Him, the more we will know and love Him.
What is God’s work in this cycle also known as?
Grace: He grants the grace of conviction, the grace of cleansing, the grace of conformity, and the grace of communicated truth (illumination) (Phil 2:13).
How is this grace received and abiding maintained?
Grace is always received through faith (Eph 2:8) – the faith of contemplating Him and celebrating Him in and of confessing and consecrating.
What is faith composed of?
Faith is composed of a simultaneous humble submission to God’s supreme authority, a brokenness over our sin, and drawing near to God for all He is.
James 4:6–10
How is our faith to be humbly submitted?
Faith forsakes beholding and glorifying self for a life wholly given to God’s glory, and yields to loving God’s loves supremely.
Ps 115:1; 2 Cor 5:14–15; Rom 11:36; Eccl 12:13; 2 Cor 5:9
How is our faith to be broken in spirit?
Faith confesses the ugliness of sin – hating what God hates – and counts itself dead to sin and alive to Christ’s righteousness.
Rom 6:3–14
How is our faith an act of drawing near to God?
Faith seeks God’s beauty as its chief desire, wholeheartedly, intentionally, persistently and teachably.
Ps 27:4, 63:1–2; Ex 33:18–19; Jer 29:13; Prov 2:1–6; Lk 11:5–13; Ps 50:21; Job 42:5
Progress assessment and planning for change
Look again at the diagram representing the process of the Christian life. Underline which actions are ours, and which are God’s.
If we believe by faith our position in Christ, and maintain this process, we will draw closer to the priority of the Christian life – knowing and loving God. But to do so, we need one thing: we must know and practice the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life. Our next section examines these practices of the Christian life.
Which of the areas of the process of the Christian life that you are responsible for do you need the most work in?
Consider what you are going to change, when you are going to do it, and how you are going to do it.
Share your plan with one other person.
Scripture memorisation
Go through John 15:14 together. Clarify the meaning and its application. Make every effort to memorise it together before leaving the session.
Helpful resources
- The Practice of the Presence of God – Brother Lawrence
- Changed Into His Image – Jim Berg
- The Pursuit of Holiness – Jerry Bridges