A Transformed Life
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Welcome to this new lesson. Let's ask God's assistance:
Dear Savior,
An indescribable joy dwells in our hearts when we understand that through the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, we obtain forgiveness for our sins.
But the message of the Gospel, which You wish to give us today, goes even further.
May this unique message transform our life here below, and finally lead us to everlasting
life. In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
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John 16:12
[Jesus said,] «I still have many things to say to you, but you
cannot bear them now.»
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Hebrews 5:14
Solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those
who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
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Please make sure to have properly understood the previous lesson: «Do We Really Need Christ?» before going on,
because the present lesson will take for granted that you know the crucial elements that
were explained in it.
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«What shall I do to inherit eternal life?» (LUKE 18:18)
1. To admit that I am a
sinner, #######################################
and to ask God to give me [[|]]
«For God so loved the [[|]]
repentance for my sins. [[|]]
world that He gave His [[|]]
2. To confess my sins to God,
[[|]] only begotten Son, that [[|]]
and to try to rectify my mis- [[|]] whoever
believes in Him [[|]]
deeds, as much as possible. [[|]] should not perish but [[|]]
3. To accept by faith God's for- [[|]] have everlasting life.» [[|]]
giveness, and to ask Jesus to [[|]]
(JOHN 3:16) [[|]]
become my personal Savior.
#######################################
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Matthew 18:3
[Jesus] said,
«Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you
will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.»
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In the previous lesson's discussion, we saw that all men are sinners
and are consequently sentenced to death.
However we also learned that, thanks to Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, God totally
erases the repentant sinner's dark past.
This lesson will show that God also desires to transform our present and future!
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John 3:3-5
Jesus answered and said to [Nicodemus], «Most assuredly, I say
to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.»
Nicodemus said to Him, «How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time
into his mother's womb and be born?»
Jesus answered, «Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the
Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.»
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Speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus approached the subject of conversion.
He compared it to a new birth, necessary for eternal life.
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2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old
things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
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By inviting Jesus Christ to become our personal Savior, we also allow
Him to come into our heart, in order to transform us into His image.
This change of nature is only possible through God's intervention in our life. No one can
be converted by his own efforts.
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1 Corinthians 3:1,2
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people
but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive
it.
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1 Peter 2:2
As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may
grow thereby.
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The newborn Christian, like a baby, will grow in Jesus day after day.
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2 Corinthians 4:16
Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is
being renewed day by day.
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As we make progress in our Christian experience, the powerful action of
God's Spirit will gradually bring about a change in our values, our priorities, our
conception of things, our interpretation of events.
We will more and more reflect Jesus Christ's character.
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John 15:4,5
[Jesus said,]
«Abide in Me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you,
unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.»
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Through the personal relationship we establish with Christ, we will
bear good fruit.
And what is this good fruit?
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Galatians 5:22,23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
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A tree spontaneously bears fruit through the action of sap circulating
within its branches. In the same way, through the action of the Spirit in our hearts, we
will spontaneously bear the fruit of the Spirit.
This continuous work of God's Spirit within our hearts is called sanctification.
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1 Corinthians 1:30
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from
God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
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The salvation of man therefore includes two great parts:
- justification, by which the repentant sinner receives forgiveness for his past sins;
- sanctification, which is the work of the Holy Spirit within us, transforming us day
after day into God's image.
Sanctification is the proof that we were sincere when we asked Jesus to forgive our sins
and to become our personal Savior.
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Distinctions between JUSTIFICATION and SANCTIFICATION :
Justification
|
Sanctification
------------------------------------+------------------------------------
God accomplishes a work for us. | God accomplishes a work within us.
This work gives access to heaven. | This work qualifies for heaven.
A work accomplished instantaneously.| A work accomplished day after day.
It is the beginning of the combat. | The continuation until coronation.
God forgets our past.
| God changes our present and future.
Obtained through faith in Christ. | Obtained through faith in Christ.
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Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God.
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Ephesians 5:17
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the
Lord is.
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The better we get to know our Savior, the more we will desire to know
His will, and to accomplish it through the power of His grace.
But what, exactly, is the will of God?
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Psalm 40:8
I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my
heart.
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John 14:15
[Jesus said,] «If you love Me, keep My commandments.»
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1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And
His commandments are not burdensome.
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The will of God is expressed in His commandments.
We will have the opportunity to study this amazing subject in a future lesson.
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Hebrews 5:9
[Christ] became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey
Him.
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It is most important to have a relationship with Jesus marked by
obedience to His will. However let us pay attention to the following point:
We do NOT obey TO be saved
BUT RATHER
We obey BECAUSE we are saved.
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Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me.
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Revelation 3:20
«Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and
he with Me.»
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Remember: without Jesus, we cannot do anything.
We must invite Him to live within us, that He may transform us into His image.
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1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;
but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but
with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
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Left on his own, man cannot obey the will of God.
But the Lord gives us the power necessary to overcome trials, and to follow His will until
the end.
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John 14:16,17,26; 16:13
[Jesus said,]
«And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with
you forever, even the Spirit of truth, (...) and [He] will be in you. (...)
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you
all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (...)
When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.»
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The work of the Holy Spirit is essential for our spiritual growth.
It is He who makes us feel our need of a Savior, and who also guides us into all truth,
reviving our hearts.
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Luke 11:13
[Jesus said,]
«If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!»
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God wants us to approach Him with faith, to ask Him for this essential
power which dwells in the Holy Spirit.
By His presence within us, we will be able to obey God's will.
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Luke 6:44
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
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Galatians 5:22,23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
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Sanctification is revealed by the Holy Spirit's continuous action in
our hearts, bearing fruits worthy of repentance.
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Philippians 4:5-7
The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.
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The Holy Spirit will make possible our sanctification by bringing us to
depend on the two major resources God puts at our disposal.
The first of these is prayer, through which we can communicate anytime with God, to thank
Him and present Him our requests.
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Matthew 4:4
[Jesus] answered and said,
«It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God."»
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2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
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The second resource is the study of God's Word, which is as necessary
to spiritual life as food is to physical life.
Of course, this study must be made with the sincere desire to seek what God expects from
each one of us.
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1 Thessalonians 4:1
Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that
you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to
please God.
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Being justified in Jesus Christ, God now invites us to follow the path
of sanctification, that is, to grow spiritually day after day by the power of the Holy
Spirit working within us.
But is sanctification really necessary for our salvation? Isn't justification enough?
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1 Thessalonians 4:3
For this is the will of God, your sanctification.
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Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one
will see the Lord.
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The Bible is clear: both justification and sanctification (holiness)
are essential to salvation.
Remember, we can only be justified and sanctified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
We must understand this essential point and never forget it.
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John 1:11,12
[The Word] came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to
those who believe in His name.
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No repentant sinner, whatever the number of his sins, is a hopeless
case for God.
God can lead each one of us along the path of sanctification, if we truly desire it.
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Ezekiel 36:26,27
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I
will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My
judgments and do them.
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If we give Him a chance, the Holy Spirit will revive our hearts, so
that we may be «doing the will of God from the heart»
(Ephesians 6:6).
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Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you both to will and to do.
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Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
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God puts at our disposal the power of the Holy Spirit, just like all
the resources from the Bible, from which we can draw anytime through prayer and
meditation.
Why not ask the Lord, right now, to grant us these graces?
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Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good
work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
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We have no reason to be discouraged: God promises us that He will guide
us along the path of sanctification.
We just have to accept His invitation, firmly holding His hand all along our journey. He
will know how to lead us to our destination.
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Let us thank God for His precious help:
Our Heavenly Father,
We now understand that You do not only wish to erase our past. Indeed, You also wish to
transform our present and our future.
Please grant us Your Holy Spirit, according to Your promise, so that He may guide us in
our search for truth and help us to obey Your will, as revealed to us during our study of
Your inspired Word.
This is our prayer in Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The test of Lesson 7 is waiting for you!