Renovation of the Heart Session 10: Transformation of our Relationships

Transformation of the Body 1 Corinthians 6: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

Steps to Transform the Body 1.Submit your body to Christ – Prayer (Sacrifice Ceremony—Rom 12:1) – Fasting 2.Enjoy Godly pleasures – Bodily pleasure have been created by God to be used in their proper place 3.Do not misuse you body – Indulgence – Using it for intimidation, manipulation, or advantage – Overwork 4.Properly care for your body – Proper nourishment and exercise – Get proper rest and sleep – Bring back the Sabbath rest

Review Renovation of our heart involves all parts of us

Wounded We have all been wounded in relationships in two ways: assault (attack) or withdrawal (distancing) If our hearts are going to be renovated, become like Christ, we need to rid ourselves of assault and withdrawal in our relationships.

Assault A fleshly response to being wounded is to attack those who have harmed you. (Revenge) We assault someone in our relationships when we purposefully do something against what is good for them. What are some examples of assault or attack? – 8 “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” -Col 3:8-9

Assault A fleshly response to being wounded is to attack those who have harmed you. (Revenge) We assault someone in our relationships when we purposefully do something against what is good for them. What are some examples of assault or attack? – 8 “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” -Col 3:8-9

Withdrawal Being wounded relationally can cause a fleshly impulse to withdraw from those who have brought you pain. Withdrawal is a purposeful distancing of someone. This is a relational “cutting off” characterized by an “I don’t care” attitude. Withdrawing from someone in relationships can be as harmful as attacking. Often the two go together.

Renovation of Relationships The relational ideal in Scripture is love Disciples of Jesus are to love: – 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:37-39) – 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Renovation of Relationships 14 “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:14-18)

Renovation of Relationships Those who seek to live as disciples of Jesus must renovate their relationships by becoming the kind of people that do not assault and do not withdraw but engage their neighbors in loving, compassionate, genuine, open, encouraging interactions with all people. Our relationships have the opportunity to be renovated if our hearts are. The centrality of family (marriage, children)

1 John 4:7ff 7 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for [ our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.”

1 John 4:7ff “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

Main Points from 1 John 4 1.God’s love for you is foundational 2.God does not just show love he is love 3.Our goal is to become like God, which is love 4.Love is made complete in us by loving others 5.To love God is to truly love others

Questions How can God’s love help us with our urges to assault and withdraw in relationships? What are things that we can do to bring renovation to our relationships?