Sonship

Hello men, I am posting the outline from Thursday's Bible study. It deals with living as God's son versus just having a checklist of spiritual to-do's. It connotes capturing the character of God and living according to it. This means becoming conformed to the image of Christ which is radically different than simply trying to check off our spiritual list of activities. Enjoy the scriptures and reflect on the meaning for your walk with God.

God bless, Billy

R.E.A.L. Men Bible Study

Sonship

11/5/09

I. Moving from Doing to Being

A. Doing

Ø Religiosity/churchianity

Ø Checklist faith

Ø Being in control

Ø God being on your team

Ø Earning your way in the faith

Ø Comparing behavior to others/grading on the curve

B. Being

Matt 5: 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Romans 8: 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

v. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our position in God’s family

Ephesians 2: 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

v.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

v. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Being (not to-do lists but innate characteristics)

Ø Filled with spirit and faith

Ø Possessed with fruit of the spirit

Ø Transformed by the renewing of the mind

Ø Alive as a good son of the heavenly Father

Ø Full of Power within that is greater than the power in the world

Ø Grace giver

Ø Truth teller

Ø Forgiveness extender

Ø Kindness sharer

Ø Goodness spreader

Ø Lover of all people

Ø Doing work heartily as unto the Lord Christ

Ø Being God’s ambassador to a dying world

Ø Defender of the faith

Ø Warrior of righteousness while being a man of peace

Ø Helper to the down trodden

Ø Passionate for justice and mercy for the helpless

Ø Good provider for the family

Ø A Christ like lover of your wife

Ø A godly father to your children

Ø A man of integrity and principle

Ø A faithful friend

Ø A doer of the word; not just a hearer

Ø Etc, etc