Master the Bible: How to Get and Keep the Big Picture of the Bible's Story

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Mas ter the B i b l e : How to Get and Keep the B i g P i c ture of the B i b l e ’ s Stor y

Content

I. Growing toward Maturity: Incorporation into the Family of God

Every person who is born into the kingdom of God is born a babe in Christ. There is no hurry-up process for making men out of babies; it takes time, expense, and sacrifice on the part of the parents. Re gardless of age, wealth, education, or position, all new Christians are babies and need parental care. Babies are the most demanding beings on earth, not only because of their natural helplessness and inability to reason, but also because of their self-centeredness. Only the mature person is capable of living for others.

~ Waylon B. Moore. New Testament Follow-up . Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Company, 1963. p. 44.

A. Defining the growth toward maturity: incorporation into the family of God

Definition of maturity : “God incorporates (positions, places) you into his family in order that you might be edified and become fruitful, to the glory of God.”

1. We are incorporated (placed and united) into God’s family by faith in Jesus Christ.

a. We are born by faith into the family of God, John 1.12-13 – But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. b. We come to have fellowship with God and those who belong to him, 1 John 1.1-4 – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life – [2] the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest