Relational Spirituality Study 3

Relational Spirituality Week 3

“As a communion of three persons, God is a relational being. He originates a personal relationship with us, and our high and holy calling is to respond to his loving initiatives. By loving God completely, we discover who we are and whose we are as we come to see ourselves as God sees us. In this way, we become secure enough to become others-centered rather than self-centered and enables us to become givers rather than grabbers.”

Part Two: Loving Ourselves Correctly

“We can be defined either by our world or by our God. To love ourselves correctly is to see ourselves as God sees us. This involves a process of exposure to the truths of Scripture with a view to understanding our new identity in Christ Jesus.”

This Week’s Focus: Our Identity

Directions: There are assigned passage(s) for five days each week. Read them in light of the Relational Spirituality theme and the Week’s Focus found directly above. A daily spiritual discipline is to learn to hear God’s voice from his Word. Please don’t look at this as a homework assignment. Find a quiet place each day to read the passage(s) slowly a couple of times through. 


Summarize the passage(s) under the questions:

What was said? 
Write down what the author was saying to his original audience.

What was God saying? 
Write down what God was/is saying.

What was God saying to you? 
Apply the passage’s meaning to you today.

Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

This Week’s Focus: Our Identity

Philippians 3:3–10 ESV

For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

New Living Translation Chapter 3

3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

What was said? 
Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. As Paul writes to the Philippians, focusing on human effort to earn “righteousness”, he gives his resume and what he thought or believed earned him right standing with God, this was his identity. He then goes on to say that now that he knows Jesus, those things he once considered so valuable, he views as rubbish, or dung. He acknowledges that Gods way of becoming right with Him is through faith in Jesus and relying on His work for us, His obedience and His sacrifice. This is his new identity, a servant or slave or Jesus. What this does for Paul is make Him want to know Jesus more, understand this love that makes one die for others. Paul wants to experience all that Jesus did, to be like Him, and most importantly, experience the resurrection.

What was God saying? 
Write down what God was/is saying. So many believe they can make themselves right with God and/or earn salvation, their way to heaven. God, through Paul, is telling us that even the most righteous man within a religious system is still unrighteous in God’s eyes. The only way to true righteousness is through true life changing faith in Jesus.

What was God saying to you? 
Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. God spoke to me in the last part of this passage where Paul speaks of his desire to “know” Christ. The Greek word is “ginosko”, which has more of a meaning than just gaining information, but rather a learning through personal experience so as to become familiar with. The question I ask myself is, “is this my desire?” If not, then why not? Am I willing to go through anything so as to know Jesus, to be like Jesus? Am I willing to walk His path? Is that not what we are called to? Is this not my new and true identity? So if we answer our calling, are truly Jesus followers, then we have this great and precious promise awaiting us, that we will know Jesus and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead, as we also await and will experience the resurrection.

Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

John 1:12–13 ESV

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

New Living Translation Chapter 1

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

What was said? 
Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. John is letting true believers and followers of Jesus know that we have a new identity, no longer creatures or the creation of God, but now “children of God” adopted into His family.

What was God saying? 
Write down what God was/is saying. God has now given us a new identity, a privilege yes, but also the authority and standing as God’s children, the rights of firstborn sons who have the ring. This isn’t something earned or done through mans efforts, but only something that comes from God.

What was God saying to you? 
Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. This isn’t something I can earn, so why do I try? Nor is it something I can lose, but that shouldn’t stop me from doing all possible as if I could lose it. I can’t be lax with grace, it is a gift, but God is not opposed to human effort.

Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

Romans 5:1–5 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

New Living Translation Chapter 5

Faith Brings Joy

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

What was said? 
Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. Paul has written previously in Romans 1-4 that salvation is through faith in Christ and not through the law. Now, since we are right in God’s sight by this faith, we have peace with God, no longer enemies. Not only that, but we now have a new standing of undeserved privilege and can eagerly await sharing in God’s glory. This new standing, our new identity, also means that when life goes upside down, it’s not because God has abandoned us or we’ve lost favor with Him. This new standing has an end game, to be like Christ, so our sufferings are for that good purpose, to make us more like Christ. Not only that, but with our assurance of sharing in God’s glory, we develop a confident hope and eager expectation of participating in this future glory.

What was God saying? 
Write down what God was/is saying. Life has new meaning. Either striving to earn Gods favor or defiantly walking away from Him, or living as if all is good are not our only options. Through faith in Christ and living with Him and for Him, we can have peace with God and peace in our world regardless of our circumstances. All things are working for the greater good of becoming like Jesus. He has given us the Holy Spirit to help and guide and remind us of these things.

What was God saying to you? 
Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. God is love, He has filled our hearts with love so we can now go and be His love in a lost and broken world desperate for His love. Should I be living differently? How do I let the Holy Spirit live through me so that His love shines through? Also, if I have this new standing of undeserved privilege, which that I get, why do I not take advantage of this new standing and spend more time with God??

Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

1 Peter 2:4–10 ESV

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

New Living Translation Chapter 2

Living Stones for God’s House

4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.

5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say,

“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,

chosen for great honor,

and anyone who trusts in him

will never be disgraced.”

7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has now become the cornerstone.”

8 And,

“He is the stone that makes people stumble,

the rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

10 “Once you had no identity as a people;

now you are God’s people.

Once you received no mercy;

now you have received God’s mercy.”

What was said? 
Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. Peter is using Old Testament language reserved for the nation of Israel and applying it to the New Testament Church, based on grace by faith, this is our new identity. We are now stones and priests, chosen people, royal priests, holy nation and God’s very own possession. He then quotes Hosea 2:23 telling us we have this new identity as God’s people.

What was God saying? 
Write down what God was/is saying. God chose Isreal to be His very special people, His chosen race, and because of their rejection of Jesus, we now as non-Jews can be grafted into His vine. But this new standing comes with titles, descriptions of our call. Verse 9, “As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness and into His wonderful light.”

What was God saying to you? 
Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. My great and high calling as a New Testament priest is to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called me out of darkness. So what does that mean? How do I declare and proclaim? Is it my testimony? Is it the Gospel? Yes and yes!!

Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?

Colossians 3:11–13 ESV

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 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.

New Living Translation Chapter 3

11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

What was said? 
Write down what the author was saying to his original audience. As “Christians” and no longer our old way of identifying and differentiating ourselves, we are to be different, set apart for higher purposes. If His love has so affected us, we are to then be merciful, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. To understand that no one is perfect and so also be forgiving, remembering the forgiveness given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus, a forgiveness we did not deserve.

What was God saying? 
Write down what God was/is saying. We are to live a new life, a new way of living life where the characteristics of God are displayed in us. He is love, merciful, kind, God/Jesus was humble, He is gentle and patient with us. He is forgiving, purchased our freedom and freely granted forgiveness to us.

What was God saying to you? 
Apply the passage’s meaning to you today. If I continuously take time, not to shame myself, but to recall the greatness of God’s grace, mercy, His love for me, I will be grateful, overwhelmed, desirous to live a life that honors and glorifies Him and magnifies His name. I will embrace who I am, whose I am, and live out the great privilege of representing Him.

Be prepared to share how some of the Bible passages impacted you and how you can apply this in your life in your weekly group meeting?