Download Changed into His Image — Sanctification

CHANGED INTO HIS
IMAGE:
God’s Plan for Transforming Your Life
A Study based on the book by Jim Berg1
This is the Teacher’s Edition of this material. The answer blanks are filled in and
comments are in italics. To make a student copy, simply empty the blanks and remove
the comments.
LESSON ONE: UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL CHANGE
LESSON TWO: RECOGNIZING THE EVIL WITHIN
LESSON THREE: IDENTIFYING YOUR OWN WAY
LESSON FOUR: GETTING IN YOUR PLACE
LESSON FIVE: MORTIFYING YOUR FLESH
LESSON SIX: GETTING IN TOUCH WITH REALITY
LESSON SEVEN: BECOMING LIKE CHRIST
LESSON EIGHT: SEARCHING FOR WISDOM
LESSON NINE: WALKING IN WISDOM
LESSON TEN: CHARACTERISICS OF THE NEW MAN, PART 1
LESSON ELEVEN: CHARACTERISICS OF THE NEW MAN, PART 2
LESSON TWELVE: CHARACTERISICS OF THE NEW MAN, PART 3
Understanding Biblical Change
Most of us are aware of areas of our life that need to be changed. Maybe someone else
has already pointed out an attitude or action in us that isn’t pleasing to God; or perhaps
no one has said anything yet, but we are painfully aware of our short-comings.
Nonetheless, in the past when we have attempted to become a different kind of person,
1
BJU Press, 1999, 2000. Jim Berg is dean of students at Bob Jones University. This material
expanded/modified by Brad Anderson, Calvary Baptist Church, summer 2001.
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our efforts were haphazard and sporadic. Consequently, we saw no lasting results. Our
frustration is very much like that of someone attempting to assemble a jigsaw puzzle
without first seeing the picture on the box. By the time we finish this study, we should
have in mind the “big picture” of biblical change.
 This study is about sanctification . Sanctification is:
 the Bible word used to describe the process of how a believer is made more holy
and Christlike in attitudes, actions and ambitions.
 a process by which one’s moral condition is brought into conformity with his
legal status before God.
 the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the
image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto
righteousness.2
 We sometimes call sanctification Christian growth.
 Sanctification, in the sense we are discussing in this study, is progressive. A person’s
likeness to Christ is not something that happens all at once. It’s a gradual shift from
sinful, selfish behavior to more and more Christlike, holy behavior and attitudes.
Phil 1:6 He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of
Jesus Christ.
 Sanctification is not merely “turning over a new leaf.” It is not simply cleaning up
one’s life. Sanctification occurs as what is already inside, namely, a new heart, affects
one’s entire lifestyle.
Facts Regarding Biblical Change:
I.
The Need for Change.
A.
Total depravity. Unsaved man is lost and dead in sin. There is nothing he
can do and nothing he desires to do to change this condition. In a lost
person, the old, sinful nature has total control.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:
who can know it?
Mark 7:21-23 [Jesus said] For from within, out of the heart of men,
proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts,
covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy,
pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the
man.
B.
2
New life in Christ. Once a person gets saved, he possesses new spiritual
life. The new nature should begin to display itself in various ways.
From the Westminster Catechism.
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1 Cor 6:11 The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. . . . And
such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Lessons from a Tea Bag: When a tea bag is dipped in hot water, the water
draws out the flavors from the tea bag. Whatever is in the tea bag is
released into the water. So it is with our hearts. If the Spirit of God has not
renewed our hearts, the old nature will come out whenever we get into
“hot water.” On the other hand, if we have been given new life, evidence
of that fact will come forth. The pressures of life merely expose what kind
of person we are.
C.
Biblical writers repeatedly command and expect Christians to act
differently than they did prior to salvation. Christians must live holy lives,
which should set them apart from unbelievers.
Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that
ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which
is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
1 John 2:4-6 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth
his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that
we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to
walk, even as he walked.
II.
The Goal of Change
A.
The result of the sanctification process is that the believer looks
increasingly like Christ—the grown-up (mature) Christian.
B.
Spiritually mature humanity is in essence Christlike humility—the
humility of a servant. When a believer changes from following his own
self-centered, sinful heart to following Christ’s example of humble
servanthood, sanctification is taking place.
Note the Quote:
A life of self-sacrificing unselfishness is the most divinely beautiful life that man can lead. He
whom as our Master we have engaged to obey, whom as our Example we are pledged to
imitate, is presented to us [in Philippians 2:1-11] as the great model of self-sacrificing
unselfishness.3
3
B.B. Warfield
Sanctification
C.
III.
1: Understanding Biblical Change
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Complete sanctification will never occur in the life of a believer. That is,
no one can achieve perfection on this side of heaven. We will continue to
struggle with the world, the flesh and the devil throughout our lives.
That’s no excuse, however, for a lack of effort to be sanctified.
The of Person of Change
A.
Sanctification is possible due to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the agent
of change in our lives.
B.
The Holy Spirit is the divine Leader calling attention through His
convicting voice to the times when we are intent upon going our own way.
It is leadership—away from sin and toward Christ’s likeness. This is not a
mystical feeling or experience, but a yielding to His influence to obey the
Scriptures.
C.
This leadership of the Spirit toward Christlikeness takes place as we obey
Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 5:18 to “be filled with [i.e., controlled by]
the Spirit.”
D.
One is not sanctified through his own strength or will power. The Holy
Spirit is the active force behind any movement toward Christian maturity.
However, the believer is not passive. He does not simply “let go and let
God” sanctify him. Believers have an active role to play in their own
spiritual growth.
Phil 2:12-13 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it
is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but
if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
IV.
The Process of Change
Sanctification is the process whereby the Spirit of God takes the Word of God and
changes us to become like the Son of God. God may use many other influences in
our lives to bring about our sanctification – trials, temptations, the local church,
Christian friends, etc. How exactly does this happen? Note the following chart.
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Our Personal
Responsibility
Paul’s Instruction
Eph 4:22-24
James’ Instruction
Put to death (mortify)
the sinful lusts of the
flesh – quit sinning.
“put off the old man”
[i.e., old unregenerate
self]
“put off all
filthiness”
The Holy Spirit
restrains/controls
the lust of the flesh
“receive the
engrafted word”
The Holy Spirit
renews and
illuminates the
believer’s mind.
“Be doers of the
word and not
hearers only.”
The Holy Spirit
develops
Christlikeness in the
believer’s life.
Read, study and
meditate on God’s
Word.
Strive to be like
Christ.
“be renewed in the
spirit of your mind”
James 1:21-25
also Rom 12:2
“put on the new man”
[i.e., the new self in
Christ]
The Holy Spirit’s
Ministry
Conclusion: There is no true biblical change toward Christlikeness unless life and its
problems are handled God’s way. Sanctification is the Bible word used to describe the
process of how a believer is made more holy and Christlike in attitudes, actions and
ambitions. The Bible commands believers to forsake their sinful ways and to follow the
example of Christ in humble service to others. The Holy Spirit is the agent of this change.
His ministry is to work out practically what is true spiritually. One’s new life must
evidence itself in holy living. The process of change involves putting off the old ways,
renewing your mind, and putting on the new ways of godliness and holiness.
Discussion:
1. What is sanctification? The process of becoming more Christlike.
2. Summarize the Holy Spirit’s role in making biblical change. He leads/influences
believers to obey the Bible.
3. Explain the three parts or steps of biblical change. Mortify the flesh (put off the old
man), renew your mind, strive for Christlikeness (put on the new man)
4. Identify specific areas of your life that need biblical change.
5. At what times do you find it hardest (or easiest) to cooperate with God’s plan to
sanctify you?
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Excursus on Sanctification
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Excursus on Sanctification
It may be helpful to examine some of the issues that have historically impacted the way
people think about the process of sanctification.
The historical Baptist view, as found in the Second London Baptist Confession (1689)
and later confirmed by the Philadelphia Baptist Confession (1742), says the following:
1. Those who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having
had a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ’s
death and resurrection, are then further sanctified in a very real and personal
way. Because of the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, and by His
Word and Spirit dwelling in them, the dominion of the whole body of sin is
destroyed. The different lusts of the body of sin are increasingly weakened
and mortified, and Christ’s people are increasingly quickened and
strengthened in all saving graces, to practice all true holiness, without which
no man shall see the Lord.
2. This sanctification extends throughout the whole person, yet it remains
imperfect in this life. Some remnants of corruption live on in every part, and
from this arises a continuous war between irreconcilable parties–the flesh
lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.
3. In this war, although the remaining corruption for a time may greatly prevail,
yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of
Christ, the regenerate part overcomes. And so the saints grow in grace
perfecting holiness in the fear of God; pressing after a heavenly life in
evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ as Head and King, in
His Word, has prescribed to them.4
The historical Baptist understanding is that sanctification occurs in some sense at the
point of salvation and continues in some sense throughout life. The sinful tendencies in
the believer are gradually weakened and the righteous tendencies gradually strengthened.
A continual battle rages between the flesh and the spirit. One never achieves the total
eradication of sin or sinless perfection. One might graph sanctification like this:
Cited in “Sanctification: A Call for a Return to the View of our Baptist Forefathers” by William Combs,
Professor of New Testament at Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary.
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Excursus on Sanctification
Page 7
Graphical representation
of sanctification
Experience goes up
and down, but overall movement is up.
Points of repentance
Unfortunately, many Baptists now repudiate this view of sanctification. Instead, they
follow the teachings popularized by John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of the
Methodists. He taught what came to be known as a “second work of grace” (some called
it the “second blessing”) that was responsible for sanctification. He believed in entire
sanctification or perfectionism–the idea that a believer could totally abstain from sin after
achieving victory over it. Charles Finney (1792-1875) picked up this idea and extended
it, teaching that entire sanctification was to be obtained by an instantaneous act of faith.
Thus, two categories of Christians emerged–those who were entirely sanctified
(“spiritual”) and those who still struggled with sin (“carnal”).
In this view, believers moved from carnal to spiritual through a one-time act of total
dedication. Only after this surrender of one’s will to Christ can he begin to make progress
in holiness. Thus, the following graph:
Process sanctification
starts
Point of Salvation:
accept Christ as
Savior (carnal)
Crisis point: accept
Christ as Lord
(spiritual)
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Excursus on Sanctification
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This style of sanctification led to the “higher life” or “victorious life” movements. These
movements taught that the average Christian is carnal–he is saved but has no victory over
sin, no sanctification, no spiritual growth, etc. What he needs is an act of dedication or
surrender, as described in Romans 12:1-2. At this point, Jesus becomes the Lord of the
believer’s life.
There are many weaknesses found in the second blessing/crisis sanctification viewpoint:
1. Justification and sanctification are joined, not divided into segments. Romans 6
clearly teaches that you cannot have one without the other. One must live a sanctified
life because he is united with Christ. To continue in sin (i.e., to be carnal) proves that
you are not saved. No “second work of grace” is needed. The initial work of grace
(salvation) brings about a transformation in the believer’s nature that results in a
change in his behavior, attitudes, will, etc.
2. There is no biblical warrant for teaching two categories of believer–carnal and
spiritual. The Bible recognizes only two categories of people–lost and saved. It is true
that saved people may act like unsaved people, but they won’t act that way as a
habitual pattern of life. Saved people will give evidence of their new nature by
producing fruit in keeping with salvation (Gal 5:22-26). Paul uses the word “carnal”
to refer to genuinely saved people who have temporarily gone astray. He is not setting
up a whole new category of believer.
3. There is no complete victory over sin in the believer’s life until he gets to heaven.
The Christian life is one of struggle against sin and striving for increased holiness.
Since sin is not eradicated, it will always produce conflict. Hence the continuing need
to yield oneself to God and to mortify (put to death) the deeds of the flesh.
Sanctification is not automatic. It requires our strenuous participation as we battle the
world, the flesh and the devil.
4. In the Wesley/Finney view, one does not recognize Christ as Lord until after
salvation. Commitment plays no part in salvation. This is clearly contrary to the NT
teaching that Jesus is the Lord, and only those who recognize that fact are saved.
This series of lessons takes the progressive sanctification view, i.e., that believers must
recognize the Lordship of Christ (at least to some degree) at the point of salvation. Thus,
sanctification starts immediately upon conversion and progresses, in spurts and sputters,
throughout one’s life. The believer will never achieve perfection or sinlessness this side
of heaven. He will continually struggle against sin. However, he can be “victorious” to a
certain extent as he submits himself to God, flees from sin, and makes use of the means
of grace (the Word, the ordinances, prayer, worship, etc.). There is no second work of
grace. The first one (conversion) grants the believer everything he needs for life and
godliness.
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Recognizing the Evil Within
In the last lesson we were given a glimpse of the “big picture” of biblical change. We
likened it to seeing the picture on the front of the jigsaw puzzle box. The key to
sanctification is three fold: put off the old way of living, renew your mind, and put on the
new way of life. Part of this equation is understanding the true nature of man. Some
people, unfortunately, have a picture of man that is wrong. To have the wrong picture on
the front of the jigsaw puzzle box is as frustrating as having no picture at all. We will see
in this lesson the true picture of man as God gives it to us in His Word and will see what
happens when people have the wrong picture.
The Sinfulness of Man
I.
Prior to Salvation
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can
know it?
Ps 53:2-3 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there
were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back:
they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
1. The nature of sin:
All people are sinners. All are guilty of offending a holy and righteous
God. All have failed to fulfill the purpose for which they were created.
Biblical definitions for sin:





To miss the mark. Judges 20:16; Rom 3:23. This is the most common
idea.
To pass over a boundary, to pass by. Normally translated
“transgression.” A transgressor is a lawbreaker. Numbers 14:41-42;
Matt 15:2-3; 1 John 3:4
To rebel. Rebellion is a stubborn disobedience—sin with a bad
attitude. Isa 1:2-4.
To pervert or make crooked. Isa 19:14
Others: foolishness, wickedness, disobedience, ignorance, failure,
trespass.
The essential or basic aspect of sin is selfishness, placing oneself in the
place of God; independence of or rebellion against God.
Sin is also a principle within man. All men have a sin nature (Gal 3:22).
Sin is a condition, a character quality or state of being.
Strong: “Sin is lack of conformity to the moral law of God, either in act,
disposition, or state.”
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Thiessen: “Sin is both and act and a principle, both guilt and pollution.”
 Sins of commission: doing what should not be done. 1 Tim 5:13
 Sins of omission: failing to do what should have been done. James
4:17
Note: It’s not just certain behaviors that are sinful. The Bible frequently
mentions sins of the heart such as hatred, coveting, lust, idolatry, and unbelief.
Paul states, “Whatever is not of faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). So the fact that a
person is moral in his behavior does not guarantee his purity of heart.
B.
We sometimes use the phrase “total depravity” to describe the condition of an
unsaved person. This means:
 Sin has affected the whole of man’s being – intellect, emotion, will, and
body. Man’s total self is corrupted and twisted because of sin. Sin extends
to every part of man.
 People are capable of committing the worst kinds of sin imaginable. Given
the right circumstances, anyone may commit any sin.
 An unsaved person is dead in sin. He has only a negative, hostile
relationship with God. He is unresponsive to God and is the enemy of
God.
 An unsaved person is under the wrath and condemnation of God.
 An unsaved man has no means of saving himself. He won’t seek God; in
fact, he suppresses the truth.
 When an unbeliever does do right, it is for the wrong reasons. Such good
works do not aid in salvation. are not meritorious. Isa 64:6
C.
The unsaved person is controlled by his old sinful nature. Paul uses words like
“old man,” “body of sin” and “the flesh” to describe the unsaved person under
control of the sinful nature.
 The flesh defies God. Man’s biggest problem is a rebellious, selfish heart.
“We have turned every one to his own way” (Isa 53:6). Each person has
an inner drive to do his own thing and go his own way. This spirit of
independence is a root problem within humanity. The fleshly nature is
continually at war with God. It doesn’t want to yield itself to the rule of
God. It is this rebellious nature that is so difficult to bring into subjection
to God. In fact, an unsaved person can’t do it.
 The flesh defiles man. Sin has a significant negative effect upon mankind.
Man does not even realize the extent of his corruption. He is often blind to
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his own weaknesses. Sin renders man open to mistakes,
misunderstandings, errors, and faulty reasoning. There is no basis for
confidence in one’s own resources.
 The flesh deceives man. Man’s heart is basically dishonest. There is a
strong inner pull to deceive both oneself and others. Indwelling sin
produces all sorts of lies that we tell ourselves and others. This is one
reason that you should question your own judgment, especially when it
conflicts with others you respect.
 The flesh destroys man. “If you live according to the flesh, you will die”
(Rom 8:13). An unsaved person is eternally separated from God. When
one gives himself over to pursue the perverse desires of a corrupt heart,
the end will often be destruction, both literally and figuratively. In fact,
one of the worst judgments God can impose upon man is to give him over
to the lusts of his own heart (read Rom 1:26-32).
Man is totally depraved–separated from God, an enemy of God, and under the
wrath of God. Such truths create a huge obstacle to one receiving the Gospel.
The only way one can respond to the invitation to salvation is if God enables
him to do so. Without God’s initial work in someone’s heart, he would have
no desire or ability to turn from sin and follow Christ.
II.
After Salvation
The Bible’s message not only reveals the extent of man’s wickedness but also
offers man his only hope — redemption. Salvation changes man’s basic nature,
and thus enables him to change his behavior.
A.
Once a person gets saved, a new nature or principle becomes active in his
life. He is now a “new creation” and a “new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph 4:24). He now has the
capacity to do genuine good and to please God.
2 Pet 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
What is a “nature”? We use the word to describe the basic characteristics
of something. For example, a chair has certain qualities that make it a
chair. It has the nature, or characteristics, of a chair. Likewise, when a
person gets saved, he receives a new nature, a new set of characteristics.
God imparts new spiritual life to the believer and gives him the indwelling
presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s this new nature that must take charge in
the Christian’s life.
B.
The “old man,” i.e., the old, unsaved self, was crucified with Christ and
has been made inoperative in the life of the believer.
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Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the
body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man
with his deeds.
That doesn’t mean that the old nature is gone, though. Believers have “put
off the old man,” but that doesn’t mean that the old nature is totally
extinct. The believer continually struggles to suppress the old nature and
promote the new nature. The believer retains those old characteristics
which incline him toward sin. Part of the Christian life is to progressively
uproot the old nature and nourish the new life. Sin still dwells within the
believer. He is a new creation, but not a perfect creation. He is no longer a
slave to sin. With God’s help, he can overcome sin and live a righteous,
although not perfect, life.5
C.
III.
Even saved people sin, make mistakes, come to wrong conclusions, and
fail quite frequently. Believers are no longer totally depraved, but they are
still depraved to a degree. Sin still affects them negatively.
Misunderstanding the Nature of Man
A.
People are either machines or animals. Most modern scholars say that
man is one or the other–a soul-less collection of chemicals. The physical is
all there is.
What are the results of this view? Man has no need for salvation because
he has no soul. Any “salvation” is man’s own doing.
B.
Pelagianism6: man is good. He has the ability to take the initial steps
toward salvation by his own efforts, apart from special grace. Man
possesses an unconditionally free will and has the power to choose either
evil or good. God’s saving grace is offered freely to all, and all respond as
they choose. P = Man + nothing
What are the results of this view? Man has no internal bias toward evil;
man has the ability to work for his salvation; if man is basically good, he
needs only a good environment to be a good citizen.
C.
Semi-Pelagianism: man is weak. The power for man to do good is weak
but not lost. God’s grace and free will are mixed. Man and God
cooperate in salvation. S-P = Man + God
What are the results of this view? Man must admit his need for God, but
the ultimate choice is still man’s. Faith plus works salvation.
For a very helpful article on the whole new/old man/nature debate, see “Does the Believer Have One or
Two Natures?” by William Combs in the Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary Journal, vol 2 (Fall 1997):
81-103.
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D.
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Arminianism: Man is sick, but retains some ability to do good. Man needs
God’s help in salvation. God extends such assistance to all men (called
“prevenient grace”), who then of their own free will either accept or reject
the offer of salvation. God convicts people of their need for salvation, but
the ultimate choice still resides with man. A = God + man
What are the results of this view? Billy Graham’s assertion that salvation
is “99% God, 1% man.” The focus shifts more to the work of God in
one’s heart, but this view still retains man’s ability to accept or reject
God’s offer of salvation. The choice is still man’s. Arminianism is the
basis of man-centered evangelism.
The Correct View: Man is dead in sin–totally depraved. The unbeliever has no
ability to do good and is unwilling to seek God. God extends saving (special)
grace only to the elect, not to everyone in general. God, not man, determines who
will be saved. He both initiates and brings to pass the salvation of the elect.
Repentance and faith are gifts from God and are not generated within man. C =
God + nothing This is Calvinism. Calvinists obviously don’t hold that man has
no part to play, but they do recognize that God must initiate and carry thru the
whole process. Hence God is ultimately responsible for salvation, not man.
What are the results of this view? The focus is on the sovereign work of God is
calling a man to salvation. We merely present to Gospel and urge people to
respond correctly to it. We leave the rest in God’s hands. Hence, evangelism is
more God-centered.
Conclusion: What is the correct view of the nature of man? Prior to salvation, man is
totally depraved–dead in trespasses and sin, unable and unwilling to repent or seek God.
For those who are saved, they have a new nature and are thus able to do good and please
God. They must deny the old nature and feed the new. A correct understanding of the
nature of man ought to lead us to repentance and dependence.
Discussion:
1. Why do people do so many bad things? Man’s heart is basically evil.
2. What is man’s basic problem? A rebellious heart.
3. In what areas of your life do you recognize your own sinfulness?
4. Why is self-confidence and self-reliance so illogical? Man has nothing to boast
about or to feel good about. Man’s heart is so corrupt that he is prone to errors,
misunderstandings, falsehood, deceit, etc.
Named for a Pelagius, a fourth-century British teacher who stressed man’s ability to take the initial steps
toward salvation by his own efforts, apart from special grace from God. Man is not bound by Adam’s sin
and is totally free to do good or evil. The church condemned Pelagianism in 431 at the Council of Ephesus.
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5. Why should the sinful behavior of unsaved people not surprise us? Because people
are simply following their corrupt hearts.
6. List some wrong views of the nature of man. Man as animal or machine,
Pelagianism, Semi-pelagianism, Arminianism
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3: Identifying Your Own Way
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Identifying Your Own Way
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.
By now we should have a pretty good grasp of the wickedness of the human heart.
Historically, various institutions, like churches, schools, governments and homes,
restrained man’s sinful heart to some degree. Since that is no longer happening in most
places, it is no wonder that our world is wallowing in the depths of perversion and
violence. Before we take a look at the provisions God has given us for restraining one’s
sinful nature, we want to take a more personalized look at some of the customized ways
of sinning that are common to our own heart. Not all of us want the same things, nor are
we all tempted by the same lusts. Though the temptations we face are common to man,
they appear in different combinations in each of us. To effectively war against the sinful
tendencies of our heart, we must learn to identify our “own way.”
Some of our desires are natural – hunger, sleep, love, etc. But others we learn from our
environment. For example, our parents might teach us that it’s important to drive a nice
car and live in a luxurious home. Our peers may inform us about wearing the “right”
clothes. The media tries to influence us to use certain brands of products. Each person
develops his own list of desires, and each list is different. Each person wants to go his
own way. We learn to lust (desire) for different things, and these lusts surface in our lives
in different ways.
List a few items (clothes, toys, gadgets, etc.) that you desperately wanted when you were
younger.
Were you born with such desires, or did you learn them? The desire to possess things is
probably universal and part of the sin nature. Selfishness is not a learned behavior.
How do people seek to have their own way? Personal desires show themselves in many
different ways. Today we’re going to look at three different types of rebellion, each of
which is a strategy for getting one’s own way. These rebellious strategies often surface as
one chafes against authority and instruction. As we go through this list, think about what
strategies you have been using to get your own way.
I.
The assertive rebel says, “I won’t obey. Nobody is going to tell me what to do.”
This kind of rebel seeks to get his own way by “acting out” aggressively – direct
disobedience to authorities, illegal acts, violence, immorality, crude or obnoxious
behavior, “in your face” arguments, etc. This kind of rebellion is easy to spot. The
rebel wants to have control over his own life and to be free from all authority. He
seeks his own way by running over anyone who interferes with his goals.
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The cooperative rebel says, “I obey since it gets me what I want.” This kind has
two variations.
A.
One type of cooperative rebel is submissive but obstinate. He is usually
obedient but drags his feet, dawdles, and is intentionally inefficient. He
needs to be told repeatedly what to do, and functions adequately only
under direct supervision. He shows his rebellion by slamming doors,
pouting, complaining, and by displaying a rotten attitude. He’ll eventually
do what is required, but lets you know how unhappy he is about it.
B.
Another type of cooperative rebel appears to be driven by a sense of duty.
As a child he is often called a “really good kid.” He is usually friendly,
helpful, and respectful. He realizes that life works better if he follows
instructions and does what he is told. He enjoys the praise and recognition
he gets by being one of the good guys. He doesn’t really want to obey, but
he seeks to avoid the hassles associated with direct disobedience. He
understands that a little flattery and “kissing up” will go a long way
toward getting what he wants. He gets his own way by being good.
The passive rebel is one who seeks his own way by playing the victim. Passive
rebels don’t seem to be intentionally wicked; they just are always getting in
trouble. They do what they want and then make excuses for their immature
behavior. This rebellion shows up in three variations.
A.
“I can’t obey.” This rebel claims to be a victim of circumstance.
Everyone’s against him. He won’t get a driver’s license or a job. He
avoids anything that might give him trouble. He runs from problems and
blames others for his difficulties. He avoids others, yet complains of being
lonely. There’s always something wrong with this type of person–illness,
broken parts, lack of money, family problems–something always prevents
this person from succeeding, and failure is never his fault.
B.
“I forgot to obey.” He conveniently “forgets” responsibilities, chores,
bills, and appointments. He appears absent-minded, sleepy and sloppy.
Such a rebel is often a lazy “sponge,” very happy to sit at home while
others work. He will likely not be able to hold down a long-term job.
C.
“I didn’t know to obey.” He claims not to have heard the instructions or
didn’t think they applied to him. He claims to do things “without
thinking,” when he really just did not think about the consequences of his
behavior. He seems to be disconnected from reality much of the time. This
may be the “class clown” type who loves to have a good time but is
constantly in trouble.
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Each of these forms of rebellion has one thing in common–the rebel is acting in a certain
way to get what he wants. The assertive rebel seeks his own way by mowing down
anyone who wants to stop him. The cooperative rebel gets his own way by complaining
or complying. The passive rebel gets his own way by making excuses for his bad
behavior.
Note that with cooperative and/or passive rebellion, the rebel usually does what the
authority requires, but displays a rebellious attitude about it. Rebellion is not simply
behavior, but also encompasses one’s attitude. It’s easy to be outwardly obedient but
inwardly filled with rage, hatred and bitterness. Such attitudes usually result from one
failing to yield his own will to that of an authority.
What is the Bible’s teaching about obeying legitimate authorities? We are bound to obey
those who have the rule over us–parents, teachers, government, the church. Further, we
are to obey with a good attitude. We must willingly yield our own will in such cases.
What is your usual strategy for getting your own way? Does one (or more) of the types of
rebellion listed above fit you?
Remember that such rebellion often surfaces when our own lusts (desires) conflict with
some authority figure (parents, teachers, etc.). We must look beyond our own behavior
and emotions and ask ourselves, “What is the lust in my heart right now that is driving
this behavior or emotion? In what way am I rebelling? How am I trying to get my own
way?” Example:
 What evil in my heart makes me demand that my parents leave me alone? Failure to
honor your father and mother
 What lust makes me avoid chores and responsibilities? Laziness, sloth
 Why do I get into arguments with my siblings? Selfishness, lack of compassion,
impatience, pride
 Why don’t I want to take certain risks? Fear of disapproval, rejection, ridicule
 Why do I want this person to approve of me? Self-love
 Why do I think that fun, pleasure and amusement are so important? selfishness
 Why is this thing (car, item of clothing, CD, gadget, game) so important to me?
Pride, recognition, pleasure, laziness
 Why am I blaming someone or something else for my own failures? Blame-shifting,
failure to take responsibility, don’t want to suffer the consequences
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Rebellion is a response. When one’s own lust (desire) conflicts with that of another,
sparks are bound to fly. We must evaluate ourselves to determine the real source of the
conflict. Is it a desire to be first? A desire to have something that belongs to someone
else? A desire to be accepted and recognized? Rather than focussing on surface problems,
try to discover root causes. Almost all rebellion is caused by one root sin–
pride/selfishness. We want to have our own way.
We must see rebellion for what it is–direct disobedience to God. Take an honest look at
your own heart and behavior. Evaluate yourself to see if you are guilty of the types of
rebellion listed above. Take time to confess and forsake your sin.
The Reason for Hope
I Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of
God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you:
but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Can a rebel change his ways? Yes. The Corinthian believers had a background of gross
immorality, but they were able to change through the work of God in their lives. If they
could do it, so can we.
Action Steps:
1. Ask God to increase your awareness of your rebellious ways. Repent such behaviors,
and depend upon Him to help you change those ways.
2. Evaluate yourself. Ask yourself, “What lust (desire) is provoking me to act this way?”
E.g., pouting – a response to not getting one’s own way, or perhaps being insulted or
mistreated. In any case, it’s a selfish/prideful response.
3. Be cautious of your own actions and reactions throughout the day. Be aware of how
your own way displays itself under “hot water” conditions. Remember the tea bag
comparison?
4. Next time some authority instructs you to do something against your will, try to
willingly yield your own desires. Try to obey cheerfully. E.g., your dad tells you to
mow the lawn. How would an assertive rebel respond? A cooperative rebel? A
passive rebel?
The solution to the rebellion problem is willing submission of one’s own way to that of
an authority. When authorities and instructors tell us what to do (assuming they have that
right), the proper response is willing obedience. We must bend our own wills. And when
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we remember that God has put us under such authorities, it becomes easier yield our own
ways and follow instructions. Obedience to authorities is obedience to God.
Conclusion: The human heart is so corrupt that it naturally bucks against authority and
seeks to do its own thing. Each person seeks to get his own way by employing various
strategies. But whenever our way conflicts with God’s way, or any other legitimate
authority’s way, we are guilty of rebellion. We must admit the fact that we often rebel,
think about how we go about getting our own way, and repent and forsake such rebellion.
Discussion:
1. Why does the rebellion display itself differently in each person? Because everyone
has learned to desire different things. Lusts are individual/personal. Also, individuals
have found success in having his own way by using different strategies. We usually
follow whatever method proves most successful in getting our own way.
2. When is it wrong to go your own way? When that way conflicts with God’s way or
the way of any legitimate authority.
3. Is it always wrong to go your own way? Not when what you want does not conflict
with what legitimate authorities want
4. What kind(s) of rebellion (assertive, cooperative, passive) most often surface in your
own life? That is, how do you usually respond when you can’t have your own way?
5. What does the following statement reveal about the attitude of the speaker: “I may
have to obey, but I don’t have to like it.” The statement shows an inner rebellion
against authority. The only reason we would not like obeying is because it runs
counter to our own way. We may not exactly “like” obeying, but we must willingly
yield our own desires to authorities.
6. When should we “rebel” against instruction? When it runs counter to the Bible or to
legitimate authority. E.g., your peers may be important to you, but they don’t have the
same authority as your parents. E.g., a teacher at school may preach one standard of
morality, but what the church or family teaches is more authoritative.
7. Why can we be confident that rebels can make changes? The Bible says so.
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Getting In Your Place
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods that be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance,
I have not winced nor cried aloud;
Under the bludgeoning of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.
So said writer W. E. Henley (1849-1903). Such sentiments are common today. For many,
pride is a virtue and humility is a sign of weakness. Man’s natural, fallen tendency is to
insist that he be left alone to live his own way and to take credit for any successes and
accomplishments he may enjoy. However, the Bible teaches the exact opposite. Humility
is a character quality that all Christians should exhibit.
We have thus far attempted to understand God’s view of the human heart. This lesson
will take that look at our heart one step further. It will lay out for us the folly of trusting
ourselves for anything and will show us the most basic of all Christlike virtues–humility.
We will find out what godly humility looks like and why it ought to become the norm for
every believer.
Humility defined: Humility is the habitual frame of mind of a child of God who feels not
only that he owes all his natural gifts and talents to God, but that he has been the object of
undeserved redeeming love, and who regards himself as being not his own, but God’s
possession. He cannot exalt himself, for he knows that he has nothing of himself. The
humble mind is thus at the root of all other graces and virtues. As Augustine said,
humility is first, second and third in Christianity. The only change that will ultimately be
for our good and for God’s glory begins with humility.
Humility is an essential characteristic of the man who is right with God. God humbles
men in order to bring them to Himself (Dt 8:2-3), and it is when men humble themselves
before Him that they are accepted (1 Ki 21:29; 2 Ch 7:14); to “walk humbly with thy
God” completes the Divine requirements (Mic 6:8). 7
One author said, “Humility is simply man’s acknowledging the truth of his position as
man and yielding to God His place.”8
7
8
ISBE
Andrew Murray, Humility.
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Note Some Important Truths about Humility:
1. Humility is one of the chief Christian character traits. Believers are repeatedly
commanded to humble. Humble people are often pointed out as examples to follow.
Numbers 12:3 Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were
upon the face of the earth.
Micah 6:8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Luke 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted.
1 Cor 13:4-5 Love … does not boast, it is not proud … it is not self-seeking.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . gentleness . . . meekness.
1 Peter 5:5 Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:
for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Humility is a character trait that all believers should strive to develop within their
lives. Humility is not weakness. Humble people often do great things. They just don’t
boast about their accomplishments.
2. Humility was a primary characteristic of Jesus.
Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Phil 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the
form of God, … made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
3. Humility is not only the start of the Christian life; it is the basis of everything godly in
the Christian life. One is saved by humbling himself before God, acknowledging his
sin and trusting in Christ. Similarly, progress in the Christian life is based on a
continued humility of mind. Both salvation and sanctification require humility.
4. Creation demands dependency. Man acknowledges this about everything he makes
for himself, but rebels against the thought that he is somehow dependent upon his
own creator. Man needs God as both creator and maintainer.
5. The Bible condemns those who lack humility. Pride is sin.
Proverbs 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger,
and not thine own lips.
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James 4:6 God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Pride shows itself when we insist on having our own way and when we take credit for
our own successes and abilities. Humility, on the other hand, willingly yields to
God’s way and recognizes the contributions of others to our achievements.
How Does God Humble Us?
1. He can send us a problem we can’t handle to expose our helplessness (e.g., Naaman,
2 Kings 5:1-15).
2. He can give us a command we won’t obey to expose our self-centeredness (e.g.,
Jonah).
3. He can arrange an outcome we can’t control to expose our sinfulness (e.g., David, 2
Sam 11-12).
4. He can show us how little we understand of God’s greatness and thereby expose our
limited intellect (e.g., Job).
Action Steps:
Any change that will ultimately help a man must move him away from autonomy (selfsufficiency) and must move him toward dependence upon his Creator.
1. Repent of any proud attempts to make life work your own way and submit to the
ways of your Creator. Admit your desire to live independently. God made man
dependent. Adam was not originally autonomous (self-ruling). Any attempt to live
independently from God is doomed to failure. Joy and peace are the result of
willingly yielding one’s independence to God.
2. Recognize the true key to your success and achievements – God and others. You have
a role to play, but you are utterly dependent upon others for success. Self-confidence
and arrogance has no place in a believer’s life.
3. Remember your place. The key to developing and maintaining a humble spirit is
keeping in mind who you are and who God is. God is holy; you are sinful. God is
sovereign; you are totally dependent upon Him. God is the judge; you are the one
judged. God is the creator; you are the creature. God gives gifts and talents; you are
just a steward.
Conclusion: Humility is a key virtue in the Christian life. It is the basis for Christian
growth (sanctification). A person’s potential for God lies not in his ability, but in his
humility before God.
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Discussion:
1. Define humility. Humility is simply man’s acknowledging the truth of his position as
man and yielding to God His place.
2. Explain the statement “creation demands dependency.” When you make something,
you usually have to maintain it/fix it. Since we are God’s creation, we must depend on
God to maintain us, i.e., keep us headed in the right direction.
3. How do people show that they are humble? By being thoughtful and considerate; by
asking others about themselves; by not boasting about themselves or talking about
themselves; by letting others go first;
4. In what two ways does pride often display itself? Seeking to go one’s own way;
taking credit for one’s own accomplishments
5. What truths should keep us humble? God and others are largely responsible for our
achievements; we are creatures of God, and are thus dependent upon him.
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Mortifying Your Flesh
What we have looked at so far has given us an idea of man’s heart – it is wicked, selfish,
and against God’s will. But God has given us a way to escape our disobedient wickedness
and selfishness that leads to misery. He has given us the ability to mortify our fleshly
desires. What does the biblical word “mortify” mean?
Today, the word “mortify” is used when we are terribly embarrassed. For example, you
may be “mortified” when your little brother tells embarrassing stories about you to your
friends. However, in the Bible, “mortify” literally means “put to death.” It’s based on the
same root word as “mortal” – subject to death. Paul used the word to refer to how
believers put to death the control of the flesh. Notice how he uses it in the following two
verses:
Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Colossians 3:1-5 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection of things above, not on
things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ,
who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify
therefore your members which are upon the earth.
John Owen states, “God has designed this mortification of the indwelling sin that remains
in our mortal bodies in order to eliminate the life and power of the flesh…What then is
mortification? What does it mean to mortify sin?… [T]he primary task of mortification is
to weaken this habit of sin so that its power to express itself – in violence, frequency,
tumult, provocation, and unrest – is quelled. Mortification is the soul’s vigorous
opposition to the fruitless self-life.”9
Remember that the believer has two natures: the old and the new. The old, sinful nature
need no longer control the believer, but it still exists. The Christian must continually
strive to undercut, uproot and disable the old nature so that it has less influence, while
feeding the new nature so that it has more control. We weaken the influence of the old
nature by mortifying the flesh. In today’s lesson, we will look at three steps of
mortification as found in the following passage.
Romans 6:6-14 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed
from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more
dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he
liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive
9
Owen, Sin, 154-59.
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unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,
that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments
of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from
the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not
have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
1. We have to know some things.
Romans 6 teaches us that because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we have been
made “free from sin” (6:22). Think of a radio plugged into an electrical outlet. In
order to stop the radio you have to pull the cord out of the outlet. In the Christian life,
we are free to pull away from the power of the flesh. We no longer have to obey the
natural, sinful desire to go our own way.
Paul says in Romans 6:3 that “so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized in to his death.” This is not referring to the church ordinance of water
baptism. The word baptism means to “place into” or “immerse.” The Holy Spirit
cleanses us from all sin and places us in the body of Christ (I Corinthians12:13).
Christ refers to Himself as the “head” and calls the church His “body” (Eph 5:23-30).
We are a part of Christ.
According to Romans 6:4 “we are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as
Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life.”
Paul exhorted that since we are alive in Christ we should “walk in newness of life.”
We can because we are free from the power of sin (6:7).
Therefore, we know that we cannot serve sin because we are alive with Christ. We
have been raised from the death of sin to serve Christ. In order to put to death the
natural desires of the flesh, we must know that we have the power to do so. Because
of our union with Christ, we need no longer be servants of the flesh. In order to
mortify the flesh, we must understand this.
2. We have to reckon some things.
The word “reckon” means to consider or count. We are to consider something to be
true, to count on it in our own lives. What specifically are we to consider as true?
 That we are dead to sin. Believers are crucified with Christ (Rom 6:6; Gal 2:20).
Paul repeatedly stresses that our union with Christ means that we are no longer
slaves of sin. We should be unresponsive to the sinful desires of the flesh. The old
nature is still with us, but it has been disabled in the believer’s life. Paul is urging
us to consider this fact to be true and operational in our lives.
 That we are alive to God. The primary influence now should be God, not the
desires of the flesh. Just as Christ “lives unto God” (vs. 10), so believers are to
live for God, not for themselves.
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Paul’s admonition to believers is, “do not let sin have control of your life” (Rom
6:12). To prevent the old, sinful nature from dominating our lives, we must personally
apply the truth of the matter: we are dead to sin and alive to God. Because this is true,
sin should not have the power to dominate our lives.
However, we may not feel like “reckoning” God’s truth. That is, it may not feel as
though the old sin nature is no longer in control. In this situation, we need to have
faith concerning God’s Word. If he says its so, then its so! It’s that simple! Many
people fail right here. They base their decisions on how they feel rather than on what
they know. They decide by experience rather than by truth.
Although we may at times not feel like obeying God, when we persevere in
obedience we will experience the joy, peace, and assurance that comes from faithful
obedience. Personally acknowledge the truth that you as a believer are dead to sin and
alive to God. This will help in your battle to mortify the flesh.
3. We have to yield some things.
The basic idea here is self-denial. We must strive to not give in to the pressure of the
old nature. The flesh can be very strong, and at times sinful behavior looks very
appealing and reasonable. Even Paul struggled to deny himself and do the right thing,
and he was not always successful (Rom 7). But the Bible calls us to deny ourselves
and to follow God.
 Don’t yield to the natural sinful desires of the flesh. Deny your self.
We are experienced at yielding. We have done it all our lives – only to the wrong
master. We are skilled at yielding our bodily “members as instruments [weapons]
of unrighteousness unto sin” (6:7). Yielding to sin is the “fruit … whereof ye are
now ashamed” and whose “end … is death” (6:21). We would like to think in this
or that sin we have been defeated. The humbling reality is that we have been
disobedient.
We have to yield (give up) the natural desires of the flesh. In other words, don’t
obey the flesh.
 Do yield to God.
In Romans 6:22 Paul says, “As ye have yielded your members servants to
uncleanness and to iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to
righteousness unto holiness.” The result will be “fruit unto holiness, and the end
everlasting life” (6:22).
Self-denial is the third aspect of the mortification process. Giving up your own will
and replace it with God’s will. Yield yourself to God.
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Conclusion: One of the keys to biblical change is mortifying (putting to death) the sinful
desires of the flesh. The steps in the process of mortification include knowing that you
are crucified with Christ and therefore free from the power of sin, reckoning (personally
applying the fact) that you are dead to sin and alive to God, and yielding, not to the flesh,
but to God. Remember Paul’s words: “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye
through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom 8:13).
Discussion:
1. What does the biblical word “mortify” mean? To put to death
2. What are we supposed to mortify? The deeds of the body, i.e., the desires of the flesh,
e.g., sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed.
3. What are the three steps in the mortification process? Know, reckon, yield. Know that
you’re free from the power of sin, reckon you are dead to sin and alive to God, yield
to God.
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Seeking God Personally10
You may remember that this series (and the process of sanctification) is composed of
three parts: restraining your flesh, renewing your mind, and reflecting your Lord. We’ve
already looked at the first part of the equation. We’ve examined the sinful, rebellious
human heart and learned of our need to mortify (put to death) the old, sinful way of life.
We are now ready to focus on the next part of the equation: renewing our minds. And the
first part of this process is sustaining and strengthening a vital, personal relationship with
God. That is the topic of this lesson.
The Christian life is not primarily about rules and regulations–things we do or don’t do. It
is about a personal relationship with our Creator and Redeemer—the God of heaven.
Most people—even Christians—think very little about God, which is why they are often
clueless about how to handle life and its challenges. Even those who do think about God
may be less than satisfied with the quality of their relationship with Him. They may
understand biblical doctrine and practice correctly, but their personal relationship with
God seems cool or even non-existent.
The first step in renewing your mind is understanding the nature of a genuine, meaningful
relationship with God. The following truths should help us develop and strengthen our
personal walk with God.11
1. Understand the world and your place in it.
The world says and, sadly, many Christians say that biblical solutions do not work in
the “real” world. The irony of their complaint is that the Bible alone gives the only
true picture of the real world. Reality (i.e., the truth) is that there is a God in heaven
and what He says matters. This is the real world, and only a believer walking in
fellowship with God can understand it. Everyone else in the world is experiencing a
break with reality.
Man’s own way will not work very well in God’s world. God made man to glorify
Him and to enjoy a relationship with Him for all eternity. If one does not live within
the confines of this reality, his life will be one of frustration, confusion, and even
depression. Paul said, “In [God] we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
The solution to our problems is found in the pages of the Bible, not in the sinful
human heart. The Bible also contains principles to guide our thinking, behavior, and
our relationship with God. It is only as we live within this reality that our lives can be
filled with peace, joy and satisfaction.
10
11
The title for this lesson in the book is “Getting in Touch with Reality.”
We’re not dealing with salvation here, but with an intimate and vital walk with God.
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2. Understand the dynamics of building a relationship with God Himself.
All Christians have a positive standing before God, and thus have a positive
relationship with God positionally. However, one’s day-to-day walk with God may
fluctuate from warm-hearted devotion and commitment one day to coldness and
bitterness the next. The goal of the Christian life is to maintain and strengthen one’s
sense of closeness and devotion to God. How do we do that?
 Focus on building a relationship, not just receiving relief from your problems.
Christianity is primarily a relationship with the Creator, not merely a fire escape
or a means of solving your problems. Anger, worry, fear, guilt, bitterness and the
like are merely symptoms that one’s relationship with God is not what it should
be.
God created man to be most satisfied, most joyful, and most useful when there is
an ongoing, dependent, life-giving personal relationship with his Creator.
Developing and strengthening this relationship should be the primary quest of the
Christian life.
Instead of focusing on relationships what aspect of Christianity do we often
emphasize? Rules, standards, doctrine, practice, how God can help us, etc. These
are important, but they can de-rail us from the goal of intimacy with God.
Read Luke 10:38-42.
 Who was interested in Jesus’ ability to solve problems? Martha
 Who was interested in Jesus Himself and what He had to say? Mary
Note that Jesus described Mary’s desire to sit at his feet as “needful” and “that
good part.” What principle should we learn from this account? Developing and
maintaining a relationship with God is important; it’s more “needful” than things
we typically worry about.
 Seek to know God personally and intimately, not just know some facts about
Him.
God has created in man the desire for Himself and has offered Himself as the
object of man’s desire. Any attempt to solve the problems of life apart from a
dependent relationship with God is both arrogant and, in the long run, ineffective.
God is glorified when man takes his place of joyful, grateful dependence because
then God is exalted to His place as the only worthy, all-sufficient object of that
dependence.
Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O
God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
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Psalm 73:25-26 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire
besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for
they shall be filled.
It’s good to know facts about God. Theology, history, methods of interpretation,
apologetics and the like are foundational for proper Christian belief and conduct.
However, don’t confuse knowledge of facts with a warm-hearted devotion to the
Lord. Christian “know-it-alls” don’t necessarily enjoy a close, living, dynamic
walk with God. They know the facts well, but they don’t know God very well.
 The search for God must be a passionate search. Apathy toward God is the
result of being passionate toward something or someone else (Matt 6:24).
Other things, like human relationships, sports, jobs, money, and entertainment
often take priority over our pursuit God. However, our highest goal in life
should be to know God better and to enjoy our relationship with him more.
Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou
shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
If one seeks and loves God in this way, nothing else will replace his pursuit of
this relationship. Christians must not allow any other occupation to take over
his primary task, which is to honor, seek and serve God.
 The search for God must be a search for a Person. The Bible is first and
foremost a revelation from God about Himself. There’s a Person at the center
of everything in the Bible. Look for more than principles and encouraging
words–look for God. One must look for the Person of God in the Bible if he is
to have a personal relationship with Him. When the Bible becomes just a
source of principles and moral stories, one’s heart becomes cold.
 Commit yourself to the disciplines necessary to develop a dynamic relationship
with God.
Getting to know God in the way we’ve been talking about is not a quick and easy
process. Only those who actively commit themselves to the task and who are
willing to pay the costs involved will enjoy a deepening relationship with God.
 As we noted above, reading, studying and meditating on God’s Word is one
means of getting to know God better. This is not merely reading over the text,
but meditating on it, thinking about it, and considering deeply how to apply it
to your life. Memorization can be beneficial in this regard. And remember to
seek knowledge of God Himself as you read. You’re seeking to know God
better, not just learn more facts. Approach the text as a revelation of God of
Himself to you.
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 Prayer is the other necessary discipline required for vital interaction with God.
Much of our time in prayer should focus on praise, adoration and thanksgiving
directed toward God. Don’t rush into asking for things right away. Take time
to praise God for his greatness and goodness. List the many reasons why you
are thankful. You should see prayer as a necessary ingredient for maintaining,
deepening and strengthening your walk with God.
Note the Quote: Our aim in studying the Godhead must be to know God Himself
the better. Our concern must be to enlarge our acquaintance … with the living
God. We must seek, in studying God, to be led to God. … [As you read,] turn
each truth about God into a matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer
and praise to God. … Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking
over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows
about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God. It is an activity of
holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of
God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God. Its purpose … is to
let His truth make its full and proper impact on one’s mind and heart. … Its effect
is ever to humble us, as we contemplate God’s greatness and glory, and our own
littleness and sinfulness, and to encourage and reassure us.12
Conclusion: Renewing the mind starts with a proper relationship with God. Knowing
about God is not enough; we must strive to know God in a close, personal way.
Action Steps:
1. Recognize that God has placed a desire for Himself within you. You will never find
true peace, joy and satisfaction apart from a vital relationship with God.
2. Seek God wholeheartedly and personally in response to that desire.
3. Spend time interacting with God through regular Bible intake (reading, studying,
memorizing, and meditating) and through prayer.
Discussion:
1. Christianity is more about a relationship than it is about rules and regulations.
2. Why doesn’t man’s own way work very well in God’s world? God has made man to
function in a certain way, and if you don’t follow that way, things will be messed up.
Just like if you fail to follow the owners manual for a car or bike.
3. Humans are more likely to enjoy peace, fulfillment and satisfaction when what
occurs? When there is an ongoing, dependent, life-giving personal relationship with
his Creator.
12
J.I. Packer, Knowing God, pp. 18-19, as quoted in Berg.
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Becoming Like Christ
Our study this week will begin to explore the specific process whereby the Spirit of God helps us
conform more closely to the image of Christ. We saw last week that God must draw a man to
Himself and that the man must respond with a wholehearted pursuit of God. As the believer
pursues the Person of God in the Bible, he will enjoy a more personally satisfying walk with
God. Continued exposure to God Himself through the Word will have its own powerful effect
upon a believer’s life, as we shall see. If we have asked God to forgive any known sin in our
heart and have forsaken any personal desires that quench our desire for God, we are ready to take
some exciting steps spiritually as God shows us Himself in His Word. The result will be biblical
change into His image.
We have learned that in order for us to have a relationship with God, He must take the initiative
to draw us to Himself. We must then respond by finding out what the Bible teaches about the
character of God. None of us can “behold” God in His Word, however, unless He illuminates us
by His Spirit, revealing Himself to us. Unless we are beholding God in this way, there will be no
lasting change into Christlikeness.
Key text:
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are
changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
In this lesson we’ll discover how personal change is directly linked to understanding, meditating
on and imitating the attributes of God.
1. Understand the strategy.
According to 2 Corinthians 3:18, the method of changing into the image of Christ is to see
“the glory of the Lord.” In the OT, the glory of the Lord was visible at times. It appeared in
the desert to lead the people, on Mount Sinai when Moses received the Law, at the dedication
of the temple, and at other times. However, we should not expect the Shekinah glory of God
to appear and help us become more Christlike.
In NT terms, God’s glory is the combination of His attributes. God’s attributes were
demonstrated most clearly in the life of Christ:
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Heb 1:3 [Jesus is] the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person…
God’s glory is displayed through His attributes. Thus, if we want to understand the glory of
the Lord, we must focus on God’s attributes.
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2. Understand Christ’s Attributes.
If Christlikeness is our goal, we first need to know what Christ is like. We often use the term
attributes to describe the character of God.
We often divide God’s attributes into two categories: noncommunicable and communicable.
Noncommunicable attributes are those that no creature of God can imitate. These are God’s
attributes of greatness. God is:









Eternal – without beginning or end; not bound by time (Gen 21:33).
Immutable – changeless (Num 23:19).
Incomprehensible – beyond full human understanding (Ps 145:3; Rom 11:33-34).
Infinite – having no limitations or bounds; unrestricted (1 Kings 8:27)
Omnipotent – all powerful (Gen 17:1; 18:14).
Omnipresent – present everywhere (1 Kings 8:27).
Omniscient – knows all things (Ps 139:1-6, 23-24).
Perfect – no flaws or error in Him; complete (Deut 32:4).
Self-existent – existing in and of Himself without dependence with anything else (Ex
3:14).
 Sovereign – supreme in power and authority over the universe in all things (Eph 1:11).
The other set of God’s attributes we can imitate–they are communicable. A list of these
attributes of God’s goodness follow. God is:





Faithful – trustworthy, reliable (1 Cor 10:13; Ps 36:5).
Gracious – extending unmerited, undeserved, and unwanted favor (Eph 2:5, 8).
Holy – morally pure, separate, upright (1 Pet 1:15-16).
Loving – desiring the good of those loved (1 John 4:8, 16).
Merciful – compassionate, kind, withholding deserved punishment from those He
forgives (Ps 103:5, 17).
 Righteous – being right, having rectitude, conforming to His character, just (Ps
145:17).
 True – genuine, honest, truthful (John 14:6).
Being Christlike means acquiring His attributes. We obviously cannot develop the
attributes of God’s greatness. However, as we see such attributes, our response should be
one of fear, awe and humility.
We can imitate God’s attributes of goodness, at least to some degree. In fact, these
characteristics are generally known as the fruit of the Spirit (cf. Gal 5:22-23). Such
qualities surface in the lives of genuine believers through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
3. Expose yourself to God’s attributes in the Bible.
In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul is saying that no one who is exposed to the glories (attributes)
of God as they are revealed by the Spirit through the Scriptures will remain the same.
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Thus, the key to adopting and developing the attributes of God’s goodness within your
own life is exposure to God’s attributes as they are described in the Bible. Look for God
and His attributes in the Word as you study it daily.
4. Trust God to Illuminate His Word.
Illumination is the act of the Holy Spirit whereby He enables saved people to understand
the true significance of the Word of God. Illumination results in a removal of the hostility
toward Scripture due to one’s sin nature and a certainty that the Scriptures are true and
authoritative. The Holy Spirit works internally in the life of the believer, witnessing to the
truth and countering the effects of sin, enabling one to grasp and accept the true meaning
of the Bible. Rely upon God to illuminate your mind when you read the Scriptures.13
Matt 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him
from heaven.
1 Cor 2:13-14 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Note the Quote: [T]he Lord has so knit together the certainty of his word and his Spirit,
that our minds are duly [saturated] with reverence for the word when the Spirit shining
upon it enables us there to behold the face of God.14
We must not think that reading the Bible alone changes a man personally. God’s Spirit
must show the realities of God to that man as he ponders the Scriptures. Exposure to the
truth should impact the lives of believers in several ways.
How does one know if he is being illuminated? At the moment one becomes convinced
of the truth, illumination is taking place. Illumination will not normally occur in some
dramatic, sensational fashion. Conviction of biblical truth arises gradually and calmly as
one saturates himself with the Bible.
 Illuminated truth impacts the believer’s intellect. The believer understands the
validity of the truth and enjoys a steadfast assurance and confidence in it.
 Illuminated truth impacts the believer’s emotions. The believer sees the beauty of the
truth and is committed to it. Humility and repentance also follow an examination of
God’s attributes. No one can be proud of his level of spirituality when he has been
13
Illumination is not synonymous with interpretation. Anyone who can understand normal language should
be able to come to a correct interpretation of the Bible. However, only saved people enjoy the illuminating
ministry of the Holy Spirit.
14
John Calvin, Institutes, book one, chapter 9.
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exposed to the greatness and goodness of God’s nature. Two other emotions often
arise:
 Joy: an inner delight in God’s greatness and goodness
 Peace: stability of soul
 Illuminated truth impacts the believer’s will. The believer responds with positive
action as he applies the truth. He is energized and motivated to make necessary
changes in his life. When Isaiah saw the glory of God, he responded “Here am I, send
me.” In a similar way, the glory of God should motivate believers toward extended
service.
5. Seek to apply the attributes of God’s goodness in your own life.
God’s attributes are the basis of the direct commands and the principles given in
Scripture. God tells us to act in certain ways because of the kind of Person He is. Note
how convictions and standards flow directly from God’s attributes.
Attribute: something true about God
Example: God is holy
Principle: general statement or law
Example: “Be holy” (Lev 11:44)
Law: specific command to follow, i.e., how to fulfill the principle
Examples: Don’t murder, don’t lie, don’t steal, etc.
Conviction: personal belief about how an attribute applies to me
Example: I will seek to be honest
Standard: personal guideline based on my conviction
Example: I will not cheat in school.
Example: I will not lie to my parents to avoid trouble.
Conclusion: What is your view of God? If your view of God is not right, nothing can
ultimately be right in your life. As you read and think about the attributes of God’s goodness,
those very attributes should start surfacing in your life. As we behold the glories of God, as
expressed in the attributes of God, we are “changed into the same image” (2 Cor 3:18).
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Discussion:
1. What is the difference between communicable and noncommunicable attributes of
God? Believers can acquire or imitate communicable attributes.
2. List several attributes of God’s greatness. Eternal, immutable, incomp., infinite,
omnipotent, -present, -scient, perfect, self-existent, sovereign
3. List several attributes of God’s goodness. Faithful, gracious, holy, loving, merciful,
righteous, true
4. How do you learn God’s attributes? Bible study, meditation
5. Why is it necessary to understand God’s attributes in order to grow in sanctification?
You’ve got to know what Christ is like in order to be Christlike. Further, exposure to
God’s attributes leads one to appreciate and seek after those characteristics.
6. Why is illumination necessary for Christian growth? Without it, you’ll not see the
significance of Scripture, and you’ll not apply it to your life.
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Searching for Wisdom
As we learned last week, one means of biblical change is learning and imitating the
attributes of God. Today we’ll see how hearing and acting on God’s Word are imperative
in the sanctification process.
You may recall that we are currently looking at the second step of the sanctification
process, renewing our minds. Jesus said that a man could become wise (i.e., have a
renewed mind) by “hearing and doing.” This defines our basic responsibilities in this
process of change. Listening to God and obeying him naturally result in a greater degree
of sanctification. Becoming wise and becoming Christlike are synonymous. Today’s
lesson will focus on hearing and how it is related to wisdom.
Our study in this session and the one to follow is based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:24:
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken
him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended,
and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not:
for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house
upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Jesus here describes for us how we too can be wise—by hearing and doing. Note three
important implications from this text:
 One finds wisdom as part of a relationship with God. A wise person listens to God’s
words because this relationship is important.
 It’s not just the listening that makes one wise; it is listening combined with a correct
response (doing them–obedience) that gives one wisdom.
 One’s usefulness to God is based upon listening and doing. Those who hear and fail
to apply God’s words are fools–unstable and useless.
The material in this lesson will be organized in the following way:
The Discipline of Hearing
Attention:
Memorization:
Meditation:
active
storing what
thinking about
listening
you’ve heard
what you’ve
heard
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The Master Discipline of Hearing
In Luke 8:4-15, Jesus told the parable of the four different kinds of soil, which represent
four different responses to the gospel:
 The indifferent hearer: This soil on the footpath is hard and barren. It represents one
who is totally unreceptive to the seed and who bears no fruit.
 The impulsive hearer: This shallow soil is initially receptive to the seed, but the trials
of life quickly show that the response was insincere. Such a person bears no fruit.
 The infested hearer: This weedy soil also is initially receptive to the seed, but the
cares of the world quickly choke out the young plant. Various distractions prevent
any fruitfulness.
 The ideal hearer: This soil is perfectly suited for the seed. Such a person hears the
word and does it, thus being a fruitful plant. This is the only person who both hears
the word and does it.
Note: The first three types of soil represent those who hear the word but ultimately
reject it. They may show some signs of initial approval. They may even make a
profession of faith, attend church, get baptized, and show signs of life. But they fail to
persevere, thus revealing that their profession was not genuine. The first three types
of soil do not represent “carnal” Christians who never mature, but those who remain
in their unsaved condition, as demonstrated by their lack of fruit.
1. The Basic Discipline of Attention
The act of hearing in the Bible always means more than just auditory reception. It
describes a high quality of attention and retention. Jesus said, “He that has ears to
hear, let him hear” (Luke 8:8) and “Be careful how you hear” (Luke 8:18). Solomon
said, “A wise man will hear” (Prov 1:5). Thus, Christian growth is dependent upon
how well we hear and attend to biblical teaching.
 We listen to those we respect. God’s words demand and deserve an appropriate
response. If we respect God, we’ll listen to Him. If we want to strengthen and
deepen our relationship with God, we must turn our attention to God Himself as
He is revealed in the Word.
 Listening to someone implies a position of humility and submission. Man was
designed to listen to someone else for direction in life.
Note what the following texts from Proverbs say about the need to listen to others:
1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy
mother.
2:1 My son, …receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee.
2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and
understanding.
3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.
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4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know
understanding.
4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be
many.
6:20 My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy
mother.
 We know that the heart of man is “deceitful above all things and desperately
wicked” (Jer 17:9). Man is prone to sin, mistakes, errors, and faulty judgment.
Even believers, although no longer totally depraved, are by no means exempt
from making foolish decisions. Thus, one should not trust his own judgment in
some cases. Instead, wise people understand the necessity of seeking advice from
a multitude of godly counselors (Prov 11:14, 24:6). Make it a habit of life, a
discipline, to listen to God and to godly people rather than to your own heart.
Note: The idea that one has all the solutions to his own problems within himself is
based on secular psychology, not on the Bible. Man is not able to solve his
problems by looking within himself. Man is dependent upon God for the answers
to his problems.
2. The Basic Discipline of Memorization
Hearing God’s Word implies both hearing and remembering it. Some complain that
they find it very difficult to remember (memorize) Bible verses. Yet a person can
usually remember important names, dates, and numbers. Much of the motivation to
remember the words of God is tied to the kind of relationship we have with Him.
Thus, if a text is important enough, he will take the steps to memorize it.
Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalms 119:97 O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
Prov 22:17-19 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine
heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee;
they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made
known to thee this day, even to thee.
Matthew 4:4 But [Jesus] answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Memorizing Scripture is a difficult and time-consuming discipline, but one that is
worth far more than it costs. When the Bible is stored in your mind, it is readily
available when you need it. If a friend needs to hear a word of comfort,
encouragement, or even rebuke, you have that capacity if you’ve memorized
Scripture. When tempted to sin, you have a defense—quote Scripture, just like Jesus
did when He was tempted. When faced by false doctrine, you know the truth and can
give a ready defense if you’ve got the passages memorized. Further, the New
Testament authors repeatedly demonstrate that they memorized passages from the
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Old Testament. All the great Christian leaders from the past memorized passages
from the Bible. Some have memorized vast sections of it. Clearly, memorizing
Scripture is a valuable and necessary part of the Christian life.
Scripture memory is a matter of commitment, labor, and motivation. If you think that
it’s important and you work hard at it (i.e., discipline yourself), you can do it.
So how does one go about memorizing Scripture? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Have a plan. There are many published Scripture memory plans. The easiest plan
is to select several verses that are meaningful to you and start working on these.
Then as you read the Bible and find more memorable passages, add them to the
list. Every day review the verses you already have memorized and work on
memorizing the new ones.
2. Write or print out the verses on 3x5 cards. This makes review easier. Cards are
also portable. Work on them when waiting in line or when you have free time.
Post the cards where you’ll see them—on the fridge, on a mirror, on your steering
wheel, etc.
3. Memorize the verses word perfectly. Learn the reference as well.
4. Categorize the verses. Arrange them according to topics.
5. REVIEW CONSTANTLY. If you don’t review the verses you’ve memorized,
you’ll soon lose them.
6. Find an accountability partner. Work with someone who will encourage you to
stay with it. Share the fun with someone else.
Like the other disciplines, memorization doesn’t just happen. You’ve got to actively
discipline yourself to memorize. If you work on it a little each day, you’ll be
surprised how quickly your list of memorized verses expands.
The goal in memorizing is not to see how many verses you can commit to memory.
The goal is godliness. Memorizing Scripture helps transform your mind and life
(Rom 12:2). If you are committed to growth and godliness, you’ll also be committed
to memorizing Scripture.
3. The Basic Discipline of Meditation
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt
meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is
written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt
have good success.
Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is
in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psalms 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies
are my meditation.
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James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein,
he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in
his deed.
The word “meditation” often prompts thoughts of Eastern religions or the New Age
movement. But biblical meditation differs from other kinds of meditation in several
ways.
Biblical meditation has nothing to do with chanting, yoga, channeling, or any other
similar mystical ideas. You don’t go into a trance or lose touch with reality. Quite
the opposite is true. Times of meditation ought to be some of the most intellectually
and spiritually stimulating occasions we experience. Note the below comparison.
Non-Christian Meditation
Christian Meditation
Empty your mind
Fill your mind with the Bible
Mentally passive
Mentally active
Create your own reality
Think about God’s reality
Unite with the universe
Fellowship with God
In James 1:25, the author encourages us to look into the “perfect law of liberty.” The
word “look” means “to bend over to see something better or to take a close look at.”
This is the primary idea in meditation. Meditation is simply dwelling mentally on a
text of Scripture, soaking up the truths and principles of the Bible for the purpose of
understanding, application and prayer. It is thinking about and appreciating the
text—what it means, what it implies, whom it affects, how to obey it, etc. One selects
an appropriate text, reads it a few times, and thoughtfully turns it over in his mind.
He reflects on it for a while and considers its importance. One might then use it in
prayer. It’s often beneficial to jot down the results of meditation—your thoughts
about the text, how you’ll apply it, questions about it, etc.
Quote: “I seemed often to see so much light exhibited by every sentence, and such a
refreshing food communicated, that I could not get along in reading; often dwelling
long on one sentence to see the wonders contained in it, and yet almost every
sentence seemed to be full of wonders.” —Jonathan Edwards
Note: There are some activities that work against the skills mentioned in this lesson.
Those immersed in modern culture may find it very difficult to read, listen to, memorize
or meditate upon God’s Word. Constant video and audio stimulation seem to weaken the
powers of concentration and thoughtful reflection. Those who stare at video games, TV
shows, commercials and the like for hours on end often have very reduced attention spans
and limited abilities to grasp certain truths. They are not used to silent reflection or
serious thought. Those not skilled at attention and reflection will find it very difficult to
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grow in godliness because they won’t participate in the necessary disciplines. People who
are serious about growth in godliness will limit the influence of modern culture on their
lives so they can dedicate themselves to spiritual maturity.
Conclusion: A critical step in the sanctification process is renewing the mind by actively
listening to God’s Word. We are to continue peering intently into the Word as long as it
takes to make sure we do not forget what we have heard. This results in a distinct
difference in our lifestyle and practice. Pursue wisdom (Prov. 2:1-9) as found in God’s
Word and from godly counselors. Remove distractions that keep you from giving
attention to God, and commit yourself to memorization and meditation so that you are not
a “forgetful hearer.”
Discussion:
1. State the two basic disciplines that are necessary to become wise. Hearing and doing
the words of Jesus.
2. What are the three aspect of hearing we discussed today? Attention, memorization,
meditation
3. T F The four types of soil in Jesus’ parable represent four different believers, the
first three of which were carnal and immature.
4. What does “hearing” mean in a biblical sense? Listening and paying attention.
5. Why is it necessary to seek advice and counsel from others? Because we are
naturally bent toward error and mistaken judgment.
6. What are the keys to an effective memorization plan? Commitment, labor and
motivation.
7. Describe biblical meditation. Meditation is simply dwelling mentally on a text of
Scripture, soaking up the truths and principles of the Bible for the purpose of
understanding, application and prayer.
8. What is the ultimate goal of hearing God’s Word? Doing it–obedience.
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Walking in Wisdom
You may recall that we are currently looking at the second step of the sanctification
process, renewing our minds. Jesus said that a man could become wise (i.e., have a
renewed mind) by “hearing and doing” the will of God as revealed in the Bible. This
defines our basic responsibilities in this process of change. Listening to God and obeying
him naturally result in a greater degree of sanctification. Becoming wise and becoming
Christlike are synonymous. Last time we focused on hearing God and how it is related to
growth. Today we’ll look at the doing part of the equation.
Our study is based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:24:
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken
him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended,
and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not:
for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house
upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Jesus here describes for us how we too can be wise—by hearing and doing. Remember
that the practice of these two disciplines is the foundation of wisdom—the renewed mind.
This week we shall study the two basic disciplines of doing—obedience and endurance.
We’ll also learn how we are enabled to obey and endure by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Role of the Holy Spirit in Sanctification
Just as the Holy Spirit is the key player in the hearing aspect of gaining the Christlike
wisdom of a renewed mind, He is also central to the doing aspect. Some would suggest
that sanctification is totally the work of God with the believer quite passive in the
process–one just “lets go and let God.” However, sanctification is a cooperative venture
between the Holy Spirit and the believer. The power for sanctification rests entirely with
God. Nevertheless, the writers of the NT constantly exhort believers to work and strive
toward spiritual growth. Paul tells us to “work out your own salvation … for God is at
work in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil 2:12-13). We are
responsible to put to death the deeds of the flesh and to present our bodies a living
sacrifice. So while sanctification is properly God’s work, the believer has a role as well,
entailing both removal of sinfulness and development of holiness.15
How does the Holy Spirit help us?
 He illuminates our minds so that we can understand the truths of Scripture.
 He convicts us of sin and of our need to repent.
 He gives us the desire and the ability to serve God.
15
Millard Erickson, Christian Theology (Baker, 1985), p. 971.
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 He comforts or helps us in times of trial.
You might say that the Holy Spirit is our policeman, private tutor and personal assistant.
His continual presence allows us to be what we ought to be and do what we ought to do.
How can you tell if you are being filled with the Spirit?
 The fruit of the Spirit (i.e., love, joy, peace, patience, self-control, etc.) will be
evident in your life.
 The behaviors Paul mentions in Ephesians 5-6 will be evident in your life.
 You will have a desire to do God’s will, and you will have a measure of success in
living a holy life. You will both “will and do of his good pleasure” (Phil 2:13).
Note: One should not confuse the indwelling of the Holy Spirit with the filling of the
Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells all believers no matter what the level of their
spiritual maturity. This is constant and positional–it cannot be changed. Filling, on the
other hand, is temporary and depends largely on the spiritual condition of the individual
believer. Ephesians 5:18 exhorts us to “be not drunk with wine, … but be filled with the
Holy Spirit.” The word “filled” here expresses the idea of control. One may be filled with
rage, anger or fear–such emotions can control a person. Similarly, one who is filled with
the Holy Spirit will be controlled by him. Like being under the influence of wine, being
filled with the Spirit means one is under his influence. Such an influence transforms
one’s behavior.
The Basic Discipline of Obedience
Matthew 7:25 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not,
shall be likened unto a foolish man…
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Biblical obedience is not just following some abstract laws or rules. Christianity is far
more than just keeping a bunch of commands. Christianity is based on a personal
relationship between the believer and God. Obedience is the believer’s submissive
response to the Person of the Holy Spirit, who has revealed the will of God to him
through his Word. Obedience means denying self instead of indulging self, walking in the
Spirit instead of grieving the Spirit, and being wise instead of being a fool.
Obedience or disobedience is based on the quality of your relationship with God. It’s
natural for people to strive to please the ones they love the most. The love one has for
God, based on God’s love for the believer, provides the necessary motivation to obey. A
love relationship is at the heart of obedience. On the other hand, a greater love for self
than for God is the ultimate cause of rebellion and disobedience.
John 14:15, 23 [Jesus said] "If you love me, you will obey what I command. … If anyone
loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him
and make our home with him.”
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The Basic Discipline of Endurance
Endurance is obedience to God even under continued pressure. It’s remaining loyal and
submissive even when doing so is not convenient. It’s the believer’s refusal to give in to
the pressures and temptations to rebel against God.
The ability to continue obediently during times of temptation must be rooted in one’s
love for God. Submission to God is easier for those who recognize and appreciate God’s
great love and care for them. Sin is disloyalty and rebellion against the one who loves
you more and has done more for you than any other. Once we understand God’s great
love and sacrifice for us, it should motivate us to continue an obedient, submissive
lifestyle.
Psalm 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they
shall be filled.
1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son
to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one
another.
The Bible teaches that the saints will and must persevere in the obedience which comes
from faith. Note the following in this regard:
 Those who are genuinely saved will persevere in two areas:
Faith: a believer will not ultimately reject or disavow the Lord. Like Peter, one may
deny the Lord temporarily, but a true believer will always repent and seek
reconciliation with God.
Good works: a believer will produce fruit. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22f) will be
evident in the believer’s life. Believers are “created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10).
Those who fail to persevere in faith and good works prove that they are not truly
saved. Assurance must be based on perseverance, not on a profession of faith or on
personal religious experience.
 Our faith must endure to the end if we are to be saved.
We do not breathe easy after a person has prayed to receive Christ, as though we can
be assured that he or she is now genuinely saved. There is a fight of faith to be fought.
We must endure to the end in faith if we are to be saved. False, empty and insincere
professions of faith are common. Long-term fruitfulness and Christlikeness are the
true measures of genuine Christianity.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I
preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also
ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed
in vain.
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Colossians 1:21-23 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind
by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to
present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: if ye continue in
the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, “If you continue in
my word, then are you my disciples indeed.”
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they
had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that
none of them belonged to us.
 Obedience, which gives evidence of inner renewal from God, is necessary for final
salvation.
This is not to say that God demands perfection or that obedience (i.e., works) is the
basis of salvation. It is clear from many passages in the NT (e.g., Matt 6:12; Phil
3:12-13; 1 John 1:8-10) that God does not demand that we be sinlessly perfect in
order to be saved. But the NT does demand that we be morally changed and walk in
newness of life.
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall
see the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of
God?
2 Corinthians 5:17 If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.
1 John 2:3-6 And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his
commandments. He who says, “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a
liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God
is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: he who says he abides in him
ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (See also 1 John 3:4-10, 14;
4:20.)
Action Steps:
1. Evaluate your life to find areas of disobedience. Repent of and forsake such sin and
take steps to become more obedient.
2. Become increasingly sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s conviction in your life as He seeks
to lead you to do right. Allow yourself to be filled (influenced, controlled) by the
Holy Spirit.
3. Turn to God continually for help to obey and endure in the things you know are His
will.
4. Rid yourself of anything that seems to be hindering your desire to obey God.
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Conclusion: Obeying God is a necessary step in the sanctification process. Listen to
God, reflect upon and remember what God says, obey his instructions and continue in
them. Biblical obedience is a submissive response to the Person of the Holy Spirit who
reveals God’s will to us through the Word. Biblical endurance is the result of a
relationship with God. If we truly love God, we’ll seek to please him and submit to his
leadership. Those who endure steadfastly in faith and in good works have good reason to
believe that they are genuinely saved.
Discussion:
1. Explain the role of the Holy Spirit in obedience to God. The HS both motivates us
and enables us to obey God. He illuminates, convicts, motivates and helps.
2. What’s the difference between the filling and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
Filling is temporary and dependent upon the believer; indwelling is permanent and
irrespective of the believer.
3. Define endurance. Endurance is obedience to God even under continued pressure.
4. What are the two areas in which one must persevere? Faith & good works
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Characteristics of the New Man, Part 1
We have been learning in the past nine lessons about the three basic responsibilities in the
sanctification process as summarized in Ephesians 4:22-24. The first of these is to put off
the old man. We restrain the flesh (the sinful nature) by recognizing the evil within us,
identifying our own rebellious ways, submitting to God, and mortifying (putting to death)
the flesh.
The second step of the process is to renew our minds. This occurs as the Holy Spirit
illuminates the Word of God. As we seek to expand our personal relationship with God
through exposure to the Word, and as we both listen to and obey the Word, we will
become wise and Christlike.
We are now ready for the third and final aspect of the process–putting on the new man. 16
The material in this and the following lessons comes from Paul’s instructions to the
Ephesians, chapters 4-6.
The “Old Man/New Man” Distinction
We should perhaps start by reviewing what Paul means by “old man” and “new man.”
The old man describes the pre-salvation lifestyle that believers are to leave behind. Paul
has exhorted his readers to “put off” the old way of living like one would lay aside a dirty
set of clothes. Elsewhere (Rom 6:6 and Col 3:9), Paul has said that there is a sense in
which believers have already done this. At the point of salvation, one puts off the old man
and puts on the new. Now Paul is exhorting his readers to become practically what they
already are positionally. Since they have new life in Christ, they are to adopt a new way
of living. The “new man” describes this new set of behaviors that is suitable for one
enjoying new spiritual life.
Salvation is not just turning over a new leaf. Salvation brings about a new birth of a new
man (cf. 2 Cor 5:17). It is not the former nature refurbished but a totally new creation.
Just as man was physically created in God’s image (Gen 1:27), so the new man is
spiritually created “according to God.” The new man is righteous and holy. Paul is
exhorting his readers to live that way.
One author puts it this way:
[The “new man”] is something that is infused that was never there before, and
because it is new in all its parts, such who have it have new hearts and new spirits
given unto them. They have new eyes to see with, and new ears to hear with, and
new hands to handle and work with, and new feet to walk with. They live a new
This lesson and the next two diverge from Berg’s book because this writer (Brad Anderson) does not
follow Berg’s argument that putting on the new man is synonymous with “a Christlike influence on others”
(Berg p. 210). While spiritual leadership is certainly an aspect of the new life in Christ, this writer fails to
see a direct link connecting the two. Further, it seems that Berg has failed to explain the central ideas of
putting on the new man as Paul explains it in Ephesians 4-6. Hence, these last three lessons will follow
Paul’s explanation of the new man instead of Berg’s. This is not to suggest that Berg’s book does not
contain some helpful material.
16
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[lifestyle] …. [T]his is God’s work, and not man’s; it is he who made us at first,
remakes us, and not we ourselves. … To put on the new man is to walk according
to the principles of grace and holiness formed in the soul.17
Specific Behaviors Required of the New Man
Having given his readers a general command to put off their former way of life and to
start living in a way that corresponds to their new spiritual state, Paul now specifies what
this means in the rest of the Book of Ephesians. This lesson will examine five general
behavior patterns required of the new man as found in Ephesians 4:25-32.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are
members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your
wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let
him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give
to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but
that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking,
be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
According to this text, note the behavior patterns required of the “new man”:
1. Replace falsehood with truth.
Believers are to shun lying and embrace truth-telling. Honesty is always the best
policy. Keep your word and mean what you say. Those who tell lies quickly gain a
bad reputation for being unreliable.
How would you define lying? Representing something false as if it were true, or
something true as if it were false. Lying also includes exaggeration and adding
fabrications to something that is true. Cheating, making foolish promises, betraying a
confidence, and making false excuses are all forms of lying, with which Christians
should have no part.
Lying tends to produce strife, hindering the unity of the church. It has no place in the
community of Christ. Because our Lord is Himself the truth, his church must reflect
the truth. Speaking the truth edifies the body. Deceit is characteristic of the old way
of life; truth of the new way.
One who practices lying is committing a serious offence in the sight of God. It is
among the abominations that God hates.
17
John Gill
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Proverbs 6:16–19 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an
abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed
innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in
running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord
among brethren.
Those who refuse to give up the practice of lying will face certain punishment: “A
false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish” (Prov
19:9).
2. Replace unrestrained anger with timely reconciliation.
How do we know that anger itself is not sinful? Because Jesus was at times angry.
Paul is not commanding us to be angry, but not to sin in our anger. The meaning is
simply “Let not your anger be mixed with sin.” There are times when anger is
justifiable. Christ displayed righteous indignation at times (cf. Mark 3:5 and John
2:13-16). Righteous anger hates injustice, immorality, ungodliness, and every other
sin. When such anger is unselfish and based on love for God and others, it not only is
permissible but commanded. It’s OK to be angry with the things God is angry with.
However, since righteous anger can so easily degenerate into sinful anger, it is always
best to be “slow to wrath” (James 1:19). When we are guilty of sinful anger, we must
quickly make amends, by the end of the day if at all possible.18 Don’t let anger fester.
Anger could be defined as a strong emotion of displeasure. Usually a feeling of anger
also brings on a desire to solve the problem that brings forth the anger. It’s an
emotion that demands change. Anger may be destructive when one responds to it in
an ungodly way.
How to deal with anger:
 Acknowledge that God’s way of handling problems is the best way. Pride,
selfishness, and false assumptions often cause us to choose the wrong way to
handle problems.
 Identify the true source of your anger. What is the actual source of your
frustration, fear or hurt? Target what caused the emotion.
 Seek to understand the causes of anger from God’s perspective. Recognize God’s
sovereign control over your circumstances. Seek contentment in God rather than
in things, people or events. Root out self-centeredness. See suffering and hardship
as roads to maturity. Be forgiving and compassionate. Seek God’s help in prayer.
Example: getting angry with a bad driver who is causing you to be late for an
appointment.
“It may not always be possible to straighten out the problem with the other person before nightfall, but at
the very least one can settle the matter of his own heart attitude before retiring.” Homer Kent, “Ephesians:
The Glory of the Church” in Everyman’s Bible Commentary, p. 82.
18
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3. Replace stealing with sharing.
Why do people steal? Selfishness, covetousness, the desire to have and enjoy things,
laziness. Theft is one of the fundamental evils of human nature.
The concept of theft includes more than just taking something that is not yours
without asking permission. It includes taking something that you have no right to
take, using things without paying for them, and/or receiving something that you did
not work or pay for (not a gift). For example, rigging up a system to receive cable or
satellite TV signals or internet services without paying for it is theft. Leaving work
early and having someone else punch the time clock for you is theft. Taking small
things like pens and pencils, office supplies, batteries, tools or other equipment from
work is theft (sometimes called pilfering). Preventing people from receiving what
they are due is theft. Tricking someone out of something valuable is theft (called
fraud). The unauthorized copying and distributing of software, music or other
published material is illegal and is theft. Even gambling and charging excessive
interest rates could be considered theft.
Theft could even be paying someone less than what is fair. Notice how God views
this kind of theft: “And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift
witness against … those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the
fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the
Lord of hosts” (Mal. 3:5).
A man who refuses to give an honest day's work can also be guilty of theft. We often
refer to being lazy on the job as gold-bricking. “He also that is slothful in his work is
brother to him that is a great waster” (Prov. 18:9). “The desire of the slothful killeth
him; for his hands refuse to labour” (Prov. 21:25). Those who are lazy and refuse to
give an honest day's work soon gain a bad reputation. They sooner or later find
themselves unemployable.19
Cheating is another form of theft. White-collar crime, poaching, and plagiarism all
fall under this category. The Old Testament does not hesitate to address this sin: “Ye
shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another” (Lev. 19:11).
Rather than stealing to supply his needs, the believer should work. Work is God’s
ordained method of providing for oneself and one’s family. What a person acquires
should come as a result of honest labor, not by taking the possessions of others by
means of theft.
Jesus said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt 15:19). Meticulously avoid
theft.
19
“What the Ten Commandments Really Mean,” Bethel Church of God, Eugene, OR.
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4. Replace foul language with helpful speech
Believers are to let no “corrupt” word proceed out of their mouths. The term
“corrupt” is used elsewhere to describe rotten fish. Corrupt words refer to negative
speech of any kind, such as swearing or vulgar language, dirty jokes, gossip, or
language that offends others. On the contrary, believers are to speak only those words
which edify or build-up others, so that the hearers might be blessed.
How do you know corrupt language when you hear it? Sometimes it’s obvious,
sometimes it’s more of a subjective judgment call. E.g., is “that sucks” corrupt
language? I would say that it is. To me it is inappropriate for a Christian. Christians
should stay away from “barnyard” language. Think about the
suitability/appropriateness of words before you use them.
5. Replace animosity with kindness
Behaviors to get rid of:
 “Bitterness” reflects a smoldering resentment, a hurt that one holds on to. It is the
spite that harbors resentment and keeps a score of wrongs. Aristotle defined those
who display it as “hard to be reconciled.”20
 “Wrath” has to do with rage, the passion of a moment. Rage is what flows from
bitterness in an outburst of uncontrolled passion and frustration.
 “Anger” is a more internal, deep hostility.
 “Clamor” is the outcry of strife out of control–shouting, brawling, and/or abuse.
 “Evil speaking” is slander. Those who seek to ruin someone’s good reputation by
telling lies or by spreading damaging information about them are guilty of
slander. When such false and evil things are in published form, we call it libel.
 “Malice” (literally “bad feeling”) is the general term for evil, the root of all
vices.21
The believer must avoid all such behaviors and attitudes. A failure to control one’s
temper is a sign that the “old man” is still in control. Some people claim that they
cannot control their temper. Does the Bible allow for this? No, the Bible tells us to
control our anger and our behaviors influenced by anger.
Behaviors to adopt:
 Kindness: to show a sweet and generous disposition
 Compassion: a rare word, which literally refers to the internal organs–liver,
kidneys, and intestines (splangchna). The Greeks located the seat of the emotions
in the gut. It was used by Hippocrates to describe the healthy function of the
intestines. The idea seems to be tenderness, mercy and pity.
20
21
Expositor’s Bible Commentary
The MacArthur Study Bible
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 Forgiveness: Willingness to forgive one another is a further mark of the new man.
Paul sets forth the strongest possible motive: Christians are to forgive one another
because God has already forgiven all of them through the work of Christ. An apt
illustration of this truth is Jesus’ parable of the unjust servant who failed to
forgive a little even though he had been forgiven much (Matt 18:23-35). Jesus
also said that God will not forgive those who fail to forgive (Matt 6:15).
Conclusion: What does a “new man” look like? He tells the truth rather than lies, seeks
reconciliation rather than continuing in anger, works for a living rather than stealing,
speaks encouraging words rather than using corrupt language, and is kind and
compassionate rather than bitter and hostile. Such characteristics ought to naturally
surface in the life of every Christian.
Discussion:
1. What does Paul mean by “put on the new man”? start acting like a Christian
2. Why is honesty the best policy? That’s what the Bible teaches, those who lie are
unreliable, lying results in lots of problems.
3. Is it possible to be angry without sinning? Yes–righteous indignation.
4. Suggest some slang terms that are probably not appropriate for Christians to use.
Dang, darn, gol darn, jeeze, heck, that sucks, brown noser
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Lesson 11: Characteristics of the New Man, Part 2
We have been learning about the three basic responsibilities in the sanctification process
as summarized in Ephesians 4:22-24: put off the old man, renew your mind, and put on
the new man. Last time we looked at some specific behaviors required of believers–
replacing falsehood with truth, replacing anger with reconciliation, replacing stealing
with sharing, replacing foul language with helpful speech, and replacing animosity with
kindness.
We are now ready to examine Paul’s further remarks about what it means to “put on the
new man” from Ephesians 5:1-21. In this text, Paul exhorts us to put on the new man by
separating from unbelievers (vss. 1-14) and submitting to the leadership of the Holy
Spirit (vss. 18-21).
1. Separate from Unbelievers and from an Ungodly Lifestyle.
5:3-5 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named
among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse
jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no
fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Ephesus was well-known for its immorality. It was a large commercial center with a
seaport, plus it contained the temple to the Roman goddess Diana (a.k.a. Artemis).
Thus, Paul felt it necessary to exhort his readers to refrain from the immoral activities
that were so common among the Gentiles there. “Uncleanness” is a general word for
any kind of immorality. In light of the context, “covetousness” should be interpreted
in keeping with the Tenth Commandment’s prohibition against coveting your
neighbor’s wife (Ex 20:17).
Such immoral conduct should not even be “named” among Christians. Paul’s point is
not that sexual sins should not be discussed, but that they should not be committed.
No one should be able to accuse Christians of such immoral conduct. Such sins are
totally inappropriate to those who are “saints,” holy ones, those set apart for God’s
service.
How is the immorality in Ephesus similar to our culture today? Sexual immorality is
very common. At times it seems like sex is the driving force of our culture. Even those
who claim to be Christians behave in ways that are inappropriate. E.g., rock band
members claiming to be Christians, thanking God for their awards, yet living a
debauched life.
Filthy language (e.g., innuendo, double entendre, dirty jokes, vulgarity, crudeness) is
also inappropriate (“not fitting”) for the Christian. “Foolish talking” is stupid chatter
or silly jabbering. Such flippant talk may easily lead to more serious sinful language.
Instead, Christian speech should be characterized by thanksgiving. This is yet another
example of the put off/put on dynamic described in the previous section.
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Note what Proverbs 17:27-28 says about controlling your tongue:
He who has knowledge uses few words; a man of understanding is of an
excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he is silent, is counted wise, and he who
shuts his lips is counted as a man of understanding.
Think before you speak. Some subjects are simply not appropriate topics of polite
conversation, especially in mixed company (guys and girls both present).
The apostle warns his readers about the serious consequences of immorality. They
must surely be aware that there is no room in the kingdom of God for those who
blatantly continue in sensual sin. God never tolerates sin, which has no place at all in
His kingdom, nor will any person whose life pattern is one of habitual immorality,
impurity, and greed be in His kingdom, because no such person is saved.22
5:7-8 Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now
you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
The natural effect (“therefore”) of all of this is that believers must separate from
immoral individuals and their ungodly way of life. Christians are not to get mixed up
with those who have excluded themselves from the kingdom by their impurity.
How can believers separate from immoral unbelievers and still witness to them? Note
that the verse says not to partake with them. Thus you can still associate with unsaved
people, you just can’t engage in their immorality with them.
Explain the light and darkness comparisons. They were darkness–they were unsaved
and lived like it. Now they are “light in the Lord”–now they are saved and must live
that way.
What does the expression “children of light” suggest? People characterized by
righteousness/holiness. The expression “son/child of” suggests something that has
the characteristics of the thing named. E.g., Barnabas was the “son of consolation”
i.e., a kind, considerate, compassionate person.
5:11-12 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them
in secret.
Paul exhorts the Ephesians to separate from those who live a wicked lifestyle. Living
as children of light and separating from darkness go hand-in-hand; you can’t do one
without also doing the other. The works of darkness are “unfruitful” and believers
must avoid them. Christians must not adopt the world’s standards or fall in with its
ways. But it is not enough merely to separate from the works of darkness; the believer
must also expose them. The believer does so primarily by his manner of life, letting
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his “light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father which is in heaven (Matt 5:16).
What are some modern “unfruitful works of darkness”? The context is sexual
immorality, so any form of illicit sexual conduct (e.g., homosexuality, promiscuity);
much of the entertainment industry pumps out dark/immoral material; pornography;
dirty novels; drug & alcohol use.
Believers ought not even talk about the deeds of darkness. They are unspeakably
abominable. Sometimes sin can be publicized by a reaction against it. Evil things
done under the cover of darkness are often best left concealed.
How does this text apply to watching daytime TV talk shows, soap operas, and the
like? Most of these shows specialize in promoting such shameful, immoral behavior.
Don’t watch these shows.
Does this text prohibit speaking out against immorality or working to rid your
community of immoral businesses (e.g., adult bookstores)? No. He’s already told us
to “expose” the unfruitful works of darkness. While we are to separate from
immorality, we should not develop a “fortress mentality” that refuses to confront
public evil.
What honored principle of American culture works both for and against us in our
battle against evil? Freedom of speech. We enjoy it, but so do pornographers.
How can you expose unfruitful works of darkness within your sphere of influence?
Speak up, say something when people are talking or acting in immoral ways.
2. Submit to the Leadership of the Holy Spirit.
5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the
Spirit,
Drunkenness was all too common in the pagan world and cautions in the NT show
that it presented a serious temptation to Christians. Wine, both making it and drinking
it, was a significant aspect of Middle Eastern culture. The danger of wine drinking
lies not only in getting drunk but also in what drunkenness may lead to. “Dissipation”
in the NT describes uncontrolled drunken partying, which often included sexual
immorality. It is the “wild living” of the prodigal son (Luke 15:13). The context
suggests that Paul is here speaking especially about the drunken orgies commonly
associated with many pagan worship ceremonies of that day.23 If they are wise,
Christians will avoid all such excess.
Part of the Lord’s will for the believer is being Spirit-filled. To be Spirit-filled is to be
controlled by the Spirit. As alcohol physically influences those who are drunk, so the
Holy Spirit controls those He spiritually fills. Unlike wine, however, the filling of the
Holy Spirit does not result in a loss of self-control. In fact, self-control is listed
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among the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:23). The construction of the words “be filled”
implies that this is a repeatable (as opposed to a one-time) process. Further, Spiritfilling is something the believer yields to. It could be translated “go on being filled.”
Being filled with the Spirit is living in the conscious presence of the Lord Jesus
Christ, letting His mind, through the Word, dominate every thought and action. Being
filled with the Spirit is the same as walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:16–23).24
Note: Some suggest that the filling of the Spirit is some sort of special experience
usually accompanied by signs and miracles. However, miraculous activity was
confined to the apostolic age and should not be considered to be normative. To be
Spirit-filled is to be under the control of the Holy Spirit, and this occurs as one yields
himself to the Scriptures, which the Holy Spirit inspired.
Another Note: Spirit-filling is not synonymous with Spirit-baptism. One is baptized
with/in the Spirit at the moment of salvation. This one-time, non-repeatable, nonexperiential event makes the believer a member of the body of Christ. Spirit-filling,
on the other hand, is both repeatable and experiential. So don’t confuse Spirit-filling
and Spirit-baptism.
In verses nineteen through twenty-one, Paul gives three evidences of the Spirit’s
filling. Note that miraculous or unusual behavior is not listed as an evidence of Spiritfilling.
speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the Lord,
The first evidence of the Spirit’s control upon one’s life is singing. Where is this
singing to be done? The “one another” in this context is the local assembly.
Such singing includes psalms (OT psalms put to music), hymns (doctrinally oriented
songs of praise), and spiritual songs (songs of personal experience). Singing
communicates both to “one another” and “to the Lord.”
How should this text affect how you sing in church? Remember that the Lord is part
of your audience next time you sing. Singing ought to be a meaningful part of
worship.
giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ,
A second evidence of the Spirit’s control upon one’s life is thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is returning thanks, not mere gratitude (see the story of the ten lepers in
Luke 17:11-19). The believer is to give thanks for all things (1 Thes 5:18). As with
singing, thanks is to be given “to God.” One should give thanks “in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ” because the believer’s union with Christ is the reason the believer
has so much to give thanks for.
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submitting to one another in the fear of God.
A third evidence of the Spirit’s control upon one’s life is submission. Submission is
willingly placing oneself under the authority of another. Within the church, everyone,
even the pastor(s), must be willing to submit to one another.
Conclusion: What does it mean to “put on the new man”? Part of the equation is
separation from unbelievers and their ungodly ways. Christians must abstain from the
immoral conduct that the world typically engages in. They are children of light and must
live like it. Further, believers must submit to the leadership of the Holy Spirit by actively
yielding their own wills to that of God as revealed in the Bible. Such submission will
display itself through singing, giving thanks, and submitting to one another within the
context of the church.
Discussion:
1. Why is it inappropriate for believers to even talk about immoral topics? Believers
should have nothing to do with such behavior and thus should not discuss it.
2. Is it OK for believers to watch immoral behavior on TV or movies? No; if it’s wrong
to talk about it, it is surely wrong to watch it.
3. Why must believers separate themselves from wicked people and wicked behavior?
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of
light” (5:8). If we have nothing to do with “unfruitful works of darkness,” we will
also have to separate from those who behave that way. We’re not advocating
isolation from unbelievers, but separation from them when they are involved in
immorality.
4. How do you know if you are Spirit-filled? Paul says that the conditions giving
evidence of Spirit-filling are seen in our attitudes toward God and toward others.
Spirit-filling is not a special experience, but a submission to God. Those who
willingly yield to biblical principles may think of themselves as Spirit-filled.
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Lesson 12: Characteristics of the New Man, Part 3
This is the final lesson in the Changed into His Image series, so let’s take a moment to
review and get up to speed. We’ve seen that the sanctification process occurs as one puts
off the old, sinful, pre-conversion lifestyle (the “old man”), renews his mind through
hearing and obeying the Scriptures, and puts on behavior patterns appropriate for the new
life in Christ (the “new man”).
In the last two lessons we’ve discussed some of the details of the new life in Christ. The
new man tells the truth rather than lies, seeks reconciliation rather than continuing in
anger, works for a living rather than stealing, speaks encouraging words rather than using
corrupt language, and is kind and compassionate rather than bitter and hostile. Further, he
separates from unbelievers and an ungodly lifestyle, and submits to the leadership of the
Holy Spirit.
Today we’ll examine a few final characteristics of the new man, as found in Ephesians 56.
1. The new man enjoys proper family relationships (Eph 5:22-6:4).
 Wives must submit to their own husbands.
One of the wife’s major responsibilities in marriage is to submit to her husband,
an idea that modern culture rejects, but one that is clearly biblical (cf. Col 3:18,
Titus 2:5, and 1 Pet 3:1). In obeying her husband, the Christian wife is obeying
the Lord who has sanctioned the marriage contract. Paul is not implying that
women are inferior to men or that all women should be subject to men.
Is it possible to be obedient without being submissive? Yes What’s the
difference? Submission is a willing determination to defer to an authority;
obedience may or may not be accompanied by a submissive spirit.
Note that the submission of the wife to her husband is to be “as to the Lord.” How
does this phrase impact the quality of the wife’s submission? To fail to submit to
one’s husband is to fail to submit to the Lord, who has placed the husband in such
a role. It also suggests that the husband acts like the Lord–not a tyrant, not
oppressive, etc.
Does this verse give the husband the right to be a dictator or tyrant over his wife?
Obviously not. There may be cases in which the wife should not submit to her
husband (e.g., if he wants her to do something immoral).
Paul explains why the wife should submit to her husband: the husband is the head
of the wife in the same respect that Christ is the head of the church. The marriage
relationship is a reflection of the relationship between Christ and his church.
The authority-submission roles of the husband and wife does not suggest an
inequality or superiority of men over women. Although there is an inequality of
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function (what each partner does) in marriage, there is an equality of being (what
each partner is). The fact that the wife must submit to her husband does not imply
that she is inferior in terms of her worth or value. All people are equal in standing
before God (Gal 3:28). By the way, it is just as sinful for the husband to fail to
lead as it is for the wife to refuse to submit.
 Husbands must love their wives.
Of the various Greek words for love, the word Paul uses emphasizes its selfless,
sacrificial nature. Accordingly, Paul likens it to the love which Christ showed for
the church when He gave His life for her on the cross (see John 15:13). If the role
of the wife in marriage is sweet submission, then the role of the husband is loving
leadership. These roles are complementary. As one scholar states: “No normal
wife resents her husband’s headship, provided that his love for her is what it
should be.”
Since the husband-wife relationship is a picture of the Christ-church relationship,
and since Christ loves the church, so should husbands love their wives. When
husbands love their wives, they are in a sense loving themselves, because the
husband and wife are “one flesh” (Matt 19:6). For a man to love his wife is to
love himself. She is not to be treated as a piece of property, as was the custom in
Paul's day. She is to be regarded as an extension of a man's own personality and
so part of himself.
 Children are to submit to their parents.
The role of the child in his relationship with his parents, like that of the wife in the
husband-wife relationship, is submission (cf. Col 3:20). Contrary to what our
culture teaches, the rebellion of a child against his parents is a very serious sin (cf.
Deut 21:18-21; Rom 1:30; 2 Tim 3:2). Children are to listen to their parents’
guidance and do what they say.
How long must you obey your parents? Until you are an adult, living on your
own, paying your own way–i.e., until you get married (for most people).
The phrase “in the Lord” implies that obedience to one’s parents is obedience to
the Lord. If obeying your parents equals obeying the Lord, what is true when you
disobey your parents? You are disobeying/rebelling against the Lord. Parents
receive their authority directly from the Lord.
Does a child ever have the right to disobey his parents? Only if it’s a choice
between obeying one’s parents and obeying God.
Paul quotes the Fifth Commandment (Ex 20:12a and Deut 5:16a), which instructs
children to honor their parents. How would you define the honor that is due to
your parents? It is to respect and esteem. To honor (timhv) goes far beyond
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mere obedience. It is "the form love assumes towards those who are placed above
us by God" (Lenski).
What is the difference between honoring and obeying? Obedience is an action;
honor is more of an attitude. You can obey without honoring, but you can’t honor
without obeying.
The promised blessing for observing the Fifth Commandment was well-being and
long life (Ex 20:12b and Deut 5:16b). Paul’s quotation of this text shows that the
commandment and the reward are still in effect. The natural result of obeying
your parents is an extended life. There will obviously be exceptions, but generally
speaking, those who honor and obey their parents can expect to live longer and
enjoy a happier life than those who rebel against their parents. Godliness has
promise for this life, as well as for the life to come (1 Tim 4:8).
How does rebellion against parents make life more difficult and prevent things
from going “well with you”? Parents have the power to make your life miserable.
 Parents must raise their children in the fear of God.
Negatively, fathers are commanded not to provoke their children to wrath, while
positively they are commanded to bring them up in the training and admonition of
the Lord. The gospel introduced a fresh element into parental responsibility by
insisting that parents must take the feelings of the child into consideration. In a
society where the father's authority was absolute, this represented a revolutionary
concept.
How could a father provoke his children to wrath? By unjust demands,
unreasonable severity, and unremitting criticism (Kent, p. 109). By fault-finding,
being neglectful and inconsistent (Hughes, p. 200). Through over-protection,
showing favoritism (see the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 37:3-4),
discouragement, neglect, unfair comparison, and physical or verbal abuse
(Hendriksen, pp. 261-262). By excessively severe discipline, unreasonably harsh
demands, abuse of authority, arbitrariness, unfairness, constant nagging and
condemnation, and subjecting a child to humiliation (Lincoln, p. 406). Wood
suggests Paul is warning against goading their children into a state of perpetual
resentment.
The Greek noun translated “training” (KJV “nurture”) means discipline. It is
translated “chastening” in Hebrews 12:5. Part of parental responsibility is
corporal punishment (Proverbs 13:24 and 19:18). The word translated
“admonition” has more of a verbal, rather than physical, connotation. To
admonish means to warn or discipline verbally.
2.
The new man enjoys proper employment relationships (Eph 6:5-9).
In what context can we apply the principles of the master-slave relationship? In
the employer-employee relationship.
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Employees responsibilities:
 Employees should obey their employers reverently (“with fear and
trembling”) and sincerely. Once again, submission of the subordinate to the
superior is seen as part of the subordinate’s overall submission to Christ (“as
to Christ”).
 Employees are to obey consistently, not just when the boss is watching (“not
with eyeservice”), remembering that they are “the servants of Christ,” whose
eye is always on them.
 Employees are to obey wholeheartedly (“from the heart”). The term “men-
pleasers” describes one who thinks more about what other people want than
what God wants. Christian employees should be much more concerned about
pleasing God than they are about pleasing their earthly bosses.
 Employees are to obey enthusiastically (“with good will”), understanding that
their service is ultimately for the Lord, not for men, or for a paycheck for that
matter.
How should the fact that your ultimate Boss is the Lord affect how you work for
your earthly boss? It should mean that you are a better worker than others who
simply work for money. You should take your work seriously and do your best
because you are serving God in your work.
Employers responsibilities:
Christian employers are to treat their workers with fairness, goodwill, and
personal concern rather than threatening and favoritism. They should keep in
mind that God is their master and judge.
3. The new man is engaged in spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10-18).
The body of Christ must be united and built up so as to be ready for the inevitable
encounter with evil. Each believer needs to be prepared for the fight. It is taken for
granted that the victory is already assured through what Christ accomplished by his
death and resurrection (Eph 1:20-23).
Because the believer is in a war, it requires that he be properly equipped. The Roman
soldier (with which Paul became very familiar, being continually chained to one
during his house arrest in Rome) was outfitted with physical armor. Perhaps this
visual object lesson is what prompted Paul to make the comparison with spiritual
armor. The soldier must be protected from head to foot and the armor is made up of
both defensive and offensive pieces.
The war the believer is engaged in is not a physical one (“against flesh and blood”),
but a spiritual one. The enemy is the devil and his helpers. The terms used to describe
the enemy here (“principalities,” “powers,” etc.) likely refer to angelic beings in
union with Satan. “Wrestle” suggests the hand-to-hand nature of the combat.
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Spiritual armor enables the believer to “withstand” (literally “to stand against”)
enemy attack. “Withstand” is a defensive term. In Scripture, the believer is always
commanded to defend himself against Satan (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9), but never to go
on the offensive against him (Jude 9).
Note: The modern Charismatic idea that believers must go on the offensive against
Satan has little or no basis in the NT. We need not attempt to cast out demons, cast
down demonic strongholds, or bind Satan. Our job is to withstand the devil and/or
flee from him. We must trust God to rebuke and control Satan and his assistants.
E.g., the idea of prayer walks, where Christians walk around a certain area and pray
that God would rid the place of local/area demons has no basis in the NT. Much of
the stuff being written on spiritual warfare goes way beyond the teaching of the Bible.
Successful standing against the devil requires that one take up certain pieces of armor.
Believers are to gird themselves with truth. While Paul may be referring to the truth
of Scripture here, he’s more likely referring to truth in the general sense (truthfulness,
sincerity, or integrity) which should characterize the believer. The breastplate of
righteousness likely refers to practical, daily holiness and right living. The feet shod
with the preparation of the gospel suggests the necessity of a firm footing in the midst
of the battle. The believer’s shield is his faith, a basic trust in God and in His Word.
When facing attack, believers must trust that God is good, that He is working out His
will in their lives, and that He is able and willing to support and sustain them. The
helmet of salvation suggests that believers may depend upon the fact that they are
saved to protect them from anything the devil can dish out. The believer’s sword is
the Word of God (cf. Heb 4:12).
4. The new man prays for those in need (Eph 6:18-20).
Prayer is just as essential in spiritual warfare as what has already been mentioned.
Paul commands the Ephesians to pray “always” and “with all perseverance.” To
persevere is to continue steadfastly despite the temptation to quit. They are also to
pray “in the Spirit,” meaning their prayers should be in accordance with God’s will as
revealed in Scripture.
Paul specifically and boldly requests prayer for himself and for the success of his
mission. He asks the Ephesians to pray that he might have boldness to preach the
gospel. We should pray this for one another.
Conclusion: The new man enjoys proper family and employment relationships, engages
in spiritual warfare, and prays for those in need.
Discussion:
1. In what sense are the husband and the wife unequal? Role or function in the home.
In what sense are they equal? In their being/essence and in standing before God.
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2. What is the primary duty of Christian children? Obey your parents
3. What is the difference between honoring and obeying your parents? Obedience is an
action; honor is more of an attitude. You can obey without honoring, but you can’t
honor without obeying.
4. How could a parent provoke his or her child to wrath? By unjust demands,
unreasonable severity, and unremitting criticism. By fault-finding, being neglectful
and inconsistent. Through over-protection, showing favoritism, discouragement,
neglect, unfair comparison, and physical or verbal abuse.
5. How is Paul’s instructions for slaves and masters beneficial for us today? We can
apply the principles to the employee-employer relationship.
6. How do you fight a spiritual battle? Spiritually. You have to rely on the Lord and use
the weapons he gives you–the Bible, faith, prayer, righteousness, truth, etc.
7. How should we pray for those in ministry? That they would be bold in their
proclamation of the gospel.