Page 36 - First Steps 2023

“Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it
is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good
purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13).

You and God are in a partnership—one in which you can continue to
choose to embrace his holiness and decide to become more like Jesus.
You’ve been set free to become like Jesus—but it’s a choice.
And making that choice is what Jesus-followers do.
We stumble along the way, but our hearts are to follow Jesus and
his path takes us to places of greater obedience, deeper friendship with
Jesus, and greater joy.

5. Let’s talk freedom—to be a friend of God.

You have a relationship with God because of grace, because of the
forgiveness you receive through the sacrifice of Jesus. That means you
don’t have to earn God’s favor—he’s given it to you.
And when you’re in a relationship with God, it changes you.
You lose your taste for sin. Your love for God prompts you to choose
to obey him—not out of fear, but because you want to please him. It’s
easier to cope with temptation because your friendship with God is more
important to you than anything that would get in the way of that friend-

ship.
Read aloud the following illustration of how this growing freedom to
be holy looks in a relationship.

Love Is the only way to become holy.
If you’re married and love your spouse, the last thing you want
to do is to jeopardize your marriage. You remain faithful because

you love your spouse more than anything that might damage your
relationship.
Love motivates your actions, not legalism, fear, or guilt.
It works the same way in your relationship with God.
Once you come to love God, you’ll be naturally pulled toward

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