The goal of the Christian life is not to become a "better you" but to become a more Christlike "you". This message examines the foundations of spiritual growth into Christlikeness.

1. THE GOAL IS TRANSFORMATION
Exploring Spiritual Growth Together

2. Sow a Thought… Reap an Action
Sow an Action…
Sow a Habit…
Sow a Character…
Reap a Habit
Reap a Character
Reap a Destiny

3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not
war according to the flesh. For the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in
God for pulling down strongholds…
1 CORINTHIANS
10:3-4

4. STRONGHOLD?
What is a

5. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not
war according to the flesh. For the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in
God for pulling down strongholds…
1 CORINTHIANS
10:3-4

6. casting down arguments and every high
thing that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God, bringing every thought
into captivity to the obedience of Christ
1 CORINTHIANS
10:5

7. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God…
ROMANS
12:1

9. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to
God, which is your reasonable service.
ROMANS
12:1

10. And do not be conformed to this world, but
be transformed by the…
ROMANS
12:2

11. TRANSFORMED?
What about us must be

14. And do not be conformed to this world, but
be transformed by the…
ROMANS
12:2

15. And do not be conformed to this world, but
be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God.
ROMANS
12:1

16. bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ
1 CORINTHIANS
10:5
be transformed by the renewing of your
mind ROMANS
12:1

17. Sow a Thought… Reap an Action
Sow a Action…
Sow a Habit…
Sow a Character…
Reap a Habit
Reap a Character
Reap a Destiny

18. THINKING
begins with transformed
TRANSFORMED LIFE
A
LIVINGSOUL
turns into transformedresults in a transformed

19. OUR GOAL FOR TODAY
To explore the topic of spiritual growth
in order that we may: 1) understand
and 2) enter in to our life with God so
that we may become more like Him.

20. CHRISTLIKENESS
The goal of all spiritual growth is

21. OUR GOAL FOR TODAY
To explore the topic of spiritual growth
in order that we may: 1) understand
and 2) enter in to our life with God in
order to become more like Him.

22. OUR GOAL FOR TODAY
To explore the specific areas and ways
that we are to become more like Jesus.

23. LUKE 10:25-37
Open your Bible to:

24. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
To understand why Jesus responds
this way to this man.
To see what it teaches us about
spiritual growth

25. LUKE 10:25-37

26. WHY JESUS RESPONDS THIS WAY:
This man’s heart heart was full of hate
and prejudice toward Samaritans.
Jesus wants to transform his heart by
first changing his mind.

27. GETS TRANSFORMED
means that every part of you
CHRISTLIKE
To become

29. OUR HUMAN COMPONENTS
1. Heart
2. Mind
4. Feelings
3. Body
5. Social Context
6. Soul
thoughts, images, concepts, judgments
sensations or emotions
spirit, will, choices, decisions
action, interaction with the world
relations to others
integrates all above into one life

31. US + DOUBLE DOUBLE
1. Heart
2. Mind
4. Feelings
3. Body
5. Social Context
6. Soul
thoughts, images, concepts, judgments
sensations or emotions
spirit, will, choices, decisions
action, interaction with the world
relations to others
integrates all above into one life
I just made your lunch plans
please don’t leave early
love and commitment
no collecting orders now

33. BECOMING CHRISTLIKE
images, concepts, judgments
sensation and emotion
action, interaction with the world
relations to others
integrates all above into one life
we share Jesus’ view of the world
we love and hate what He does
relationships reflect worldview
our actions and activities are like His
all of who we are is shaped by Him
1. Heart
2. Mind
4. Feelings
3. Body
spirit, will, choices, decisions
5. Social Context
6. Soul
our decisions and choices reflect His

34. “ ‘You shall love the LORD YOUR GOD
WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR
SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This
is the first and great commandment.
MATTHEW
22:37-38

35. And the second is like it: “You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.’ On
these two commandments hang all the
Law and the Prophets.”
MATTHEW
22:39-40

36. LOVING THE LORD WITH:
1. Heart
2. Mind
4. Feelings
3. Body
5. Social Context
6. Soul
thoughts, images, concepts, judgments
sensations or emotions
spirit, will, choices, decisions
action, interaction with the world
relations to others
integrates all above into one life

37. CHRISTLIKENESS IS:
we share Jesus’ view of the world
we love and hate what He does
relationships reflect worldview
our decisions reflect His
our actions and activities are like His
all of who we are is shaped by Him
1. Heart
2. Mind
4. Feelings
3. Body
5. Social Context
6. Soul

38. THAT WE GROW
These are the areas

39. HOW WE GROW
But we haven’t talked about
in those areas.

40. EPHESIANS 2:1-3

41. INDESPENSIBLE
Ephesians provides the
foundation that makes
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
possible

42. EPHESIANS 2:1-3

43. heart
(will / spirit)
mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment

44. heart
(will / spirit)
mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment
“dead in trespasses and sins”
“walked according to the
course of this world”

45. heart
(will / spirit)
mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment
“the Spirit who now works in
the sons of disobedience”
“we all once conducted
ourselves in the lusts of the
flesh”

46. heart
(will / spirit)
mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment
“fulfilling the desires of the
flesh and were by nature
children of wrath”
“just as the others”

47. heart
(will / spirit)
mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment
Every part of who we
are is by nature in
rebellion against God.
SUMMARY:

48. BUT GOD…

49. EPHESIANS 2:4-10

50. heart
(will / spirit)
mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment
“But God,
who is rich in mercy
because of His great love
with which He loved us
even when we were dead
in trespasses…

51. heart
(will / spirit)
mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment
made us
alive together
with Christ

52. heart
(will / spirit)
mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment

53. heart
(will / spirit)
mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment

54. mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment
heart
(will / spirit)

55. mind
body
feelings
social
soulenvironment
heart
(will / spirit)

56. and He raised us up together, and made us
sit together in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus, that in the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His grace in
His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
EPHESIANS
2:6-7

57. REPEATED TWICE
What is the only phrase that is
in these verses?

58. and He raised us up together, and made us
sit together in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus, that in the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His grace in
His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
EPHESIANS
2:6-7

59. and He raised us up together, and made us
sit together in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus, that in the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His grace in
His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
EPHESIANS
2:6-7

60. SPIRITUAL GROWTH
The foundation of your

61. WHAT YOU DO
is not primarily about

62. PLACE YOURSELF
but instead, about where you

63. and He raised us up together, and made us
sit together in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus, that in the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His grace in
His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
EPHESIANS
2:6-7

64. SPIRITUAL GROWTH
The foundation for all
IN CHRIST JESUS
is by being

65. being justified freely by His grace
through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus
ROMANS
3:24

66. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to
be dead indeed to sin, but alive to
God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS
6:11

67. For the wages of sin is death, but the
gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS
6:23

68. There is therefore now no
condemnation to those who are
in Christ Jesus, who do not walk
according to the flesh, but according
to the Spirit.
ROMANS
8:1

69. nor height nor depth, nor any other
created thing, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS
8:39

70. so we, being many, are one body
in Christ, and individually members of
one another.
ROMANS
12:5

71. For as in Adam all die, even so
in Christ all shall be made alive.
1 CORINTHIANS
15:22

72. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creation; old things have passed
away; behold, all things have become
new.
2 CORINTHIANS
5:17

73. and He raised us up together, and made us
sit together in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus, that in the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His grace in
His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
EPHESIANS
2:6-7

74. alive to God
IN CHRIST JESUS
justification
redemption
no condemnation

75. eternal life (the gift of God)
nothing separating God’s love
many members, but one body
all shall all be made alive

76. you are a new creation
the new has come
made to sit together with Christ
the old has gone
receive God’s grace and kindness

77. IN CHRIST JESUS
is all found

78. ARE YOU?

79. OUR GOAL FOR TODAY
To explore the topic of spiritual growth
in order that we may: 1) understand
and 2) enter in to our life with God so
that we may become more like Him.

80. SUMMARY
Spiritual growth is about
transforming our specific
components (heart, mind, etc.)

81. SUMMARY
Transformation of our souls always
begins by first transforming the way
we think.

82. SUMMARY
The first step of spiritual growth is
not about trying harder, but by
placing yourself in Christ by faith.

83. NEXT TIME
Once we are in Christ, how do deal
with spiritual obstacles as we
continue to grow into greater
Christlikeness?

84. GOD BLESS YOU!