Personal Evaluation Sheet

A few more questions for the day. Did you accept Christ as your Savior so you wouldn't have go to Hell, and spend eternity in the Lake of Fire? Is most of your prayer-time spent asking for things like health, protection, a promotion, etc.? Do you sing to be seen and heard by others? Do you come to church to learn more theological facts, or possibly so God won't get mad at you for not showing up?

Many and maybe even most Believers can't see beyond their noses when it come to the Christian life. Their Christian experience is wrapped up in me and mine. Their Christian philosophy is: What's in it for me? What can the church do for me? By the way, this is the basic philosophy of the world that we are not to be conformed to! Some Believers can't see beyond what I need; what my family needs; I want this for me; I want this for mine; The most important thing is my comfort; etc. Some want a Christian environment in which they will never have to be bothered with someone doing something they don't like or don't agree with. That will be true in heaven, but my friend, this ain't heaven.

Many don't even want to be tested by evil. The Bible says this testing is one means of Christian growth, and the result of that testing is more precious than fine Gold. Nor do they want to be forced to stand firm for their principles when they know that most of those around them do not hold to those same principles. Many aren't willing to stand for Christ against even the slightest bit of opposition, even though the Word of God commands us to, over and over again.

Hebrews 13:12-13 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify [set aside for purity] the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

If we want other Christians to live properly, we need to bear His reproach before them, also. In that way, we sanctify or set them apart for special treatment in the ways of holiness.

1 Corinthians 7:13-14 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

Most people do not learn to do the things they know they should, unless they see an example to follow. Folks, please see this fact, even if you don't see anything else from this lesson.

If a Believer is not following 
the direct and clear commands of the Word of God, 
that Believer is not living a Spiritual life, 
No matter how religious they look, act, talk or smell.

If Believers are not following the direct and clear commands of God, they are as carnal as those to whom Paul wrote in Corinth. Those at Corinth had all the spiritual gifts, yet were not living in obedience.

Many don't want to live an example of real Christian Love before others, who desperately need to see such an example. Many Believers today are developing a lifestyle of isolation or at least semi-isolation. As a result, those who need to see the light and example of the true Christian life will never have the opportunity to observe either.

Many Believers are not interested in helping others grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ, if it means being in contact with immature Believers. Most Believer do not want to help disciple others Christians, because it takes effort and it's not always a comfortable activity. Evidently, many Christians want someone else to disciple the Believers who are not doing all that Christ commanded, as stated in Matt 28:19-20.

Once someone else has suffered through the process of discipling the immature Believers, then these Christians, who didn't want to be a part of discipling, want all those nice matured Christian, who have been discipled by someone else, to gather around them, so they will know comfort and security, and will not have to deal with, or live above the aggravation of carnal Believers, and the world.

It is by living properly and above carnality, while being tested by carnality, that develops Spiritual strength. Being faced with carnality, but living above carnality is a major factor by which other Believers are drawn or convicted to move from carnality to being led by the Spirit. It is no wonder we have so few Christian living spiritually! After all, they have never seen an example or spirituality in real life, by a real living Believer.

1 Timothy 4:9-11 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach. 12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

If you are living godly and trusting in the living God, you will labor and suffer reproach. By being an example of what a Believer really is, others will know how to live the Christian life, because you are living that life before them in:

Oh, how the church needs those live examples of real Christian living! We need that example lived before and among those who are anything but examples of Christian living. The only way most Christians will ever know how to live the Christian life is by seeing another Believer living the real Christian life right next them. Therefore, they can see the contrast.

2 Timothy 3:12-13 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Yes, when the carnal Believer sees the contrast between their life and the real Christian life you are living, they will probably strike out at your real Christian life for at least two reason:

Sad to say, many Christians only want to be around others who think like they do, and have a lifestyle like their own. This is in direct contradiction to the Word of God, from the Great Commission through the book of Revelation.

Remember: 
If a Believer is not following 
the direct and clear commands of the Word of God, 
that person is not living a Spiritual life, 
No matter how religious they look, act, talk or smell.

Not wanting to be around other Christians unless they act like them, and many other actions and attitudes are examples of Christian immaturity and childishness. What we need are mature living saints, who have laid their lives on the altar of sacrifice.

What does this have to do with the earthen vessels of 2 Corinthians 4:7, and being holy in our conduct? Everything! Being holy in our conduct is not the result of our being good, but it comes as a result of being like Christ, Who is the Holiness of God in earthly form.

When we are living like Christ in our attitude, then the Holiness of Christ will be seen in our conduct. This happens not because we have become good enough by our own effort to be holy. As we are becoming like Christ in attitude, we will be eliminating those things that hinder the demonstration of the Holy Spirit, and we will have made our earthly members available to the Holy Spirit. Through that cleansed and dedicated body, the Holy Spirit can demonstrate the Fruit of the Spirit.

In the past lessons, we have looked at several things that need to be eliminated from the life of a Believer. Eliminating those things, does not make us holy. That action removes the things that hinder the working of the Holy Spirit in and through our lives. We have also looked at several things that must be present in our lives, so the Holy Spirit has a proper agent or channel through which He can demonstrate His holiness by means of the Fruit of the Spirit. One of those necessary agents is Biblical unity with others in the Body of Christ.

Once again, this Biblical unity is not everyone thinking and acting in the same manner. This unity is all having the mind of Christ, and part of that mind of Christ is our willingness to give ourselves for the spiritual benefit of the total Body, even for the spiritual benefit of other members who are not practicing the mind of Christ. The subject of Biblical unity has many more aspects than we have examined to this point in our study.

Listen, my Christian friend. If your lifestyle is proper and totally Biblical, then you need to be living that proper lifestyle around, and with others who are not living according to a Biblical lifestyle. If your lifestyle is not totally Biblical, then you need to make the appropriate changes.

Part of the reason for living a Biblical lifestyle is for our own personal benefit. However, another major reason for living a proper Biblical lifestyle is for the benefit of other Christians who are not living properly. By living a Biblical lifestyle before and with the immature Believers, that act will provoke or stir-up those Believers to live in a proper manner.

Hebrews 10:22-25 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Well, look at that! There's the 'ol stand-by verse that preachers use to shame members into coming to church regularly. "Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together". It certainly has application to church attendance, but it has far deeper meaning than simply showing up Sunday Morning all spit and polished. To look at the deeper meaning of this passage, we will have to start with the context.

We can't take time to look at the broad context of this passage, but notice v.22 is speaking about having a proper heart attitude, a clear conscience and a proper physical conduct. Having these proper things v.23 is based on our trust and faith in God and in His promises. We have already looked at these in earlier lesson. The writer of Hebrews elaborated on these in Hebrews 11-12. Then we come to v.24 which holds the key to why we are not to forsake the assembling with the Believers. Notice this is a direct command of the Holy Spirit to Believers.

You remember: 
If a Believer is not following 
the direct and clear commands of the Word of God, 
that Believer is not living a Spiritual life, 
No matter how religious they look, act, talk or smell.

We have such a narrow view of carnality! We often limit our thinking of carnality to such things as:

All of which can be carnal, but carnality is so much more.

In Hebrews 10, the Holy Spirit is commanding us to fully observe the other members of the Body. The purpose of this observation is not for condemnation, but for stirring them up to Christian love and good works. We are told elsewhere in the New Testament that exhortation of Believers is to be in the form of teaching, or if you prefer the term, preaching.

However, here in Hebrews 10, the exhortation is not to be by means of preaching, or telling them to shape-up, but by assembling together with those who need the exhortation, and that's all Believers. This type of assembling is a vital part of Biblical unity. Here is another example of Biblical unity through diversity.

Another very interesting part of the command is as the Day approaches [the Day of the Lord] these assembling times will need to increase. The context brings out the why of this increase. We'll go there some day, but for now, our concentration needs to be on the fact that as mature Believers, we are to be giving ourselves in this assembling type exhortation of one another.

Through these assemblings, we are to stir-up or provoke one another to living as Believers should. Notice the benefit of these assemblings, presented here, is a two-way benefit. As you stir-up others to proper living, it will also stir you up to greater and greater heights of Christian living. However, a very sad fact is that many Believers are more concerned with personal comfort than with their ministry of stirring up to love and good works.

When you, as a Believer, are assembling with the proper attitude, for the proper purpose and at appropriate frequencies, it will bring you Spiritual blessings like you have never known, and will bring a powerful spiritual unity to the local body of Believers.

When you assemble with an improper attitude, for the wrong purpose and not in appropriate frequencies, you will experience some horrendous spiritual punishment, and the local body will experience division.

Therefore, you, as a Believer, 
cannot afford to disassemble yourself from the others in the Body.

If we were to continue our study of the context, you would see:

Hebrews 10:25-30 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord." And again, "The Lord will judge His people."
I'm sure you haven't forgotten:
If a Believer is not following 
the direct and clear commands of the Word of God, 
that Believer is not living a Spiritual life, 
No matter how religious they look, act, talk or smell.

Back to our passage in:

Hebrews 10:22-25 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
consider (Greek)
to observe fully; to perceive clearly; to understand fully by considering closely, denotes that any action be based on this observation

We are to observe the others in the body, not to see where we excel or are better than they, but to see what we can do to help the others grow. It is interesting, when we are attempting to help other Believers grow, we are to observe their lives, and make plans how we can come along side and help. However, when a brother sins, and we are attempting to restore the sinning brother/sister, then our attention is to be turned toward ourselves. Actually, we are to take aim at ourselves, so that we don't fall after the same manner of sinning. The Greek word for considering in Galatians 6:1 indicates that we are to watch ourselves as a sentry for protection.

Galatians 6:1-2 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
stir up (Greek)
to incite or stimulate to do good [can be negative by inciting to anger and bitterness]; this proper stimulation happens through the process of sharpening the other, as you use your life as the sharpening agent, this comes about by being along side

Wouldn't it be wonderful, it would certainly be different, if we each observed other Believers to see what we could do or say, so that the next time we assemble that would help the other Believers grow and mature spiritually? There might need to be a number of changes, if some Believers were to do things to make the others better, rather than tearing them down.

This stirring-up to love and good works is to be accomplished by sharpening others, through placing your life beside them not separating from them. This process is to take place, because you have assembled with the other Believers. In the process of sharpening the others, your life will be honed to a finer spiritual edge, also. This is a command of God in Hebrews 10:24.

 Remember:
If a Believer is not following 
the direct and clear commands of the Word of God, 
that Believer is not living a Spiritual life, 
No matter how religious they look, act, talk or smell.

This type of assembling is not where the one being stirred comes to your house, or you go to the house of the stirred one. There is good reason for assembling on a turf other than the home turf of either. By assembling at a neutral location, the purpose of that location can be established as a place where we are honed to be more like Christ.

Plus, by assembling at the neutral place, usually called the church building, there is the help of the entire local body of Believers in this stirring process to Christian love and good works. If the purpose of the assembling place, is established as a place for being stirred to be like Christ, then just by coming to that assembling place, we expect to be stirred or to accomplish the process of stirring others.

We have spent months looking at how we can grow-up to be like Christ. Christ was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. Christ was known as a Friend of Sinners, and when Christ saw a multitude, He was moved with compassion.

Matthew 9:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
Matthew 14:14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.
Mark 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."

When you see the multitude that's wandering around without proper spiritual direction and not acting the way you think they should, what is you attitude? I'm really talking to the preacher, but you are welcome to listen in. When you see the multitude without spiritual direction, are you moved to help and reach out to them, or do you want to distance yourself, so you will not have to get close the leper?

The human religious attitude is that it's Ok if the unlovely ones are across the oceans! Then, we'll have great sympathy, and will even give some money to the missionaries so they can go and reach out to the unlovely ones. But what if we see the multitude wandering around without spiritual direction in Austin?

Let's say that spiritually unlovely acting multitude was here at MBF? (and there are a few of us here) If there were such people in the Austin area, and/or perish the thought in MBF, would you be willing to live before and with them, showing, from your spiritual resources and Biblical example, the proper way to live? Or would you say or at least think that they ought to shape-up and live like you, so you could be comfortable around them, and not have to lower yourself to act like Christ, in being a servant to others.

Those are hard words, but not nearly as hard as they should be! These words would have been harder, but when I applied them to my own life, they hit so hard that I didn't have the courage to make them any stronger.

We come, or at least we should come to church to hear from the Word of God, so we can learn how to be more Like Christ, and help others Christians be like Him through our example. If you come to church for a lesser reason than the above, you're wasting your time. Our example should not be a moralistic, legalistic, animated religion of dos and don'ts! Instead, it should the life of Christ living out of our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. Which brings us back to our passage in:

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

In this passage, the Holy Spirit has used a physical illustration so we can better understand a very deep and complex spiritual truth. As we see from our earthen vessel on the table before us, any light put in that vessel can not shine through it.

The earthen vessel is an illustration of the Believer's life, and just as the light cannot shine through the earthen vessel, likewise, the light of the glory of God, placed in the Believer's life, cannot shine through or be demonstrated by the goodness of any human action.

Therefore, if this light of the glory of God, which we received at salvation, is to be seen in our living, it will take more than a Believer can do on his own. We saw from our passage, that for this to happen, it will take the same power of God that was used in creation when God commanded light to shine out of darkness. Several lessons ago, we started on a quest to see what the Scriptures say concerning this matter of how the light of God can shine through a Believer's life. A couple of the means by which this can happen are found in:

2 Peter 1:3-4 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
partaker (Greek)
a sharer or an associate; to have all things in common; to be a partner or companion

Hebrews 12:10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.

partaker (Greek)
to participate; to take food

It is from the base of this Greek word used in Hebrews 12:10 that we get such words as metamorphism, metabolism, and many more. These words have the thought of participation and assimilation of elements in such a manner that the elements become a vital part of the object doing the assimilating. Metamorphism has do with change from one form to another, while metabolism has to do with change in growth and health.

As Believers, we are to be partakers of God's life through at least two means:

It is the second means that we want to direct our concentration in the next lessons. Both aspects play an important role in the holiness of God being seen through the Believer's conduct. We need to go back to the passage in 2 Corinthians 4 dealing with the earthen vessels. We have made a comparative study of this situation, throughout the Bible. Now, we are ready to look at the immediate context, and then we'll be able to see clearly how this humanely impossible phenomena takes place.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

You don't want to miss the next lessons! In the next lesson, we will begin to tie up the loose ends that have been created by our study through Scriptures dealing with the light of the glory of God, shining forth from a Believer. Let's close by adding another building block to this subject.

transform (Greek)
to transform, literally to be metamorphosed; to undergo a complete change which, under the power of God, will find expression in character and conduct; a process of inward change that is evidenced externally

This word is also used of the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus.

Matthew 17:1-2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, brought them up on a high mountain by themselves, 2 and was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

This process of the light of God's glory, that was placed in the life of Believers, shining out through the earthen vessels, the conduct of the Believers, literally involves a metamorphose of the same nature as the transfiguration of Christ. That's deep, far too deep for the natural mind to understand.

So, for the next lesson, please make sure you are confessed up to date, your fellowship with Christ proper, and that you're walking in the Spirit. If not, you will miss out on one of the greatest and deepest spiritual truths of the Word of God.

In the next lesson, we will begin our examination of how we use the liberty we have in Christ, to look into this mirror and see the glory of the Lord. Through this process, we will be transformed from one image into the image of the glory of the Lord. This is the same glory that was in the face of Jesus, and has been placed in the life of every Believer by God at salvation. Through this process, the holiness or the glory of God will be seen in the Believer's daily conduct.

As we close, please compare the passage in 2 Corinthians 4:6 with its context in 2 Corinthians 3:17. Please, study these two passages, as well as the context on both sides of these passages. If you have a good concept of the information in these passages and their context, it will help considerably in your understanding of the next lessons.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
© Clyde White, Austin TX, 1998