Maturing In Christ

Decaf Christians?

Glenn on Discipleship

FROM MY NOTES- MICHIGAN COLLEGE RETREAT, DEC. 2003 -glenn kaiser-

Ever wonder why there are so many DEcaf Christians?

God's love & grace are to be accepted in faith, walked out in our own life, and demonstrated & shared with those we come in contact with.

God the Holy Spirit is ALWAYS moving about in the Church and in the world of sinners and sin working the following:

A. HE is ALWAYS working REDEMPTION & CONVICTION,

SANCTIFICATION- IMPUTED & PROGRESSIVE HOLINESS "Imputed" means given as a gift at the moment of our conversion to saving faith in Jesus. "Progressive" in the sense that while God considers us totally holy due to Jesus' sacrifice, we must walk in practical holiness each moment. It is the continuing maturity and growth in the character of Jesus (i.e., fruit of the Holy Spirit- Galatians chapter five) that identifies spiritual growth in Christ and continuing sanctification HE CONSTANTLY CALLS US TO TWO THINGS:

B. (1)PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY (MAKING BIBLICAL RATHER THAN MERELY "PERSONAL" CHOICES) -AND- (2)FREEDOM (WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS THERE IS LIBERTY- CREATIVITY & REDEMPTIVE IMAGINATION), BOTH PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND FREEDOM ARE IN TOTAL ACCORD WITH HIS OWN WORD-THE WORD OF GOD-AND BOTH ARECOME TO US AS WE LIVE IN JESUS AS SAVIOR AS WELL AS UNDER THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST.

REMEMBER JESUS SAID THE SPIRIT WHEN HE CAME, WOULD BRING TO OUR REMEMBERANCE -EVERYTHING- JESUS HAD TAUGHT US... AND HE CONVICTS OF SIN, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUDGMENT. REMEMBER THAT THE WORD OF GOD- THE BIBLE- WAS BREATHED-WRITTEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT MOVING THROUGH THE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS.

IF WE WERE TO ASK "WHY" OR "HOW" OR FROM WHAT MOTIVE OR BASIS THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES ALL THIS (A & B)- IT IS ALL FROM GOD'S OWN HEART OF:

C. LOVE FOR US AND OTHERS, MERCY & GRACE BECAUSE OF GOD'S LOVE & GRACE, THERE ARE BOUNDARIES AS WELL AS FREEDOM TO SERVE IN RELATIONSHIPS- THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF EPHESIANS 4 AND IN REALITY, THE ENTIRE BIBLE WHICH IN ESSENCE SPEAKS TO ATTITUDES AND RELATIONSHIPS FROM COVER TO COVER.

Posted 01/08/04