12-Steps of Re:generation

 

STEP 1, ADMIT

WE ADMIT WE ARE POWERLESS OVER OUR ADDICTIONS, BROKENNESS AND SINFUL PATTERNS—THAT IN OUR OWN POWER OUR LIVES ARE UNMANAGEABLE.

FOUNDATION 1:  “FOR I KNOW THAT NOTHING GOOD DWELLS IN ME, THAT IS, IN MY FLESH.  FOR I HAVE THE DESIRE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, BUT NOT THE ABILITY TO CARRY IT OUT.” (ROMANS 7:18)

STEP 2, BELIEVE

WE COME TO BELIEVE THAT GOD IS THE ONE WHOSE POWER CAN FULLY RESTORE US.

FOUNDATION 2:  “BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS, WHO FORGIVES ALL YOUR INIQUITY, WHO HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES, WHO REDEEMS YOUR LIFE FROM THE PIT, WHO CROWNS YOU WITH STEADFAST LOVE AND MERCY, WHO SATISFIES YOU WITH GOOD SO THAT YOUR YOUTH IS RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE’S.” (PSALM 103:2-5)

STEP 3, TRUST

WE DECIDE TO TRUST GOD WITH OUR LIVES AND WILLS BY ACCEPTING HIS GRACE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

FOUNDATION 3:  “BUT GOD, BEING RICH IN MERCY, BECAUSE OF THE GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED US, EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN OUR TRESPASSES, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST—BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED” (EPHESIANS 2:4-5)

STEP 4, INVENTORY

WE MAKE A SEARCHING AND FEARLESS MORAL INVENTORY OF OURSELVES.

FOUNDATION 4:  “BEHOLD, YOU DELIGHT IN TRUTH IN THE INWARD BEING, AND YOU TEACH ME WISDOM IN THE SECRET HEART.” (PSALM 51:6)

STEP 5, CONFESS

WE CONFESS TO GOD, TO OURSELVES, AND TO ANOTHER HUMAN BEING THE EXACT NATURE OF OUR SINS.

FOUNDATION 5:  “BUT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT, AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT, WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS HIS SON CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN.  IF WE SAY WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US.  IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” (1 JOHN 1:7-9)

STEP 6, REPENT

WE BECOME ENTIRELY READY TO TURN AWAY FROM OUR PATTERNS OF SIN AND TURN TO GOD.

FOUNDATION 6:  “SO FLEE YOUTHFUL PASSIONS AND PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, FAITH, LOVE, AND PEACE, ALONG WITH THOSE WHO CALL ON THE LORD FROM A PURE HEART.” (2 TIMOTHY 2:22)

STEP 7, FOLLOW

WE HUMBLY ASK GOD’S SPIRIT TO CHANGE OUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN ORDER TO FOLLOW CHRIST FULLY.

FOUNDATION 7:  “BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL; AGAINST SUCH THINGS THERE IS NO LAW.  AND THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH ITS PASSIONS AND DESIRES.  IF WE LIVE BY THE SPIRIT, LET US ALSO KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT.” (GALATIANS 5:22-25)

STEP 8, FORGIVE

WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO HAVE HARMED US AND BECOME WILLING TO MAKE AMENDS TO THOSE WE HAVE HARMED.

FOUNDATION 8:  “BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, AS GOD IN CHRIST FORGAVE YOU.  THEREFORE BE IMITATORS OF GOD, AS BELOVED CHILDREN.” (EPHESIANS 4:32-5:1)

STEP 9, AMENDS

WE MAKE DIRECT AMENDS WHENEVER POSSIBLE, SUBMITTING TO GOD, HIS WORD AND BIBLICAL COUNSEL.

FOUNDATION 9:  “REPAY NO ONE EVIL FOR EVIL, BUT GIVE THOUGHT TO DO WHAT IS HONORABLE IN THE SIGHT OF ALL.  IF POSSIBLE, SO FAR AS IT DEPENDS ON YOU, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL.” (ROMANS 12:17-18)

STEP 10, CONTINUE

WE CONTINUE TO EXAMINE OUR LIVES AND WHEN WE SIN PROMPTLY CONFESS AND TURN TO WALK WITH CHRIST.

FOUNDATION 10:  “SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART!  TRY ME AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS!  AND SEE IF THERE BE ANY GRIEVIOUS WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING!" (PSALM 139-23-24)

STEP 11, INTIMACY

WE SEEK TO DEEPEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD DAILY AND DEPEND ON HIS POWER TO DO HIS WILL.

FOUNDATION 11:  “AND THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE, THAT THEY KNOW YOU THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST WHOM YOU HAVE SENT.“ (JOHN 17:3)

STEP 12, REGENERATE

BECAUSE OF OUR NEW LIVES IN CHRIST, WE CARRY GOD’S MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION TO OTHERS AND PRACTICE THESE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES.

FOUNDATION 12:  “THEREFORE, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION. THE OLD HAS PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, THE NEW HAS COME.  ALL THIS IS FROM GOD, WHO THROUGH CHRIST RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF AND GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.” (2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-18)