Part 3 in the series of personal discipleship, Life to Life groups. Learn how to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ as you, yourselves, are strengthened in your own walk with God.

1. Life to Life Groups
Mentor - Model - Example - Teach - Parent

2. Growing One Another
Much of what new/immature believers understand about the
Christian walk is what he should or should not be doing. This places
the emphasis on the external and plants the seeds of “faith through
works” early in his heart.
“But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith
without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” James 2:18
A new/immature believer needs to be taught that external behavior is
important, but that God’s purpose is that we adopt HIS BIBLICAL
PRINCIPLES inwardly, allowing relationship between God and man
to become the focus.

3. Making Decisions Spiritual
Where in the Bible do you find instructions on how to make the
right decisions about what car to drive, what house to live in, or
what is your perfect weight?
Is it okay to drink alcohol, smoke, neglect your family, invest in
the stock market, play the lottery, excessive work or wasting of
time?
Often, many members of the Body of Christ will make these
decisions very much like the worldly... with logic and reasoning.

4. Externally Focused
If a new/immature believer continues focusing on outward and
external behaviors, rather that on Biblical Principles, there is a
high probability that he will grow towards being a “Self-
Dependent” and “Worldly-Minded” Christian, practicing
external behaviors that are acceptable to his Christian peers,
while at the same time pursing worldly goals of possessions,
pleasures, power and popularity (as long as they do not offend
his Christian peers).

5. Self-Dependent and Carnality
The Bible shows us the contrast between “spiritual believers”
and “self-dependent, carnal believers.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and
do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

6. Disposition or Behavior
What we do expresses who we are.
King David was described by God as a “man after God’s own
heart,” a spiritual man. But all of us would agree that his
behavior was ungodly when he committed adultery and
murdered Uriah.
King Saul’s disposition of his heart was characterized by “self-
dependence.” He consistently “leaned on his own human
understanding,” rather than walk by faith in God’s leading.

7. The Apostle Paul Conflicted
“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in
the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure,
so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.
But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the
dead.” 1 Cor. 1:8-9
2 Cor 12:7, “even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to
keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from
Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.” NLT
It is important to note that Spiritual believers do not always trust God in every
situation, and there are times when “self-dependent” or “carnal” believers call upon
the name of the Lord in times of distress or crisis.

8. Joshua and Caleb Conflicted
Sent with the twelve as spies to survey the Promised Land. Did
all twelve see the same things? Yes, but Joshua and Caleb had a
“faithful” disposition of the heart that guided them to trust in
God’s promise. The other ten were trusting in their own human
reasoning that led them to forfeit God’s intended blessings.

9. Joshua 14:7-8, “I was forty years old when Moses the servant of
the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I
brought him back a report according to my convictions, but my
brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people
melt with fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God
wholeheartedly.”
God says of Caleb in Numbers 14:24, “But because my servant
Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will
bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will
inherit it.”

10. The Term “Spiritual”
The term spiritual is used to describe those who have chosen to
acknowledge God as the One who will best oversee and manage
their lives; who see themselves as “servants” and God as
“Master.”
The terms “self-dependent” and “carnal” describe those who
have either willfully, or ignorantly not chosen to acknowledge
and accept the authority and Lordship of Christ over their lives.
Unfortunately, there are too many “carnal” Christians in the
Body of Christ today.

11. We must use caution...
... when applying the terms “spiritual” or “carnal” to “heart
attitude (disposition)” rather than to “external behaviors.” If we
use those terms to refer to external behavior, we will promote
the misconception of focusing on external behaviors, rather than
the Biblical concept of focusing on the “internal
transformation,” from which external behavior is derived.

12. Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer
your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this
is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to
the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what
God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Proverbs 23:7, “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he...”
Matthew 12:34, “For out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaks.”

13. Congregational Meetings
Corporate meetings were designed by Christ to EQUIP the
saints (you) so that each of you will in turn spiritually impact
the lives of those with whom you interact.
Ephesian 4:11-16, “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the
church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the
pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s
people to do his work and build up the church, the body of
Christ.

14. Ephesians 4:11-16
This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and
knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord,
measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we
will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and
blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be
influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound
like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in
every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body,
the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each
part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that
the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

15. Children of...
Some will attribute rebellious children of Christian leaders to the
attack of the enemy against the parents... and this should be
considered and you should pray for their families.
But, consider that what the child sees consistently modeled in
the home has more impact than what the child is told. If we tell
our children how important eternity is, but live as if life on earth
holds more importance, what is that going to communicate to
the child? We must get “truth” deep into our own hearts so that
our lives will express that same truth to our children.

16. Yes, even the Apostle Paul experienced conflict in his heart. It is
easy to portray a consistent spiritual life to those with whom
you are only with for short periods of contact each week, but it
is very difficult to hide the real life values and convictions from
children who are continually watching and imitating.

17. The Bible as a Manual
If a computer illiterate person were simply handed a computer
manual and left to their own devices, he may or may not
succeed. Would you prefer to be given a computer manual to
learn on your own, or to have someone take the time to
personally explain the computer manual to you through the
beginning phases of learning and answer any questions you
have?
Sure, the manual has all the knowledge you’ll need and it is
presented clearly, but...

18. If you were to give a set of blue prints to a novice and tell him to
go and build a house with a foundation. How do you think he
would do? Sure, some people excel in life, but most benefit from
instruction.
Titus 2 tells the older Christians to be available to the younger in
the process of discipling.
Titus 1:9 tells us to hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it
was taught, so you can encourage others by sound doctrine and
refute those who oppose it.

19. We Need One Another
Eph 4:32, Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving
each other, just as in Christ God forgave you...
Jn 13:34, Love one another as I have loved you...
Col. 3:13, Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances
you may have against one another.
Rom. 12:10, Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor
one another above yourselves.

20. 1 Thess. 5:11, Encourage one another and build each other up...
1 Peter 5:14, Greet one another with a kiss of (brotherly) love...
Heb. 10:24, Spur one another on towards love and good deeds...
Eph. 5:21, Submit to one another out of reverence to the Lord...
Heb 10:25, And don’t neglect assembling yourselves together...
We need each other. We help each other. This is God’s plan.