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Failure and Restoration
Onward and Upward
We have learned in this study that God readily forgives and eagerly restores. He refreshes our souls and builds our lives, making us like Christ. There is a temptation to think that because he does this in love for us that our own spiritual health is his end goal. We must never think that our growth in holiness is to serve our own ends or for our personal satisfaction. God makes us like Christ for his glory and the love he creates in us must find expression in serving him through serving others.
1) In an earlier lesson we looked at Ephesians 2:10 with a focus on us being God's workmanship. Reading this verse again with a different focus, what does it say we are created in Christ for?
Notice that the good works we are to do have already been prepared for us by God. He has a great interest in your life!
2) This same principle is explained more fully in Titus 3:4-8. What do these verses tell us about:
a) The reason for our good works?
b) Our Salvation?
c) The Holy Spirit?
God's word does not say that we've been given just a little bit of the Holy Spirit, or a small measure of the Spirit, but that God has poured out the Holy Spirit on us richly through Christ! This means that God has abundantly equipped us with everything we need to do the good works he has prepared for us. Not only does the Holy Spirit produce fruit in us that conforms us to the character of Christ, he also equips us with spiritual gifts so that we can do the work God has called us to do.
3) What gifts are we told about in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11?
4) According to verse 7, why are we given the manifestation of the Holy Spirit?
5) Romans 12:3-8 also speaks of spiritual gifts. What do we learn from this passage about:
a) Our relationship to other Christians?
b) The use of spiritual gifts?
6) Remembering that God has already prepared your good works for you, what opportunities do you have to use the gifts he's provided you with?
7) The final passage we will look at in this study is Ephesians 4:1-16, which is a good summary of the Christian life. what does this passage teach us about:
a) The worthy walk?
b) Grace?
c) Christ's work?
d) Christ's goal for the church?
e) Our responsibility to each other?
8) How will the truths you've learned (or revisited) in this study affect your service to God? To others?
Ephesians 4 provides us with a higher view of our purpose in Christ than we could ever dream of for ourselves. Each of us has a vital part in building up the body of Christ. We are greatly privileged to participate in the work of God as we await the glorious return of Christ.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:11-12 (ESV)