RESTORED Week 7 - Living as a Child of God

Watch the Video for Week 7: “Living as a child of God.”

Scriptures Mentioned Today

• Romans 5:6-10
• Luke 15:1-32

Your Notes from the Teaching

Can you identify with the younger son in the story we read this week? As you look back at your former life, do you have a sense of shame about the things you have done? Maybe you still feel a sense that you’ve got to hide these things from your family in Christ, and even from God Himself (as if that were possible). If we are not careful, these can become our “don’t go there” subjects – with God and our spiritual family. Do you remember the words of this son when he arrived back home? “I am no longer worthy to be called your son…” We all know that feeling. It’s called shame, and in a world that has grown accustomed to saying, “shame on you” when we fail, may I welcome you to the household of God? Here, we say, “shame off you.” The joy of being on this side of our eyes being opened to the wonders of His love is that He really does forgive, and really does not remember our sins anymore! He knew them before we committed them, and He chose us even though He knew we would still fall short after He welcomed us home! The prodigal son probably smelled a lot like pig when he arrived at the father’s house (which makes it even more amazing that “he ran and embraced him”)! If you’ve ever had that smell on you, you know that even after you shower, you can still smell it. For days. That’s what shame is like. Even after we now we have been accepted and cleaned up by the Father, we still have this lingering shame of what we have done. That’s why the scripture tells us that Jesus washes us with His word (Ephesians 5:26). Will you let him do that for you now? When we replace the lies our heart believes with the truth of His word, that “smell of pig” fades until we never remember it. Go to lesson 7 in the Course materials, and open up the “shame off you” reading. Then, just sit back let Jesus wash you with His word. Believe it with all your heart – he really means it!!

As we saw, the “older son” was the target audience of the parable we read this week. This is the pharisee, and he wants to live in all of us. Now, if you’ve seen most bible movies, the pharisees always look like some evil, twisted faced, demonized schemers. And to be sure, some probably were (they lead the charge to crucify the Lord, after all). But the truth is that every one of them began as sincere God-fearing men who sincerely believed that the only way to heaven was to follow the Law of God to the letter. The problem was, they became so obsessed with the rules that they never bothered to get to know the rule-maker.

If they had, they would have known how merciful and forgiving He was, and they would have recognized Him in the form of Jesus. They would have carried His heart -- to want the lost ones back in the family, joining with Jesus in His ministry of gathering them all back home. They would have entered into the joy of fellowship with the Father, and could have had a party every night if they wanted. (And would have found out how much their Father loves to have parties with His kids)!

If we come to believe that our relationship with God is based on what we do, rather than whose we are, we are in danger of heading down the older brother’s road – which is to say, we live like slaves in a house where we are heirs.

Isn’t it amazing? Both sons had the same idea about the father – that he wants slaves for sons. The younger was going to ask the father to take him in as a servant, and the older complained about how faithful a servant he had always been. All the while, the father just wanted to enjoy the fellowship of his sons!

Here’s good news for you today: Jesus’ last words on the cross were, “It is Finished.” Meaning – we cannot add a single thing to what He has done for us to be close to God (reconciled) once again. We cannot earn our way to a better seat at His table – we are already sitting in the seat right with Him! We cannot strive our way back into acceptance when we fall short – it is only in His rest that we can enjoy our reconciliation with Him.

Are you striving to become a better son? Instead, try resting in His grace. You’ll grow a lot more like Him in His atmosphere of joy than you ever will through striving.

One great way to study the bible, and soak it deep into your heart, is to paraphrase scripture. Taking a passage and rewriting it in your own language helps us to dig deeper. Sometimes, I like to paraphrase so that a 6-year-old can understand it. (If you can explain it to a curious little child, you definitely understand it)!

The devil will continually try to accuse us, and his favorite way is to remind us of our past. Especially when he can connect the dots to failures in the present. The greatest lie of all is, “You’re still doing/ thinking that? See, you are no different now that you’re a Christian, you are a hypocrite. God made a mistake with you.”

May I just say, we have all heard that one before, and it’s as much a lie for you as it is for all of us!

Romans 5:1-11 is the answer to that lie, and is a good one to tuck into your spirit for the day of the devil’s assault on your restored divine nature and identity. As you paraphrase this portion of scripture, ask the Spirit of God to convince your spirit of the truth of this word, and make you unshakable for the days you are struggling in your faith; may it help you rest in the Grace by which you’ve been saved!