Preventing the Good Struggle with a Discipleship Group
How can we combat the nice combat of religion? I wish to clarify the idea of “discipleship teams” as a means for all disciples to combat for what’s noble and delightful. My hope is that discipleship teams will assist you to expertise victory over the world, the flesh, and the satan and revel in Jesus Christ.
Discipleship teams are small, easy teams of two to 4 individuals who meet commonly to repent of sin, rejoice in Christ, and reproduce disciples. Males meet with women and men meet with ladies in an effort to successfully handle gender-specific points head-on. I’ve been in discipleship teams for years. Some have been higher than others. Alongside the best way, I’ve found teams that make the gospel central are far more efficient and satisfying.
Repent of Sin
Repentance is just not a one-time act to get us into heaven, however a complete lifestyle to take care of Christian pleasure. It’s a single flip from the bogus guarantees of sin to the blood-bought guarantees of the Savior. However to show to our Savior, we should disentangle ourselves from our sin. We should change into college students of our non secular pathology in order that we can assist each other apply God’s therapeutic treatment. We are able to know our sin by asking three questions: What? When? and Why?
First we should ask, What? What sins are you presently tempted by? Some temptations change from season to season, whereas others stay the identical. Identify your temptations and sins. Confess them to your folks. An unknown or unacknowledged opponent is unattainable to defeat. Our temptations may be as apparent as anger or as refined as self-pity. As you prayerfully study your life, keep in mind, you might be God’s baby not his undertaking. He is aware of you, sees all of your sins, and loves you continue to! Speak brazenly with him about your struggles; ask him to disclose your sins and convict you of them (Ps. 139:23–24; John 16:8). Invite your discipleship group to level out sins they see in your life. Fairly often, our self-perception is about as correct as a carnival mirror.1 A loving group can assist us by holding up the mirror of God’s phrase so we will see ourselves extra clearly. The phrase is highly effective, sharper than any sword, dividing between issues seen and invisible, judging the ideas and intentions of the guts (Heb. 4:12). Use God’s phrase as a mirror to reveal sin and as a scalpel to excise it.
In Gospel-Centered Discipleship, Jonathan Dodson unveils an efficient, Spirit-led mannequin for following Jesus in on a regular basis life. Drawing from his personal failures and successes in discipling others, he gives sensible concepts for mentor and peer-based discipleship as Jesus supposed.
Upon getting recognized the what, it is very important take into account the when. If we don’t take into consideration the occasions once we’re almost definitely to be tempted, sin will sneak up on us to take us out. It’s at all times crouching at our door (Gen. 4:7). When are you tempted to sin? Take into account the circumstances that encompass your sin and establish your sins. For instance:
- Do you end up tempted to self-importance or self-pity when lingering in entrance of the mirror?
- Does sexual lust or despair creep in on late, lonely nights watching TV?
- Are you susceptible to satisfaction whenever you succeed or obtain a praise?
- Are you simply angered in visitors or whereas ready in line?
If we all know the circumstances of our temptation, we may be ready to combat it off.
Lastly, a important query to ask is, Why? Why do you sin on this means? The why query is vital as a result of it will get under sin to the guts. The reality is, we by no means sin out of responsibility. Nobody stands behind us twisting our arm. We sin willingly. In that second, our hearts need one thing apart from Christ. If we don’t handle the motivational points behind our sin, we are going to deal with it superficially, adjusting our conduct not our hearts. God doesn’t need mere behavioral adjustment; he needs affectionate obedience: “Should you love me, you’ll hold my commandments” (John 14:15).
To like Jesus and uncover your motivation, ask your self why you gravitate to sure sins. What do you consider they are going to do for you? What’s it that your coronary heart longs for? What are you wanting or valuing most whenever you sin in a selected space? Utilizing the examples above, we might sin as a result of we need:
- Price and sweetness
- Satisfaction or companionship
- Confidence or success
- Comfort or effectivity
Discover that none of those needs are unhealthy, however when they’re directed to the improper place, they change into lethal. Sin guarantees us that these needs may be finally fulfilled aside from Christ. Take into account how these good needs may be twisted by lies into sinful motivations.
Vainness: Should you carry out fantastically, then you could have value.
Lust: Should you discover sexual intimacy on the web, then you definately received’t be lonely or careworn.
Satisfaction: If individuals paid you extra compliments, then you definately could be extra assured.
Anger: Should you don’t get your means, you could have the suitable to get offended.
A lot of our sins may be traced again to a perception in a lie. These false guarantees of value, satisfaction, confidence, and comfort inspire our sin. If we’re to find true acceptance, approval, satisfaction, value, magnificence, and significance, we want the power to reveal these lies. Domesticate a behavior of wanting beneath your sin to the lie beneath it, “to the sin underneath the sin.”2 Assist each other get to the motivational why by asking questions reminiscent of, “What do you consider that will provide you with?” “Why do you need that greater than Christ?” “Any thought why that’s extra interesting?” As soon as we perceive why we sin, we will expose the false promise and change it with a real promise. If we don’t handle the why query, we are going to inevitably drift into non secular white knuckling or rebellious shoulder shrugging. To keep away from drifting, we want gospel motivation.
Repentance includes figuring out the what (sin), the when (circumstance), and the why (motive). However it’s not sufficient to research our sin; we should additionally wrestle free from it. To do this, we should stretch out to know one thing higher.
Rejoice in Christ
Jesus is healthier. We sing it; we are saying it; we counsel it. However how is Jesus higher? That’s the trick to defeating sin, as a result of sin secretly says, “I’m higher than what Jesus has to supply.”
Attributes of Jesus. There are quite a few methods to uncover the glory of Christ. A technique is to contemplate the roles and attributes of Jesus and examine them to sin’s supply. For example, if we’re tempted to sulk in self-pity, believing nobody cares about us or will rise up for us, we will remind ourselves that Christ is our advocate (1 John 2:1). If Jesus willingly advocates for us earlier than the best viewers, our heavenly Father, how far more can we belief him when snubbed by a lesser viewers? Jesus stands in heaven eternally making intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). There isn’t any better advocate.
Or maybe we’re exhausted, worn down by the week, and really feel like we want refreshment. Whereas Netflix may be an harmless distraction, it doesn’t supply relaxation. Movies are for leisure, however Christ is for refreshment. Jesus is our relaxation. He says, “Come to me, all who’re weary and heavy laden, and I will provide you with relaxation” (Matt. 11:28). Jesus is our peace, consolation, and relaxation! Get within the behavior of asking your discipleship group how Jesus is healthier. Evaluate sin’s supply to Christ’s supply, and also you’ll uncover the unsurpassed glory of Christ.
Gospel Metaphors.3 One other approach to rejoice in Christ is to contemplate what he gives us within the gospel. All of us have deep-down longings meant to be fulfilled in the excellent news. Nevertheless, we’re each day tempted to seek out satisfaction in inferior bulletins. Gospel metaphors supply us particular satisfaction for deep longings. For example, we could also be tempted to gossip to a good friend about another person in an effort to really feel accepted. Our need—acceptance—is sweet, however our religion in gossip with a good friend is misplaced. The gospel of justification, nevertheless, reminds us that we’re completely accepted by God in Christ. Since he accepts us absolutely, we want not gossip to seek out acceptance with others. God invitations us to repent of sinful gossip and place our hope in the excellent news that we’re justified by religion alone in Christ alone. To these looking for acceptance, justification guarantees excellent acceptance earlier than a holy God via his Son.
The metaphor of new creation may be particularly compelling for these eager for a brand new begin in life. In case your life has been suffering from failure, scarred by abuse, humbled via struggling, darkened by despair, or ruined by dependancy, there may be hope of turning into a brand new creation. This gospel metaphor gives greater than a brand new identification; it gives a brand new actuality. God sees you as new since you are renewed. In Christ, you could have a brand new value, a brand new spirit, a brand new energy, a brand new Redeemer. You needn’t be dominated by the previous; Christ is your merciful King. To these looking for hope, new creation exiles the previous life and welcomes a brand new life, sending a brilliant ray of hope into the guts of the hopeless.
Evaluate sin’s supply to Christ’s supply, and also you’ll uncover the unsurpassed glory of Christ.
The metaphor of our union with Christ is particularly wealthy as a result of it gives mystical intimacy with Jesus. Our seek for intimacy in relationships appears to by no means finish. Even the very best friendship or marriage isn’t sufficient for our insatiable should be seen, liked, and cared for. All of us need a spot the place we may be ourselves and know we’re accepted. We wish relationships the place we really feel secure to share our innermost ideas and darkest struggles. That is very true of the sexual struggler, the partner caught in a damaged marriage, or the lonely single. To these looking for intimacy, union with Christ invitations an intimate, loving, unbreakable, fulfilling relationship that brings deep therapeutic and pleasure.
As a substitute of merely asking, “How is the gospel higher?” invite each other to say a particular gospel metaphor that displaces the ability of sin.
The Guarantees of God. A 3rd approach to repent is by trusting within the guarantees of God. Trusting our Savior makes discipleship private. After we belief in his guarantees, we lower via non secular efficiency and non secular license, resulting in soul-sweetening obedience. And guess what? He’s totally reliable—the identical yesterday, at the moment, and endlessly (Heb. 13:8)! All of God’s guarantees are assured, “Sure” and “Amen,” in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20). Jesus is a very reliable Redeemer who double-backs his guarantees. As if that isn’t sufficient, God offers us his Holy Spirit to immediate religion in God’s guarantees. Like lightning via metal, the Spirit’s energy is launched via Scripture to awaken our hearts to the glory of God dazzling off the face of Christ. However to expertise that energy, we have to know his guarantees. We’d like not simply random verses however particular guarantees and warnings for private temptations and trials. Fumes from Sunday worship usually are not sufficient. We have to have the phrase at our aspect, able to wield the reality at a second’s discover. Develop a apply of figuring out the guarantees of sin and evaluating them to the guarantees of Christ. Let’s study just a few particular sins and examine them to particular guarantees.
Sexual Lust: looking for satisfaction. As a substitute of trusting in sexual lust for satisfaction, belief God for true satisfaction. Jesus says: “Blessed are the pure in coronary heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). God is probably the most lovely, superb, satisfying being within the universe. Seeing him is thrilling. The psalmist reminds us, “Fulfill us within the morning together with your steadfast love, / that we might rejoice and be glad all our days” (90:14). So, if you find yourself tempted to lust, flip to God for true satisfaction and be ravished.
Lust says: Act in your urges, and you can be happy.
Scripture says: The pure in coronary heart might be happy.
Vainness: looking for magnificence. As a substitute of counting on self-importance for value, take into account the fantastic thing about God: “What we might be has not but appeared; however we all know that when he seems we will be like him, as a result of we will see him as he’s” (1 John 3:2). When you find yourself tempted to seek out your value in your look, flip to God’s magnificence and be content material with the wonder you could have in him.
Vainness says: Carry out fantastically, and you should have value.
Scripture says: Behold the glory of Christ, and you’ll bear his magnificence.
Satisfaction: looking for confidence. As a substitute of trusting in compliments or reward for confidence, consider the reality that your adequacy comes from God: “Such is the boldness we have now towards God via Christ. Not that we’re enough in ourselves in order to contemplate something as having come from ourselves, however our adequacy is from God, who additionally made us enough” (2 Cor. 3:4–6 NASB). It’s true we’re insufficient, however we’re made greater than enough in Christ.
Satisfaction says: Cherish compliments, and you can be assured.
Scripture says: Your confidence comes from being made ample in Jesus.
Anger: responding to circumstances. As a substitute of getting offended since you don’t get your means, put your belief within the Lord’s means: “Be offended, and don’t sin; / ponder in your individual hearts in your beds, and be silent. / Provide proper sacrifices, / and put your belief within the Lord” (Ps. 4:4–5). Put your belief in God, not in circumstances going your means or what you suppose is true.
Anger says: If I don’t get my means, I’ve the suitable to get offended.
Scripture says: Belief within the Lord, not in controlling your circumstances.
These treasured and sumptuous guarantees are so liberating! Get within the behavior of evaluating the guarantees of sin to the guarantees of Scripture. Write down a sin promise subsequent to a gospel promise in an effort to see the staggering distinction between the 2. Whenever you establish the sin promise, it forces you to look the Scriptures for a way the gospel is healthier. There’s one thing about seeing the futility of sin subsequent to the reality of Scripture that helps us get pleasure from Christ. Memorize God’s guarantees collectively; write them in your coronary heart, quote them to your temptations and, most significantly, cherish them.
Romans 8:13 gives a promise. If we “put to loss of life the deeds of the physique,” we are going to stay. Those that skewer sin by trusting the Redeemer get pleasure from life. At some point that life will flower into everlasting enjoyment of the guarantees of God in his renewed creation endlessly and ever. No extra sin, temptation, or repentance! We are going to absolutely and endlessly face the Lord. There might be solely pleasure!
Notes:
- See Paul Tripp in his Harmful Calling: Confronting the Distinctive Challenges of Pastoral Ministry (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 152.
- Timothy Keller, “All of Life Is Repentance,” Redeemer Presbyterian Church, http:// obtain.redeemer.com/pdf/be taught/assets/All_of_Life_Is_Repentance-Keller.pdf.
- I clarify and apply every metaphor in depth in Jonathan Dodson, The Unbelievable Gospel: Say One thing Price Believing (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015), 123–90.
This text is tailored from Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded by Jonathan Dodson.
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