2 Corinthians 3:18

1. Transformation into Christ-likeness (Gal 5:22-23) – What do you think would happen if your life became characterized by these “Fruits of the Spirit”? Ephesians 3:14-21 Philippians 2:12-13 1 Timothy 4:7 Galatians 5:16 Christ-Likeness Hebrews 12:7-11 2 Corinthians 3:18 Romans 12:2 Romans 6:19b Psalm 119:11 Transformation.ppt

2. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Key points Philippians 2:12–13 - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. • Here are key questions to ask counselees, with answers in italics: • If we are “working for God’s good pleasure”, what does that mean? • When we are working for God’s good pleasure, it means that we are doing his • will. • If we are “willing…His good pleasure”, what does that mean? When we • are willing God’s good pleasure, it means that we desire to do God’s will. • If we are both desiring and doing God’s will, what does this indicate • about the degree to which we are transformed into Christ-likeness? • It means that we have been substantially transformed into Christ likeness. • According to this verse, how are we transformed? God is the One who • does this transforming, both in the area of our desires and actions. This is a • promise and is really good news for someone struggling with sin! These folks • need hope! • What do you think Paul means when he commands us to “work out • your salvation”? The “salvation” that he is talking about here is sanctification. • The sense here is that God has a part in our sanctification, and so do we. It is • not one or the other. • What do you think the “fear and trembling” is all about? We are fearful • and tremble because (“…for…”) we are in awe that God is working in our • desires and actions, causing us to obey Him.

3. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Homework Philippians 2:12–13 - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. In what ways have you seen God working in your desire to obey Him in the last couple of years? In what ways have you seen God working in your actual obedience to Him in the last couple of years? According to Paul, what is the balance between our effort and God’s effort in being transformed into Christ-likeness? How do you think that God would have you respond to the truth contained in this verse?

4. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Key points Hebrews 12:7–11 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. • Here are key questions to ask counselees, with answers in italics: • What does the “discipline” look like that is being talked about in these • verses? This discipline is not punishment, but training. • According to these verses, what is the purpose of this training? In (v. 10), • the author indicates that this training is “so that we may share (God’s) holiness.” • According these verses, what is the motivation behind the Father’s • discipline? The Father’s motivation for disciplining us is love for us, like the • love of a father for his son. • According to these verses, what is it like when we are in the midst of • the Father’s discipline? It is a sorrowful experience. There is no joy in it. • According to these verses, how would God have us respond to His • discipline? God desires that we would view His discipline as loving training, • not punishment. With this perspective, we can (and should) embrace • God’s discipline, rather than trying to push it away. We should purpose to • remain in the midst of any discipline until we learn every lesson that God would • have us learn from it. • According to these verses, what is the end product of responding properly • to God’s discipline? Righteousness (right relationships with both God and • man) accompanied by peace.

5. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Homework Hebrews 12:7–11 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. How have you seen God’s loving discipline in your life in the past? Looking back on God’s loving discipline in your life, did you tend to push it way or did you tend to embrace it? Do you have the sense that God might be disciplining you in your life right now? If so, what do you think that you might do to embrace it rather than pushing it away? Take some time now to thank the Lord for both His past and present discipline in Your life. Review what his purpose is for this discipline, and thank Him that He will accomplish it.

6. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Key points (Romans 12:2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. • Here are key questions to ask counselees, with answers in italics: • What does it mean to be “conformed to this world”?The idea behind this • phrase is to be pressed into the world’s mold. The original language • construction of “conformed” indicates a continuous action, with the “world” as • the agent that does the conforming. We cannot allow this to happen. • When Paul commands us to “…be tranformed…”, what do you think he • means by this? The word “transformed” means “to change inwardly in • fundamental character or condition”. This transformation is the opposite of • being conformed to this world, so it must mean being transformed into • Christ-likeness. • According to this verse, how are we transformed? By the renewing of • our minds. Again, the original language construction of “transformed” • indicates a continuous action, with the renewing of the mind as the agent of • transformation. • What is the “mind” that is referred to in this verse? The mind is “the sum • total of the whole mental and moral state of being.” It encompasses our • attitudes, morals, and thoughts. • In a practical sense, how do we renew our minds? We renew our minds • by inputting the Word of God into it and meditating on it. This must be an on- • going action. • According to this verse, what is the outcome of all this? We end up proving • to ourselves that God’s will is good (produces genuinely good fruit), • acceptable (it is well-pleasing, bringing satisfaction and peace), and perfect • (the highest and best thing there is) .

7. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Homework (Romans 12:2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. How have you seen God’s Word change you in the past few years? What format of “ingesting” God’s word has seemed to be the most effective in producing change in your life? In this verse, Paul outlines a change in perspective about God’s will that is the result of renewing our minds. Why do you think that this change is important? How do you think that God would have you respond to the truth contained in this verse?

8. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Key points (Psalm 119:11) — 11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. • Here are key questions to ask counselees, with answers in italics: • If we are growing in our ability to not sin, what is happening to us? We • are being transformed into Christ-likeness. • According to this verse, how does that change happen? It happens as • we treasure God’s word in our hearts. • In a practical sense, how do we treasure God’s word in our hearts? The • word “treasure” has behind it the idea of carefully collecting something that is • of great value. But this treasure is stored in the heart, not in a vault. Thus, • God’s word is memorized, and considered/meditated on/treasured in the • mind.

9. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Homework (Psalm 119:11) Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Why do you think that treasuring God’s word in our hearts would lead to greater Christ-likeness? Have you ever memorized and meditated on a passage of Scripture? If so, what results did you see? What do you think the practice of meditating on Scripture involves? As a homework assignment this week, memorize (Romans 12:2) and spend at least 5 minutes each day meditating on it, asking the Lord specifically how you might apply this Scripture to your life.

10. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Key points (Romans 6:19b) For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. • Here are key questions to ask counselees, with answers in italics: • When Paul talks about “presenting your members”, what do you think • he is talking about? “Presenting” is a VERY Jewish Old Testamentword. • It is used 47 times in the book of Leviticus, always in the context of • presenting an offering. These offerings were Jewish worship. The word • “members” is literally a part of the human body, such as an arm or a leg. So, • what Paul is talking about here is presenting your body parts as offerings to • God as an act of worship. • In this verse, Paul talks about two worship scenarios in which we • present our members as slaves. What are these two scenarios? • Scenario #1 involves presenting the parts of our bodies in worship of sin. • Scenario #2 involves presenting the parts of our bodies in worship of • righteousness. We now have the choice to do either. • Why do you think that Paul chose the “slavery” metaphor in this verse? • See (Rom 6:16). When we sin, we are choosing to offer our members as • slaves to sin. It may not seem that way, but those are the facts. The opposite • is true when we offer our members to as slaves to do God’s will. • According to Paul, what is the result of each worship offering? When • we sin and thus chose to offer our members as slaves to sin, we reap • lawlessness (wickedness). When we chose to offer our members to God as • slaves to righteousness, we reap sanctification, or progressive transformation • into Christ-likeness.

11. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Homework (Romans 6:19b) For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. Read (Roman 6:12-13) where Paul talks about this issue in a slightly different way. How do these verses clarify your understanding of (v. 19)? For most people, certain “members” seem to consistently be the means through which sin expresses itself. Among those members that are frequently the culprits are the mind, the mouth, and the eyes. There are certainly other “members” as well that can cause problems. Which members do you find tend to cause the most problems for you? Applying what Paul commanded in (v. 19), how might you present your members as slaves of righteousness each day?

12. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Key points (2 Corinthians 3:18) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. • Here are key questions to ask counselees, with answers in italics: • Looking at the context of this verse, what do you think Paul means • when talks about having an “unveiled face”? (v. 15-16) indicates that • that the veil is what is taken away when we put our faith in Christ. Therefore, • someone with an unveiled face is someone who is a Christian. • In this verse, Paul talks about “beholding…the glory of the Lord”. How • might you and I do this? The word “beholding” has behind it the idea of • “contemplating”. And it is on-going contemplation. The glory of the Lord is • most clearly revealed in the Scriptures. Therefore, we behold His glory as • we gaze at what He is like in the pages of Scripture, spending time • meditating on His glory, and praising Him. • In this verse, Paul indicates that we behold the glory of the Lord “…as • in a mirror”. What do you think he means by this? Back in Paul’s day, • mirrors were made of polished metal. Images seen in a polished metal mirror • are inevitably distorted, because the metal is not flat. While on this earth, we • see God “as in a mirror” – in other words, not perfectly. Someday, we will see • Him face to face, without any distortion. • According to this verse, what happens to us as we behold (keep on • beholding) the glory of the Lord? As we keep on beholding the Lord, • we are transformed into the same image we are beholding. We are • transformed into His likeness. • What do you think Paul means in the phrase “…from glory to glory…”? • The NIV states it this way: “…with ever increasing glory…”

13. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Homework (2 Corinthians 3:18) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. • Have you ever lingered in the Scriptures, thinking about what the Lord • is like? How did this affect you? • Read (Exodus 34:27-30). What do you learn about lingering in God’s • presence from this passage? • Why do you think lingering in God’s presence, contemplating His • glory, will transform us? • One exercise of “beholding the glory of the Lord” is frequently referred • to as a “Quiet time”. This is a very important spiritual discipline to • develop, and if practiced over time, will lead to noticeable transformation • into the image of Jesus. Next week, we will spend time developing/ • refining a format for a quiet time.

14. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Key points (Galatians 5:16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. • Here are key questions to ask counselees, with answers in italics: • Notice that Paul starts out this verse with the word “But…” What is he • contrasting with? (v. 15) talks about biting and devouring one another. The • Galatian readers of this letter had big problems with personal relationships. • What do you think it means to “walk by the Spirit”? The word “walk” is in • a verb form that means “continuously walk.” Furthermore, it is a command. • Walking has behind it the idea of living, but in a moment-by-moment sense. • Walking is a process of “step, step, step…” See NIV translation. This is all • to be done by means of the Holy Spirit. The idea is to continuously live in • communion with the Spirit, listen to the voice of the Spirit as He speaks • through the Word of God, and live in submission to the will of the Spirit, all by • the power of the Spirit. • What does Paul promise will be the outcome of walking in the Spirit • will be? When we walk in the Spirit, we will not walk in sin. There will be • growing holiness in our lives. • In (v. 17), Paul tells us why walking in the Spirit brings about growing • holiness in our lives. Why does it work that way? When we walk in • communion and submission to God, meditating on His Word, we want no part • of the deeds of the flesh. God’s Spirit hates these things and causes us to • hate them as well.

15. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Homework (Galatians 5:16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. • Walking in the Spirit involves, among other things, living in constant • communion with the Spirit. How do we so this? • What other verses/concepts in our study of transformation into Christ- • likeness fit into this all important practice of walking in the Spirit? • Memorize this verse this week, and meditate on it, along with how it • connects with other verses in this study.

16. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Key points (1 Timothy 4:7) But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; • Here are key questions to ask counselees, with answers in italics: • What do you think that Paul means when he instructs Timothy to • completely avoid worldly fables? In Paul and Timothy’s day, telling stories • was a primary form of entertainment. Notice that Paul commands that • Timothy avoid WORLDY fables. These would be off-color stories that are • ungodly in character. Essentially, Paul is instructing his chief disciple Timothy • to completely avoid ungodly, worldly entertainment. • Rather than partaking ungodly entertainment, Paul commands Timothy • to “discipline himself”. What do you think he means by this? The Greek • word here is “gymnazo” from which we derive our English word “gymnasium”. • The idea here is to exercise or train, as in training for an athletic contest. • And like training for an athletic event, disciplining oneself requires planning, • effort, and persistence. • According to Paul, what is the purpose of the training that he • commands? The purpose is to accomplish the goal of godliness, or Christ- • likeness. And indeed, this goal does require effort, planning, and persistence!

17. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Homework (1 Timothy 4:7) But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; • In our culture today, what do you think would qualify as the “worldly • fables” of Paul’s day? • Are there any of these activities that you need to forsake in order to • to better pursue godliness? • What activities/actions do you think Paul would classify as “training • yourself for the purpose of godliness”? • Are there any of these training activities that you need to add to your • schedule starting this week?

18. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Key points (Ephesians 3:14–21) 14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. • Here are key questions to ask counselees, with answers in italics: • In this verse, Paul says he is bowing his knees before the Father. What do you • think he is doing here? He is getting down on his knees and praying for the Ephesian • believers. • There are a number of things that Paul prays for the Ephesians in these verses. • What does he pray for? (v. 16) – inner spiritual strength through the power of the HS • (v. 17) – that this inner spiritual strength will produce a “dwelling” relationship between the • Ephesians and Jesus. This “dwell” relationship has the idea behind it of “settling down and • feeling completely at home” (Wuest NT Expanded Translation). Thus, Paul is praying that • the Ephesians would begin living in a daily loving friendship with the Lord. (v. 18) – Paul • prays that in the context of this loving friendship relationship with Jesus, that the Ephesians • would intellectually grasp the vastness of Christ’s love for them (v. 19) – Paul then prays • that, having grasped the vast love of Christ, that the Ephesians would begin to know by • experience this love. (v. 20) – Lastly, with all these things accomplished, Paul prays that • as a result, the Ephesian believers might become godly (“…filled up to all the fullness of • God.”) Thus, in this prayer, Paul defines a “road map” to Christ-likeness: spiritual strength • leading to a friendship relationship with God, leading to comprehension of His love, leading • to experience of His love, leading to godliness. • In light of Paul’s prayer in the previous verses, why do you think that Paul adds that • God is able to do “…far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think…”? Paul • seems to be assuming, as a result of his prayer for the Ephesians, that they would be • asking for something, and thinking about something. His assumption seems to be that the • Ephesians would be praying Paul’s prayer for themselves. He also seems to assume that • even though the Ephesians prayed this prayer for themselves, they had some doubt as • to whether it would really happen in their lives. Paul assures them that God is able and • willing to do “...far more abundantly…” Thus, Paul is assuring them that God will answer • this prayer.

19. Components of Transformation into Christ-Likeness Homework (Ephesians 3:14–21) 14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. • In this prayer, Paul prayed that the Ephesians would living in a dwelling • relationship with Christ. In day-to-day life, how do you think we do this? • In this prayer, Paul prayed that the Ephesians would comprehend and • know by experience Christ’s love. What steps can we take that would • allow this to happen? • In this prayer, Paul made a cause/effect connection between • comprehending/experiencing the love of Christ and becoming godly • Christians. How do you think that comprehending/experiencing the • love of Christ would lead to godliness in a Christian? • If Paul’s prayer expresses the desire of your heart, then put your name • in this prayer and ask the Lord to make this happen in your life. This is • a prayer that God will surely answer (1 Jn. 5:14-15), though He doesn’t • say how or when.