Reflecting God's Holiness: The Goal of Spiritual Growth
Summary
In our exploration of Christian character development and spiritual growth, we delve into the ultimate goal of such growth. We begin by acknowledging that dreams must transform into goals to manifest in reality. This transformation requires effort, discipline, and a willingness to overcome adversity. Spiritual growth is no different; it demands a clear goal to direct our energies effectively. The question we address is: What is the goal of spiritual growth, or the purpose of the Christian life?
To answer this, we turn to the creation narrative in Genesis. The sixth day of creation, where humanity is made in God's image, is often seen as the pinnacle. However, the true culmination is the seventh day, the Sabbath, which God blesses and sanctifies. This day signifies not mere rest but a deeper purpose: holiness. The goal of creation, and thus of our lives, is to reflect God's holiness.
Being made in God's image means we have a unique capacity to mirror His character. This is not about physical likeness but about reflecting God's holiness and character. Jesus exemplifies this as the new Adam, perfectly reflecting God's glory. Our ultimate hope is the beatific vision, where we will see God as He is, fulfilling our deepest spiritual longing.
Despite the fall, where humanity's reflection of God's image was marred, God initiated redemption. The promise remains that we will one day see God face to face. Until then, our goal is to be conformed to the image of Christ, reflecting God's character to the world. This is our chief end: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Holiness is our purpose, and when we stray from it, we experience a profound sense of restlessness and loss.
Key Takeaways:
- Dreams must become goals to manifest in reality. Spiritual growth requires effort, discipline, and overcoming adversity, with a clear goal to direct our energies effectively. [02:16]
- The seventh day of creation, the Sabbath, signifies the true culmination of creation, representing holiness as the ultimate goal. This day is blessed and sanctified, pointing to our purpose of reflecting God's holiness. [08:35]
- Being made in God's image means having the capacity to mirror His character, not in physical likeness but in holiness. Jesus exemplifies this as the new Adam, perfectly reflecting God's glory. [17:11]
- Despite the fall, God's redemption plan ensures that we will one day see Him face to face. Our current goal is to be conformed to the image of Christ, reflecting God's character to the world. [23:29]
- Our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Holiness is our purpose, and straying from it leads to restlessness and a sense of loss. We are made to reflect God's character, fulfilling our deepest spiritual longing. [26:22]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:18] - Opening Prayer
[01:01] - Introduction to Spiritual Growth
[02:16] - Dreams to Goals
[03:41] - The Goal of Spiritual Growth
[04:15] - Creation in God's Image
[05:05] - The Seventh Day
[06:59] - The True Culmination of Creation
[08:35] - Holiness as the Goal
[10:19] - Reflecting God's Character
[13:02] - The Image of God
[15:23] - Revelation and Likeness
[17:11] - Reflecting God's Holiness
[20:23] - The Beatific Vision
[23:29] - Conforming to Christ's Image
[25:48] - Glorifying God and Enjoying Him Forever
[26:42] - Conclusion and Next Steps
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 1:26-31
2. Genesis 2:1-3
3. 1 John 3:1-2
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Genesis 1:26-31, what does it mean for humanity to be created in the image of God? How does this relate to having dominion over creation?
2. In Genesis 2:1-3, what significance does the seventh day hold in the creation narrative, and how is it different from the other days?
3. How does the sermon describe the ultimate goal of spiritual growth in relation to the seventh day of creation? [08:35]
4. What does 1 John 3:1-2 reveal about our future hope as children of God, and how does this connect to the sermon’s message about seeing God face to face? [23:29]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of being made in God's image influence our understanding of human purpose and identity? [10:52]
2. The sermon suggests that holiness is the ultimate goal of creation. How does this idea challenge or affirm your current understanding of spiritual growth? [10:19]
3. In what ways does Jesus exemplify the perfect reflection of God's character, and how does this serve as a model for our own spiritual journey? [17:11]
4. How does the promise of seeing God "as He is" in 1 John 3:2 impact our daily lives and spiritual aspirations? [23:29]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a dream or aspiration you have. How can you transform it into a tangible goal that aligns with your spiritual growth? [02:16]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of holiness. What practical steps can you take this week to pursue holiness in your daily life? [10:19]
3. Consider a time when you felt restless or lost. How might this have been related to straying from your purpose of reflecting God's character? [26:42]
4. Jesus is described as the new Adam, perfectly reflecting God's glory. How can you strive to reflect God's character in your interactions with others this week? [17:11]
5. The sermon mentions the beatific vision as our ultimate hope. How does this future promise motivate you to live differently today? [20:23]
6. Identify one area in your life where you struggle with discipline or effort in your spiritual growth. What changes can you make to overcome these challenges? [02:53]
7. How can you incorporate a Sabbath rest into your weekly routine to focus on holiness and spiritual renewal? [08:35]
Devotional
Day 1: Transforming Dreams into Goals
Spiritual growth, much like any other aspiration, requires the transformation of dreams into actionable goals. This transformation is not passive; it demands effort, discipline, and a willingness to face and overcome adversity. Without a clear goal, our energies can become scattered and ineffective. In the context of spiritual growth, the ultimate goal is to align our lives with God's purpose, directing our efforts towards becoming more like Christ. This process involves setting specific spiritual goals that guide our daily actions and decisions, ensuring that our dreams of spiritual maturity become a reality. [02:16]
"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?" (Luke 14:28, ESV)
Reflection: What specific spiritual goal can you set today that will help you align more closely with God's purpose for your life?
Day 2: The Sabbath as a Symbol of Holiness
The seventh day of creation, the Sabbath, represents the true culmination of creation, pointing to holiness as the ultimate goal. This day is not merely about rest but signifies a deeper purpose: to reflect God's holiness. The Sabbath is blessed and sanctified, serving as a reminder of our calling to embody God's holiness in our lives. As we strive for spiritual growth, we are called to embrace this purpose, allowing the sanctity of the Sabbath to inspire us to live lives that reflect God's character and holiness. [08:35]
"Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed." (Exodus 31:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate the principle of Sabbath rest and holiness into your weekly routine to better reflect God's character?
Day 3: Reflecting God's Image
Being made in God's image means we have the unique capacity to mirror His character, not in physical likeness but in holiness. Jesus exemplifies this as the new Adam, perfectly reflecting God's glory. Our spiritual journey involves striving to reflect God's holiness in our own lives, following the example set by Jesus. This reflection is not about achieving perfection but about allowing God's character to shine through us, impacting the world around us. As we grow spiritually, we become more attuned to God's presence and more capable of reflecting His image to others. [17:11]
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you actively seek to reflect God's character in your interactions with others today?
Day 4: Redemption and Conforming to Christ's Image
Despite the fall, where humanity's reflection of God's image was marred, God initiated a plan of redemption. This plan ensures that we will one day see God face to face. Until that day, our goal is to be conformed to the image of Christ, reflecting God's character to the world. This transformation is a lifelong journey, requiring us to continually seek God's guidance and strength. As we conform to Christ's image, we become living testimonies of God's love and grace, drawing others to Him through our actions and words. [23:29]
"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you can seek to conform more closely to the image of Christ today?
Day 5: Glorifying God and Enjoying Him Forever
Our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Holiness is our purpose, and when we stray from it, we experience a profound sense of restlessness and loss. We are made to reflect God's character, fulfilling our deepest spiritual longing. As we pursue holiness, we find true fulfillment and joy in our relationship with God. This pursuit is not about following a set of rules but about cultivating a deep, personal connection with God that transforms every aspect of our lives. [26:22]
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:25-26, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally seek to glorify God in your daily activities and find joy in His presence today?
Quotes
In the reality of our daily lives I've discovered a very simple point that I'm sure most of you discovered long before I did and that is that nothing usually happens to our dreams if they are never translated into goals but for achievement to take place, for movement and progress to happen, that dream has to become a goal otherwise it becomes simply an idle fantasy fit for contemplation in the midst of sleep. [00:02:09]
For Spiritual growth to take place there has to be effort there has to be discipline there has to be a willingness to pay the price to overcome all kinds of adversity and obstacles in a very real struggle but a goal set before us tells us at we at least which direction the energies that we are involved with in our struggle are to be focused. [00:03:01]
The order of creation is moving in an ascending pattern reaching a type of Crescendo at the sixth day which we celebrate as the day in which God is involved in what we call the crowning Act of all of creation which is the creating of man and of woman but so often as we read that account our attention is arrested at the end of chapter 1 at the end of the sixth day. [00:05:36]
In biblical categories the sixth day is not the ultimate day of the work of creation it is the penultimate day it is important it's exceedingly important to be sure but it's not the final movement of creation if we want to find out in Hebrew categories what the goal of creation is what the what the purpose of this whole narrative is we have to get beyond the sixth day and move to the seventh day. [00:07:28]
The heavens and the Earth were finished and all the host of them and on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made and God blessed the sixth day because it was on the sixth day that he achieved the Pinnacle of success is that what it says God didn't bless the Sixth Day He blesses the seventh day and he Sanctified it. [00:08:03]
The goal and the end for which man is created is Holiness that's the purpose for consecration but what do we mean by that and what does it mean to be human let's back up a minute and go back to the sixth chapter where we read that very familiar text where God says let us make man in our image after our likeness. [00:10:26]
Man has been created with a unique capacity to reflect and to mirror the character of God what that means is that you as a human being have been so constituted and so made and so endowed by your creator with certain faculties that you have a capacity in creation to reflect or to mirror the Holiness of God. [00:17:00]
The highest goal of the Christian the thing for which we live and move and have our being the greatest hope of the consummation of the Christian life is what we call the beatific Vision the viso day the vision of God to be able to look not at the face of Moses but to look into the face of God himself. [00:20:23]
Even after the fall man is expelled from the garden he is sent East of Eden the angel with the Flaming sword is posted at the entrance to Paradise lest man should move back into that immediate presence of God but God doesn't just simply send man into Exile and abandon his creature forever but even after the Judgment upon the fall takes place the provision from the very beginning is made to redeem that Fallen creature. [00:20:54]
The goal of Our Lives is to be conformed to the image of Christ to fulfill the original purpose for which we were created to reflect to a world around us the very character of God now what I want to cover in the next session together is how we as human beings can outwardly reflect the glory of God. [00:25:08]
Man's Chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever I was never able to put that together because everything that they told me that was defining what it means to glorify God wasn't any fun I could put together joy and glorifying God but you were made with this purpose in mind to glorify the creator of the universe. [00:26:22]
You were made for Holiness and when it escapes us we suffer a deprivation a deep rooted sense of lostness and restlessness because we are out of sync with the nature for which we were made. [00:26:42]
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