| God Indwells His People
God's renewal of life begins with His work of regeneration which means to be "formed again" or "radically changed for the better." This is another amazing work of God in that His Holy Spirit comes to indwell the new believer in their innermost being: |
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Alive to God
with the Holy Spirit
Now dead to sin |
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Will continue to sin throughout
the believer's life
By God's power we choose to "put on" the new self |
| The inner self can be pictured
at the very core of our being, in the central part of our mind, will and
emotions. The outer self includes parts of the mind, will, emotions
along with the physical body. The new inner
self "wars" against sin in the outer self. By
God's power we can choose not to sin and walk in God's ways.
Growth Is from Inside Out Growth in the Christian begins from the inside and moves outside. The Holy Spirit renews our mind, will and emotions as we allow Him. The believer is not perfect but a changed life is an indication of true rebirth (Jm 2:26). The Christian can now view themselves differently because God's work of salvation, regeneration and the church all result in new elements of identity. Regeneration starts with the individual and then affects relationships around us. Growth Has Many Dimensions. Different personality types tend to have distinct challenges of their own, so each individual must focus on their own lives before them. There may be imbalanced behaviors in our lives that need to be renewed in the likeness of God. There may be a variety of dependencies in our lives which need to be replaced by God. Each individual will have God given limitations which they may need to grow past. The path of growth often involves suffering which, if we allow it, will strip away the distractions from lives. We may be at a certain age of life where we need to experience more of God. There will be different boundaries each person needs to address but they all draw us to the high call of loving God with all and loving others. Ultimately, the Christian can passionately pursue relationships and abandon their rights and expectations. Practices for Growth God is at work within us and in the world around us. We can examine our selves and our situations and use God's strategies to correct improper behaviors, to refocus unhealthy perspectives, and to mend relationships. Communication with the Lord is a vital part of the journey. God will speak to us through his timeless Word and we can converse with Him through prayer. The Christian also has support from their new relational community, the Church (more detail). |