AN INTERACTIVE SUMMARY OF GOD IS BUILDING CHARACTER

AN INTERACTIVE SUMMARY OF GOD IS BUILDING CHARACTER

The following paragraphs are presented as a summary of God Is Building Character. The review questions are designed to facilitate a clear comprehension of the thesis statements contained in that document. Click on the answer of your choice to determine the level of progress you are making in understanding the major points presented in this summary. For your convenience a link to the entire document is provided at the end of this lesson.

SEGMENT ONE

Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father." (Matthew 20:23)

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (I Timothy 4:8)

"These places belong to those for whom they (the places) have been prepared."

It appears God has prepared places, roles and tasks in His Kingdom. These places have been prepared for specific individuals.

Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’" And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. (Hebrews 4:3)

God's work was finished in six days. God's work included the assigning of places in His Kingdom for specific individuals.

We know from the parable of the talents that it is possible for us to lose our assigned place, for our gifts to be given to another. God did not receive the interest He was looking for, and so He gave the talent to another more diligent servant.

Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. (Matthew 25:28)

From this we see that God has laid out His Kingdom in advance, and God shall accomplish His objectives. However, whether any given individual is successful in arriving at his or her preordained place is up to that individual. God’s will shall be done; the talent shall be invested that it might bear interest; the perfected Bride of the Lamb indeed shall one day descend through the new sky to be located forever on the new earth.

But the part any person plays in the final outcome depends on his diligence in laying hold on that for which he has been grasped by the Lord.

Review Question#1. Please click on the answer you think is correct.

What can we learn from the parable of the talents?

a. the parable of the talents does not apply to believers saved by grace.

b. God did not receive the interest He was looking for, and so He gave the talent to another more diligent servant.

SEGMENT TWO

The reason we have been placed on the earth in an animal body is that God might be able to build character in us—the kind of character that is necessary if we are to function effectively in the role assigned to us.

In our present state we are weak. We often are confused. We suffer pain and become afraid. We are buffeted about and experience various pressures.

Why?

Because if we respond in a correct manner to our various sufferings, not blaming other people but looking ceaselessly to Christ for wisdom and strength to bear our pain, the kind of character will be created in us that is necessary for the successful completion of the tasks God has laid out for us to perform.

God leads us through wilderness experiences that He might find out what is in our heart.

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 8:1-3)

God is forming our character and testing us while we are suffering the problems and pains of the present world. His purpose is to prepare us for the wonderful new age in which God makes all things new.

Our character must be formed in terms of the demands that will be made on us.

Also, we must be tested repeatedly so God will know what is in our heart, whether we will keep His commands when we are entrusted with a position of responsibility in His Kingdom.

The Lord Jesus Christ in Person and through His Apostles issued numerous commandments. These are found in the New Testament. We are to obey them. The Holy Spirit will enable us to obey them as we keep going boldly to the Mercy Seat in Heaven for help in our time of need.

The new covenant performs its work in our mind and heart only as we keep the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is interesting that the Christian preaching and teaching of our day maintains that God is offering Divine grace as an alternative to keeping His commandments. The predictable result has been Christian churches that are morally bankrupt.

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (I John 2:3,4)

Review Question #2. Please click on the answer you think is correct.

The development of character within our personality is important:

a. so we will be adequately prepared for the roles God has planned for us to complete.

b. because it will help us to receive a larger reward in Heaven.

SEGMENT THREE

Following are eighteen of the roles and tasks that must be fulfilled if the Kingdom of God is to bring to the earth the eternal love, joy, and peace that are the desire of the Father for us.

To prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12,13)

The purpose of the ministries and gifts of the Spirit of God is to perfect each member of the Body of Christ in these roles and tasks according to his or her unique calling:

A member of the Bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9)

A part of the Temple of God (Ephesians 2:22)

A member of the Body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:12)

The salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13)

The light of the world (Matthew 5:14)

A part of the vehicle for the end-time revival (Isaiah 60:1,2)

A restorer of Paradise to the earth (Romans 8:21)

A source of eternal life and healing for the nations (I Corinthians 15:45)

A member of the royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9)

A witness of God (Isaiah 43:10)

A son of God (Revelation 21:7)

A brother of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29)

An overcomer of the accuser (Revelation 12:11)

A governor of the nations (Revelation 2:26,27)

A soldier in the army of the Lord (Joel 2:11)

A judge of men and angels (I Corinthians 6:2,3)

A wall of defense around the Glory of God (Revelation 21:14)

A part of the revelation of Himself—God in Christ in the saints (Revelation 3:12)

Review Question #3. Please click on the answer you think is correct.

What is the purpose of the ministries and gifts of the Holy Spirit?

a. to bring more people into church and save them from Hell.

b. to perfect each member of the Body of Christ in the roles and tasks according to their calling.

SEGMENT FOUR

This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word. (Isaiah 66:1,2)

Who will become the eternal resting place of God?

The believer who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at God’s Word.

Isn’t that interesting! So much of the Christian religion has been characterized by pomp and arrogance—especially among the leadership.

God, who is vastly greater than all comprehension, is never impressed by our status or accomplishments. God looks for humility and contriteness, for those who fear Him. God is humble and lowly of heart, like a child. He holds off the proud at a distance.

So if we really intend to fulfill the Kingdom role of the revelation of God, we must be changed in character until we are humble, are sorrowful and repentant when we offend God, and tremble when God speaks. This is so different from the American temperament. Americans are proud, we justify our actions when we offend, and we do not fear God. We may be willing to reverence God, but we are too proud and independent of spirit to actually fear the greatest of all Sovereigns.

We say we love Christ but we are unwilling to keep His commandments.

We seek to use Christ to gain our own ends. The idea of being the slave of Christ is repugnant to us. We are not willing to be anyone’s slave. Because of this we live in the chains of Satan without realizing it.

Because of our religious arrogance and smugness, our assurance that we are better than other people and are just about to be "raptured" into Heaven so we will avoid the suffering that is to come upon those "poor unfortunate people who are not part of our group," we are not revealing the true Person and will of God. We are revealing only the myths of our particular sect.

Let us, particularly us Americans, turn to God in contrition and humility. Let us adopt the attitude of the Apostle Paul who sought to lay hold on that for which God had laid hold on him.

Review Question #4. Please click on the answer you think is correct.

If we intend to fulfill our role in the revelation of God, we must:

a. be changed in character until we are humble, are sorrowful and repent when we offend God, and tremble when God speaks.

b. impress God with our status or accomplishments.

SEGMENT FIVE

Each member of God’s elect has been called and justified in advance. The individual’s name is on some specific place, some role or task, in the Kingdom. Now it is his responsibility to seek to enter the rest of God; that is, to cease from his own works that he might lay hold on that to which he has been called from the creation of the world.

The full power of God in Christ stands ready to assist the saint as he struggles to conquer the forces that are attempting to take his crown of rulership. He can overcome all hindrances and distractions if he will keep his eyes on the Lord Jesus.

But if the believer is not diligent, if he because of cowardice, laziness, or some desire of his own does not set aside all else that he may grasp that for which he has been grasped by the Lord, he will suffer tremendous remorse in the Day of the Lord. When Jesus Christ requires an accounting of his stewardship he will be found unfaithful. The endowments which had been given to him that he might gain the destiny marked out for him will be removed from him. They will be given to another who has been faithful and diligent.

The offender will be thrust into the outer darkness, unable to enter the light and joy of the Kingdom of the Lamb.

He has lost the Kingdom because of his negligence. Christ has suffered loss. The Body of Christ has suffered loss. The people who were to be his inheritance have suffered loss. All have suffered loss because of his faithlessness and treachery. He was willing to occupy himself with the foolishness of the world rather than to bring the good things of God to those around him.

There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth due to the anger and remorse of those who always before had found a way out of the consequences of their self-centered actions, but who now have come up against the iron of God’s will.

Review Question#5. Please click on the answer you think is correct.

If we have been assigned some role or task in the Kingdom, what then is our responsibility?

a. to seek to enter the rest of God and to lay hold on to that which we have been called.

b. to rest easy and allow Jesus to do it all through us.