Grace and Spiritual Life BIB 309

Grace and Spiritual Life BIB 309, Professor Jay Wegter

Reading Response Paper Writing Prompts 1

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 13-19

1. Why does preaching the gospel to ourselves renew us?
2. Is it true that we will do more for God when we consistently hear what Christ has done for us rather than primarily hearing what we ‘ought’ to be doing for God? Why or why not?
3. Why is repentance so closely associated with renewed fellowship with Christ? See Revelation 3:19-21.
4. Explain what is meant by, “The gospel takes us ‘off of ourselves’ by filling our minds with the Divine Viewpoint of life.”
5. What has to happen in our Christian walk in order for us to take delight in our spiritual duties?

6. What does it mean that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the very ‘food’ of the church?
7. What is the difference between legal and evangelical repentance? Why does it matter?
8. How would you define a grace awakening? What are some of its elements?
9. How do these renewals and awakenings help ‘cure’ our fleshly tendency to be weary of the things of God?

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 20-26

1. What things must happen in our Christian walk before we are willing to see ourselves as ‘instruments in the hands of the Redeemer’ for changing the lives of others?
2. What will alter our perspective within the Body of Christ so that we begin to see all of our relationships as opportunities to move people closer to Christ?
3. How does consenting to be clothed with Christ each day help equip me for Body life (see Galatians 3:23-29)?
4. Why does feeding upon the gospel produce a willingness to confess our sins one to another?

5. What biblical truths constitute the spiritual diet of the mature? (Note the ‘mild’ diet of the immature according to 1 Corinthians 3:1-3ff.)
6. How would living upon Christ’s love motivate us to wear the ‘garments of grace’ spoken of in Colossians 3:5-4:6?

7. Only the gospel can disarm our fear of judgment. How does liberation from the fear of judgment (through the gospel) equip us for transparent, trusting relationships in the Body of Christ?
8. How does the gospel impart the courage to practice ongoing self-confrontation and repentance in the believer’s life?
9. Can you identify areas in your own life where the pride of life draws you away from the gospel alone as your standing, acceptance, and status before God? How does this ‘realism’ concerning our own walk help equip us for ministry to others?

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 33-38

1. Explain why the “sting of Death” refers not only to the natural end of man’s life; but also to the judgment of sin and the fear which rightly accompanies that judgment (1 Cor 15:55-56).
2. Describe why Adam’s action of hiding (Genesis 3), after he had sinned, has become the pattern for the entire fallen race (in terms of its carnal response to guilt and shame due to sin).
3. Further elucidate this statement: because of our natural propensity to cover, hide, and deny our specific sins, it is necessary for the believer to take in a steady diet of the gospel. There is no other path to ‘heroism’ in dealing with our own sin.

4. Explain why a work of divine grace is needed in order for us to overcome our natural or innate religious instincts (such as cover, hide, defy, escape, compare, blame, appease, etc.); otherwise we will never deal with our sin God’s way.
5. What does the following mean: “The actual value of any atoning act is determined by the by the Judge and not by the one who offers it.”
6. Explain why Adam’s act of hiding revealed that he needed to be hidden from divine wrath.
7. Further describe the concept of ‘atonement disarming the law’ with help from the following sentence: “Atonement disarms the law” means that the law has done its worst; prosecuting its threatened penalty to the maximum in judging Christ in our place. (Application: Heroism in the matter of our sin involves ‘running to the atonement’.)

8. Explain this statement: the more committed we are to carry our own worth and value, the more defensive and self-protective we will be (this is driven by fear of judgment).
9. Further comment on this statement: All false religion involves pursuing a humanly achievable standard of ethical performance (desire for deliverance apart from divine grace, see Rom 10:1-4).

Response Paper Writing Prompts 2

30 Days of Transforming Grace: from pages 27-32

1. Explain why the concept of saving grace through the sacraments of the church is of course a denial of the doctrine of justification by faith.
2. Justification is a ‘legal pronouncement’ which alone has the power to overturn what previous legal pronouncement about the human race?
3. What kind of righteousness must a person must have in order to be accepted by God?
4. Further elaborate on this statement: “Justification defines our relationship with God because justification so clearly articulates that Christ alone is the ground of the believing sinner’s standing before God.”

5. Explain how justification effectively deals with both our legal guilt before God (for our law-breaking), as well as our complete lack of positive righteousness.
6. Why does Scripture give us four ‘dimensions’ of justification by faith through grace?
7. In James chapter two, Abraham is said to be ‘justified by works’ in v. 21. Explain.
8. Why is redemption, and not faith, the ‘ground’ of our justification (see Rom 3:24)?

30 Days of Transforming Grace: from pages 39-44

1. It is Christ’s death on our behalf that makes us heroic in our dealing with personal sin. Christ has taken the sting out of death for all who believe (Acts 2:24; 1 Cor 15:54-58). Explain further why those redeemed by Christ are equipped to be heroic in dealing with personal sin.
2. Go into greater detail why the following is true: “Only a perfect atonement would end our guilt and fear of judgment.”
3. Why does the manner in which God deals with the believer’s sin reveal who God is?
4. Explain how the atonement disarms the condemning force of the law and frees us from the fear of punishment.

5. Explain why justification gives us the legal right to come out of hiding and deal with our sin courageously.
6. Explain the following to a new believer who was struggling in his walk: “Heroism is manifested when we believe the message of Christ’s work for us. Clothed in Christ’s righteousness, we may admit our sin without fear. The courage and confidence flows from the fact that honesty about indwelling sin cannot jeopardize my position in Christ (Rom. 8:1).”
7. Describe some of the ways that our cowardice about personal sin hurts our relationships.

8. Explain why the following is true: “An attitude of contrition (born of heroism) is central if we to walk closely with God (Is 66:1, 2; 57:15).” What is contrition?
9. “The call to Christian heroism is a call to live a sin-judged life.” What is a sin-judged life?

30 Days of Transforming Grace: from pages 45-55

1. Sanctification cannot be reduced to any one of the following: a process, a standard of righteousness, or, the attainment of holiness. Why is that so?
2. God is incomparable in holiness, majesty, splendor, and purity. He is the only source of holiness in His people. What is so significant about the fact that God is holy in essence and we are holy only as a derivation of His holiness?
3. Provide further elaboration of the following profound statement: “God associates the sanctification of His Name (the setting apart of His Name) with the setting apart of a people unto Himself for His own possession.” What does this have to do with our sanctification?

4. According to Ezekiel 36:16-38, the need for the New Covenant is connected with the power and grace necessary to redeem a people who will not profane the Name of God. Explain why the Mosaic covenant was weak and inferior compared to the glorious provisions on the New Covenant. (You may also use the book of Hebrews.)
5. Why is it so important to our walk, our growth, and our maturity to understand that sanctification is both positional and progressive?
6. How would ignorance of the following cause discouragement in the Christian life? “Holiness is not simply acquired by human effort—it is the status or condition which God imparts to those He chooses to bring into a special relationship with Himself.”

7. Sanctification comes only by being conformed to God’s Word (John 17:17; Rom 12:1-2). Describe the role of God’s Word in our sanctification.
8. Why does the following statement help us better understand that our sanctification involves giving ourselves back to God without reservation? “Our response to cleansing, acceptance, and hope is consecration (we respond to God’s work by presenting ourselves back to Him each day, Rom 6:11-13).” (Hint: it involves living as God’s possession.)
9. Why must justification and sanctification stay joined in the believer’s experience? What kind of ‘disconnect’ may take place if they are separated?

10. Our sanctification is tied to the renewal of our minds by the Word of God. What exactly takes place during mind renewal by the Word of God? (See Romans 12:1-2 and Colossians 3:1-5.)

Reading Response Paper Writing Prompts 3

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 55-66

1. Describe what is involved in the ‘end goal’ of holiness (p. 56).

2. What is the connection between the ‘principle of presentation’ and personal holiness (see Romans 6:11-13)? (p. 56).
3. How does living as a ‘person called by God’ affect our commitment to holiness? (HINT: to what are we called as a total lifestyle?) (pp. 57-58).
4. How do you see our responsiveness to the Father’s discipline and our ongoing repentance affecting our progress in holiness? (pp. 58-59).
5. Explain how God’s righteousness (in redemption, propitiation, and justification) is the cause of our salvation (pp. 60-61).

6. How does our justification translate into a lifestyle of living as God’s possession? (p. 61).
7. How is our union with Christ lived out in daily life? Remember to include how and why co-crucifixion is involved (p. 62).
8. Explain why our progress in sanctification by means of Christ’s finished work is so closely tied to caring for our relationship with the Lord (p. 63).
9. What does it mean to ‘live between the cross and the resurrection’? How do these two events control a believer’s advancement in holiness? (p. 64-66).

10. Explain the meaning of this sentence: “The moral aspect of sanctification is secondary to is soteriological aspect of sanctification.”

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 67-79

1. What is the difference between assurance of salvation and personal salvation itself? (p. 67).
2. Describe the dangers of false assurance. The possibility of self-deception in the matter of assurance does exist, but why should that not be a discouragement to true believers in the matter of their assurance? (pp. 67-68).
3. How would you counsel a young believer who said the following: “I don’t dare seek assurance because I don’t trust my own heart—I am too easily deceived in these matters” (pp. 67-68).

4. Explain the connection between true assurance and a savor for spiritual things (p. 68).
5. What are some of the marks of true assurance? (pp. 68-69).
6. What positive marks of true assurance made the greatest impression on you? What marks of false repentance are the most sobering to you? (pp. 68-69).
7. Using ‘pillar’ one as a reference, how would you answer a person who said, “Assurance is only a feeling; no one can be ultimately sure of their salvation in this life” (p. 69-70).

8. Why is each of the ‘three pillars of assurance’ essential to assurance, and why must they stay joined together? (pp. 69-71).
9. Why do you suppose that the third ‘pillar’ of assurance (Christian character) is the most neglected pillar in the church today? (Hint: Note that it is very common to offer people full assurance of salvation even when the third pillar is missing from their lives.) (p. 70).
10. Many professing believers are complacent about gaining absolute certainty about assurance of salvation. Since gaining assurance of salvation is a duty commanded in Scripture (2 Peter 1:9-11), what are the dangers of NOT obeying this command? (p. 71).

11. Is assurance a duty, a privilege, or both? Why? (p. 71).
12. If a professing Christian is neglecting the means of grace (the Word, prayer, fellowship, evangelism, mortification of sin, fruitfulness, etc.); should it be a surprise if they lack assurance? Why or why not? (p. 71).
13. How would you answer a person who said that assurance promotes a careless, sinful lifestyle? (p. 71).
14. Read Psalm 88. Is it possible for a strong believer to ever doubt his salvation? (p. 71).
15. Respond to this statement: “Perseverance is necessary because the Christian’s life is a ‘fight’” (2 Tim 4:7) (p. 73).

16. The doctrine of the believer’s security is often called ‘eternal security’. Why is ‘eternal security’ an unfortunate term? (HINT: It suggests that security is NOT joined to perseverance) (pp. 74-75).
17. “Victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil is not an option; it is the condition necessary to finish the race.” Why is this statement NOT contrary to the free grace of God to sinners? (pp. 75-76).
18. According to 2 Peter 1:5-8, what kind of growth does God expect in His people? Does this growth come automatically, or does it require diligence? (p. 74).

19. Review the reasons why perseverance is necessary (II.C.). Which of the reasons are new to you? Which reasons provide the strongest motive for you to persevere? (pp. 76-77).
20. How does Christ preserve believers from falling away? Name at least three reasons why the believer is safe in Christ (p. 77).
21. In what ways does the Holy Spirit secure, or claim, the believer as God’s own? (p. 77).
22. Read 1 Thessalonians 2:12 and 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12. What do you think it means to attend diligently to one’s calling? (pp. 77-78).

23. Read Psalm 38:1-8. Name some of the consequences of backsliding that the believer is experiencing in Psalm 38? (p. 78).

24. Read Hebrews 12:4-13. List the benefits of God’s discipline from this passage (p. 78).
25. Which benefits of diligence are found in your Christian walk? Which benefits do you desire to experience more? (p. 78).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 219-244

1. What is the connection between man-made religion and the desire to silence the condemnation of conscience? (pp. 219-220).
2. How does propitiation, the heart of the gospel, give the knowledge of God? (pp. 220-221).
3. In what ways does the gospel reveal the righteousness of God? (Hint: remember, God wants the world to know that He is utterly righteous when He forgives believing sinners of their evil deeds.) (pp. 222-223).
4. Explain how the ‘bad news’ part of the gospel (our just condemnation under the law) shows the great need for a perfect propitiation (pp. 224-225).

5. What aspects of God’s character are seen in the work of propitiation? (p. 228-230).
6. Propitiation has justice and substitution as its theme. What is the connection between penal substitution and Christ’s work of wrath-bearing? (pp. 230-232).
7. Why can we rightly say that the forgiveness of our sins is both an act of God’s mercy, and a judicial act? (p. 231-232).
8. Explain what is meant by: “Propitiation is a transaction between the members of the Trinity.” Explain why every unorthodox form of Christianity is a distortion of this truth (pp. 232-235).

Reading Response Paper Writing Prompts 4

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 80-89

1. Elaborate on the following statement so that a new believer could understand it: “The Holy Spirit expresses newly imparted life in a series of new orientations and behaviors which mark out the true Christian from an unsaved man or woman (p. 89).
2. Explain this statement: “Paul’s victory cry in verse one of Romans eight, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” is his ‘exit’ out of Romans seven” (p. 81).
3. Describe why a person’s thought life is a powerful revealer of his spiritual state: “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom 8:6). The Spirit’s quickening and indwelling work produces both the ability and the inclination to obey the moral law of God—this is an obedience which begins in the thought life. By contrast, those who think thoughts suggested by the flesh are hostile to God, are not in submission to God, and cannot please God (8:7) (p. 81).

4. Explain what it means to “let the flesh set the standard for our behavior.” Do people justify doing what comes naturally as “just being themselves” and “not hurting anyone?” (pp. 81-82).
5. How do we put sin to death, and why is the power of the Spirit involved in that daily activity? (pp. 82-83).
6. Explain what it means that the indwelling Spirit produces the consciousness of our adoption and sonship (pp. 82-83).
7. One of the sources of assurance is the ‘witness of the Spirit’. Explain why or why not this witness is so closely tied to being led by the Spirit (in our faith and obedience). Describe further why those who are led by the Spirit enjoy assurance of salvation and confidence of the Father’s favor in Christ. (HINT: remember that the Spirit’s leading is not primarily subjective; but is His granting of desire and ability to obey the commands of God) (v. 16) (p. 84).

8. Describe from Romans chapter eight the connection between being an heir of Christ and being willing to suffer with Him (pp. 85-86).
9. How does one’s eagerness for Christ’s return affect his boldness for Christ; his perseverance; his ability to say “No” to the world; and his progress in sanctification? (pp. 86-87).
10. What does it mean to pray in the Spirit? Why does the Holy Spirit operate so closely with us in our prayers? (p. 87-88).
11. Explain why our perception of Christ’s High Priestly Advocacy is important to the maintenance of a clear conscience and confidence before God (p. 88).

12. How does Christ’s love ‘animate’ a believer so that he enjoys security, strength, the willingness to suffer and to daily deny himself and take up his cross (pp. 88-89).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 245-252

1. Comment further on this statement: “Disinterest in God’s holiness always results in a lack of interest in the pursuit of godliness and little interest in the reception of holiness from God.” Do you think this is a problem in the church today? Why or why not? (p. 245).
2. What does this mean? “There must be an echo of holiness in those who approach God. That echo manifests itself in separation and consecration unto God” (p. 245).
3. Explain what this means: “When we open the Scriptures, we find that market values cannot coexist with Kingdom values” (p. 246).

4. “Grace appearing” cannot mean that everyone on the planet knows about the grace of God in Christ. What does “grace appearing” mean? (HINT: “Grace appearing” addresses the historic reality of Christ’s incarnation, birth, life, ministry, atoning death, and resurrection.) (p. 247).

5. Grace instructs us in the art of living unto God; it instructs us in holiness. Are believers used to thinking in those terms that grace teaches us holiness? Why or why not? (p. 248).
6. Commenting further on how grace instructs us in godly living, describe how grace our “teacher” penetrates the moral confusion dominant today in our culture (HINT: look at each verb involved in grace instructing us. Are we used to thinking in terms of grace teaching us moral excellence? Why or why not?) (pp. 248-249).

7. What is the connection between grace and its ability to instill hope in our hearts? What link do you see between hope and eagerness for Christ’s return? (p. 249-250).
8. Comment on how and why God’s grace purifies us to live with Him forever? Is this purification a once for all event? Or, is it ongoing in the Christian life? (Support your answer.) (pp. 250-251).
9. What does it mean to live as God’s possession? Has the purchase at the cross made us God’s possession? Do Christians normally think that way? (pp. 251-252).

Reading Response Paper Writing Prompts 5

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 205-212

1. Describe what it means that the Father’s goal is that Christ might have first place in everything (HINT: first place in every area, creation, redemption, judgment, sovereignty over angels and people, first born from the dead, etc.) (p. 205).
2. How does Paul answer the counterfeit spiritualities which plagued the Colossian church? (HINT: note the theme of Colossians that the supremacy of Christ completely bridges the gap between corrupt mankind and self-existent Holy God, and that in Christ alone is true spirituality) (pp. 206-207ff.).

3. Explain the significance of the prepositions used in connection with Christ and the creation: all things are created in Him, all things are created for Him. (Note that Christ is the focal point of the cosmos and goal of all reality.) (pp. 207-208).
4. Explain what is meant by this phrase: “the scope of Christ’s work is attributable to the dignity (vastness) of His Person” (HINT: by “scope” we mean Christ’s work can save an innumerable host of sinners and His work is the basis for the coming entirely renewed cosmos) (pp. 208-211).

5. What are some of the reasons that Christ is supreme in judgment (HINT: note the themes of: every knee shall bow, reconciliation of all things, and Christ the rightful King, and the judgment of mankind is carried out by a Man, Christ Jesus—John 5) (pp. 209-210).

6. What are some of the heresies refuted by the sufficiency, supremacy, and preeminence of Christ? Why does Christ’s majesty overturn these heresies? (pp. 210-212).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 213-218

1. Define what is meant by this phrase, “We were created to be enthusiastic spectators of His excellence” (p. 213).
2. Why is faith in God’s Word so closely involved with our ability to perceive God’s majesty? (HINT: why is a thunderstorm or a rainbow an inadequate revealer of His majesty? (p. 213).
3. If beholding the majesty of God is consistently neglected, what are some of the symptoms? Why do you think that being willfully blind to God’s majesty leads to these ‘ailments’? (pp. 213-214).
4. Explain why beholding the majesty and the glory of the Lord has a rectifying/readjusting effect upon believers (p. 215).

5. Describe some of the ways God reveals His wisdom and majesty in the creation and in His governance of His creatures (pp. 215-216).
6. Why is our beholding of God’s majesty so critical to our spiritual health? Among the faithful, what is the response to God’s majesty? (pp. 217-218).
7. Describe the spiritual discipline of waiting upon God. What does that look like? Why is waiting upon God the prerequisite for new strength and vigor from the Lord? Read some of the Psalms which endorse this activity of waiting upon God (pp. 218).

Reading Response Prompts in “The Discipline of Grace,” pp. 11-76

1. How does the gospel solve the following tension: we are commanded to strive in our progress in the faith, but we are not to live by our personal performance (pp. 12-14, 17-20).
2. Why do guilt and performance seem to go together? How does the gospel provide the solution to these two ‘traps’ of guilt and performance? (HINT: remember that the gospel constantly reminds us that performance is not the basis of our relationship with God) (pp. 21-23).
3. Explain further the fact that preaching the gospel to ourselves each day helps prevent both self-righteousness and guilt, AND as we feed on the gospel consistently, we will be motivated by God’s love (pp. 24-27).

4. What does the author mean by ‘refined sins’? What are some of the ‘refined sins’? (pp. 30-37).
5. “Justified, yet a sinner” communicates the gospel reality about two things: what God requires, AND the reality that I fall short every moment. Explain how this gospel reality of ‘justified, yet a sinner’ keeps God’s infinitely high standard in view, while at the same time keeps showing me the basis for my acceptance in Christ (pp. 40-43).

6. Why is it so important to pursue holiness in the ‘atmosphere’ of the gospel? (pp. 46-51).
7. Show the connection between: a.) preaching the gospel to oneself, b.) trusting in Christ’s work of propitiation, c.) believing that the Father’s justice is satisfied, d.) and, having the verdict at Calvary rule my conscience (pp. 52-60).
8. Why is it true that when the gospel (and not the law) reigns upon the throne of conscience, Christ also is reigning on the throne of conscience?
9. Explain why Romans chapter six is the central driving truth behind our progress in sanctification. (HINT: be sure to explain what it means to be in union with Christ, co-crucifixion, our legal break with sin’s dominion, and our slavery to the Lord) (pp. 64-76).

Reading Response Paper Writing Prompts 6

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 160-165

1. What does it mean that the church is the corporate expression of the grace of Christ? (HINT: Think about how the body of Christ shows the full-orbed grace of Christ in the way it operates.) (pp. 160-162).
2. If we truly understand the nature of the church (it is an organism, not an organization), how will it affect the way we ‘do church’? (p. 161).
3. The members of Christ’s body are vitally connected to one another (see 1 Cor 12 and Eph 4:25). Explain how this truth ought to affect the way we ‘do church’ (pp. 161-161).

4. Explain what it means that Christ commands every believer ‘to build with Him’. A recent poll showed that 92% of church members do no ministry at all. Why do you think there is such a tragic deviation from Christ’s pattern for the church? (pp. 162-163).
5. Why do you think that only a true disciple is capable of ‘building with Christ’? (p. 163).
6. Why does the individual believer’s sanctification take place within the context of the body of Christ? (HINT: Every aspect of the grace of Christ is manifested in the corporate body of Christ.) (pp. 164-165).

7. In the context of body life and discipleship, what does it mean to ‘be a steward of God’s grace’ (1 Pet 4:10)? What would faithful stewardship look like? How does the fulfillment of that stewardship help us ‘build with Christ’? (p. 165).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 166-172

1. When serious Christians get together, there will be body life. Define body life (p. 166).
2. Explain the following statement: “Body life exists to fulfill the Great Commission.” How should this truth transform the way we view our fellowship? (p. 166).
3. When fellowship is reduced to mere social activities alone, discipleship will not take place. Even church programs are no guarantee of producing true discipleship. Explain what it means to be utterly deliberate about disciple-making (p. 166ff.).

4. “Every joint supplies,” means that each believer is to be a conduit or channel for the grace of Christ to other believers (Eph 4:16). If we believed and obeyed this truth, how would it affect the way we fellowship? (pp. 167-168).
5. Unity, growth, strength, and fruitfulness are only possible IF we understand the interrelatedness of the parts of the body. What happens when churches want the byproducts of body life (see italics above), but neglect body life itself and neglect intentionally fulfilling the Great Commission? (pp. 167-168).

6. Describe just how radical the ‘mind shift’ would have to be in order to move from cultural Christianity all the way to reclaiming disciple-making as enjoined in the Great Commission (pp. 168-169).
7. Comment further on the following statement: “God is concentrating His power in the gospel— this is what He is doing in the world today. The church must never forget what formed it and what sustains it—the gospel” (p. 169).
8. Comment further on this statement: “The Spirit is at work through every stage in our growth in the church through the gospel” (pp. 169-170).

9. Comment further on this statement: “The basics of body life is the intentional fulfillment of the Great Commission—each member working to contribute to the growth of the members; a growth which is from God. This is the body building itself up in love. This is the polar opposite of ‘spectator Christianity’—which is sin” (p. 170).
10. List some of the ways we may prayerfully speak the Word of God into one another’s lives (Note: Rom 13:14; Col 3:16-17; Eph 5:18-21) (pp. 171-172).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 173-180

1. Explain what is meant by this phrase: “Discipleship is training in righteousness” (p. 173).
2. Explain this statement: “Sound doctrine is not an end in itself; it is the means of equipping us to live wisely unto God” (p. 173).

3. What are the major areas of content in training disciples? (HINT: Note that they are the three ‘C’s.) (p. 174).
4. Look carefully at these three ‘C’s. Why is the first a prerequisite for the second, and the second a prerequisite for the third? What consequences could take place if these three were out of order? (p. 174).
5. How do these three ‘C’s substantially help us stay deliberate and intentional in our disciple-making? (p. 174).
6. What are some of the good things about ‘chaotic’ vine growth? Why do you think that this chaotic growth might be threatening to a church that was characterized by ‘hyper-structural program-itis’?

7. What are some of the differences you see between church leadership overseeing programs versus church leaders stewarding the giftedness of the body? (p. 177ff.).
8. Comment on this statement: “Churches don’t make disciples; disciples make disciples” (p. 177ff.).
9. Comment further on this statement: “It is impossible to imitate Christ and to draw near to Christ without wanting to pour your life into other believers” (p. 178).
10. To ‘close the loop’ is to make a disciple capable of making another disciple. Comment on this statement: “In order for church leaders to be obedient to Christ’s pattern for the church, they will have to fully embrace the vision to ‘close the loop’” (p. 179).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 181-188

1. What is the role of the cross in making a true disciple (see 2 Corinthians 5:14-15)? How is this doctrine connected to the truth of union with Christ (see Romans 6)? (p. 181ff.).
2. Explain why Colossians 1:28-29 is NOT a methodology or a system (pp. 182-186).
3. What is the goal of Paul’s approach in Colossians 1:28-29? (pp. 182-186).
4. What does it mean to speak to believers in terms of there being alive in Christ? How are we to do that? (HINT: We are not required to fulfill a single command of Scripture in our own strength.) (p. 184ff.).

5. Describe what it means that we must know our resources in the cross in order to experience growth, change, and development in discipleship (p. 185ff.).
6. Why is the Pauline order in Colossians 1:28-29 so important? (pp. 185-187).
7. Explain this statement: “The nature of the atonement is learned in part by its effect” (p. 187).

8. How does Paul describe the theology of the cross in Philippians 3:7-14? What is the relevance of this passage to disciple-making? (p. 188).

Reading Response Paper Writing Prompts 7

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 90-99

1. Comment on the following statement: “The Apostle Paul’s all-consuming goal was to grow in his knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. He saw knowing Christ as his whole life direction, and as the answer to ‘God’s upward call’” (Phil 3:7-16)” (p. 90).
2. Explain further how meditating upon Scripture is essential to ‘meeting with God’: “Successfully meditating upon Scripture means we will have to be silent, with patient concentration, until our thought processes and affections are captive to the Word of God”(Ps 145:5) (p. 91).

3. What is it about God’s nature that generates delight? (p. 91).
4. Describe ‘grace as a cord of four strands’: Who Christ is, What He has done for believing sinners, Who we are in Him, and How we are to live upon Him (pp. 91-92).
5. Explain the following statement: “We come to a working, experimental knowledge of Christ best by meditating upon Him from the perspective of union with Him” (HINT: Ephesians is the great epistle of the believer growing in his knowledge of the Lord by means of meditating upon the ‘mystery of union with Christ,’ the ‘mystery of Christ Himself,’ and the ‘mystery of the gospel’ (Eph 3:8-12; Rom 16:25-27). (p. 92).

6. What does it mean to ‘fix our eyes upon Jesus’? (pp. 92-93).
7. What does this statement mean: “To know God, seek the Lord as He is revealed ‘in the covenant’” (pp. 94-95).

8. Comment further: “To know God, recognize that the exchange of Christ’s life for the life of His people is not only our entrance into the Christian life; it is the definer and the direction of our Christian life” (pp. 97-98).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 100-107

1. What is transformed seeing and why does it produce transformed living? (pp. 100-101ff).
2. Why can’t moralistic preaching ‘evict’ the idols of the heart? (pp. 101-102ff.)

How would you describe the following: “a ‘spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the Lord’”? (pp. 104-107).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 108-115

1. How are delight in the Lord and experiencing His love for us connected? (pp. 108-110).
2. What does it mean that the saints are Christ’s inheritance? (pp. 110-112).
3. Explain further this statement: “God’s attributes were not on display all at once until the incarnation and the work of Christ” (pp. 113-115).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 116-122

1. What is the ultimate purpose of the mortification of sin? (pp. 116-117).
2. What does it mean to ‘receive our resources passively’? Why is that ill-advised? (p. 118).
3. Explain the role of the mind, will, and the affections in both resisting temptation and in succumbing to temptation (pp. 118-120).
4. How does one ‘rebound’ after sinning? (p. 120).
5. Describe which ‘tips’ for mastery of mortification of sin affected you the most (p. 121).

30 Days of Transforming Grace:

from pages 123-130

1. Describe the devil’s intentions and actions in accusing the brethren (pp. 123-124).
2. How does the blood of Christ function as our conquering weapon? (pp. 125-127).
3. What does it mean to overcome the devil as accuser? How is that accomplished? (pp. 127-130).

The Discipline of Grace:

from pages 201-231

1. Describe Satan’s tactic of ambushing or ‘blind-siding’ (pp. 201-204).
2. What is the value of knowing ourselves and knowing our weaknesses? (pp. 204-206).

3. What is the hidden danger in ‘little sins’ or ‘respectable sins’? (pp. 208-210).
4. Explain how God can make adversity work to our favor (pp. 217-222).
5. Does God ever discipline a true believer out of wrath? Why or why not? (pp. 222-224).
6. Explain our responsibility to submit to the Father’s discipline (pp. 226-228).
7. Explain why the gospel is just as needful for a believer as an unbeliever (pp. 230-231).