Transformative Spiritual Formation: Training in Christ's Likeness
Summary
In our journey of spiritual formation, we are called to embrace a transformative process that goes beyond mere willpower and effort. This transformation is not about trying harder but about training ourselves in the likeness of Christ. The essence of spiritual formation lies in the cooperative work between us and the Holy Spirit, where our actions are aligned with God's will. We are encouraged to put on virtues such as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, reflecting the character of Christ in our daily lives.
The process of spiritual formation is interactive, involving our spirit, mind, body, and social relationships. It is about becoming the kind of person who naturally embodies the teachings of Christ, rather than merely trying to follow rules. This transformation requires a shift from trying to training, where we develop habits and practices that align with the teachings of Jesus. By doing so, we become people who love our enemies, forgive others, and live out the kingdom of God in our everyday lives.
Grace plays a crucial role in this process, as it is not opposed to effort but to earning. We must actively participate in our spiritual growth, knowing that God works with us to bring about change. This transformation is not about achieving perfection but about doing better and becoming more Christ-like. It involves changing the content of our thoughts, feelings, and actions, allowing us to live in the presence of Christ and experience the fullness of salvation.
As a church, we have the opportunity to offer training and support to help individuals overcome struggles such as anger, addiction, and envy. By creating a community that fosters spiritual growth, we can provide a public alternative to Christianity as usual, demonstrating the transformative power of discipleship. Our goal is to live out the kingdom of God in the world, making disciples as we go and influencing other churches to do the same.
Key Takeaways:
1. Spiritual formation is a cooperative process between us and the Holy Spirit, requiring us to actively participate in our transformation by putting on virtues like compassion and kindness. This transformation is not about trying harder but about training ourselves in the likeness of Christ. [30:32]
2. Grace is not opposed to effort but to earning. We must engage in spiritual practices that align with God's will, knowing that our transformation is a collaborative effort with God. This process is not about achieving perfection but about doing better and becoming more Christ-like. [31:06]
3. The transformation of our spirit, mind, body, and social relationships is essential for spiritual formation. By training ourselves to embody the teachings of Christ, we become people who naturally live out the kingdom of God in our everyday lives. [37:10]
4. Overcoming struggles such as anger, addiction, and envy requires a shift from trying to training. By developing habits and practices that align with the teachings of Jesus, we can experience the fullness of salvation and live in the presence of Christ. [46:22]
5. As a church, we have the opportunity to offer training and support to help individuals grow spiritually. By creating a community that fosters spiritual growth, we can provide a public alternative to Christianity as usual and demonstrate the transformative power of discipleship. [53:18]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[28:21] - Understanding Lies and Truth
[28:55] - Embracing New Life in Christ
[29:30] - The Role of Effort in Spiritual Formation
[30:32] - Cooperative Spiritual Growth
[31:20] - The Process of Spiritual Formation
[32:11] - Love as the Outcome
[33:18] - Training vs. Trying
[34:28] - The Great Omission
[36:37] - Sources of Action in Life
[39:19] - The Great Commandment
[41:08] - Character and Obedience
[42:31] - Transforming Thoughts and Feelings
[46:22] - Laying Aside Anger
[53:18] - Training for Spiritual Growth
[56:10] - The Church's Role in Discipleship
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Colossians 3:12-13 - "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
2. Romans 12:1-2 - "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
3. Mark 12:30-31 - "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these."
#### Observation Questions
1. What virtues are we encouraged to "put on" according to Colossians 3:12-13, and how do they reflect the character of Christ? [29:13]
2. How does Romans 12:1-2 describe the process of transformation and renewal? What role does the mind play in this process? [43:56]
3. In Mark 12:30-31, what are the two greatest commandments, and how do they relate to the concept of spiritual formation discussed in the sermon? [39:19]
4. According to the sermon, what is the difference between trying and training in the context of spiritual formation? [33:18]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of grace being "not opposed to effort but to earning" influence our understanding of spiritual growth? [31:06]
2. What does it mean to have a "renewed mind" as described in Romans 12:2, and how does this renewal impact our daily lives? [43:56]
3. How can the church create a community that supports spiritual growth and transformation, as suggested in the sermon? [53:18]
4. What are some practical ways to embody the virtues listed in Colossians 3:12-13 in our interactions with others? [29:13]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you relied on willpower alone to overcome a personal struggle. How might shifting from trying to training change your approach? [33:18]
2. Identify one virtue from Colossians 3:12-13 that you find challenging to embody. What specific steps can you take this week to cultivate this virtue in your life? [29:13]
3. Consider your current spiritual practices. How can you incorporate the idea of training into these practices to foster deeper spiritual growth? [33:18]
4. Think about a relationship in your life where forgiveness is needed. How can you apply the principle of forgiving as the Lord forgave you? [29:13]
5. How can you actively participate in creating a supportive community within your church that encourages spiritual formation and growth? [53:18]
6. Reflect on the role of grace in your spiritual journey. How does understanding grace as not opposed to effort but to earning change your perspective on spiritual disciplines? [31:06]
7. What is one specific area in your life where you can practice loving your neighbor as yourself, as instructed in Mark 12:31? How will you take action on this in the coming week? [39:19]
Devotional
Day 1: Cooperative Transformation with the Holy Spirit
In the journey of spiritual formation, transformation is a cooperative process between individuals and the Holy Spirit. This transformation is not about exerting more willpower or trying harder but about training oneself in the likeness of Christ. It involves actively participating in the process by putting on virtues such as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These virtues reflect the character of Christ and are essential for aligning one's actions with God's will. By embracing this cooperative transformation, individuals can become more Christ-like in their daily lives, embodying the teachings of Jesus naturally rather than merely following rules. [30:32]
"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." (2 Peter 1:5-7, ESV)
Reflection: What specific virtue do you feel called to cultivate in your life today, and how can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide you in this process?
Day 2: Grace and Effort in Spiritual Growth
Grace plays a crucial role in spiritual formation, as it is not opposed to effort but to earning. Engaging in spiritual practices that align with God's will is essential for transformation, which is a collaborative effort with God. This process is not about achieving perfection but about doing better and becoming more Christ-like. By understanding that grace allows for effort without the pressure of earning, individuals can actively participate in their spiritual growth, knowing that God is working with them to bring about change. This understanding of grace encourages believers to pursue spiritual practices that foster growth and transformation. [31:06]
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you engage in spiritual practices today that reflect your understanding of grace as a partner to effort, not earning?
Day 3: Holistic Transformation in Christ
The transformation of one's spirit, mind, body, and social relationships is essential for spiritual formation. By training oneself to embody the teachings of Christ, individuals become people who naturally live out the kingdom of God in their everyday lives. This holistic transformation involves developing habits and practices that align with the teachings of Jesus, allowing believers to experience the fullness of salvation and live in the presence of Christ. By focusing on this comprehensive transformation, individuals can become more Christ-like in all aspects of their lives, influencing their interactions with others and their relationship with God. [37:10]
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally incorporate the teachings of Christ into your daily routines to foster holistic transformation in your life?
Day 4: From Trying to Training
Overcoming struggles such as anger, addiction, and envy requires a shift from trying to training. By developing habits and practices that align with the teachings of Jesus, individuals can experience the fullness of salvation and live in the presence of Christ. This shift involves moving away from merely trying to follow rules and instead training oneself to embody the teachings of Christ naturally. By focusing on training, believers can develop the character and habits necessary to overcome personal struggles and live out the kingdom of God in their everyday lives. [46:22]
"Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:7-8, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific area of struggle in your life where you can begin to shift from trying to training, and what practical steps can you take today to start this process?
Day 5: The Church's Role in Spiritual Growth
As a church, there is an opportunity to offer training and support to help individuals grow spiritually. By creating a community that fosters spiritual growth, the church can provide a public alternative to Christianity as usual and demonstrate the transformative power of discipleship. This involves offering resources and support to help individuals overcome struggles and develop habits that align with the teachings of Jesus. By focusing on spiritual growth as a community, the church can influence other churches to do the same and live out the kingdom of God in the world, making disciples as they go. [53:18]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively contribute to creating a community within your church that fosters spiritual growth and supports others in their journey of discipleship?
Quotes
"spiritual formation is an interactive process, in which the trinity, the Holy Spirit, interacts with us as we step out toward the transformation of our lives our minds our hearts our souls see grace is not opposed to effort it's opposed to earning if we don't do something nothing will happen but if God doesn't work with us nothing will happen and so it's a Cooperative Enterprise" [00:30:30]
"spiritual formation is a process and the outcome of it is in love it is not just a process of trying and that is so important to understand about spiritual formation we must do something but it's not just trying many people when they start thinking about transformation of character they try to think about it just in terms of the will of having willpower" [00:32:49]
"the will has to be integrated with learning and training training so try to fix that idea not trying but training a word I like to use here is indirection if you for example would like to be able to love your enemy or just someone who bugs you you know you can't do it by trying you have to train yourself so that it is What flows out of Who You Have Become" [00:33:52]
"training transforms your life that's what training is for the great Omission from the Great Commission is not having a plan to teach disciples in a way that they naturally obey they have been changed in their will they've been changed in the other parts of their character and so when they think of dealing with their enemy their natural response is love" [00:34:28]
"spiritual formation is the process of transforming these the spirit is your ability to will to choose to initiate things I think it's the same biblically as the heart and the spirit you have a spirit and that spirit is primarily your will then of course you have a mind and that has your abilities to think and to feel" [00:36:37]
"and you have a body and your body may be running your life in fact that's what it's there for the problem is it's running it in the wrong direction but what you want is a body that naturally does what is right and good before you have to think about it see that your body is your little power pack in life" [00:37:21]
"the great commandment love God with all your heart with all your soul with all your mind with all your strength and your neighbor as yourself now why did he say that because he understood that that was the secret of the transformed life because he understood this is where action comes from" [00:39:17]
"the outcome of Love Now comes to us not by trying but by training and the result is the transformation of these aspects now don't worry about perfection it may well be that there's some stuff here that never get changed until you do die but you know we're not talking about being perfect we're talking about doing better" [00:39:54]
"if you want to keep the Ten Commandments don't try to keep the Ten Commandments try to become the kind of person who would keep them you understand many people go to First Corinthians 13 they say oh love suffers long and is kind love is not puffed up does not exalt this okay so I won't do those things or I will be kind or I will not envy" [00:41:08]
"you fill yourself with love through a process of change in those Dimensions that we looked at and then you don't envy instead of envying you say thank God they have that wonderful car thank God they have that wonderful house isn't it wonderful that they have it now how can you say that you can only say that if you can also say the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want" [00:42:31]
"we can lay aside anger because through chant to through changing all of those dimensions of the self we actually are no longer fearful and our will is not crossed anger always comes out of the crossing of the wheel doesn't matter how trivial it is you cross the will anger is a natural response now anger isn't in itself sin" [00:46:22]
"can you offer training to people in such a way that they can lay aside anger and lusting and so on can a church do that oh my answer you know is of course you can of course you can you have to decide to do it you have to understand how it works your vision of Salvation has to include that" [00:53:18]
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