Spiritual Laziness Bible Study

Something a little different than our normal articles – a Bible study on Spiritual laziness. So grab a pen and paper (or just mentally answer the following questions), and work through the passages and questions below! You could even post your thoughts as a comment…
Spiritual Laziness
Philippians 2:12-13 “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (NIV)

• Once we are saved is it ok for us to sit back and relax?
• What do you understand by the phrase ‘spiritual laziness’?
• What are examples of being spiritually active? (e.g. getting up early to seek God)
• Do you feel there is a tendency to turn quiet time into a chore, an obligatory chapter a day and a quick prayer, looking to do the bare minimum? Do you think this satisfies God? Does it give Him much scope to work in you to will and to act according to his good purpose? How do you overcome this?

1 Corinthians 15:58
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

• What reassurance can we get from this verse when tempted by spiritual laziness?

1 Peter 1:13-16
So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

• What things do we do that merely satisfy our own desires and have no spiritual benefit? (TV, Playstation, internet etc)
• Is there anything wrong with spending some time doing these activities?
• How can we be holy in everything we do?
• What reassurance can we get form the fact that God chose us?

1 Peter 2:1-3
So get rid of all evil behaviour. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.  Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,  now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

• If we are spiritually lazy our spiritual growth will be stunted. To get spiritually ‘tanked’ requires serious effort and hard work. It won’t happen overnight. What ‘exercises’ can we do that will help us get spiritually tanked?
• What pure spiritual milk should we be craving?

1 Peter 4:7
The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.

• Do we live in light of the fact that time is running out? Or are we content to put things off til later in life?
• If time is limited what are the dangers of being lazy?
• How can we be earnest and disciplined?

1 Peter 4:10-11
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

• Are you aware of the gifts you have? (Identify them)
• Are we using them – if not – why not (laziness??)?
• Can we bring much glory to God through being spiritually lazy?