oakcliff study wk4

7/30/2019 OakCliff Study Wk4

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/oakcliff-study-wk4 1/41 THE RESULT OF DISCIPLESHIP OAK CLIFF BIBLE FELLOWSHIP

MAIN POINT

Through our lives of discipleship, we are being transformed into the image of Jesus by the

power of the Holy Spirit and the application of God’s Word in our lives. The apostle Paulpoints out in today’s passage from 2 Corinthians that it is God who provides us with the

power for a life of continual spiritual growth, the result of which is liberty from the bondage

of sin and death.

INTRODUCTION

What most immediately comes into your mind when you think o the word “transormation”? Why

do you think you chose that image?

Come up with a working defnition o the word “transormation.”

Chapters 3–7 o 2 Corinthians deal with Paul as a minister o the gospel. As we’ve seen throughout our

discipleship study, every Christian belongs to the body o Christ and shares in the ministry o Christ. Thus in one

sense all Christians are ministers o the gospel. As such, we are recipients o and participants in the liegiving,

transorming ministry o the Spirit, who is molding us into image bearers o Christ. This Christlikeness is the goal

o discipleship.

UNDERSTANDING

In 2 Corinthians 3:7-17 Paul compared the glory of the old and new covenants. The old covenant

and the ministry of Moses had their glory, but the new covenant and the ministry of the gospel

have far superior glory. As Moses’ veil kept the Israelites from seeing his face clearly (Ex. 34:33-35),

we all had veils obscuring our vision of God’s glory before we turned to Christ. When we turned to

Him the veil was removed (2 Cor. 3:16). Our vision of God’s glory in Christ is now clear. This is the

result of the Spirit’s work in us.

1. THE GOAL OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION

> READ 2 CORINTHIANS 3:17-18.

Based on these verses, what can we conclude is the goal o our Christian walk? What does that goal

indicate about those who have yet to ollow Christ?

What are we being transormed into? How long does this process o transormation take?

OAK CLIFF BIBLE FELLOWSHIPDISCIPLING THE CHURCH TO IMPACT THE WORLD

THE RESULT OF DISCIPLESHIP

2 CORINTHIANS 3:17-18

STUDY GUIDE



Read Romans 8:29; Galatians 4:18-19; Philippians 3:20-21; and 1 John 3:2 or insight. What do you

learn about the process o transormation rom these passages?

How do you know i this work is happening inside you?

As disciples o Jesus, we are being transormed into His image in whom we see the glory o the Lord. God is

always at work to conorm us “to the image o His Son” (Rom. 8:2829), and this is a process that will continue

until we are in Jesus’ presence again.

2. THE AGENTS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION

What does God use as His agents in the work o spiritual transormation?

This transorming work is rom the Lord, who is the Spirit, and through our study o His Word. Paul envisioned

an ongoing work o the Spirit that continues rom when we turn to Christ through when we’re ully like Christ.

First, the Spirit enables us to turn to Christ and live in reedom (2 Cor. 3:3,6,1617). Then the Spirit engages in

our ongoing transormation into the image o Christ (v. 18). Throughout it all, the Spirit helps us understand

Scripture and apply it to our lives.

Is spiritual transormation God’s work or our work? Why is understanding this answer important in

discipleship?

Skim 2 Corinthians 3:3–4:2 and look or words/phrases that describe the role o the Holy Spirit

in a believer’s transormation. Also, look or indications o what is expected rom the believer indeveloping the right kind o character.

While God is at work transorming us, we also have our role in the process, which is the role o active aith. We

believe the gospel message. We gaze upon the Lord’s glory through the disciplines o prayer, Bible study, and

worship. We cooperate with the Spirit’s work to produce Godpleasing character in us.

3. THE RESULT OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION

According to Paul in these verses, what is the result o spiritual transormation?

How are believers set ree? What are some things rom which we’re set ree?

The Spirit liberates people rom slavery to the law, sin, death, and the devil. As the apostle Paul wrote in

Romans 8:12, “Thereore there is now no condemnation or those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law o

the Spirit o lie in Christ Jesus has set you ree rom the law o sin and o death.” This reedom in Christ is the

result o our spiritual transormation.

STUDY GUIDE



APPLICATION

We are in a continual state of being transformed by the Spirit of the Lord into the image of the

Lord. This transformation is the result of our discipleship, and it is a process that will take a lifetime.

Do our lives give evidence of this spiritual transformation at work within us?

What are some activities that lead to spiritual transormation?

What active steps are you taking toward spiritual transormation in your relationships at work, at

home, and so orth?

Similarly, what steps are you taking toward spiritual transormation with the stewardship o your

fnances and your time? With your church engagement?

How can we practically encourage each other in the church to be more actively engaged in our

spiritual transormation this week?

PRAY

Pray that in the midst of your roles that encompass family, work, and social contacts, you will be

obedient to God’s desire to transform you daily. Thank God for the freedom from sin and deathavailable to believers in Christ and for the hope you have that one day this transformation will

be complete.

FOLLOW UP

❏ Questions to consider as you continue to reect on what you learned this week:

• How have you been more aware o the spiritual transormation happening in your lie this week?

• What is one area—relationships, fnances, church engagement, etc.—in which the Spirit has convicted

you o your need to take a more active step toward spiritual transormation?

❏ Scripture Memory: 2 Corinthians 3:1718.

❏ Prayer Focus: Pray that others at Oak Cli will be open to God’s transorming work in their lives this week.

Continue to praise God or the reedom rom sin and death available through Christ. Pray also or God’s

strength to remain open and obedient to God’s transorming power in your lie.

STUDY GUIDE




3:1516 Paul saw the veil as a symbol o Israel’s spiritual blindness or unbelie. The veil kept the Jews romunderstanding the true nature o the old covenant and its ulfllment in Christ. The people o Israel in both Moses’

and Paul’s times stubbornly had hardened their hearts against God. Paul, o course, knew about stubbornly

resisting the Lord rom personal experience. His own heart and mind once had been frmly set against Jesus, His

teachings, and His disciples. The word heart can reer to the whole person, including the mind and will.

When the Jews read the Old Testament, they read it through a veil o unbelie and spiritual blindness. Such lack

o aith prevents them rom understanding the truth. When a person turns to Christ, however, the veil is removed

(see John 14:26).

3:1718 Paul previously had contrasted “the letter” with “the Spirit” (v. 6). He apparently extended that concept

in verse 17. In verses 1516 we observed one aspect o the liberating work o the Spirit o the Lord. The Spirit

liberates people rom slavery to the law, sin, death, and the devil.

In verse 18 Paul perhaps had in mind the act that ancient mirrors were made o polished metal and provided

only a dim reection. He may have meant that in this lie Christians see only a dim reection o Christ’s glory.

Eventually, we shall see Him “ace to ace” (see 1 Cor. 13:12). Another possible meaning o the Greek word

translated beholding is “reecting.” According to this translation or interpretation, Paul possibly meant that

believers reect Christ’s glory to others and in the process are transormed.

Under the old covenant, Moses saw God with unveiled ace (see Ex. 34:34). Under the new covenant, however,we all, with unveiled face, . . . are being transformed . Under the new covenant all Christians can see God’s

glory. The Spirit enables believers to see the Lord with unveiled aces. From the Greek word translated are being

transformed, we get the English word metamorphosis. In Matthew 17:2 a orm o that same Greek word is used

to reer to Jesus’ transfguration. Paul used the same root word in Romans 12:2 to denote spiritual transormation.

The orms o the Greek words translated beholding and are being transformed denote continuous action. As

a result o our continuous beholding, we are continuously being transormed. Our transormation comes rom

the Lord. Moses’ ace glowed ater he saw the Lord (Ex. 34:2930). The glory that Moses experienced, however,

aded (2 Cor. 3:13). In contrast, the glory we as Christians experience increases as we conorm increasingly to the

character o Christ.

OAK CLIFF BIBLE FELLOWSHIPDISCIPLING THE CHURCH TO IMPACT THE WORLD

THE RESULT OF DISCIPLESHIP


COMMENTARY

oakcliff study wk4

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