From the Inside Out
A Grace Filled Life
A Change in motivation (1|2)
Pages 81-86
1 John 3:2-5 (NIV) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.
Hebrews 8:12-13 (NIV) For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. ” By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
1 John 2:1-2 (NIV) My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
How does knowing you’ve been completely forgiven influence your daily choices and attitudes toward sin? Does it motivate you toward holiness or tempt you toward complacency, and why?
Why do you think followers of Jesus can slip into viewing repentance and obedience as ways to earn God’s approval instead of responses to His grace?
Have you ever found yourself trying to “prove” your salvation through good behavior or spiritual effort?
What does the principle “Scripture interprets Scripture” teach us about how to approach difficult or unclear passages in the Bible? How does this safeguard us from misinterpretation?
Why do you think so many people interpret Scripture in isolation rather than letting the whole Bible speak for itself? What can we do to encourage sound interpretation?