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INTRODUCTION to "The Expanded Christian Life"

183 pages. An in-depth look at the CHARACTERISTICS and VALUES of Christianity.  Especially designed for thought-provoking, written personal study and/or facilitation of exciting small-group discussion classes.

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Preface:        How to Use This Guide

1.        Characteristics of a Christian

                II Cor. 5:11-21                        -EXAMPLE-

                James 1:1-27 

                I Cor. 3:1-23

                Romans 12:1-8

                Matt. 18:10-35        

                Eph. 5:1-33

                I Cor. 1:10-17

                I Pet. 3:8-12

                Phil. 2:12-18

2.        Values of Christianity

                Romans 2:5-10        

                Mark 8:31-37        

                Romans 8:5-8        

                James 1:2-4,12-17

                Rev. 3:1-6

                II Cor. 4:5-18

                Philippians 4:4-7

Conclusions:        Some Comparative Answers

                Characteristics                                        -EXAMPLE, II Cor. 5:11-21-

                Values

3.        Of the number of possible “characteristics” of a Christian that are alluded to in II Corinthians 5:11-21, which one single characteristic jumps out at you, most impresses you, seems the most significant to you, has particular importance for you---and why? 

(If a small-group study, go around circle, giving each person their space to respond, should they wish.  You and/or the group can make brief comments after the person speaks his or her mind.  List each point in a column up on the poster-board.  Watch the time so that you can get to all the group members and still have time to do the next group-summation question as a concluding “finale” to the session.)  

4.        Of all the possible “characteristics” of a Christian mentioned in II Corinthians 5:11-21, which one would you conclude is the central theme of the passage in regards to describing a Christian (either the umbrella below which all the other characteristics can be gathered, or the foundation upon which all the other characteristics rest)? 

5.        Did you ever say or do something which after-the-fact you greatly regretted---then, amazingly, had the opportunity to go back and make right?  What was that situation, and how did you feel after you’d fixed the situation? 

(If a small-group study, go around circle and give each person their own space to share an example, if they wish [with whatever brief comments you or the group would like to make after each example.]  Explain that this is not “true confession,” and no one should share anything they’re not comfortable airing.  If a person doesn’t have anything particular in mind, or for any other reason wouldn’t care to respond, they are welcome to “pass” on to the next person.  The facilitator (or appointed scribe) should list up front for all to see in a column EXAMPLES OF CORRECTION, then beside each example EFFECTS.  Toward the last of the session, the facilitator may want to read the author’s story on page 76.)

6.        What is the relationship of  “persuading men” to “fearing God”?  (II Cor. 5:11)

7.        What does it mean that some people “take pride in what is seen rather than what is in the heart”?  (II Cor. 5:12)

8.        What does it mean to be “out of our mind for the sake of God”?  (II Cor. 5:13)  

9.        How is that “all died because one died”?  (II Cor. 5:14)

10.        What is the significance in Christians “no longer living for themselves”?  (II Cor. 5:15)

11.        What does it mean to be “new”?  Can you give some examples that define “newness”?  (II Cor. 5:17)

12.        Babies are new.  Contrast the negative attributes of babies with their positive attributes.  (II Cor. 5:17)

13.        How might you detect the inward “newness” of a Christian by his/her outward appearance?  (II Cor. 5:17)

14.        What is the significance that the “old is passed away” for Christians?  (II Cor. 5:17)

15.        How can “all things” become new for a Christian?  Surely the boss at work is the same, your car is the same, your wife or husband is the same?  (II Cor. 5:17)

16.        Why is the “message of reconciliation” so powerful in cosmic terms and on purely personal terms?  (Hint: all humans with the knowledge of good and evil share what regrettable circumstance?)  (II Cor. 5:18-21)

17.        What does the word “righteous” mean?  How is it that imperfect, weak, fallible, sinful humans can still be righteous?  (II Cor. 5:21)

18.        Why would anyone want to keep an old, corroded, beaten-up, broken-down car and not get a bright, clean, oiled, well-functioning new one?  (II Cor. 5:17)

Note: These “answers” are here merely for comparison to your or your group’s own good answers.  My thoughts on these questions are by no means the definitive “answer” to anything.  My answers are merely another tentative conclusion that may add weight or breadth to your own thoughts.  Before looking at what I’ve written down, please make sure you’ve already done your own thorough study and evaluation of the particular question or exercise.  

Your answers and conclusions are just as valid as mine, and mean one hundred times as much coming from your own mind and hand as does reading what I have written.  Thus my considerable effort in writing this study-guide has been from the standpoint of facilitating your own good thinking, rather than: “Here’s the answer, believe it!”    

A large part of the great value of Christianity comes not from just reading words in the Bible, or words other people have written about the Bible, but in mutual exploration (i.e. learning from and with each other) and testing of what the words in the Bible really mean in each of our lives.  

I’m honored to be part of your own personal exploration of the Expanded Christian Life.  I hope that my thoughts below will be interesting and of some value to you.  If they are not helpful, please feel free to disregard part or all, as you see fit.

4.        There are many things we do and say in this life---often not meaning to cause bad things to happen, done even with the best of intentions---that have terrible consequences.  The number one characteristic of a Christian is the best of all: an inward “newness” resulting from our cosmic slate having been wiped clean.  The sins (wrongs done to self, others, God) we’ve accumulated all vanish.  Because of Christ’s love for us he died for us, paying the cosmic penalty for our wrongs, balancing the scales of justice.  This gives us a chance to start over, like a newborn baby.  Our whole life has been put back to zero.  We can redo what once went wrong, reshape our mind, heart, and actions. 

5.        I’m reminded of a science-fiction/fantasy story I read in a comic book as a young boy, which greatly impressed me.  There was this old man who was terrible hen-pecked by his wife, a shrew of a snarling old woman.  His only escape was to hide in the basement and smoke his pipe, which she hated.  When things seemed the worst they’d ever been, suddenly his pipe became magical---and he found himself reliving his life.  When he was young, he’d courted a beautiful young lady.  But each pipe-dream took him nearer to a nightmarish event---when he was riding on a train with her and the bridge broke, the car split in half, and he survived a terrible fall into a ravine only to see her in the other split half of the train car teetering on the still-standing part of the bridge---which was shuddering and shaking and destined to fall any moment.  Dazed, terrified, and helpless---he could only stand there and watch as the bridge completely collapsed, killing her.  Some time later he met up with the shrew-like woman who took the cowardly, timid man under her “wing.”  Now, though, he’s back hiding in the basement, smoking his pipe, hoping to have another pleasant dream, but finds himself back in that car on that fateful day!  It all happens again.  He’s down in the ravine looking up hundreds of feet at the teetering car containing his beautiful sweetheart.  This time, though, he tells himself “Not again!” and painfully climbs the trembling timbers.  He makes it to the broken car and finds her inside.  She says “You shouldn’t have come!  Now we’ll both die!”  He answers: “Then we’ll die together.”  He grabs her and together they start down, knowing everything will collapse any second.  But somehow they manage to make it down and run to the side just as everything comes crashing down!  And then the comic book panel switches to the present, showing the old man sound asleep, his stinky pipe in his lap, his mean wife sneaking up to him.   “Hah!  I’ll teach him!” the old shrew snorts softly, as she grabs the pipe and slams it into the floor, cracking it into a thousand pieces.  The next comic book panel shows a whistling, happy young man pushing a baby carriage down a sidewalk as his beautiful wife walks beside him.  A couple men watch from the doorway of a store.  One of them says: “Look at that sissy!”  The other says: “Don’t you let him hear you say that.  He’s the toughest man in town!”  We don’t have a magic pipe to smoke and go into the past and redo what happened before, much as we’d like to for some things.  But through Jesus we can be completely forgiven where it matters the most---in our mind and in God’s eyes.  We can mentally go back to when we were young, enthusiastic, and innocent---as yet unbroken by the terrible condition we let ourselves get into---and start over where we are, right now, in the present.  We can have the slate wiped clean, and begin to live a completely new life.

13.        A Christian is new---where it matters the most, inwardly.  But that newness, that fresh exuberance, is not trapped inside.  Even when the hair is snowy white and the back is bowed, people can detect that strange youthfulness in Christians----that inner light that shines pure and fresh through the eyes.  That eagerness to explore and try different things.  That yearning to learn and grow.  That trusting nature that looks for the best in people.  That willingness to give and receive unconditional love.

16.        Reconciliation is not a one-time event.  It is a continuing process.  Not only does the Christian start out from the new birth, baptism, as a brand-new spiritual infant, but the Christian stays new.  If he or she continues to do his/her best to stay and grow in Jesus, then His blood continues to wash away the sins, leaving the person righteous, pure, and reconciled to God.  So even though the outward nature grows old and feeble, the true person---the inward man or woman---in Jesus stays young.

18.        But the old car is comfortable.  It fits the shape of your body.  It’s all dented and scratched such that a few more dings don’t matter.  It’s known.  And best of all, it’s paid for.  A new car costs a lot of money, probably entailing personal sacrifice.  You have to give up other things you want in order to acquire and keep a new car.  It’s a long-term commitment.  So why do you decide to go on and take the plunge?  Well, the old car gets to be just too much of a pain, and in the long term the cost of up-keep makes it very very expensive.  And the new car is so beautiful, so functional, so clean.  You’re proud of it and it makes you happy.  It’s worth the cost. 

INTRODUCTION to "The Expanded Christian Life"          "The Expanded Christian Life" ART POSTERS

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