The Scrolls is a weekly Bible study written by pastors and other leaders at Central Bible Church, based on that week’s sermon topic. Use The Scrolls as a personal Bible study tool, for family devotions, and for small group discussions. You can read part of it below. The downloadable PDF also includes discussion questions, more in-depth commentary, end notes, and a kids’ page designed for families to study the topic together. This lesson goes with the sermon "Fighting with My Family."
God reveals his purpose for every believer in Christ in Romans 8:29, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brother and sisters.” On this passage, one commentator writes: “‘Predestined’ (or foreordained) means that God determined the destiny of the elect previously, specifically, before Creation (Eph. 1:3-4). That destiny is conformity to Jesus Christ's image, which is much more than just deliverance from sin and death. God accomplished this goal partially through believers' justification. He is presently accomplishing it partially through our progressive sanctification, and He will accomplish it completely through our glorification” (Thomas L. Constable, “Notes on Romans,” 2023 ed., 191, planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/romans. pdf).
This commentator relates conformity to the likeness of Christ to sanctification, which is, simply stated, the process believers go through to become like Jesus. When this process is viewed from the perspective of holiness, it is called “sanctification.” When it is viewed from the perspective of personal development, it is called “formation.” When it is viewed from the perspective of training, it is called “discipleship.” Sanctification, spiritual formation, and discipleship all refer to the same process—the process believers go through to become like Jesus.
This process is both intentional and incidental. The intentional aspect of the process pertains to those things that believers do on purpose to be used by the Holy Spirit to conform them to the likeness of Christ. The Central Practices are examples of spiritual disciplines that Christians do intentionally to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. They include the following: Bible Study, Biblical Community, Compassion, Disciple-Making, Evangelism, Generosity, Prayer, Single-Mindedness, Spiritual Gifts, and Worship. Of course, there are other spiritual disciplines, but these are some key ones.
The incidental aspect of the process pertains to the unscripted circumstances in life that come the believers’ way that the Holy Spirit uses to transform them. The patience of Christ is a simple example. Patience isn’t developed by reading about patience or listening to a sermon about patience. Information about patience, e.g., the need for it or its benefits, may be acquired in this way, but patience (i.e., patient endurance) is acquired through experience—often the experience of suffering. Consider what the New Testament writers have to say: in Romans 5:3, “We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience” (KJV); cf. “We also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance” (NET); and in James 5:10, “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience” (KJV); cf. “As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name”
(NET). Experience is a good teacher. Sometimes an encounter can be an example of both aspects, intentional and incidental. An unscripted edifying conversation regarding spiritual things that takes place in a deliberately attended small group meeting might serve as an example.
Like so many things, sanctification, formation, and discipleship need to begin in the Christian home. Family members have both the responsibility and the opportunity to both intentionally and incidentally transform one another into the likeness of Christ. For example, given what Paul has to say about the armor of God, family members can foster the development of those elements that protect them from “the devil’s schemes” (Eph 6:11). These include the following six things: 1) truth; 2) righteousness; 3) the gospel of peace; 4) faith; 5) salvation; and 6) the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, accompanied by an attitude of prayer.
Central Message of the Text:
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s evil schemes.
Family Talk:
We’re at war. It doesn’t feel like it because, after all, most days feel pretty regular. But it’s there – a constant battle for your time, energy, heart, and mind. The stability of our home and family is under attack via finances, screen time, extracurricular activities, work and those Joneses we have to keep up with. Our kids are experiencing attack through sexuality, anxiety, an overscheduled life, academic pressure or social demands. Our marriages are under attack. I remember hearing once that when we’re dating, Satan spends all his energy trying to get us together, and after we’re married, he spends all his energy trying to pull us apart. So, yeah. While one day might bleed into another and it feels like just another ho-hum day, there’s an unseen and constant barrage of arrows lobbed from all directions trying to find the slightest weakness, the tiniest chink in our armor, to penetrate. But God, through his divine power, has given us all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Might this include His armor? If He gives us what we need for character development to know Him better, wouldn’t He give us what we need to be defensive against attacks? I believe we’re supplied with the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit and relationship with our Savior through prayer so we can live a godly life. And when a family arms itself, they become a band of brothers and sisters, loyal and dedicated, ready to serve the Savior and spur each other on. Let’s fight with our family.