HIS PEOPLE BIBLE SCHOOL FIRST YEAR

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

These notes are for the exclusive use of His People Bible School lecturers only.

Copyright 2000 JPD His People All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission, in writing, from His People Christian Ministries. ISBN 1 874918 70 8

Christian Character : Contents

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER
CONTENTS

LECTURE ONE:

A.

INTRODUCTION

B.

STAGES OF GROWTH 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Babyhood Early childhood Late childhood (teenagers) Manhood Fatherhood Spastic or under-developed child Summary

4 4 7 10 11 12 13 14

LECTURE TWO: LECTURE THREE:

LECTURE FOUR:

C.

HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 1. 2. Renewing the Mind Mental assent

15 16 18 19 20 20 21

LECTURE FIVE:

D.

CONTROLLING THE PHYSICAL BODY 1. 2. 3. Areas that need discipline Dealing with unforgiveness Controlling the tongue

LECTURE SIX:

E.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 1. 2. How are we to be fruitful? The fruit of the Spirit

22 22 23

F.

CONCLUSION

27

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His People Bible School : First Year

LECTURE ONE

INTRODUCTION
CHARACTER: Question: What does the word character make you think of? What does it bring to mind? Answer: The depth of a person, the substance of an individual, what a person really is. Charaktr is the Greek word used for representation in Heb 1:3 and means "who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person,". It literally means "a tool used for engraving". For us to display Christ's character and become conformed to His image literally means that we become an exact engraved copy of Him. Christian character is what we are in our spirits. Such character is seen in how we think and what we do. What is in our heart defines our character. What comes out of our heart reveals our character. From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matt 12:34). The strength of our character may be determined by how much it takes to stop us walking in the Spirit. For example, to what extent do circumstances determine whether we are in a good or bad mood? What comes out when we are under pressure is a true indication of what we really are! Key text Eph 4:11-14 "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting..." (see also the Amplified Bible) It is God's will that we grow up to reach maturity in Him. There are many parallels between growing up physically and growing up spiritually, which we see as we go through this course. No human being is born already grown-up. No one arrives in the world as an adult. Even our Lord came into the world as a baby. Similarly when we are born again we enter the family of God as babies. We all go through the various stages of growing up there is no such thing as instant maturity or Christian character. Growing up takes time! When we are born again we become saints, holy and without blemish in the Father's sight. But there is still much in our lives that needs to be changed. Christian character becomes evident as we grow in godliness because we are changing. We do not manifest holiness when we are born again we grow through obedience. Holiness is not the absence of sin in our lives, but the presence of God by His Holy Spirit. Holiness in Greek is Agiasmos which means separated unto God. We have been set apart unto God. We are His. As we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and respond to the Lord's discipline, we will grow. No one enjoys discipline but we all need it. God disciplines us because He loves us (Heb 12:6-11). God always disciplines us through His Word and conviction in our spirit by the Holy Spirit.
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Christian Character : Introduction" When we are disciplined we have a choice either to stay where we are or to receive the discipline and grow. To grow means to change. True maturity is seen in a willingness to change. Sometimes a person may appear to be mature (looks good, says the right things and does the right things) but when discipline comes, their attitude in receiving it reveals their true maturity. Maturity is not based on external appearances but based on what is in your heart. Having a big Bible, speaking in tongues and even exercising authority over demons is not necessarily an indication of maturity. A common mistake is to assume that if you have been a Christian for a long time you are mature in the Lord. Many saints are not any nearer maturity than the day they were born again due to a lack of input and obedience to the Word. Sadly it is the behaviour of such baby Christians that often results in judgement being passed on the Church and Christianity being discarded by the world with comments like "If that's a Christian...!" Satan's counterfeit for spiritual maturity is an unsanctified ego. This is recognised when someone is trying to impress others with their spirituality. They tell everyone about all they are doing hoping to get praise from men rather than from the Father. A mature person does not boast about what he is doing he gets on and completes the task. Christian character starts and ends with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we cover the stages in the process of growing up spiritually, do not despair. You may find that you are not as grown up as you thought. Remember that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it (Phil 1:6) and that all the while it is God at work within you to will and to do according to His purposes (Phil 2:13). The important thing is not what stage you are at, but whether you are growing or not. No one has arrived at a place of perfection. The call to all of us is 'Forward in Christ'. Even the apostle Paul, who reached a high level of maturity, becoming a father in the faith, says "Not that I have obtained it or been made perfect ... but I press on ..." (Phil 3:12). We need to have the same attitude in order to have a victorious walk in the Lord. At whatever stage you are at, remember that it is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col 1:27). Be encouraged to grow in the Lord through this series. Remember that God loves you just the way you are; but He loves you too much to let you stay there. God wants you to reach maturity.

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His People Bible School : First Year

STAGES OF GROWTH

1.

BABYHOOD
The Greek word for this is "Brephos", literally a newborn baby; a first breath. 1 Peter 2:2 "As newborn babes (Brephos), desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby." All babies have a Father. When you are born again you become a child of God. John 1:12-13 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. " We are children born not of natural decent, nor human decision nor a husband's will, but born of God. As a child of God we are born not of perishable seed, but of imperishable seed. 1 Peter 1:23 "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever," God is our Father. Before He was Creator, Saviour or King, He was always Father God. From the beginning, Jesus the Son was with God the Father. God has a Father's heart and He wanted children. Eph 1:4-5 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will," The good news is that not one of us is an unplanned child. Not one of us took God by surprise. God knew what He had committed Himself to when He chose us as His children.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF BABYHOOD ARE:

1.1

Innocence. A person is made up of three parts you are a spirit, you have a soul and live in a body. When we are saved our spirit is reborn and that is the only part that God changes for us. In 2 Cor 5:17 we are told that all things have become new, but this only refers to the spiritual realm. Spiritually when a person is reborn, he has no past because all things have been forgiven. God forgives him of everything and gives him a completely new beginning. He is the same as a newborn baby who has no past, only a future ahead of them.

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Christian Character : Stages of growth" The spirit of man is likened to soil in the parable of the sower (Mark 4:14-20). When we are born again, the ground is tilled afresh and is ready for planting. At this stage, it is important to be careful what seed is sown. Gal 6:7 says that what you sow you will reap. Read Phil 4:8 and Col 3:2 as a guide to what you should sow into your heart. Phil 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

Col 3:2

The characteristic of innocence should never be outgrown. Rom 16:19b instructs us to be excellent in what is good and innocent of evil. We are to constantly walk in the cleansing and forgiveness provided for us as we confess our sins (1 John 1:9-10). Remember that each day can be a new beginning (Lam 3:23).

1.2

Ignorance. As a human baby starts to crawl, everything it finds goes into its mouth this is the testing ground. Similarly baby Christians will devour any and every Christian book they can get hold of. They are mostly unable to discern truth from error and need to be protected from deceptive writings. In 1 Pet 2:2 the Holy Spirit tells us that we, like newborn babies, should drink of the milk of the Word (and not get into the meat). In other words, start with the basics of salvation, faith, and so on, and do not get distracted by the deeper truths. As we learn new truths we need to apply them in our lives. Purely having knowledge of the truth will not help us. We must learn to be doers of the Word and not hearers only (Jam 1:22).

1.3 Irritability.
Babies always want things to happen now! They are very impatient with both themselves and others. Babies are easily irritated, frustrated and distracted. For example, when believing God for finances they may set their own deadline and when it is not met they conclude that tithing does not work! Alternatively, a baby Christian may demand to see the pastor immediately or threaten to leave the church. Babies are very sensitive and can be easily offended (for example if one passes them without greeting then they feel rejected).

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His People Bible School : First Year 1.4 Self-pleasers. In summary, babies are self-pleasers. During this stage everything revolves around them. What they want, they must get. Babies are totally selfish but we need to love them, exercise patience and help them to grow on to the next stage of growth which is early childhood.

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Christian Character : Stages of growth"

LECTURE TWO

2.

EARLY CHILDHOOD
The Greek word for a child is "nepios" = one who can't speak. Eph 4:14 This scripture speaks of the instability of childhood "children tossed like ships, to and fro". When the sea is calm, (when the circumstances in one's life are good) all is stable, but with the slightest storm (any hardship or trial) your life seems upsidedown. Jesus appointed and sent out the seventy-two disciples but refers to them as children (nepios). This scripture indicates that God doesn't wait until you've grown up before He'll use you. Paul addresses the Corinthians as mere infants (nepios) since there was jealousy, quarrelling and arguments amongst them. He calls them worldly since the works of the flesh predominate over the works of the Spirit.

Luke 10:1-21

1 Cor 3:1-10

CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD:

2.1

Spasmodic. A child does things in "fits and starts", is totally inconsistent and swings from one extreme to the other. Children will love you one day and hate you the next. They will always judge God and His Word according to the circumstances of life around them and other Christians.

2.2

Unreliable. A child never sees things through to completion. There is much enthusiasm but little endurance. They are easily distracted (use an example of a child's behaviour). It's no fault of their own. They are passing through a stage of natural growth a stage that we all go through.

2.3

Impulsive. Children do things without thinking of the consequences. They, for example, climb a tree without realizing that they could fall or get stuck. Spiritual children tend to over-commit. They mean well but are not dependable. They may boldly say "God has told me..." but next week

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His People Bible School : First Year "God changed the plan!". Don't blame God for your actions. Be honest, and admit you were wrong. Don't be too proud. God will still trust you and people will too. Although the impulsive nature of children can be negative, we must never lose the spontaneity and enthusiasm. (Enthusiasm comes from the Greek word "entheos", which literally means to be filled with God).

2.4

Curious. Part of a healthy child growing up is curiosity. These are the formative years, so it is very important what they are fed. They'll ask endless questions, not really waiting for or even wanting an answer. They know so little and want to know so much. Just as a little child cannot understand a complex mathematical formula until he has learnt all the foundational truths of mathematics, we cannot expect to have all the answers to all our questions immediately. If there is an issue you do not understand, don't allow it to become a stumbling block in your life. Shelve it and ask God to show you the answer in His time. Curiosity about other religions can also be dangerous. Don't investigate other religions to find the truth. Study the Word of God and direct your curiosity towards Bible knowledge. By knowing the Word of God one will easily be able to discern where other religions are wrong. For example, Bank tellers are trained to identify fraudulent bank notes by training them to learn the feel of genuine notes, not by giving them 1000 counterfeit notes to feel. Do not investigate other doctrines at this stage many people fall into the trap of investigating other religions and never recover.

2.5

Talkative. Eccl 5:3 Prov 10:19 "a fool's voice is known by his many words". "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise".

Children love to talk and often talk themselves into trouble. When talking too much they usually take one of the following routes: a) Evil speaking. This includes badmouthing others, strife and negative speaking or a negative report. The Bible tells us to turn away from and avoid godless chatter. 1 Tim 6:20 tells us to avoid profane and idle babblings. 2 Tim 2:23 tells us to avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. Remember that poison is 90% good and only 10% bad, but it will still kill you. Evil speaking includes talking about or discussing faults and failures of people not present. Don't allow your ears to itch for such gossip. Pray for the person do not discuss and criticise others.

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Christian Character : Stages of growth" b) Vain speaking. Any talk that does not build other people up is vain speaking. Eph 4:29 says "let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." For example, mimicking people to make them look small, empty chatter or always talking about yourself. The words we speak should benefit those who hear them. Foolish speaking. Eph 5:4 "Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." This scripture is not quenching a sense of humour or occasional joking but there is a time and place for joking. There is however, never place for dirty jokes. Remember: the tongue is like a rudder (James 3:4). Be careful where you steer yourself. words are like seeds sow them wisely. life and death are in the power of the tongue (Prov 18:21).

c)

2.6

Impressionable. Children are very quick to pick up qualities of the adults around them. Similarly spiritual children are quick to role model those around them. We need to pay attention to the company we keep. "Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits." (1 Cor 15:33). The people you spend the most time will influence what you'll become.

2.7

Man-pleasers. Children are man-pleasers. They are sensitive to man's opinion. They like to be noticed and appreciated. Any criticism makes them feel restless, uneasy and full of self-pity. They may do the right things for the wrong reasons. Growing up is not easy. It can be lonely, difficult and full of discipline. Although people can help at times, at the end of the day what you get out of your Christian walk is what you put in to it. In the same way that nobody can write your exams for you, nobody can grow up for you. In our lives there are trials but we don't stop living because we have a problem. Don't give up the Christian life because there are trials Jesus never said our lives would be easy, but He promised to be with us at all times. Remember tough times don't last although tough people do!

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His People Bible School : First Year

3.

LATE CHILDHOOD (TEENAGERS)

The Greek word used in Heb 12:5-11 is 'padia' (singular is "paidion") which refers to this late childhood stage. This is the most difficult stage, where one is neither an adult nor a child. People going through this stage don't seem to fit in anywhere. They may have knowledge (they may have finished Bible School, for example) but there is little practical application in their lives. Of all the things teenagers have been called they have NEVER been called wise. This is a period of going from: (a) what you have learned to applying it; (b) someone caring for you to looking after yourself; (c) learning to take sound advice and to distinguish between being hard-headed and foolish and being wise and learning to discern good from evil.

3.1

Rebellion. During this stage, this child always thinks that they know better than their parents. They just can't understand that their parents dont see things their way. They rebel at any and all forms of discipline at home, school and country. Tantrums are the order of the day. Whether major or minor, they become irrational. For example, before an outing a girl notices that she has a pimple and cries out: "it's covering my whole face, who could ever marry me!" Christians can react the same way. They say they can't come to church because they haven't got a nice dress and their bag doesnt match, or somebody else is there and they can't concentrate. If you discipline them, the cry is one of "you have no respect for people and are always picking on me". God tells us very clearly to discipline our children, and at this stage of their lives we need to treat them firmly, and bring them back to the Word of God that never changes.

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Christian Character : Stages of growth"

LECTURE THREE

4.

MANHOOD / MATURITY

(Manhood = both male and female)

The Greek word for manhood is <neaniskos', which literally means `young man (<neos' = young woman). We know that it is God's will for us all to reach maturity and therefore we should all aspire to reach manhood. We then become more like Jesus in word and deed. Who we are speaks louder than what we say.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MANHOOD:

4.1

Victorious. This Christian is living a victorious life. 1 John 2:13-14 addresses the young men as those who have overcome the evil one, who are strong and in whom the Word of God lives. The man of God lives according to God's Word. He is rooted and established in the Word and knows that it is more real than the things he sees and hears. He is able to apply the Word of God in all situations in his life. He lives what he knows as it has become heart knowledge. He is able to recognise God at work and rejoices in knowing that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). In all situations he lives out his faith. He continues to give praise and thanks to God. He is seldom moved by circumstances.

4.2

Spiritually minded. The fruit of the Spirit is evident in his life (this is dealt with in detail later in the course). The love of God is seen in his life. He shows the characteristics of love. He is not conceited, arrogant or proud. He is not touchy or fretful or resentful. He takes no account of evil done to him, pays no attention to wrong suffered. He is not puffed up but builds others up. He is governed by the law of love (1 Cor 13:4-7). This person is re-knowing the mind to thank Gods thoughts after Him.

4.3

Esteem earthly things lightly. Paul writes in Phil 4:12 that he has learned the secret of being content in every situation, whether well fed or hungry, living in plenty or want. The mature man of God has his mind set on things above not on earthly things (Col 3:2). His concern is to build up treasures in heaven.

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His People Bible School : First Year He has an eternal perspective on life. His prayers no longer revolve around him and his needs only, but He is able to pray willingly for others. 4.4 Bold. Because he is able to testify with Paul, "It is a small thing if I should be judged of you or of man's judgement " he is free to voice his convictions (1 Cor 15:33). He is not unteachable but bold and unafraid to be wrong. His attitude is "If I'm wrong, God will show me even if through another person and I'm willing to change." He is bold to share the love and goodness of Christ with others even the unsaved.

4.5

God-pleaser. A mature man of God is a God-pleaser. He is not concerned about what others think of him. As the apostle Paul did, he seeks only to commend himself to God (1 Cor 4:3-4). He is therefore not in bondage to anyone. This is not a carnal independence but a saintly dignity. He lives in reverent fear of God and has forsaken the fear of man's opinion.

5.

FATHERHOOD
The Greek word for father is "Pater". God is the perfect Father. Everything good and perfect comes from Him (James 1:17). As a Father, He wants us to have the revelation knowledge that we are special and unique in His sight. The apostle Paul speaks of himself as a father to the Corinthian church (1 Cor 4:14-15). He writes that there are many teachers in Christ, but not many fathers. God wants to restore fathers in the body of Christ. You cannot become a father without having gone through all the different stages of spiritual development or without having received love and instruction from those more mature in the faith. You will always find that there are people more mature than yourself who can sow into your life while you sow into the lives of Christians who are younger than yourself. There is something special about the qualities/ characteristics of fathers in the Lord.

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Christian Character : Stages of growth" CHARACTERISTICS OF FATHERHOOD:

5.1

Resourceful. Fathers are saturated with the Word of God and are rich with experiences of having applied God's truth over and over again in their lives. They, however, never stop learning. They continue to revel in fresh ideas and are always ready to impart what they have learned.

5.2

Commitment to the next generation. Fathers take pleasure in passing on their knowledge to the younger generation. We see an example of this is 2 Tim 1:2-6, where the Apostle Paul exhorts and expresses his wholehearted approval of Timothy in his new venture.

5.3

Tenderness and compassion. Psalm 103:13 tells us that as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear Him. The fruit of the Spirit is so evident in a father because they have truly learned to rule and reign through the weathering of many storms in their lives. They have become gracious because they understand the greater issues in life and are therefore able to dispense large doses of tenderness and compassion when needed. They will inspire others to greater heights and a deeper intimacy with God (Eph 4:12-13).

6.

SPASTIC OR UNDER-DEVELOPED CHILDREN

This is fortunately not a stage that everyone goes through. It is a sad stage where a child of God never grows up. They are a burden to others and alway take up more time than the other Christians. They never become independent. They believe that they have tried it and it didn't work. You hear these Christians saying things like "Well, I don't think I'll go to that Church it has nothing to offer me" not realising that children must be kept amused all the time. God wants us to grow up where we can serve and help others. These signs, or some of these signs, will CONSTANTLY be an under-developed Christian: bitterness, backbiting, knowing the Word of God but living in doubt and double-mindedness, proud and arrogant about their knowledge but showing no victory in their life.

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His People Bible School : First Year

7.

SUMMARY
Babies are self-pleasers. Children are man-pleasers. Our aim is to be God pleasers.

It is not as important where we are spiritually but that we are growing towards maturity. God sees us as "perfect" if we walk in the light that we have received. What we are is God's gift to us, but what we become is our gift to Him.

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Christian Character : Contents

LECTURE FOUR

HOW TO DEVELOP CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

Man is a spirit, has a soul and lives in a body. When we are born again God deals with the spirit (2 Cor 5:17; Ezek 36:26). The spirit is God's responsibility. He gives us a new spirit while we were dead in our sins He made us alive in Christ (Eph 2:5). We have God's spirit in us to move us to follow His decrees. However, we cannot deny the fact that our lives do not instantaneously resemble Christ's when we are born again. We need to consider the soul (mind, will and emotions) and the body (our earth-suit) which are our responsibility. We can all relate to Paul's struggle against his flesh as described in Rom 7:18-24, where he says he desires to do what is good and delights in God's ways but there seems to be a war against his mind (Rom 7:23). We need to understand that the flesh and the spirit are opposed. The battleground is the mind. The mind is the place of victory or defeat. Either the flesh controls the mind (ie. we go on thinking and acting as in the past and there is no growth), or the spirit controls the mind (ie. we change our way of thinking to bring our thoughts in line with the Word of God). The mind controlled by the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace. We have a choice life or death. The mind can also be referred to as the hinge joint between the Spirit and the flesh.

FIGURE 1

Whatever side the mind is on will win. If the mind sides with the spirit, the flesh is left 'high and dry'. And of course, vice versa. If a person never renews their mind, they will never grow spiritually. If the mind is not renewed, doubt will enter, drop down to the spirit and eventually the spiritual experience with God will be rejected. The good news is that the born again child of God is not a victim of their flesh. Thanks to Jesus Christ we can be slaves to God's law (Rom 8:24-25). We are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the spirit of God lives in us (Rom 7:9). Our spirit can control our minds because we have the Holy Spirit within us.

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His People Bible School : First Year

1.

RENEWING THE MIND

Rom 12:2 says we are not to be conformed to the standards of this world, i.e. we are not to be fashioned after and adapted to the external superficial customs of the world. To conform means to be pushed into the mould of the world. It speaks of change from the external inwards. The scriptures instruct us to be transformed, not to conform. Transformed is the Greek word metamorphosis which means to undergo a complete physical change in form, substance or structure. It implies a change from within (internal to external).

1.1

Why do we need to renew our minds? We need to renew our minds so that we may prove what is God's good, pleasing and perfect will the Amplified says even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect in His sight for you. God wants you to know His will for you life more than you do! In order to know His will we need to renew our minds so that we start to think as He thinks about ourselves, situations and others. If we think of ourselves with a grasshopper mentality we will never reach the heights that God has planned for us (Num 13:33). We were made to soar like eagles not scratch with the turkeys. We need to change our way of thinking in order to walk in God's will for our lives.

1.2

How can we be transformed? We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2). The word `renew means to make new again or to renovate. We have to renew our own minds. No-one else can do it for us. It is no-one else's responsibility. A person can keep coming up for prayer every Sunday because the devil is attacking him but unless he meditates on the scripture ('Resist the devil and he will flee from you') and applies it to his life, the problem remains. There will be constant opposition to renewing our minds. The devil will try to stop us from being effective. Sometimes we need to force-feed our minds on the Word of God. For example if you are sick, the body wants to sleep and the mind wants to wallow in self-pity. We need to take scripture and apply it in this situation. The way to renew our mind is by meditating on God's Word. Key text Josh 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." To meditate means to mutter, utter and speak to yourself. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and there is no better place to hear than on your own lips. We are always quick to believe what we say! To meditate does not mean merely reading the Word or memorising

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Christian Character : How to develop Christian character" scripture but it involves taking it to heart. It is the process by which a fact drops from our heads to our hearts and we act on what we know to be true. When a person gives mental assent he says he believes but does not act on it, he wont receive the promises. Meditation on God's Word is the key to becoming a prosperous, successful Christian (Psalm 1:3). Meditation is active. It is not merely reprogramming minds. It is rebuilding thought processes. This involves changing from how we used to think to how God thinks. It means applying God's Word to our lives now. A good question to ask yourself is 'How would this scripture change my life if I lived as though it were true?'. We need to lay foundations of God's Word in our lives and build on the unshakeable. Heaven and earth will pass away but the Word of God remains forever ( Matt 24:25 ). God's word is forever settled in heaven. The Word of God brings stability and security into our lives. We need to take captive every thought that is contrary to God's Word (2 Cor 10:4-5). Worry is meditation on incorrect information or lies. It produces fear ie. False Evidence Appearing Real. 2 Tim 1:7 says God has not given us a spirit of fear. Phil 4:4-7 tells us not to be anxious about anything. 1 Pet 5:7 says we are to cast our cares on the Lord for He cares for us. Psalm 55:22 tells us that as we cast our cares on the Lord, He will sustain us and never let us fall. There is no room for fear if we are living in God's Word. God doesn't want us to worry because He knows it is not good for us. It can destroy us. Worry causes fear and fear opposes faith they cannot exist together! Rom 1:17 says that the just shall live by faith. We need to trust God as a lifestyle.

1.3

Satan's battlefield is in the mind. A battlefield is the place where you lose or win (2 Cor 10:3-5). Verse 5 speaks of "every high thing." The Greek speaks of every logical argument. Use the Word of God as a filter. Totally eradicate all thoughts contrary to the Word. 'Refuse' to think them, but replace them with His thoughts. In Phil 4:6-7, verse 6 starts with a direct command "don't fret". We like to quote verse 7, but this is only ours if we carry out verse 6. "6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." We need to be active in the process of renewing our minds. James 1:22 tells us not to merely listen to the Word and deceive ourselves that were being spiritual but to actually do what it says.

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His People Bible School : First Year

2.

MENTAL ASSENT
Mental assent is when a person has knowledge about the Bible they know what it says, tell you they believe it but never act on anything and therefore never receive any of the promises themselves. Mental assent says, I acknowledge that to be true, but it is not for me. The mind works with facts only, whereas faith is of the heart. To have both in agreement it is necessary to renew the mind because faith is contrary to the mind. It is impossible to say "I believe, yes I'm in faith" and never to have results. NO results = NO believing in the heart (Mark 11:23). God says it, therefore it is true. Renewing the mind is living under a new set of rules. Your old life was full of negative statements and thoughts. Your new life in Christ says: "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil 4:13). 2 Cor 5:17 refers to the spiritual realm. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Eph 4:21-23 refers to the physical and mental realm. "if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind," To renew the mind takes effort.

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Christian Character : Controlling the Physical Body

LECTURE FIVE

CONTROLLING THE PHYSICAL BODY

A person cannot reach maturity without dealing with the physical body. Maturity involves obedience in spirit, soul and body. This teaching is not meant to bring condemnation. God wants us to have open hearts to hear what He is wanting to say. As we look into the perfect law of God's Word, it will bring freedom into our lives (James 1:25). The Word brings light into many dark areas in our lives. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20). In the Old Testament the people rejoiced at the privilege of being able to contribute towards God's temple the place of His abiding presence. Today the Holy Spirit lives within us. It is a joy for us to take care of our bodies His temple. We are not our own we were bought with a price (1 Cor 6:20). We can apply the principle of stewardship to looking after our bodies. We are God's property. We need to treat our bodies with respect. This includes having sufficient sleep without overindulging, healthy eating habits and an adequate exercise programme. We need to be physically fit to serve God. We must live in an awareness that God's Spirit is within us all the time. Perhaps if we realised that fully, we would not do many of the things which we do. "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Rom 8:1). If you live according to the flesh you may feel uncomfortable about the fact that you are still smoking, drinking or overeating. Perhaps it is the Holy Spirit feeling uncomfortable and convicting you of sin. Let's call sin what it is! Do not make excuses for the flesh change! Although we are not under law, we are not to abuse God's grace (Gal 5:13). Any addiction makes you unresponsive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Habits of the flesh bring bondage. A habit that controls you is your master. If you are not free to chose or cannot say no to something, it has control of you. We are called to be free. Do not let anything take priority above God in your life. Keep yourself from idols (1 John 5:21). Anything that takes God's place in your life or undermines God's rule in your life is an idol. Do not think of how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Rom 13:14). Don't even allow your body the option of sleeping when it is time to pray or read the Word avoid lying down if that helps! God's will is that we should all learn to control our bodies in a way that is holy and honourable (1 Thess 4:3-4). The Apostle Paul said he disciplined his body to make it his slave (1 Cor 9:27). Remind your body who is in charge. Force it to submit to your spirit. You are not controlled by your sinful nature but by the spirit of God. If your body is objecting in a specific area, discipline it (for example, if the problem is overeating, fast for a few days and see the glorious victory you achieve). If we live by the sinful nature, we will die (Rom 8:12-13). God has promised us life, and life abundantly in Him. When God shines His light into an area of your life, act on that light. Do not deliberately sin once you have received the light (Heb 10:26-27). Jesus made it possible for us to have victory over sin. His spirit in us is
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His People Bible School : First Year able to rule our bodies. The body without the spirit is dead, therefore live for the spirit not the body (James 2:26). Once we have received the light in a specific area we need to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.

1.

AREAS THAT NEED DISCIPLINE

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Your time Force a routine, correct your priorities. Your prayer time Whether tired or not, a time of prayer is crucial. Your time to meditate on and read the Word of God. Your body Don't let it make excuses. Your mind Think the Word. Your tongue Watch what you say.

If physical children grow up undisciplined, they become unruly and unpleasant. Spiritual children can go the same way. Nobody wants or likes to be around them. Discipline moulds a person's character. The discipline that you put upon yourself will mould your Christian character. If the person in spiritual authority over you disciplines you, dont take offense. Instead, turn to Gal 6:1; Heb 13:17 and 1 Thess 5:11-14. These verses all tell you that they have the right to discipline you if necessary. Be mature at these times and listen, receive and grow.

2.

DEALING WITH UNFORGIVENESS

We need to deal with unforgiveness in our lives for our Father in heaven can only forgive us as we forgive others (Matt 6:14-15). Unforgiveness harms YOU it does not affect the other person. We have all been hurt by somebody at some time. Forgive them for the sake of your relationship with God. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you (Col 3:12-14). Even when the person is in the wrong, forgive them. Peter asked the Lord how many times he should forgive his brother who sinned against him. Jesus said that he should forgive seventy times seven times. That is many, many times. If you're counting the number of times someone wrongs you, it's not true forgiveness! We need to continually walk in forgiveness. Keep as short a record of wrongs as possible. If we harbour unforgiveness in our hearts, at some stage it will come out in our speech. From the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt 12:34). It will come out in the form of strife. Let us speak only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.

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Christian Character : Controlling the Physical Body

3.

CONTROLLING THE TONGUE

James 3:1-10 describes an uncontrolled tongue as kindling a forest fire. Our tongue is like a rudder be careful of where you steer yourself. James 3:2 says that the mature man controls his tongue and is able to control his whole body. Avoid strife by avoiding the people who cause strife (Psalm 1:1). If you do not control what goes into your spirit, youll not control the things that come out out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Strife is the biggest enemy of the church. It is like a plague and can hurt many people. Gossip is like confetti it goes everywhere, and even though you might repent, all the pieces can never be picked up again. ANYTHING that breaks down relationships between people and does not build up is strife. If you cant say anything to build people up, then rather keep quiet. The enemy is the devil, we dont need to fight our brothers and sisters in Christ. Dont break each other down, rather PROTECT EACH OTHER. The body of Christ is an army we all need one another. We cant all be the mouth or the hand, but whatever part of the body we are, Christ needs us, and we need each other.

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His People Bible School : First Year

LECTURE SIX

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Gal 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

The fruit of the spirit is an expression of Christ's character through you. It is the result of the presence of Christ in our lives. We need to distinguish between the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. Gifts are supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit. They belong to the Holy Spirit and He distributes them at specific times according to the needs. The fruit of the Spirit is the ongoing evidence of the Spirit of Christ in our lives revealing Christ's character through us as we submit to Him and are obedient to Him. It is God's will for you to be fruitful as a Christian (John 15:16, Rom 7:4, Psalm 1:3 , Jer 17:7). We should bear all nine fruits in our lives to display the character of God to others. Jesus tells us that one can judge a tree by its fruit (Matt 7:15-20). When it comes to false appearances of spiritual maturity you can fool some people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time, and you can never fool God. What you are will be seen by what you do and what comes out of your mouth. For example, if a tree is labelled as an orange tree but starts to produce apples, there will be no doubt as to whether it is an orange or apple tree. The fruit disputes any arguments about whether it's an orange or an apple tree. Jesus tells us that we will know a tree by its fruit and by their fruit you will recognise them. There is no measure of spiritual maturity except the extent to which the fruit of the Spirit is evident in one's life.

1.

HOW ARE WE TO BE FRUITFUL?

John 15:1-8 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

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Christian Character : The fruit of the Spirit" We can only be fruitful by abiding in the vine. Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches. No branch can produce fruit without being united to the vine. Gal 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness"

The fruit of the Spirit is the work that His presence accomplishes in our lives.

2.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT [REFER TO TABLE 2 FOR "FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT"]

2.1

Love. The Greek word for love is agape. This is the divine kind of love, an unconditional love, a strong, ardent, tender, compassionate devotion to the well-being of someone. 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love. The expression of love in our lives is directed towards: a) A love for God (Matt 22:37). The greatest commandment in the law. b) A love for people (Matt 22:39). The second greatest commandment. John 13:34-35. We are to love one another as Christ loved us. He has set a high standard for us to follow. Christ proved His love by laying down His life for us (1 John 3:16-18, John 15:13). He demonstrated His love for us (Rom 5:8). Love must involve action (1 John 3:18). If we obey God's Word His love is made complete in us individually (1 John 2:5). As we love one another His love is made complete in us corporately (1 John 3:11). Love is not a feeling it's an act of your will. God instructs us to love one another deeply (1 Pet 1:22) for love covers a multitude of sins (1 Pet 4:8). He would never command us to do something that was impossible. We have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5). The potential to love is within us. We can define this God-kind of love by reading 1 Cor 13:4-8. We can measure our thoughts, attitudes and actions by these characteristics of love. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away."

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His People Bible School : First Year 2.2 Joy. The Greek word for joy is <chara'. This means the emotional excitement, gladness, delight over blessings received or expected for self or others. Happiness depends on circumstances. circumstances. Joy is the inward state of heart regardless of

Joy comes with obedience (John 15:10-11). Jesus wants us to have His joy in our hearts (John 17:13). No-one can take your joy away from you (John 16:22). The Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10). If the devil can steal our joy, he has our strength. The Bible commands us to rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4), regardless of circumstances. Sometimes it will require an active choice of the will. It may demand that we step out in faith and start praising God and rejoicing in Him. We need to enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts (Psalm 100:4) for in His presence is fulness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Our joy comes as a result of our fellowship with Him. Any works of the flesh (ie. any attempts to abide by the law to earn God's favour) will rob you of your joy. Paul asked the Galatians, who had deviated from God's grace and gone back to law-keeping, "What has happened to all your joy?" (Gal 4:15). Sometimes we need to remind our faces about the joy in our hearts. The Bible tells us to lift up our countenance. We need to look saved Smile! Prov 15:13 says that a happy heart makes the face cheerful. Come on Christians sometimes we're the only ones who have something to smile about! Your smile is a testimony to God's goodness in your life.

2.3

Peace. The Greek word for peace is <eirene'. This is the state of quietness, rest, repose, harmony, order and security in the midst of turmoil, strife and temptations. Jesus is our peace (Eph 2:14). He has given us His peace (John 14:27). He blesses His people with peace (Psalm 29:11). He will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in Him (Isa 26:3). We need to allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts (Col 3:15). In the midst of the storm, Jesus commanded the storm to be quiet and it obeyed (Luke 8:22-25). Jesus is in control of our lives. We can trust Him. The peace of God goes beyond all logical reasoning and understanding (Phil 4:7). The benefit of peace is life to the body (Prov 14:30).

2.4

Patience/ Longsuffering/ Steadfastness. The Greek word for patience is <makrothumia'. This means patient endurance to bear with frailties, offences, injuries and provocations of others, without murmuring or resentment.

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Christian Character : The fruit of the Spirit" God is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish. He desires that everyone come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9). He never gives up on us. In the same way that God is patient with us, we should be patient with others. We are to be patient: a) With each other (Eph 4:2, 1 Thess 5:14). b) In trials and suffering (Rom 12:2, James 1:2-4). c) Until the Lord comes (James 5:7). Do not ever give up! Just when you feel like giving up, hang in there by faith. Be patient for the breakthrough is near.

2.5

Kindness/ Meekness. The Greek word for kindness is <praotes'. This means the disposition to be gentle, kind, even tempered, patient in suffering injuries without feeling a spirit of revenge. The Lord is kind (Jer 9:24). It is God's kindness that leads us to repentance (Rom 2:4). We are to clothe ourselves with kindness (Col 3:12) and be kind to one another (Eph 4:32).

2.6

Goodness. The Greek word for goodness is <agathosure'. This means the state of being good, kind, virtuous, benevolent, generous and God-like in conduct. God is good. We can taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). Our lives should reflect God's goodness to us. The good lives that we lead should be a testimony to unbelievers (1 Pet 2:12). We should not grow weary of doing good especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Gal 6:9-10).

2.7

Faithfulness. The Greek word for goodness is <pistis'. This is the living, divinely implanted, acquired and created principle of inward and wholehearted confidence, assurance, trust and reliance in God and all that He says. God is faithful even when we are faithless (2 Tim 2:13). His name is Faithful (Rev 19:11). We are to be imitators of God, as dearly loved children (Eph 5:1). Faithfulness should be a characteristic in all areas of our lives. We need to be faithful in our work, to our family, to our word, in serving God and in committing to tasks. Faithfulness means we can be relied on.

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His People Bible School : First Year 2.8 Gentleness. The Greek word for gentleness is <chretotes'. This is a disposition to be gentle, soft-spoken, kind, even-tempered, cultured and refined in character and conduct. Jesus was gentle and humble in heart (Matt 11:28-30). Gentleness is not a weakness. It does not mean to be wishy-washy or soft. Gentleness is a strength. Gentleness means being able to put aside one's pride, being prepared to listen to others and not fighting to prove one's own point. It involves being teachable and being prepared to admit that one doesn't know it all.

2.9

Self-control/ Temperance. The Greek word for self-control is <enkrateia'. This implies/ means a moderation in the indulgence of appetites and passions. Examples of areas that need to be controlled and disciplined include: Our thoughts, words, actions, prayer life, meditation on the Word, exercise, eating, smoking, drinking, tempers etc. (These were dealt with in further detail under " Controlling the body and the tongue".) An athlete restricts himself in all things in order to win (1 Cor 9:25). We are running the race set before us in such a way as to win!

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Christian Character : The fruit of the Spirit"

CONCLUSION
This course highlights the various parallels that exist between physical and spiritual growth. Many characteristics of babies, children, adolescents and adults in the physical world are also evident in the various developmental stages of Christians from the moment they are born again. As we learn to recognize these stages of growth both in our own lives and the lives of others, we should be inspired to grow to greater maturity in Christ and exercise greater wisdom and understanding in our dealings with other Christians. We also noted the need to actively develop our Christian character. It is essential that we renew our minds by reading and meditating upon the Word of God and resist the destructive thoughts that Satan attempts to bring our way. We should also accept the discipline of the Lord knowing that He is our loving Father who cares for us. We must be slow to take offense and refrain from harbouring unforgiveness against people who have wronged us. As we nurture our spirits in these ways, we will be increasingly fruitful in our spiritual walk and able to exhibit more of Christs character in our lives.

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His People Bible School : First Year TABLE 2

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Gal 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

! Love

Greek = "agape"

the divine kind of love, unconditional love, a strong, ardent, tender, compassionate devotion to the well-being of someone. the emotional excitement, gladness, delight over blessings received or expected for self or others. the state of quietness, rest, repose, harmony, order and security in the midst of turmoil, strife and temptations. patient endurance to bear with frailties, offences, injuries and provocations of others, without murmuring, repining or resentment. the disposition to be gentle, kind, even tempered, patient in suffering injuries without feeling a spirit of revenge. the state of being good, kind, virtuous, benevolent, generous and God-like in conduct. the living, divinely implanted, acquired and created principle of inward and wholehearted confidence, assurance, trust and reliance in God and all that He says. a disposition to be gentle, soft-spoken, kind, eventempered, cultured and refined in character and conduct. a moderation in the indulgence of appetites and passions.

! Joy ! Peace ! Patience

Greek = "chara" Greek = "eirene" Greek = "makrothumia" Greek = "praotes" Greek = "agathosure" Greek = "pistis"

! Kindness ! Goodness ! Faithfulness

! Gentleness

Greek = "chretotes"

! Self-control

Greek = "enkrateia"

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His People Bible School : First Year TABLE 1

STAGES OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

STAGE 1. Babyhood GREEK "Brephos" First Breath / newborn baby 2. Early childhood "Nepios" One who cannot speak 1 Cor 3:1-1 0 SCRIPTURE 1 Peter 2:2 Fed Swaddled Love Guidance Attention NEED Love DANGER Doubt Fear Rejection Easily led astray CHARACTERISTICS Innocence Ignorance Irritability Self-pleasers Spasmodic Unreliable Impulsive Curious Talkative Impressionable Man-pleasers 3 Late childhood (Teenager) 4. Manhood "Neaniskos" young man "Neos" young woman" 5. Fatherhood "Pater" Sow Seeds 1 Cor 4:14-15 Appreciated Apathy Retirement 1 John 3:13-14 "Paidion" Heb 12:5-11 Love Discipline Understanding Workers Encouragement Frustration Discouragement Victorious Spirit-dominated Esteem earthly things lightly Bold God-pleasers Resourceful Commitment to next generation Tenderness and compassion
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Rebellion Disobedience

Rebellion Tantrums

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His People Bible School

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