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Transforming Grace
Discussion Guide, Chapter 6c: Called to be Free (What Others Think)
Central Idea: As followers of Christ we are free. Free from the drive to earn
God’s favor by our actions. Free from the oppression of trying to live up to manmade
religious rules and regulations. Free to let the Holy Spirit create in our lives something
beautiful and pleasing to God.
Review From Last Week:
- Differing Opinions
- Truth (Fact)
. There is a body of external, objective truth that exists independently
of what anybody believes. This body of truth includes two spheres of reality.
- God’s general truth (laws of nature)
- God’s specific truth (biblical truth)
- Opinion
. There is a body of internal, subjective assertions that people have
confidence in that are not substantiated by any external truth.
- Call of Unity
. God calls His children to be united in truth, not opinion.
- Disunity
. If you’re going to be divided with somebody on an issue, make sure
it’s based on essential, external, and objective truth. Don’t be divided based
on non-essential, internal, and subjective opinions.
- The Line Drawn
. The line is drawn at the things we are accountable to God for. In
everything else, we are free to have our own opinions, without sacrificing true Christian
unity.
- Sensitivity
. We are to be sensitive about enforcing our opinions in situations that
might cause our brother to stumble.
- We actually sin when our behavior that is based on opinions causes a brother to stumble
spiritually, or stunts his spiritual growth.
- We should be humble with our opinions, and be willing to change them based on better
understandings of biblical truth and sensitivities toward others.
- Benefits
- They remind us what the essential truths are.
- They give us a fresh perspective on the issue.
- They keep us teachable and humble.
- They help us appreciate the diversity in the Body of Christ.
- Applications
- Fellowship
- We can have true Christian unity based on the things that God calls us to be unified on
(His external truth), and celebrate our differences in all other areas.
- When we encourage or exhort each other, we are free to do so based on the essential
truths, not on our opinions.
- Witnessing
- We are careful to recognize that we cannot have true unity with unbelievers, because
they do not believe in the essential truths.
- We will be more ready and willing to focus on the essentials (give them what they need,
not what we want them to have). The Gospel will be clearer when it is shared free from our
opinions.
- Personal Walk
- I can appreciate God’s eternal truth, and understand that His truth doesn’t
depend on me. This makes me want to join God, not for Him to join me.
- These things humble me, and keep me open to other opinions, including my own.
- SG #8.a. Sometimes we fail to enjoy our Christian freedom because we are afraid of
what others think. Can you give an example of a time when you worried about what others
would think when you were doing something you knew God had given you the freedom to do?
- Personal example: Our evening Church service begins at 5:00, but the Calvary Chapel
evening service starts at 6:00. I am attending Calvary for the sake of Patrick, but I
chose not to go to the 5:00 service and then just leave early, because I was concerned
about what other people might think about me if I just got up and left in the middle of
the evening service. So I deprived myself of at least a little while of evening fellowship
and teaching, just because I was concerned about what others would think of me.
- There are two distinctions:
- Positive sense: "If I do this, I might win their approval."
- Negative sense: "If I don’t do this, I might not be accepted by them."
- In either sense, the concerns of man are placed above or before the concerns of God.
- Should we be more concerned about what God thinks than what man thinks
?
- The only thing that matters is who the Lord approves, and it’s not man. 2 Cor
10:18. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the
Lord commends.
- Why
? Because God has a limit to who He accepts before Himself. God only accepts
Jesus Christ (Jn 6:27) and those He has justified because of Christ (Rom 5:1-2a).
- Jn 14:6. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes
to the Father except through me." Why not? Because Jesus is the only One
approved.
- Jn 6:27. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.
- Rom 5:1-2a. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this
grace in which we now stand.
- Read Gal 1:6-10. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called
you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--7 which is really no
gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to
pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a
gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have
already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what
you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of
men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I
would not be a servant of Christ.
- How do you know that Paul was seeking the approval of God, rather than men
?
- Because when the essential truths were being attacked, he chose to stand up in their
defense.
- Because he is still a servant of Christ (based on the contra-positive—see below).
- If we live our lives seeking the approval of the people around us, what does this say
about our service to Christ
?
- If I am a man-pleaser, then I am not a Christ-servant (statement, P --> Q).
- If I am a Christ-servant, then I am not a man-pleaser (contra-positive, ~Q --> ~P).
- Does this mean that we are to never seek the approval of men
?
- No. We should serve men and seek their approval.
- Rom 14:15-19. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no
longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16
Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is
not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by
men. 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual
edification.
- Rom 15:1-3. We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to
please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3
For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those
who insult you have fallen on me."
- Phil 2:3-5. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that
of Christ Jesus
- 1 Cor 10:19-23. Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to
everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.
To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the
law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one
not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as
to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have
become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all
this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
- On the one hand, we should not seek the approval of men. One the other hand, we should.
How do we reconcile these
? We should seek the approval of men, but never before
or more than seeking the approval of God. We should seek to please everybody, but
never at the expense of our first seeking the approval of God.
- Read 1 Thess 2:1-9. You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 We
had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of
our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we
make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On
the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not
trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor
did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for
praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a
burden to you, 7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little
children. 8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the
gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9 Surely you
remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a
burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
- In this passage, how do you know Paul and his friends were seeking the approval of God,
rather than men
?
- They dared to share the Gospel in spite of strong opposition (vs 2).
- They didn’t use flattery and didn’t put on a mask to cover up greed (vs 5).
- They not only shared the Gospel, but their lives as well (vs 8).
- They weren’t a burden to them by causing them to support Paul and his friends (vs
9).
- Do you see in this passage the dual aspect of standing firm with respect to the truth,
but being gentle, humble, and loving with respect to the people? Do you see how Paul and
his friends sought the approval of God first and foremost, but then sought the approval of
man secondarily
?
- How can Christians be so giving and so serving? How can we continue to lay down our own
interests for the interests of other people? How were Paul and his friends able to share
"not only the gospel of God but their lives as well" with the Thessalonians
?
- The key is in our identity. Who do we belong to? Who is our security? Where are we going
when we die?
- Read Jn 13:1-5. It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had
come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in
the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. 2 The evening meal was being
served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from
God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing,
and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began
to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
- How did Jesus show His disciples the full extent of His love
? By washing His
disciple’s feet—by doing that which only the lowliest of slaves did.
- What compelled Jesus to humble Himself in this way? Where was His security
?
- He knew that God had put all things under His power.
- He knew that He had come from God.
- He knew that He was returning to God.
- In short, He knew who He was, and He had security in the Father.
- His identity wasn’t threatened, because He knew that He belonged to the Father.
- Where does this truth leave us
?
- Since we are united with Christ, our identity and security are found in Christ.
- God says, "Go! And I will be with you." Josh 1:9. Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your
God will be with you wherever you go."
- Jn 17:18. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
- Our unity with Christ necessarily leads us to have a servant’s heart, because we
have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Phil 2:1-3. If you have any encouragement
from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the
Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being
like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of
selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
- Rom 8:35-37. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship
or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For
your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
- Conclusion
- We should be more concerned about what God thinks than what man thinks.
- God has approved Jesus and those whom He saves to be granted eternal life.
- We are free from seeking the approval of men. We have every reason to seek the approval
of God, because God has the last word concerning our eternal lives, not men.
- Indicators that we are seeking the approval of God, rather than men:
- We stand up and fight for the things that have eternal significance.
- We don’t flatter people for ulterior motives or in order to advance our own
agendas.
- We not only share the Gospel with people, but we share our lives to people.
- We don’t put ourselves in situations where we unnecessarily burden the people we
are serving.
- We are to model Christ’s example of being a servant to all men, as much as
possible, but our seeking of man’s approval should never go above or before our
seeking of God’s approval.
- A true servant’s heart can only come from those who are united with Christ,
because:
- We know who we are (our identity is found in Christ).
- We know where we are going when we die (our security is found in Christ).
- We are now free to die to ourselves and not let our pride be threatened by the humility
that comes with being a servant.
- Applications
- What are some areas in your life where you let yourself be concerned about what others
think? How can you fix the problem
?
- How do these truths affect your outlook on servanthood
?
- What are some ways you can start serving like Christ served
?
- How can simply understanding who you are in Christ affect every area of your life
?
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