Christian Life Study Outlines

from The Open Bible (C) 1975 by Thomas Nelson Inc, Publishers, Nashville, TN

Number 11 The Abundant Life

   “. . . I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).  The only way into eternal life is through faith in Christ as personal Saviour (John 3:15).  But do not stop here: to have eternal life is great – but there is more.  Christ came that you might have life more abundantly.  All believers have life, but not all have abundant life.  You are living beneath your privilege if you are a believer and not enjoying the abundant life.

   For life to be abundant, it must have abundant resources, and the only unlimited source of life is in the person Jesus Christ the Son of God (John 14:6).  To possess this fuller life, the believer must abide in Him (John 15:1-5).  Dynamic abundant living is not for just a few – it is God’s norm for all believers.  It is spiritual life in depth, and without it, the Christian life becomes inane and meaningless.

   If you do not have abundant life within you, you will soon yield to the carnal (fleshly) life around you (I Corinthians 3:1-4).  The carnal life is circumstances-controlled; the abundant life is Holy Spirit-controlled.  The carnal Christian life leads to defeat; the abundant life leads to victory in Christ.  Man seems to know everything about life except how to live it abundantly.  From this moment on, determine not to be satisfied with anything less than God’s best: living life abundantly.

A.      The Abundant Life Is A Yielded Life (Romans 6:10 – 13)

How to live the abundant life is no secret;  it is revealed in our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ.  “ . . . in that He died, He died  unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God”  (above verse 10).  Faith that saves identifies you with Christ in His death – this is eternal life.  Faith that yields indentifies you with Christ in His resurrection – this is abundant life (Colossians 3:1-4)

1.    It is one thing to have eternal life by faith.  It is quite another thing to have abundant life by faith.

2.   It is one thing for you to be “Made the righteousness of God in Him” (II Corinthians 5:21); it is another thing for you to realize His righteous life is in you (I John 3:7).

3.   It is one thing for you to live in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17);  it is another thing for Christ to live His life through you  (Colossians 1:27).

          In the above (verse 13), the believer has a choice.  He may yield unto God by faith and enjoy abundant life, or he may yield unto sin and endure a defeated life (Revelation 3:1).  God would have you “know the power of a yielded life;” it will lift you above circumstances that circumvent abundant living.  The abundant life begins when you yield to Him as Master, allowing Him to live His life through you by faith.

B.      The Abundant Life is a Service Life (Romans 12:1, 2) 

To live abundantly, you must serve the LORD Jesus Christ Who Himself became our example.  He served all the way to Calvary, and there He was the obedient servant, “. . . obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7,8)

In the above verses, the believer is urged to take the necessary steps for abundant living.

1.           You are to “present.”  This is volitional surrender to the perfect will of God, even though you may not know God’s perfect will for your life; it is, on your part, an act of faith (John 7:17).

2.           You are to “present your bodies.”  God must control and use the whole man.  “I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of Jesus Christ.”  Your whole man was redeemed on the cross and sanctified (set apart for service) (I Thessalonians 5:23).

3.           You are to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice.”  This is exemplified in the life of the Apostle Paul; he was a living sacrifice.”  In life, he was a “servant of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1).  In battle, he was a warrior (Ephesians 6:10-18).  In the will of God, he was a “prisoner of Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:1).  These words were spoken from a Roman prison; he never referred to himself as a prisoner of Rome.  To the Apostle, prison was a part of the perfect will of God.  With this conviction, he lived abundantly (Philippians 1:12).  In death, he was victorious (II Timothy 4:7,8)

         You have been “transformed” – changed by the power of God, and no longer “conformed to this world”; but now you can be conformed to the “perfect will of God”  -- and live abundantly!

C.      The Abundant Life is a Separated Life (Romans 1:1)

Separation is both positive and negative.  You are to be “Separated unto the gospel of God” -- this is positive (above verse).  You are to come out from anything that is contrary to the perfect will of God (II Corinthians 6:17) – this is negative.

To be separated means to be sanctified (set apart) for salvation and service.

1.           The Word of God has the power to separate the believer from sin (John 17:17; Psalm 119: 11).

2.           God the Father has the power to separate the believer unto the “coming of our LORD Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 2:23)

3.           God the Son has the power to separate the believer unto righteousness, “not having spot, or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:24 – 27)

4.           God the Holy Spirit has the power to separate the believer unto salvation and service (II Thessalonians 2:13).

Without being separated, you can have relationship with God, but you cannot have fellowship with Him.  You may be united to Him in Calvary, but separated from Him in sin (Isaiah 59:1, 2)  Without separation, you can have influence without power, movement without achievement; you may try, but not trust;  serve, but not succeed;  war, but not win.  Without separation unto God from sin, your whole Christian life will be “wood, hay, stubble.” The abundant life is made possible by the death, burial and resurrection of our LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and made a reality by being separated unto Him.

           D.     The Abundant Life is A Spirit-Filled Life (Ephesians 5:18-20)

The Holy Spirit indwells every believer.  You may be immature, weak and imperfect, but if you have been “born again” of the Spirit (John 3:3-7), He dwells in you (I Corinthians 6:19; also Romans 8:9).  It is one thing for you to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you; but does the Holy Spirit have you that He may fill you with the abundant life?  The abundant life is not found in environment or circumstances, or in the things you may possess.  It is found in the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  “Be filled with the Spirit” (above verse 18) is a command.  You may be filled many, many times (Acts 2:4; Acts 4:31).  The Apostles that were filled in Acts chapter                                2 were filled again in Acts chapter 4.  To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be Spirit-possessed, Spirit-empowered, Spirit-led and Spirit-controlled (Acts 8:26-40).

1.           You are filled with the Spirit that you might have joy (above verses 19 and 20).

2.           You are filled with the Spirit for service (Acts 6:3; Acts 11:22-24)

3.           You are filled with the Spirit for power to be a witness (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4-7).

4.           You are filled with the Spirit for the hour of persecution (Acts 7:54 – 60).

5.           You are filled with the Spirit that you may “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16 – 26).

6.           You are filled with the Spirit that you may be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14).

          How can you be filled with the Holy Spirit?  First, you must desire Him to fill you.  Second, you must ask Him to fill you.  Third, you must believe that He does fill you (John 4:14; John 7:37, 38)

          E.  The Abundant Life is a Mature Life (II Peter 3:18).

        “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ” (above verse 18).  The Scriptures reveal four stages of spiritual growth in the Christian life:

1.          The baby stage (I Corinthians 3:1-4).  A baby thinks only of self, and if denied the things desired, it will raise a rumpus.  It seeks its own:  its feelings are easily hurt and it is often jealous.  A baby lives to be served – it never serves.  It drinks milk, and cannot eat strong meat.  It cries, but never sings.  It tries to talk, but never makes sense.  These infant characteristics are so prominent in the lives of many church members.  They have been born into the family of God, but have failed to develop spiritually.  They are spiritual babies – carnal Christians.

2.         The little child stage (I John 2:12).  Some Christians grow to be little children spiritually, but stop there.  Here are some of the characteristics of children:  they are often untruthful, envious, and cruel.  If rebuked, they become martyrs; if crossed, they are resentful, and often make a scene.  They are talebearers, repeating everything they hear (in adults it is called gossip).  They are given to emotional outbursts, and are easily puffed up.  They love praise, and will accept it from any source.  They seek only the things that appeal to self.  Are you a spiritual child?

3.         The young man stage (I John 2:13).  Spiritual growth to that of a young man is not reached by many.  He is strong and virile, and is well able to overcome his enemy.  He has a vision for the future and the faith and courage to tackle it.  He is preparing for his productive years.  You, too, can become a young man spiritually by “putting away childish things” (I Corinthians 13:11), and grow.

4.         The father stage (I John 2:13).  This stage of spiritual development can be reached by all, but so few ever attain it.  The spiritual father has peace with God (Romans 5:1).  He knows the peace of God (Philippians 4:7). He rejoices in his spiritual children (I Thessalonians 2:19; I Timothy 1:2).  He has learned contentment under all circumstances (Philippians 4:11).  He knows the only source of true strength (Philippians 4:13).  He does not brood over the past, but looks to the future (Philippians 3:13, 14).  He knows that all things work together in his life for his eternal good (Romans 8:28).  He enjoys abundant life now, and will enjoy it in the life to come (Ephesians 2:7)