The Way of Sonship

Mark L. Graham D. Min.

Description

Charles Spurgeon writes, “Those who take hold of eternal life will have to fight for it. The way of spiritual life is no easy one; we will have to contest every step of the way” (from the Spurgeon Study Bible, Holman Bible Publishers, p. 1626). The Way of Sonship, is all about the contest of conformity to Christ. It is a biblical theology of life with its thorns and painful practicum of purpose. Those who are serious for God will readily embrace these timeless truths borne from the head and heart of a veteran servant of Christ and companion to saints who struggle.

Something for everyone in this theological practicum of sanctification. The book hones in on the relationship of dire trials to God’s finished goal—the glories of Christ through His people. Intended for all who struggle! This book is a must read for those who face daily battle with intense personal conflict, whether in marriage, at home, or the workplace. The Way of Sonship, is a very personal read with a very hopeful end. It is a linear walk from the intentional trial to the fruitful completion.

Sujets

• Spiritual Growth
• Christian Living
• Philosophie et théologie
• Religion
• Sanctification

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 27 juillet 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664273832
• Langue: English

Extrait

Other Works by Dr. Gr aham
Available through Westbow Press
Landmarks of F aith
An overview of the basic doctrines of faith. A practical section following each chapter enables life application with study helps. Easy to follow. Scripture saturation. Fill-in-the-blank format.
Harnessing the Harassment of Human F ears
A guide for those struggling with oppressing fears. Harness fear with the tactical help of timeless truths! A plethora of practicum.
Harnessing the Harassment of Human Fears Study G uide
Forty-two-page study guide for counseling sessions or classrooms. Large layout format, to enable in-depth interaction, with the biblical concepts of mastering fear.
THE WAY OF SONSHIP
 
 
A Practicum for Sanctification
 
 
 
 
MARK L. GRAHAM, D. MIN.
 
 
 

 
Copyright © 2022 Mark L. Graham, D. Min.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
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Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Interior Image Credit: William Jenkins
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7384-9 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7385-6 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7383-2 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022913990
 
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 07/27/2022
Unless otherwise indicated, scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
Scripture quotations marked (CSB) are taken from The Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
 
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
 
Scripture marked KJV taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
 
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
Scripture marked NIV taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
To my wife, Diane.
There is not a dimension of my life which has not been spiritually enriched by your Christ like love and example. For all that you are and have done to enhance my life and ministry, I am indebted as your fellow heir in the grace of life.
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
—I Peter 3:7
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1 Embracing Rejection
Chapter 2 Harnessing Heartache
Chapter 3 Soul Searching
Chapter 4 Teleological Triumph
Chapter 5 Facilitating the Fullness
Chapter 6 In Sync with Sanctification
Chapter 7 Envision Fullness Forever
Endnotes
Bibliography
About the Author
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To the many who have influenced my life, whether in the Sunday School classroom as a child, or those several pastors, teachers and mentors, many of whom are with Jesus; thank you sincerely for your life message. Your lives yet speak volumes.
In acknowledgement of my wife’s countless hours of devotion to this text, to me, and to her Lord. Thank you for being my life’s love and amanuensis.
Thanks to my son, Pastor Nate, and eldest daughter, Julie, who aided me with advice and guidance with those critical areas of study and research. Your expertise should be noted since your input assisted the progress of this book,
To Danielle Duncan, another big thank you. Danielle’s help in line editing, formatting, and those tedious challenges incumbent upon bringing this read to a state of readiness has been simply invaluable. Thank you for being part of my writing team.
There is a sense in which no author can ever claim complete originality. The message God is building through the lives of His servants consist of innumerable resources, including people, events, and circumstances. Context is everything and context is something that only God can orchestrate. Thank you, Lord, for your unrelenting involvement in our lives.
INTRODUCTION
If you struggle in your adversities, this is a book for you. From the perspective of the Bible, the many faces of adversity--- whether rejection, interpersonal conflict, heartache, the very deepest oppression of trying events---are intentional. They are never random. In fact, I remember one of my professors in a counseling class saying, “God’s intention in the trials of life is either to bring us to Christ, or to make us more like Him.” I never forgot those words from Paul Tripp. For the elect of God, the process of conformity could never be clearer. Biblical sanctification is the way of the cross, the way of sonship. And as Charles Spurgeon writes,
Those who take hold of eternal life will have to fight for it. The way of spiritual life is no easy one; we will have to contest every step of the way. 1
The obvious truth from Scripture for every child of God is this: the cross of Jesus must be borne to the end. This is the plan and the purpose of our redeeming God in the sanctification of our souls. “Now, may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:23).
Trials of course are seen as the means to the end. It’s just the way of the sons of light, and no power outside the throne of God will dissuade that decree! It was the way of the Son of God and it must be the way of His offspring in the Gospel.
We ought to pant after sanctification; we ought to be crying and sighing every day after conformity to Christ. 2
Triumph and joy in a pilgrimage that is beset by difficulty can only come about by peering through the lens of divine revelation. The long view of things disables shortsighted funks and slumps. Eyes firmly set upon the goal of Christ will see us home, and grace enables the pursuit of His steps. Hallelujah!
For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God --- for whom and through whom all things exist --- should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. (Hebrews 2:10-11 CSB)
In conclusion, this book is a theological practicum of life’s loftiest venture, highest meditation, and holiest pursuit --- the pursuit of Christ and the way of sonship.
—Dr. Mark L. Graham
It is something infinitely higher and pertaining to a different sphere when we come truly to know God—when we have not merely a belief in His existence, but a distinct consciousness and realization of it and when we can speak of God not as of some personage far away, but as of one who has been a friend to us; one who has ever communed with us as we would talk to a friend. God gives us spiritual vision through Christ, which makes a serious distinction between those who do not know Him. And it is produced by a wondrous change called regeneration, in which darkness passes away and the true light of God dawns on one’s heart and soul. 3
—Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Chapter One
EMBRACING REJECTION
Hesed Encounters
Rejected indeed by men … (1 Peter 2:4)
Arriving to the place in my life, at which I felt prepared to write on the subject at hand, took several years. I have been encouraged, by good brethren, to publish a book on the subject of rejection, for the sake and solace of others. Previously, I thought I might want to make a book out of this theme alone. But now I see my labor much clearer, in the context of Romans 8:29 and the ultimate intention of God that of drawing us to Himself.
Unless God’s people understand the salvific purpose of God, in their particular redemption, life will never seem congruous and will never be lived at its fullest. The noblest existence, the highest purpose, and the surest endeavor that any human—any saint—may embrace, in this existence of time and space, is to reflect Jesus Christ. I have come to realize that this one thing should far exceed any lesser goal, upon which a Christian might put their mind.
The more our minds and hearts ingest this divine reality and revelation, the more our lives will learn unfath