Representing Christ

A lesson about how to represent Christ in various roles as a Christian.

As you read this lesson, be sure to hover over the the Bible verses to read them or look them up in your own copy of the Bible. When the Bible passage is longer, you need to click on “more” in the bottom right corner of the pop-up window.

Introduction

Welcome! The Bible has much to say about this interesting topic. You may find it helpful to invite a mature Christian from your church to study this topic with you. You may have a lot of questions that are not answered here. Maybe there are ideas here that seem hard to understand. Do not get overwhelmed! You can contact us with any questions that you may have. The elders of your local church can help you as well.

Remember that learning the content about this topic is helpful, but knowing the information will not truly change you. For you to benefit fully from this topic, you must…

• Become born-again by securing a personal relationship with God the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, through faith by grace. This information cannot change you until the Holy Spirit of God gives you a new heart that is able to apply it to your life. To begin a personal relationship with God, it is imperative to understand and believe the following:

  • God is separated from you, because He is good, pure, and holy. 1 John 1:5-6

  • You are sinful, impure, and unholy because you do not measure up to God’s holiness. Romans 3:10-12 You are a descendent of Adam and Eve who rebelled against God. Romans 5:19

  • Your sinfulness provokes God’s anger and separates you from Him because He is holy. Romans 5:12 As a result, you deserve to be thrown into the Lake of Fire forever. Revelation 20:14-15

  • God the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth. Jesus is God in the flesh. He lived a sinless life. He was nailed to the cross, shed His blood, and died in your place for your sins. He was buried, rose again, and went to Heaven to prepare a place for all who believe. He will return one day for those who believe. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

  • Only the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is enough for you to be accepted forever by God the Father the moment you believe. John 3:16 God does not accept you on the basis that you try to be a good person and do good works. Romans 4:5 He accepts you fully and forever the moment you abandon your sins and call on Jesus to save you. John 3:36

• As you understand, meditate on, and believe the information presented here about this topic, you must also do what the Bible says. James 1:21-22 Only by trusting and obeying God’s Word regarding this topic will you experience the full benefits of this information. James 1:23-24 Trusting and obeying God’s Word will change you as you learn this. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 You will be happy as a result of your obedience. James 1:25

• Seek and heed the advice of your church leaders regarding this topic. Hebrews 13:17

• Depend upon the Holy Spirit to change you. Galatians 3:1-3 You cannot change without Him enabling you. John 15:5 He will change you in His time and way; but not apart from your faith and obedience to God’s Word. Trust Him to do His work in your heart. Philippians 2:12-13

• Allow the joy that you experience from obeying God’s Word to transform how you interact with others. James 2:12-20

Representing Christ

• God created you to glorify Him by bearing the fruit of the Spirit. Romans 11:36; Galatians 5:22-23

• God is using everything in your life to make you more like Christ so that He can show His character through you. Romans 8:28-29

• One day, you will give an account to Jesus for how you represented Him. 1 Corinthians 3:5-15

• Your goal must be to keep a clear conscience before God and man until you die. Acts 24:16; Romans 13:1-8; 1 Corinthians 8:7-13; 1 Corinthians 10:24-33; 2 Corinthians 4:1-2

• Your life is not your own so you must live as one who belongs to Jesus. Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:15 (NASB)

• You do not want people to reject Jesus because of your bad testimony. Psalm 69:5-6; Romans 9:1-3

• Your goal in life must be to live in obedience to the Gospel and to persuade others to embrace it. 1 Corinthians 9:15-27 (NASB) You need to persuade unbelievers to trust in Jesus and to persuade disobedient and discouraged believers to obey the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 (NASB)

• You must use your spiritual gifts to fulfill your call to make disciples who will make disciples. 1 Timothy 4:14-16; 2 Timothy 1:6-14; 2 Timothy 4:5

• Representing Christ is not about us representing ourselves to other people. It is not about us. We do not live our lives according to what we want others to think about us, but according to how God wants them to think about Him. Galatians 6:14; Galatians 2:20

The Gospel enables us to Represent Christ

• Jesus is God in the flesh. He lived a sinless life of representing the Father for us. Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22 He was nailed to the cross as if He misrepresented God like we do. 1 Peter 2:24 He shed His blood so that we can be washed clean of our sins. Hebrews 10:22 He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. Hebrews 4:14 He now sits at the right hand of the Father, representing us to Him. Hebrews 7:24-25

• Since Christ lived a life of perfect representation of the Father for us, we have been accepted in Christ by God the Father as if we lived the life of perfect representation that Christ lived. 1 Peter 3:18

• Now that we have been accepted as children in Christ, we are called to bear the image of the Father the way that Christ did during His life on earth. 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 2:23

• Since Christ died for our misrepresentation of the Father, we can now represent Him well. 1 Peter 2:24

• Since Christ rose from the grave, we can come boldly to Him to find the will to represent Him well to others. Hebrews 4:15-16

• We can now move beyond our past moments when we misrepresented God the Father and live as ambassadors of Christ. This is because we have been given the ministry of representing the Father with courage, knowing that He will conform us into the image of Christ and will never abandon us. 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Philippians 3:7-14; 1 Peter 2:25

• How will you commit this to prayer daily?

 Representing Christ AT HOME

As a Husband

• Matthew 28:18-20

  • Your wife is your first disciple for whom you are primarily responsible to disciple. Proverbs 18:22

• Matthew 4:18-22

  • Live and speak in such a way that your wife will want to join you voluntarily in following Christ.

• Luke 6:39-42

  • Strive toward Christ’s image as an example for her to follow and teach her the Scriptures so she can become the woman that God wants her to be.

  • Live and speak in such a way that your wife will want to disciple other women like you disciple men. Titus 2:3-5

• Ephesians 5:25-33

  • Pray for your wife and your children.

  • Love your wife by sacrificing yourself for her benefit.

  • Love your wife as an opportunity to worship Christ.

  • Wash your wife with the Scriptures by lovingly, joyfully, patiently, and gently encouraging her to become the kind of woman God wants her to be. Proverbs 19:14

  • Joyfully give your wife the tools to enable her to do whatever God expects of her. Proverbs 12:4; Proverbs 19:13; Proverbs 21:9; Proverbs 21:19; Proverbs 25:24; Proverbs 27:15-16

  • Function and feel as one with your wife. Malachi 2:14-17

  • Acknowledge her growth as a result of your loving discipleship of her. Proverbs 31:10-31

• Ephesians 5:24

  • Protect her from sin and weakness.

• Colossians 3:19

  • Love her, never growing weary of her weaknesses.

• 1 Peter 3:7

  • The context of this passage is having a wife who does not live in obedience to the Gospel.

  • Know what your wife thinks, needs, and wants. Consider how you can prefer her above yourself.

  • Enjoy your wife, and demonstrate that she is valuable to you and God. Ecclesiastes 9:9

  • Value her life as a precious vase.

  • Be gentle, delicate, and patient towards her.

  • Be strong for her.

  • Recognize that she has an equal standing before Christ as you do, so that your prayers for her are not hindered.

• 1 Corinthians 7:32-34

  • Everything you do must have her best interest in mind. Isaiah 54:6

• 1 Corinthians 7:1-5

  • When you serve your wife physically, your goal must be to please her more than yourself.

  • Agree on physical intimacy. It should be voluntarily enjoyed with dignity and respect.

• 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Timothy 3:12

  • Your wife, kids, and everyone else must see that you belong to her alone. Jeremiah 5:7-8; Job 31:1-12; Matthew 5:27-30

  • Enjoy only her body. Proverbs 5:15-23; Proverbs 6:20-35

• Job 2:9-10

  • Consider her perspective, but never allow her to cause you to sin. Genesis 3:17

• Genesis 2:25

  • Help her feel safe with you. Ecclesiastes 7:26

  • She must be transparent with you because she trusts you with her heart and body. Never embarrass or harm her.

• Genesis 2:20-24

  • Depend ultimately on God, not your parents, to help you lead your family.

  • You wife should sense that she is more important than your parents to you.

• Additional Thoughts

  • Always start and end on a positive note with your wife.

  • When you are tempted to complain about your wife, thank God for her.

  • Spend time with God first before you interact with your wife so that He can work in your heart as well.

  • Lead by example; especially in love, joy, happiness, patience, and work ethic.

  • Try to do something fun regularly with your wife as an opportunity to enjoy one another.

  • Regularly ask your wife about areas in which she thinks you need improvement, i.e. your demeanor, attitude, and habits as a husband, father, church member, son, and friend.

  • Pay attention to your wife’s needs and desires, spoken and unspoken.

  • Plan to become a better husband, father, church member, son, and friend. Work and adjust the plan each month.

  • Plan ahead reasonably for challenges in life while you trust God for the best.

  • Be the kind of person people enjoy being around.

  • Prepare for the possibility of your premature death.

  • Help your wife discover how to encourage others.

  • Enjoy everyday life with your wife and kids.

  • Do not overreact to unexpected situations.

  • Be mindful of your wife’s weaknesses. Encourage, protect, and help her carry them.

  • Do not take it personally when she questions you or asks for more details. Genesis 3:16

  • Help your family to represent Christ as a family in how they serve others.

  • Give your family the rest that they need.

  • Encourage your wife and kids to spend time with God and His Word alone in the mornings to start their day.

  • Make it a goal to read and explain every verse of the Bible to your wife and kids before your children are grown.

  • Consider reading a chapter nightly to your wife and kids. Keep the time short and convenient. Share prayer requests with each other and take turns with a different person praying each night.

• Remember that we do not exist simply to live for ourselves. We were created to represent God.

  • When we love our wife, it is not primarily about our relationship. It is about God being represented well in how we love her. God’s reputation is on the line because we represent Him.

  • God wants you and your wife to enjoy fellowship with Him together as a couple.

  • Love your wife as Christ loves you, so you become more like Christ and represent Him well to your wife, children, and others.

  • When we share the Gospel, it shines a light on our lives. If you are not loving your wife the way God wants you to do, then you will be tempted to shrink back from sharing the Gospel with them and others.

  • Being the husband God wants you to be gives you boldness in your faith. This boldness will enable you to be transparent in your marriage. This, in turn, will enable you to let other believers into your life for you to disciple.

  • You must let the reputation of God and His love for people motivate you to grow in your ability to love your wife well.

  • The love of Christ is enough to motivate you to become a better husband.

AS A FATHER

• Matthew 28:18-20

  • After your wife, your children are your discipleship priority.

• Matthew 4:18-22

  • Live your life in such a way that your child will want to join you in following Christ.

• Luke 6:39-42

  • Strive toward Christ’s image as an example for your children to follow and teach them the Scriptures so they can become the adults God wants them to be.

  • Live and speak in such a way that your child will want to tell others about Jesus.

  • Enjoy God and show your children how to enjoy Him.

  • Teach your children the life skills that they need to succeed in life.

  • When your children becomes an adults, they should know everything they need to know to become the followers of Christ that Jesus wants them to be.

  • Give your children whatever they need to be able to obey God as they grow.

  • Be the kind of father that you want your son/son-in-law to be.

• Psalm 127:1-5

  • Invite the LORD to build and guard your home.

  • Trust that the LORD will take care of your family when you cannot.

  • See your children as a gift from the LORD. God has rewarded you by giving you children.

  • God has given you children so that you can train them up to go out into the world to represent Him well.

  • You are very blessed if you have many children.

  • If you have many children who love the LORD, it gives you great confidence when dealing with your enemies. Psalm 128:1-4

• Ephesians 6:4

  • Pray for your children.

  • Train your children as an act of worship to Christ.

  • Teach your child about the Lord and how to fear Him. Psalm 78:1-8

• Colossians 3:21

  • Treat your children with dignity, respect, gentleness, and kindness.

  • Have the same compassion on your children that the LORD has for you. Psalm 103:13

• Proverbs 22:15

  • Lovingly use the rod of discipline to remove the foolishness from your children’s hearts to protect them from ruining their lives. Proverbs 19:18-19

  • Do not withhold discipline from your child simply because you do not like to do it. Proverbs 23:12-14; 1 Samuel 2:12; 1 Samuel 2:22-25; 1 Samuel 3:11-14

  • Show your love for your children by disciplining them. Proverbs 13:24

  • Recognize that your discipline will never be perfect. Hebrews 12:7-11

• Matthew 18:1-11

  • Speak and live in such a way that you will never cause your children to reject Christ or be ashamed of you.

• Matthew 7:9-12

  • Represent God’s Fatherly care by how you care for your children. Luke 11:11-13

  • Provide the physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental needs of your children. Proverbs 13:22

• Proverbs 22:6

  • Train your children to understand their own personalities and passions so that they can use them for the glory of God and the good of others.

• Proverbs 14:26-27

  • Your children should feel safe because they know that you fear the LORD.

• 2 Timothy 3:14-17

  • Speak about the Bible to your children and convince them (by your example) to obey it. Deuteronomy 6:1-9

  • Teach your children how to live according to the wisdom of the Bible. Proverbs 31:1-9

  • Use the Bible to teach your children about God, what is wrong, what is right, and how to obey God. In this way, they will be thoroughly equipped to do whatever God wants them to do. Proverbs 6:20-22

• Additional Thoughts

  • Always start and end on a positive note with your child.

  • When you are tempted to complain about your children, thank God for them.

  • Spend time with God first before you interact with your child so that He can work in your heart as well.

  • It is likely that your son will become and your daughter will seek to marry the kind of husband/father that you are.

  • Your children will live their lives based upon what they perceive you think about them, whether true or false.

  • Your children will have to learn what it is like to be humbled and to be forgiven. You cannot prevent the inevitable suffering that God will allow into their lives to mature them.

  • How are you preparing your children to deal with suffering?

  • How are you modeling before them what it means to trust God?

  • How are you training your children to be disciples who make disciples?

  • Does your child believe the Gospel?

  • Can your child explain the Gospel clearly, naturally, and sincerely?

  • How are you helping your child to develop a heart that wants to serve others and share the Gospel with the lost?

  • Help your children to know that when they fail, you will love and help them to do better.

• Remember that we do not exist simply to live for ourselves. We were created to represent God.

  • When we parent our children, it is not primarily about our relationship with them. It is about God being represented well in how we parent them. God’s reputation is on the line, because we represent Him.

  • God wants families to enjoy fellowship with Him together.

  • Love your child as Christ loves you, so you become more like Him and represent Him well to your wife, children, and others.

  • When we share the Gospel, it shines a light on our lives. If we are not parenting our children the way that God wants, then we will be tempted to shrink back from sharing the Gospel with them and others.

  • Being the fathers God wants us to be gives us boldness in our faith. This boldness will enable us to be exemplary in our parenting, which will in turn enable us to let other believers into our lives for us to disciple.

  • We must let God’s reputation and love for people motivate us to grow in our ability to parent our children well.

  • The love of Christ is enough to motivate us to become better fathers.

AS A WIFE

• Matthew 28:18-20

  • Your husband is your first priority to disciple.

• Matthew 4:18-22

  • Live and speak in such a way that your husband will want to join you in following Christ.

• Luke 6:39-42

  • Strive toward Christ’s image to be an example and teach your children the Scriptures so they can become the adults that God wants them to be.

  • Live and speak in such a way that your husband will want to disciple other men as you do with women.

  • Be the kind of wife that you want your daughter/daughter-in-law to be.

• Ephesians 5:22-24

  • Joyfully submit to your husband in all things as an opportunity to worship Christ; never allow him to cause you to sin.

  • Enjoy your husband and demonstrate that he is valuable to you and God.

  • Submit to your husband by sacrificing your own personal interests so that he is free to lead the family the way Christ wants him to lead.

• Ephesians 5:33

  • Trust in God as you submit to your husband.

• Colossians 3:18

  • Everything you do should have your husband’s and your children’s best interest in mind.

  • Treat your husband in a way that shows you believe ultimately on God for your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

• 1 Corinthians 7:1-5

  • Concerning physical intimacy, your goal should be to please your husband more than yourself.

  • Agree about physical intimacy. It should be voluntarily enjoyed with dignity and respect.

• 1 Peter 3:1-6

  • The context of this passage is a wife married to a husband who does not live in obedience to the Gospel.

  • Pray for your husband and children.

  • Win your husband’s heart by your respectful, kind, sweet, humble character.

  • Be gentle and respectful towards your husband.

  • Live and speak in such a way that your husband believes that you are serious about obeying God.

  • Report any case of physical or sexual abuse to your pastor and other proper authorities.

• Proverbs 31:27-28

  • Work so hard at managing your home that your husband and children sing your praises. Titus 2:3-5; 1 Timothy 3:11

• Additional Thoughts

  • Always start and end on a positive note with your husband.

  • When you are tempted to complain about your husband, thank God for him.

  • Spend time with God first before you interact with your husband so that He can work in your heart as well.

  • Focus on being sensible, sweet, and pleasant.

  • Help your husband to enjoy life and to be productive.

  • Regularly ask your husband about areas in which he thinks you need improvement, i.e. your demeanor, attitude, and habits as a wife, mother, church member, daughter, and friend.

  • Pay attention to your husband’s needs and desires, spoken and unspoken.

  • Plan to become a better wife, mother, church member, daughter, and friend. Work and adjust the plan each month.

  • Plan ahead reasonably for challenges in life while you trust God for the best.

  • Be the kind of person with whom people enjoy spending time.

  • Be your husband’s best cheerleader and fan, especially in front of your kids.

  • Enjoy everyday life with your husband and kids.

  • Prepare for the possibility of your premature death.

  • Help your husband discover how to encourage others.

  • Do not overreact to unexpected situations.

  • Be mindful of your husband’s weaknesses. Encourage, protect, and help him carry them.

  • Do not take it personally when he does not give you the details about every decision. Trust God more than you trust your husband or yourself.

  • Help your family to represent Christ in how they serve others.

  • Give your family the rest that they need.

  • Encourage your husband and kids to spend time with God and His Word alone in the mornings to start their day.

  • Make it a goal with your husband to read and explain every verse of the Bible to your kids before they are grown.

  • Consider having your husband read a chapter nightly to you and the kids. Keep the time short and convenient. Share prayer requests with each other and take turns with a different person praying each night.

• Remember that we do not exist simply to live for ourselves. We were created to represent God.

  • When you submit to and respect your husband, it is not primarily about your relationship. It is about God being represented well in how you love him. God’s reputation is on the line because we represent Him.

  • God wants you and your husband to enjoy fellowship with Him together as a couple.

  • Love your husband as Christ loves you so you become more like Him and represent Him well to your husband, children, and others.

  • When we share the Gospel, it shines a light on our lives. If you are not submitting to and respecting your husband the way God wants you to do, then you will be tempted to shrink back from sharing the Gospel with him and others.

  • Being the wife God wants you to be gives you boldness in your faith. This boldness will enable you to be transparent in your marriage. This, in turn, will enable you to let other believers into your life for you to disciple.

  • You must let the reputation of God and His love for people motivate you to grow in your ability to submit to and respect your husbands well.

  • The love of Christ is enough to motivate you to become a better wife.

AS A MOTHER

• Matthew 28:18-20

  • Your children are your second priority to disciple.

• Matthew 4:18-22

  • Live and speak in such a way that your child will want to join you in following Christ.

• Luke 6:39-42

  • Strive toward Christ’s image as an example for your children to follow and teach them the Scriptures so they can become the adults that God wants them to be.

  • Live and speak in such a way that your child will want to disciple other children like you disciple women.

  • Be the kind of mother that you want your daughter/daughter-in-law to be.

• 2 Timothy 1:5

  • Pray for your children every day.

  • Model the kind of faith that you want your children to have and live.

  • Demonstrate how the church submits to Christ by how you submit to your husband.

  • Carry out the program your husband makes for the home.

• 2 Timothy 3:14-17

  • Speak about the Bible to your children and show them how (by your example) to obey it. Deuteronomy 6:1-9

  • Teach your children how to live according to the wisdom of the Bible. Proverbs 31:1-9

  • Use the Bible to teach your children about God, what is wrong, what is right, and how to obey God. In this way, they will be thoroughly equipped to do whatever God wants them to do. Proverbs 6:20-22

• Proverbs 22:6

  • Train your children to understand their own personalities and passions so that they can use them for the glory of God and for the good of others.

• Proverbs 22:15

  • Lovingly use the rod of discipline to remove foolishness from your child’s heart in order to protect them from ruining their life. Proverbs 19:18-19

  • Do not withhold discipline from your child just because you do not like to do it. Proverbs 23:12-14

  • Show your love for your children by disciplining them. Proverbs 13:24

• Proverbs 29:15

  • Do not be lazy or inconsistent with your parenting. Proverbs 29:17

  • Tell your child when he is not being who God wants him to be. Discipline him so that he gains the wisdom he needs to change his ways.

• Proverbs 14:1-2

  • Wisely build your home centered around the LORD.

  • Fill your home with love and joy. Proverbs 15:17; Psalm 113:9; Proverbs 17:1-2

• Psalm 131:2

  • Treat your children with tenderness and dignity. 1 Thessalonians 2:7

• Train your children every day as an opportunity for you to worship Christ.

• Proverbs 31:27-28

  • Work so hard at managing your home that your husband and children sing your praises. Titus 2:3-5; 1 Timothy 3:11

• Additional Thoughts

  • Always start and end on a positive note with your child.

  • When you are tempted to complain about your children, thank God for your them.

  • Spend time with God first before you interact with your child so that He can work in your heart as well.

  • It is likely that your daughter will become and your son will seek to marry the kind of wife/mother that you are.

  • Your children will live their lives based upon what they perceive you think about them, whether true or false.

  • Your children will have to learn what it is like to be humbled and to be forgiven. You cannot prevent the inevitable suffering that God will allow into their lives to mature them.

  • How are you preparing your children to deal with suffering?

  • How are you modeling before them what it means to trust God?

  • How are you training your children to be disciples who make disciples?

  • Does your child believe the Gospel?

  • Can your child explain the Gospel clearly, naturally, and sincerely?

  • How are you helping your child to develop a heart that wants to serve others and share the Gospel with the lost?

  • Help your children to know that when they fail, you will love and help them to do better.

• Remember that we do not exist simply to live for ourselves. We were created to represent God.

  • When we parent our children, it is not primarily about our relationship with them. It is about God being represented well in how we parent them. God’s reputation is on the line, because we represent Him.

  • God wants families to enjoy fellowship with Him together.

  • Love your child as Christ loves you, so you become more like Him and represent Him well to your husband, children, and others.

  • When we share the Gospel, it shines a light on our lives. If we are not parenting our children the way that God wants, then we will be tempted to shrink back from sharing the Gospel with them and others.

  • Being the mothers God wants us to be gives us boldness in our faith. This boldness will enable us to be exemplary in our parenting, which will in turn enable us to let other believers into our lives for us to disciple.

  • We must let God’s reputation and love for people motivate us to grow in our ability to parent our children well.

  • The love of Christ is enough to motivate us to become better mothers.

AS A CHILD

• Ephesians 6:1-3

  • Honor and respect your parents.

• Colossians 3:20

  • Obey your parents in all things as an opportunity for you to worship Christ; never allow them, however, to cause you to sin.

• Ephesians 4:32

  • Imitate your parents’ good character and cover their sinful character with love and forgiveness.

  • Report cases of physical and sexual abuse to your parents and other proper authorities.

• Luke 6:31

  • Treat your parents in the same way that you want them to treat you.

• Luke 6:32-36

  • Love them despite what they show in return.

• Psalm 68:4-6

  • Recognize that God is your true Father who will never fail you. Psalm 146:9

• Proverbs 3:11-13

  • Be eager to learn from your parents’ discipline. Proverbs 12:1; Proverbs 13:1; Proverbs 13:18; Proverbs 15:5; Proverbs 15:31-33; Proverbs 19:20

  • Don’t respond sinfully to your parents’ discipline. Proverbs 19:25-27; Proverbs 20:19-22; Proverbs 28:24

  • Don’t be selfish or mock your parents. Proverbs 30:15-17; Proverbs 20:20

  • Learn from your parents’ teachings, warnings, and discipline. 1 Corinthians 14:20

  • Learn to turn from evil and choose to live rightly. Isaiah 7:15-16; Proverbs 23:15-26

  • Put all your energy into becoming more mature in your thinking. 1 Corinthians 13:11; Proverbs 23:12

• Proverbs 10:1

  • Make your parents glad and proud by the way you honor God with your life. Proverbs 15:16-21; Proverbs 27:11-12; Proverbs 17:2-3; Proverbs 17:25; Proverbs 28:7; Proverbs 20:11

• Proverbs 1:8

  • Eagerly pay attention to what your parents say. Proverbs 4:10-13; Proverbs 4:20; Proverbs 5:1; Proverbs 6:20; Proverbs 7:1

• Hebrews 12:7-11

  • Respect your father for disciplining you.

• Additional Thoughts

  • Always start and end on a positive note with your parents.

  • When you are tempted to complain about your parents, thank God for them.

  • Spend time with God before you interact with your parents so that God can work in your heart as well.

  • How are you making it easier for your parents to parent you?

  • How are you developing a humble, teachable heart?

  • Do you view your parents as people like you- sinners who need God’s forgiveness and are loved by Him?

  • Be aware of your parents’ weaknesses, knowing that we are all imperfect.

• Remember that we do not exist simply to live for ourselves. We were created to represent God.

  • When we honor our parents, it is not primarily about our relationship. It is about God being represented well in how we honor them. God’s reputation is on the line because we represent Him.

  • God wants you and your parents to enjoy fellowship with Him together as a family.

  • Love your parents as Christ loves you, so you become more like Him and represent Him well to your parents and others.

  • When we share the Gospel, it shines a light on our lives. If we are not honoring and obeying our parents the way God wants us to do, then we will be tempted to shrink back from sharing the Gospel with them and others.

  • Being the children God wants us to be gives us boldness in our faith. This boldness will enable us to be transparent with our family, which will in turn enable us to disciple others.

  • We must let the reputation of God and His love for people motivate us to grow in our ability to honor and obey our parents well.

  • The love of Christ is enough to motivate us to become better children.

AS A SIBLING

• 1 Timothy 5:1-2

  • Treat your sibling with purity and respect.

• Proverbs 17:17

  • Be there for your sibling during their time of trouble. Proverbs 18:24

  • Feel for your siblings when they hurt. Psalm 35:14

  • Do your best not to be a burden to your sibling. Proverbs 27:10

• Additional Thoughts:

  • Always start and end on a positive note with your sibling.

  • When you are tempted to complain about your siblings, thank God for them.

  • Spend time with God before you interact with your siblings so that He can work in your heart as well.

  • You can make it easier for your parents by how you interact with your siblings.

  • How are you encouraging your sibling?

  • Do you view your siblings as people like you- sinners who need God’s forgiveness and are loved by Him?

  • Be aware of your siblings’ weaknesses, knowing that we are all imperfect.

  • How are you making your sibling feel loved by you?

  • How are you making it enjoyable for your sibling to be around you?

• Remember that we do not exist simply to live for ourselves. We were created to represent God.

  • When we love our siblings, it is not primarily about our relationship. It is about God being represented well in how we love them. God’s reputation is on the line because we represent Him.

  • God wants you and your siblings to enjoy fellowship with Him together as a family.

  • Love your siblings as Christ loves you so you become more like Him and represent Him well to your parents, siblings, and others.

  • When we share the Gospel, it shines a light on our lives. If we are not loving our siblings the way God wants us to do, then we will be tempted to shrink back from sharing the Gospel with them and others.

  • Being the sibling God wants us to be gives us boldness in our faith. This boldness will enable us to be transparent with our family, which will in turn enable us to disciple others.

  • We must let the reputation of God and His love for people motivate us to grow in our ability to love our siblings well.

  • The love of Christ is enough to motivate us to become better siblings.

 Representing Christ AT WORK

• Ephesians 6:5-8

  • Work your job in such a way that God would be pleased with your labor and attitude.

  • Work even when your boss is not around.

  • Recognize that what you are doing for your boss, you are actually doing for the Lord. 1 Peter 2:18-25

  • Recognize that God will reward you in proportion to the work that you actually do.

• Ephesians 6:9

  • Manage your workers in such a way that God is pleased with your management and attitude.

  • Manage your workers well even when your boss is not around.

  • Recognize that what you are doing for your workers, you are actually doing for the Lord.

  • Recognize that God will reward your management efforts in proportion to what you actually do.

  • Don’t threaten your workers, because your management style reflects what you think of Jesus as your boss.

  • Do not show favoritism, since God does not.

• Colossians 3:17

  • Conduct yourself at your job with thankfulness, worthy of the name of Jesus.

• Colossians 3:22-25

  • Work as hard as you would for Jesus. Proverbs 6:6-11; Proverbs 12:14; Proverbs 18:9; Proverbs 24:30-34

  • You should be known for your hard work ethic, good attitude, and integrity. Proverbs 21:25-27; Proverbs 22:29

• Additional Thoughts

  • Consider modeling your work ethic after that of Joseph, Daniel, Nehemiah, and Paul.

  • Remember that work was instituted by God as a good thing, but it is more difficult after the fall.

  • Work so your boss and coworkers will consider following Jesus because of your example.

  • Strive never to be late for work. Never gossip about your boss or coworkers. Don’t rest except when permitted. Always strive to be neat, clean, organized, and productive.

  • Show through your work that you represent Christ and have proper priorities.

• Remember that we do not exist simply to live for ourselves. We were created to represent God.

  • When we work our jobs, it is not primarily about our position. It is about God being represented well in how we work. God’s reputation is on the line because we represent Him.

  • God wants you, your coworkers, and employers to enjoy fellowship with Him.

  • Love your coworkers and employers as Christ loves you, so you become more like Him and represent Him well to others.

  • When we share the Gospel, it shines a light on our lives. If we are not working the way God wants us to do, then we will be tempted to shrink back from sharing the Gospel with them and others.

  • Being the worker God wants us to be gives us boldness in our faith. This boldness will enable us to be transparent in our job, which will in turn, enable us to disciple others.

  • We must let the reputation of God and His love for people motivate us to grow in our ability to work our jobs well.

  • The love of Christ is enough to motivate us to become better workers.

 Representing Christ AT CHURCH

AS A MEMBER

• Church membership signifies a believer formally committing himself to a local church. By entering into a covenant with that local assembly, the believer is declaring his devotion to them and their mission.

  • The early church kept an orderly record of its members. Acts 2:41-42; Acts 2:47; Acts 5:14; Acts 16:5; 1 Timothy 5:9; 1 Timothy 5:11 This enabled the church to care for one another in an organized fashion.

  • Just as the signing of a marriage certificate signifies the couples’ commitment to their new relationship, church membership reflects a believer’s commitment to the local expression of the Body of Christ.

  • You demonstrate your commitment to Christ by your commitment to His Bride (the church). Ephesians 4:1-6

• Encourage your local church by your attendance, membership, example, service, fellowship, and prayers. Hebrews 10:22-25

  • Serve the members of your church throughout the week.

    • Who are you having in your home regularly?

    • Who is growing in their walk with the Lord because of your discipleship? Galatians 6:1-4

    • Who is dependent upon your prayers?

    • Who can you invite to a church service? Philippians 1:27

    • Don’t discourage people by your example. Romans 14:1-23; Romans 15:1-7; 1 Corinthians 8:8-13; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; 1 Corinthians 10:30-33

  • Get to know each member. Matthew 28:18-20

    • How are you going out of your way to greet and to get to know those who are new to the church?

    • How are you making it easier for new people to get to know the church?

    • Aim to have every church member to your home at least once annually (depending on the size of your church).

    • Consider having first-time visitors for lunch.

    • Do you know every church member’s name? Do they know yours?

    • Does every member of your church know your testimony? Do you know theirs?

    • Who would benefit most by your investment of discipleship time? Ephesians 4:32

  • Have you been baptized? Why or why not?

  • Have you joined in membership with a church? Why or why not? Colossians 3:12-17

  • Plan ahead so that you are spiritually and physically prepared for church service and so that you are not late, tired, or distracted.

  • How are you using your spiritual gifts to edify other members of the church? 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

  • How are you learning from the example of others’ use of their spiritual gifts?

  • What family is setting a godly example for you to model?

• You demonstrate submission to Christ by your submission to the elders of your church.

  • Seek discipleship and counsel from your elders regularly. Hebrews 13:7

  • Be transparent with your elders so they can help shepherd your heart.

  • Submit to them in such a way that it is not grievous for them to serve you. Hebrews 13:17

    • How are you encouraging your elders?

    • How are you obeying their preaching, teaching, and counsel? Are you taking notes with a plan to obey God’s Word?

    • How are you enabling them to fulfill their calling well?

    • How are you using what they have poured into you in the lives of others?

    • How have you made yourself available to be used by God?

    • How are you making church services a priority in your life?

• Remember that we do not exist simply to live for ourselves. We were created to represent God.

  • When we attend church services and serve the members of our local church, it is not about us and them primarily. It is about God being represented well in that. God’s reputation is on the line because we represent Him.

  • God wants the members of your church to enjoy fellowship together with Him. We must demonstrate the importance of uniting for fellowship with God by how we attend church services and serve the members of our local church.

  • If we make it a priority to attend church services and serve the members of our local churches in a biblical way, we will become more like Christ and we will represent Him well to church members, our communities, our families, and others.

  • When we share the Gospel, it shines a light on our lives. If we are not attending church services and serving the members of our local churches the way God wants us to do, then we will be tempted to shrink back from sharing the Gospel with others.

  • When we are the church members God wants us to be, it gives us boldness in our faith. This boldness will enable us to be transparent with anyone as we fulfill our commitment to our local church. This, in turn, will enable us freely to let other believers into our lives to disciple them.

  • We must let the reputation of God and His love for people motivate us to choose to attend church services and serve the members of our local churches well.

  • The love of Christ is enough to motivate us to be better church members.

 Representing Christ TO THE LOST

IN YOUR HEART

• Ezekiel 18:32

  • Desire for them to repent rather than die in their sin.

• Romans 9:1-3

  • Love them so much that you could wish to be accursed instead of them.

• Acts 20:26-27

  • Share the Gospel with anyone and never shrink back from it.

• 2 Peter 3:9

  • Be patient, deliberately giving sinners time to repent so they don’t die in their sin.

IN YOUR DEMEANOR

• 2 Timothy 2:23-26

  • Excuse yourself from questions that only lead to an argument.

  • Do not fight with your words, but be tenderly considerate towards everyone.

  • Teach intentionally.

  • Tolerate offenses directed against you.

  • Realize that God’s opponents place themselves in opposition to the Gospel.

  • Reprimand scoffers with an easygoing attitude in case God might give them a change of mind concerning the truth.

  • Urge rebels to come to their senses, and thus, break free of the devil’s trap after having been captured alive by him.

• 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

  • Be bold in your presentation of the Gospel, even if there is much contention.

  • Encourage the lost by not misdirecting them.

  • Recognize that you have been tested and approved by God already to be trusted with the Gospel.

  • Speak not to please men, but to please God, knowing He is examining your heart.

  • Don’t use flattery or a pretentious show to profit.

  • Don’t seek glory from people.

  • Be tender like a nursing mother.

  • Share the Gospel from a true heart with your followers.

  • Don’t be a burden to others as you share the Gospel with them.

  • Be proper, upright, and unblameable before others.

  • Share the Gospel soothingly, as a father encourages his own son.

  • Walk worthy of God.

• Matthew 5:13-16

  • Live a godly life that leaves a good taste in others’ mouths.

  • Don’t hide your testimony, but proclaim it boldly so when people see your good works, they will give God glory.

• 1 Peter 2:11-25

  • Don’t be given to fleshly desires.

  • Behave excellently among unbelievers so that even when they slander you, they will see your good deeds and glorify God.

  • Honor your authorities by doing what’s right in the mind of God and others, so that you can silence those who mock you.

IN YOUR Speech

• Titus 3:1-8

  • Be submissive to rulers, ready to perform every good deed.

  • Never speak evil of anyone. Rather, be peaceable, gentle, and show consideration for every man.

• Colossians 4:2-6

  • Devote yourself to thankful prayer, asking God to give you open doors to share the Gospel clearly.

  • Speak clearly and respond graciously as you make the most of every opportunity that you have to share the Gospel.

• 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

  • Don’t be arrogant or speak above others’ understanding, but be clear, plain, and simple.

  • Focus your conversation on Jesus Christ and His crucifixion. Let the power of God be the focus of the conversation, not your wit.

IN YOUR PRAYERS

• 1 Timothy 2:1-8

  • Pray for people to be saved, knowing God will honor your prayer.

  • Thank God for all people.

REPRESENTING CHRIST IN HOW WE Share the Gospel

• Remember that we do not exist simply to live for ourselves. We were created to represent God.

• When we share the Gospel with people, it is not about evangelism primarily. It is about God being represented well in how we share the Gospel with others. His reputation is on the line because we represent Him.

• God wants us to enjoy fellowship with Him. We must demonstrate this fellowship by our commitment to share the Gospel.

• As we make it a priority to share the Gospel regularly and biblically, we will become more like Christ and represent Him well.

• When we share the Gospel, it shines a light on our lives. If we are not sharing regularly, then we will be tempted to shrink back from sharing the Gospel at all.

• When we share the Gospel freely, it gives us boldness in our faith. This boldness will enable us to be transparent with anyone. This, in turn, will enable us to allow other believers into our lives to disciple them.

• Let the reputation of God and His love for people motivate you to grow in your ability to share the Gospel regularly.

• The love of Christ is enough to motivate you to share the Gospel regularly.

Conclusion

Now that you have studied this topic, we encourage you to...

• Ask us or any of your church leaders about any questions or concerns you still have about this topic.

• Pray for yourself to grow in maturity regarding this topic.

• Do your best to practice what you have learned.

• Tell someone else about what you have studied.

• Ask one of your church leaders to help you overcome your weaknesses regarding this topic.

• Teach this subject to others.

• Consider reviewing this topic once each year.

• Commit to growing in this area together with other members of a local church.

• Trust the Holy Spirit to change you as He uses His Word, others, and circumstances to make you more like Christ.