Part 3 The Gospel and Our Relationship WIth God

Introduction: The God of the Gospel

In Part One: The Gospel and Our Relationship With Others, you learned how to forgive those who have sinned against you and how to seek forgiveness from God and others. This is necessary because of sin that is a result of the Fall. The gospel changes all of your relationships. Your relationship with God and your relationship with others should now reflect the reality of your new life in Christ.

In Part Two: The Gospel and Our Relationship to the Fall you looked at the specific ways the fall has impacted your system of beliefs and the self-protective strategies you developed. You discovered the heart issues that are keeping you from living an obedient, surrendered life and began to identify the unbelief, pride and fears that motivate your desire and demand to control your world on your terms.

Hopefully, you have reconciled many of the key relationships in your life and have begun to view life from God’s perspective, seeing the call to suffer as a follower of Christ. To continue to grow in your love for God and others, you must develop greater dependence upon Him. That is why Part Three is so important!!

In Part Three: The Gospel and Our Relationship With God you will examine your view of God and establish what is necessary to continue walking with Him in His power with His resources. As you gain understanding of what it means to walk with God on His terms, you will also identify the many perceived rights, which may have become your demands. As you grow in living a more surrendered, dependent life you will experience the power of God to deal with sin, love difficult people and face painful situations with grace and gratefulness.

Key: Every problem you create in your life is the result of a wrong view of God or a wrong view of the gospel. You must lay a new foundation of thinking biblically about God. More than just knowing the facts about Him, you must know Him relationally and experientially. (John 17:3; 2 Pet. 1:3)

“What I think about God is the most important thing about me…I believe there is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God.”

A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises loving-kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’

declares the Lord.”

Jer. 9:23-24

Your life must be built on a solid biblical foundation of right thinking about who God really is. That is why CTO is based on the truths that God is great, gracious, good and glorious.

God is Great:

“To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers.

He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

‘To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One.

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.”

Isa. 40:21-17

James McDonald points out that “God’s awesomeness takes you to your knees in total reverence, to worship without self-consciousness and to walk in glad surrender.” God’s greatness is seen through a number of His attributes:

· He is Holy. (Isa. 6:1-8)

Holiness is the characteristic of God that sets Him apart from His creation. The fact that God is holy should control the way you think and the way you live. A glimpse of God’s holiness shows you who He is and who you really are. Until you get a glimpse of the holiness of God you will not understand your severe need of His grace.

Yet, God calls you to “be holy, as He is holy.” God saved you to change you and to “set you apart” to be like Him and serve His eternal purpose. Your “small” view of God has produced little sense of your need to be holy, as well as an insensitivity and indifference to your sinfulness.

“Until we have seen ourselves as God sees us, we are not likely to be much disturbed over conditions around us as long as they do not get so far out of hand as to threaten our comfortable way of life. We have learned to live with unholiness and have come to look upon it as the natural and expected thing.

A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

· He is Majestic. (Isa. 40:10-11, 25-26)

“God is more massive than our wildest imagination, bigger than the biggest words we have to describe Him. And He’s doing good today—sustaining galaxies, holding every star in place, stewarding the seemingly chaotic events of earth to His conclusion within His great story.”

Lou Giglio, I am not but I know I AM

On one hand, God is not at all like us. We cannot even begin to comprehend his power and might. This should produce a healthy fear or awe of who He is which should change how we live and how we view ourselves. (Isa. 40:26) R.C. Sproul writes, “Men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.” (Holiness of God, p. 68)

On the other hand, God is near to his children and cares for us deeply. You can rest in the reality that God knows, God cares and God is in control!! (Isa. 40:11)

· He is Sovereign. (Dan. 4:35)

“Sovereignty means God is in control of it all. He’s over things we see and things we don’t see. Stuff we understand and stuff that if we even glimpsed it for a second would blow us away. Sovereignty means it’s all His. Nothing can stop what He purposes from happening. Not people, events, or time. Get it? What God plans, He delivers. What God wants, God gets—His way and His timing on time, every time.”

James McDonald, Gripped by the Greatness of God

In your desire for control, you want a God who is manageable and with Whom you can be comfortable. You don’t want a god who is the ruler of all, answers to no one and can accomplish whatever he wants—in all things.

You must understand that a loving sovereign God orchestrates and ordains all the circumstances of your life for your good and His glory. (Rom. 8:28-30)

God always knows what is best and He never makes a mistake. It is crucial to come to grips with the sovereignty of God otherwise you will continue to see yourself as a victim of your painful past, difficult people or ongoing trials.

“What happens when you don’t truly trust God’s sovereign control? You might try to take control yourself in harmful ways, through manipulation or domination. You might wear yourself out with busyness or frustration. You might make your security and wealth a bigger priority than God’s kingdom (Luke 12:22-31). Or you might worry (Phil. 4:6-7). We become preoccupied with the bills, and money becomes our main obsession. All because we don’t believe our Father knows what we need.”

You Can Change, Tim Chester

Because God is great –

you don’t have to try to control the people and circumstances in your life.

God is Gracious:

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Eph. 2:4-7

· He shows you mercy. (Micah 7:18-20)

Mercy designates that quality in God by which he faithfully keeps his promises and maintains his covenant relationship with his chosen people despite their unworthiness and unfaithfulness. It is evidenced in that God does not give you what you deserve and promises to never hold your sin against you. It is because of mercy that the wrath of God is appeased.

· He gives you grace. (Eph. 2:8-9)

You can do nothing to earn God’s favor. God’s love is totally unconditional: your performance does not influence God’s love for you. It is because of His unconditional election that He has saved you – it is His unwavering grace that keeps you!!

· He grants you forgiveness. (Psa. 102:10-12)

God forgives you of all of your past, present and future sins. Mercy is not giving you what you do deserve; grace is giving you what you don’t deserve. You deserve hell; instead you have been granted forgiveness and the promise of eternity with God in heaven.

The forgiven must forgive. Because you have been given mercy, grace and forgiveness, you are to forgive and forbear with others, just as God in Christ has forgiven you. (Col. 3:12-14)

Because God is gracious –

you don’t have to perform to gain His love, forgiveness and acceptance.

God is Good:

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psa. 145:8-9

· He is loving, compassionate and patient. (Psa. 119:68)

Out of his patient love, he forbears with you. Out of his great compassion, He cares tenderly for you, providing all that you need. Therefore, life’s blessings and adversities are designed by your loving Father to conform you into the likeness of Christ.

Because God is good you know that…

- All good things come from him. (James 1:17)

- He will provide all that you need. (Matt. 7:9-11)

- He causes all things to work for the good. (Rom. 8:28-30)

“All that emanates from God—His decrees, His creation, His laws, His providences—cannot be otherwise than good.”

Arthur W. Pink, The Attributes of God

· He is faithful. (Lam. 3:22,23)

The faithfulness of God can be defined as His “unimpeachable reliability” – what He says He will do – 100% of the time. His faithfulness is never ending and endures forever. His faithfulness is also often connected to his compassion and loving-kindness.

He is faithful…

-to fulfill all His promises. (Ps. 100:5)

-to fulfill His purpose in saving you. (1 Thess. 5:24)

-to forgive. (1 John 1:9)

-in the midst of temptation. (1 Cor. 10:13)

-in the midst of suffering. (1 Pet. 4;19)

-even when we are not. (2 Tim. 2:13)

Because His goodness endures forever, you should never be discouraged: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nah. 1:7). Because He is faithful, you can trust Him and surrender the difficult circumstances and difficult people in your life to Him, knowing that He has eternal purpose behind everything that comes into your life.

Because God is good –

He is all you need, so you can trust Him with your life.

God is Glorious:

God’s glory refers primarily to his majestic beauty and splendor and the recognition of it by mankind. He deserves that all glory be given exclusively to Him. Therefore, life is not the story about you – it is the unfolding story of God revealing Himself and establishing His Kingdom.

• All of life and creation is about the glory of God. (1 Chron. 16:23-32)

“It is not about you and making your story better, but about waking up to the infinitely bigger God Story happening all around you. And God’s invitation to you to join Him in it. It’s about looking up to see that there’s a story that has been going on long before you arrived on the planet and one that will go on long after you’re gone. God is the central character of this story…He commands center stage in existence, Creation, time, life, history, redemption, and eternity.”

Lou Giglio, I am not but I know I AM

• Your goal is not about finding worth in yourself, gaining acceptance from others or pursuing a life full of possessions or pleasure.

“What does this mean in practice? First, we need to nurture our trust in Gods’ greatness, our fear of God’s glory, our delight in God’s goodness, our longing for God’s future, our rest in God’s grace. Second, when we face temptation we need to say not only ‘I should not do this,’ but also ‘I need not do this.’ When tempted to envy another’s possession, we say not only ‘I must not envy,’ but also ‘I need not envy because I have Christ.’ When tempted to worry we say no only ‘I must not worry,’ but ‘I need not worry because God is in control’ Whatever sin offers, God is bigger and better…To say to temptation, ‘I must not do this’ is legalism. To say, ‘I need not do this because God is bigger and better’ is good news.”

Tim Chester, You Can Change

· You are to do everything to put Him on display and bring Him the glory only He deserves. (1 Cor. 10:31)

“Seeing His true fame makes me want to live for a bigger purpose, doing everything I do in such a way as to shine the spotlight on Him. Living for God’s glory is not so much about what you do as it is about doing whatever you do in such a way that it reflects Jesus Christ to those around you and ultimately point people to Him.”

Lou Giglio, I am not but I know I AM

Because God deserves all glory—

life is all about Him not about you.

Part Three: The Gospel and Our Relationship With God is designed to help you maintain a vital relationship with God by correcting some of the areas where you are not thinking biblically about Him. As you put God in His rightful place you will begin to be overwhelmed that He loves you. This should produce brokenness and gratefulness in response to your loving, gracious Father. Loving Him more intensely is what should produce a greater desire to obey Him. A growing intimate relationship with God is necessary to continue on the path of obedience as your life unfolds. God wants to transform you from the inside out. He has given you all the resources necessary to experience life with Him and to live your life for Him and His glory.

PART 3: The Gospel and our relationship with God	When Rights Are Wrong Developing a Surrendered Life
Introduction: The God of the Gospel	Introduction
1. Understanding God’s Grace and Love	1. God’s Judgment Deserved–His Mercy Given
2. Walking in the Spirit With His Power	2. Christ, The Master – The Believer, His Bond-Servant
3. Establishing Confidence in God’s Word & Prayer	3. Christ’s Example of Renouncing Rights
4. Walking With God On His Terms	4. Christ’s Ultimate Sacrifice – Your Ultimate Response
5. Letting Christ Satisfy and Fulfill You	5. Detecting My Unyielded Personal Rights
6. Developing God-Esteem vs. Self-Esteem	6. Yielding My perceived Rights to God
7. Practicing Thanksgiving	7. My Will – God’s Will
8. Pursuing Costly Obedience	8. Submission to God’s Will - The Victorious Outcome

Part Two: The Gospel and Our Relationship to the Fall

The Implications of the Gospel

The Fall of man was devastating and all encompassing. All mankind, since Adam, is born in sin and therefore, is totally depraved. Instead of worshiping the Creator, man arrogantly worships himself. The result is that he doesn’t live the life he was originally designed to live, and he doesn’t live in the world in which he was originally designed to live.

“Sin mars the image of God in us; we no longer reflect the perfection God created us to reflect. Because of sin, things simply aren’t the way they were originally meant to be. The story of the human race, as presented in the Bible, is the story of God fixing broken people living in a broken world. It is the story of God’s victory over the many results of sin in the world” (p. 62). …Not only do we as sinners lack any spiritual good in ourselves, but we also lack the ability to do anything that will in itself please God, and we lack the ability to come to God in our own strength. Every part of our being is affected by sin – our intellects, our emotions and desires, our hearts, our goals and motives, and even our physical bodies.”

Wayne Grudem, Bible Doctrines p. 215

Because of the Fall, you and your world are a mess. That is why you so desperately need the gospel! Because of the Fall you have a distorted view of yourself and a distorted view of God. At the core of your heart is unbelief in God: His character, His commands and His promises. And instead, you choose to believe in self and Satan. The gospel message corrects all of these erroneous beliefs by showing that:

· I am a sinner that deserves the wrath of God – He is Holy, I am not.

· I have a new relationship with Christ – He is in charge, I am not.

· I live with a new purpose – I live to please Him, not myself.

· I live for a new goal – I live for His glory, not my own.

The gospel is all about the reality of who God is. You need to right-size your view of God: He is big – you are small; He is God – you are not!!

The gospel exposes the desperate state you were in and reveals God’s plan to redeem you from this mess. To keep the big picture of the gospel in focus you must keep the different aspects in balance. Tim Keller expresses this balance in three realities:

· The gospel is the good news of gracious acceptance.

· The gospel is the good news of changed lives.

· The gospel is the good news of the new world coming.

Understanding the reality of each of these is crucial in living as a true follower of Christ. The gospel is about a changed life; it is about becoming a disciple not just a convert. This starts with a changed relationship with Christ and His body, the church.

Once alienated from God, you are now graciously accepted. (1 Pet 2:8-10)

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Pet. 2:8-10

· You were once enemies deserving of God’s wrath, but now you are loved and accepted!!

“Jesus lived the life we should live. He also paid the penalty we owe for the rebellious life we do live. He did this in our place (Isa. 53:4-10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Mk. 10:45). We are not reconciled to God through our efforts and record, as in all other religions, but through his efforts and record. (Tim Keller, The Gospel, Key to Change, p. 1)

· You can do nothing to earn God’s grace or continue to receive His favor.

The Christian life is a relationship that produces greater obedience -not a life of obedience that produces greater relationship.

· You have a changed relationship with God, which should produce a changed relationship with others.

· You have been shown God’s mercy and grace, which should encourage you to show mercy and grace to others.

· You have received God’s unconditional love, which should produce a greater love for God and His people.

Once dead in your sin, you now have a changed life. (Eph. 2:4-7; 1 Cor. 6:-11)

God did not save you to leave you the way you were!! You are now freed from the power of sin to live a life that pleases Him and serves others. To show your love for Him you can now choose to obey Him, laying aside the “old self.”

“in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. “ Eph 4:22-24

· You are a new creation in Christ.

You have been given not only a new nature and disposition, but also a new heart that is free from the power of sin and capable of living to please Him.

· You have a new identity.

As a follower of Christ you now live for a different kingdom. You are to become like Him and to walk in a manner worthy of your calling.

· You now desire to show your love for Him through a life of growing obedience.

The gospel is not just a truth about us that we affirm with our minds, it is also a reality we must experience in our hearts and souls. ...The gospel is, therefore, radically different from religion. Religion operates on the principle: “I obey, therefore I am accepted.” The gospel operates on the principle: “I am accepted through Christ, therefore I obey.” Tim Keller

Key: Religion encourages a “performance-oriented” approach which produces people who are self-righteous and arrogant because they:

· are informed but not transformed. (1 Cor. 8:1)

· have changed behavior but do not have a changed heart. (Luke 18:11-14)

· live by a formula rather than by faith. (Matt. 7:21)

Keller goes on to say, “Change does not happen through ‘trying harder’ but only through encountering the radical grace of God.” You must come to see that Christianity is not fundamentally an invitation to get more religious. It is an invitation to be in a daily relationship with God, based on His grace demonstrated to you through Christ’s atoning death on the cross!!

Once living with no hope, you now have the hope of a new world coming.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” Titus 2:11-14

As you grow in your grace-based relationship with God and grow in your love-based relationship with Christ, you become light to a dark world. You live with the hope of a new world coming and are part of reflecting that hope as you engage in the world around you.

· You live with the knowledge that God is in the process of reconciling all things back to Himself. (Col. 1:20)

· You live as “aliens” in this world. (1 Pet. 2:11)

· You live with the hope of a “new heaven and new earth” that restores God’s original design to a perfect relationship with Him, glorifying Him forever!! (Titus 2:11-14)

In the meantime you are to be engaging in your world in a way that demonstrates the reality of your new life in Christ. This involves interacting in our culture with justice and mercy.

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you? But to do justice, to love mercy And to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8 NASB

As you live out the gospel daily and allow the Spirit of God to change you from the inside out, you can begin to experience God’s design for life and relationships. The gospel specifically addresses the impact of the Fall on your thinking, motivation and behaviors in a way that can be transformed to produce in you the very character of Christ. You need to be reminded daily of the core of the gospel:

I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared believe.

I am more accepted and loved than I ever dared hope.

Tim Keller

Through the grace of God, the gospel provides what is necessary to live an obedient life because of your love for Christ.

· You have a new relationship with Christ and His Body – you are graciously accepted, forgiven and loved.

· You have a changed life – the power of the resurrection lives in you to transform you.

· You have a new mission – to know Him and make Him known.