Acknowledgments L
iving Logos was the heart-work of Bro Dale Starks and Sis Josephine Starks, missionaries to Singapore in the early 1980s. As the original authors of this devotionals, the Starks meant for these self-study materials to help new converts (and matured saints alike) get a hold of an understanding of God’s written Word. Since Sis Stark’s passing in 2013, the couple had graciously entrusted Tabernacle of Joy with its copyright. Therefore, with every print run, we would like to honour their life work and sacrifice in bringing the gospel to Singapore. This copy is an updated and revised version. Be blessed as you immerse yourself in the Word and allow God to transform you into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
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Spiritual Growth 1
SPIRITUAL GROWTH 1
Lesson
Fourteen
VARIOUS RELATIONSHIPS WITH JESUS CHRIST The church of Jesus Christ, and its members, have been given many names and titles which convey to us various relationships we are able to enjoy with Jesus Christ. This lesson is a brief summary of these relationships. In future lessons, we will study several of these relationships in more detail. 1. beLieveRs: ...and believers were the more added to the Lord — aCts 5:14
2. body of chRist: Now are ye the body of Christ, and members in particular — I CorInthIans 12:27
3. bRanches: I am the vine, ye are the branches — John 15:5
4. bRide:
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready — revelatIon 19:7 ...Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife — revelatIon 21:9
6. chiLdRen: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ — romans 8:16, 17
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...the good seed are the children of the kingdom — matthew 13:38 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day — I thessalonIans 5:5 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children — ePhesIans 5:1
6. chosen GeneRation: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people...the people of God — I Peter 2:9-10
7. discipLes: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples — John 15:8
8. feLLow citizens with the saints: Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God — ePhesIans 5:19
9. fRiends: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you — John 15:14
10. inhabitants of zion: Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee — IsaIah 12:6
11. kinG and pRiests: But ye are...a royal priesthood — I Peter 2:9 And hath made us kings and priests unto God — revelatIon 1:6
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12. LiGht of the woRLd: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid — matthew 5:14 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world — PhIlIPPIans 2:15
13. LiveLy stones: Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house... — I Peter 2:5
14. Redeemed: Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy — Psalm 107:2
15. saLt of the eaRth: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men — matthew 5:13
16. seRvants: So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do — luke 17:10 ...as the servants of God — I Peter 2:16
17. sheep: ...we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture — Psalm 100:3 ...the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep — John 10:11
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18. sons and dauGhteRs: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God...Beloved now are we the sons of God.. — I John 3:1-2 ...And I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty — II CorInthIans 6:17-18
In the next several lessons, we will study in more detail some of the more important relationships we have with Jesus.
VOCABULARY heir
—
one who inherits another’s property
joint-heir
—
a person who has inherited something together with another or others
peculiar
—
the meaning here is: particular, special
relationships
—
connections between or among persons, or in this case, between God and His people
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Lesson Fourteen Test Spirtual Growth 1
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“...and __________________ were added to the Lord.”
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Jesus is the bridegroom, and we are His _____________.
3
Jesus is the vine, we are the ________________.
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If we are his ________________, we must bear much fruit.
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We are a ________________ generation.
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The ____________________ bears witness with our spirit that we are the ____________________________.
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If we are children, then we are also “_____________________________ _____________________” (Romans 8:16-17).
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We are children of _________________, and children of the day.
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If we do what Jesus commands us, we are His _____________________.
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He is our Father, and we are his _____________________________ and _________________________.
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Let the _____________________________ of the Lord say so.
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Jesus is the good shepherd, and we are his ________________________.
13
We are the _______________________ of the world.
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We are the _______________________ of the earth.
15
When we have done all that we have been commanded to do, we should consider ourselves only as __________________________________.
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We are _____________________________ stones, built up to become a spiritual house.
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We are a _____________________________ priesthood.
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18
This means that we are ______________________________ and priests.
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What is of special interest to you in this lesson?
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