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Welcome to this new lesson. Let us ask for 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 lives 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 have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.»
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Hebrews 5:14
Strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even 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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Matthew 18:3
[Jesus] said,
«Truly I say to you, except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into 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 dark past of all repentant sinners.
In this lesson, we will learn that God also desires to transform our present and our future!
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John 3:3-5
Jesus answered and said to [Nicodemus], «Truly, truly, I say to you, except a man be 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 the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?»
Jesus answered, «Truly, truly, I say to you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into 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
If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
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By inviting Jesus Christ to become our personal Savior, we also allow Him to come into our hearts, in order to transform us into His image.
This change of nature is only possible through God’s intervention in our lives. No one can be converted by his own efforts.
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1 Corinthians 3:1,2
And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, even as to babes in Christ.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for till now you were not able to bear it.
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1 Peter 2:2
As newborn babes, desire the sincere 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
Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
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As we make progress in our Christian lives, the powerful action of God’s Spirit in our hearts 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, except it abide in the vine, no more can you, except you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
He that stays in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth 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 that good fruit?
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Galatians 5:22,23
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
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A tree spontaneously bears fruit through the action of sap circulating in its branches. In the same way, through the action of the Holy 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 are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom, 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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Romans 12:2
Be not conformed to this world: but be you 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
Be you not unwise, but understanding 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: yes, 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 grievous.
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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 them that 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 am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me.
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Revelation 3:20
«Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.
If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.»
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Remember: without Jesus, we can do nothing.
We must invite Him to live within us, that He may transform us into His image.
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1 Corinthians 10:13
There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to 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 promises to give 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,]
«I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, (...) and [He] shall be in you. (...)
The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you. (...)
When He, the Spirit of truth, is 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 shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?»
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God wants us to approach Him with faith, to ask Him for this vital 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
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
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Sanctification is revealed by the continuous action of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, bearing fruits worthy of repentance.
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Philippians 4:5-7
The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep 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 with God anytime, anywhere, to thank Him and present our requests to Him.
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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 out of the mouth of God.”»
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2 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the 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 essential 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
We beseech you, brothers, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more and more.
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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, even your sanctification.
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Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall 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 crucial point and never forget it.
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John 1:11,12
[The Word] came to His own, and His own received Him not.
But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on 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
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall 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 which works in you both to will and to do.
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Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which 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 which has begun a good work in you will perform 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.
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