Filled and Fruitful!

The Holy Spirit confronts our sin to reduce its dominance, and He creates positive developments nudging each Believer towards Christ-likeness. While convicting and cleansing are essential activities of the Spirit of Grace, they are incomplete without Him creating the character of the Lord Jesus within us. Spiritual transformation is not only concerned with those wrong patterns of thought and deed we must discard, but also those good traits and qualities that must be imparted to us as children of God.  Creating Christlike character in Believers is the specialty of the Holy Spirit; He is the key to fruit bearing in our lives.

A RENOVATION PROJECT

Spiritual formation is much like renovating a living room in a home.  There are some items that will be removed. Perhaps an old couch, the end tables, some lamps, and old pictures will be removed and discarded. The project may be as extensive as taking out a wall and the existing flooring.  But the work would be grossly incomplete if new flooring and furnishing were not installed. The wall that was removed gives way to an enlarged room and a more open floor plan. The old flooring tiles can be replaced with hardwood flooring. New furniture items and fresh wall paper would finish out the project nicely. In the renovation process there is both removing the old and installing the new. If there is only taking out without a putting in, the room would be uninhabitable and incomplete.  It would not serve its full purpose.  So it is with the renovation work of the Spirit.  He endeavors to remove sinful habits and install saintly habits.  He must root out godless character and install godly character. Anything less would be incomplete. The Spirit must rid believers of inconsistency, low integrity, hatred, anger, and worldliness.  He would love nothing more than to refurnish our soul with righteousness, all goodness, truth, love, joy, peace, virtue, godliness, brotherly kindness and many other graces typical of Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:9; Gal. 5:22-23; 2 Pet. 1:5-8).

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Regarding the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22), we believers must undergo something of an internal renovation. When the Spirit’s endeavor is well under way, it will display the most brilliant creativity in the entire universe. The Spirit of the Lord actually fashions Christlike outgrowth in each of us as we yield to His authority. This is nothing less than an absolutely astonishing reality for us Believers. In this function, the Spirit produces our new character—Christ’s image (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). This is a wondrous undertaking when one considers how glorious the Lord Jesus truly is and how much unlike Him we are! The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 5:22–23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith [faithfulness], ²³ Meekness, temperance [self-control]: against such there is no law.” He portrays this creative labor as “the fruit of the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit fashions within Christians this new distinctive character all the while evidencing supernatural life in us.

Supernatural Fruit

First, it is important to observe that this “fruit” is not produced by us believers ourselves, but by the Holy Spirit growing “fruit” within our souls. Fruitfulness is possible through our vital union with Christ (John 15:1-8). Without Him we, the people of God, can do nothing at all to produce personal holiness (Jn. 15:5). We are called upon to abide in Christ because through the Lord Jesus we can become absolutely everything He requires (Phil. 4:13). All the listed virtues, the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22, 23), describe the life of the truly spiritual child of God as we abide in a fruit bearing relationship to Christ. This fruit can only grow out of supernatural life.

Spirit Filling

Secondly, the way to become fruitful is to be filled with the Spirit of God (Eph. 5:18). It has been recognized (Murray 1984, p.7) that Spirit filling is the yielded believer being continually controlled, dominated, and governed by the Holy Spirit for daily living and service. We are not interested in running our own lives for our own agenda. Spirit filling is commanded, conditional, experiential, repeatable, and God’s will for every believer. Many of us good Christians will never know the fullness of God’s Spirit because we are so caught up in doing many good things and are involved in several worthy causes. We are so busy leading our own lives that there is no room for God to lead us. We have failed to realize that we are often filled with ourselves rather than the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, our actions are the expression of our own will, desires, values, and motives and not God’s plans at all. Consequently, our strength and power is merely human. We desperately need to rediscover the crucified life (Gal. 2:20) and the Spirit’s crucial empowerment.

Being filled with the Spirit is being controlled by the God (Eph. 5:18). God’s positive command is, “Be filled with the Spirit.” The verb “filled” has nothing to do with contents or quantity, as though believers are empty containers needing a required amount of spiritual fuel to keep going. In the Bible, filled means “controlled by.” “They... were filled with wrath” (Luke 4:28) means “they were controlled by wrath” and for that reason tried to kill the Lord Jesus. “The Jews were filled with envy” (Acts 13:45) means that the Jews were controlled by envy and opposed the ministry of Paul and Barnabas. To be “filled with the Spirit” means to be constantly controlled by the Spirit in one’s mind, emotions, and will.

And it should also be noted that the verb “filled” is passive. We Christians do not fill ourselves but we permit the Spirit to control us. Thus as Believers, rather than controlling ourselves, we are controlled by the Holy Spirit. It may be more accurate to say that the Holy Spirit is the “Agent” of the filling (Gal. 5:16) and Christ is the “Content” of this supernatural filling (Eph. 3:16-19). Thus in this relationship, as we are yielded to the Lord and controlled by Him, He increasingly manifests the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), which is the very character of Christ. Yes, this is how believers can evidence this spiritual fruit.

Being filled is to be repeated and continuous. It is not a once-for-all crisis experience in the life of a disciple; ‘filling’ is not an once-in-a-lifetime moment of spiritual exhilaration from which one will never have carnal moments again. Rather it is a continuous appropriation where the Christian regularly prays (Murray 1984, p. 9) “Fill me for this day, this decision, this meeting, this activity, this encounter, or this chore.” Then we depend upon God to control our thoughts, emotions, and actions. God desires for us to ‘keep on being continually filled with the Spirit.’ It may begin as a crisis experience, but it must continue thereafter as a moment-by-moment dependence upon the Spirit for fresh power/grace (MacDonald & Farstad). Today’s filling will not suffice for tomorrow. And certainly it is a spiritual blessing every believer should greatly desire. In fact, it is the ideal condition for us Believer here on earth. It means that the Holy Spirit is having His way fairly unhindered in our experience. As such believers, we are therefore fulfilling our role in the plan of God for that time (MacDonald & Farstad).

Just as wine can control a person, God desires to control the believer’s life by His Spirit. Such believers are not afraid to express themselves to the glory of God. We will experience the beautiful manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

A Singular Fruit

Thirdly, the word “fruit” is singular. This indicates these nine qualities constitute a unit, all of which should be found in us believers as we live under the control of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18).  These qualities will not all be manifested to the same degree or strength, but will still be evident in each believer’s character.  The more we mature in our reliance on the Spirit, the more pervasive Christ’s image will become in our character. As Christians we must consciously depend on the Spirit to produce fruit in and through us.

Christ’s Life

Fourthly, in an ultimate sense this “fruit” is plainly the life of Christ lived out in a submissive Christian. Character influences what we do—behavior. Character can generally be described as the peculiar and distinctive qualities of a person. The original and simple meaning of the word “character” is an engraving—something carved or inscribed in a person’s nature. It is the potential fact about the individual: “the inmost truth of them written upon their personality” according to Practical Bible Illustrations from Yesterday and Today (Steele, Jr. and Stoner, 1998). Thus life is an expression of one’s character.  Remember, the Holy Spirit endeavors to transform us into the image of Christ. Our Lord’s thoughts, desires, motives, ambitions, values, and qualities become a part of each Christian’s inner man greatly exerting influence upon our behavior. 

It has been wisely pointed out that every one of these qualities is foreign to the soil of the human heart. The method whereby Christ is formed in a believer is the handy work of the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 1:21). Max Anders (1995, Chapter 11) observed that the first three of these virtues of the Spirit are habits of mind which find their source in God. The second triad reaches out to others, fortified by love, joy, and peace. The final three graces guide the general conduct of us believers as we are led by the Spirit.

It was Dr. Tim LaHaye (1966, p. 45) who pointed out how this process works itself out in his book Spirit Controlled Temperament. He affords a rather comprehensive overview of a Spirit controlled and fruitful life. LaHaye observed, “Needless to say, any individual manifesting these characteristics is going to be a happy, well-adjusted, mature and a very fruitful human being.” These nine qualities reveal God’s desire for His children.  There is a healthy desire in every one of us believers to please our Lord by living a truly spiritual life.  Again spiritual fruitfulness is not the outcome of human effort (LaHaye 1966, 46), but the supernatural production of the Holy Spirit controlling all facets of our experience.  It would be helpful at this juncture to explore these traits individually as Paul presented them in Galatians chapter five.  Believers’ new disposition in the Spirit is marked by these nine qualities (Gal. 5:22-23). Allow Him to carve out the character of our wonderful Lord Jesus in your life daily.

Effective Disciple-Making Ministry

Effectiveness is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “producing a decided, decisive, or desired effect.”  When we apply effectiveness to discipleship ministry, it involves being capable of producing a desired and decisive effect in the lives of the students—Christ-likeness. While this article is not comprehensive, it does identify the principle considerations for a viable and effective discipleship ministry.

Obviously discipleship training entails far more than simply standing before a class and speaking. Certainly it is more than the teacher reciting to the students all he or she knows on a given subject. Undoubtedly, we all would agree that merely having a “warm body” in a classroom is never pleasing to our Lord. Effective teaching entails a capacity to produce Christlike formation in disciples (Gal. 4:19; Rom 8:29; Rom 13:14). While it is the Word of God and the Holy Spirit who effects change deep within the disciple, God uses His discipleship mentors and teachers to contribute to the process of spiritual transformation also (2 Cor. 3:17-18; Eph. 4:24; Phil. 2:5; Col. 1:27; 3:10).

In addition, effectiveness implies that the teacher possesses biblical authority, spiritual power, and communicative forcefulness to cultivate the desired holy character and spiritual lifestyle in disciples. It takes the right kind of person to reproduce a disciple for Jesus Christ—it takes a genuine disciple! While the mentor is only an investor in the godly progress of their students, each should aspire to wield instructional potency in their service to Jesus Christ. Merely ‘getting by’ or simply holding down a class is inconsistent with teaching to develop disciples. Transforming instruction is objective, deliberate, faithful, and effective. Thus, effective discipleship ministry involves a biblical perspective emphasizing an understanding of what discipleship is and a commitment to mature Believers.

Discipleship is Following Jesus Christ

To begin with we must understand what discipleship is; what is it actually that God expects of us as we seek to disciple converts? What is a disciple’s focus? Along the way we must discard misconceptions and perhaps even quite some fears related to discipleship commitment. All in all discipleship is following Jesus Christ.

First, discipleship is the process of becoming a committed follower of Jesus Christ (Matt. 4:18-22; Mk. 8:34-35; Luke 14:25-33). Notice specifically what Matthew records for our consideration,

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him (Matt. 4:18-22).

Though it may be shocking to note, this is not the conversion experience of these disciples. They were very likely saved under the ministry of John the Baptist just prior to these developments (John 1:35-51; Acts 1:21-26). This is, however, a record of the day these men forsook all to follow the Lord Jesus. They committed themselves to learning from Him, and submitting to His teachings as a way of life. As He was, so they would become. Since He was a fisher of men, they would likewise become fishers of men as they followed Him. Though they had followed Christ for brief periods before, the relationship of these disciples became more concrete at this point. For these four men following the Lord involved leaving their occupations to become our Lord's disciples—this scene is drenched with commitment to following the Lord Jesus. Likewise, still today discipleship involves a definite decision to follow, obey, and adhere to the requirements of Jesus Christ upon one’s conversion. Salvation is a free gift, instantaneous, received by faith, and everlasting. In contrast, discipleship is costly, progressive—a lifelong process, an act of existing faith, and it fluctuates with each day. Therefore, a discipleship ministry must call believers to a lifestyle of commitment and submission to the authority and teachings of Jesus Christ. Any participant should rightly sense they are making a grand decision, but one that is consistent with repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).

Secondly, Discipleship is actually Christian sanctification and spiritual formation; it is the mandate for every believer in Christ Jesus. We are talking about spiritual growth in the Lord (1 Pet. 2:2). Spiritual formation is a process through which the Holy Spirit transforms us into Christ’s likeness or image (Gal. 4:19). According to Dr. Malphurs (Advanced Strategic Planning), Christ-likeness is God’s full objective for all His people through the ministries of New Testament churches (Eph. 4:13; Col. 1:28).

Second Corinthians 3:18 informs us that spiritual change is wrought by the Spirit of God and is progressive in nature. Dr. Hemphill observes, the verb form of “change” is passive voice, which signifies Christians simply yielding, and the life changes are actually accomplished by God. The transformation is essentially done for and to the Believer. This same transformation is prescribed for every child of God and all of Christ’s churches. Every church is to experience this same progressive transformation by the Spirit into the likeness of Jesus Christ (The Antioch Effect). Paul is writing to churches as much as to individuals (2 Cor. 1:1). Beloved, spiritual transformation is prescribed for both. Yes, churches should be changing as the individual members change and grow. I know some are resistant to any significant changes, but genuine spiritual growth will impact the features and quality of a ministry and church (Eph. 4:11-16). None of us know it all, and all of us have quite a ways yet to journey before we arrive at Christ-likeness! So, let us maintain an open mind to the Bible, the Spirit, and our Lord as they lead us into proper growth and befitting changes.

Thirdly, the benefits of discipleship are joy, peace, and happiness resulting from following Jesus Christ (Jn. 15:10-11; Jn. 14:27; Matt. 5:3-12). Though the challenges of genuine disciples are not easy, the Lord does afford His people His blessings as they walk and endeavor with Him. Fellowship with our Lord is a wonderful benefit and should never be taken for granted. Of course such profit is taken together with the hope of being like Him and with Him in Heaven (1 Jn. 3:2; Rom. 8:29). This also anticipates and stresses the importance of obedience to our Lord Jesus (Jn. 14:15; 1 Pet. 2:21). The Lord delights in blessing and encouraging the faith of His committed disciples as they follow Him.

Discipleship Ministry Requires Commitment to Maturing Believers

Not only must we understand what discipleship is, but we must actually commit to maturing believers in the Lord Jesus. This awareness must become energy for establishing and sustaining viable discipleship ministries. Several important considerations must be given careful thought for effective implementation.

The first consideration is Christ’s mission for His churches is expressed in the Great Commission passages. The mission of each New Testament Church was articulated by the Lord Jesus Christ after His resurrection and just before His ascension to Heaven. He communicated the Great Commission in passages like Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8. The intention of these passages is to make and mature disciples as an integral element of the Great Commission.

As any Bible student would anticipate, this involves reaching lost people with the Gospel (evangelizing), and moving them along a continuum towards maturity (edifying). Maturity is just as important as evangelizing. Though the Bible uses different terms there is great stress on the objective of growing believers (Hemphill, 1994) to full development (Eph. 4:13, 15; Phil. 3:12, 15; Heb. 6:1; Gal. 4:19; Col. 1:28; Matt. 5:48; Rom. 6:19, 22). Consider the insight of the Apostle Paul in the following passage:

 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love (Eph. 4:11-16).

What a brilliant portrayal of the maturation of Believers in a local church context. This church was committed to developing and growing Believers. God still requires this today.

Secondly, it is evident in the Bible that healthy churches place a high priority on promoting the growth of people towards Christlikeness. This is the fundamental issue of the discipleship ministry of a church. “Discipleship is the intentional training of converts/disciples, with accountability, on the basis of loving relationships” (Hemphill, 1994).

Dr. Hemphill correctly insists that the church at Antioch did maintain a healthy emphasis on discipleship of believers. In fact Barnabas went to Tarsus to bring Paul back to Antioch to help him disciple and train the many converts the church had (Acts 11:25-26). They spent an entire year ministering diligently in the work of developing and maturing believers in Christ. The end result was the believers were first called Christians in Antioch.

Much can also be learned from the church model of Jerusalem about the importance of a balance ministry. We can glean significant insight into the emphasis, features, and values of the early believers under the influence of the apostles. The account in Acts 2:41-47 indicates that discipleship is not a quick fix but a process of maturing believers in a balance manner. These are the signal features identified by Dr. Hemphill.

·                    They added the converts to the body (v. 41)

·                    They devoted themselves to apostolic teaching v. 42)

·                    They devoted themselves to one another in biblical fellowship (v. 42)

·                    They devoted themselves to worship (v. 42, 47)

·                    They were respected throughout the community (v. 47)

·                    They continued to emphasize outreach (v. 47)

Thus this church in Jerusalem possessed all the basic ingredients necessary to developing a balanced discipleship ministry in today’s churches. Certainly identifying these signature features is a relatively easy exercise, but implementing this in modern churches will requires some wisdom from God and solid planning. In addition, there is no desire to downplay or minimize the influence of the Spirit of grace in these instructive passages. Christ must lead and the Spirit must empower New Testament church ministry. The work is not purely strategic; it is also overtly supernatural.  Again healthy churches make discipleship a priority in their planning, budgeting, training, and services.

Thirdly, we must identify the characteristics of a genuinely mature disciple of our Lord.  What does a fully mature and functional disciple of Jesus Christ look like? Is each pastor an excellent example? Can we take for granted the leadership of most churches is mature in the Lord? This is important to recognize and identify because these mature characteristics will become the goals of our people—disciples. Once these distinguishing qualities are identified, they must be communicated to the church and the disciple in training. This helps them know what to fix their minds and hearts upon as they mature.

So then a survey of the Word of God reveals these features in mature disciples: they worship (Rom. 12:1-2), pray (1 Thess. 5:17), evangelize (Col. 4:3), know and apply Scripture to their lives (2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:11-6:3), serve the church body (Eph. 4:11-13), partake of communion (1 Cor. 11:23-26), display the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), give of their finances (2 Cor. 9:6-15), love others (1 John 4:7), and bear spiritual fruit (John 15:5). These are the primary traits that disciples must be encouraged to focus on. This is not merely a list of dos and don’ts; it is a portrait of genuine maturity in disciples of Jesus Christ. Each ministry leader should measure up and demonstrate these priorities from the heart in devotion to Christ. As they do so, the new converts and younger believers will understand better what to aim for in their own growth journey. The likelihood of arriving at the proper destination depends greatly upon knowing what the destination is at the beginning of the journey! Help your converts grasp what biblical maturity actually is; remove the mystery, misconceptions, and false traditions surrounding maturity in Christ.

A fourth consideration is the mastery of basic life skills for Christian living relative to discipleship. This is difficult to appreciate because much of our discipleship training time is mental, and not performance oriented. But, discipleship that is effective must have a strong emphasis on developing and mastering certain skills. These basic life skills are prayer, Bible study, Scripture memory, worship, stewardship of life, witnessing, and obedience leading to holiness (Hemphill, 1994). Converts must be painstakingly trained, monitored, corrected, coached, and critiqued through a skills development process. Just like acquiring any skill demands practical instructions, participation, practice, feedback, and continuous coaching through the process, the same is true with developing discipleship skills. Prayer, Bible study, evangelism, and stewarding life as skills not merely lessons to be taught. The discipleship mentors must be practical, evaluative, instructive, corrective, and diligent regarding accountability and expectations. Opportunity must be provided for believers to learn these vital Christian life skills under the tutelage of a master of them. Young believers will not learn these things without instruction, example, accountability, and opportunity (Hemphill, 1994). This reality likely account for the fact that 60 percent of all Americans attend church at least once a month, but of those only 12 percent read their Bibles. Dr. Hemphill also calls attention to a national survey conducted by the Church of God which revealed:

·                    25 percent of church members admit they never pray

·                    35 percent never read the Bible

·                    60 percent never give to missions

·                    70 percent never assume responsibilities in the church

·                    85 percent never invite anyone to church

·                    95 percent never win anyone to Christ

Finally, discipleship leaders, teachers, and mentors must be patient regarding their disciples’ development levels and skills. Understanding this will influences expectations and scheduling in discipleship ministries. In fact, the research conclusions from both Stanford University and Princeton University regarding development levels and skills help us understand the need to be patient with developing disciples in discipleship ministry. As a result of these studies repetition must be employed until the new behaviors are ingrained. All of this means the discipleship mentors must exercise real patience with the disciples (2 Tim. 4:2). I think we all would agree the Lord Jesus was exceedingly patient with the twelve apostles!

Dr. Hemphill also observed a positive relationship between instruction and discipline to Christian obedience. Actually instruction and discipline lead to obedience. The motivation to obey comes from God’s love for us and our love in return to Him (1 Jn. 4:18-19; Jn. 14:15; 15:10). Then we obey because we are convinced He has the very best in mind for us (Jeremiah 29:11). Believers, like children, require nurturing and admonishing (Eph. 6:1-4). Instructing growing believers would involve teaching solid and basic, biblical doctrine (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The churches today need to renew their emphasis on teaching sound doctrine. Biblical teachings should not be deemphasized, but reemphasized often as the basis for proper living.

As it is with raising children, discipline is also required for healthy spiritual development. Discipline is an act of love and care that promotes responsible and obedient behavior (Heb. 12:6, 7, 11). Sinful behavior among believers must be confronted in a healthy church in a manner that is loving, instructive, and filled with pastoral care. By following biblical principles for discipline, responding immediately with appropriate disciplinary measures, providing corrective instructions, and modeling genuine compassion, growth will be observed among believers (Hemphill, 1994). 

Is Real Change Possible?

Frustrated with your New Year's resolutions? Tired of trying to make changes only to realize another failure? Yeah...every honest soul understands the struggle you are facing. Perhaps you are wondering if real change is possible. Can't lose the weight and keep it off...everything tastes soooo good. You just never seem to get enough to eat. You intend to start an exercise program soon, but you never seem to get around to it. You can't seem to get beyond taking out work frustrations on your family. The kids are just being kids, but before you know it you are yelling at them again. They have begun to avoid you.... No matter what you do to stop lying you still find yourself exaggerating and shading meanings to give a false impression. You know it is wrong, but.... Road rage is all too real, and every time you decide to stop something else crazy happens in traffic setting you off again.  ...still get too excited at the kids games...you know it is embarrassing, but the Ref keeps making bad calls against your son's team. Many other scenarios could be added, but these will suffice for now. Well, real change is not easy, but it is possible.

Now think for a moment...can a caterpillar change into a butterfly? Likewise, God has an answer for our questions and perplexities surrounding spiritual changes! Through Jesus Christ every believer is stoaked with change potential! That is correct. Without a single exception, believers can experience significant and substantial changes through faith in Christ.

According to the Apostle Paul, change most certainly is possible! Second Corinthians 3:18,  clearly states, “But we all, with open [unveiled] face beholding as in a glass [mirror] the glory of the Lord, are changed [transformed] into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Spiritual change involves a holy obsession with Christ as He is revealed in the Word, and the life-altering power of the Spirit of the Lord within the trusting Believer. It is not so much focused on self, but primarily focused on Christ, the goal of all authentic spiritual formation. We will become like whatever or whomever we focus our concentration and reflection upon. The key to becoming like Jesus Christ is not excessive concentration on self, but on the Lord Jesus Christ. Gaze upon His peerless devotion to the will of God. Study His impeccable character, and meditate upon Christ's holy love for God and humanity. Work out the practical meaning and the many applications of His holy attitudes, aspirations, and actions. Obsession with Jesus Christ will result in becoming more Christ-like. Beloved, this is real change! 

Spiritual changes are supernatural, glorious, progressive—lifelong—transformations realized from the inside out by the Holy Spirit advancing us Believer from one level of the unveiled glory of Christ to the next greater resemblance of Him. This is our journey of transfiguration into that image and stature of Christ (Eph. 4:11-16).  Like the caterpillar’s change into a butterfly begins with an inward metamorphosis that eventually provides external evidence, so it is with our Christlike formation. And what an astronomically glorious change God affects! But how can such a drastic and gracious change transpire?  Well, the power and grace comes from the Holy Spirit of God as we focus on Christ in the Word. So, yes real change is not only possible, but highly probable in genuine Believers. Turn your eyes upon Jesus in the Word! 

The Value of Bible Study

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:17, 18).

Ever wondered why we should read and study the Bible? Have you adopted the myth that closeness to God and Biblical depth are mutually exclusive? Do we unintentionally (subconsciously) believe that God places a premium on spiritual ignorance? Think about this carefully before answering. You see, all of these questions draw serious attention to the great importance of knowing God and His Word. The value of God’s Word to the entire Christian experience can never be overstated or stressed too much. In an age in which more people are rejecting the Bible, let every Believer embrace it with greater passion to know God intimately and deeply.  I firmly believe the Lord Jesus Christ would be pleased with that.

A Noteworthy Observation

It was Robertson McQuilkin who said, “God desires the response of faith and obedience to both the direct teachings and the principles of Scripture.” I was reminded of this crucial function of the Word of God while reading and studying Dr. McQuilkin’s book, Understanding and Applying the Bible as part of an undergrad Bible class several years ago. Yes, God calls His people to certain responses, values, beliefs, and practices through His Word. Ultimately, we are invited to Him for worship, fellowship, submission, and service through His love letter—The Scriptures. For me McQuilkin's statement reinforced something God had taught me years before. Primarily, that there is tremendous value in Bible study and every Christian should develop strong Bible exploration skills. 

Good Bible study habits and methods are crucial to viable Christian development, growth, and service to our Lord Jesus. While it is true anyone can pick up a Bible, share a truth, explain its application to modern life, and urge others to adhere to it, not anyone can do this regularly with accuracy or effectiveness. Sharing biblical truth with others is our Christian responsibility (Matt. 28:18-20) and a God-given privilege, but we should cherish a palpable measure of competence as we do so (2 Tim. 2:15). Certainly, we all make mistakes when handling Scripture, and we all will again, but still we must strive to represent our Lord well. A desirable aim is to express His Word as accurately and lovingly as we can to benefit the listeners on any given occasion (Eph. 4:11-16). As with any worthwhile skill, Bible study strategies must be learned, cultivated, and explored with diligence. In fact my own story regarding studying and sharing the Bible was fraught with many failures. God, in His infinite grace, eventually developed in me the necessary skills enabling me to research, study, and share His Word with a greater measure of accuracy. He desires to do the same for every Believer without a single exception. My own journey is a testimony to this reality.

Personal Testimony

As a new Christian, I recall a cavernous hunger for the grand teachings of the Bible. Being fascinated with biblical messages and thrilled with certain topics, I dreamed of handling Scripture competently also. However, desiring to study Scripture and possessing the ability to do so effectively, are as different as our solar system from a model of it. I was 23 years of age, four years into an Air Force career, and stationed at Plattsburgh, AFB, NY. It was there the Lord Jesus rescued me from my sin and unto Himself. God had saved and forgiven me of a life of sin, and now it was time to grow in this new relationship He had brought me into. Though I had read portions of the Bible for many years as a young person, I still did not possess any significant Bible study skills. I was starving for biblical insight and roundly inept at feeding my famishing soul.

Another distinct memory of my first Christian year was a bona fide passion to communicate the Word to both Christians and non-Christians. However, I was plagued with a few crippling problems. The most obstructive dilemma was my grossly inadequate biblical and theological understanding. For instance, I could tell someone they needed to be saved, but I could not show them adequately from the Bible. So, I witnessed to others from gospel tracks. Additionally, I knew that foul language was wrong, but I was unable to identify even one verse to support my opinion. It did not take long for me to figure out that my mere assertions do not make my statements true. Convinced that church attendance, prayer, and Bible reading were important, I commended them hardily to others; yet, I had little or no clue where God or the Bible required this. I even declared arrogantly, that "I believe the entire Bible from cover to cover!" The problem was I had only read about three-quarters of it at the time! In addition, I misquoted verses, misstated the Lord’s expectations, endorsed tradition over truth, disagreed with more mature Christians, misapplied Scripture repeatedly, and scandalously confused the topic of service with salvation. Frankly speaking, I even taught things that not even God knew. I even thought it was possible to be unsaved again. If you had known me, you would have described me as the poster child for ‘zeal without knowledge.’ God in His grace has forgiven me for these awful blunders; I had good intentions, but was severely wrong in many instances.

As previously mentioned, I was ill equipped in Scripture study methods. Thus, I had next to zero ability to acquire the knowledge I desperately needed for life and service. My study approach was entirely without rhyme or reason and generously peppered with unfounded theological biases. As a study method, I ransacked my Bible to justify my misguided ‘insights’ and ‘conclusions.’ Like a hunting dog with no sense of smell, I was ever searching for that illusive ‘proof text’ while ignoring the biblical context. Needless to say I made more than a few embarrassing mistakes along the way. Yes, I experienced some agonizing frustrations in my pathetic attempts to ‘serve the Lord’ and be a ‘blessing’ to others. However, through the gracious leadership of our patient Lord, personal growth became my first priority. That decision also directly impacted my ability to minister far more effectively to others in a manner pleasing to the Lord.

God's Providential Guidance

Nevertheless, there was one thing I did right in those early years. Realizing my severe ineptitude, I purchased a King James Study Bible to assist my personal growth endeavors. This proved to be a truly helpful move. The introductory book summaries, responsible Bible insights, outlines, and notes helped me to develop a fundamental doctrinal orientation. Praise the Lord, the Bible was making more sense to me! Not only did I read the Scriptures and the study notes, but I began following some of its guidelines regarding Bible study strategies. You see, that study Bible provided several different ways to explore the Scriptures in its introduction section. Taking these useful instructions seriously, I began using some of those study methods with notable benefit.

God in His infinite grace also prompted me to develop a simple worksheet to record what I was learning. By this strategy, I could preserve the insights He was teaching me and revisit them as I needed them or to share them with others. This proved to be especially supportive of my goal of growth in grace and knowledge (2 Pet. 3:18). These early and humble worksheets spurred me to think far more concretely about Scripture and its place in my own experience. Though my path to using sound Bible study methods was filled with blunders, my ever wise Lord Jesus gradually achieved His purpose in me.

Now there were three major positive developments that came out of those early struggles. The first was my experience of some modest spiritual formation as I applied myself to these study techniques. Secondly, a more effective ministry to believers and non-believers eventually emerged as I used what God was teaching me. People were actually coming to Christ as Savior! Younger believers were receiving some of the basic spiritual guidance they needed. Through my conversations, God was actually ministering to others through what He had taught me. I was delighted beyond my ability to express!

The third advancement was significant improvements of Bible study tools for my personal use. Because I had profoundly profited from these methods, I developed different study worksheets to target other areas in the Christian sphere. Some of these focused on acquiring biblical knowledge, while others zeroed in on application and sanctification. I even designed one for identifying Bible principles and applying them to my professional life. Borrowing ideas and concepts from many different sources, I constructed a number of tailor-made study tools for personal use. After refining these tools, I could confidently introduce them to others as Bible study training aids. In fact, this post is an additional expression of my desire to serve others through personal Bible study training.

Inductive Bible Study

Typical of Inductive Bible Study, my plan enables me to observe, interpret, and apply the Scriptures to daily life. As we interact directly with the Word of God, we are afforded additional opportunities to permit the Holy Spirit to teach us His Word. While this plan can be somewhat demanding, I believe it is equally rewarding to those who are serious about knowing God and making Him known to others. God desires for each of us to know Him through the revelation of the Scriptures; historically my plan has served as a catalyst in this regard. The intent is to grow in Christ as we use inductive study strategies, and certainly God will use us to influence many lives for Christ.

Finally, there are several fundamental guidelines that should influence and help us personally discover God’s eternal truth. My goal is to not only encourage you to study God’s Word habitually, but to also adopt Bible study helps and tools  that expedite Christlike formation and transformed living through Bible study. These guidelines for selecting a study strategy are:

1. The motivations for personal Bible study are obedience to God’s commands, spiritual strength for personal transformation, and preparation for Christian service (2 Tim. 2:15; Jn. 5:39; 1 Jn. 2:14). The goal is not to merely become smarter, to argue with others, to become a ‘know it all,’ or to become a prideful Pharisee.

2. The Inductive Bible Study Method uses the Word of God (Old and New Testaments) as the primary source of insight about God and Christian living (Jn. 14:26; 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10, 13). Choose a study plan that concentrates attention on the Bible and makes proper use of observation, interpretation, and application techniques. Avoid, so called study methods that rely more on modern experiences, contemporary testimonies, and the ‘talking points’ from fringe movements. These tend to ignore major portions and teachings of the Bible while opting for trendy ideas and popular philosophies (Col. 2:4-12).

3. The study plan you choose should enable you to annotate your observations, interpretations, applications, and translate the message of the text into obedient living (Acts 8:26-39; Neh. 8:1-12; 1 Tim. 4:16). This is necessary to aid the adoption, application, and appropriation of Scripture truth.  A simple notebook will suffice; a Bible study worksheet is even better. The point here is to be sure to write it down. Capture on paper or in a computer document what God is saying to your heart from the Word. This is extremely important and must not be divorced from the Bible study exercise.

4. The obligation of personal growth recognizes that Bible study is not an intellectual or academic exercise, but part of a life-changing process. Once we know what the passage says and mean, we are responsible to live it (2 Pet. 3:18; James 1:22). God calls us to obedience and responsiveness to His Voice. The Gospel is to be preached, precious souls are to be won to Christ, Christians are to be feed with the Word, and ministry is to be executed to meet the existing needs.

Beloved, this is important because good study methods must be translated into obedience to Christ. Observation, interpretation, and application are the three vital facets of inductive Bible study. Choose a plan that provides a means of documenting, annotating, and capturing the valuable biblical information discovered as you explore the rich veins of the Word. Such a plan will enable us to effectively use Bible study as a catalyst for life transformation—genuine Christian formation and experience. 

A Process of Transformation

Yes, Bible study is far more than a scholastic work out for our brains! Possessing insight deeply rooted in eternal Truth is a wonderful achievement, but it is not the target at which we as disciples are to take aim. In fact the danger of more knowledge is more arrogance and impatience with those who are not as astute (1 Cor. 8:1)! No, the Word of God can save, sanctify, satisfy, strengthen, sturdy, stabilize, and stir us repeatedly in a continuing process of transformation. Since it is a supernatural Book, we require supernatural assistance from its Author, the Spirit of Truth, to help us grasp its message 1 Cor. 2). Since it is written in human language, ordinary reading and study skills can also be applied as we study it. According to Paul, the Scriptures were given to transform our lives and fit us for service to Christ (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Beloved, this is the value of Bible study!  

Paul, the apostle, said, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:17, 18).Yes, the Scriptures stimulate and advance a life changing process that results in greater Christ-likeness (2 Cor. 3:17-18). We must depend on the Spirit of Christ to exercise ourselves in the truths we have learned (Rom. 12:1-2). The wonderful result is a life enriched and changed for the glory of God and the service of our fellow man.

Books you may find helpful if you want to make the commitment to study the Bible regularly on your own are listed below in general order of difficulty, and they represent several strategies. Your best choice would be to look at all of them in a Christian bookstore and try to get a feel for one of them before you try it.

•           How to Study the Bible for Yourself, revised edition, Tim LaHaye

•           Bible Explorer’s Guide, John Phillips

•           Living by the Book, Howard Hendricks

•           How to Study Your Bible, Kay Arthur

•           Understanding and Applying the Bible, Robertson McQuilkin