Complete Surrender: The Essence of True Transformation
Summary
In our journey of faith, we must recognize the profound transformation that occurs when we truly encounter Christ. This transformation is not merely about dramatic experiences or emotional upheavals, but about a deep, internal change that involves our entire being—our mind, emotions, and will. As Christians, we are called to be astonished by the work of God in our lives, to tremble at the realization of our own sinfulness, and to submit our will to God's divine purpose.
The Apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus serves as a powerful illustration of this transformation. Before his encounter with Christ, Paul was driven by his own will, actively opposing the teachings of Jesus. However, upon meeting Christ, he was compelled to ask, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" This question signifies a complete surrender of his will, marking the true essence of conversion. It is not enough to intellectually assent to Christian truths or to have emotional experiences; our will must be fully engaged and surrendered to God.
The Christian life is characterized by obedience to God, a theme consistently emphasized throughout Scripture. True faith involves the obedience of the will, where we align our desires and actions with God's commands. Sin, at its core, is disobedience to God, and reconciliation with Him requires a change in our attitude towards His authority. We must cease to argue against the gospel and instead embrace it wholeheartedly, recognizing that our salvation is not based on our own merits but on the grace of God through Christ.
This surrender of the will is not a one-time event but a continual process of yielding to God's will in every aspect of our lives. It involves a willingness to listen, to stop defending our own positions, and to embrace the truth of the gospel. As we do so, we find true freedom and fulfillment in living according to God's purpose, glorifying Him with our whole being.
Key Takeaways:
- True Christian transformation involves the entire personality—mind, emotions, and will. It is not enough to have intellectual or emotional experiences; our will must be fully surrendered to God. [12:54]
- The essence of sin is disobedience to God. To be reconciled with God, we must move from enmity to obedience, aligning our will with His divine purpose. [23:43]
- Conversion is marked by a radical change in our attitude towards God, exemplified by the Apostle Paul's question, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" This signifies a complete surrender of the will. [17:04]
- The Christian life is characterized by the obedience of faith, where belief is accompanied by the surrender of the will. Without this obedience, our faith lacks true value. [18:56]
- To truly repent and accept Christ, we must acknowledge our self-centeredness and yield ourselves entirely to God, recognizing that salvation involves both forgiveness and submission to His lordship. [29:20]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[08:50] - The Necessity of Change
[09:08] - Astonishment and Self-Reflection
[09:36] - Trembling Before God
[10:22] - Engaging the Will
[11:09] - The Whole Personality in Faith
[12:04] - Obedience from the Heart
[13:10] - Loving God with All
[14:18] - The Profound Change in Paul
[15:08] - Conversion as Radical Change
[16:15] - Surrendering to Christ
[17:38] - Obedience and Faith
[19:12] - The Essential Surrender
[20:32] - Sin as Disobedience
[23:43] - Reconciliation and Obedience
[25:15] - Changing Attitudes Toward God
[29:54] - Ceasing Hostility and Embracing the Gospel
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Acts 9:1-6 - The Conversion of Saul
2. Romans 6:17 - Obedience from the Heart
3. Matthew 22:37 - The Greatest Commandment
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Observation Questions:
1. In Acts 9:1-6, what was Saul's initial reaction when he encountered Christ on the road to Damascus? How did this encounter change his perspective? [15:08]
2. According to Romans 6:17, what does it mean to "obey from the heart"? How does this relate to the transformation discussed in the sermon? [12:04]
3. How does Matthew 22:37 emphasize the involvement of the entire personality in loving God? What are the components mentioned, and why are they significant? [13:23]
4. What does the sermon suggest is the essence of sin, and how does this understanding affect our relationship with God? [23:21]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Saul's question, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" illustrate a complete surrender of the will? What does this signify about his conversion? [17:04]
2. The sermon emphasizes that true Christian transformation involves the mind, emotions, and will. How does this comprehensive change differ from merely intellectual or emotional experiences? [12:54]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that obedience is a crucial aspect of faith? How does this align with the biblical passages discussed? [18:56]
4. How does the understanding of sin as disobedience to God challenge common perceptions of sin? What implications does this have for how we live our lives? [23:21]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt astonished by God's work in your life. How did this experience affect your faith journey? [09:08]
2. The sermon discusses the importance of surrendering our will to God. What is one area of your life where you struggle to submit to God's will, and how can you work towards surrendering it? [17:04]
3. Consider the concept of obedience from the heart. How can you cultivate a more obedient heart in your daily walk with God? [12:04]
4. The sermon highlights the need to cease arguing against the gospel. Are there any aspects of your faith where you find yourself resistant or argumentative? How can you address these areas? [30:32]
5. How can you actively engage your mind, emotions, and will in your relationship with God this week? Identify one specific action you can take to involve all three aspects. [12:54]
6. Reflect on the greatest commandment to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. What practical steps can you take to deepen your love for God in each of these areas? [13:23]
7. The sermon suggests that true repentance involves acknowledging our self-centeredness. What is one way you can practice humility and selflessness in your interactions with others this week? [29:20]
Devotional
Day 1: Transformation Involves the Whole Being
True Christian transformation is a profound change that encompasses the mind, emotions, and will. It is not merely about intellectual agreement with Christian doctrines or emotional experiences during worship. Instead, it requires a complete surrender of one's will to God. This transformation is a deep, internal change that affects every aspect of a person's life. When we encounter Christ, we are called to submit our entire being to His divine purpose, allowing Him to shape our thoughts, feelings, and decisions. This holistic transformation is the essence of true conversion, where our will aligns with God's will, leading to a life of obedience and faith. [12:54]
Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV): "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
Reflection: What specific area of your life—mind, emotions, or will—do you need to surrender more fully to God today?
Day 2: Sin as Disobedience to God
Sin is fundamentally an act of disobedience against God. It is a rebellion against His authority and a refusal to align our will with His divine purpose. To be reconciled with God, we must move from a state of enmity to one of obedience. This involves a radical change in our attitude towards God, where we cease to argue against the gospel and instead embrace it wholeheartedly. Reconciliation with God requires us to acknowledge our sinfulness and submit to His authority, recognizing that our salvation is not based on our own merits but on the grace of God through Christ. [23:43]
1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV): "And Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.'"
Reflection: In what ways have you been resisting God's authority in your life, and how can you begin to embrace obedience today?
Day 3: Conversion as Surrender of the Will
The conversion experience is marked by a radical change in our attitude towards God, exemplified by the Apostle Paul's question, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" This question signifies a complete surrender of the will, which is the true essence of conversion. It is not enough to intellectually assent to Christian truths or to have emotional experiences; our will must be fully engaged and surrendered to God. This surrender is a continual process of yielding to God's will in every aspect of our lives, leading to true freedom and fulfillment in living according to His purpose. [17:04]
Acts 9:6 (ESV): "But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 4: Obedience as the Essence of Faith
The Christian life is characterized by the obedience of faith, where belief is accompanied by the surrender of the will. Without this obedience, our faith lacks true value. True faith involves aligning our desires and actions with God's commands, recognizing that sin is disobedience to God. As we embrace the truth of the gospel and submit to God's authority, we find true freedom and fulfillment in living according to His purpose. This obedience is not a one-time event but a continual process of yielding to God's will in every aspect of our lives. [18:56]
James 2:17 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Reflection: How can you actively demonstrate your faith through acts of obedience today?
Day 5: Repentance and Submission to God's Lordship
To truly repent and accept Christ, we must acknowledge our self-centeredness and yield ourselves entirely to God. This involves recognizing that salvation is not just about forgiveness but also about submission to His lordship. True repentance requires a change in our attitude towards God, where we cease to argue against the gospel and instead embrace it wholeheartedly. As we submit to God's authority, we find true freedom and fulfillment in living according to His purpose, glorifying Him with our whole being. [29:20]
2 Corinthians 5:15 (ESV): "And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."
Reflection: What is one specific way you can submit to God's lordship in your life today, acknowledging His authority over your decisions and actions?
Quotes
I suggested that no man has a right to regard himself as a Christian unless he knows what it is to be astonished at himself unless you've become a bit of a problem to yourself you're not a Christian unless there is an element in your life that eludes your understanding and your own explanation you're not a Christian because a Christian is one who is born again and has received the Divine Life and the divine nature. [00:09:04]
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, this Christian way of Salvation is so great and so wonderful that it takes in the entire personality and it takes in the entire personality at the same time and it is because so many fail to realize this that they go astray there are some people who think that an intellectual Ascent to truth makes them Christian it isn't enough alone. [00:11:00]
A Christian is a one is one who was put into to practice willingly and with the whole of his heart the thing that he has believed and accepted with his mind the whole men is involved the entire personality is engaged now my contention is that we are not Christian we have no right to regard ourselves as Christians unless these three elements in our personality are actively involved and engaged. [00:12:33]
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all th thy soul and all thy mind and all thy strength that is the first and the greatest commandment and you notice how he puts it the whole personality is involved not one part Not Another Not merely the mind not merely the heart not only the strength all of them together and at the same time the entire personality. [00:13:26]
Conversion is the profoundest change that a man can ever undergo and there is nothing which shows the profundity of that which happened to this man as this very question that he puts Lord what Willl thou have me to do why do I I say that well for this reason if you turn to the 26th chapter of This Book of Acts. [00:15:11]
The surrender of the will is absolutely essential as a proof of the fact that we are truly Christian my whole case rests on that proposition and I will demonstrate it to you from the Bible in this way the Bible teaches that God made men for himself and that as the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession puts it that God made us for himself. [00:19:12]
Sin is essentially disobedient oh yes Milton was absolutely right when he started that great epic Paradise L with these words of Man's first Disobedience and the fruit of the Forbidden tree that is absolutely biblical it's a spiritual Insight that's the whole cause of the tragedy of life in this world this evening that's the explanation of wars and all forms of Mis sorry Man's first Disobedience. [00:21:26]
The natural man is a man who's at enmity against God he's not subject to the law of God he resists the law of God he pits his will against God's will that's the essence of sin or again it puts it in this form that the natural men the unregenerate person the non-Christian is one who is an enemy and an alen in his mind by Wicked works. [00:22:42]
To be reconciled to God must mean that far from being at enmity against God and not subject to his law we begin to love him and we surrender ourselves to him and we desire nothing Beyond being obedient to his holy law doesn't it follow of necessity if the thing that separates us from God is lawlessness and Disobedience and refusal to obey. [00:23:39]
There is no meaning whatsoever in saying that we have come to a realization of our guilt and our sinfulness and that we realize our need of forgiveness and that we repent without seeing at the same time that the most important thing of all is that we should surrender our Wills I I know of no more unscriptural not to say illogical teaching than that which is so often said. [00:25:28]
Repentance means this not so much that I to God and say that I'm sorry that I did this and that and the other but that I go to God and I say that I am sorry and bemoan the fact that instead of living entirely to his glory and keeping his holy law I chose my own way I asserted my own will I did what I wanted to do and forgot him. [00:28:51]
What does this surrender of the will really mean and what does it include it's all here in this incident of Soul of do us on the road to Damascus, Lord What wilt thou have me to do what's it mean shall I break it up into its component parts very hurriedly it means this it means ceasing to oppose and to be hostile. [00:29:47]
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