Download the LifeGroup Study Guide HERE

Belonging to Jesus means that we will live like Jesus. This process of transformational growth requires practice. For those who are born of God, we are led through this practice by God’s Spirit. 

Observations:

1. John connects Christian confidence of eternal life at the judgment with abiding
2. Abiding is evidenced in what we practice
3. This practice is identifying with Jesus by imitating Jesus

1st & 2nd comings 

1. The 2nd coming of Jesus is our accountability for practicing the imitation of Jesus
2. The 1st coming of Jesus enables the practicing of the imitation of Jesus
3. The 2nd coming of Jesus is the arrival of our final imitation of Jesus from our adoption
4. The 1st coming of Jesus disables our deception from imitating Jesus
5. The 2nd coming of Jesus is the motivation for practicing the imitation of Jesus
6. The 1st coming of Jesus leads to practicing the imitation of Jesus by the implantation of God’s Spirit

Conclusions: 

• A. The practice of the imitation of Jesus is the evidence of your abiding
• B. If you aren’t practicing imitating Jesus as abiding you have no confidence in judgment
  – A child of God has the seed of the Holy Spirit, which gives you confident assurance and helps you to practice imitating Jesus by…
  1. …a conviction, but not a condemnation of sins
  2. …the fact of our adoption
  3. …the future hope of Jesus’ return & our resurrection

Application: Practice imitating Jesus well by… 

1. Looking to the Holy Spirit as your permanent coach
2. Looking to the family of God as adopted brothers and sisters
3. Looking to Jesus in His return as our model and example

2 Corinthians 5:6-10

“Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

John 1:10-13

“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

Colossians 3:3-4

“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

1 Corinthians 15:49

“And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.”

Hebrews 2:14-15

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

Romans 2:5-8

“But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.”