Sierra Vista Community Church
Building Godly Character
Part 1
2 Corinthians 3:18 CSB
What Does It Take For REAL CHANGE To Happen In Me?
1. It begins with new thinking.
“... you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds …” (Ephesians 4:23)
“Let the Spirit change your way of thinking.” (Ephesians 4:23) [CEV]
“17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.” (Ephesians 4:17-19)
2. It requires learning the truth.
“Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) [NIV]
“14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ.” (Ephesians 4:14-15) [CSB]
3. It requires “cleaning house”.
“You took off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires …” (Ephesians 4:22)
“Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us …” (Hebrews 12:1)
4. It requires living honestly in community.
“No more pretense! Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s Body we’re all connected to each other. So if you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.” (Eph. 4:25) [MSG]
5. It requires being mentored.
“He also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts to his church Their purpose is to prepare God’s people to serve and to build up the body of Christ. This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard.” (Ephesians 4:11-13) [GW]
6. It requires faith!
“Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)