How People Change, Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Cross 2: The Cross and Daily Living

1. What happens when we come to Christ? (p. 155).
2. Read I Corinthians 2:6-16 and John 16:5-15. How does the believer understand spiritual truth?
3. What is the cross-centered life? (p. 158-159). How are you personally applying this amazing truth?
4. From the story of Andy on pages 160 and 161, what is the core reason he does not live a victorious Christian life and what are the two ways this lack manifests?
5. How do you avoid the cross-less life of pride and despair? (p. 161-162).
6. Read I John 2:1-2. What does it mean to be justified?
7. Read I John 3:1-3. What does it mean to be adopted?
8. Read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. The author gives the three ingredients of repentance in this story told by Jesus as ‘Wake Up’, ‘Own Up’, and ‘Shift Weight’ (p. 165-167).
a. What are the components of ‘Wake Up’?
b. Under ‘Own Up’, what is the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow?
c. What is the sin beneath the sin?
d. Why do we need to repent of sin and (self)‘righteousness’?
e. What does it mean to ‘Shift Weight’?
f. What parts of these three ingredients hit home for you?
9. Personalize the author’s questions on page 168 from Philippians 2:1-11 regarding the sin you struggle with.
10. As God leads you, spend time in repentance.
11. Personal Growth Project:
a. “With your Personal Growth Project before you and in light of your typical ruling idolatries, what specifically about Christ do you need to see and believe as you engage in faith and repentance? What about Christ is more attractive than what you have settled for? What about Christ do you need to worship and adore? Be specific.
b. In light of your answer to the previous question, what passages of Scripture will help you see what you need to see about Christ? Avoid picking single verses. Instead, choose larger portions of Scripture that address both what you need to see about Christ and what new behavior should follow.”