Tag Archives: Personal Holiness

Roots of the Faith – Spiritual Disciplines (An intro)

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My notes for Wednesday night, Sept 4th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. Our study over the next few months will be “The Roots of the Faith.” This study will focus on key biblical truths that will transform our thinking and allow us to faithfully live out the Christian life. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

We are working through the main topic of Sanctification

Sanctification: A progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and more like Christ in our actual lives[1]

Sanctification—specifically progressive sanctification—is the cooperative work of God and Christians by which ongoing transformation into greater Christlikeness occurs.[2]

Spiritual Disciplines

The book that will guide our study: GET IT AN READ IT!!!!! We have a few available at church.

Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Revised and Updated. (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress; Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2024)

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life – Amazon Link

Bible Intake
Prayer
Worship
Evangelism
Serving Stewardship
Fasting
Silence and Solitude

Spiritual Disciplines – Those practices found in Scripture that promote spiritual growth among believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

  • When the Disciplines are rightly practiced, they take us deeper into the gospel of Jesus and its glories, not away from it as though we’ve moved on to more advanced levels of Christianity.

1Timothy 4:7-10 – 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train (discipline) yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. [3]

γυμνάζω gumnázō; fut. gumnásō, from gumnós (1131), Generally to exercise, train. Thus gumnásion, gymnasium, is a place of exercising. Metaphorically to train in godliness (1 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 5:14; 12:11);[4]

TOWARD GODLINESS (THAT IS THE GOAL)

  • Christlikeness
  • Spiritual maturity
  • Holiness

Hebrews 12:14 – We should PURSUE HOLINESS… will not see the Lord.

The Disciplines are:

  • Personal and interpersonal. Individually and corporately practiced.
  • Doing and being. WE DO… SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE CHRIST TLIKE.
  • Biblically based. (not our own disciplines to follow, but God’s)
  • Sufficient for knowing and growing in our relationship with God.

[1] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 1523.

[2] Gregg R. Allison, 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith: A Guide to Understanding and Teaching Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018), 265.

[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Ti 4:7–10.

[4] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

Roots of the Faith – “Sanctification: Ephesians 4:22-24 – Putting Off and Putting On”

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My notes for Wednesday night, Aug 28th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. Our study over the next few months will be “The Roots of the Faith.” This study will focus on key biblical truths that will transform our thinking and allow us to faithfully live out the Christian life. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

Ephesians 4:22-24

Colossians 1:28–29 – Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (ESV)

1 Peter 2:1–3 – So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (ESV)

PUTTING OFF the Old Man – 4:22

  • Old man / old self = the HABITS of thinking and acting that our corrupt fallen nature.
  • Due to our bad habits of the flesh we tend to live for what we want.
  • Lay aside / put off = to strip off, as in the case of old filthy clothes; it emphasizes personal RESPONSIBILITY for change.
  • Corrupt = spoiled; contaminated; rotten; perverted; evil.
  • Lust – a desire that is so strong it motivates behavior.  The O.T. calls them ‘idols of the heart’ Ezek. 14.  Idol of the heart is often so close that we can’t see it. (hand right in front of face keeps you from focusing)
  • These lusts are DECEITFUL because they promise what they cannot deliver, for instance peace and joy. Heb. 3:12-13 “Beware…lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin”

PUTTING ON the New Man -4:24

  • Put On = as in the case of clean clothes; to adopt new ways of thinking and acting; emphasizes again personal responsibility for change.
  • New man / new self = the habits of thinking and acting that emulate Christ.
  • Righteousness, holiness, truth = Jesus Christ; the Word of God
  • Adopt a lifestyle that is truth-oriented… the Word.

RENEW YOUR THINKING – 4:23

  • The major battleground for lasting change is between the ears!
  • ‘Mind’ in the Bible is synonymous with HEART and is to be viewed as the center of thought, understanding, belief, motives, actions.
  • RENEWED = to be rejuvenated; to be renovated – Always means DRASTIC change, and the flesh resists drastic change.  Typically, we resist renovation but are wide open to remodeling (i.e. difference between renovating or remodeling a kitchen)
  • Remodel – is the old man made to look better.  The Christian life has no place for remodeling.
  • Renovation – all the old out – then all new in place
  • SPIRIT OF THE MIND – attitude, overall flavor, that which gives the mind both its bent and its material of thought.
  • Renewed thinking will lead to putting off the old man and putting on the new man. You cannot simply BREAK a habit; you must REPLACE it.

2 Corinthians 5:9 – Our goal is to have thinking patterns changed so drastically that we automatically, unconsciously, skillfully and comfortably act like Jesus in every situation in life.

Key resources for the “Roots of the Faith” study

50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith – Gregg R. Allision

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine – Wayne Grudem

Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth – John MacArthur & Richard Mayhue