The Christian and Self-Renewal Going on to Perfection

1. The Christian and Self-RenewalGoing on to Perfection “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” {Hebrews 6:1}

2. What Is Self-Renewal? • Defined as: • “to make new again; to restore to freshness, perfection, or vigor; to give new life to; to rejuvenate; to reestablish; to recreate, to rebuild.” • Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: • “a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better; to renew qualitatively.” Putting It All Together

3. Self-Renewal • We are defining self-renewal as… • Personal and inward renewal. • The ability to put into place measures to ensure that we are perpetually revitalizing ourselves. • Returning to the state we were in when we first became Christians. • Desire to continually press forward to the goal.

4. Passages That Deal With Renewal • Romans 12:2 • “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” • 2 Corinthians 4:16 • “…Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” God’s Word Addresses Renewal

5. Passages That Deal With Renewal • Colossians 3:10 • “And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” • Hebrews 6:6 • “if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again...” God’s Word Addresses Renewal

6. Why We Need Self-Renewal • Mature Christians do not grow a little; they thrive. (prosper or flourish) • “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” {John 10:10}

7. Dangers of Not Progressing “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But 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.” {Hebrews 5:12-14}

8. The Christian’s Thought Process • The Bible frequently addresses the mind’s process: • “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.” {Romans 12:2}

9. Consider the Past • What you WERE. • Are you shortsighted? • Have you forgotten the past? • “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you...” {1 Corinthians 6:9-11}

10. A Proper Perspective • We look at life’s events from a better perspective. • “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” {2 Corinthians 4:16-18}

11. God’s Word Calls for Optimism • Not false optimism • Not self-righteousness • “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’” {Luke 18:11,12}

12. Problems of Pessimism • Often accompanied by lack of faith. • “So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? So they said to one another, Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.” {Numbers 14:1-4}

13. Problems of Pessimism • Apply this thinking to spiritual matters. • What do we often hear? • “It won’t work.” • “Nobody really cares.” • “I just can’t do that.” • “They won’t listen.” • The pessimist looks for the splinter in the eye! • He listens to sermons, looking for what is wrong instead of what is right!

14. Christians AREExpected to Grow • One MUST grow to please God. • “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever." {2 Peter 3:18} • By our actions, we demonstrate real growth. • “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” {James 2:18}

15. Self-Renewal Begins With Self-Examination • Test yourselves… • How is your faith? • Are you putting God first? • If your spiritual lifewere put to the test, would you Pass or Fail? Why or why not? • “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? --unless indeed you are disqualified.” {2 Corinthians 13:5}

16. Planning for Renewal • Why do we need a plan? • We need to know how to get fromPOINT A(where we are) to POINT B(where we need to be). • Why do we use maps? • We need to know where we are, where we need to be, and how to get there.

17. The Church and Renewal • What about today? • The fact remains, many of the Lord’s churches are notwhat they ought to be. • Many are doctrinally sound but dying. • Theirfires need rekindling! • Some churches are holding their own. • Some outwardly seem to be alive, but inwardly are DEAD.

18. The Church and Renewal • Far too many have become complacent;they’re satisfied with where they are. • Afraid or resistant to growth for fear of change. • All need the same thing—REVIVAL! • A spiritual awakening. Needed when something is about to die. • Acts 3:19

19. Going on to Perfection • 2 Peter 1:5-11 • We have received great andprecious promises. • Christian graces • Give all diligence • Considering the blessings we have in Him, we ought to put forth diligent effort to grow. • Progress is expected.

20. Diligence • Implies the idea of immediate action • “to speed, urge, hasten, press…earnestness, diligence, zeal.” (Word Study Dict. NT) • Putting forth genuine effort to accomplish what is needed. • Peter used the word “ADD.” • Building on what already exists • The building process is a form of self-renewal.

21. Add To… • The characteristics Peter is about to describe actually complement one another. • Described in a stair-step fashion. • Will promote growth and renewal in the others. • Add one piece at a time until you have the completely developedChristian.

22. What Are We to Build? • We begin with FAITH. • The very foundation of all we do. • Firm persuasion and trust in God • Cannot please God without it. • “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” {Hebrews 11:6}

23. Adding to Our Faith… • Virtue • Moral excellence. • Integrity • Without virtue, meaningful renewal is impossible. • Without honesty, our foundation is weak! “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue…” {2 Peter 1:5}

24. Adding to Our Faith… “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. ”{James 1:25} • Knowledge • Proper knowledge of what is expected. • Where we really are. • Where we need to be • God’s word MUST be the standard of measurement.

25. Adding to Our Faith… “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. ”{1 Corinthians 9:26,27} • Self-control • Needed to implement our plan • Knowledge without restraint or discipline is weak. • Self-control is disciplining our bodies to NOT do things that can damage our spiritual lives.

26. Adding to Our Faith… “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ”{Galatians 6:9} • Perseverance • Satan seeks to stop us from being what God wants us to become. • Puts obstacles in front of us to cause stumbling. • Will we give up when it gets tougher? • Must keep going. • Self-renewal will help us defeat these obstacles.

27. Adding to Our Faith… “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. ”{Colossians 3:17} • Godliness • The disposition of being God-like. • Striving to be like Him. • Never compromising His will. • Making corrections when needed.

28. Adding to Our Faith… “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. ”{1 John 4:20,21} • Brotherly kindness • Brotherly love • Love for brethren • In the church we need one another. • Can edify us • Understand the fight

29. Adding to Our Faith… “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal... And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. ”{1 Corinthians 13:1,3} • Love • Proper motive behind every action. • We must CARE. • Care what God thinks. • Care about our spiritual well-being • Care about lost

30. Results of Such a Life • If we are filled with these graces … • They will be in us AND ABOUND. • Aim of this whole study • “to have, or cause to have much, or more than enough.” • “Super abound…to make increase.”

31. Results of Such a Life • If we are filled with these graces … • We will not be “barren or unfruitful.” • Our goal is to produce—thrive. • To please God, we must always be producing. • One-talent man • Matthew 25:24-30

32. Results of Such a Life • If we are filled with these graces… • We will not be spiritually blind, forgetting our past • If one is not developing these graces, he has forgotten his former state. • Some don’t grow or renew; they’ve forgotten where they have been!

33. Results of Such a Life • If we are filled with these graces… • We will be more diligent, and we will NEVER STUMBLE • “fall into misery, become wretched.” • Notice the stated condition—IF… • Growth will help prevent falling into sin. • When we do sin, we will correct it. • Sin WILL happen if we fail to grow.

34. Results of Such a Life • If we are filled with these graces… • An entrance into the heavenly kingdom awaits us. • This life will be more meaningful and rich. • We are assured of a place where none of this life’s struggles will bother us again. • Missing heaven—missed everything!