First-Step Living is the condition of becoming aware of life-responsibilities articulated in scripture. Common examples of those responsibilities are the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17); Christ's teachings in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7); and the wisdom teachings in the book of Proverbs.
Second-Step Living is the condition, once aware of these responsibilities, in which one makes an intentional commitment to learn, fulfill, and honor those responsibilities in thought, attitude, and behavior. Second-Step Living also involves an expanding awareness of the breadth and depth of scriptural life-responsibilities beyond the more commonly understood directives.
It is easy to find oneself in a common "try hard, fail, and try again" cycle in second-step life. It is awfully frustrating and discouraging when you want to fulfill the responsibilities outlined in scripture but just can't manage it very well or for very long. But, there is another step.
Third-Step Living is the condition of one's realization of human limitation to fully honor scriptural responsibilities and the intentional submission of all personal endeavor to God seeking his authoritative work in and through one's mind, talent, and experience.
In theory, Third-step living is to be attained and kept. In practice, it is often attained in one area of life while other areas are still in the second-step cycle. Over time, however, the practice of intentional submission to God takes wider hold in one's life. It is a transformational experience.
The University of Mobile exists to produce "Third-Step" leaders.
More later.
