Perspective
( Eccl. 12:13-14 ; John 3:3-8 ; John 10:10 ) It is necessary to be born-again, a spiritual birth in order to recognize, to admit, and to solve your problems in a biblical manner. Only God's solutions, grace, empowering and wisdom are completely adequate for abundant living.
Hope
( Eph. 2:8-9 ; Rom. 3:27 ; Rom. 4:2 ; Rom. 5:1 ) Salvation is received by faith, all man has to do is to stretch out his hand and receive God's free gift of salvation. Man must believe just what God says and accept His word, accept His free offer of salvation. All man can do is accept the fact that God says He will save him, and to accept as true the free offer of salvation.
( Rom. 3:23 ; Rom. 6:23 ; Rom. 10:9-10 ) Realize there is no salvation in or within one's self or in the world. Salvation is by the word of God, as we confess it and verbally state God's word and believe. Then faith grows and increases effecting a reconciliation within one's self, with others, and with God. To 'reconcile' means to change, to change thoroughly, to exchange, to change from enmity to friendship, to bring together, to restore, to be related and united with God.
( John 1:12 ; Acts 17:30-31 ; 2 Cor. 5:17 ) God the Father becomes Father of your spirit, and you move from darkness to light. Satan is no longer your stepfather. By the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, you become a child of God, a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. You begin a new existence, and operate now from heaven whence you receive spiritual blessings, power, wisdom and knowledge in order to live a victorious life here on earth.
Change
( Rom. 12:1-2 ; 1 John 5:4-5 ; Titus 3:3-7 ) Christ now lives in your heart by faith. Your spirit has been regenerated, you are empowered to live the victorious life. It all begins by the renewing of your mind, thinking God's thoughts after Him, removing the garbage of your past life, and developing biblical attitudes and motives to please the Lord.
( Eph. 5:3-6 ) Being led astray by immoral and seductive persons, by false teachings, and false systems of religion, these habits, practices and associations are to be changed. God has taken our unloving nature and made new people out of us, but we must turn from living a selfish and worldly life and turn to Christ and begin a new lifestyle. Thus, we are to guard what we see, what we hear, and what we speak.
( 1 John 2:3-6 ) The change process begins with the mind, and the mind changed, fashioned and molded by the word of God. As the mind changes so does the thoughts, attitudes and motives. What you comprehend, you will be conformed to, and this is what will be communicated.
Work Out Your Salvation (Phil. 2:12-13)
BSAF for Acts 17:30-31 ; Eph. 2:8-9 ; John 1:12 ; Rom. 10:9-10 .
Review the book of 1 John . Note the references and vivid contrast to loving, to fellowship, to light and the dark, to backsliding, to false teachings: to that which distinguishes a child of God from the devil's children. Assurance that you are a child of God rests upon abiding in Christ and upon the pursuit of righteousness as He is righteous.
It all begins in loving God and the proof that you are loving God rests upon your relationship with others, and your involvement with the world, the flesh and the devil.
Begin a process of change by noting when and where you are harboring grudges, resentments, bitterness. Make plans by using Section A.4, “Victory Over Sin Worksheet” , Section A.9, “Contingency Plan” , and other worksheets as appropriate, to respond to these situations in patience, kindness and goodness.