Your New Identity (Victory Series Book #2): A Transforming Union with God (13 page)

Hebrews 1:1–4

Key Point

Being a joint-heir with Jesus is every believer’s birthright.

Key Verse

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Romans 8:17

G
od spoke to our forefathers through His prophets, but now He speaks to us through His Son (see Hebrews 1:1). Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God, as revealed by the seven following descriptive statements in verses 2–4 about Him. First, Jesus has been appointed heir of all things (see Romans 8:17). Second, through Jesus, the universe was made (see John 1:3; Colossians 1:18). Third, Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory (see John 1:14, 18). Fourth, Jesus is the representation of the Father (see John 14:9; Colossians 1:15). Fifth, by His powerful word, Jesus
sustains all things (see Colossians 1:17). Sixth, Jesus provided the purification of our sins (see Titus 2:14; Hebrews 7:27). Seventh, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven (see Hebrews 8:1; 10:12).

The destiny of Christians is bound up in the destiny of Jesus. “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have [died]” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Jesus was the first to receive the birthright. As born-again believers, we also have a birthright because we are all children of God. “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). All this is possible because we are spiritually alive “in Christ.”

Paul writes, “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6–7). As grateful believers we say, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (1:3).

According to Ephesians 1:4–14, our inheritance in Christ includes being chosen in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless; predestined to be adopted as His sons and daughters through Jesus Christ; redeemed through Christ’s blood, the forgiveness of sins; knowledgeable of the mystery of His will; chosen and predestined according to His plan; included in Christ when we heard the word of truth; and marked in Jesus with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

According to God’s Word, we have a rich inheritance in Christ. The problem is that many Christians do not know it or fail to comprehend this incredible truth about being a joint heir with Jesus. So Paul prays that we would know God better and that our hearts would be enlightened in order that we may know the riches of our inheritance in Christ (see Ephesians 1:17–19). God’s promises need to be claimed, and His truth needs to be believed in order for it to be effective in our lives.

As you close your study today, make this your prayer: “Glorious Father and God of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I ask that You would give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I may know You better. I pray also that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that I may know the hope to which You have called me, the riches of Your glorious
inheritance in the saints, and Your incomparably great power that You have extended to all of us who believe. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

Review Hebrews 1:1–4. What are some of the statements the author makes to show that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God?

What have we received because we are a new creation in Christ? What has God promised to us since we are now co-heirs with Christ?

According to Ephesians 1:4–14, what are some of the things our inheritance in Christ includes?

Take a moment to reflect on your physical heritage in comparison to your spiritual inheritance. Can you explain the difference?

What are the practical implications for knowing that you are a joint-heir with Christ?

How is it that He who died is always said to be the heir of life, when heirs are normally heirs of the dead? But of course Christ died in His humanity, not in His divinity. For with God, which is where our inheritance lies, the Father’s gift is poured into His obedient children, so that one who is alive may be the heir of the Living One by his own merit and not by reason of death. . . . What it means to be a fellow heir with Christ we are taught by the apostle John, for among other things he says: “We know that when He appears we shall be like Him.”

Ambrosiaster (written c. AD 366–384)

Ephesians 3:14–21

Key Point

God loves us not because we are lovable, but because it is His nature to love us.

Key Verse

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.

Ephesians 1:18

D
oes God love us? If we performed better, would God love us more? Does God love one person more than another? Do we really know the rich inheritance that we have in Christ? Such questions trouble every defeated Christian.

Paul addresses these issues in the book of Ephesians by modeling how we should pray for all the saints—and possibly ourselves. Paul first prays that our knowledge of God would increase and that we would know the rich inheritance that we have in Christ (see Ephesians 1:17–18). Then, in
Ephesians 3:14–21, he asks that we be filled with the power to comprehend the love of Christ that goes beyond knowledge. He desires that all believers be rooted in the love of Christ, established and “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (verse 19).

The two dominant Greek words in Scripture translated as love are
agape
and
phileo
.
Phileo
is brotherly love. It represents the natural affection we show among family, friends, and countrymen.
Agape
is God’s love. It reflects the nature of God, because “God is love” (1 John 4:16). God loves us not because we are lovable, but because it is His nature to love us. The love of God is not dependent on its object. That is why the love of God is unconditional.

It is imperative that, as a believer, you know that God loves you and why. If you performed better, God wouldn’t love you any more than He does now. If you performed poorly, He would still love you the same. He may discipline you for your sake, “because the Lord disciplines the ones he loves” (Hebrews 12:6). Further, “If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are illegitimate, not true sons and daughters at all” (Hebrews 12:8).

Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another” (John 13:34). Before salvation, we loved one another as well as we humanly could. But with Christ in us, we have a new capacity to love because we have become a partaker of His divine nature (see 2 Peter 1:4). “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Our ability to love others is due to the presence of God in our lives and is the measure of our maturity. Paul says, “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). As we grow in Christ, our nature takes on the nature of love and our capacity to love others increases.

To further your understanding of God’s love, personalize Paul’s prayer for yourself: “Heavenly Father, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You would strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. I pray that I may be rooted and established in Your love. Grant me the power with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is Your love. Enable me to know Your love that is beyond my mental ability to understand. Fill me to the measure of Your fullness. You are able to do immeasurably more than
I could ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within me. May You be glorified in Your Church throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

In Ephesians 3:14–21, how does Paul model how we should pray for ourselves and other believers in Christ?

What does
phileo
love represent? What does
agape
love represent?

Before we met Christ, we loved as much as we humanly could. What capacity do we now have to love after becoming partakers in Jesus’ divine nature?

Why does God love you? How do you know He does?

Are there people in your life whom you struggle to love? Does that struggle have more to do with you or the other person? Explain.

The text “God so loved the world,” shows such an intensity of love. For great indeed and infinite is the distance between the two. The immortal, the infinite majesty without beginning or end loved those who were but dust and ashes, who were loaded with ten thousand sins but remained ungrateful even as they constantly offended Him. This is who He “loved.” For God did not give a servant, or an angel or even an archangel “but His only begotten Son.”

John Chrysostom (AD 347–407)

T
he following are some guidelines for leaders to follow when using the V
ICTORY
S
ERIES
studies with a small group. Generally, the ideal size for a group is between 10 and 20 people, which is small enough for meaningful fellowship but large enough for dynamic group interaction. It is typically best to stop opening up the group to members after the second session and invite them to join the next study after the six weeks are complete.

Structuring Your Time Together

For best results, ensure that all participants have a copy of the book. They should be encouraged to read the material and consider the questions and applications on their own before the group session. If participants have to miss a meeting, they should keep abreast of the study on their own. The group session reinforces what they learned and offers the valuable perspectives of others. Learning best takes place in the context of committed relationships, so do more than just share answers. Take the time to care and share with one another. You might want to use the first week to distribute material and give everyone a chance to tell others who they are.

If you discussed just one topic a week, it would take several years to finish the V
ICTORY
S
ERIES
. If you did five a week, it is possible to complete the whole series in 48 weeks. All the books in the series were written with a six-week study in mind. However, each group is different and each will
have to discover its own pace. If too many participants come unprepared, you may have to read, or at least summarize, the text before discussing the questions and applications.

It would be great if this series was used for a church staff or Bible study at work and could be done one topic at a time, five days a week. However, most study groups will likely be meeting weekly. It is best to start with a time of sharing and prayer for one another. Start with the text or Bible passage for each topic and move to the discussion questions and application. Take time at the end to summarize what has been covered, and dismiss in prayer.

Group Dynamics

Getting a group of people actively involved in discussing critical issues of the Christian life is very rewarding. Not only does group interaction help to create interest, stimulate thinking, and encourage effective learning, but it is also vital for building quality relationships within the group. Only as people begin to share their thoughts and feelings will they begin to build bonds of friendship and support.

It is important to set some guidelines at the beginning of the study, as follows:

• There are no wrong questions.
  
• Everyone should feel free to share his or her ideas without recrimination.
  
• Focus on the issues and not on personalities.
  
• Try not to dominate the discussions or let others do so.
  
• Personal issues shared in the group must remain in the group.
  
• Avoid gossiping about others in or outside the group.
  
• Side issues should be diverted to the end of the class for those who wish to linger and discuss them further.
  
• Above all, help each other grow in Christ.
  

Some may find it difficult to share with others, and that is okay. It takes time to develop trust in any group. A leader can create a more open and
sharing atmosphere by being appropriately vulnerable himself or herself. A good leader doesn’t have all the answers and doesn’t need to for this study. Some questions raised are extremely difficult to answer and have been puzzled over for years by educated believers. We will never have all the answers to every question in this age, but that does not preclude discussion over eternal matters. Hopefully, it will cause some to dig deeper.

Leading the Group

The following tips can be helpful in making group interaction a positive learning opportunity for everyone:

• When a question or comment is raised that is off the subject, suggest that you will bring it up again at the end of the class if anyone is still interested.
  
• When someone talks too much, direct a few questions specifically to other people, making sure not to put any shy people on the spot. Talk privately with the “dominator” and ask for cooperation in helping to draw out the quieter group members.
  
• Hopefully the participants have already written their answers to the discussion questions and will share that when asked. If most haven’t come prepared, give them some time to personally reflect on what has been written and the questions asked.
  
• If someone asks a question that you don’t know how to answer, admit it and move on. If the question calls for insight about personal experience, invite group members to comment. If the question requires specialized knowledge, offer to look for an answer before the next session. (Make sure to follow up the next session.)
  
• When group members disagree with you or each other, remind them that it is possible to disagree without becoming disagreeable. To help clarify the issues while maintaining a climate of mutual acceptance, encourage those on opposite sides to restate what they have heard the other person(s) saying about the issue. Then invite each side to evaluate how accurately they feel their position was presented. Ask group members to identify as many points as possible related to the topic on which both sides agree, and then lead the group in examining
  other Scriptures related to the topic, looking for common ground that they can all accept.
  
• Finally, urge group members to keep an open heart and mind and a willingness to continue loving one another while learning more about the topic at hand.
  

If the disagreement involves an issue on which your church has stated a position, be sure that stance is clearly and positively presented. This should be done not to squelch dissent but to ensure that there is no confusion over where your church stands.