Blog 9: God Transforms the Disciple; However, the Disciple Must Still Actively Participate with God in His Will and Work to Receive it to Become a Part of Him or Her.

It's not just in"doing,"

but in "being" that makes you a disciple of Christ

"...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose" (Phil 2:12-13, New International Version).

Content:

• God's Purpose for Disciples: to imitate God and become his image bearers in/through Christ.

• This is not about "checking off the boxes" in a list.

• Examples of the disciple doing his/her part in the sanctification process.

• Call to Action.

*NOTE TO THE READER: If you have not read "Blog 8: Can We Hold the Pastor Responsible To Disciple His Flock?" - then please stop and do so now. This will provide some background context for this current blog post.

God's Purpose for Disciples: to imitate God and become his image bearers in/through Christ.

What are some of God's purposes for disciples?

• "...that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3, English Standard Version)

• "...to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Rom 8:29, ESV)

• "...to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13, ESV)

• "...to walk in him (Christ), rooted and built up in him and established in the faith" (Col 2:6-7, ESV)

• "...if children, then heirs - heirs provided we suffer with him (Christ) in order that we may also be glorified with him" (Rom 8:16, ESV)

This is not about "Checking off the Boxes" in a"To Do" list.

"To-Do Checklists" are fine, for they keep us on point, but tasks (disciplines) like Bible reading, prayer, verse memorization, going to Bible study, doing a service project, using your spiritual gifts, to name a few are not achievements to be checked off, but are like nutrients that the Holy Spirit uses as the disciple feeds him or herself, serving others, which builds spiritual formation through Holy Spirit transformation (2 Cor 3:18; Luke 6:40).

This is accomplished through surrender to the relationship-building process with Christ through daily challenges, highs and lows, in the ordinary, mundane things of life that God uses for disciples to be tried, tested, and proven.

As in the example of King Hezekiah of Judah,

"God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart" (2 Chron 32:31b, ESV).

2 Kings 20:12-19 informs us that King Hezekiah was not careful in his heart and fell to pride. And, like Cain, we must always be careful for, Genesis 4:7 (NIV) tells us "if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it." (See also Prov 27:21; 4:23-27).

Oswald Chambers, referencing 2 Timothy 2:15, speaks to how this helps the disciple understand that suffering comes easy, so how much more must we work at careful study of God and his Word to stay focused and connected with the Holy Spirit:

"Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study."[1]

For Christians, the hardest thing to endure is to continue to "walk," "suffer," and not fully understand how this "conforming" process in the Spirit is taking place in the middle of our daily routines and spiritual battles. Yet, God asks us to trust him, though we are not "seeing" or feeling like we are "experiencing" his presence in a given moment of time. We want signs and assurances before we take one step more; however, we will never gain our stride if that next step of faith in trusting in God's presence is not taken. Disples must remember that God is always with us, for his Spirit dwells within us - he is never far off (remember, we walk "by faith, not by sight," 2 Cor 5:7, ESV).

Examples of the disciple doing his/her part in the sanctification process.

Scripture tells us we are "...saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth" (2 Thess 2:13, ESV). This is the positional sanctification done at salvation. Next there is an ongoiing practical work of sanctification (WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT), from which we started with our opening verse above (Phil 2:12-13), which the apostle Peter declares how we "participate in" (NIV) or "become partakers of the divine nature" (ESV), being our "walk by the Spirit" (Gal 5:16, ESV).

Note some of the following actions you are taking to take responsibility for your part in the growth process:

For Starters,

• Prayer, which comes pretty naturally: "...in the morning you hear my voice" (Eph 5:3, ESV) - include prayer as part of your "daily quiet time" with God, and throughout the day as needed.

• Study of Scripture: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved... rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15, ESV) - note that Bible and prayer go hand in hand (See Prov 28:9).

• Putting discipline into practice: "...train yourself for godliness... holding promise for the present life and also for the one to come" (1 Tim 4:7-8, ESV). See the contrast in Prov 5:22-23, ESV, "...he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline...").

• Mindful of your tongue: "Let no corrupting talk... but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion... that it may give grace to those who hear it" (Eph 4:29, ESV) - James talks of the danger of what we say and the impact it has on others (See James Chapter 3). You may want to memorize and meditate on Ephesians 5:3-4. Every disciple will be held accountable for careless thoughts and words. before Christ (Matt 12:36-37).

• Being alert for the evil one's presence: "Be sober-minded; be watchful... Resist him, firm in your faith..." (1 Pet 5:8-9, ESV) - evil forces are looking for the spiritually proud, the lone-rangers, those isolated from others and vulnerable to attack.

• Guard your spiritual heart: "Keep your heart with all vigilance..."(Prov 4:23-27, ESV) - note the actions to be taken as practical preventative measures at all times.

• Put off and put on: "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you... seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self renewed in knowledge..." (Col 3:5-10, ESV) - but knowledge is not enough without being worked out in experience (See also1 Cor 10:13) - and note the next two points:

• Flee youthful lusts: "So flee youthful passions and pursue..." (2 Tim 2:22, ESV) - note here that we are to grow up... to mature, which means we are moving from acting like a child in self-indulgence to being an adult who is practicing restraint (See 1 Cor 13:11; Eph 4:13-15; Prov 20:11).

• Stand firm or stand your ground in the Lord: "...be strong in... put on the whole armor of God... stand therefore..." (Eph 6:10-18) - note we are fighting a spiritual battle, so we need spiritual weapons (2 Cor 10:3-6).

Call to Action.

Does all this seem to you to be an insurmountable task? Apart from Christ, it is! Again, our spiritual sanctification is a process of growing as we learn, obey, and continue to submit to the Holy Spirit's work of transforming us into the likeness of Christ (progressive sanctification). When you need hope, for starters, you can remember to review 1 Timothy Chapter 4, 2 Timothy Chapter 2, and Philippians Chapter 4, where great insight and encouragement can be found for the obedient disciple in action. Most importantly, learn to read your Bible and study it - know the "whole counsel of God" presented to you for your instruction and implementation into life (Acts 20:27; 2 Tim 3:15-17; Rom 15:4).

"...but I am writing these things to you... (that) ...you may know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth" (1 Tim 3:14, 15, ESV).

"What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others" (2 Tim 2:2, ESV).

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..." (Matt 28:19-20, ESV).

Two excellent resources you may want to check out:

https://discipleship.org

https://edstetzer.com

Every believer - a disciple of Christ!

[1] Oswald Chambers, My Upmost for His Highest, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 1992), December 15.