Assumption #3: If I change my behavior, I will grow
spiritually and emotionally.
1. "The more we act right, the more we feel right." -- True or False?
2. This widely taught assumption has been deeply influence by the ____________
school of psychology.
So what’s the problem? It gets people to behave doesn’t it?
1. Changing only our behavior confuses fruits with roots.
a. Are our actions the cause or result of spiritual change? Who
saves you?
b. The fruit of the Spirit is love. (Galatians 5:22-23)
So how is it that we can love? (1 John 4:19)
c. The fruit of righteousness comes through Christ Jesus. (Philippians
1:9-11)
d. It is our sinful nature that desires sin. (Galatians 5:17)
Not the Spirit. (Roman 7:14-20)
2. Changing only our behavior forces us first into phariseeism, then
into despair.
a. "Religious" behavior without changing the heart is less than useless.
(Matthew 23:25-26)
b. God is far more interested in what is going on in our hearts. (Psalm
139:23-24)
c. It is the humble and repentant who are justified. (Luke 18:10-14)
3. Changing only our behavior denies the power of the Cross.
a. God is the source of our recovery. (Philippians 2:12-13)
b. Believing we have the power to sanctify ourselves is idolatry. (Colossians
2:23)
How should we then behave?
1. Do we "let go and let God?" yes or no?. If we can’t work it
out, then how do we resolve this paradox?
2. It is God who draws us to Himself. (John 6:44)
3. It takes humility to take our failure, shame and pain to the right
kind of people. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
4. Should it be our goal on earth to please our fellow man? (Galatians
1:10)
5. Is our "good behavior" based on fear of disappointing someone or
on gratitude for being loved?
6. Easy change is shallow change, not character growth….
7. We take ourselves to good "nutrients," God will bring forth the
fruit in us "in season." (Psalms 1:1-3)
8. We allow for ourselves and others Grace (Romans 5:10-11),
Truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and Time. (Luke 9:23-24) Growth is
process. We need a safe place of love, helpful information about ourselves,
and time to practice and fail.