Understanding Biblical ChangeUnderstanding Biblical Change

Session 1Session 1

Our Family MissionOur Family Mission

living together in harmony,living together in harmony,serving each other in humility,serving each other in humility,growing together in godliness,growing together in godliness,

helping others with cheerfulness,helping others with cheerfulness,and thereby, as a family,and thereby, as a family,

to provide a “living advertisement”to provide a “living advertisement”of Christlikeness for others in thisof Christlikeness for others in this generation and for our childrengeneration and for our children

in the generations to come. in the generations to come.

To passionately know our God,To passionately know our God,and to love and please Him byand to love and please Him by

Knowledge ObjectivesKnowledge Objectives Explain God’s primary goal for Explain God’s primary goal for

wanting you to make biblical wanting you to make biblical change.change.

Summarize the Holy Spirit’s Summarize the Holy Spirit’s role in making biblical change.role in making biblical change.

Explain the three parts of Explain the three parts of biblical change.biblical change.

Define the term “discipleship” Define the term “discipleship” and explain the important part and explain the important part it plays in life’s relationships.it plays in life’s relationships.

Application ObjectivesApplication Objectives Respond by identifying specific Respond by identifying specific

areas of your life that need areas of your life that need biblical change.biblical change.

Respond by noticing times Respond by noticing times during your day when you can during your day when you can cooperate with God’s plan to cooperate with God’s plan to sanctify you.sanctify you.

Respond by asking God to Respond by asking God to burden you for the needs of burden you for the needs of others around you who also need others around you who also need to make biblical change.to make biblical change.

Understanding Biblical ChangeUnderstanding Biblical Change

Session 1Session 1

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus AwardAward

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus AwardAward

This award goes to those who, This award goes to those who, like good old Chris, when they like good old Chris, when they set out to do something, don’t set out to do something, don’t know where they are going; know where they are going; neither do they know how to get neither do they know how to get there. When they arrive, they there. When they arrive, they don’t know where they are, and don’t know where they are, and when they return, they don’t when they return, they don’t know where they’ve been. know where they’ve been.

(Source Unknown)(Source Unknown)

This award goes to those who, This award goes to those who, like good old Chris, when they like good old Chris, when they set out to do something, don’t set out to do something, don’t know where they are going; know where they are going; neither do they know how to get neither do they know how to get there. When they arrive, they there. When they arrive, they don’t know where they are, and don’t know where they are, and when they return, they don’t when they return, they don’t know where they’ve been. know where they’ve been.

(Source Unknown)(Source Unknown)

Biblical ChangeBiblical Change This study is about This study is about

sanctificationsanctification.. Sanctification, in the Sanctification, in the

sense we are discussing sense we are discussing in this study, is in this study, is progressiveprogressive..

Not Just Any Change Will Not Just Any Change Will Do!Do! A spoiled teen stops his A spoiled teen stops his

sulking.sulking. A depressed wife A depressed wife

becomes “her old becomes “her old cheerful self.”cheerful self.”

A college student gets A college student gets better grades.better grades.

An embittered An embittered dockworker stops his dockworker stops his complaining.complaining.

Mark 7:21-23Mark 7:21-23 “ “For from For from withinwithin, , out of the out of the

heart of menheart of men, proceed evil , proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness deceit, lasciviousness [shameless sensuality], an [shameless sensuality], an evil eye [envy], blasphemy evil eye [envy], blasphemy [slander], pride, foolishness: [slander], pride, foolishness: All these evil things All these evil things come come from withinfrom within, and defile the , and defile the man.”man.”

“ “From whence come wars and From whence come wars and fightings among you [the fightings among you [the outward visible problems]? outward visible problems]? come they not hence, even of come they not hence, even of your lusts [the inward desires your lusts [the inward desires of the heart] that war of the heart] that war in your in your members?”members?”

James 4:1James 4:1

Lessons from a Tea Lessons from a Tea BagBag

Hot water didn’t Hot water didn’t createcreate the taste; the taste;

it it revealedrevealed what was in the bag. what was in the bag.

The The GoalGoal of Change of Change The result of sanctification The result of sanctification

is a believer who looks is a believer who looks increasingly like Christ—increasingly like Christ—the the “grown-up Christian.”“grown-up Christian.”

Spiritually mature Spiritually mature humanity is in essence humanity is in essence Christlike humility—the Christlike humility—the humility of a humility of a servant.servant.

The Power of a The Power of a “Cat”“Cat”

The The PersonPerson of Change of Change The Holy Spirit is one of the The Holy Spirit is one of the

three three PersonsPersons of the of the Godhead.Godhead.

We are changed by Him as We are changed by Him as we cooperate with His we cooperate with His leadingleading (Rom. 8:14; Ps. (Rom. 8:14; Ps. 23:3).23:3).

He leads through His He leads through His convictingconvicting voice. voice.

““Be Be filledfilled with [ with [controlled controlled by] the Spirit.”by] the Spirit.”

The The ProcessProcess of of ChangeChange The The Spirit Spirit of God takesof God takes

the the Word Word of God and of God and changes us to become changes us to become like the like the Son Son of Godof God..

The The ProcessProcess of of ChangeChange

MortificationMortification of the flesh of the flesh The flesh is reThe flesh is restrained strained

through the Spirit’s through the Spirit’s enablement.enablement.

MeditationMeditation on the Word on the Word The mind is rThe mind is renewed enewed

through the Spirit’s through the Spirit’s illumination.illumination.

ManifestationManifestation of of ChristlikenessChristlikeness Christ is Christ is revealed revealed through through

the Spirit’s fruit.the Spirit’s fruit.

Part One: Restraining Your Part One: Restraining Your FleshFlesh

Part Two: Renewing Your Part Two: Renewing Your MindMind

Part Three: Reflecting Your Part Three: Reflecting Your LordLord

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Spiritual ParentingSpiritual ParentingSpiritual ParentingSpiritual Parenting

This study is about This study is about sanctification and sanctification and discipleshipdiscipleship..

Biblical discipleship is a Biblical discipleship is a certain kind of certain kind of relationship relationship between two believers.between two believers.

Discipleship is Discipleship is helpinghelping another believer make another believer make biblical biblical changechange toward toward Christlikeness. Christlikeness.

The The CentralityCentrality of of Discipleship Discipleship The The CentralityCentrality of of Discipleship Discipleship ParentingParenting is discipleship. is discipleship. Edification in the Edification in the locallocal churchchurch

is discipleship.is discipleship. Christian Christian educationeducation is is

discipleship.discipleship. CounselingCounseling is discipleship. is discipleship. ManagementManagement in Christian in Christian workwork

is discipleship.is discipleship.

Your Role in Your Role in DiscipleshipDiscipleshipYour Role in Your Role in DiscipleshipDiscipleship You must have a working You must have a working

knowledgeknowledge of of sanctification.sanctification.

You must be You must be practicingpracticing it it in your own life.in your own life.