WORKSHOP TITLE “WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE”.
中英对照，简体字。。。。中英對照，繁體字。。。英文在下面
SESSION ONE. THE GIFT OF NEW LIFE
INTRODUCTION
Jesus said “I have come in order that they might have life, life in all its fulness.” John 10:10 TEV (Today’s English Version.)
What is this full life? The Bible describes it as a life of purpose, peace, and joy. The full life is one that can face hardship and emergencies. The full life enables us to meet our deep needs, such as shame, guilt and anxiety. It frees us from bondage to sin and fear.
The full life is a gift, given to us by Jesus. We receive this gift when we become Christians. The Bible uses many terms to describe this gift, such as new life, new self, and new nature. All these terms point to the same reality: God is at work in us through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The new life is the source of that urge within us to love and obey God. “Walking in newness of life” means using and depending on that new life given to us by Jesus.
LET US PRAY. Dear God, please send your Holy Spirit to help us understand your Word and to make use of the New Life that Jesus gives us to face our problems and enjoy fulness of life. Amen.
I. THE THEME VERSE tells how Jesus provides new life. Paul writes: We are buried with him (Christ) in baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father, we also may walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4。 NASB. (New American Standard Bible).
THE MEANING OF THE THEME VERSE:
When we are baptized, we believers are united with Christ, therefore Christ’s death substitutes for our death. The Bible says “the wages of sin is death.” Christ took the wage of death for our sins, and therefore we do not have to receive the wage (the death penalty) for our sins. The verse then says that Christ rose from the dead. Because we are united with Christ, we also will rise from the dead, and receive a new life.
John writes, God has given us eternal life, and that life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life. I John 5:11-12 NASB. Because you are united with Jesus, you have eternal life. The verse does not say “will have the life,” but that we already have the life, starting in the present. Paul calls it the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:17-24.
The theme verse also says that the gift of new life influences the way we live now, calling it “walking in newness of life.” That way of living is summed up in Ephesians 5:2: Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us. ESV (English Standard Version). Love is shown in action.
“Walking in new life” means we are relying on Christ to give us strength now to cope with our problems, to influence our behavior, and to move us to treat others with love.
The concept that walking in new life leads to action is also found in this prophecy of new life that was fulfilled by Jesus. 500 years before Christ, God made this promise about His people: I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. Ezekiel 11:19-20, ESV (English Standard Version.) The new heart that God has given us has a desire to live according to God’s will. Look at God’s promise to help us live the new life: For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 NLT (New Living Translation).
II. WHAT NEW LIFE IS AND IS NOT:
| New life is NOT: | But rather: |
| A duty that you must do… | God gives it to you as a gift. |
| An ideal that you must gradually attain… | You have received new life, at your baptism. |
| It is not your own strength… | It is Christ working in you. |
| It is not your own abilities… | It is produced by the Holy Spirit. |
| It does not depend upon feelings… | God’s Word says that you have it. |
| It is not only refraining from sin… | It is actively doing acts of love (good works) |
The theme verse also uses the word “may.” This implies that even though we “have” new life, we may not always “walk” in new life. That is because we still have our old life. Paul writes But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. Romans 7:23 NASB. He also writes I don’t do the good I want to do. Instead, I do the evil that I don’t want to do. Romans 7:19. GNT (God’s Word Translation)
There is a struggle between the old and new. Paul writes: Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.Colossians 3:9-10, NIV (New International Version). In this verse, the old self was obviously active, because Paul had to tell the readers to stop lying. He was urging the readers to make use of the new self, which they already had, but were not putting into action.
| You still have your old life | Old and new struggle against each other |
| Your old life comes when you are born | Your new life comes when you become a Christian |
Even though the ability to walk in new life is given the moment someone becomes a Christian, it needs to come into action every time the old life shows itself.
When the old life prompts us to sin, whether in thought, word, or action, the Holy Spirit enables us to recognize the sin, to reject it, and to ask for forgiveness. (that is, to repent). In this way the new life has victory over the old life. As this process repeats itself throughout the life of a Christian, a person’s outward behavior becomes more Christ-like. Paul writes: For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. Romans 8:29. The process of God changing your behavior after you become a Christian is called sanctification.
III. NEW LIFE IS PART OF SANCTIFICATION. An LCMS theologian explains the connection like this: “The Formula of Concord uses “renewal” and “sanctification” as synonyms … sanctification is called “renewal” in order to describe the activity of the new nature in contrast to the old carnal nature, and renewal is called “sanctification” in order to show that according to the new nature man is delivered from the service of sin and dedicated to the service of God.” (Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics .St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House 1953, vol. III page 5. )
The flesh remains in Christians throughout their life, and for this reason their sanctification remains imperfect throughout their life. vol. III p 31.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT. Because “new life” is a topic within sanctification, therefore it does not affect our justification. Our good or bad works cannot change the fact that we are justified, because our justification was not based on good works in the first place.
| JUSTIFICATION | SANCTIFICATION |
| God reckons we us as righteous, even though we are not. | After God saves us, God works in us so we more and more live according to God’s will |
| being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; Romans 3:23-24 KJV | For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 KJV |
| God accepts us because Jesus has paid for our sins. | God changes our behavior. |
| God accepts us just as we are | God does not leave us as we are |
| What Jesus did FOR us | What Jesus does IN and THROUGH us |
We need not worry that that our failures in sanctification would remove the fact of our justification. The victories and defeats in our behavior do not affect the fact that we are accepted by God. When we have a behavior problem, God does not reject us. In fact, God never stopped accepting us. God is our partner. God moves us to repent and ask for forgiveness, and God strengthens our new life so we can do his will.
The following verses show how justification is followed by sanctification:
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. Romans 6:22 KJV (King James Version)
(Christ) gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:14 ESV
(Christ) himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. 1 Peter 2:24. ESV
Now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and to its end, eternal life. Romans 6:22
WALKING IN NEW LIFE IS TURNING FROM THE OLD LIFE AND TURNING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
OLD LIFE CONTRASTED WITH NEW LIFE:
| Your old life is your natural human behavior apart from God | Your new life is your behavior prompted by God |
| Your old life is the source of your desire to live for self. | The new life is the source of your desire to live for God. |
| Because humans are made in the image of God, someone without new life can have skills and reasoning, and have a role in society, and be considered a good person, but… | The old life cannot achieve a relationship with God or eternal life. |
| A person without new life can have high ideals like love and peace, but … | Jesus can help people achieve those ideals through the new life. |
| Old life is also called old man, old self, old nature, carnal nature or flesh, old Adam. | New life is also called new man, new self, new nature. |
| The natural man does not accept the things of God, for they are foolishness to him … | But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:14 |
| The old life is a burden | The new life is a gift |
We know we have a new life and an old life because the Bible tells us that we do. We do not have a sense organ that can feel supernatural things (although throughout the ages, some people have reported what they interpret as spiritual experiences.) However, you do know your own thoughts and actions. You know when you are selfish as opposed to unselfish, and hateful as opposed to loving. When you are selfish and hateful you are seeing your old nature in action. You oppose the old life by repenting and asking God to strengthen your new life. (in other words, it is not by “trying harder” but by “relying on God.”)
Do you have the custom of receiving a gift, but not opening it in front of the giver, so that the giver does not lose face in case you do not like it? Jesus has given you the gift of new life, and he wants to you use it.
WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE IS USING THE NEW LIFE THAT GOD GAVE US.
IV. NEW LIFE LEADS TO GOOD WORKS. Ephesians 2:10 says that believers are “created in Christ Jesus FOR GOOD WORKS, that God has prepared for us to do.” Good works do not give us salvation, but after we have salvation, our new life prompts us to do good. Sometimes people worry that their good work was not done from the right motive, that is, from selfishness, not from Christ’s love. We do not need to worry about this, because our good works are not part of our salvation. We can admit that the works we do can come from a mixture of good and bad motives, but our salvation depends on Christ, not on our works. Even if our work was done with the wrong motive, it was still helpful to the person that we helped.
| We have new life, | But we don’t always walk in new life |
| You can’t strengthen new life by good works | You strengthen new life by trusting Christ and his promises, and the works are the result |
V. WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE IS ALSO CALLED THE “NEW OBEDIENCE.” This term means that the new life shows itself in the desire to obey God out of love. The disciple John writes this is the love of God, that you obey His commands. 1 John 3:1 KJV (King James Version) That verse goes on to say that the commands are not burdensome.
The concept of new life battling against old life clarifies this sentence. On the one hand, it is not burdensome for the new life to obey the commands, because it does so naturally. The fight against the old life, which does not want to obey the commands, need not be burdensome, if you recognize that the fight consists of repenting. If you feel that obeying God’s commands is burdensome, you can ask yourself whether you are trying to make your old life obey the commands, rather than asking for Jesus’ help. Are you trying to create the “fruit of the Spirit,” or are you asking the Holy Spirit to work in you?
VI. WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE MEANS ACTING LIKE CHRIST:
Paul writes As you received Christ the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.Colossians 2:6 ESV. We are rooted and built up in Jesus when we pray to him, when we read his word, when we receive holy communion,
The Bible encourages us to have this mind among you, which was also in Christ Jesus Philippians 2:1. This means to have the same attitude as Jesus.
The Bible promises that God has already decided to conform you to the image of His Son Romans 8:29.
Walking in newness of life includes responding to Jesus’ promptings to act like Him.
VI. ABOUT SUFFERING FOR JESUS
BUT if you are Christ-like, people will treat you the way they treated Jesus. Jesus warned If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well. John 15:18-20 BSB
SO Jesus promised to bless those who are persecuted: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. Matthew 5:10-12 B
SBLET US PRAY. Dear God, thank you that you have given us new life. Please strengthen our new life. Please strengthen our trust in Jesus. In His name. Amen.
SESSION TWO. MORE ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW LIFE
LET US PRAY. Dear God, help me to recognize when my old life is influencing me, so I can fight it by repenting. Please make my new life stronger day by day. In Jesus Name. Amen.
I. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OLD LIFE
Please underline the actions of the old life.
Paul here describes the old self and the new self. Please underline the actions of the old self.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more. But this is not the way you came to know Christ. Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:17-24. ESV.
Did you underline: lacking understanding, far from God, hard heart, no shame, living by sensual desire, being impure? When you consider these characteristics, don’t think “other people are like this, but I am not like this.” Instead, ask yourself: “do I see any of these problems in me? How does this help me to understand my old life? Is there anything I need to repent of now?”
The old life by its nature disobeys God’s will. How do we know God’s will? God’s promises are according to His will. The life led by Jesus was according to God’s will. And God’s laws show us God’s will. An important statement of Lutheran theology is “the law always accuses.” In applying this to the new life/old life concept, we could say that when we hear God’s law, the old life is accused, and our response is to repent. The new life is receiving guidance, because the new life by nature obeys God’s will.
”Putting off the old life” is not something we do once, but something we do every day. “Putting on the new self” happened at your baptism, and you are to remind yourself of it whenever you see your old self in action.
Martin Luther in the Small Catechism, Baptism part 4, explains what baptism means for daily life: “that the new man daily come forth and arise.” We put off the old self when we repent, and we then ask Jesus to strengthen our new life.
In the following verses Paul calls the old life “flesh”. He does not mean that your body is evil. Your entire self (body, soul, and spirit) is infected with the old life and your whole self is redeemed. Please continue to underline the actions of the old self.
Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. Romans 8:5-9. NIV
Did you underline hostile to God, does not obey God’s laws, and cannot please God? The new life is described as being controlled by the Holy Spirit. Because you believe in Jesus and are baptized, the Holy Spirit does live in you. When you notice that you are being controlled by the old life, you should repent and ask God to strengthen your new life by the Holy Spirit.
In the next verse, Paul says that new life and old life are opposed to each other. Please continue to underline:
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. …The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another. Galatians 5:16-26. NIV
Did you underline the ones on the bottom line? Do we see any of these acts of the flesh in ourselves? Don’t say “I don’t do most of those.” Say to yourself, “if I see one of those, that proves that my old nature is alive and wants to control me.” Notice that it is the Holy Spirit who produces the blessings of the new life. It is a gift, not something to be proud of.
SUMMARY: THE BATTLE BETWEEN OLD AND NEW.
| Your old life is selfish | Your new life lives for God |
| Your old life shows itself in sinful actions | Your new life acts according to God’s will |
| Bondage to jealousy and envy | freedom to love |
| Bondage to anger | Freedom to be patient |
| pride | humility |
| Your old life thinks like Satan | Your new life thinks like Christ |
| Your old life is vulnerable to temptations | Your new life fights temptation |
| God’s laws condemn your old life | God’s laws direct your new life |
| We have new life, | But we don’t always walk in new life |
| You can’t strengthen new life by good actions | You strengthen new life by trusting Christ |
WALKING IN NEW LIFE MEANS CONTINUALLY REJECTING ACTIONS OF THE OLD LIFE
In Romans 6 Paul gives instructions for fighting temptation. Verse 11 says: reckon yourself to be dead to sin but alive to God. LSV (Literal Standard Version).
Explanation: Something that is dead has no power. When you are tempted, you remind yourself that you do not need to obey your old nature, because it has been pronounced dead
When we sin, our old nature has revealed itself. Now we see that we still have an old nature. When our old nature reveals itself, we reject it by repenting and asking God to strengthen our new life.
| ABOUT REPENTING. The Greek word for repenting contains the words CHANGE and MIND. We change the way we think about our sins. In the past, we were not serious about our sins. Now we look at our sins from God’s viewpoint: God hates our sins. Therefore we proclaim that hate them also. We also change our mind toward something. We ask the Holy Spirit to control our thoughts and to give us power to reject sin. |
WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE MEANS HAVING VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION
Question time
II. HOW THE NEW LIFE BRINGS FREEDOM FROM BURDENS
A. Peter tells us that God has given us precious and great promises. 2 Peter 1:4. Walking in new life is trusting in the promises of God. The next section will recount those promises.
Do you have any of these common burdens:
| Fear of death | Feel hopeless | Low view of self-worth | No purpose in life | Fear of people, peer pressure |
| Loneliness | Lack of power to overcome sin | Feel far from God | Guilt | Anxiety |
In order to set us free from these burdens, God places all who trust in Jesus into a privileged position, also called IDENTITY IN CHRIST.
These promises are part of your new life. Your position in Christ is given to you instantly when you become a Christian. There is nothing additional you need to do in order to have it. Each promise corresponds to one of the burdens listed.
1. See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. 1 John 3:1. NASB. A believer is called a (1)_________
… and so there is no reason to have a low (2)______ .
2. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. Acts 10:43. NIV. Because the person believes in Jesus, the person has (3)___________________… so the person can turn to God to repent and be forgiven when feeling (4)__________ .
3. John writes: I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13. NIV The believer knows that after death there is (5)__________… so there is no need to fear (6)________________.
4. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3. NIV. This verse explains that I have a living (7) ___________ because God caused me to be born again. I remember this when I feel (8) ______________
5. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27. CSB (Christian Standard Bible). From the time a person trusted Jesus, there was a special connection: Jesus is in (9)_____ … so I know God is near, even when feeling far from (10)__________.
| CHRIST IN YOU. Your new life is not fighting the old life without help. Jesus is present with you aiding you in the fight. Jesus works through you new live to love others. Jesus and the Holy Spirit work together to strengthen your new life. |
6. And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Romans 8:26. NLT. (New Living Translation). God has given the (11)_________ for when we feel a lack of (12) ______________.
| Your new life is not fighting the old life without help. The Holy Spirit is present with you, aiding you in the fight. After describing the old nature, Luther writes “whoever believes in Christ … is regenerated, or born anew; he is a new man … the Holy Ghost … awakens in you holy and new thoughts and affections, so that you begin to love God and refrain from evil actions.” Pieper Vol III page 43. The Holy Spirit energizes the new life. |
7. Jesus said: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27. NIV. Jesus gives us (13) ________ so we will not feel (14)_____
8. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. Second Corinthians 5:15. NIV. Because we live for (15) ______, not for ourselves, we have (16) _____________ in life. For we are his (God’s) workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do. Ephesians 2:10. CSB
9. CHURCH. Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers… 1 Corinthians 12:27-28. BSB (Berean Standard Bible). The church is here called the body of 17)____________. As soon as someone believes in Jesus, that person is part of the church. Verse 26 says: If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. BSB. Those who belong to the (18)________ care for one another. … so, the person knows others will care when the person feels (19)_________ . So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. Romans 12:6 GNT. We find purpose in life by serving others with the abilities God gave us.
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10. Jesus said: I am always with you Matthew 28:20. The Bible says: So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Hebrews 13:6.NLT. God is our (20) _________, so we have freedom from fear of (21)___________.
Answers: 1-child of God. 2-low self-image. 3- forgiveness. 4- guilt.
5-eternal life. 6-fear of death. 7- hope. 8- hopelessness. 9- me
10- God. 11- Holy Spirit. 12- lack of power 13- peace. 14- anxiety.
15-live for God. 16-purpose. 17-Christ. 18-church. 19-lonely
20-helper. 21-fear of people
B.WALKING IN NEW LIFE IS A LIFE OF RESISTING SATAN
HOW TO USE THESE PROMISES
God tells us to Resist Satan, and he will flee from you. James 4:7.
When Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus said “Get away from me Satan, for it is written.” Jesus used God’s Word to counteract Satan. We can do this too. When you are tempted, you can say “Get away from me Satan, because the Bible says …” Here is an example. What if you are afraid. You can then say, “get away from me, Satan, because the Bible says “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear.”
C.WALKING IN NEW LIFE IS A LIFE OF FREEDOM
Whoever sins is a slave to sin…but if the son sets you free, you are free indeed. John 8:34 and 36. NIV.
Having been set free from sin you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:18. NASB
| NOTE: Whenever you have fear, remember that Jesus has already made you free. You can fight your fear by trusting in Jesus. You can show your trust by thanking Jesus that He has already set you free. |
LET US PRAY. Dear God, thank you for giving me the promises of the new life. Please awaken faith in me to trust these promises. In Jesus name. Amen
SESSION III. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND LIVING FOR THE LORD
LET US PRAY. Dear God, please awaken faith in me through the work of your Holy Spirit through your word, so that my new life is strengthened, and I show my new life through obeying you. In Jesus name. Amen
I.THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
As Peter was talking to a group of nonbelievers, something unusual happened: While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. Acts 10:44.
What was Peter saying? Was he talking about himself? Was he making arguments from Philosophy? Here is what Peter said: God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him… they put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear … to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses … everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. Acts 10:38-43
Peter was talking about Jesus, and the message Peter spoke is the gospel. Notice that Peter included all four parts of the gospel message: our need (sins), Jesus and his work (died and rose), the response (believe), and the results (forgiveness).
Paul writes that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Romans 1:6
II.HOW TO DISCOVER THAT THE GOD IS AT WORK.
You can ask questions like this:
1.Do you admit that you are a sinner? If you answer yes, you can know the Holy Spirit is at work in you. Jesus said, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (the Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; John 16:8-9. NASB One role of the Spirit is to convince you that you have (1)_______.
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2.Will you repent of your sins, telling God you are sorry and hate your sin? If you are willing, to repent, you can know that God is at work in you. Read: For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret. 2 Corinthians 7:10. ESV. Your repentance is according to the will of (2)_______.
3.Who is Jesus? If your answer is, “God who became a man,” you can know that the Spirit is working in you. Read: But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am? ”Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. Matthew 16:15-17 BSB . Peter knew that Jesus was Christ because the (3)__________ in heaven had made him realize it.
4.What was Jesus’ mission on earth? If your answer is, “to die for me,” you can know that God is working in you. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18. NIV. Many people think that the idea of Jesus dying on a cross for us is (4)________.. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Corinthians 2:12. NIV. If you believe God’s plan, you were taught by whom? (5)________
5.How did Jesus prove that He accomplished His mission? If you answer “Jesus rose from the dead,” you can know God is working in you. One of Jesus’ disciples, named Thomas, did not believe at first. that Jesus rose from the dead. Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:27-29. BSB. Someone who has not seen Jesus, but believes Jesus has risen, is (6)_________.
6.Do you trust in Jesus, not just agree that He exists? If yes, you can know that God is working in you. Read For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9. BSB. Your faith did not come by itself, but it is a gift of (7)________.
7.Will you leave other gods and masters, and trust in the triune God, the God who created everything, as your only Lord? If yes, you can know the Holy Spirit has been working in you. No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.1 Corinthians 12:3. GWT. (GOD’s WORD translation). If you realize that Jesus is Lord, it as a result of the work of the (8)_________ __________.
D.RESULTS OF CONFESSING YOUR FAITH.
1.Read: if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9. ESV. Because God has moved you to believe in Jesus, you are (9)_______
Read We show our love for God by obeying his commandments. 1 John 5:3. CEV. What can you do to show that you love the Lord? (10)_________ His commands.
Answers: 1-sin. 2-God. 3-Father. 4-foolish. 5-the Spirit. 6-blessed. 7-God. 8- Holy Spirit. 9-saved. 10-obey
WALKING IN NEW LIFE MEANS RECEIVING HELP FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT
III. LIVING FOR THE LORD
A. HOW TO SHOW THAT JESUS IS YOUR LORD.
Note: God saves you and accepts you as you are, even before you make any change in your behavior. God continually works in you after you have become His child, so you gradually improve your behavior. The purpose is so that others may see that you are someone who has been saved. Perhaps they will come to accept that God exists through watching your life. God loves us, and moves us to love Him, and God moves us to show forth that love through the way we act.
Since you have both a new life and an old life, your actions will sometimes show that Jesus is Lord, and sometimes not. When your actions do not show Jesus as Lord, you are still a Christian, but you are a disobedient Christian. The Holy Spirit will produce guilt in you until you repent. After that, because you have turned to Christ by repenting, your relationship with God has been strengthened, and your new life will continue to become stronger.
B. WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE INCLUDES SHOWING JESUS AS LORD IN CONCRETE WAYS. Check the ones that you will ask God to help you to do:
___1. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority…1 Peter 2:13. NIV. I will show Jesus is Lord by obeying (1)_________. But also see Acts 5:29. We must obey God rather than men NASB. If there is a conflict between government and God’s commands, I will obey God rather than man.
___2. It is God’s will that you keep away from sexual sin as a mark of your devotion to him. GWT. 1 Thess. 4:3. I will show Jesus is Lord by keeping away from (2)_______.
___3. Jesus said, If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:31-32. NASB. I will show Jesus is Lord by reading the (3)_________.
___4. Children, read Colossians 3:20: Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. NIV. I will show Jesus is Lord by obeying (4)__________.
| ABOUT SUBMITTING. Philippians 2:3-5 tells us to act like Jesus by “in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” NIV. This mindset of Jesus is seen in Matthew 20:28, where Jesus says about himself: just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” NASB. The Bible tells us to have this same attitude of “submitting” toward one another in Ephesians 5:21: submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Submitting can be compared to two people who are dancing together. If the follower does not cooperate with the leader, the dance will be ruined. Our new life treats others with this attitude of serving and caring, but our old life wants to dominate others. |
For Married people:
Wives, read Ephesians 5:22.:Wives, place yourselves under your husbands’ authority as you have placed yourselves under the Lord’s authority. GWT. I will show Jesus is Lord by (5)_______________ to my husband. Husbands, read Ephesians 5:25: Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. GWT. I will show Jesus is Lord by (6) __________________ my wife.
| Note: we don’t tell our spouse what they must do. We do what we must do. The other person must do it for the Lord, not because you order it. |
___5. Read Ephesians 6:5-7 Paul writes this to slaves; I apply it all workers. obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men, BSB. I will show Jesus is Lord by being dependable in my (7) __________. FOR EMPLOYERS: And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. Ephesians 6:9 NIV
| THE NEW LIFE IN THE TWO KINGDOMS Luther said that God rules the world in two ways. One is the “kingdom of the right hand,” where sins are forgiven, so we do NOT suffer the eternal consequences of our sin. The other is the “kingdom of the left hand” where we have duties in society and where duty requires us to give people the consequences of their actions. If we are a parent, we MUST discipline our children. If we are a teacher, we MUST give bad grades if they are deserved. If we are an employer, we MUST fire people if they do not do their work. Can the new life operate in the kingdom of the left hand? YES. If we love the person who must receive consequences through us, we are more likely to see clearly to treat them fairly and to give them what they deserve. Is there detail in scriptures about the kingdom of the right hand? YES. The parables of Jesus explain how to live in the kingdom of the right hand, that is, life in the kingdom of God: For example, you receive forgiveness even though you do not deserve it. |
___6. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another Hebrews 10:25. NLT. I will show Jesus is Lord by being part of a (8)_________.
___7. Read All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. Acts 2:42. NLT. I will show Jesus is Lord by often receiving (9)_________.
___8. Read Jesus said, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19. NIV. I will show Jesus is Lord by telling people the good news about (10)__________________.
V. LIFE UNDER THE LORD.
A. If we live, we honor the Lord, and if we die, we honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Romans 14:7-8. GWT. Living for the Lord means not living for (11)________.
B. Here is God’s promise to help you. It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him. Philippians 2:13 GWT
- The desire to live as though Jesus is Lord comes from (12)___________.
- The power to live as though Jesus is Lord comes from (13)___________.
Answers.
1-government, authorities. 2-sexual sins. 3-Bible. 4-parents. 5- submit. 6- love. 7-job.
8-church. 9-holy communion. 10-faith. 11-self. 12-God. 13-God.
WALKING IN NEW LIFE MEANS BELONGING TO THE LORD
SUMMARY
By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces. 2 Peter 2:3-4. CEB (Common English Bible)
One of those promises is to hear our prayers: call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.Psalm 50:15 NIV (New International Version)
WALKING IN NEW LIFE IS DEPENDING ON GOD’S PROMISES IN PRAYER
LET US PRAY. Dear God, thank you that you have given me new life. Lead me to repent when I see my old life in action. Please strengthen my new life by sending the Holy Spirit to deepen my trust in Jesus. In His name. Amen.
written by James Found, May 16 2024