude about our spiritual growth.... God is ready to help us grow - 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.” He provided tools to help us grow (the Word, prayer, etc.) - 1 Pe 2:2 “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation”; 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.” He designed the church to provide an environment conducive to growth - Ep 4:16 “from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Our labors will not be in vain, nor go unnoticed - He 6:10 “For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.” Even when we fall, He provides forgiveness - 1 Jn 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The challenge we face is not allowing our positive attitude to be destroyed through negative self-talk, through negative people or through trying circumstances. The choice is ours.... We can choose to be positive through faith in God. We can block out negativity that surrounds us. We can live in the present (instead of the past), with an eye on the future. Will we make the right choice? Have you made to choice to follow God?
"And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." - Josh 24:15

Spiritual Growth - VA

Spiritual Growth
The Importance Of A Positive Attitude – Part One

A good start toward spiritual growth is achieved when we:
Accept the challenge to obey God's command to grow - 2 Pe 3:18
Believe we are capable of growing with God's help - Ph 4:13
Set both behavioral and functional goals as described in the Scriptures:
1) Striving to develop Christ-like behavior - 2 Pe 1:5-8
2) Seeking to determine and develop our function in the body of Christ - Ro 12:3-5
Create good habits that slowly but surely help us reach those goals:
1) Habits that change our behavior (Bible reading, prayer, etc.) - 1 Pe 2:2; Ph 4:6-7
2) Habits that utilize our functions in the body of Christ (assembling, participating)
- He 10:24-25; Ro 12:6-8

For spiritual growth to continue, however, requires maintaining a positive attitude:
Believing that all our efforts will be worthwhile - 1 Co 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Encouraging us to persevere through difficult times - 2 Co 4:8-9 “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;”

Paul certainly had a positive attitude. But why is a positive attitude so important to spiritual growth...? Let’s look into this question, but first we need to look at the the dangers of a negative or “I/we can’t” attitude. The danger in a negative attitude is illustrated in the example of the twelve spies of Israel. Ten did not believe they could take the land of Canaan - Num 13:31 “Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are."’ Their negative attitude discouraged the rest of Israel - Num 13:32-14:4 “So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, "The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them." Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt."’; se also 32:7-9 “Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the LORD has given them? Your fathers did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the LORD had given them.” It led to Israel complaining and rebelling against God - Deu 1:26-28 ‘"Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. And you murmured in your tents and said, 'Because the LORD hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, "The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there."' It prompted them not to believe in God - Deu 1:29-33 “Then I said to you, 'Do not be in dread or afraid of them. The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.' Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God, who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go.” It resulted in many dying in the wilderness - Num 14:26-38. When negative attitudes are allowed to develop we stop believing in God and in ourselves; we stop trying to do what God wants us to do; we discourage those around us in that negativity is contagious; and we fail to reach the goals God has placed before us.

The value of a positive attitude is illustrated in the example of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The people had a mind to work - Neh 4:6 “So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.” It helped them overcome ridicule by their enemies - Neh 4:1-3 “Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?" Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Yes, what they are building--if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!"’ Their positive attitude and willingness to work led to the rebuilding of the walls - Neh 6:15 “So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.”

When positive attitudes are maintained we continue to believe in God and our ability to serve Him; we keep trying to do what God wants us to do; we encourage those around us, and overcome those who would discourage us; thus we ultimately reach the goals that God has placed before us. Spiritual growth, like any other successful venture, requires a positive attitude! With it, God will help us reach our goals for spiritual growth. Without it, we fall short of becoming what God would have us to be. When we continue this lesson we will look at how we can maintain a positive mental attitude.

Spiritual Growth - IVB

Habits For Spiritual Growth – Part Two

Having looked at some behavioral habits we now want to look at some functional habits. That leads us to our next point, in which we assemble together with the church. Yes, we have already mentioned the habit of assembling with Christians. But that was in connection with your personal spiritual growth. If we are to reach our functional goals, it will be within the framework of the local church. Through frequent assembling with the church we become familiar with identities and needs of other members. We learn what functions are needed in the body of Christ – see Ro 12:3-8. We are given opportunity to be of service to one another. -- The habit of going to church is essential if we are going to be of much use to the Lord's church; otherwise, we cannot be counted on for much service.

Participation in the work of the church such as the habit of participating in the assemblies of the church, teaching classes, preaching, Bible reading, leading singing., ushering, counting attendance, and serving the Lord's Supper is where a young man or new Christian desiring to grow might develop the habit of participating in the following activities, starting with what is easy and progressing to the more difficult:
1) Serving on the Lord's table
2) Reading Scripture
3) Leading the closing prayer
4) Leading the opening prayer
5) Serving as usher, welcoming and seating visitors
6) Presiding at the Lord's table
7) Making announcements
8) Extending the invitation
9) Leading singing
10) Teaching the adult classes
11) Preaching sermons
Participation in the work of the church such as the habit of providing for other services needed in the church such as greeting visitors, ministering to the sick, encouraging the weak, and teaching the gospel to the lost. Or the more mundane chores of cleaning the building, providing maintenance for the building and grounds, or preparing the Lord's Supper. All of these are area where one can grow and be of service to others. -- If we hope to reach our functional goals in which we are useful to the Master, then we need to make participation in the work of the church a habit!

Finally, a thought or two about congregational habits and what the leaders need to do. Participation in functional roles is more likely when members are aware of what needs to be done. A congregation can encourage spiritual growth by clearly defining what functional roles are available for service. -- A congregation needs to be in the habit of letting its members know what kind of functional roles are available.

A congregation needs to provide opportunities to learn, to serve, and thereby grow a need to be provided - 2 Ti 2:2 “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Such as, providing training classes to develop the various abilities of the membership. Making sure those trained are making good use of their abilities. The habit of developing a duty roster can assist in this, in which people are assigned to serve in various capacities, making sure that all who wish to serve are given opportunities. By sharing to various responsibilities all the members will have an opportunity to serve rather than just a few doing the work all of the time. -- Each congregation should have some habitual way of training and involving its members in the work and worship of the church.

A congregation should also be in the habit of encouraging spiritual growth by encouraging participation in activities of service. One good habit is to let the inexperienced gain experience; for example, allowing those who desire to preach the opportunity to do so. Such as providing one night a month for them to preach. Such as encouraging them to do fill-in preaching for neighboring congregations. -- A congregation should have the habit of encouraging participation, even if it means utilizing those who are inexperienced, nervous or awkward, even if it means letting them go to serve elsewhere as the need arises.

In conclusion, remember, goals are obtained whenever good habits are established.... The creation of good habits sets the stage for spiritual growth. As spiritual habits are developed, spiritual growth is incremental but steady. Wholesome and well-rounded spiritual growth occurs wherever:
An individual develops both behavioral and functional habits that will help them along to reaching their behavioral and functional goals.
A congregation promotes habits that will encourage participation in its work, especially in helping Christians develop their functional goals in the body of Christ.
Are we developing the kind of habits that will help us grow spiritually?

Spiritual Growth - IVA

Spiritual Growth
Habits For Spiritual Growth – Part One

In our previous lesson we talked about goals for spiritual growth....
Behavioral goals - in which we seek to become like Jesus, emulating His character. Functional goals - in which we aim to determine and develop our abilities and functions
in the body of Christ.
Congregational goals - in which brethren unite in our aspirations to grow as a congregation as well as individual Christians.
To meet our goals requires the development of good habits.... Habits are stepping stones which ensure that we eventually meet our goals. Habits are things done on a frequent basis (daily, weekly, etc.) that slowly produce a certain effect -- Unless we establish good habits, bad habits will set in that hinder our spiritual growth!

What are some good habits that will help us meet our spiritual goals? Let's first consider a few that will help us meet our behavioral goals, what we might describe as behavioral habits. Bible reading: not just reading alone, but studying and making personal application. The Word of God is crucial to growing spiritually - 1 Pe 2:2 “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation”. David described the value of God's Word - Psa 19:7-11 “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” He also illustrated the blessedness and fortitude of one who meditated daily on the Word of God - Psa 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” The Christian who wants to grow spiritually must therefore develop the habit of daily
Bible reading, study and application. Such as reading through the Bible each year (about 3 chapters a day). Or perhaps the New Testament one year, the Old Testament the next -- By feeding upon God's Word daily, we receive the spiritual nourishment necessary to grow; have you developed the habit of daily Bible reading?

Praying: the practice of prayer is also required for spiritual growth. Through prayer we find mercy and grace to help - He 4:16 “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.” Through prayer we find peace to guard our hearts - 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.” The Christian must therefore continue steadfastly in prayer - Ro 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Perhaps emulating the example of David - Psa 55:17 “Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.” And the custom of Daniel, who prayed three times daily - Dan 6:10 “When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” -- Just as we must listen to God daily through His Word, so we must talk to Him daily if we are to grow; have you developed the habit of praying regularly?

Singing: praising God in song is also conducive to spiritual growth. David, the man after God's own heart, developed the practice of praising God daily - Psa 104:33 “I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.”; 119:164 “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules.” If we teach one another through songs, do we not also teach ourselves when we sing? - Co 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” The Christian should make singing a habit that is second nature to him or her. When happy, we should sing - Ja 5:13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” In times of trial, we should sing - Ac 16:25 “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” -- As we develop the habits of daily Bible reading and prayer, let us also develop the habit of singing praises to God daily if we seek to grow!

Assembling: assembling together with other Christians is very important - 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 means of stimulating one another to love and good works. We exhort one another in our service to Christ. Therefore Christians should make a strong habit of attending church. Attending as often as possible, for worship, Bible study, etc. The more we attend, the stronger the habit becomes; the less we attend, the
weaker the habit becomes. -- Christians who make it a habit to skip the assemblies struggle in their efforts to grow spiritually; no Christian has become stronger by neglecting the assembly!

The formation and exercise of such behavioral habits builds the foundation for solid spiritual growth that leads to maturity in Christ. Bible study, prayer, and singing bring us closer to God which can transform our character (cf. 2 Co 3:18). Assembling together brings us closer to one another, and provides the opportunity to develop our functional goals in the body of Christ. That leads us to our next point, in which we consider what I call functional habits. We will look into this in the next part of this lesson to follow.

Spiritual Growth - IIIB

Goals For Spiritual Growth – Part Two

Having looked and some personal spiritual growth goals we will now turn our attention to how our growth is tied to congregational goals. As members of the body, we must grow. We must find and develop our unique function(s) in the body of Christ - Ro 12:6-8 “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” For some, it may be laboring in the Word (preaching, teaching). For others, it may involve ministering to others (visiting, serving). For many, it may involve a multitude of talents and abilities. We must utilize our gifts (functions) in the service of God - 1 Pe 4:10-11 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Those who speak, doing so as the oracles of God. Those who serve, with the strength God supplies. -- Failing to grow brings reproach (e.g., He 5:12-14;), for we are guilty of wasting what God has given us (cf. Mt 25:14-30).

The challenge of reaching our functional goals is one of determining our function(s) in the body of Christ. Not all members have the same function; what is mine? Am I lacking in certain talents, or are they simply needing to be developed? Am I truly a one-talent individual, or am I using that possibility as an excuse not to develop what I am truly capable of? The challenge is one of developing our function(s) in the body of Christ. While some skills may come naturally, others may take time and energy. Is my lack of development the result of indifference or laziness? Am I selling myself short through negative self-talk? Am I allowing the allurements of the world to preoccupy my time and energy? -- We need to be honest with ourselves; indeed, the day of Judgment will reveal whether or not we have been honest (cf. 2 Co 5:10; Mt 25:14-30).

Finally, a thought or two about congregational goals as individual growth is intertwined with church growth. A primary function of the church is the edification of the saints - Ep 4:11-16 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 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. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” We are challenged to minister our gifts to one another - 1 Pe 4:11 “whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” -- As we grow individually, so we grow as a church, and vice versa.

Church goals should incorporate individual goals. A congregation's goals should allow for the fulfillment of individual goals providing encouragement through its educational programs and providing opportunity for Christians to serve in their various roles. A congregation's goals will require the fulfillment of individual goals. Does a church have a goal for growth? It requires teachers and others who minister to the flock. Does a church have a goal for spreading the gospel? It requires preachers and those who will support them - Ro 10:14-15 “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"’ -- To grow individually, we benefit greatly with the help of congregational goals!

The challenge of reaching our congregational goals depends heavily upon the cooperation of all the members. If we are not united in the need for spiritual growth, it is unlikely we will set congregational goals that will nourish such growth. If we are not growing individually, any congregational goals will not likely be met -- If we desire to grow as a congregation, we need to be growing as individuals, and set our goals to allow for such!

In conclusion, spiritual growth requires the setting and obtaining of goals.... Individuals must have both behavioral and functional goals. Both individuals and congregations must have similar goals. As we obtain our goals as individuals and as congregations Christ will be glorified! As disciples and as members of His body we will become what He desires us to be! If we desire to grow spiritually, then we need to set and strive for behavioral, functional, and congregational goals that will inspire us in the right direction!

Spiritual Growth - IIIA

Spiritual Growth
Goals For Spiritual Growth – Part One

Thus far in our study of spiritual growth I have sought to establish the following. Spiritual growth is a choice that we must make commanded by God. That requires diligent effort on our part, yet we are assisted by God in our effort. And we are blessed by God both in this life and the one to come. Spiritual growth is too often hindered by low self-esteem/ Too many Christians sell themselves short, because they do not view themselves capable of attaining higher levels of spiritual growth. Not believing in their God-given capability, they are prone to making excuses for not trying, and therefore not growing. -- Yet because God commands us to grow, we need to have faith that we can grow. But what should be our goals regarding spiritual growth? For what are we to strive for, in making a diligent effort? By what measurement can we determine that spiritual growth is taking place? As with any venture, having goals and attaining them is essential to success. The athlete excels when he or she sets goals, and attains them. The successful business man understands the importance of goals. So it is with the Christian. We must have goals, and measurable ways of attaining them. In this lesson, I want to offer some thoughts in this regards.

First, for the Christian there needs to be what I call behavioral goals. Our ultimate goal is to be like Christ. Jesus intimated such in talking about discipleship. A disciple is to become like his teacher - Lk 6:40 “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Jesus wants us to become His 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."’ Paul made it clear that this is the goal of our redemption. God's desire is that we be conformed to the image of His Son - Ro 8:29 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” As we are being transformed, it is in the image of Christ - 2 Co 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” We are to be renewed according to the image of Christ - Co 3:10-11 “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” -- So an essential element of spiritual growth is to become more Christ-like, renewing our behavior to conform to the example of Jesus Christ.

This transformation involves growing in the knowledge of Christ. Which Peter commanded in 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.” Not just academic knowledge, but personal knowledge through character development - 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 must add spiritual graces to our faith, such as virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. It is with the development of such graces that we are truly fruitful in the knowledge of Christ - cf. 2 Pe 1:8 “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.” -- These graces were best personified in Jesus Christ; the more we grow in them, the more we truly know and understand our Lord and Savior!

The challenge of reaching our behavioral goals is that it requires diligent effort on our part - 2 Pe 1:5a “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith,,,”, 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.” It requires sustained effort - Ga 6:7-9 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” -- As stressed before, such growth does not come naturally; if we are not careful, we may revert back to our former conduct and character - 2 Pe 2:20-22 “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: "The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire."’ True spiritual growth demands a renewal of mind and character (Ro 12:1-2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”), in which the goal is to become like our Teacher, Jesus Christ!

As members of His body, the church, there are other goals to attain. What I refer to as functional goals. The church is a body with many members in which every member is important - 1 Co 12:12-22. In which not every member has the same function - Ro 12:3-5 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” In which every member must do its part - Ep 4:16 “from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” -- The Lord's church grows only as each member does his part in the body of Christ.

We will continue this lesson in Part Two looking at how our personal spiritual growth goals are intertwined within the growth of the congregation.

Spiritual Growth - IIB

Spiritual Growth And Self-Esteem – Part Two

In our previous portion of this lesson we looked at what self-esteem is and the Christian’s basis for a high self-esteem. A Christian has two primary reasons for having a healthy self-image by virtue of divine generation and spiritual regeneration.

But now let's address more directly the subject of self-esteem and spiritual growth. For the Christian a poor self-esteem hinders spiritual growth. How so? Not believing they are capable of growing, some tell themselves: "I could never do that (teach a class, preach a sermon, etc.)..." "I will make too many mistakes..." Prone to giving up too soon, some tell themselves: "I just don't have the ability..." "I am only a one talent individual..." Poor self-esteem on an individual basis can easily carry over to how the group feels. "We are too small as a church to do..." "We are too poor..." -- All such excuses are indications of poor self-esteem, and prevent spiritual growth from occurring!

A proper self-esteem enhances spiritual growth. Consider the healthy self-esteem the apostle Paul had: For himself - Ph 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” For others - 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.”; 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.” We should have a similar estimation of ourselves. We can do whatever God wants us to do, because Christ strengthens us! We may not all do the same, but we can contribute much to the glory of God! Ro 12:3-8; 1 Pe 4:10-11 -- Instead of making excuses, tell yourself: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"! - Ph 4:13

Here are some practical steps for improving self-esteem. Identify and accept your strengths, weaknesses--everyone has them, no one is perfect. Take an "I can" attitude and offer yourself encouragement along the way. An "I can" if I think I can and tell myself I can. Set some realistic goals, and then take joy in your achievements (giving God the glory!). Don't try to be someone else, but be thankful of who you are. Explore your own talents, learn to love and appreciate the unique person you are (God loves you, your brethren love you, shouldn't you?). Eliminate negative self-talk; consider the following: It takes about 20 positive statements about ourselves (the foundation of our self-esteem) to counteract even just 1 negative personal statement! It doesn't take a continual repetition of negative statements from our parents, peers, and others throughout our childhood to cause low self-esteem. Once we get a couple in our head, we can use them over and over again; again and again we take those false negatives and repeat them unconsciously (completely unaware) - it's like having a constant heckler with you. Formulate some positive statements about yourself and repeat them out loud.

Poor self-esteem is a major hindrance to spiritual growth.... We make excuses for not trying. We often give up before we make progress. On the other hand, spiritual growth greatly enhances self-esteem.... As we grow, our achievements encourage us to do more. As we grow, we gain confidence that we are on the right track - 1 Jn 3:18-19 “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him;” Rather than let a mistaken estimation of self to hinder our service to God.... Allow God's estimation of us to enhance our self-image and self-esteem. Allow God's estimation of us to encourage the spiritual growth He desires. -- We will feel better about ourselves when we do!

Spiritual Growth - IIA

Spiritual Growth – II
Spiritual Growth And Self-Esteem – Part One

In our previous lesson we saw that "Spiritual Growth Is A Choice" commanded by God - 2 Pe 3:18. Requiring diligent effort on our part - Ph 2:12. Assisted by God - Ph 2:13. Blessed by God - 2 Pe 1:8-11. Yet many Christians do not reach their potential for spiritual growth. Character development is minimal, abilities likewise underdeveloped. Years pass by with little progress. I am persuaded a major reason is poor self-esteem causing Christians to underestimate their true potential thus hindering their efforts to grow. What is self-esteem? How does it affect our spiritual growth?

Let's begin by taking a look at self-esteem and the Christian. Self-esteem is our internal feelings and evaluation of ourselves based on our "perceived" self-image. In other words, how we feel about ourselves based on how we view ourselves. Self-esteem and self-image are closely related, based mostly on feedback during childhood. Feedback may come first from others (parents, peers, other important figures), but then is reinforced by our own self-talk (what we tell ourselves). Healthy self-esteem is enhanced by childhood experiences that include: being praised, being listened to, and being spoken to respectfully; getting attention and hugs; experiencing success in sports or school and having trustworthy friends. Childhood experiences that lead to low self-esteem include: being harshly criticized, yelled at, or beaten; being ignored, ridiculed or teased; being expected to be "perfect" all the time; experiencing failures in sports or school. -- People with low self-esteem were often given messages that failed experiences (losing a game, getting a poor grade, etc.) were failures of their whole self. The consequences of poor self-esteem can create anxiety, stress, loneliness and increased likelihood for depression. It can cause problems with friendships and relationships. It can seriously impair academic and job performance. It can lead to underachievement and increased vulnerability to drug and alcohol abuse where one with low self-esteem attempts to self-medicate their negative feelings about themselves. -- These negative consequences themselves reinforce the negative self-image and can take a person into a downward spiral of lower and lower self-esteem and increasingly nonproductive or even actively self-destructive behavior.

The Christian’s basis for a high self-esteem has two primary reasons for having a healthy self-image. First, dignity, by virtue of divine generation. We were created in God's image - Gen 1:26-27 “Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” We were created to exercise dominion - Gen 1:28 “And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."’ -- God has further demonstrated His high estimation of mankind by His love - Jn 3:16 ‘"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”; 1 Jn 4:10 “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”; Ro 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” These facts must be planted deep within the heart and soul of one that is suffering from low self-esteem or self-image.

Second, dignity by virtue of spiritual regeneration. Yes, we are sinners, but we have been regenerated - Ti 3:5 “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,” We are now loved as His children - 1 Jn 3:1 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” Christians have other reasons for having a good self-esteem. The blessing of continued forgiveness when we sin - 1 Jn 1:9-2:2 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 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.” The blessing of God's Spirit to help us overcome sin - Ga 4:6 “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"’; Ro 8:12 “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.”; Ep 3:16 “that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,” The blessing of God's family (the church) to help us - He 3:12 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.”; 10:25 “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.” The blessing of God's own assurance never to forsake us - He 13:5-6 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"’ There is much that could be added to the fact that God highly esteems His children. While we are sinners, He wants us to have the proper estimation of ourselves.

In the next portion of this lesson we will address more directly the subject of self-esteem as to how it negatively affects spiritual growth of a Christian.

Spiritual Growth - IB

Spiritual Growth Is A Choice – Part Two

As we continue our lesson of “Spiritual Growth Is A Choice” we find that we are strengthened by God in our efforts to grow spiritually. He strengthens us by His Spirit in our inner man - Ep 3:16 “that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,” He empowers us with unimaginable power that is in us - Ep 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” He provides the armor to stand strong in the power of His might - Ep 6:10-11 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” -- There is no excuse not to grow, for Christ strengthens us! - Ph 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

With God as our aid, spiritual growth is possible. And not mediocre growth, but spiritual growth beyond what limits we might think hinder us! Finally, let us remember that "Spiritual Growth Is A Choice" that is blessed by God. The blessings begin in this life as we grow in grace - 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 experience the blessings of the grace in which we stand , such as peace with God, rejoicing in hope - Ro 5:1-2 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” As we grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ - 2 Pe 3:18 (see above). We experience the blessings of adding virtue, knowledge, self-control, etc. to our faith. Such as a victorious life, in which we do not stumble so as to fall - 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.” -- Indeed, it is spiritual growth that ensures the "abundant life" that Jesus promised! - Jn 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

The blessings continue into the life to come. We will experience an "abundant entrance" into the everlasting kingdom - 2 Pe 1:11 “For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” In some way, our works do follow us - Re 14:13 “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"’ -- At the very least, we know that our labors will not be in vain! - 1 Co 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

We have been talking about growth; but not just any growth, for not all growth is good. The hearts of some grow dull - Mt 13:15 “For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'” The love of many grows cold - cf. Mt 24:12 “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” There is the danger of growing weary in doing good - Ga 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”; 2 Th 3:13 “As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” There is the possibility of growing corrupt according to deceitful lusts - Ep 4:22 “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,” There is danger of growing wanton against Christ - 1 Ti 5:11 “But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ,” There are those who grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived - 2 Ti 3:13 “while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” -- Like the growth of cancerous cells, the wrong growth can be deadly!

We have been talking about spiritual growth, the kind of growth that is commanded by God. Growth that requires diligent effort, assisted by God and blessed by God. -- It is this kind of growth that Peter enjoined as he closed his epistle - 2 Pe 3:18. What kind of growth is taking place in our spiritual lives? Is it a deadly kind of growth, creating dull hearts, love that is cold, weariness in doing good, even moral corruption? Or is it a vibrant kind of growth in which we are abounding in love, joy, and peace, being faithful and fruitful in our service to Jesus Christ? -- The one kind of growth is often the result of neglect, the other kind of growth comes only when we make the right choice! If we desire to experience the blessings of the right kind of growth, then never forget that "Spiritual Growth Is A Choice"! Are you making the right choice today and every day...?

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." - Mt 11:28-30

Spiritual Growth - IA

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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