GLORY - ONE DEGREE Passed the Test, Missed the Lab - Part 8 11/24/24 Series Scripture: What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. James 2:14-26 ESV REVIEW: Week 1 - We must know God as God is, removing anything that isn’t of Him. Faith is change/growth that necessitates action. Week 2 - Faith can only be lived out with the Holy Spirit. We must recognize and get to know the Holy Spirit and live life with the Spirit. Week 3 - Understanding how to hear and listen to the Holy Spirit is essential. Field Goal example. Week 4 - Audience of one. Simplify life by living only to please God. Its not your job to keep everyone happy, in fact pleasing God leads to being a godly spouse, co-worker, parent, and believer. Week 5 - Learning how to handle moments of success (with humility) and moments that feel like failure (trusting in God’s results not ours) Week 6 - Perseverance- A long obedience in the same direction. Keep it simple, please one, obey one, one day at a time. A life of faith/action day after day leads to change and growth. Week 7 - Take this way of living and a life with the Holy Spirit and teach it to another believer. Pass it forward, help others grow as well. Today’s Scripture: And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV English - Greek Truth Transform - μεταμορφόω (metamorphoó) transform; to change into another image Same Image - κατοπτρίζω (katoptrizó) to reflect; to behold in a mirror One Degree of Glory to Another Change happens in incrementally “from one degree of glory to another” Change happens by looking to model Jesus Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV Change happens as we live a life of faith through perseverance Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:1–5 ESV Change leads genuine “metamorphosis” And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 ESV Discussion Questions How has God challenged your thinking or convicted your heart through this series on faith requiring action? What impacted you most? Where do you see yourself struggling most to apply what is necessary to live a life where faith and action are synonymous? How has your understanding of the Holy Spirit grown or increased these past few weeks? Where in life are you hearing the Spirit speak to you? How have you been doing at living for an audience of ONE? What need to continue to change to make that more a reality? How have you seen your life growing from one degree of glory to another? Take a look at yourself now and who you were months ago, a year ago - what change do you see?