Lesson: THE PERSON GOD SAVES AND WORKS WITH
TEXT: 2Cor. 4:15-18
MEMORY VERSE:
2Cor. 4:16 NKJV
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
OBJECTIVE: At the end of the lesson, we should learn and clearly see who God’s word is having in mind to serve God between the outward and inward persons of which every human being is made up in accordance with our memory verse and their various fruits.
INTRODUCTION:
All divine directives are not aimless, lest, they be ignored without punishment. Even at obeying them, if not by the inward person, can still be worthless before God amounting to no good reward. cf. 1Cor. 13:1-3. However, the various fruits borne by both persons will always be a determining factor for God’s good rewards. What are all such fruits?
PRESENTATION
Step I: SOME FRUITS OF THE INWARD PERSON
1. Washed with spiritual water – Baptism in the Holy Spirit – Heb. 10:22,23; Col. 2:11,12; Acts 1:4,5
i. The effect of the washing is on the conscience. See Heb. 9:14
2. Enters spiritual temple and worships with Christ. cf. Heb. 9:24
3. Dressed with spiritual materials
i. Christ as garment – cf. Rom. 13:14.
ii. Fruit of the spirit as the designs – cf. Gal. 5:22,23.
4. Eats spiritual foods
i. Christ’s teachings as food not for flesh and blood – cf. 1Pet. 2:2; John 4:31-34; 6:35.
5. Grows in the knowledge of Christ – cf. 2Pet. 3:18.
6. Takes pride in self offering first – cf. Rom. 12:1,2; 2Cor. 12:14; Rev. 3:20; Acts 8:20-23.
7. Desires a spiritual Jesus made manifest in His righteousness – cf. 2Cor. 5:16,17; Matt. 6:33.
8. Watches and compares self with Christ – cf. 2Cor. 10:12; Heb. 12:1,2; Rom. 8:28,29.
9. Lives by faith (not by sight) pursuing the spirit of the word – cf. 1John 3:17-20; John 6:63
10. Measures God’s favour in spiritual terms – cf. The Beatitudes – Matt. 5:3-12.
11. Making no emphasis on sex disparity in God’s service – cf. Gal. 3:26-28; Matt. 22:29,30.
12. Sees self and other believers as God’s temple and dwelling place – cf. 1Cor.3:9,16,17; Heb. 3:4,6.
13. Sees the presence of God everywhere (day and night) to worship – cf. Ps. 139:7; Acts 10:33; John 4:23,24.
14. Believes in personal salvation – cf. Prov. 16:5; Gal. 6:5; 2Cor. 5:10; Phil. 2:12.
15. Is found in the Church permanently – cf. Heb. 3:4,6; 1Cor. 3:9.
Step II: SOME FRUITS OF THE OUTWARD PERSON – FLESH AND BLOOD
1. Washed with physical water
i. This is ceremonial water baptism of the Jewish tradition that cannot revive the conscience – cf. 1Pet. 3:21.
2. Needs and enters physical temple and worships with men – cf. Acts 17:16,24,25; Heb. 9:1,8.
3. Dressed with physical materials – rings, necklaces, make-ups, etc. cf. 1Pet. 3:1-3; Col. 3:1-3.
4. Eats physical foods – cf. Rom. 14:17.
5. Grows in knowledge of the law and world system – Heb. 10:1-4
6. Takes pride in material offerings first – expressed in money, tithes, first fruits, vows, etc. cf. Eccle. 10:19; Deut. 16:16,17.
7. Desires a physical Jesus made credible in signs and wonders – cf. John 20:29; Matt. 16:4.
8. Watches and compares self with other humans – cf. 1Cor. 1:10-13; 3:6,7; 4:6,7.
9. Has an academic faith pursuing the letters of the word – cf. 2Cor. 3:6.
10. Measures God’s favour in material terms – cf. Luke 16:13-15; 2Tim. 3:1-5.
11. Making women believers inferior through gender variance – cf. 1Tim. 2:11-15; 1Cor. 14:34,35.
12. Sees a material house (Church shelter) as God’s temple and dwelling place – cf. 2Chron. 6:18; 7:11,12; Acts 17:24,25.
13. Confines God’s worship and presence to one place and day – cf. Ps. 139:7; Acts 10:33; Gal. 4:9-11.
14. Believes in group salvation – cf. Gal. 6:3,4; Phil. 2:12.
15. Believes in going to ‘Church’ (instead of ‘Church assembly’) and coming back from it – cf. Heb. 3:4,6; 1Cor. 3:9.
CONCLUSION:
Whether in corporate or individual worship, it is the ‘inward person’ who is made righteous by the blood of Jesus that God expects to undertake. The ‘outward person’ also called ‘flesh and blood’ is not accepted by God for any service unless being led by the ‘inward person’ enabled by the Spirit of Christ. By Christ’s grace, the battle of supremacy between the outward and inward persons will always be won by the ‘inward person’. cf. Gal. 5:16,17.
EVALUATION:
1. If our worship to God or failure to do so neither adds assistance to Him nor harm Him, why does He bother to correct us?
2. If the ‘inward person’ is cleansed by Christ and functional, the ‘outward person’ is cleansed automatically. (Yes or No) Why?
3. ‘Gal. 5:17’ speaks of natural conflict between the ‘outward person’ and the ‘inward person’. For what purpose?
4. Before salvation through Christ, the ‘inward person’ was dominated by the ‘outward person’. (True or False). Why?
5. What is the difference between ‘Church’ and ‘Church Cathedral’?
6. Between ‘Church’ and ‘Church Cathedral’, which between them is God permanently present?
PRAYER:
With thanksgiving to God for the lesson, let us ask Him for knowledge of what His intent was creating the ‘Church’ in Christ and what her worship was to achieve and/or influence in the world for Him.
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