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AYC Mumbai 2016 - Consistent Christian Life Life without wearing our masks

Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to mature us in to the image of Christ? Or, are we busy
doing sin management?

What does it mean to grow towards spiritual maturity? According to researcher George Barna,
few in the Christian community can tell you. Barna (2009) notes, People aspire to be spiritually
mature, but they do not know what it means. Pastors want to guide others on the path to
spiritual wholeness, but they are often not clearly defining the goals or the outcomes of that
process.

Why ask such questions: Life of wearing masks?

Environments that promote hiding (Closed & Open culture)

Environment of the church closed or open culture (How church discipline is exercised)
Disconnect between positional truth and practical application (Talk and no walk)
Discipleship process Is it learning to follow a person (Lord Jesus Christ) or theological
concepts
Sin Management in order to please God by our own efforts
Roles that promote hiding (Authority and influence)
We become highly sensitized to our sin and judge the sin of others (Legalistic)
We hide our sinful behaviour and become more vulnerable to more sin (Sin thrives in
hiddenness)
We specialise in custom made masks

Understanding the truths of the Gospel

Diagnosis of Sin Three-phase process (Refer to page 12 for infographic)

Act of Sin
Involuntary Response (God design for us: Guilt & Hurt)
Inevitable effect: Shame, blame, fear, denial, anger, bitterness (Response of the flesh:
Adam & Eve legacy)

Truths of the Gospel: (Refer to page 14 for infographic)

What did God do when I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as my saviour?

- Regeneration Introduction of a new state (Titus 3:1-7; 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 4:24)

- Quickening Impartation of divine life (John 6:63; John 5:21; Eph 2:1; Col 2:13,

Rom 4:17; 8:11; 1 Pet 3:18; 1 John 3:9; 2 Peter 1:4)

- Born Again Implies initiation in the family of God (John 1:12,13; Chapter 3)

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 Who I was (sinner) needed to experience death, He not only died for me; He died as
me Romans 6:3,6,7,16; 7:1 Note expression -Know ye not not to live in ignorance
Saints worldview living out of who God says I am, gives me hope of transforming to
the image of Christ. Rom 12:1,2 Transform verb used here is metamorphosis, which
is classically used of something maturing into what is destined to be like the caterpillar
into the butterfly.
I have to trust Him with everything that is true about me my new creation, as well as
God's view of the effect of sin on me (as a Saint) Galatians 5; (Romans 7:1-6 Spiritual
man; 7:14-25 Carnal man)
Do I believe that God's new creation in me bears the image of Christ, and all I need to
do is not to strive to change the flesh? Instead let the Spirit of God handle our flesh.
Romans 8: Holy Spirit controls the mind (5-7), motives (8-9), members (10-13) to help us
grow and mature into the image of Christ. 1 Peter 2:2,3.

Today many of us have settled only for half the salvation. We accept the truth of Christ's
completed work of salvation for us on the cross and the hope we have in His resurrection from
the death. We have placed our faith in Him as our Saviour.

The finished work on the cross is only half the truth of the Gospel, the other half is the saving life
of Christ, by His Holy Spirit, reproducing His character in us and maturing us to the image of
Christ. Which mean by the grace of God we can trust Him to lead us in handling the effects of
sin in our daily life (without being ashamed & hiding it), as well as moving towards the ultimate
goal of fulfilling our High Calling in Him.

Working on my sin issues with help of Holy Spirit (Rom 8) (Eph 6)

Maturing (Heb 5:12-14) God's vision for me

Trusting & living out of Who God Says I am (Saint, New Creation, Child of God)

The Holy Spirits maturing process is enabling us to grow in the knowledge of Christ, and
conforming to the image of Christ. Christlikeness character (Maturity) is developed only in
relationships with God and others: Christ-like character words are words of relationship: humility,
submission, integrity, obedience, suffering, loyalty, exaltation and so forth.

Understanding Lord Jesuss Command Self the subtle enemy

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, If anyone would come
after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Mark 8:34

Soul - Can be described as ONES Personality also can be called as SELF.

Personality Inherited from first Adam

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4 Major types of personalities of people live in the world Understanding yourself

Dominant Personality (3%) (D)

Strengths Weakness
Get things done on time Insensitive towards others
Persistent Overlooks risks and cautions
Takes charge Takes on too much work
Accepts challenges Too demanding of others
Makes quick decisions Impatient
Solves practical problems Inflexible and unyielding
Self-reliant Inattentive to detail
Works hard Do not like restrictions

Influence Personality (11%) (I)

Strengths Weakness
Optimistic Lacks follow through of tasks
Personable Talks too much
Verbally articulate Acts impulsively
Entertaining Over commits
Enthusiastic Misjudges capabilities
Makes a good impression Overestimates results
Persuasive Jumps to conclusion
Outgoing and Friendly Verbally manipulative

Steadiness Personality (69%) (S)

Strengths Weakness
Supportive Resists quick change
Agreeable Overly tolerant
Loyal Unable to make decisions (delays)
Service oriented Indirect with others
Consistent Difficulty with deadlines
Good listener Procrastinates
Reliable Avoids conflict
Builds relationship Lacks initiation

Perfectionist Personality (17%) (C)

Strengths Weakness
Orderly Overly cautious
Self disciplined Too rigid
Thorough Lacks spontaneity
Analytical Sensitive to criticism

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Competent Too detail oriented
Precise Fault-finding
Diplomatic Suspicious
Committed to quality Pessimistic

All Personalities need the following characteristic to function:

1. The basic motivation that drives a behavior

Dominant Personality (D) Results, Challenges, Action
Influencing Personality (I) Recognition, approval, visibility
Steadiness Personality (S) Relationship, appreciation
Perfection Personality (C) Being right, and quality

2. Their best situation or environments in which they can do well.

Dominant Personality (D)
Many new and varied activities
Opportunity to get things done
Continual Challenges
Difficult Assignments
Freedom to act
Control over situations
Direct answers from others
Steadiness Personality (S)
Sincere appreciation
Minimal conflict
Security
Acknowledgement of work
Limited territory
Traditional way of doing things
Opportunity to develop relationships
Influencing Personality (I)
A friendly atmosphere
Freedom from control and detail
Opportunity to influence others
Public recognition of ability
Opportunity to verbalise
Positive reinforcement and praise
Enthusiastic response to ideas
Perfectionist Personality (C)
Being able to concentrate on details
Opportunities to critique
Stable surrounding
An exact job description
Opportunities for careful planning
Time to do things right
Opportunities for reassurance

3. The behavior they accept and reject in others

Dominant Personality (D) Accepts the difficult
Rejects inaction
Influencing Personality (I) Accepts involvement with others
Rejects isolation
Steadiness Personality (S) Accepts friendship
Rejects conflict
Perfectionist Personalities (C) Accepts methods and structures
Rejects lack of quality

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 4. Their personality strengths and weaknesses (See table on page 1)

5. Behavior under tension how they respond to it

Dominant Personality (D) Autocratic

Influencing Personality (I) Attacks
Steadiness Personality (S) Gives in
Perfectionist Personality (C) Avoids

6. Their contribution and value to others

Dominant Personality (D) Takes initiative
Influencing Personality (I) Influences people
Steadiness Personality (S) Builds relationships
Perfectionist Personality (C) Focuses on details

7. How they use time and make major decisions?

Dominant Personality (D) Time management Focus on now

Influencing Personality (I)
Steadiness Personality (S)
Perfectionist Personality (C)
efficient use of time; likes to get to the
point. Decision making impulsive
always makes decision with goal in
mind.
Time management Focus on future
tends to rush to the next exciting
thing. Decision making ability to
make decision on feeling without
evidence or proof , many wins and
losses, also quick.
Time management Focus on
present spends time in personal
interaction sometimes to the
detrimental of the tasks. Decision
making Relational, makes decision
slowly due to input from others.
Time management Focus on past
works more slowly to ensure accuracy.
Decision making reluctant, thorough,
needs lots of evidence.

Our personality is part of the first Adam, and the goal of the Triune God is to mature my
personality to the personality of Christ as He has made us partakers of His divine nature.

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Galatians 4: 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until
Christ is formed in you!

1 Peter 2: 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd
and Overseer of your souls.

Colossians 1:28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all
wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Understanding Lord Jesus Christ to grow in his personality:

Word of God Revealing Personality Pattern in Christ

The Holy Spirits maturing process is enabling us to grow in the knowledge of Christ, and
conforming to the image of Christ. Christlikeness character (Maturity) is developed only in
relationships with God and others: Christ-like character words are words of relationship: humility,
submission, integrity, obedience, suffering, loyalty, exaltation and so forth.

Humility Philippians 2: 5-8

E EXALTATION R LORD
N E JESUS Submission 1 Cor 15:28
V Finish the race L CHRISTS
I LIFE ON Obedience Heb 5: 8&9
A
R EARTH
T Suffering 1 Peter 2: 21-25
O SUFFERING I
N Exaltation Philippians 2:9-11
M O
E Pay the Price N Three Gifts of Grace:
N S
T H Love (Rom5:5; 1st Epistle of John) Receiving,
I experiencing, and loving others (Every day God loves
OBEDIENCE us to meet our needs for attention His Servant love
O P (John 13:5-20); acceptance God's unearned love
F Align with the
S (Rom 5:5-8); security God's committed love (Zep
truth
3:17); trust -God's faithful love (Lam 3:32-33; Jer31:3);
G O guidance His disciplined love (Heb 12:6); truth -God's
R instructional love (Ps 33:4; 119:160; Heb 6:18);
F
A protection God jealous love (Exodus 34;14,15; Hosea
SUBMISSION 11:1-12); significance God's affirming love (1 Tim
C
E T 1:12)
To Gods R Repentance (2 Corinthians 7: 8-12) Repentance and
& guidance U forgiveness are not a means to fix my behaviour, they
S are gifts of grace to heal my relationships. These are

principles of grace given to us as gifts to deal with
T T our sin & the sin of others against us.
R HUMILITY
Forgiveness To deal with guilt (In the one who sins)
U (1 John 1:9; Mat 5:24) & To deal with hurt (Mat
T Trust God & 18:21-35; Luke 6:35-38&42) (when others sin
H Others against us)

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The personality of our Lord Jesus Christ while He lived on earth:

1. Motivation that drove his behavior Love (John 15:13; John 14:31) & doing the
Fathers will (John 4:34)

2. Best environment or situation All type of conflict situation

Supernatural Conflict Devil (Matthew 4 1 to 11)

Contrasting Conflict Religious leaders (Matthew 3: 27 28)
Family Conflict Mothers and brothers (Matthew 12:46 50)
Neighbor Conflict Rejected at Nazareth (Mark 6: 1 to 6)
Bystanders Conflict Samaritans did not want him to pass by (Luke 9:51-56)
Inter-group conflict John the Baptists disciples questioning about fasting
(Matthew 9:14 to 17)
Interpersonal Conflict Among the disciples (Who is the greatest?) (Luke 22:24)
Public Conflict between his disciples and scribes and common man on not
able to heal (Mark 9: 14-29)
Learners Conflict Disciples unable to understand what he told them (Mark 9:
30 -32)
National Conflict Religious leaders, Jews, Roman empire turned against him.
(Matthew 27: 16 to 26)

3. How did the Lord Jesus respond to the tension or conflict he had to face?

1. Devil (stand and fight) sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
2. Unavoidable conflict (Pharisees, Sadducees & religious leaders) Up till one
point Jesus dealt with them patiently, directly, and courteously. Reasoning with
them to deal with issues and principles. When religious leaders refuse to let
Gods purpose to heal, forgive, and serve is hindered, the Lord Jesus faces the
conflict directly knowing they will plot to kill him.
3. To discern motive, to sense ill will & danger, to answer a question with a
question, by knowing when to stop, he faced unavoidable conflict with patience,
being clever able to discern, and where necessary with purposeful anger.
4. Family, neighbors, Jews rejection Patiently endured and suffered, and moved
on
5. Inter group & Intra group conflict he taught them, explained to them to
understand the core issue. Our Lord saw inner conflict as
an opportunity for disciples to learn.
So he confronted the conflicting parties immediately,
he diagnosed the root of the problem in human nature,
he moved the conflict to common ground where the protagonists agree,
he found a common symbol with which the parties could affirmatively
identify.

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 He used the occasion to refocus His vision and reinforce His mission in
the minds of disciples.
He patiently and positively dealt with conflict even when the problems
surfaced repeatedly in different guises.

6. Incidental Conflict (Extras by standers like Samaritans) Jesus attitude was

tolerant, he saw no need to pick a fight, emotions controlled by understanding
and compassion, to wait and deal patiently.

Jesus dealt conflict with grace and truth, he used the combination based
on who the conflict was, for example with the devil it was truth and no
grace, but with religious leaders initially grace & truth, on rejection had
to pronounce truths that is inevitable. Disciples more grace and truth, to
by standers he only gave enough grace and enough truth based on how
they responded.

7. Behavior which the Lord Jesus accepted and those that he rejected:

Accepted All type of sinners who repented, who do Gods will, was
able to adapt to disciples with different personalities, even those who will
betray and deny him.
Rejected Self-righteous, Hypocritical, Sinners who do not repent,
people who only sought physical benefit or are there for wrong motives,
who exploit human freedom and hinder Gods will.

8. Jesus Personality Strength and Weakness (Perfect Humanity)

(More than 100 over character straits can be identified, but few are listed here)

Strengths

Leader Son; Strategist Fathers business; Seeker looking for the lost; Seer
Teacher; Strong one Courageous; Servant Jehovahs faithful one;
Shepherd Maker; Shepherd; Sufferer; Sustainer

Weakness

Need to deal with human weakness such as tiredness (John 4:6), hunger
(Matthew 4:2), thirsty (John 19:28), physical weakness (Luke 23:26); sorrow
(Matt.26:38), soul troubled (John 12:27), weeps, rejection, to experience human
weakness, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

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 9. His contribution and value to others?

He chose ordinary people and made them extraordinary

10. How did Jesus use time and make major decision?

- 30 years in school of lifes poverty, work, and family burdens

- 3 and half years earthly ministry
- Major Decisions Prayer, Led by the Spirit, Gods Word, Fathers will &
timing, Authority

11. Triune Gods Role and my cooperation in transforming my personality to

Christs personality:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing
to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts
and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit
and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who
calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. 1 Thessalonians 5: 23 & 24

(Review your life daily with the help of the Holy Spirit through the Word of Christ asking
Why you do what you do, to expose your real intentions and motives of your heart, and
ask the Lord to let Christs personality expressed through you)

Personality Cube

1. One side we show to the world (our ego) or the person we think we are
2. We display another side to our friends (our reputation) or the person people
think we are.
3. Another side to our families (our Character), which is the person we actually are.
4. Another side is revealed to our spouse (Self-image) the person we think people
think we are.
5. Fifth reserved for ourselves (Ambition) or the person we want to be.
6. Sixth side only God and we see that side sinful side.

Question to John the Baptist John 1:22 (Who are you? What do you say about
yourself?)

He responded saying, I am a voice crying aloud in the wilderness, Make the Lords
highway straight. And, I baptize in water, but among you, though you do not know
Him, stands the one who come after me. I am not good enough to unfasten his shoes.

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Key to greatness can be found in the way he answered those questions. In effect, he
replied that he accepted the responsibility for his abilities and limits of his limitations.

He knew who he was and who he was not

He knew what he was and what he was not
He knew where he was and where he was not to be

What we should not think about ourselves

Romans 12:3 - For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think
of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each
according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

2 Corinthians 10:12 - Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of
those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one
another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

Appendix:

1. Act of Sin and its impact Page 12

2. Understanding what process of Biblical faith Info-graphic Page 13
3. What do I believe about my faith in Christs finished work Page 14
4. Assessment of childhood experience influencing why I do what I do? Page 15
to 17
5. Do your own personality test to your personality type, and read the common
personality traits of your table given from (page 3 to 5). Page 18

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 Assessment Recollecting my childhood days

Identifying my dominant childhood feeling was that of being.

1. .Conditionally loved or inconsistently loved or unloved.

Desperately wanted to please
Performance driven; striving for approval; unable to do enough (to be
really loved or unloved)
Unbonded; unconnected; unwanted
Unpredictably loved and criticized, scolded, or abused.

Other

2. .destined, blessed, chosen, special, or loved.

Accepted; secure; protected
Felt confident as a child
Gifted mentally, physically, spiritually, etc.
Loved unconditionally; free to explore widely
I felt there was nothing I couldnt do if I decided to!
Told by adults I was blessed, a special child

Other
..

3. ..Favoured by adults over peers

Admired as (group, team, family) hero
Adored; preferred by adults over my peers
Treated as Daddys princess or Mommys little man

Other

4. .Ignored Emotionally, unimportant, unneeded.

Became a lonesome childe behind an I am okay mask
Competed for attention and / or affection; never felt special
Stuck in the middle; lost in all of the kids

Other

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 5. .Inadequate to meet expectations
Cared for family, replaced a deceased parent (now I am doing
responsibility of a father or a mother) or protecting siblings from abusive
parents.
Compared myself with others they always win.
Felt stupid, awkward, or ugly compared to siblings.
Picked on or bullied frequently by other kids
Subjected to negative comments about physical features
Unable to do right things right for emotionally explosive parent
Unable to protect myself from adult offenders

Others

6. .........Insecure, unsafe, or vulnerable

Abandonment-death of parents or divorce
Abuse-one parent physically abusive of others, parents fighting verbally a
lot
Alcoholism-parents drank a lot
Disability parent disabled or vulnerable
Instability-unpredictable environment, lots of tension, like walking on
eggshells
Poverty constant threat of hunger, debt, lack of money
Trauma-child abuse, incest, or rape

Others

7. ..Intimidated or dominated by a person

By extended family members
By father or mother
By older siblings
By peers (Friends or classmates of same age)
By others

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 8. Unaccepted socially to my peers (Friends, or classmates of same
age)
Embarrassed by family style, name or reputation
Embarrassed by father or mother
Maintained false social-emotional mask
Moved a lot; never really fit
Never accepted by peers; was a loner
Never learned sports

Other

Of the eight dominant childhood feeling categories, the one I felt the most strongly was

1. .Conditionally loved or inconsistently loved or unloved.

2. .destined, blessed, chosen, special, or loved.
3. ..Favoured by adults over peers
4. .Ignored Emotionally, unimportant, unneeded.
5. .Inadequate to meet expectations
6. .........Insecure, unsafe, or vulnerable
7. ..Intimidated or dominated by a person
8. Unaccepted socially to my peers (Friends, or classmates of same
age)

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 Knowing Yourself Assessment

Tick boxes where the words or phrases that MOST describes you, in each of the
column D,I,S,C. First finish each row ticking the box that describes you MOST on D;
I; S; & C. After completing ONE ROW then GO TO THE NEXT ROW count to see
how many boxes you have ticked ON EACH COLUMN SEPEARATELY and write the
TOTAL number of ticks below in each column OF D;I;S;C. (Leave the boxes blank
if it does not describe MOST of you, as at one point all of us would do everything, we
need to select boxes that we do MOST of the time)

D I S C
Getting immediate Optimism (Positive Being supportive Being orderly
results outlook)
Making quick Enthusiastic Being agreeable Does things based on
decisions inner sense of what is
right
Persistence Forgiving Loyal Disciplined
Solving problems Making a good Self-control Precise
impression
Taking charge Able to express Consistency Thoroughness
thoughts and feelings
clearly
Self Reliance Desire to help others Being a good listener Being diplomatic with
people
Accepting challenges Jovial nature Performing Being analytical
established work
patterns
Prefer getting tasks Gets distracted easily Do not like change Takes time to make
done rather building decisions
relationships
Impatience Lack of follow Cannot finish work on Getting bogged down
through time in details
Risk taker Over-estimating Being over lenient Firm on how-to do
anticipated results things
Inflexibility Misjudging Procrastinating Avoiding controversy
capabilities
Taking on too many Talking too much Being indecisive Low self-esteem
things (Prolonging decision
making)
Inattentive to details Acting impulsively Holding a grudge Being hesitant to try
(immediate reactions new things
instead of careful
thought)
Dont like to be Jumping to Being overly Sensitivity to
controlled conclusions possessive criticism
Being too demanding Over committing Does not initiate or Pessimism (bad
of others start a new thing things will happen)
D Total = I Total = S Total = C Total =

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