This document discusses how Christians can grow spiritually to become more like Christ. It emphasizes that spiritual growth requires intentional effort rather than happening automatically. Becoming like Christ involves making Christ-like choices and depending on the Holy Spirit. The document also stresses that life change requires thought change - stopping immature, self-centered thinking and starting to think about others in a mature way, as Christ did. Christians must work at their salvation but God also works in them to bring it about.

1. You Were Created
To Become Like
Christ
Purpose 3
Sections 22-28 (pages 169-223)
Sunday 24 October 2010

2. How We Grow
Section 23 page 179 - 184
Sunday 24 October 2010

3. “God wants us to grow
up...like Christ in
everything”
Eph 4:15
“We are not meant to
remain as children”
Eph 4:14 (Ph)
Sunday 24 October 2010

4. God
wants
you to
grow up
Sunday 24 October 2010

5. Many Christians grow older but
never grow up.
Spiritual growth is not automatic -
you must be intentional, wanting,
deciding, making an effort.
Discipleship - the process of
becoming like Christ - always
begins with a decision.
Note that the first disciples did
not understand all that was
involved - but they took a
decision, a commitment.
Sunday 24 October 2010

6. Every choice has eternal
consequences - so
choose wisely;
2 Peter 3:11
Since everything will be
destroyed in this way,
what kind of people
ought you to be?You
ought to live holy and
godly lives
Sunday 24 October 2010

7. God’s part and your part
Christlikeness is the result
of making Christlike
choices and depending
upon the Spirit to help
you fulfill those choices.
You let go of old ways,
intentionally develop new
ones, and be certain the
Holy Spirit will help you in
this.
Sunday 24 October 2010

8. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always
obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much
more in my absence—continue to work out your
salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God
who works in you to will and to act according to
his good purpose.
Php 2:12-13
Sunday 24 October 2010

9. The work out part is your responsibility - the
work in is God’s role, God works with us, not
just in us.
Note this is not about salvation but about
Christian living: God has given you a new life now
you have to work at it, just like working out to get
fit, or working out a problem, or working the land
to get a harvest.
Fear and trembling means it is a serious business.
Sunday 24 October 2010

10. Changing your autopilot
Life change requires thought change. Actions are
the result of thoughts
Many people try to change their life through sheer
determination, and often it works for a while -
trying in their own strength to overpower
something that has mastered them - Warren
likens this to trying to change the course of a
speedboat set to go east but you change it’s
course by strength and make it go west.
Sunday 24 October 2010

11. The alternative is to deal
with the root of the problem
- change your autopilot.
Rom 12:2
Change always starts in your
mind, with the way you think
- so this change has to be the
first in spiritual growth.
The way you think
determines how you feel,
and this then affects the way
you act.
Sunday 24 October 2010

12. Eph 4:23 NLT
...to be made new in the
attitude of your minds;
In the NT this is described as
repentance - the Greek
word literally meaning ‘to
change your mind’
When you take on Christ’s
view of things repentance has
taken place - thinking about
God, yourself, sin, people, the
future, life...anything.
Sunday 24 October 2010

13. Php 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is
yours in Christ Jesus...
...a process which has two parts;
1. Stop thinking immature thoughts - these are self
centred and self seeking - 1 Cor 14:20 - babies are
selfish, not giving they only receive -
Rom 8:5 Those who live according to the sinful
nature have their minds set on what that nature
desires; but those who live in accordance with the
Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Sunday 24 October 2010

14. 2. Start thinking maturely - this
focuses on others not yourself
- 1 Cor 13:11
Remember Biblical knowledge
is helpful in maturing us - but it
is not the only way to measure
maturity, and in fact such
measurement can be
misleading.
Our beliefs and creeds must be
matched, shown by, Christlike
behaviour.
Sunday 24 October 2010

15. Rom 15:2-3 Each of us should please his neighbor
for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not
please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those
who insult you have fallen on me."
Thinking of others is the heart of Christlikeness
and the best evidence of spiritual growth. Such a
way of thinking is rare, counter-cultural and
difficult - but God has given us his Sprit to help us
live it out:
1 Cor 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the
world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may
understand what God has freely given us.
Sunday 24 October 2010

16. Point to Ponder:
God wants you to grow up
Sunday 24 October 2010

17. Verse to remember:
Rom 12:2
Sunday 24 October 2010

18. Question to consider:
What is the one area where I
need to stop thinking my way and
start thinking God’s way?
Sunday 24 October 2010