The New You
If we grudgingly view Christ’s lordship in our lives as a threat to our freedom, we don’t understand the real freedom we’ve been given through Him. Jesus has come to make us new, literally! Through the new birth, we’ve been given a new nature and the cord to sin and death has been severed. Right standing with God should motivate us to right living. The best way to live life is as one who surrenders continually to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Discussion Questions
The Bible describes becoming a Christian as a new birth (John 3:5-6). Can you describe the benefits that are received by one who has believed in Jesus?
In Galatians 2:20, Paul describes the radical relationship of the believer to Jesus’ death and resurrection. What is Paul saying in this verse? In light of the context of Galatians 2, why does verse 21 make perfect sense?
The Christian life is often viewed as placing your faith in Jesus only to then work really hard to try to be good. What’s wrong with this approach?
Unless we consider that we’ve been given a new nature, we will fail at living for Christ. Read Romans 6:5-12. How has the believer died to sin? How then do you explain the fact that you sin?
How does 1 John 3:9 point to the reality of the Christians new nature? How do you reconcile this verse with the reality that Christians do sin?
How can the daily acknowledgement that you have a new nature help you live victoriously for Christ? As a believer, how do you remind yourself who you really are?
Further Reading
Searching for the Generous Life
Just like modest investments can grow over time, our investment into God's kingdom generates growth and produces eternal dividends. The apostle Paul presented the Macedonian believers as an example of generous giving to the Corinthian church and to us. Let's explore...
Searching for Reconciliation
Confronting others concerning biblical/theological compromise is never easy or pleasant. Such encounters must be handled with sensitivity to the needs of others, directed by spiritual wisdom and the Scriptures, and guided by the Holy Spirit. Paul closed chapter two of...
Searching for Courage
On the surface, hearing God and following His commands seems straightforward. However, when God calls us to do something that generates fear in us and feels daunting, second-guessing His call becomes reasonable. Finding the courage to obey such a call is overwhelming....
Searching for the Abundant Life
Jesus explicitly explained his purpose when He said “…I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). He said similar things many times, and these ideas are repeated, over and over again, by those who wrote the New Testament. Yet many people,...
Searching for Real Friendship
Some relationships may imitate friendship, but there’s no substitute for the real thing. Exploring the relationship between David and Jonathan in the Bible, we’ll identify some distinguishing features of friendship that are often overlooked and discover how to infuse...