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From Childbirth to Christlike

July 4, 2010
Dr. Gary Gonzales
Series: Summer Hits

From Childbirth to Christlike

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you – Galatians 4:19, NIV

Myth #1 – My faith will grow automatically

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 – Philippians 2:12-13, NIV

**Myth #2 – *The church is responsible for my spiritual growth***

Myth #3 – Spiritual formation is either a “head” trip or a “heart” trip

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength – Mark 12:30, NIV

1. THE NEW BIRTH

Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again – John 3:3, NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life – John 5:24, NIV

2. GROWING IN CHRIST

Worldly (carnal) Christians –

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly – 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, NIV

Spiritual (mature) Christians

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building – 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, NIV

3. MATURITY IN CHRIST

“ … so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” – Ephesians 4:12b-15, NIV

By Modeling

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. - 1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV

By Teaching

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. Colossians 1:28, NIV

By Obeying

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. John 14:21, NIV