Born to Reproduce: DAY 4 – A question

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Today we continue our study on Born to Reproduce.
Dawson says: “Only a few things will ever keep human beings from multiplying themselves in the physical realm. If a couple is not united, they will not reproduce. This is a truth which Christians need to grasp with reference to spiritual reproduction. When a person becomes a child of God, he should realize that he is to live in union with Jesus Christ if he is going to win others to the Savior.”

A thought occurred to me, a question really, that I thought I should ask, before we go on. Actually, I had one question, which was quickly replaced with another. I was going to ask: “Do you want to have (spiritual) children?” We were created by God to, we were commanded by Jesus to, and the Holy Spirit enables us to do this.

My next thought was that we can be obedient without wanting to do the task; then the real question became clear: Do you want to live in union with Jesus?

It’s your choice. But we need to clear that up quickly. You see, if you desire to be with Him, and draw near to Him, then everything else comes into focus. The Scriptures tell us that if you draw near to God and He will draw near to you and that if you seek His kingdom before anything else, then all the other things will be added to you. Included in those things will be the desire to reach out to and disciple others.

When a man and woman fall in love; the desire to have a family is quite natural; God wired us that way.

Live in union with Christ and you will want to add to your spiritual family.

The next step is yours.

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All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

DAY 3 “Living in Union”

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DAY 3  “Living in Union”

Today we continue our study on Born to Reproduce and continuing in the section  titled “Hindrances”, (book, pages 11-13;  online document, it is the last part of the first column and most of the second on page 1).

Dawson says:  “Only a few things will ever keep human beings from multiplying themselves in the physical realm. If a couple is not united, they will not reproduce. This is a truth which Christians need to grasp with reference to spiritual reproduction.  When a person becomes a child of God, he should realize that he is to live in union with Jesus Christ if he is going to win others to the Savior.”* (emphasis mine)

“To live in union”.  The Merriam – Webster dictionary defines ‘union’ as “an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one”, and ‘live’, among other ways, like this:

·         to be alive

·         to be located

·         to attain eternal life (yes folks, that’s in the dictionary!)

·         to have  life rich in experience

·         to exhibit vigor, gusto, or enthusiasm in

·         to experience firsthand

·         to be thoroughly absorbed by ⁽¹⁾

So then, may we consider “to live in union with Jesus Christ” like this? 

·         to be alive, joined as one with Christ

·         to be located, solely in Christ

·         to have life rich in experience as one with Christ

·         to exhibit vigor, gusto, or enthusiasm in Christ

·         to experience Christ firsthand

·         to be thoroughly absorbed by Christ  

Questions:

Do any of these express your relationship with Jesus?  Do you wish it did?  What might you do to make it so?

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⁽¹⁾http:// merriam-webster.com

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Born to Reproduce: Day 2

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DAY 2

Today we continue our study on Born to Reproduce, a classic booklet on discipleship, based on a message given by Dawson Trotman in 1955. You can order the booklet from NavPress .   I buy them in bulk here , or view it online..  Please read the section  titled “Hindrances”.  If you have the book, that can be found on pages 11-13, if you are using the online document, it is the last part of the first column and most of the second on page 1 ( here:  Born to Reproduce ).

Here, Trotman makes a comparison between physical and spiritual reproduction.  For a couple to have a child, there must be union, there must be a certain level of health, and there must be a certain level of maturity.  Bereft of any of these and there can be no reproduction.  Likewise in the spiritual realm, in order to make a new disciple, in order to spiritually reproduce, there must be union, health, and maturity.

Today we will look at the union.  Dawson says:  “Only a few things will ever keep human beings from multiplying themselves in the physical realm. If a couple is not united, they will not reproduce. This is a truth which Christians need to grasp with reference to spiritual reproduction.  When a person becomes a child of God, he should realize that he is to live in union with Jesus Christ if he is going to win others to the Savior.” *

God designed the physical to teach us about the spiritual.  We completely understand that a man and woman must join together in order to reproduce, to bring another human being into the world which is part of both of them.  We ought to as easily understand Dawson’s point here; that there must be a joining with Christ first, then we (Jesus and each of us), together, can bring into being a new creature.  So what does that union look like?  To start:

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Mark 8:34

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

This is love for God: to obey his commands. 1 John 5:3

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

There’s more…but these four verses, in a nutshell, say “To be united with Jesus, follow Him, die and rise spiritually with Him, love and obey Him, live like Him.”

Questions:

Do you want “spiritual children”?  

Do you feel as if you are one with Christ?  

Have you taken any steps in order to be?

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All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Born to Reproduce

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Today we begin a study on Born to Reproduce, a classic booklet on discipleship, based on a message given by Dawson Trotman in 1955.

It is timeless.  

You can order the booklet from Nav Press, or view it online here: Born to Reproduce

Please read the opening section, stopping just short of the one titled Hindrances.

If you have the book, that can be found on pages 9 – 11 (the foreword is optional), if you are using the online document, it is the first column and ¾ on page 1 ( here:  Born to Reproduce ).

Trotman relates, beautifully I think, that the “first order given to man was to ‘be fruitful and multiply”’”* meant more than just having children.  God commanded, with His first command to mankind, that they create more like that which He had created.  

He commanded that those created in the image of God would bring about more living beings in His image.

Adam and Eve sinned and their offspring were born into sin. 

God likewise commanded Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply.  He had given them somewhat of a fresh start, but the world was still in need of a Savior.

God has provided a way for us to spiritually reproduce in a manner similar to the way Adam and Eve were intended to physically reproduce.  He has given us a Savior and provided us with His Holy Spirit to allow us create others in His image.

Grab the Dawson book…read on.

Questions:

Imagine how the world would be if all children ever born were not born in the grip of sin; what would the world look like?

How might we spiritually reproduce others in the image of God?

What prevents us from doing so?

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All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.