The Holy Spirit brings us to trust Christ and repent of our sins, lives in us, and develops
our new life in Christ in the fellowship of the Church.
(Statement 7 from BOB—Basis of Belief)
Getting started: (5 mins)
List as many TV programmes and films that have “spiritual” characters in them? How do humans benefit or suffer from spirits in these programmes?
Beginning in the bible: (10 mins)
2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:4 and 1 Peter 2:4 - 12
(Statement 7 from BOB—Basis of Belief)
Getting started: (5 mins)
List as many TV programmes and films that have “spiritual” characters in them? How do humans benefit or suffer from spirits in these programmes?
Beginning in the bible: (10 mins)
2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:4 and 1 Peter 2:4 - 12
Help with understanding (optional)
That which Christ has accomplished once and for all in the past is applied and made real in the present by the Holy Spirit, thus overcoming the time-space abyss that separates each generation from the historical act of redemption. God the Holy Spirit gives new life; he does this work through the proclamation of the Word of God and through the witness of Christians to Christ. Our assurance of salvation does not rest on emotions or resolutions but on the finished work of Christ in history, revealed and written in the Scriptures, and testified in the heart by the Spirit.
The Spirit lives in the one who is born of the Spirit. God’s law is now written into the heart of the believer. God wills that the life of Christ be reproduced in the Christian. The fruit of the Spirit is therefore: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, and self-control. The Spirit wills that the service of Christ, shall be accomplished through the Christian; so the Spirit gives to each one His gifts. They can be neglected through unbelief and fear, misused by selfish desires and pride; or they can be fully developed in love and service for others. The supreme purpose of the Scriptures and the work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ, to make His love and lordship manifest in and through the believers individually and in their corporate life-testimony of love towards God, towards one another and towards all humanity.
The unity of the Church in the world is primarily spiritual, a work of the Spirit and centred in the perfect fellowship of the Triune God. This God-given oneness can be neglected, weakened or denied by sin; or it can advance to full maturity in Christ and become more visibly manifest in the world by the growth of each member in their relationship with the others.
That which Christ has accomplished once and for all in the past is applied and made real in the present by the Holy Spirit, thus overcoming the time-space abyss that separates each generation from the historical act of redemption. God the Holy Spirit gives new life; he does this work through the proclamation of the Word of God and through the witness of Christians to Christ. Our assurance of salvation does not rest on emotions or resolutions but on the finished work of Christ in history, revealed and written in the Scriptures, and testified in the heart by the Spirit.
The Spirit lives in the one who is born of the Spirit. God’s law is now written into the heart of the believer. God wills that the life of Christ be reproduced in the Christian. The fruit of the Spirit is therefore: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, and self-control. The Spirit wills that the service of Christ, shall be accomplished through the Christian; so the Spirit gives to each one His gifts. They can be neglected through unbelief and fear, misused by selfish desires and pride; or they can be fully developed in love and service for others. The supreme purpose of the Scriptures and the work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ, to make His love and lordship manifest in and through the believers individually and in their corporate life-testimony of love towards God, towards one another and towards all humanity.
The unity of the Church in the world is primarily spiritual, a work of the Spirit and centred in the perfect fellowship of the Triune God. This God-given oneness can be neglected, weakened or denied by sin; or it can advance to full maturity in Christ and become more visibly manifest in the world by the growth of each member in their relationship with the others.
Questions to get to know BOB better: (15 mins)
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Discuss the image of the veil described by Paul in 2 Cor. In what way is this relevant as you seek to
be a witness to your friends on campus?
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What is the freedom that the Holy Spirit gives us? 2 Cor 3:17
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What can we learn from the images in 1 Peter of us as “living stones”, “chosen people”, and “aliens
and strangers” that will help us grow together as we reach out on campus?
Relating BOB to life: (10 mins)
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How does the knowledge that there is a partnership between the Holy Spirit and you, encourage
you as you explain the gospel to people around you?
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Christians are not always that different from non-Christians in our behaviour! How do we let our
lives testify to Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, rather than about ourselves?
Where to from here? (5mins)
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How does the knowledge that there is a partnership between the Holy Spirit and you, encourage
you as you explain the gospel to people around you?
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Pray for an opportunity to talk to a non-Christian friend about what decisions the Holy Spirit helps
you make every day, and the forgiveness the Holy Spirit helps you receive daily.
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Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
- Memorise this statement from BOB and one or two of the verses that you might find useful to know off by heart sometime.
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