New Life - by Joel Williams (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

New Life is a discipleship resource that's driven by Scripture and focused on making disciples of Jesus Christ who are equipped to live on mission to make disciples. New Life is a resource for discipleship groups in the church, and the material is designed for utilization in small, gender-specific discipleship groups of 3-5 people.

New Life Approach

Jesus said that "everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin" (John 8:34). This problem isn't limited to only a few, but it's the problem of every person ever born into the world. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 3:23 & 6:23a). Every person in the world is born into sin, and each person - in varying ways - quickly becomes enslaved to sin. As a result of these biblical truths, New Life recognizes that this spiritual condition can only be conquered by the saving power of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16, 6:23b, 5:8, 8:1-2, 10:9, etc.).

The gospel is the good news that although all of us are sinners, God has made a way for forgiveness and victory over sin through his Son, Jesus Christ. The gospel is the message of the sinless life of Jesus; the sacrificial death of Jesus for our sin; and the burial and resurrection of Jesus that brought victory over sin and death. This message is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe, and it is the message that confirms the new life that's possible by God's grace through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:1-14).

New Life is based on the truth that the gospel is the only hope for those who are enslaved to sin and that the gospel is the only hope for transformation in a life that's been set free in Christ Jesus. There are no steps or processes that can replace the power of the Holy Spirit through the message of the gospel in the life of the one who believes. As a result, New Life focuses on the good news of the gospel that has the power to set someone free from slavery to sin (Galatians 5:1). Through the gospel, God made the way to give us a relationship with him and life with him. Through the gospel, God made the way for us to grow in our new life in Christ, changing us to desire his way over our way and transforming our thoughts by his truth (Galatians 2:20; Romans 12:1-2). This is the work of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's the work of God in saving us by his grace through faith in Jesus, and it's the work of God in transforming us in his grace to look more-and-more like Jesus.

New Life is focused on an intense study of Ephesians 4 and 5, in a format that encourages believers to understand what God's Word means and to apply God's Word to their lives. The goal is growth in the Lord, taking off the old life and putting on the new life that's only possible in Jesus Christ.