Grace

[Morning Glory]

©2002-2003 EternityNow Ministries

As you study the good news about the grace of God and peace with God you will take a practical, experiential approach to the New Testament teachings about grace.
The Wisdom of God’s Grace is an interactive journey through the good news about Jesus Christ and the gift of righteousness He purchased for us at the cross. No amount of guilt, condemnation or even self-willed attempts at godliness can change the heart in a lasting way. When you see yourself as a sinner, you naturally act out of what you believe. But as soon as you begin to see yourself from Gods perspective, you will begin to grasp the reality of what it means to be a favored son.

Be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace. (Heb 13:9 KJV)

Be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 3:17, 18)

As you study the good news about the grace of God and peace with God you will take a practical, experiential approach to the New Testament teachings about grace. It is good for the heart to be established with grace and the way to mature as a Christian is to grow in grace.

Notice also the important context each the above verses were framed in. We avoid being carried about by diverse and strange doctrines by establishing our hearts with grace. We avoid being carried away by the error of unprincipled men and keep steadfast by growing in grace. At any point you reject the message of grace, you have abandoned the core message of the Bible. All that can remain is false doctrine. If you have lost touch with the basic message of the Bible you are only kidding yourself to think that you understand any of it.

Until you come into agreement with God’s perspective of the gospel you can have no confidence that you are correctly handling the word of truth. To settle for less than Gods full acceptance and favor is to deny the offering of His Son, which He has accepted on your behalf.

The message of grace is not optional and ignoring it is the very thing that leads to false doctrine. When you forsake the fundamental truths of the gospel, your faith becomes ineffective. Peter warned with all certainty that false teachers would reject and distort the message of grace (2 Pet 2:1-3). As the way of truth is brought into disrepute, some will eagerly follow these false teachers into legalism, exploitation, and abuse. Jesus called it the blind leading the blind.

We refer to this as distracted faith, or performance based faith. Whatever you may call it, any belief system that doesn’t conform to God’s perspective is a false religion. When the confidence of your hope is placed on God’s righteousness, rather than self-righteousness, your confidence is in God and your heart is established in grace. When your attention becomes focused on your own performance you become distracted from the knowledge of God’s favor and you mistake the value of who you are in Christ.

Performance-based faith is a dangerously distracted religion that takes your eyes off the grace of God (favor granted as a free gift) and places your justification on religious performance (an attempt to earn God’s favor). Since you never attain justification under these conditions, you become double minded and unstable. Hungry and thirsty for righteousness, you run here and there, never satisfied, never resting, never finding peace with God.

The church has heard the good news about Jesus. We have heard the message of forgiveness through the cross. But have we believed? The world says, "Seeing is believing." The gospel says, "Believing is seeing." No one has ever experienced the work of the cross without first believing the gospel. Every false religion in the world will tell you some way to improve your performance so you can get right with God. Only the gospel declares that Jesus Christ died to make you right with God. Right-standing with God is the exclusive property of the believer. Unless you believe the gospel, you will never see the righteousness you have in Christ.

Your study of The Wisdom of God’s Grace will prepare you to "give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Pet 3:15-16 NIV). You will have an answer, you will have hope and you will have joy. Best of all, when your heart is established in grace, you will begin to experience unashamed fellowship with God and you will never have to feel unworthy in His presence again!

[Morning Glory]

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who moreover was listening to the Lord’s word, seated at His feet. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; (Lk 10:38-40a)

Mary was able to listen to the Lord’s word. She was able to rest at His feet. But Martha was distracted. She was busy getting prepared for Jesus while Mary enjoyed His company. A lot of people have become distracted from their faith. They haven’t listened and they haven’t rested. Martha was distracted from the joy of being with Jesus because her faith was based in her performance rather than on her relationship with Jesus. She had to get everything in order before she could be at peace with Him. When Jesus showed up she thought she should do a good job. Doing a good job is a good thing; but God created us as human beings, not human doings. Is there anything in this story to indicate that Mary had more in her relationship with Jesus than Martha did, or could Mary just see more of what she had in Christ? Mary understood the value of "being" with Jesus, but Martha was frustrated.

And she came up to Him, and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." (Lk 10:40)

1. Circle the words "do you not care" and "serving alone". Underline the words, "Then tell her".

Martha felt something we’re all familiar with. She felt like God didn’t care, and she felt alone. The best solution she could arrive at was to find fault with Mary. Performance-based faith is a loveless religion. It distracts people from the love of God and it always finds fault with others. This kind of religion is neither at peace with God or man.

Distracted religion is always striving for, but never attaining, the love and acceptance of God or a sincere love for other believers. Every false religion on earth will tell you what you have to do to get right with God. But Jesus Christ came to make you right with God. Until you understand this you will always be like Martha—busy with preparations, working to get into a position to be ready for God instead of enjoying His company. If you are not right with God, that is, if you are not enjoying guilt-free, joyful fellowship and unity with Him, which overflows in love for those around you, then you have missed the whole purpose of Christianity. If you don’t see what you have in Christ, that God loves you with the same love which Christ enjoyed (Jn 17:26), then you have not experienced the results that God intended when He sent His Son Jesus Christ to redeem you from the sin that separates from God and the people He has placed in your life.

Distracted religion always puts people on different levels. Notice the double-minded nature of Martha’s complaint. She believed that Jesus cared more for Mary, but at the same time, she disapproved of what Mary was (or wasn’t) doing. Distracted religion will make you believe that others are more pleasing to God than you, and you will always be competing with them, and putting them down. But God’s grace brings us all to the same level. The level of His unconditional love.

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Lk 10:41, 42)

2. Martha was _______________ and ________________.

Mary had chosen the ____________ part, which shall not be

_________________ __________ from her.

Martha was worried and bothered. Mary had chosen the good part. Jesus pointed out to Martha there is only one thing that is really necessarySalvation is knowing God. Its the restoration of the most important relationship you will ever enjoy. A relationship where God loves you and approves of you as much as He loved and approved of Jesus. A life of unity with Jesus Christ that brings immeasurable value, unquestionable dignity and relentless joy which can never be taken away from you.

I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for Me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." (Jn 17:26 NIV)

3. According to John 17:26, what is the purpose of knowing God? Complete the following sentences.

In order that ___________________________________

and that ______________________________________.

Jesus made the Father known so we could experience the same love that He had received. If Jesus lives in us, can we receive less than the love and affirmation He received from the Father? Mary had chosen the good part, Martha had settled for less. If your faith has you worried and bothered instead of simply enjoying the love and company of Jesus, then you’ve probably settled for less, too. If you’ve been longing for the good part but haven’t reached it, you will by the time you finish this study. There is a faith that ushers in the complete, uncompromising love of God into your life, then extends that love to those around you. The one necessary thing is being with God. The purpose of knowing God is so the love the Father has for Jesus will be in us and Jesus Himself will be in us. Loving and being loved by God is the good part. It works, and once you get it, it can never be taken away from you.

[Morning Glory]

God is present in my circumstances. The difference between knowing the truth and living it is gaining real and personal experience with Jesus Christ.
4. Read John 11:21-45.

Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him. (John 11:19, 20)

The day Martha opened her home to Jesus was the only the first day of an eternal of a life that would never be the same. Here is another brief meeting between Martha and Jesus. It’s a powerful example of how most people come into an understanding of God’s truth—through experience. She will gain first-hand knowledge of Jesus as He joins her in the struggles of her day, doing the works that only He can do. This is the difference between knowing the truth and living it. Martha knew Jesus, but her faith was limited by her experience.

"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died." (v. 21)

Martha’s faith could believe that while he was alive, Jesus could have raised her brother from his sickbed, but it never occurred to her that Jesus could raise him from the grave, or that these circumstances were being used to shape the lives of the many people that surrounded her.

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." (v. 23, 24)

Martha agreed with the doctrines of the Messiah. She was a believer—now she is becoming a follower. Jesus answered Martha’s generalized, distant theology with the kind of in-your-face, uncompromising faith that always offers the back seat to our ideas about how God should act. Martha related to Jesus, based more on her own opinions about Him than on any real experience with Him.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (v. 25, 26)

Martha’s mind was racing. She had her answer before Jesus finished His question. She returned with yet another theological solution, but theological solutions don’t work with Jesus. Jesus deals with us in the relentless reality of our circumstances. He always relates to us in a way that is real, personal and relevant to our the real events of our lives.

"Yes, Lord," she told Him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." (v. 27)

Though her response may be true, it is a only a general thesis, not an answer to today’s real problem. Her brother is dead, and if Jesus had been there, He could have stopped it. But He wasn’t there. He didn’t stop it. Unsure of herself, she speaks like a child who gives an adult the answer he wants to hear. Her belief in the resurrection and her knowledge of Jesus’ identity as the Son of God had begun her relationship with Jesus, but something was missing.

It is not enough to only know the doctrines of my faith. They must be applied in a way that is real, personal and centered on a love relationship with Jesus.
God’s actions didn’t meet Martha’s expectations. Earlier we saw it wasn’t out of character for her to be worried and bothered, but now her circumstances rushed up at her like a flood. She didn’t understand what was going on and as far as she could see, even her God had let her down. Martha was not only dealing with the grief of her brother’s death, she also had to face the fact that Jesus allowed it. Without a personal and intimate relationship that can support those times when we don’t understand what God is doing, Martha could only turn away without another word. For many, this is where it ends. Faith that is limited to man’s understanding has put an end to much of the work of Jesus. In Matthew 13:58 we see "He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief." Those closest to Jesus in His own home town, even His own household, missed out on the power of God to change their lives. They were distracted from the good part. They settled for less.

Martha’s frustration led her to Mary. Her sister could always talk easily with Jesus—she brought her to Him. Their circumstances were the same. Their brother is dead, and if Jesus had been there, He could have stopped it. Mary echoed the same complaint to Jesus. But faced with the same trial, something about Mary’s spiritual condition was remarkably different from Martha’s.

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." (Jn 11:32)

Martha’s relationship with Jesus was based on her own thoughts, while Mary’s had its foundation in humble submission and love.

Martha did what we always do—When the trial came she called on the Lord. If He were there then all would be well. Martha was a believer, but it was hard for her to relate to Jesus in an intimate and personal way.

When Jesus showed up He did what He always does—He places on our faith the demand that it be real, personal and centered on our love for Him. This kind of faith was too large to be captured within Martha’s religious creeds, but intimate enough to dwell spaciously in Mary’s tears. Both these women believed in and called upon Jesus. One gave Him a theology lesson, the other stirred His heart and spirit so deeply that He wept. His deep love for both Mary and Martha (apart from their performance) is apparent in His gentle answers and His action in response to their grief.

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (Jn 11:40)

Believe that God loves you and make application of a faith that is real, personal, and centered on a love relationship with Jesus.

[Morning Glory]

It is not enough to only know the doctrines of my faith. They must be applied in a way that is real, personal and centered on a love relationship with Jesus.
Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (Jn 11:40)

Israel didn’t benefit from the truth because they didn’t combine it with faith (Heb 4:2 NIV). Even Martha, who opened her house to Jesus, felt like God didn’t care about her and felt alone. She didn’t see the way God was working through her circumstances, and how many people would believe in Jesus as a result of what she was going through. Today’s churches are full of people who have opened their home to Jesus, but they still aren’t enjoying His company. They keep making eternal preparations, trying to get right with God before they get close to Him.

5. Comparing Martha to Mary, what stands out to you as the greatest difference in the way they related to Jesus?

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6. Would you say you are more like Mary or Martha? Why?

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When we begin to understand what Mary seemed to know instinctively, our relationship with Jesus will reflect the peace and intimacy that Mary experienced. Unashamed fellowship with God is available to all who believe. Combining the message of the gospel with faith will establish you in a relationship that is real, personal and centered on a love relationship with Jesus.

Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in Him. (Jn 11:45 NIV)

Jesus’ ultimate mission was to make an offering of atonement so that God and man could be reconciled; so that we could become one with Him, just as He is one with the Father. But before He made that offering, He spent roughly three years doing the work of revealing the Father. Before Jesus made atonement, He made it believable. He did it by getting involved with people like Martha and you and me. We believed Him when He said He came from God because we saw the oneness He enjoyed with the Father, the love, the miraculous power, the indestructible life where death has no authority or power. God is always working in your circumstances, making Himself known to you so you can know Him better. God not only gave us the truth in Jesus Christ, He also gave us faith in the truth and the choice to believe.

7. The story of Mary and Martha is important because it shows us a time when the life of believers dramatically effected Jesus (v. 33-38). Describe a specific event when Jesus was intimately involved in your own circumstances.

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8. How did it effect your relationship with Him? How did it impact the people around you?

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9. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your level of satisfaction regarding the intimacy you now experience in your relationship with Jesus?

(completely dissatisfied) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (experiencing satisfying, unashamed fellowship)

If, like Martha, you are experiencing the effects of distracted faith, then it is likely you are also dissatisfied with the level of intimacy you are experiencing with Jesus. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied (Mtt 5:6). There is no reason to remain dissatisfied. Don’t settle for less than Jesus purchased at the cross. Through this course, and through our examination of righteousness by faith, you will gain clarity in your relationship with God. You will begin to see, more and more, how much He loves and accepts you. You will find yourself resting and enjoying His company like never before. In your study of The Wisdom of God’s Grace, you will begin to experience significant improvement in the love exchanged between you and your Lord. Watch for it!

Journal Entry:
The journal section is the most important part of our study. This is where you have an opportunity to identify what God Himself has been teaching you about the wisdom of His grace. Did any situations, relationships, or questions come to mind as you studied? Get in the habit of making notes in the margin so that you won’t forget what God is speaking to you. Before you begin your journal entry, ask God to show you the things He wants you to understand. Review any scriptures or statements you have marked or underlined. Allow Him to take Biblical theology and create useful application. Be prepared to truly believe the truth as you grow in grace and a knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ. When you pray about what you have learned, watch for what happens next and connect it to your prayer. How did God answer? Write your thoughts and the details about your conversation with God in the space below.

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[Morning Glory]

To experience the benefits of God’s truth in my own life, I must make God’s truth my truth.
Samuel was a prophet of Israel whose ministry was marked by integrity. He is one of the great examples of Godly ministry under the old covenant. How did Samuel get to know the Lord so well that when he spoke, everyone from Dan to Beersheba knew that it was the word of the Lord they were hearing? He did it the same way you do—by gaining real and personal experience with God through his circumstances, over time.

Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down. Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. (1 Sam 3:4-7)

When Samuel was young he couldn’t tell the difference between hearing from God or men. Samuel was raised by the high priest of Israel. He helped in the ministry of the temple. At a young age, his mother had dedicated him to the temple to serve there for the rest of his life. Samuel knew about God, he knew a lot about God; but he didn’t know Him personally. It wasn’t until the word of the Lord was taught to him by the Lord Himself that Samuel’s real spiritual life began to take shape. By spending time with God in a real and personal way, Samuel gained confidence to walk consistently according to the word that had been revealed to him.

Samuel grew and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail. (1 Sam 3:19)

As you continue through these lessons, ask God to join you and teach you personally. Then you will know the difference between hearing from God and from men. That is, you’ll know whether you’re just getting our opinions, or if God is using this material to reveal the word of the Lord to you. It was because the Lord was with Samuel that His word was effective in Samuel’s life. If all you know is the doctrines of your faith (like young Samuel knew the ordinances of the temple) then you will know a lot about God but, when push comes to shove, intellectual ascent lacks the power of genuine faith.

The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there He revealed Himself to Samuel through His word… And Samuel’s word came to all Israel.(1 Sam 3:21-4:1)

As Samuel grew and walked in the knowledge of God, two very important things happened. In the beginning the word of the Lord was revealed to him, but that grew into a real and personal relationship where the Lord actually revealed Himself through the word. First, Samuel learned about God. Then he got to know the Lord personally. As a result, the word of the Lord became Samuel’s word. Samuel got his identity and his opinions directly from God. By the time he was old enough to begin his ministry as a prophet, his own life was the message. The word of the Lord came to Samuel, the Lord revealed Himself through the word, then Samuel’s word came to all Israel. Samuel made God’s truth his truth.

1. Describe a time when the Lord revealed His personality or His intentions to you through His word.

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2. What was the result of that revelation?

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3. Can you hear from God for yourself regarding your current circumstances?

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Jesus said, "He who is of God hears the words of God" (Jn 8:47). He promised His disciples, quoting the prophets, "They will all be taught by God." His all encompassing statement that "Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to Me" (Jn 6:45), brings incredible hope. God is all around you. He is involved in your circumstances. You are in Christ, His Spirit is in you. God is confident in His ability to communicate with you. He will speak to you through His word, through other people, through your circumstances, and in your heart.

4. List any circumstances in which you need to see God in a real and personal way through the course of this study.

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Stop now and ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you in the circumstances you listed above. Ask Him to reveal Himself through His word and expect to make His truth your truth. Then be prepared to have as much victory in these circumstances as God has. Watch for what happens next and connect it to your prayer. God will answer. When He does, be prepared to walk in God’s truth as He reveals it.

[Morning Glory]

Take a moment and look at the difference between the way Samuel and King Saul walked in the truth.

5. Read First Samuel 15:13-26.

Saul couldn’t tell the difference between obeying the Lord and following his own desires. Samuel based spiritual reality in the facts (v. 13-14). Saul was blinded by pride so that he couldn’t hear anything but what he wanted to hear, but Samuel heard from God (v. 16-21). Samuel was raised serving in the temple, but he could see that obedience is better than sacrifice, rebellion is like witchcraft, and Saul had failed at both (v. 22, 23). The closest Saul could get to repentance was to find someone else to blame. But Samuel could see that Saul had been rejected because he had rejected the word of the Lord. He had loved his own opinions more than he had loved God’s truth (v. 24-26).

The difference between knowing truth or living it is like the difference between watching the Olympic games on television, or actually being the athlete who wins the gold medal. It’s the difference between reading about someone else’s faith in the Bible and experiencing true spirituality for yourself. Almost anyone can understand truth—even spiritual truth, but until you love the truth, it will never become your own truth. Believing God opens your eyes to God’s love, allowing you to love Him in return. As you gain personal experience with the living God, you will begin to forsake your own thoughts and opinions about truth, righteousness and judgment and God’s truth will become your own truth.

Mary and Samuel were able to cultivate a relationship with God that caused their circumstances to bring about the glory of God; but far too often, Christians today, like Martha or Saul, are struggling. Instead of walking in victory that spills into the lives of those around them, many are leading lives of sanctified frustration. They have agreed with the doctrines of the Christian faith, enjoyed the fellowship of the church, even found comfort in words like "He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." Still they are leading ineffective, even defeated lives.

6. Jesus said that the purpose for Lazarus’ premature death was "for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified by it" (Jn 11:4). The result was that many "of the Jews who had come to Mary and beheld what He had done, believed in Him." (Jn 11:45 NIV) If unbelievers were to see your relationship with God during times of trial, how would it cause them to see the glory of God and give them a reason to put their own faith in Jesus?

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In many ways when we came to the Lord, we accepted the truth and made changes, but still we struggle. Though we know the truth, we haven’t been set free by it as Jesus promised. The purpose of Believing God is to show that there is a difference between knowing the truth and believing it. Whether you have never known Jesus personally or if you have been a Christian for years, the message is the samewe must convert knowledge about God into a faith that works. As you follow the lessons in this study, you will have the opportunity to gain real and personal experience with Jesus. Make these weeks of study your chance to invite Him to join you as you apply what He reveals from His word to whatever circumstances you encounter. You will be amazed to see just how involved He is in all of the events of your life. He will begin to show you just how much the truth of the gospel can impact the way you respond to your circumstances and those around you. Now is the time to join Him. Choose to surrender your beliefs and make His truth your truth.

Journal Entry:
Consider each day’s lesson and any statements or Scriptures which had the most impact on you. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Gal 5:22-23). Look for anything that caused a response of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control. This is an area where you are experiencing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, because He is ministering to you. It is an area where God has joined you in your circumstances and you dont want to miss it. Begin to develop the habit of looking for the fruit of the Spirit in your everyday circumstances to tell you about God and His activity in your life.

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[Morning Glory]

Converting Knowledge into a Faith that Works
Eternal life is knowing God through Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (Jn 17:3)

7. What is eternal life as defined by Jesus in John 17:3?

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Eternal life is knowing God through Jesus Christ. Its being close to God, understanding Him, being intimately involved in what He is doing. Eternal life has nothing to do with time, its bigger than time. Its a life where death (the effect of separation from God) has no authority or power. Jesus showed us the reality of it while He walked here among us. Then He offered Himself through the eternal Spirit by the power of an indestructible life so we could have it, too (Heb 7:16; 9:14). It is that same eternal Spirit and indestructible life, not a copy of it, which is manifested in our mortal flesh when we are born of God.

In Mark 5:25-34, we meet a woman who sought healing. She was exhausted emotionally, mentally and physically. Her finances were drained from spending all she had on doctors. She was physically unclean and, under the law of Moses, spiritually unclean. She was hopeless, desperate and ashamed, but she knew if she could reach Jesus, she could be made whole. She pressed through the crowd and reached out.

Just like this woman, there is something within each of us that longs to reach out to Jesus. Today, it is His Spirit that draws us to Himself. When we learn this we can come to Jesus like Mary. When she reached out to Him, even in her frustration and sorrow, she stirred His Spirit so deeply He wept.

The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. There’s no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by Spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God’s Spirit is doing. …Isaiah’s question, "Is there anyone around who knows God’s Spirit, anyone who knows what He is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ’s Spirit. (1 Cor 2:14-16 MSG)

Eternal life (knowing God) is not a gift from God that has its pay-off in worldly successes; it’s the gift of oneness with God Himself that has its pay-off in love, acceptance and affirmation of the heart. Jesus said, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:8). We receive power, not as a gift from the Holy Spirit; the power is the Holy Spirit. The power Jesus promised is not the manipulation of spiritual forces. We receive power when God, the Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity, joins us in the reality of our circumstances and reveals Gods truth and the manifestation of His will to us.

I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Eph 3:14-19)

8. The verse above reveals two important reasons why you have received the power of the Holy Spirit. What are they?

You have been strengthened with power so that __________________________________

And this so you may be able to comprehend _____________________________________

The purpose of this power is that you may be filled up with __________________________

The first manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit is the power to believe. It must become our foundation, so that Christ can dwell in your hearts through faith. Also, as you are strengthened in the Holy Spirits power, He will lead you into all truth and convince you of the truth so that you can comprehend how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. All this so that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. By the power of the Holy Spirit, through faith, you can have real comprehension of the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. The hope, joy and peace with God you will experience will make you one in spirit and purpose with Him.

9. Read these verses and complete the following sentences:

We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God. (1 Cor 2:12)

We have received the Spirit who is from God so that

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We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. (1 Jn 3:24)

I can know that Jesus abides in me because of His _________________.

By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. (1 Jn 4:13)

I can know that I abide in Him and He in me because

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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 15:13)

Believing brings __________________ and ___________________, that you may abound in __________________ by the power of the ____________ _____________.

With worldly logic, we can neither understand nor accept things that the Spirit tells us as He reveals those things that are freely given to us by God. We know that Jesus abides in us because of His Spirit. You can know that you abide in God because He has given you His Spirit. Believing the truth of the gospel will bring you joy and peace. You will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only Biblical context for a relationship with God. Eternal life is knowing God through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. He will lead us into all truth. When your life is centered on faith in and a relationship with Jesus Christ, when you begin to apply God’s truth to your circumstances, you will experience a glorious, life-giving faith that works.

[Morning Glory]

The ordinary group of worshipping Christians, as the preacher sees them from the pulpit, does not look like a collection of very joyful people, in fact, they look on the whole rather sad, tired, depressed people. It is certain that such people will never win the world for Christ... It is no use trying to pretend: we may speak of joy and preach about it: but, unless we really have the joy of Christ in our hearts and manifest it, our words will carry no conviction to our hearers. (Stephen Neill, (1) The Christian Character)

Believing is seeing. Unless I believe the gospel, I will never see what I have in Christ.
We want to see ourselves the way God sees us, and we want to understand, as much as possible, the ways He reveals Himself and how He uses revelation to redeem our lives. Eternal life is knowing God. God knows that the best way for us to understand Him and His way is to gain personal experience with Him in our circumstances, over time. The Biblical wording supports the unfolding nature of revelation. The Hebrew and Aramaic words which we read as "reveal" have a root meaning which implies "nakedness." As applied to revelation, it speaks of the removal of obstacles to perception or the uncovering of the object to be perceived. The New Testament Greek continues in the same theme with words that give the impression of "disclosure." The word most commonly used in the New Testament is a verb which gives the general sense of "making manifest" or "manifesting," as to describe the substance of an unseen reality being uncovered in the experience of those who receive revelation.

This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (2 Tim 1:9, 10 NIV)

Through revelation of the truth of God in Jesus Christ we see God as He really is. He reveals to us both His plan and His personality. Through revelation He has told us what He loves, what He hates, and how He feels about each of us as individuals. We could never be saved apart from a personal revelation of the invisible God, because the very substance of our salvation is nothing less than an intimate manifestation of His presence in our lives.

If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. (Jn 7:17 NIV)

God’s wisdom doesn’t operate the same way the wisdom of this world does—and the world’s wisdom doesn’t work in God’s plan. The world says "seeing is believing." The gospel says "believing is seeing." No one has ever experienced the work of the cross without first believing the gospel. The gospel reveals that Jesus Christ died to make us right with God. Unless you believe the gospel, you will never see the righteousness you have in Christ.

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed." (Rom 10:8-11)

1. Complete the following sentences:

With the heart man _____________________, resulting in ______________________,

and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in __________________________.

Whoever believes in Him will not be __________________________.

When we believe in our heart, the result is righteousness from God. Hearing the word of truth, we believe it, and receive the Holy Spirit. It is only by the Holy Spirit that we can confess Jesus as Lord. Our confession reveals our salvation. When we put our faith in Jesus, we will not be disappointed (Eph 1:13, 1 Cor 12:3, Rom 10:8-11).

The Holy Spirit is the great counselor. That’s why we want you to hear from God for yourself throughout the course of this study, rather than just accepting our opinions about what is true. We will be challenging some of what you have believed and the way you have understood some portions of the Scripture. The insights we share with you should only confirm and stir up in you what God has already been teaching you. This course is not about pointing out what is wrong with you so you can get right with God. It’s about pointing out what’s right with you so you can see all that you already have in Him. Every other religion on earth will tell you what to do to get right with God, but Christianity has the power to make you right with God. Never settle for less. Never settle for disappointment when you can be blessed. When you see who you are and what you have in Christ, you will have everything you need to experience all the joy promised with your salvation.

[Morning Glory]

If salvation is a relationship, then being a doer of the word doesn’t mean being a better person, it means being a loved person.
2. Read James 1:21-25.

Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (Jms 1:22)

The whole purpose of the gospel is to put you into a position of perfect unity with the Father and the Son. By grace, we enjoy the same level of unashamed fellowship with the Father that Jesus does. If eternal life is knowing God through Jesus Christ, then being a doer of the word is loving and being loved by God. When James talks about being a doer of the word, he is speaking of the word which is "able to save your soul"(v. 21 NIV). The "word" James says we should be doing is the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the past you may have believed being a doer of the word meant doing the performance of some religious activity to get right with God, but the gospel clearly explains that Jesus Christ came to make you right with God. If religious performance is what James is talking about, then your own acts of righteousness are what "saves your soul." But Gods salvation is based His acceptance of the offering of His Son, not on our performance. If salvation was based on our performance, it would be self-exaltation, not salvation. Being a doer of the word means being a believer of the gospel.

Then they asked Him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent." (Jn 6:28, 29 NIV)

3. The work God requires is to ________________ in Jesus.

Stay with what you heard from the beginning, the original message, [the word that saves your soul]. Let it sink into your life. If what you heard from the beginning lives deeply in you, you will live deeply in both Son and Father. This is exactly what Christ promised: eternal life, real life! (1 Jn 2:24, MSG)

4. How can you be assured you will continue to have intimate fellowship with the Son and the Father?

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You can obtain the benefit of eternal life and be assured of an intimate relationship with God if you believe and then hold onto the word that saves your soul, the original message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If God’s plan for redemption was to create a race of people who do nothing wrong and everything right, who are justified by their performance, then He failed. No one in the church has never been justified by what they did. You and I are no exception. God didn’t fail. From His perspective, salvation means bringing you into a love relationship with Him; to reconcile you to Himself. Being a doer of the word doesn’t mean being a better person, it means being a loved person. There is no partiality with God. He doesn’t accept one person more based on his deeds, and another less based on her deeds. Being a doer of the word means doing God’s plan for redemption by grace—being valued and precious in His sight, in spite of what you’ve done. It means doing guilt-free access to God through Jesus Christ. It means doing an indestructible life, where sin and death can no longer separate you from God.

If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. (Jms 1:23, 24)

5. If you try to practice Christianity without looking at what Christ has done, looking at yourself in a mirror, what will you forget?

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The hearer of the word knows that the work of Christ has been done, but looks at himself instead, forgetting who he is in Christ. He has forgotten the message of the gospel, the gift of undeserved favor from God and righteousness by faith. He has heard the word, but he hasnt believed it. The doer of the word, the believer, looks into the mirror and sees the righteousness of Christ and the love of the Father. He walks in victory, believing in the justification Jesus purchased for him at the cross. When you look at yourself to find out what is wrong with you, you will always find plenty of material to work with. But that would be bad news. The gospel is good news. Doing the word (the good news) is about looking at Christ, seeing what He did to save you from the bad news. Being a doer of the word means doing salvation by grace and justification by faith in the Son of God.

William Law (2) in his treatise on Christian Perfection said:

We declare people to be insane when they imagine themselves something different than what they really are. We consider people fools who do not know the real value of things. An unbelieving sinner is thus insane and foolish; he does not recognize what he is and he mistakes the value of things. Christianity is our education. It teaches us who we are and the true value of everything.

[Morning Glory]

When Jesus was baptized by John, He received a great affirmation of the Father’s love:

As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased." (Mtt 3:16, 17 NIV)

It is easy to see and believe that the Father loves Jesus. We can accept it easily. We have trouble believing that we are loved as much as Jesus is. We don’t see who we are or what we have in Christ because we don’t see ourselves in Christ. We are looking at ourselves and have forgotten we are in Him. Our faith has become distracted from seeing the powerful work God has done and we have become focussed on ourselves.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal 3:26, 27)

You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:3)

6. Are you in Christ?

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There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom 8:1)

7. Is there any condemnation in Christ?

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There is no condemnation if you are in Christ Jesus. Have you noticed that the New Testament never calls you a sinner? In every case God sees you as a son and the Bible always refers to you as a saint (a holy one). You know that Jesus is Gods beloved Son in whom He is well pleased, and you know that you are in Him.

8. If you are in Christ, what kind of person are you?

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You are a person who has been clothed in Christ, hidden in Christ, and justified in Christ. You have been made righteous and acceptable in the sight of God by the obedience of Christ, but you may have become distracted and forgotten all about it. When you focus on yourself, and on your own ability to be righteous, you will see only your faults and not what Christ has done, which is greater than your faults (1 Jn 3:20). You will quickly forget what kind of a person you are.

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. (Jms 1:25)

James says by looking intently into the perfect law of liberty, the word will become effective in your life. By definition, the law of liberty is the judicial process that sets you free from bondage. Being a doer of the word means doing freedom in Christ. We don’t want to be like one who looks at his natural face in a mirror, and forget who we are in Christ. We want to look intently into the perfect law of liberty. We want to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" (Heb 12:2).

We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:18 NIV)

When I look into a mirror, I naturally expect to see my own reflection. Under the new covenant I become like a mirror, a reflection of Jesus Christ. Look into a mirror. Do you see your faults, failures and weaknesses, or do you see a reflection of Jesus? Do you see His Spirit in you? Your life has been hidden in Christ. You have been clothed with Him. All that Christ has and is, has been given to you. We are in Jesus. He is our "righteousness, holiness and redemption" (1 Cor 1:30). When you look at Jesus, it is like looking into a mirror, because only then are you seeing yourself the way the Father sees you. Fix your eyes on Jesus. When we see Him just as He is, we know that we shall be like Him. (1 Jn 3:2) When you see who you are in Christ, you will be "transformed into the same image from glory to glory" (2 Cor 3:18).

By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. (1 Jn 4:17)

9. Who are you like in this world?

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Jesus—As He is, so also are we in this world. It is His life, not a copy of it, which is manifested in our flesh when we are born of God. Not power as a gift from the Holy Spirit; the power is the Spirit of Christ Himself, dwelling in you, transforming you into His image. The Holy Spirit is the great Counselor, the Comforter, the Helper, given to us by God to help us comprehend a love which seems so foreign to our way of thinking. To have the Spirit of Christ is to comprehend not just what He is doing, but also how He feels about what He is doing.

Who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God. (1 Cor 2:11, 12)

Through the Holy Spirit you have been strengthened with power in the inner man that you might know the things freely given to you by God. Eternal life is not out there in the future someplace. Eternal life began the moment you believed. Don’t long for it. Don’t wait for it. Eternal life has already begun. The Kingdom of God is upon you.

When some Pharisees tried to trap Jesus, He asked them to show Him a coin and describe the likeness inscribed on it. When they named Caesar, He instructed them to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s" (Mtt 22:15-22). Too often, like them, we hear this, marvel, leave Him, and go away. We forget that in the beginning God made man in His own image. What was lost has been restored through the work of the cross which makes us one with Christ. Now when we look upon Jesus, as in a mirror, we can see whose likeness is inscribed upon us. We can render to God that which belongs to Him.

God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Cor 4:6)

10. Look into your own heart, being careful to believe the good news of the gospel. Whose image is shining there?

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I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. (Eph 1:17 NIV)

11. Take a moment to ask God for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.

Journal Entry:
Review today’s lesson and, in your own words, write down any statements or Scriptures that had the most impact on you. List any circumstances in your life that came to mind as you read today’s lesson. How does what you learned today apply to those circumstances? How does today’s lesson effect they way you think about God, yourself or someone else?

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[Morning Glory]

A true opinion of God can only come from God.
It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thes 2:14)

1. In your own words, write a brief definition of what you believe "glory" means.

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God is glorious. His plan for redeeming the world is to reveal His glory in His people. The Apostle Paul refers to the good news as the "glorious gospel of the blessed God," and "the gospel of the glory of Christ." It is important to understand the relationship between salvation and the glory of God. When God redeems you, you become His temple, a dwelling place for His glory. Anything less is only an attempt to imitate Christianity. Thats why abiding with God is the only thing that validates the Christian faith.

We are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they will be my people." (2 Cor 6:16)

God began early in the history of Israel to show us what He intended for us, by showing it to us in an earthly temple.

The priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. And all the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshipped and gave praise to the Lord, saying, "Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting." (2 Chr 7:2, 3)

2. How did seeing the glory of God effect the people’s opinion of Him?

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When the people saw the glory of God, they were drawn to Him, responding in worship, praising His goodness and His lovingkindness. There is a direct relationship between what you believe about God and your ability to experience His genuine presence and activity in your circumstances. God gave you the power of the Holy Spirit so that you can comprehend the love of Christ.

Developing a true opinion of God and seeing the glory of God may not be as complicated as you thought. God, who defines the word "glorious" by His very existence, assures us that His glory is understandable to anyone who doesn’t reject it. His eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen in everything God has created. The evidence and glory of God are continually revealed to all people, all cultures, all education levels, and all nationalities "day after day" and "night after night" (Ps 19:1-4).

In the Old Testament the word "glory" is translated from words which convey meanings such as "weight" and "heaviness" lending itself to the idea of worth or wealth; dignity, preeminence or majesty. But most importantly, the word glory is used to describe occurrences of the self-manifestation of God. It is the presence and the activity of the living God. It is His moral beauty and perfection as a substantive, sometimes visible presence, actively involved in the lives of men, women and children.

Such displays of the presence of God are often seen as fire, smoke, clouds, dazzling light, or an act of power (Ex 13:21; Lev 9:23, 24; 1 Kings 8:11; Ex 14). But more than this, because God’s glory is a display of His presence, it is foremost a display of His personality. It is the splendor of perfect holiness and relentless love. Combining this with His greatness and authority, it is the composition of His attractiveness and His exalted position—it is His dignity, His countenance.

When you apply your New Testament intimacy and unity with God, the meaning of the word "glory" changes to become more personal and practical. Glory is translated from the Greek words doxa or dokeo, meaning an "opinion" (always good), "praise", "honor", or forms of the word "suppose" and "think".

God’s glory is simply defined as an opinion of God which is true, a personal opinion of God which is consistent with reality. God’s glory is His reputation. Your personal opinion of God is the reputation He has built with you as you have gained real and personal experience with Him. Your personal opinions affect the way you respond to what God is doing through your circumstances. Your attitudes and actions are a result of your beliefs and personal opinions. Your personal opinions shape what you believe about God. To the degree that your opinion of God is true, you will see the glory of God in ways that are real, personal, credible and believable.

I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. (Jn 17:3-6 NIV)

Jesus brought glory to God when He revealed an opinion of God which is consistent with reality, to those who obeyed the word of the gospel. God wants you to see Himself as He truly is. Eternal life is knowing God through Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Walking in the truth is being transformed with ever increasing glory, (an increasingly true opinion of God) which comes from the Lord.

We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:18 NIV)

3. What should you reflect as the result of walking in the truth?

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4. What effect does glory have on those who reflect it?

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As you walk in the truth, you reflect God's glory. He forms His glory (an understanding and opinion of God which is true) in your personal opinions, allowing you to arrive at a true knowledge of who He is and what He is doing. Then you are transformed into His likeness. He enables you to respond in a way that brings praise and honor to God with direction and purpose in your relationship with Him.

[Morning Glory]

A true opinion of God can only come from God.
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. (Jn 17:22 NIV)

5. Complete the following sentence:

I have given them the _______________ that you gave me, that they may be __________