P H A S E 1 : F E E D M Y L A M B S

Transcription

1 P H A S E 1 : F E E D M Y L A M B S S T U D Y 2 : Christ + 0! "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." Jn. 21:15b

2 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION: CHRIST+0!... 2 QUESTION 1 WHAT IS GOD S ONE AND ONLY REQUIREMENT FOR YOU TO BE SAVED?... 3 The Evidence from Scripture... 3 The One Requirement... 5 QUESTION 2 WHAT ARE THE MAJOR INCORRECT ADDITIONS OTHERS MAY INSIST ARE NECESSARY?... 8 A. You Must Demonstrate Sufficient Emotional Repentance To Be Saved... 9 B. You Must Confess Christ Publicly To Be Saved C. You Must Confess Your Sins Publicly To Be Saved D. You Must Seek or Implore or Beg God To Be Saved E. You Must Surrender To The Lordship Of Christ To Be Saved F. You Must Be Baptized With Water To Be Saved For additional information or resource materials contact: Truth Seekers Fellowship Estate Office Drive, Memphis, TN Phone: Fax: info@milktomeat.org All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version

3 INTRODUCTION: CHRIST+0! I trust your first study unit helped you clearly understand God s eternal purpose in creating human subjects to know Him and serve as the governors over the earthly realm of His eternal kingdom. You learned that God is love and that He created Adam and Eve to enjoy His genuine love and blessings, to fellowship with Him, and to serve Him on the earth. God s desire was that Adam and Eve would choose to use their power of contrary choice or freedom to respond, to love Him, willfully submit to His rule over them, and joyfully obey His will and commands. But when Adam and Eve were tested, they exercised their freedom to respond by rejecting God s sovereignty and asserting their own sovereignty. They refused to do His will, but chose to do their own will. Their rejection of God s rule and His commands resulted in their spiritual death and bondage to a new sinful nature. God graciously and mercifully provided them with a way of escape by revealing His way of restoring spiritual life and fellowship to fallen mankind. You learned that you too were born spiritually separated from God (spiritually dead) and that God s redemptive plan allows you to trade your spiritual death in Adam for spiritual life in Christ. The Gospel addresses whether you are spiritually dead or spiritually alive, not how good or how bad you may be or have been in your past. Your salvation in Christ is not simply your ticket to Heaven when you die, it involves life, fellowship, and service, on your way to Heaven. After I believed and asked Jesus into my heart, I met professing Christians from various groups who insisted that there were more i s to dot and more t s to be crossed in becoming a Christian than I had been told or had done. The problem was that while each group professed to be Christian, they could not seem to agree as to exactly what the essential i s and t s really were. Was there some unfinished business I still had to do with God to be truly saved and know it? My search to know exactly what God Biblically required, taught me that the Apostle John was exactly right when he said: he who has the Son has life and he who does not have the Son does not have life. My part in becoming a Christian was to believe God s Word that I was born into this world physically alive but spiritually dead in Adam, and that God was willing to restore spiritual life to me if I simply trusted in Who Jesus was and the finished work that Jesus had already done for me. Take a look at the following verse that states that Christ alone has accomplished our salvation: Hebrews 1:3 (The Son) being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Your present study unit is designed to help you to know for certain the answer to the following question: Exactly what must you do to be saved and know it? This is such an important issue for you to settle because you cannot consistently progress in your spiritual fellowship with God and your spiritual growth to Christian maturity if you are constantly worried about whether or not you have truly satisfied all of God s requirements for your salvation. God alone determines what He requires, and He has revealed His final and authoritative Word on what He requires from you in the Bible. We will look into God s Word for His clear answers to the following two questions. Question 1 - What Is God s One And Only Requirement For You To Be Saved? Question 2 - What Are The Major Incorrect Additions Others May Insist Are Necessary? 2 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

4 QUESTION 1 WHAT IS GOD S ONE AND ONLY REQUIREMENT FOR YOU TO BE SAVED? God s Word clearly states that your salvation is a gift that God the Father purchased for you with His own Son s blood, before you were even born physically alive and spiritually dead in Adam. You can only accept or reject God s gift of salvation; if you could possibly earn or deserve it, it would cease to be a gift. The basis for your eternal salvation rests solely on the Person and finished Work of Jesus, not your merit or your effort. Your salvation costs you nothing, but cost the Father His only begotten Son and also cost Jesus His sinless life and perfect death as your substitute for sin. Your eternal salvation, God s gracious gift, requires you to believe and receive Christ+0! There are over 200+ passages in your New Testament where God s one and only requirement for your eternal salvation is clearly stated. In every one of those 200+ passages, your personal faith and your acceptance of the Person and Work of Jesus as your substitute and Savior is the one and only condition. This is an important Biblical fact for you to settle in your mind and your heart. How can you know that you have met God s one and only requirement? Be sure you have clearly understood and personally believed the essential Biblical facts necessary for becoming a Christian: Have you realized that you were born spiritually dead in Adam and therefore spiritually separated from God at your physical birth? Have you honestly confessed that you have willfully sinned against God, that your sins condemn you before Him, and that you need a Savior from His justice and the penalty of spiritual death that He has placed upon you in Adam? Have you genuinely believed that Jesus is the true Son of God, that He died on the cross as the substitute for your sins, that He was buried, and that He rose bodily from the dead on the third day after His death? Have you put your trust in what Jesus has done for you, not your good works, not your personal merit, not your baptism, not your taking of communion, not your church membership, to save you from the penalty of your sins? Have you personally opened the door to your heart and invited Jesus to come in? Putting your faith exclusively in what God has done for you at Calvary through the person and work of Christ, not what you can do to earn or deserve salvation, and demonstrating your belief and trust by inviting Jesus into your life is God s one and only requirement. This truth is repeatedly confirmed in over 200+ salvation verses in your New Testament. We want you to now turn to the Scriptures and see for yourself that God in His final and authoritative Word, the Bible, clearly confirms what we are teaching you. The Evidence from Scripture God alone sets the rules for salvation! If you meet a sincere professing Christian who insists that God requires more on your part to become a Christian than your simply believing and receiving Christ+0, would you know how to respond? What if they showed you a few verses in the Bible that appear to teach that more than your simple faith or trust in Christ is required? Could you stand firm and be confident about your position in Christ? Hopefully, this study unit will settle this issue in your mind and heart and prepare you for just such an encounter. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005 3

5 Later in this study, we will teach you the correct Biblical approach to understanding the true meaning of the few and isolated problem passages we will address under Question two. We will show you that the few apparent problem passages must be interpreted in the light of the over 200+ clear passages, rather than interpreting the 200+ by the few! This is an important point. But first, you should look at some of the more than 200+ passages that clearly teach that God s one and only requirement for your salvation is your personal faith or trust in Who Jesus claims to be (the God/Man) and in the finished work He accomplished for you on Calvary. John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent. John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. John 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Acts 8:37 Then Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts 13:39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts 16:31 So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. Romans 3:22 even the righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference. 4 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

6 I Corinthians 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. I Timothy 1:16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. I Timothy 4:10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. I John 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. I John 5: And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. This verse clearly teaches how you become a child of God. Salvation comes by receiving Him! What does it mean to receive Christ? The last part of the verse says that in order to receive you must believe. You must believe that Jesus is God s Son (that He is very God) and that Jesus death, burial, and resurrection as your substitute is your only way of salvation. Believing and receiving the person and work of Christ+0 is God s only requirement. Look at one more verse. Acts 16: and He brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. The One Requirement But let me give you one quick word of caution. Your salvation does not result from your merely believing that Jesus existed as a historical person. Many pagan atheists believe a man named Jesus of Nazareth historically existed. Your merely believing that Jesus historically died on a cross, or that He historically rose from the dead, can never save you. Your mental assent to some historical statement or event does not save you; your salvation requires you to put your personal trust in the Person and Work of Christ as your substitute and your Savior from the penalty of your sins. You must believe that Jesus died for your sins, and then you must admit and confess to God that you are a helpless and guilty sinner before Him by physical birth and by personal choice. Only then does what you give mental assent to become a personal reality. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005 5

7 It is obvious that you will never truly invite Jesus into your heart until you personally believe that He is your only hope for receiving God s forgiveness and the restoration of the spiritual life that was forfeited when Adam and Eve rebelled against God s rule over them in the Garden of Eden. As one of their physical descendants, you too were physically born into this world suffering the consequences of their fall, which are spiritual death and slavery to your sin nature. Remember that the essential issue addressed by the Gospel is not how bad or how good you are or have been. The issue is whether you are still spiritually dead in Adam or now spiritually alive in Christ. Salvation is not wages therefore you cannot earn it. Salvation is not a reward therefore you can never deserve it. Salvation is a gift which you can only receive or reject. Believing God s Word about your spiritually dead condition in Adam and receiving Jesus into your heart is how you accept God s gift of personal salvation. I hope you know that being a Christian involves far more than having your ticket to Heaven when you die. All true Christians certainly go to Heaven upon their physical death, but God s purpose in having Jesus die as your Substitute involves much more than just your final destination. Jesus died that your sins might be forgiven, and then He rose to live in you and share His life with you, so that you could maximize the rest of your journey Home for God s glory. The Gospel isn t primarily concerned with your escaping Hell and getting to Heaven when you die. The Gospel reveals God s mercy and grace in restoring spiritual life to you right now, so that you can begin to enjoy fellowship with the Father and the Son right now. You are to begin to fulfill the original purpose for which God created man, which is to reflect His moral image to others and to carry out His desires and plans on the earth. Don t just settle for Heaven when you die, you can have life and fellowship and purpose right now, on your way to Heaven. Maximize your journey! How do you begin this wonderful journey Home? The apostle John clearly stated in I John 5:12 that He who has the Son has life; He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. John also stated in John 1:12 that to as many as received Him He gave the right to become the children of God. You begin this journey by fulfilling God s one and only requirement for salvation: you believe that Jesus is God s only way of salvation and demonstrate that belief by putting your faith in what He has done for you at Calvary and demonstrating your trust by inviting Him into your heart. A Christian is someone who has truly believed God s Word and has received Christ+0! If you have done this, you have met God s one and only requirement for you to be saved. 6 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

8 Exercise 1 God s Only Requirement For Your Salvation 1. Why should you settle this issue of God s requirement for salvation? 2. What can you do with God s gift? 3. What is God s only requirement for you to be saved? 4. How should you approach understanding the few problem passages? 5. How did you become a child of God according to I John 5:12 and John 1:12? 6. Explain the difference between what a pagan atheist might believe about Jesus and what you had to believe to become a Christian? Summary 1 God s Only Requirement For Your Salvation God s gift of salvation is based upon the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, not your work or merit. It is D O N E; there is nothing more for you to D O. God s gift of salvation cannot be earned, only accepted or rejected by you. Your faith simply admits that you were born spiritually dead in Adam followed by your opening your heart s door to receive life in Christ. Over 200+ salvation passages clearly teach that salvation requires your faith alone in the Person and Work of Christ alone. Your believing is demonstrated by your receiving Jesus which is all that God requires for your personal salvation. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005 7

9 QUESTION 2 WHAT ARE THE MAJOR INCORRECT ADDITIONS OTHERS MAY INSIST ARE NECESSARY? As I said earlier, you too will meet sincere professing Christians who will insist there is more that you must do in order to become a Christian than simply believing the Gospel and receiving Jesus. They will readily agree that you must believe the Gospel and receive Jesus for salvation, but then they will add something to Christ and what He has done that you must also do. Their adding to the Person and finished Work of Jesus makes your salvation the result of Christ+Something! As you will see, the somethings they add are not taught or required by God in His Word. What something to be added depends upon the particular professing Christian group. Generally speaking, you will be told that you must do one or more of the things listed below, before you have truly met all of God s requirements for salvation. As I said earlier, each group has developed their own particular list, and what one group says is imperative, another group rejects as unnecessary. This study unit will show you that if you have truly received Jesus, you have dotted all of God s i s and crossed all of God s t s, because the Bible clearly confirms that your salvation results from your believing and receiving Christ+0! We will look at six incorrect teachings or additions. A. You Must Demonstrate Sufficient Emotional Repentance To Be Saved. B. You Must Confess Christ Publicly To Be Saved. C. You Must Confess Your Sins Publicly To Be Saved. D. You Must Seek or Implore or Beg God To Be Saved. E. You Must Surrender To The Lordship Of Christ To Be Saved. F. You Must Be Baptized With Water To Be Saved. 8 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

10 A. You Must Demonstrate Sufficient Emotional Repentance To Be Saved. This first incorrect teaching or added requirement is not very popular at this particular time in Christian culture, but it has resurfaced from time to time. Therefore, you need to know why it is an incorrect requirement and a non Biblical addition to the Person and Work of Christ alone. The basic teaching is that until you demonstrate sufficient emotional brokenness or emotional repentance, you have not met God s total requirement for salvation. Reaching proper emotional repentance usually requires praying through or agonizing until salvation comes. When God is satisfied that you are truly broken, He will grant you salvation. This teaching leads to the question: Just how important are your emotions to God as a requirement for you to be saved? The original manuscripts of your New Testament were written in the Greek language that was commonly used throughout the world at that time. You can learn the role that your emotions play in salvation by learning the meaning of two Greek words used for repentance in the original Greek manuscripts of your New Testament. Why take the time and make the effort to learn the meaning of these two Greek words? Learning the correct definition for the Greek word that is used when the Bible speaks of the repentance that God requires for salvation, will help you clearly understand what the word repentance means when it appears in the 200+ salvation passages. The first Greek word used for repentance in the New Testament is the word metanoia (pronounced met an oy ah) which simply means the reversal of an opinion or a change of mind. This Greek word addresses the area of the mind only, and it does not address the area of the emotions! This Greek word metanoia is the word that is used by the New Testament writers when they are addressing the repentance God requires for your salvation. It is this Greek word, metanoia, that is used in the 200+ salvation passages we have discussed. The second Greek word used for repentance in your New Testament is the word metamellomai (pronounced met am el lom ahee) and this word does not address the area of the mind, but it does address the area of the emotions. A good example of this type of emotional repentance, metamellomai repentance (without a change of mind), is illustrated in the life of Judas who betrayed Christ. After the betrayal, the gospel writer Matthew records the following: TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005 9

11 Matthew 27:3 4 3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented (metamellomai) himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. The word repented in this passage is the second Greek word metamellomai and it means that Judas emotionally regretted betraying Jesus, but Judas never changed his mind (metanoia) about the claims of Christ and his personal need for the Person and Work of Jesus as his Savior. Judas never repented with metanoia repentance. Metamellomai repentance or emotional repentance can never save, salvation requires metanoia repentance, and that is why Judas was never saved. He felt sorry about his behavior in betraying innocent blood, but he never changed his mind about who Jesus was and there is no record that Judas ever believed and received Jesus as his Savior. The repentance that God requires and the repentance that leads to your salvation involves changing your mind (metanoia) about who Jesus is and about your personal need to receive Him, it does not require any emotional manifestation (metamellomai) on your part for salvation. Since metanoia repentance leads to salvation, and since metanoia repentance requires you to change your mind not your emotions, the New Testament writers also use metanoia repentance as a synonym for belief or faith. True belief or saving faith involves changing your mind from your former unbelief or doubt about who Jesus is and your need of Him, to believing and receiving Him as your Savior. When the New Testament uses metanoia repentance as a synonym for belief or faith, then and only then, can repentance be understood and taught as a requirement for salvation. But, anytime repentance is taught to mean emotional sorrow in order to make it a requirement for salvation, it becomes an incorrect addition to God s requirement for salvation. Let s just suppose for a moment that your salvation actually did depend upon your demonstrating some proper emotional sorrow (metamellomai repentance) as a necessary requirement for your salvation. This would mean that your salvation would now involve two things: 1) Your salvation would now be on the basis of your works, i.e. your sorrow. And who is qualified and authorized by God to determine the exact kind or sufficient quantity of emotional sorrow that satisfies God and results in your salvation? 2) Your salvation would also now be based upon your feelings, and not solely upon the Person and Work of Jesus on Calvary. And what happens to your salvation if and when your repentance feelings go away and are not there for you? The repentance (metanoia) that brings you salvation involves changing your mind about who Jesus really is, and your need of what He has done on Calvary that now allows you to have your sins forgiven and spiritual life restored. No emotional repentance (metamellomai) is required for your salvation. This truth is confirmed in over 200+ salvation passages in your New Testament. As I said earlier, since metanoia repentance, or changing your mind about Jesus, is the same as believing or putting your faith in Him, the New Testament writers did use metanoia repentance as a synonym for believing or faith thirty five times in the New Testament. They did not teach that it is a separate step from faith or believing and receiving. They never taught that Step One in salvation was for you to repent, and then Step Two was for you to believe and receive Jesus. That would make salvation the result of something you do (works) and not what Jesus has done. Salvation repentance (metanoia) and believing and receiving are included in the one step of accepting Jesus. 10 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

12 Why is this an important issue for you to understand? Because some professing believers have tried to redefine the meaning of the Greek word used in the New Testament for salvation repentance (metanoia) to mean emotional sorrow or brokenness, thus making emotional repentance or metamellomai repentance an additional requirement for your salvation. Metanoia repentance does save metamellomai repentance does not. Any attempt to make emotional repentance a requirement for your salvation is not Biblical and is a false addition. Before you leave this first incorrect addition or teaching, let me show you some of the ways that the New Testament uses metanoia repentance. We will look at four different ways that metanoia repentance is used by the New Testament writers, and you will clearly see that in each different usage it is to convey the idea of a change of mind and not a change of emotions. 1. Metanoia repentance is used as a synonym for believing or faith. 2. Metanoia repentance is used to represent a change of mind about anything. 3. Metanoia repentance is used in reference to Israel s need to repent regarding Jesus, her Messiah. 4. Metanoia repentance is used with regard to John the Baptist s baptism of repentance for Jews. 1. Metanoia repentance is used as a synonym for believing or faith. We have already discussed this use, but remember that whenever metanoia repentance is used as a synonym, it means nothing more than to believe and receive Christ. Let me show you a few New Testament passages where metanoia repentance is used as a synonym for faith or believing. Luke 16:30 And he said, No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead they will repent (they will believe). Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, (to believe) Romans 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (believe) II Timothy 2:25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, (belief) so that they may know the truth, II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (belief) 2. Metanoia repentance is used to represent a change of mind about anything. As I have already explained, whenever metanoia repentance is addressed, it never carries the meaning of feeling sorry emotionally. Emotional sorrow (metamellomai repentance) may certainly TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

13 accompany metanoia repentance (and usually does), but metanoia repentance or salvation repentance does not address the area of your emotions, it does not address sorrow, it simply means to change your mind about something. Look at some of the New Testament passages where it is used in this particular way. Acts 8:22 Repent (metanoia change your mind about your motives) therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. Acts 11:18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance (metanoia a change of mind in rejecting their idols for Christ) to life. Acts 20:21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance (metanoia a change of mind about God and Christ) toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 26:20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, (metanoia change their mind about Christ) turn to God, and do works befitting repentance (metanoia that change of mind). Hebrews 6:1, 6 1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance (metanoia a change of mind that leads to salvation) from dead works and of faith toward God. 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, (metanoia) since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. Hebrews 12:17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance (metanoia a change of mind about the inheritance) though he sought it diligently with tears. Revelation 9:20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent (metanoia change their mind) of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, sliver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. Remember that there are two very clear Greek words for repentance. One word (metanoia) addresses the area of the mind. The other word (metamellomai) addresses the area of the emotions. The New Testament writers purposely used the word metanoia when referring to the kind of repentance God required for your salvation. 3. Metanoia repentance is used in reference to Israel s need to repent regarding Jesus, her Messiah. The majority of Jews who saw and heard Jesus did not believe that He was the promised Messiah. The leaders of Israel concluded that Jesus was, in fact, demon possessed, that His miracles resulted from the power of Satan, not God. In order for the nation of Israel or any unbelieving Jew to be saved, 12 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

14 the nation or that individual would have to repent (metanoia change their mind) about Jesus and believe that He was the Son of God and the promised Messiah of Israel. All of the following verses deal with Jews needing to repent (metanoia), nationally and individually, in order to be saved. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them (the Jews in Jerusalem), Repent, (metanoia change your mind about Jesus as your Messiah and Savior) and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 3:19 Repent (metanoia these Jews needed to change their mind) therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 5:31 Him (the Lord Jesus) God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance (metanoia a change of mind about Jesus) to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 4. Metanoia repentance is used with regard to John the Baptist s baptism of repentance for Jews. John the Baptist was the promised forerunner of the Messiah of Israel. John s ministry was to announce the soon appearance of Israel s promised King and Messiah, and to prepare the nation to receive Him. At that time, Israel was in a state of national and individual spiritual apostasy and rebellion against God. John s message was that Israel must nationally and individually repent (metanoia change her mind about her sinfulness and unbelief) in preparation for Messiah s arrival. The way that individual Jews indicated that they believed John s message and prepared themselves for Messiah s arrival was to repent of their apostasy and rebellion and demonstrate their metanoia repentance toward God by submitting to John s water baptism, which was called the baptism of repentance. We will have more to teach you on the issue of water baptism and this baptism of repentance later in this study, but for now, simply realize that the metanoia repentance used in the following verses refers to John s baptism of repentance for Jews only in preparation for the appearance of Jesus the Jewish Messiah. Acts 13:24 after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. Acts 19:4 Then Paul said, John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. Let me say briefly right here that there was no salvation in John s baptism of repentance; that baptism only demonstrated the preparedness of the hearts of those Jews who believed John s message regarding the coming appearance of the Jewish Messiah. That is why the Jews that did believe John s message, who did repent (metanoia change their mind about their current apostasy and rebellion) in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah, and demonstrated their repentance (metanoia) by submitting to John s baptism of repentance, would later, after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, have to be baptized again with Christian baptism if they later believed and received Jesus as their personal Savior. There was no salvation in John s baptism of repentance. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

15 CONCLUSION: The word repentance when used in regard to salvation involves a change of mind and does not address the area of the emotions. Therefore, any teaching that tries to redefine repentance to mean sufficient emotional sorrow as a requirement for salvation is a false addition. God s one and only requirement for your salvation is that you believe and receive Christ+0! 14 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

16 Exercise 2 Emotional Repentance 1. What does the Greek word metanoia mean? 2. What area does metanoia not address? 3. What does metanoia repentance mean when used as a synonym? 4. If metanoia repentance means sorrow, what two things would your salvation now involve? List the four ways that your New Testament uses the word metanoia repentance? Summary 2 Emotional Repentance The Greek word metanoia that is used for salvation repentance involves a change of mind. The Greek word metanoia that is used for salvation repentance does not address the area of the emotions. Sometimes the New Testament uses the word metanoia repentance as a synonym for believing or faith and only then can it be taught as God s requirement for salvation. Outward emotions may or may not accompany salvation repentance but sufficient emotional (metamellomai) brokenness is not a requirement for salvation. Repentance involves changing your mind not changing your feelings. Repentance as an emotion is an incorrect requirement for salvation. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

17 B. You Must Confess Christ Publicly To Be Saved. The second incorrect teaching or additional requirement to the Person and Work of Christ for salvation comes from those who insist that God requires you to make a public, verbal confession of your faith in Christ before He will grant you salvation. According to this teaching, you are not truly saved until you make this public, verbal confession that Jesus is your personal Savior. This incorrect teaching or false addition is based upon only two passages in the entire New Testament. It results from an incorrect understanding of what these two passages actually teach. The major problem with this teaching is that it completely ignores the 200+ clear passages that teach that God s one and only Biblical requirement for your salvation is belief or faith in Who Jesus is and what Christ has done, and not what you must do. Does the New Testament anywhere teach that you are not truly saved until you make your public, verbal, confession to others that Jesus is your Savior? The answer is an emphatic no. You will always stay out of trouble if you remember our rule: always interpret the few problem passages in light of the 200+ clear passages, never abandon the 200+ clear passages over a few apparent problem passages. Let s now look at these two apparent problem passages to really see what they teach about confession as it relates to being a requirement for your salvation. Matthew 10:32 Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. Jesus does in fact say in this verse that every one who confesses Him before men, He will confess that person before His Father. Does this not seem to prove that God does require a public, verbal, confession of Jesus as your Savior for you to be saved? If He does not, how are you to correctly understand this statement by Jesus? First keep in mind that there are only two salvation passages in all of the New Testament that even mention confession, and over 200 salvation passages that do not. Any correct understanding must harmonize with those 200+ passages. Your answer lies in understanding the context in which this verse is found. Jesus is speaking to individual Jews that are seeking personal salvation after the leaders of Israel had officially rejected His Person and His claims to be the Son of God and the prophesied Jewish Messiah. Following that national rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders, Jesus states that any individual Jewish person seeking 16 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

18 salvation must confess Him, meaning they must say the same thing about Jesus that He was saying about Himself, that He is truly the Son of God and the promised Messiah. Their change of mind (metanoia) about His claims would result in their salvation and would be demonstrated by what they said about Him. Those that did not believe would say that He was not the Son of God or Messiah, and only those who did believe would say that He was. What an individual Jew said about Jesus and His claims would indicate whether they had believed or not. Also note that this verse does not teach that a public, verbal, confession is to be a separate act from their believing or putting their faith in Jesus. Their confession, what they said about Jesus, is simply part of their believing. They would only say or confess to others what they believed, so confession is not a separate step from believing as a requirement for salvation. Individual Jews did not have to believe as step one and then confess publicly as step two in order to be saved. Both their believing and their confessing are included in the one step of changing their mind and accepting God s gift of salvation through Jesus. They willingly confessed what they truly believed. This was relevant because the leaders and the other unbelieving Jews were saying or publicly confessing that Jesus was not the Messiah on the grounds that He was demon possessed. Denying Jesus claims demonstrated unbelief, confessing Jesus claims demonstrated belief or faith. Confession was a testimony of belief; it was not a requirement for salvation. Romans 10: because if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved: 10 for with the heart man believes for righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. In this passage written by the Apostle Paul, he uses a common Hebrew poetical literary form known as inversion. Paul simply interchanges the two terms of confession and believing to show that these two terms can be and are being used synonymously. This passage does not teach that confession is a separate act from faith or believing any more than the previous passage does. In verse nine, Paul first speaks of confession ( confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus ) and then secondly he speaks of believing ( believe in thy heart that God raised Him from the dead ). The point to note is that in verse nine Paul speaks of confessing followed by believing. Then in verse 10, Paul reverses (inversion) his two terms and first speaks of believing ( for with the heart man believes unto righteousness ) and then secondly he speaks of confessing ( with the mouth confession is made unto salvation ). The point to note is that in verse ten Paul speaks of believing followed by confessing. Paul s inversion of confession and believing clearly demonstrates their interchangeableness and shows that Paul used believing and confessing synonymously. Paul is not teaching that public confession is a separate act from believing or faith. Confession in this passage is the same as calling upon the name of the Lord and calling upon the name of the Lord is the same as believing in Him. This passage is not teaching that there are two steps required for salvation. However, let s suppose for a moment that God did require a public, verbal, confession of Jesus in order for you to be saved. How would you answer the following questions? 1. What if you were all alone (in a foxhole, on a remote island, or dying alone) and you began reading your Bible, a Christian book, tract, or listening to a Gospel tape. If you suddenly did believe and did invite Jesus into your heart, but your circumstances prevent you from making a public confession, would you still be saved? TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

19 2. What if you did not know that God required you to confess Jesus publicly, but you did invite Jesus into your heart, would you not be just as saved? 3. What if there was no one around for you to confess to, would your salvation not happen? How should you respond to the false teaching that you must publicly confess Christ to be saved? 1. Remember that only two verses out of 200+ even mention confession. 2. You should interpret the two verses in light of the 200+, not the 200+ in light of the two. 3. Matthew 10:32 does not teach that believing is the first step and confession is the second step for salvation. 4. Romans 10:9 10 uses inversion to show that believing and confession are interchangeable terms and refer to the same thing. Your new birth or salvation occurred the instant you believed in your heart that Jesus was in fact the Son of God and that His substitutionary work on Calvary is the only grounds upon which God can forgive your sins, restore spiritual life, and make you one of His children. Whether or not you made a public confession when you received Jesus did not prevent your salvation. Public, verbal, confession is not a requirement by God for your salvation. Your unashamed confession that Jesus is your Savior is a responsibility and privilege of discipleship, but it is not a requirement for salvation. Salvation requires believing and receiving Christ+0! So far you have learned that: 1. Your salvation does not require you to demonstrate sufficient emotional repentance or brokenness in order to be saved. 2. Your salvation does not require you to make a public, verbal, confession of Christ in order to be saved. 18 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

20 Exercise 3 Public Confession of Christ 1. How many salvation passages even mention confession? 2. How many salvation passages require only belief or faith? 3. How should you interpret the two verses that appear to be adding confession as a requirement for salvation? 4. How do you explain confession in Matthew 10:32? 5. Explain Paul s use of inversion in Romans 8:9 10? 6. How should you respond to the teaching that public confession of Christ is a requirement for your eternal salvation? Summary 3 Public Confession of Christ Confession is found in only two of the 200+ salvation passages in the New Testament. Faith or belief is God s only requirement in over 200+ salvation passages. The Bible sometimes uses confession synonymously with believing. If confessing Christ publicly is a requirement, then salvation is on the basis of works and not by faith alone in what Christ has done alone. Circumstances or ignorance could prevent a true believer from making a public confession of Christ, but their salvation still occurs. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

21 C. You Must Confess Your Sins Publicly To Be Saved. The third incorrect teaching or additional requirement to the Person and Work of Jesus for your salvation involves a slightly different issue regarding the necessity for confession. This teaching comes from a group that insists that the Bible teaches that you must confess all of your past sins publicly as one of God s requirements for salvation. This incorrect addition is based upon only one verse in the New Testament and again it completely ignores the clear 200+ salvation passages that require only your believing and receiving what Christ has done+0. Always remember to seek the correct understanding of any problem passage in light of the 200+ clear passages; do not interpret the 200+ in light of the few. Does any New Testament writer teach that God requires you to confess your sins publicly in order to be saved? The answer again is an emphatic no. It would be foolish for you to accept such a teaching or addition on the basis of one single verse when you have over 200 verses that clearly say that salvation results from what God had done for you through Christ; not what you do. Let s now turn to the single verse used in this incorrect teaching and see who the writer is addressing, and what kind of confession he is discussing. I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. To whom was John speaking in this passage? Was he discussing confession as a requirement for salvation or was he discussing confession in some other sense? This passage is obviously written to those who are already saved, not to those who were trying to be saved. How do you know this? Notice that John uses the pronoun we which means he includes himself in the same group as his readers, and John the Apostle was certainly already saved when he wrote this passage, and so were his readers. You should first clearly note that John was not discussing confession as a requirement for salvation; he and his readers were already saved. Then what was John discussing? 20 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

22 John was teaching how to receive forgiveness and cleansing for those sins that he and his readers committed as believers during their daily walk with the Lord. John is addressing confession and forgiveness for what I like to call journey sins. Our daily journey sins break fellowship with our Heavenly Father, His Son, and with other believers. So I John 1:9 is not a salvation passage, it is a fellowship passage. John is teaching those who are already in Christ how to be forgiven and restored to fellowship, he is not addressing those who are still in Adam. Let s again just suppose that John is in fact giving a requirement that you must meet before God will grant you salvation. How would you answer the following questions? 1. Can you possibly still remember every single sin you ever committed in Adam? 2. What about those sins you committed that you were not aware of, but are known only to God? 3. If you missed confessing just one sin in your public confession, would you not experience salvation? How should you respond to this incorrect teaching or addition to God s requirement for salvation? 1. Always interpret a single verse in light of the 200+, not the 200+ in the light of one. 2. Realize that I John 1:9 is written to believers including John not unbelievers. 3. I John 1:9 deals with journey sins not with a requirement for salvation. 4. No one could possibly know all of his or her sins so no one could possibly ever be saved. You have learned so far that: 1. Your salvation does not require you to demonstrate sufficient emotional repentance or brokenness in order to be saved. 2 Your salvation does not require you to confess Christ publicly to be saved. 3. Your salvation does not require you to publicly confess your sins to be saved. Your eternal salvation results from your personally believing Who Christ is, and receiving what Christ has done for you by His death and resurrection+0! Believing and receiving Christ is God s one and only requirement. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

23 Exercise 4 Public Confession of Sin 1. Who is 1 John 1:9 written to? 2. What issue is John dealing with in 1 John 1:9? 3. What issue is John not talking about? 4. How many verses are used in this incorrect teaching? 5. How many salvation passages require faith or belief? 6. What does John s use of the pronoun we reveal? 7. Could you possibly ever remember every sin you ever committed in Adam? Summary 4 Public Confession of Sin The incorrect teaching that you must publicly confess every sin as a requirement for salvation is based upon only one passage in the Bible. I John 1:9 is not a salvation verse it is journey fellowship verse. John was addressing believers like himself, not unbelievers, in I John 1:9. John was teaching about your need for confessing daily sins as a believer, not about publicly confessing your sins to become a believer. You could never possibly remember every sin you ever committed in Adam in order to publicly confess them all to gain salvation. Public confession of your sins is a false addition to God s one and only requirement of believing and receiving Christ for your salvation. 22 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

24 D. You Must Seek or Implore or Beg God To Be Saved. The fourth incorrect teaching or additional requirement that some professing Christians insist that the Bible teaches is that you must seek Jehovah which means you must implore or beg God to be merciful and grant you salvation. This teaching is also not currently popular in our culture, but it does resurface from time to time. Therefore, you should be prepared to respond correctly should you encounter this incorrect teaching. The basic idea behind this incorrect teaching is that the Bible supposedly teaches that God is somewhat reluctant to give you His salvation and therefore you must seek or implore or beg Him in order to convince Him to be merciful to you as a sinner and grant you forgiveness and salvation. This totally refutes the teaching that salvation is a gift. If this teaching is true, then your salvation results from the Person and Work of Christ+Something, in this case, it results from you re seeking or imploring or begging. Those who offer this teaching base their case upon only two passages in the Bible and like the other incorrect teachings, this teaching completely ignores the clear teaching of the 200+ salvation passages that we have discussed. Does God require you to add your seeking or imploring or begging to what Christ has done as a requirement for salvation? The answer again is an emphatic no. Does the Bible in fact teach that God is in any way reluctant to grant salvation to those in Adam? The Bible teaches exactly the opposite. God longs for those in Adam to repent (metanoia) and accept His gift of forgiveness and salvation. Listen again to only one verse that reveals His heart: 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Let s now look at the two passages upon which this teaching is based and see exactly what they are saying and what they are not saying about seeking or imploring or begging for salvation. Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye Jehovah while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

25 Those who teach this incorrect requirement for salvation interpret the phrase Seek ye Jehovah in this passage as something you have to do as a sinner in Adam to be saved. Your seeking is interpreted to mean your imploring or begging Jehovah in order to hopefully overcome what they interpret to be His reluctance to grant you His mercy and salvation. This teaching also ignores the 200+ salvation passages that clearly base God s gift of salvation on what Christ has done and not upon what you must do. Seeking in this passage actually refers to not procrastinating in repenting (metanoia) and coming to Him while there is still time to experience His mercy and grace. Physical death is the final threshold for repentance and after death there is no second chance to change your mind. This passage is a warning to take God s forgiveness before it is too late. It deals with not procrastinating, and not with a requirement for salvation. This incorrect teaching and the application of this passage also ignores what the Apostle Paul taught in Romans 3:11 that no person in Adam ever seeks God on their own. Romans 3:11 There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. Since according to Paul, no one in Adam seeks God, then no one would ever or could ever be saved, if seeking and imploring was in fact a legitimate requirement for salvation. Luke 18:13 And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes into heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. This passage is also used to try to support the need to implore God to be merciful and hopefully overcome His reluctance to grant salvation. What those using this verse ignore is that the context in Luke 18 where this passage is found deals with Jesus teaching His disciples on the issue of one s prayer life (see 18:10) and not on the issue of salvation. Also notice that this passage does not actually say that anyone must implore or beg God to be saved anymore than the Isaiah 55:6 passage above actually says that one must seek and continue seeking God until they find salvation. In fact, Jesus said in Luke 19:10 that He actually does the seeking for those lost in Adam and confirms that it is not the sinner who does the seeking. Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. How should you understand and respond to this incorrect teaching and additional requirement for salvation? Remember the 200+ passages where God s requirement for salvation is clearly stated, and note that seeking or imploring or begging God is not a requirement. Those salvation verses never require you to beg or feverishly pray to gain God s consent, He longs for you to be saved. If this incorrect addition or requirement was true, which it isn t, your salvation and mine would result from the Person and Work of Christ+our seeking or imploring or begging. But salvation is always presented in Scripture as being by grace alone through faith alone. God is always willing and able to save because of His great love and mercy, not your begging or mine. Listen again to what the Apostle Peter said about God and his total lack of reluctance for anyone to come to repentance (metanoia) and freely receive His gift of salvation through what Christ has done. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (metanoia). 24 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

26 So what have you learned so far about God s requirement for your salvation? 1. You do not have to demonstrate sufficient emotional repentance to be saved. 2. You do not have to confess Christ publicly to be saved. 3. You do not have to confess you sins publicly to be saved. 4. You do not have to seek or implore or beg to be saved. God s one and only requirement for salvation is that you believe and receive His gift based upon what Christ has done+0! TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

27 Exercise 5 Imploring God For Salvation 1. How many verses are used to teach imploring for salvation? 2. How many salvation verses require only belief or faith? 3. What does Romans 3:11 teach and how does it apply to your salvation? 4. What issue is the Luke 18:13 passage dealing with? 5. What does Luke 19:10 teach? 6. Why is imploring not required for your salvation? Summary 5 Imploring God For Salvation Romans 3:11 teaches that no one seeks God. Luke 19:10 teaches that Jesus does the seeking, not the sinner in Adam. Isaiah 55:6 does not give a requirement for salvation, but a warning to know God s forgiveness before it is too late. Luke 18:13 is Jesus teaching regarding proper prayer, not a requirement for salvation. 2 Peter 3:9 states that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. You do not have to implore or beg God for what He is already so willing to give you. 26 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

28 E. You Must Surrender To The Lordship Of Christ To Be Saved. The fifth incorrect teaching or additional requirement for salvation comes from professing Christians that insist the Bible teaches that God requires that your faith in Christ must include a total surrender or commitment to Jesus as Lord or Master over every area of your life. According to this teaching, if this total surrender or commitment is missing in your faith, then your faith is not genuine, and you are not yet saved. This has become a very prominent teaching at this time in our culture and you must be clear in your understanding or you will become confused and bewildered when confronted with this teaching. Must you surrender and make a total commitment of every area of your life to Christ as Lord or Master in order to be saved? Or to put it another way: If you do not give complete control of your life to Jesus as Lord at the moment you receive Him as Savior, can you still be saved? Those who hold to this teaching would say yes to the first question and no to the second. Hopefully you can see how significant this teaching is, and why you need to know the truth in this area. The 200+ salvation passages we have been using all state that God s one and only requirement for your salvation is your faith alone in Jesus alone and what He has done for you at Calvary +0. The term faith in these 200+ passages means your belief or trust. Those who insist on this teaching, will agree that you are saved by faith alone, but they redefine faith to mean belief that includes your commitment to let Christ be Lord and rule over every area of your life. Simply stated, the requirement of faith only and the requirement of faith plus commitment cannot both be true, therefore, one of them is false. The Bible teaches that dedicating or committing your life to Jesus control and serving Him is healthy and to be expected as you mature in your faith and deepen your walk with Him. But a total dedication or commitment of every area of your life is not a requirement for your salvation. This incorrect teaching has lately been modified to say that your willingness to be controlled by the Lord in every area of your life+your faith in what Christ has done, is all God requires for your salvation. But this modification still makes your salvation result from Christ+Something, in this case, your willingness to commit your life completely to the Lord s control, even if you later fail to actually keep that commitment along the way. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

29 Before we look at the Scriptures to see if this teaching has any Biblical basis, let me remind you of what the true content of the Gospel really involves: The Gospel requires your personal faith, and your faith alone, in the person of the Lord Jesus alone and what He has done for you at Calvary alone. Salvation is by grace; it is a gift, to be received through your faith alone. Jesus paid it all. You are not required to add anything to His gift to you, nor can you add anything and it still remain a gift. Salvation costs you nothing, but it cost God and His Son everything. When you receive salvation as a free gift by God s grace based solely on the finished work of Christ, you are saved and can have the assurance of your salvation. You do not need to wonder if you had the right kind of faith or saving faith, or Lordship faith. Your focus should be on Jesus as the object of your faith and the finisher of your salvation. Any teaching that adds something that you must do to what Jesus alone has already done is not a correct Biblical teaching. One of the passages that is often used to defend this incorrect teaching is found in Romans: Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Is Paul teaching in this passage that you must surrender control of every area of your life to Jesus as Lord or Master in order for you to be saved? The clear answer is no. Who is Paul writing to and what issue is he addressing in Romans 12:1? Paul is writing to those that are already believers. Did you notice that he calls them brethren! Therefore, Paul clearly is not dealing with the issue of a requirement for salvation in this passage. Paul is dealing with an issue Christians must address after salvation, the issue of committing to live the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ. In the 11 chapters he wrote before this current chapter, Paul repeatedly referred to his readers as brethren and fellow believers with himself. This passage does not support the incorrect teaching the Jesus must be Lord of all in order to be Lord at all in salvation. In fact, this passage is a good argument against that incorrect teaching or addition. Paul s readers had obviously believed and received Jesus as their personal Savior. Their problem was not in the area of their salvation, it was in the area of their discipleship. His readers had received God s free gift of salvation, but they were denying Jesus the right to control areas of their lives for His purposes and glory now that they were Christians. Paul wrote eleven chapters to remind his fellow believers in Rome of the many mercies of God in making it possible for them to become Christians, and in Chapter 12 he encourages them to respond to those salvation mercies by making Jesus the Lord or Master of every area of their lives through becoming committed disciples. It is only after you are saved that you could possibly understand your need to make Jesus the Master of every area of your life. No unbeliever could possibly understand what Paul is teaching here. Romans 12:1 does not present a requirement for salvation; it presents a plea to commit to live a surrendered life as a disciple of Jesus Christ after salvation. Another verse that those who teach that you must make Jesus Lord or Master of every area of your life in order to be saved is also found in Romans: 28 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

30 Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. This passage does say that you are to confess the Lord Jesus, but does this passage teach that you must make Jesus the Lord and Master of every area of your life as a requirement for salvation? The answer again is an emphatic no. The proof comes from properly understanding the context in which this particular passage is found. Paul is using the word Lord in this passage in a way that any Jew would understand. Jews used the word Lord Jehovah to refer to God. Paul uses the double term Lord Jesus in this passage to affirm that Jesus is truly God and thus Lord, but Jesus was also man, hence Paul uses the name Jesus. Confessing the Lord Jesus meant a Jew recognized Jesus as God and man. Why is this so important to the issue of salvation? It is for the simple reason that no other kind of savior can save except a God man. Humanity and Deity must be combined in order to provide God s satisfactory salvation for sinners. The Savior must be a man in order to be able to die and in order to be identified with the curse on man. But He must be God in order that His death be effective for an infinite number of people. In Romans 10:9, it is the confession of Jesus as God (Lord) and thus faith in the God man that saves. Since only God can forgive sin, and Jesus offers forgiveness and salvation to those who believe on Him, then Jesus must be God and in fact be called Lord Jehovah. Paul was telling his audience that Jesus claimed to be very God, equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Paul s point in this verse is that to confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus meant that you believed that Jesus was truly God, and therefore able to save you. The issue in 10:9 is Jesus being God and therefore Lord, and this passage does not teach that you are required to make Christ the Lord or Master of every area of your life before you can be saved. It only teaches that you must believe that Jesus is Lord in the sense that you believe He is God, and therefore able to be you Savior. All this passage is teaching is that you do have to trust Jesus for your salvation, but in order for Him to be able to save you, He must be Lord or God. As I said earlier, the issue of your making Jesus the Lord or Master of areas of your life is necessary to address at some point after your salvation, when the Holy Spirit confronts and convicts you with your need to dedicate yourself (Romans 12:1) to Jesus for His control and use. The issue of discipleship involves the dedication of your life and your body to Christ s control and use during the balance of your journey, but that is not the issue in salvation. When the Bible talks about Christ being Lord to save, it does not refer to His personal Lordship or Mastery over every area of your life as a requirement for salvation, but Lord in the sense that Jesus must be God, since only God can forgive your sins and save you. There are several clear examples in the Bible of believers who were clearly saved, but who were not completely or continually committed to the Lord in every area of their life. Hopefully, looking at these examples will clearly settle this issue for you. The first example is the life of the Apostle Peter and an incident that is recorded for us in Acts: Acts 10:14 But Peter said, Not so Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

31 The incident recorded in this verse occurred after Jesus death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Peter was certainly saved when this incident happened, and he had had a fruitful ministry from the Day of Pentecost until this moment. Peter had already acknowledged Jesus as Lord in the sense that he believed that Jesus was God and therefore Jesus was already Peter s Savior. But notice that as a saved man, when Peter was told by God to do something, he said Not so Lord. Peter actually rebuked his Lord in this incident in Acts 10. What does that prove? It proves that someone can accept the Lordship or Deity of Jesus, like Peter did at his salvation, and yet still refuse or act contrary to something that his Lord commanded him to do after salvation. Peter s problem in this incident was not that he had not met God s requirement for salvation, Peter was certainly saved, his problem concerned his need to surrender to Jesus as Lord as a believer and behave as an obedient disciple. Peter had obviously not yet surrendered every area of his life to the Jesus as Lord or Master at his salvation! Our second example concerns those who were converted at Ephesus during Paul s third missionary journey as recorded in Acts 19. During his first three months in Ephesus, Paul saw many come to know Jesus as their personal Savior. We are told that Paul remained in Ephesus for two years tutoring these believers in the things of Christ. These new Ephesian converts came out of the pagan worship of the goddess Diana and Ephesus was the center for this worship. An important part of their worship included superstitious dependence on magical words, charms and mystical sayings. These were based on letters that were written on the crown, girdle and feet of the statue of Diana in the temple at Ephesus. Magical incantations were compiled in books, and charms were worn as amulets by the Ephesians for power and fortune. This is the kind of paganism and superstition from which these Ephesians were converted and became Christians. After more than two years of Paul s ministry among these Ephesian believers, we are told about an incident in Acts 19:18 19 that clearly demonstrates that the New Testament does not support the incorrect teaching that Jesus must be Lord or Master of every area of your life or He is not your Savior. Acts 19: And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. Notice that v.18 clearly states that these were believers. These believers were convicted and came confessing and forsaking their sins against their Savior. What is the point? They were just now, two years after some of them had become believers, submitting to the Lordship of Christ in this area of their lives. This passage clearly proves that some of these believers had not made Jesus Lord or Master over every area of their lives at the time of their salvation. We could discuss many more examples with you from the New Testament such as Barnabas rejecting Jesus Lordship during his argument with Paul over taking John Mark on their next missionary journey. The issue of making Jesus the Lord or Master of every area of your life is to be addressed at some time after you are saved and involves discipleship, not salvation. 30 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

32 So what have you learned so far? 1. Your salvation does not require you to demonstrate sufficient emotional repentance or brokenness to be saved. 2. Your salvation does not require you to confess Christ publicly to be saved. 3. Your salvation does not require you to publicly confess your sins to be saved. 4. Your salvation does not require you to seek or implore or beg God to be saved. 5. Your salvation does not require you to surrender to the Lordship of Christ to be saved. Your eternal salvation results from your believing and receiving Christ+0! TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

33 Exercise 6 Lordship Salvation 1. What does Lordship salvation teaching require you to do for salvation? 2. Who does Paul address in Romans 12:1 and what is Paul beseeching them to do? 3. What does Paul mean in Romans 10:9 by the word Lord? 4. What was Peter s struggle in Acts 10:14? 5. In Acts 19:18 19 who was confessing? Were they dealing with Lordship for salvation or with discipleship obedience? Summary 6 Lordship Salvation Confessing Jesus Lordship for salvation involves acknowledging that Jesus is God and because He is God He is able to forgive and save you. Submitting to Jesus Lordship in every area of your life is not a requirement for your salvation, it is a condition for living as a committed disciple. Peter clearly illustrates a believer who had not yet made Jesus Lord or Master in every area of his life at his salvation. The believers in Ephesus did not make Jesus the Lord or Master of their occult practices until sometime after their conversion. Surrender of every area of your life to Jesus as Lord or Master as a requirement for salvation is an incorrect addition to God s one requirement. 32 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

34 F. You Must Be Baptized With Water To Be Saved. The sixth and final incorrect teaching or additional requirement for your salvation is actively taught by professing Christian groups today. This teaching insists that the New Testament teaches that unless and until you have been baptized with water, you are not yet saved. You will certainly hear this teaching or requirement, therefore, you should be sure you clearly understand what water baptism represents and what role if any, water baptism plays in your salvation. Does the New Testament teach that you must be baptized with water as one of God s requirements for your salvation? The answer is the same as for all the previous incorrect additions, an emphatic no. Those who insist that water baptism is a requirement for you salvation will normally use three New Testament passages to try to prove their teaching. We will look at each of these passages in detail and see what they actually teach and what they do not teach. But let s begin by learning what water baptism means and what it represents. The word baptize simply means to identify with. Anyone who is water baptized in the Bible is identifying himself or herself with something. This is an important point for you to keep in mind. With the correct Biblical definition and purpose in mind, you can now learn about the four types of baptism that are mentioned in the Bible. We will discuss each of these four types of baptism so that you can see what each really represented before we move to look at the three passages used in this sixth incorrect teaching or additional requirement. 1. The water baptism performed by Jews on Gentile proselytes in the Old Testament. 2. The water baptism of John the Baptist. 3. The baptism with the Spirit or with fire by Jesus. 4. The water Baptism of Christianity. 1. The water baptism performed by Jews on Gentile proselytes in the Old Testament During the 1500 years that Israel was under the Law of Moses, Jews did not baptize Jews, because all Jews were already identified with Jehovah and the Law of Moses by physical birth to Jewish parents and circumcision for males. Jews did however baptize Gentiles who chose to become proselytes to the worship of Jehovah and submitted themselves to the commandments of the Law of Moses. When a Gentile identified with the God of Israel and submitted himself or herself to practice what the Jews TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

35 practiced under the Law of Moses, they were baptized with water to show their identification with Judaism and the Law. Their water baptism did not save them only personal faith in the One True God could save them. Their water baptism merely demonstrated their identity with the God of Israel and His Law. As previously stated, since Jews were already identified with God and were by birth under the Law of Moses Jews did not baptize Jews. 2. The water baptism of John the Baptist When John the Baptist appeared fulfilling his prophetic mission of preparing the way for the coming of the Jewish Messiah, John s message was that the nation of Israel should repent from her sinful ways and get back into fellowship with God. When an individual Jew believed the message of John and repented, they would indicate their identification with John s message by submitting to the water baptism of John. John s water baptism was for Jews only since his ministry was only to the nation of Israel. Jesus too was baptized by John. The reason Jesus submitted to the water baptism of John the Baptist was to identify Himself with John s message and to identify Himself as the Messiah of Israel that John had been proclaiming. It is important for you to see that there was no salvation in John s water baptism and that is why those believing Jews that were baptized by John in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah, had to later believe the Gospel and be water baptized again with New Testament Christian water baptism. Why another baptism? They had simply repented in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah, but Jesus had not yet died for them, and they had not been offered the gift of salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, because Jesus had not yet gone to Calvary. Those Jews that identified with the message of John and submitted to the water baptism by John, when they later heard and believed the Gospel of what Jesus had done at Calvary, demonstrated their repentance or belief in Jesus by identifying themselves with what Jesus had done for them by His death, burial, and bodily resurrection, and they submitted themselves to New Testament water baptism. New Testament water baptism did not save them; only their faith in what Jesus had done could save them. Their New Testament water baptism followed their salvation, but was not a requirement for their salvation. More on this under New Testament Christian baptism. 3. The baptism with the Spirit or with fire by Jesus John the Baptist clearly stated that he baptized with water but that Jesus would baptize every person with the Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 ʺHis winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.ʺ Jesus did not baptize anyone with water, but John said that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. What does that mean? When a person believes and places their faith in what Jesus has done, they receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the means of placing them into the invisible Body of Christ or the universal and invisible Church. This baptism with the Holy Spirit is not to be confused with New Testament Christian water baptism. The baptism of the Holy Spirit places the believer into the Body of Christ, and New Testament Christian water baptism is the testimony of a saved person that they do identify with what Jesus has done at Calvary. 34 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

36 Those who refuse to believe that Jesus is who He claims to be and that He is the only way of salvation, will one day stand before Him to be judged and eternally punished for their unbelief and their sins. It is these unbelievers that will be baptized by Jesus with fire when He places them into the eternal Lake of Fire that has been prepared for his enemies. Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 4. The water baptism of New Testament Christianity Following the death, the burial, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus, any individual Jew or Gentile that believes the Gospel of God s free gift of salvation through what Jesus has done and responds by receiving Christ into their heart, fulfills God s one and only requirement for their salvation. At some point after their salvation, and to demonstrate their identification with the Gospel message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, they are to submit to New Testament Christian water baptism. But be very clear, New Testament Christian water baptism does not and can not save, only personal faith in what Jesus has done at Calvary can save. New Testament Christian water baptism is merely your testimony and an act of obedience that follows your salvation, to demonstrate that you have truly identified with Jesus and what He has done, and that you trust Him alone for your salvation. Let s now turn to the three passages that are normally used to support the incorrect addition that you must be water baptized as a requirement for you to be saved. The first passage we will address is found in Mark. Mark 16: And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. How are you to correctly understand this passage? First, remember to seek the correct interpretation of any salvation verse in the light of the 200+ clear salvation passages that require faith alone in Christ alone. Never interpret the 200+ clear passages by only a few apparent problem passages; always interpret the few in light of the Now notice what verse 16 does say and also what it does not say. It is true that verse 16 does say that He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but also notice that verse 16 does not say that He who is not baptized will not be saved or will be lost! Also notice that verse 16 is in fact consistent with what the other 200+ salvation passages say and that is that he who does not believe will be condemned. That which keeps you from being condemned or lost is not your water baptism, but your belief or faith. Also notice that verse 16 does not say that if you believe, but you have not yet been water baptized, that you are still lost! All that is said in verse 16 is that He who believes and is baptized will be saved. So why is water baptism even mentioned in verse 16? As I said earlier, Jews were not water baptized during the Mosaic Law period. They were identified with the Mosaic covenant and the Law by physical birth and male circumcision. By the time of Christ, Judaism had degenerated into a legalistic system that was far from a living relationship with Jehovah. Jesus renounced the Judaism of that day and called Jews to believe in Him as the truth about salvation and not their legalistic deadness. They were trusting in their Jewishness for their TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

37 salvation and Jesus told them that being Jewish would not save anyone; salvation required faith in Him as the Messiah and Savior. When a Jew repented and placed his faith in what Jesus had done at Calvary, they were to indicate that change of mind (metanoia) and that they no longer identified with the apostate legalistic Judaism of their day, or trusted in their Jewishness for salvation, and the way they did that was to submit to New Testament Christian water baptism. The way a Jew makes their final break from unbelieving Judaism is by submitting to New Testament Christian water baptism. To this day, believing Jews or what are called Messianic Jews, are still considered Jews by unbelieving Jews until they submit to New Testament Christian water baptism. Water baptism in the name of Jesus is how a believing Jew makes his or her final break with unbelieving Judaism that rejects Jesus as the Messiah and Savior. Once they submit to Christian water baptism and identify with Jesus, Who is rejected as God and the Jewish Messiah by unbelieving Jews, they are considered to have died as a heretic. Submitting to Christian water baptism is a dramatic and costly moment in the life of any Jewish believer. In the passage that we are looking at in Mark 16:15 16, the reason baptism is mentioned is because when a former unbelieving Jew believes in Jesus as their Messiah and Savior, they should demonstrate their identity with Christ and their break with unbelieving Jews, by submitting to New Testament Christian water baptism. You should also know that in the early days of Christianity, water baptism followed almost immediately upon believing and receiving salvation through Christ alone. But water baptism was not a requirement for salvation; it was an obedient outward testimony that salvation had already occurred in their heart. This passage that we are considering merely confirms that when one truly believes, they should not be ashamed to demonstrate their identity with Jesus by submitting to New Testament Christian water baptism. The second New Testament passage that this incorrect teaching uses to insist that water baptism is a requirement of God for salvation is found in Acts. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. How can you correctly understand Peter s statement in this passage and balance it with the other 200+ salvation passages? This passage does in fact state that Peter said his listeners should repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins. Was Peter making water baptism a requirement for salvation? By clarifying two points for you, you will be able to see the proper interpretation of what Peter meant in his statement. First, let me remind you again that your New Testament was originally written in the Greek language. In the Greek language the word for in verse 38 is the Greek word eis and eis can either be translated into English to mean because of or on account of, and in fact that is exactly the way it is used by Jesus: Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because (eis on account of) they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, someone greater than Jonah is here. So in Acts 2:38 Peter is using the Greek word eis, translated as for in your English translation, to simply tell his audience that because of or on account of their repentance (metanoia) and 36 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

38 believing and receiving Jesus as being truly God and their personal Messiah and Savior, that God has granted them the remission of their sins. Peter is not saying that they must be baptized for the remission of their sins, which would in fact make baptism a requirement for salvation, Peter is telling them to be baptized for or because of or on account of God s previous remission of their sins at the moment they believed and received Jesus as Savior. Peter is saying that because God has granted remission of their sins, they should unashamedly identify with Jesus and demonstrate their break with unbelieving Judaism, by submitting to New Testament Christian water baptism. Peter s statement could be correctly restated as because you have been saved through your faith in who Jesus is and what He has done, now be baptized to testify to your identity with the truth that He is God and that His death and resurrection alone can save you. Second, you must realize that Peter s audience in Acts 2:38 was totally Jewish. The first Gentile convert to Christianity was the Roman centurion Cornelius in Acts 10 and that did not happen for almost a decade after Peter s address to this Jewish audience in Acts 2:38 on the Day of Pentecost. What difference does it make that Peter s audience was totally Jewish? As usual, multitudes of Jews were in Jerusalem for the Jewish celebration of Pentecost and Peter used that opportunity to present the clear Gospel message to those Jews that Jesus was in fact God and Israel s true Messiah and her only possible Savior. Peter declared that God had proved that Jesus was His Son and the Messiah and Savior by raising Jesus bodily from the dead. Many Jews who had not believed in Jesus now repented (metanoia) and accepted Jesus as personal Savior. Remember that the way a believing Jew made his or her break with unbelieving Israel was by identifying with Jesus through submitting to New Testament Christian water baptism. That is why Peter was encouraging those Jews who did believe his message at Pentecost to demonstrate that they were saved by being baptized in the name of Jesus. For a Jew, being baptized was a new experience, not required under Mosaic Judaism, but something Peter encouraged them to do following their salvation to show they were saved and to break with unbelieving Jews. Peter was not making water baptism a requirement for their salvation, he used the Greek word eis translated as for in your English New Testament to say that because of or on account of your repentance and God s remission of your sins, you should now, since you are saved, unashamedly break with unbelieving Israel and demonstrate your trust in Jesus alone for your salvation by submitting to water baptism. Water baptism was not a requirement for the remission of their sins and salvation, water baptism was to immediately follow because of or on account of ( eis translated for ) God granting the remission of their sins through believing in what Christ had done+0. This verse properly translated and understood is totally compatible with the other 200+ salvation passages that require faith and faith alone in what Jesus had done+0. The third New Testament passage that is normally used by those who insist that water baptism is a requirement for salvation comes from Acts. Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. The question we will answer is does this verse teach that water baptism will wash away your sins? The correct answer must harmonize with the 200+ clear salvation passages and that means the answer is again an emphatic no. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

39 What this verse is actually saying is that baptism follows arising, in the same way, that forgiveness follows the calling upon the name of the Lord. Again, I will have to help you understand this passage as it was written and understood in the original Greek language of the New Testament. It is unfortunate that we have confusion because of the way Greek words and concepts were translated into our English language, but confusion can be cleared up by looking at the original Greek words and meaning. In the original Greek language of the New Testament, this passage contains two imperatives and two participles. The two imperatives are be baptized and wash away your sins and the two participles are arise and having called upon the name of the Lord. To properly understand this verse, you must do as the Greek language does and keep the two parts of the verse distinct from each other. If the two imperatives and the two participles are correctly used in this passage, it literally reads in the Greek as: After arising, be baptized / wash away your sins, having called upon the name of the Lord. What this verse is actually saying in the Greek is that baptism follows your arising, just as the forgiveness of your sins, follows your calling upon the name of the Lord. This verse is not contradicting the other 200+ salvation passages. It teaches that just as after calling upon the name of the Lord you are saved, having now been saved, you should arise and be baptized. The reason this verse is being understood and taught to mean that water baptism is one of God s requirements for salvation is that the teachers are reading the English translation and have not checked to see what this verse actually says in the original Greek. Hopefully by now you can clearly see that the New Testament does not require you to be water baptized as a requirement for salvation. Your salvation is God s gift to you, apart from any works on your part. Your submitting to the New Testament ordinance of water baptism is something you do because you are saved, not as a requirement to become saved. Water baptism does not contribute to your salvation, if it did, then your salvation results from Christ+Something, in this case, your water baptism. Every New Testament Christian is commanded to submit to water baptism at some point after they are saved, as a testimony that they have believed and are now identifying themselves with the Gospel message of the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus and what He has done+0. Your being water baptized does not contribute anything to your salvation. Your submitting to water baptism is your voluntary act of obedience after salvation to Jesus command to identify with Him. Your water baptism is also your testimony to other believers in Christ that you are now one of them. The whole idea behind water baptism is the idea of identification. Submitting to water baptism is to follow salvation and when it is taught as a requirement for salvation, water baptism becomes a false addition to the true Gospel. Now that you correctly or Biblically understand what these three passages regarding water baptism actually do say and what they do not say, you can see that they do not disagree or add something that is not required by the 200+ clear salvation verses. If you believed and received Jesus into your heart, but did not know that you were to be baptized or if your circumstances prevented you from being water baptized when you believed, would you not be saved? Of course you would, because salvation is a gift apart from works. 38 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

40 This concludes your study of the six incorrect teachings or additional requirements that some professing Christians try to teach. They all make God s free gift of your eternal salvation require Christ+Something! But your salvation requires only that you believe and receive Christ+0! So what have you learned in this study unit on Christ+0? 1. Your salvation does not require you to demonstrate sufficient emotional repentance or brokenness to be saved. 2. Your salvation does not require you to confess Christ publicly to be saved. 3. Your salvation does not require you to publicly confess your sins to be saved. 4. Your salvation does not require you to seek or implore or beg God to be saved. 5. Your salvation does not require you to surrender to the Lordship of Christ to be saved. 6. Your salvation does not require you to be baptized with water to be saved. I John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

41 Exercise 7 Water Baptism 1. How many verses mention baptism in connection with salvation? 2. How many salvation passages require only belief or faith? 3. How should you interpret the few? 4. What does Mark 16:15 16 say will happen if you are not baptized? 5. Why was Peter asking Jews to be baptized in Acts 2:38? 6. How does Acts 22:16 literally read in the Greek? 7. What does Acts 22:16 really teach about baptism? Summary 7 Water Baptism Water baptism is not required as a condition for your salvation. Water baptism is your testimony, and your act of obedience, that follows your salvation. Water baptism is mentioned in only a few (3) passages, and those three must be properly understood in their proper context and the original Greek. Over 200+ salvation passages give only one requirement for salvation, that you believe and receive Christ+0! Water baptism follows salvation, but is not a requirement for salvation. 40 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005

42 This concludes your second study unit of our four study units in Phase I materials. summarize the issues that you have addressed so far. Your first study unit allowed you to fully explore and understand the solid content and the incredible purpose of God in providing the redemption that He freely offers you through the true Gospel of what Christ has done+0! You discovered that the Gospel addresses restoring spiritual life to those who are still spiritually dead in Adam and bringing them into living relationship with the Father and the Son for the balance of their journey Home to Heaven. Your second or present study unit has proven that God s one and only requirement for your eternal salvation is your believing and receiving Jesus into your heart solely on the basis of what Jesus has done+0! We answered all the problem passages that some professing Christians have misunderstood to teach that there are additional requirements for salvation, thus making salvation the result of Christ+Something. You should now be convinced that God s only requirement for salvation involves your believing and receiving Christ+0! We will end with the passage with which we started this study unit that contain the authoritative words of the Apostle John. I John 5: And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. Your eternal salvation is the result of God s grace alone, through your faith alone, in the Person and Work of Christ alone! Let s Remember our key verse that declares beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is absolutely nothing that you can add to the finished work of Christ as your substitute and Savior from your sins in Adam. Hebrews 1:3 (The Son) being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Did you notice that Jesus by Himself purged your sins and satisfied all of the requirements of His Father for you to be saved? God s only requirement for you to be saved is that you believe that Jesus is Who He claims to be and that He and what He has D O N E alone, can bring you salvation. You cannot possibly add to what He has done by Himself. It is Christ + O! TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/

43 Congratulations! You have now finished the Second study in Phase I: 1. Why Did God Create a Man? 2. Christ+0! You are now ready to move on to the Third Study of Phase I 3. Instant and Eternal Riches in Christ 42 TSF/MTMI/Christ+0/10/3/2005