August 6, 2023 – Bible Doctrine 10 – The Christian Life

Lesson Date: August 6, 2023

Focal Scripture Passage: Matthew 25:34-40; Luke 11:1-4; John 13:34; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 6:16 – 7:1; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 10:25; 1 John 3:3; 5:13

AIM: To lead students to discover things believers must do to successfully live the Christian life, and to evaluate themselves and commit to improving any areas that are weak or lacking.

Before class: Read the chapters containing the focal passages several times during the week.  Get enough copies of the Lesson Outline handout for your anticipated attendance.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Remind the students that throughout June and July we have been studying important Bible doctrines.  Briefly review what we have learned thus far, by reading the lesson titles for the lessons in June and July.

Tell the class that the Bible makes it clear that apart from a personal relationship with Jesus, man is hopelessly lost and destined for eternal torment in hell.  Tell them that two weeks ago, however, we learn that God graciously made a way for us to be saved, by trusting in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus.

Stress the fact that salvation is an act of God’s grace, apart from our works; in other words, we do not work to earn our salvation.

Ask: “Once Jesus saves us, is that all there is?  Do we just sit around and wait to die so we can go to heaven?” (no).  Ask: “After Jesus saves us, what are we supposed to do?  What must we do to successfully live the Christian life?” (allow time for responses).

Tell the class the title of today’s lesson is The Christian Life.  Tell them as we study several Bible passages, we will discover things we must do to successfully live the Christian life; we will also evaluate ourselves and commit to improving any areas that are weak or lacking.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Results of Salvation; we learned that when Jesus saves us, He justifies us, reconciles us to God, adopts us as His children, and promises to make us persevere to the end).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verse (Philippians 1:6).
   • Tell the class there are three main areas of the Christian life, our upward relationship with God, our outward relationship with others, and our inward relationship: our daily walk.
2. Our Upward Relationship: Worship God.
   • Tell the students the first area of the Christian life involves our ongoing relationship with God; this is the upward relationship.
   • Ask: “As Christians, what are some things we must do to deepen and strengthen our relationship with God?” (allow time for responses).
   • Ask everyone to turn to Colossians 4, and then ask a volunteer to read Colossians 4:2.
     • Ask: “What does this verse tell us to do?” (pray and be thankful).
     • Tell the students the first thing we must do to strengthen our upward relationship with God is pray.
     • Ask: “What is prayer?” (talking with God).
     • Stress the fact that we are blessed to be able to talk freely to the Lord and creator of the universe; we should not neglect that blessing or take it for granted.
     • Tell the class that Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray.
     • Ask everyone to turn to Luke 11, and then read Luke 11:1-4.
     • Tell them that Jesus gave us a guideline for prayer, saying that in our prayers we should:
       • Address God.
       • Praise God.
       • Submit to God.
       • Ask God for things we need.
       • Ask God to forgive our sins.
       • Ask God to protect us
     • Ask: “Do you set aside time every day to pray? Is your prayer life all that it should be?”
   • Ask everyone to turn to 2 Timothy 2, and then ask a volunteer to read 2 Timothy 2:15.
     • Ask: “What does that verse say we must do?” (study the Bible).
     • Tell the students the next thing we must do to strengthen our upward relationship with God is study the Bible.
     • Stress the fact that we are blessed to have God’s Word freely available to us; we should not neglect that blessing or take it for granted.
     • Ask: “Do you set aside time every day to read and study the Bible? Is your Bible study all that it should be?”
   • Ask everyone to turn to Hebrews 10, and then read Hebrews 10:25.
     • Ask: “What must we not forsake?” (gathering with other believers at church).
     • Tell the students the next thing we must do to strengthen our upward relationship with God is regularly attend church.
     • Stress the fact that we are blessed to be able to attend church freely and without fear; we should not neglect that blessing or take it for granted.
     • Ask: “Do you make time in your schedule to regularly attend church? We have services Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening.  Are you faithful to them?  Is your church attendance all that it should be?”
   • Summarize: To grow in our upward relationship with God, we must worship Him, which includes prayer, Bible study, and church attendance. Neglecting those things hurts our relationship with the Lord.
3. Our Outward Relationship: Working for Others.
   • Tell the students that in addition to our upward relationship with God, He expects us to have an outward relationship of working for others.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Acts 1, and then ask a volunteer to read Acts 1:8.
     • Ask: “After promising to give His followers power, what did Jesus tell us to do?” (witness to others, telling them about Jesus).
     • Tell the students the first part of our outward relationship with others is witnessing.
     • Ask: “Think about your witnessing; is it all that it should be?”
   • Ask everyone to turn to John 13, and then ask a volunteer to read John 13:34.
     • Ask: “What does Jesus command His followers to do?” (love one another).
     • Tell the students the next part of our outward relationship with others is loving one another.
     • Ask: “Are you a loving person? Do you show and express love the way Jesus wants you to?”
   • Ask everyone to turn to Matthew 25, and then read Matthew 25:34-40.
     • Ask: “What kinds of good works did Jesus praise?” (feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, caring for strangers, giving clothes to the naked, visiting the sick, and ministering to those in prison).
     • Ask: “According to verse 40, who did Jesus say we should do these things for?” (His brethren; in other words, other believers).
     • Tell the students the next part of our outward relationship with others is doing good works for other believers.
     • Ask: “Do you do good works for other believers? Is there room for improvement?“
   • Summarize: Our outward relationship of working for others includes witnessing, loving one another, and doing good works for other believers. Neglecting those things hurts our relationship with others and with God.
4. Our Inward Relationship: Walking Daily.
   • Tell the students that in addition to our upward relationship with God and our outward relationship of working for others, God expects us to maintain an inward relationship of walking daily in sanctification and assurance.
   • Ask everyone to turn to 2 Corinthians 6, and then read 2 Corinthians 6:16 – 7:1.
     • Ask: “What does verse 16 call us?” (“the Temple of the living God”).
     • Ask: “What does verse 17 tell us to do?” (come out from and be separate from sinners, and not touch unclean things).
     • Ask: “What does verse 1 tell us to do?” (cleanse ourselves from all filthiness).
     • Tell the students the first part of our inward relationship of walking daily is sanctification, which means to put away sin and be set apart for God.
     • Ask everyone to turn to 1 Thessalonians 4, and then ask a volunteer to read 1 Thessalonians 4:3.
     • Ask: “What is God’s will for us?” (our sanctification).
     • Remind the class that sanctification means to put away sin and be set apart for God.
     • Ask: “What specific sin are we warned to abstain from?” (fornication).
     • Ask everyone to turn to 1 John 3, and then read 1 John 3:3.
     • Explain that the word hope in that verse refers to the confident assurance of eternal life that we have if we belong to Jesus Christ.
     • Ask: “What must every believer strive to do?” (purify himself, because God is pure).
     • Ask: “How are you doing at sanctifying and purifying yourself? Is there room for improvement?”
   • Ask everyone to turn to 1 John 5, and then ask a volunteer to read 1 John 5:13.
     • Ask: “Why were these things written to those who believe in Jesus?” (so we may know that we have eternal life).
     • Tell the students the next part of our inward relationship of walking daily is assurance.
     • Explain that salvation and eternal life is not a guessing game; the Bible makes it clear that we can know for certain that we have eternal life.
     • Ask: “How is your confident assurance in Jesus? Are you troubled or paralyzed with doubts and fears?”
   • Summarize: Our inward relationship of walking daily includes sanctification, and assurance. Neglecting those things hurts our daily walk with the Lord.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that today’s lesson is about The Christian Life, and that we have discovered things we must do to successfully live the Christian life.  Give everyone a copy of the Lesson Outline handout.  Review the lesson by reading the main points and subpoints from that outline:

The Christian Life

Our Upward Relationship: Worship God

• • Pray – Colossians 4:2; Luke 11:1-4
  • Study the Bible – 2 Timothy 2:15
  • Attend church – Hebrews 10:25

Our Outward Relationship: Working for Others

• • Witnessing – Acts 1:8
  • Loving one another – John 13:34
  • Doing good works for other believers– Matthew 25:34-40

Our Inward Relationship: Walking Daily

• • Sanctification – 2 Corinthians 6:16 – 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 John 3:3
  • Assurance – 1 John 5:13

Ask: “Think about your Christian life; how are you doing in the areas of your upward relationship with God, your outward relationship with others, and your inward relationship of walking daily?  What areas need improvement?”  Remind the students that any areas that are weak or lacking will hinder them from living a successful, victorious Christian life.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Tell them to silently evaluate their Christian life and confess any areas that are weak or lacking.  Tell them to ask God for help in those areas.  Tell them to commit to God to do better in any areas that are weak or lacking, trusting God to help them.  After a few moments of silence, voice a closing prayer of confession and commitment.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Hebrews 10:25.  Tell them to keep the Lesson Outline handout in their Bibles so they can refer to it again later.  Urge them set aside time to pray and read the Bible every day, to witness and do good works, and to abstain from sin.