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Transforming Grace
Discussion Guide, Chapter 5b: Holiness: A Gift of God’s Grace
Review:
- Grace and works are mutually exclusive, not only for our salvation, but also for our
daily lives. That is, there is nothing we can do to earn or forfeit God’s favor
toward us, either for our own salvation, or for daily blessings.
- This fact opens up the charge that Christians now no longer have a compelling motive to
obey, and Christian leaders have no real basis to encourage, exhort, and even rebuke other
Christians.
- The compelling motive is not borne out of earning or forfeiting God’s favor. We are
compelled to obey out of our union with Christ and gratitude for love Christ has for us.
- True Christians evidence the fruit of being saved in Christ by having a love for and
obeying God’s holy law, because the sheer holiness of God’s law breaks us down
and drives us to Christ, who perfectly obeyed God.
- Grace and law should never be set against each other, because grace cannot be defined
apart from the requirements of the law. Christians have been set free from the wrath, or
judgement, of the law, and in fact, have been set free to obey God’s law.
- Christ didn’t just save us; He became our holiness (sanctification) before God.
Central Idea: God’s ultimate purpose is that, through the enabling influence
of the Holy Spirit, we will become more like Jesus.
Overview: We will now look closer at this daily holiness issue. Is the pursuit of
holiness an option for us? How much does God hate our daily sin? Why does God want us to
be holy? Does He help us become holy? If so, how much does He help us, and what is the
nature of this Divine help? How do we put forth effort to become holy?
Warm-Up Question: Would anyone like to share an experience in which you became
discouraged because you were trying to rid your life of a particular habitual sin, and you
kept failing? How did this affect your closeness to God?
- What is the difference between justification, regeneration, and sanctification
?
- Justification
is the instantaneous work of God in which the sinner is declared
legally righteous in Christ according to His holy law.
- Regeneration
is the instantaneous work of God in which the sinner, who is dead in
his trespasses, is made alive in Christ, born again, freed from the mastery of sin, and is
given a new disposition to love and obey God. Regeneration is the beginning of
sanctification.
- Eph 2:4-5. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us
alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been
saved.
- John 3:3,6. In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the
kingdom of God unless he is born again …. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the
Spirit gives birth to spirit."
- Sanctification
begins at the moment of justification and regeneration, and ends at
the point of physical death. It is the operation of the Holy Spirit in us whereby our
inner being is progressively changed, freeing us more and more from sinful traits and
developing within us over time the virtues of Christ-like character. Sanctification is the
carrying out of regeneration to its intended end.
- Eph 2:10. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
- Can any of these events be separated from each other
?
- Regeneration from Sanctification
- Is it possible for a baby to not grow? No. (Not a living baby, at least). Just
the simple laws of nature that God created demand that the physical structures of a
baby begin to grow, develop, and mature. It’s inherent to a living baby that growth
occurs.
- In the same way, when we are born again, we will begin to spiritually grow. Anything
less that some form of spiritual growth is evidence of having never been born again.
Spiritual growth is defined by our obedience to God.
- Justification and Regeneration from Sanctification
- Holy, righteous works are a necessary consequence of being declared forgiven and being
born again, because the proof of love is obedience.
- Js 2:17. In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is
dead.
- Based on what we’ve studied so far about grace, what part do you think we have in
each of these three events
?
- In justification and regeneration, our only part is the fact that we are the subjects of
God’s saving activity. Even our faith is a gift given to us by God.
- **Find a verse for this!**
- In sanctification, we cooperate with the work of God in our lives, such that our free
wills fall within the realm of "secondary causes." That is, our free choices to
pursue holiness are actually the outworking of the Holy Spirit within us, but we are still
responsible for our actions. Our sins even fall within the perfect plan of God, while not
making Him the Author of sin.
- SGD #1. Is the pursuit of holiness an option?
- No. It’s God’s will that we be sanctified. 1 Thess 4:3-5. It is God's will
that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you
should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in
passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God
- It is uncharacteristic of God’s children to sin.
- 1 Pet 1:14-16. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when
you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you
do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
- Eph 5:8-9. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as
children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness
and truth)
- SGD #2. How does God view our actions?
- Eph 4:29-31. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what
is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who
listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day
of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along
with every form of malice.
- 1 Tim 2:1-3. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone--2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may
live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases
God our Savior
- 1 Tim 5:4. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of
all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying
their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
- SGD #4.a. Why does God want us to be holy? What is the ultimate goal of our obedience?
- We are predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His son. Rom 8:29. For those
God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many brothers.
- We are being transformed over time toward His likeness. 2 Cor 3:18. And 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.
- We are becoming pure and blameless for God’s glory and praise. Phil 1:9-11. And
this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of
insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless
until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through
Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.
- What difference does this goal make to your daily efforts to obey
?
- When we realize that God doesn’t just "dole out" a bunch of do’s and
don’ts just because "He said so," but that obedience conforms us more and
more to the image of Christ. Then we have direction and motivation to obey.
- Does this mean that we shouldn’t simply obey God when we can’t see the outcome
or benefit
?
- No. God has the right to simply tell us to obey. But He’s already given us the
direction and the results of obedience in His Word. We don’t have to be in the dark
when in comes to seeing where our obedience is leading us.
- There’s an apparent contradiction in what God is telling us in His word. How do we
resolve this in our hearts and minds
?
- Read Eph 1:4, Col 1:22.
- Eph 1:4. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and
blameless in his sight.
- Col 1:22. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to
present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation
- God chose us to be holy and blameless, even while we are still sinning as Christians.
- Read Phil 3:7-16. We should live up to (in practice) what we have already attained (in
status).
- Read 1 Cor 1:30. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become
for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
- Read Heb 10:10,14. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of
the body of Jesus Christ once for all …. 14 because by one sacrifice he has made
perfect forever those who are being made holy.
- We "have been made holy" (Verse 10).
- We "are being made holy" (Verse 14).
- How does God equip us to be holy
?
- Read Titus 2:11-14. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all
men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to
live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for
the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who
gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people
that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
- What teaches us to live holy lives (or be sanctified)
? Verse 11 says that God’s
saving grace teaches us this.
- When does this saving grace teach us holiness
? Verse 13 says that while we are
waiting for the appearance of Jesus (i.e., this life).
- On what (or on whom) should we set our ultimate vision as we become more holy
? Verse
13 says that as we are obeying and becoming more and more holy in practice, we keep before
us the blessed hope of Jesus Christ.
- Why am I able to trust in this grace of Jesus to sanctify me
? Verse 14 says
it’s because Jesus was the one who had the power to redeem you in the first place,
for the purpose of becoming more holy, so that we could be His very own people.
- Read 2 Cor 3:18. And 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.
- What does God use to transform us into His likeness
? The Lord’s glory.
- How do you behold and reflect the glory of the Lord
?
- By embracing the Gospel with our very lives, every day. Quote (Discipline of
Grace, pg 107): "It is the gospel that exhibits God’s highest glory, which he
chiefly designs to display before sinful men, even that glory of God that shineth in the
face of Christ. It is the gospel that sets forth the glory of Christ …."
- What is our responsibility in our holiness
? To continually behold the glory of the
Lord Jesus Christ through the Gospel.
- What is God’s responsibility in our holiness
? To transform us.
- Quote (TG, pg 101): "To live by grace is to live solely by the merit of Jesus
Christ. To live by grace is to base my entire relationship with God, including my
acceptance and standing with Him, on my union with Christ. It is to recognize that in
myself I bring nothing of worth to my relationship with God, because even my righteous
acts are like filthy rags in His sight (Isa 64:6). Even my best works are stained with
mixed motives and imperfect performance. I never truly love God with all my heart,
and I never truly love my neighbor with the degree or consistency with which I love
myself. Yet God requires perfection. Jesus said, ‘Be perfect, therefore, as your
heavenly Father is perfect’ (Mt 5:48). When we take Jesus’ words seriously, we
are force to say with the psalmist, ‘Thy commandment is exceedingly broad" (Ps
119:96). What is the answer to our dilemma? All Christians recognize that we are
justified—that is, declared righteous—solely on the basis of the righteousness
of Christ imputed to us by God through faith (Rom 3:21-25). But few of us fully recognize
that we are also sanctified through faith in Christ."
- Conclusion
- The pursuit of holiness is not an option for Christians, because God hates our sin, even
though it’s already been bought by the blood of Christ.
- God wants us to be holy so that we can be transformed into the image of Christ.
- God helps us become holy through His saving grace, that becomes transforming grace
in our daily lives.
- Our responsibility is to act in the power, desires, and gifts that God has already given
to us by His grace.
- Application
- Read Colossians 3. Discuss and meditate.
-
- The Danger of Perfectionism
- Is perfectionism inherently bad? No, Jesus was a perfectionist. God wants us to be
perfect in all that we do and are.
- When does perfectionism become bad? When my own failure to love and obey God leads me to
an attitude of "giving up" instead of "pressing on." This actually
reveals a works-centered performance mentality because when I give up, I’m actually
giving up on my own ability, not God’s ability, because I know that God is able to do
all things. When we see and partake of the operative grace of God in our lives, we cannot
have an attitude of "giving up" because God’s grace is powerful enough to
overcome all sin, and we are leaning on God’s own power for our strength.
- When we give up on trying to be holy, we are actually despising God’s grace, and
refusing the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
- "Letting God Down."
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