LESSON ONE - ADAM: PROPHECY OF A COMING SAVIOR

Transcription

1 Francis Jane Crosby wrote more than 9,000 hymns, some of which are among the most popular in every Christian denomination. She wrote so many that she was forced to use pen names, because if she didn t her name would appear too many times. Now to most people, the most remarkable thing about her was that she had written all these songs, in spite of her being blind. One well meaning minister said to her, "I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when he showered so many other gifts upon you." Fanny Crosby responded, (since she had heard this before), "Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I was born blind?" (Now Fanny Crosby had been able to see only for her first six weeks of life.) She continued and said, "Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior." One of the hymns she wrote was Redeemed. This is the song behind this study. Redeemed how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Redeemed thru His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am. Redeemed and so happy in Jesus, No language my rapture can tell, I know that the light of His presence, With me doth continually dwell. I know I shall see in his beauty, the King in who s law I delight Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps, and giveth me songs in the night. With this study go my prayers, that you will not only grow in your knowledge of God s Word, but through your study, discover God s will for your life and come to obey it... One thing s for sure, God loves you incredibly, even to the point that He would die for you if you were the only one on this earth Yet He died for all mankind. Be patient as you study. The Bible is not a boring Book by any means, and is the only one of it s kind, revealing the will of God for you. Now for some basics: 1. Read and study one lesson at a time. Look up verses as you go, and answer questions at the end to check your understanding against what the Bible says. 2. When reading the Bible always consider the context (verses before and after), to be sure you get the full idea. 3. Write down your questions as you go. Those you can t answer, feel free to ask. 4. Keep in mind, it s not WHO is right that matters in Bible study for the truth seeker what really matters is WHAT is right. Enjoy the study.

2 LESSON ONE - ADAM: PROPHECY OF A COMING SAVIOR When Adam and Eve disobeyed God s command, by eatting from the forbidden tree, the judgment of God, their Creator came upon them (and all mankind). Satan, who had come to Eve in the form of a serpent, had created doubt in Eve s mind by doing what he does best lying. He said Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden? (He knew God did not say that!) 2 The woman said to the serpent, We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die. 4 You will not certainly die, the serpent said to the woman (Genesis 3:2-4). Thus three temptations came to Eve: (1) The tree had good fruit (2)The fruit was pleasing to the eyes and (3) The fruit would make one wise (Genesis 3:6). Eve gave in to the temptation and then she got Adam to eat as well. God had provided the maximum and forbidden the minimum, yet they went after the one thing which was forbidden. They sinned. SIN is a killer. About this there is no doubt. Nothing good comes from sin. Just like physical death results in the body and soul being separated (James 2:26), even so sin results in the seperation of God and the sinner. Isaiah said, Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear (Isaiah 59:1-2). Mankind cannot in any way (justly) blame God for what happeneds as a result of their own disobedience, any more than Adam and Eve could blame God when they disobeyed God. Every person is responsible for their own sins. The prophet Ezekiel said, The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them (Ezekiel 18:20). Let s look at the steps into sin. Look at what happened to Eve. (1.) Unguarded talk (she had conversation with Satan), (2) She loosened her hold on God as doubt grew in her mind (Genesis 3:3), (3) She looked (and kept looking) at the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6), (4) She longed for (lust) the forbidden fruit, (Genesis 3:6), and (5) She induced someone else (Adam) into sin with her, (Genesis3:6). James says, but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:14-15).

3 Consider the aweful results of sin. Man was made in God s image (Genesis 1:27), and was given the breath of life, and became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). It was the sin of Eve and Adam (in that order) which opened their eyes and caused them to run and hide from God s presence (Genesis 3:8). Sin makes us fear the presence of God. Sin brings shame and guilt as well, knowing that we did wrong. Sin brought the loss of innocence to Adam and Eve. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves (Genesis 3:7). To summarize this point: They lost communion with God as well as innocence. They gained guilt and shame, fear, and death (physical and spiritual). Bottom line: SIN IS NOT WORTH IT! ( All Satan s apples, have worms. ) Paul says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Then he says, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). God pronounces His judgment on all involved, the Serpent (Genesis 3:14-15), the Woman (Genesis 3:16), and Adam (Genesis 3:17). Let s begin with Adam 1.) Adam: To Adam he said, Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, You must not eat from it, Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. (Genesis 3:17-19) 2.) Eve: To the woman he said, I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you (Genesis 3:16). (Note: The curse on woman was NOT about sex That is not a curse! The phrase Your desire will be for your husband.. is better translated, Your desire will be to control your husband ) 3.) Serpent: So the LORD God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel (Genesis 3:14-15). (Note: This is the FIRST of the many prophecies re: God s plan to save mankind though a Savior. It is a bit difficult maybe thes notes in parenthisis will help. And I (God) will put enmity (hate, struggle) between you (Satan) and the woman (Eve), and between your offspring (followers of Satan/ unrighteous) and hers (Jesus/ followers of righteousness); he (Jesus) will crush your head (fatal wound), and you (Satan) will strike his heel(non-fatal wound, because of His resurrection) (Genesis 3:15). This prophecy provides the first glimmer of hope for the salvation of man from the aweful consequences of sin. This redemption of mankind, is further illustrated in Genesis 3:21 The

4 LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. Here we see innocent blood is shed to cover their nakedness. This symbolizes the fact, that one day, Someone (Jesus) would come and give his (innocent/sinless) life, to cover the sins of man. This is what being redeemed is all about. Of course there are many prophecies about the coming of this One (Jesus) who would provide the way for lost mankind to be saved. Isaiah, 750 years before Jesus came says, Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), (compare Matthew 1:18-23). Paul later wrote, But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship (Galatians 4:4-5). Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, was chosen by God. She was found with child of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18). Joseph, her husband was told by an angel, That which is conceived of her is of the Holy Spirit. call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins (Matthew1:20-21). This was done to fulfill the prophesy of Isaiah, (Matthew 1:22-23). While we are ahead of our story, let this first prophecy (Genesis 3:15) be your first link in the powerful chain that will bind you by faith to this GREAT SALVATION OF GOD. He is the master planner. He is the Master Craftsman, the Master Designer God is the CAUSE OF OUR REDEMPTION.

5 Questions on Lesson One 1. Why do you think Satan told his lie to Eve? 2. What does Satan hope to do to you through his lies? 3. What does sin do to us? (How does it make you feel?) 4. Can we hide from God? (How do you think it makes God feel when we try?) 5. What curses were pronounced as a result of sin entering the world? a. On Adam: b. On Eve: c. On the Serpent: 6. To whom does the first prophecy/promise, introduced in Genesis 3:15 refer as the One coming to the rescue of mankind and his sin problem? 7. The word Immanuel means what? a. How do you FEEL about this? 8. What was and is the mission of Jesus Christ? (Matthew 1:20-21) 9. Genesis 3:15 is the first in a powerful chain that will bind you by to this GREAT SALVATION OF GOD. 10. He (Jesus) Is the, the

6 Lesson Two - ABRAHAM: PROMISE OF A COMING SAVIOR The LORD had said to Abram, Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:1-3) These verses record the time God calls Abraham and makes seven important promises. (1) I will make you into a great nation (A reference to Israel), (2) I will bless you (Seen many times not only in Abraham s lifetime), (3) and make your name great (Throughout scriptures Abraham is a corner-stone statement, (4) you will be a blessing (Another translation says,..you will exemplify divine blessing ie Others will see how God blesses people in how he blesses you.) (5) I will bless those who bless you (6) I will curse those who curse you (7) and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. The last one is the most important since it refers to the coming of Messiah. It s important to see that ABRAHAM DIDN T PROMISE GOD ANYTHING, NOR DID HE TRY TO BARGAIN WITH GOD, HE SIMPLY OBEYED GOD BY FAITH. Genesis 12:4 says, So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him The writer of Hebrews says, By faith Abraham obeyed (Hebrews 11:8). It was this obedient faith which was accounted (credited) to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). How would God bless the world (heathens included) through Abraham? Look at Genesis 22, where God had put Abraham s faith to the test by telling him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham trusted God so much, that he was in the process of doing just that, but God stopped him at the last moment, (verses 9-14). In verses it says, The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me. Now, look at Romans 4:18-25, Paul says, Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, So shall your offspring be. 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why it was credited to him as righteousness. 23 The words it was credited to him were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was

7 raised to life for our justification. Paul said that the scriptures foretold that God was going to save the gentiles through faith and that this gospel (good news) was spoken to Abraham when God said, IN YOU SHALL ALL NATIONS BE BLESSED (Galatians 3:8). Paul recognized that God s promise to Abraham as the ONE prophecy of the coming of Christ, and the effect of His coming the salvation to both Jew and Gentiles, brought together in one body the church (Ephesians 1:23 and 4:4-6). Jesus Christ was the promised seed, that would come and break the hold of Satan on the world, (remember Genesis 3:15) and Galatians 3:16). THE PROMISE AND THE LAW OF MOSES The promise came first actually about 430 years before the Law of Moses was given at Mt. Sinai. Why this is so important will be seen soon. For now, just understand, that the Law of Moses does not make void the promise made to Abraham. Thus when the Old Law was fulfilled by Jesus (Matthew 5:17-18), the Promise ( and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you ) given to Abraham continues even today, because of Jesus! The effect of the promise (salvation), is not based on keeping (the) law perfectly (because we can t), but by faith (Romans 4) like Abraham. (We ll look more into the Law of Moses in the next lesson.) LAW AND PROMISE CAN RUN AT THE SAME TIME? If however, you have an OLD LAW (system) and NEW GRACE/FAITH (system) IN FORCE at the same time, you have dilemma You have to make a choice as to which you will follow. You cannot follow both. Christ came to deliver us from the curse of the law, (Galatians 3:13). Paul says in Galatians 3:26-29, For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized (immersed) into Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ s, then you are Abraham s seed, and heirs according to the promise. WOW! All those who are in Christ, are Abraham s seed (descendents) and heirs of something really great SALVATION!!! All the saved, are related brothers and sister in Christ. This levels everyone. No big wheels no little wheels. We do not choose our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we approve those chosen by Christ. John declares, And they sang a new song, saying, You (Jesus) are worthy to take the scroll, and open it s seals; For you were slain, And have redeemed us to god by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:9-10). Jesus paid the price. Not part of it, and leaving the rest for us to pay. He PAID IT ALL. You cannot join together a law/works system and a grace/faith system. You must choose one or the other. On second thought, there s really no choice because we are all sinners. Praise His name, because without His work, we are lost.

8 Questions for Lesson Two 1. Why is the promise made to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 so important? 2. True or False Abram tried to bargain with God so he would not have to leave his homeland. 3. How did God bless all nations through or because of Abraham? 4. In Romans 4:18-25 we find this verse, And not being weak in, he did not consider his own already (since he was about a hundred years old), and the of Sarah s. He did not at the promise of through, but was in, giving glory to God, and being that what He had He was able to In your opinion, what can we learn from this to apply to our lives? 6. Is our inheritance in Christ dependent on the Law of Moses or the Promise to Abraham? Galatians 3: Complete this verse, For you are all sons of through in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been into have. There is neither nor, there is neither nor, there is neither nor ; for you are all in. Galatians 3: Who is worthy to take the scroll and open the seals? Revelation 5: Who paid the price for our sins? 10. True or False We have to work hard to earn our salvation or maybe it s a 50/50 proposition?

9 CHAPTER THREE - THE LAW OF MOSES Somehow, the study of LAW just doesn t excite me. Some may enjoy it, and it s really not that bad. Actually it is pretty important to this whole thing. Trying to be saved by living it perfectly. That s the hang-up! The Law of Moses was actually given 430 years after God made his promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; Galatians 3:17). The importance of this will become clear. However, Law does three things (at least): 1.) Law PROVIDES, 2.) Law PROHIBITS and 3.) Law PROTECTS. Obviously this isn t bad. THE GENTILES (NON-JEWS) LOST Paul describes the situation it doesn t look good. Read Romans 1:18-32, and you will see all kinds of disobedience and sin mentioned and even though, (as Paul says),.. when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them (Romans 2:14-15). In other words Gentiles may not have the Law of Moses but they have enough knowledge of right and wrong, to be lost. They may have tried, by their own conscience, to live right, yet in God s sight lost. The law of conscience cannot save it condemns. THE JEWS LOST Romans chapter two comes to this conclusion They had the Law of Moses, as well as the Sacrifices, Temple, Priests, etc Paul says, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen (Romans 9:4-5). All this means is, that they were tremendously blessed, and yet. Lost. They were in this since, no better than the Gentiles The Law of Moses cannot save it condemns. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. But now apart from (separate from) the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through

10 faith in Jesus Christ (not law-keeping) to all who believe (trust God like Abraham). There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:20-23). PURPOSE OF THE LAW: TO REGULATE - NOT TO SAVE Paul said, Why, then, was the law (of Moses) given at all? It was added because of transgressions (sin) until the Seed (Christ) to whom the promise referred had come (Jesus). The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian (Galatians 3:19-25). Essentially, Paul is saying that LAW does not save it simply points out how sinful we are. Paul is again saying, ALL HAVE SINNED (Cf. Romans 32:23). The basic function of LAW (Regulations) are designed to (1) INDICT (2) CONVICT (3) PUNISH. Law is not designed to save anyone or anything. There is no sacrifice or atonement in law no Redeemer or Savior. For by law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20). The problem. Man could not LIVE UP to the standard of law. Law simply reveals the weakness and imperfection in mankind (ie SIN). Instead of law being a salvation bringer, Paul says Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole (Galatians 3:13). This is why Paul says, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God (Romans 7:4). This is why Paul says, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Gentiles were lost. Are you a Gentile? Then without Christ you are lost. Jews were lost. Are you a Jew? Then without Jesus (the Messiah) you are lost. Good news!!! Jesus came to seek and save the lost Paul said For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile (Romans 1:16).

11 Questions - Lesson Three 1. How long after God s promise to Abraham was given was it till the Law of Moses was given? 2. In the eyes of the Law (of Moses) the world was divided into two groups... what are they called? and. 3. In Romans 1 Paul speaks about the condition of the Gentiles, it was so bad that he says in verse 24 that... God them to... Now that you have filled in the blanks, tell me WHY do you think God would give up on anyone. 4. The Gentiles did not have the Law of Moses given to them, yet they were not without law. There are laws which are known without the Law of Moses. They had these, and even though they may have tried to keep them, they didn t. So what was the conclusion... were they saved or lost without Jesus? 5. Now the Jews, they HAD the written Law from God. Obviously they broke that, so what is their condition without Jesus? 6. Who is righteous in God s sight without Jesus? 7. Who can be justified by trying to keep LAW perfectly? 8. What was the main purpose of the Law according to Galatians 3:19-25? 9. Was Law designed to save anyone? 10. Who has redeemed us from the curse of the Law? 11. The gospel of Jesus is the power of God to do what for you and me? (Romans 1:16-17) Please jot down your thoughts and or questions which you would like addressed:

12 CHAPTER FOUR THE CROSS OF CHRIST Here is a new principle to consider. You can have FAITH IN YOUR HEART (mind) AND DOUBT IN YOUR HEAD both at the same time. Now, they don t co-exist for long, for one will eventually dominate and rule. The idea is not to make you comfortable with doubts, because a true truth searcher will be searching for answers. The process of searching finding the answers to your doubts, will serve to make your faith even stronger. On the other hand, if doubts are ignored, and allowed to remain unanswered they pile up and eventually faith is weakened and possibly destroyed. Yet you don t have to have all questions answered to become a Christian. It is REDICULOUS, the most far-fetched fantasy the most unbelievable, silly, foolish fiction one could ever HEAR IF IT WERE NOT TRUE!!! That God became a man, and lived a perfect life here on this earth, and was crucified on a Roman cross, and through the shedding of his blood, he provided the way of REDEMPTION FOR ALL MANKIND. Remember the principle, You can have faith in your heart and doubts in your head. The heart (emotions) wants to believe, while the head (mind, logical thought) wants to say, No way!!! That is why salvation is By grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Paul was a highly educated man, perhaps genius but he declared, For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (I Corinthians 1:18). Now follow carefully what Paul says, Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength (I Corinthians 1:20-25). This is amazing! (I know you may have questions feel free to ask.) Consider this But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him (I Corinthians 1:27-29). Ok, so God is wiser than we are. We know this. Obviously if we were going to plan on saving mankind, we would be stuck. We just wouldn t know where to start. But God He knew what to do. He knew what he had to do. He knew it would seem foolish to many, but he did it anyway He sent his Son, to die for mankind. His Son was raised from the dead Savior of the

13 world. Sounds crazy, but true! It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption (I Corinthians 1:30). Stop read this again, and just give it some time to sink in. Here are some Believe it or nots 1. God created the heavens and the earth! (Genesis1:1) 2. Noah built an ark when the earth was destroyed by a flood! (Genesis 6:14) 3. Abraham was told by God to leave his country and go where God wanted! (Genesis 12:1-4) 4. Israel marched around Jerico the walls fell down! (Joshua 6) 5. Jonah was three days in the belly of the fish and later went to preach in Nineveh! (Jonah 1) 6. The prophet Isaiah fore-told the virgin birth (of Jesus)! (Isaiah 7:14) 7. Jesus said his blood was to be offered for a new covenant, for the remission of sins! (Matthew 26:28) 8. Jesus death was on behalf of every person!!! (Hebrews 2:9) 9. Paul (the former persecutor of the church), was converted, and was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ (Galatians 2; Romans 1:16) This is a lot to take in! I know that. Trust me, there are many more believe it or nots. The logical, pragmatic, reasonable mind says, NO WAY! The heart says, YES! YES, you can have DOUBTS, QUESTIONS, in your head and FAITH in your heart. The more your faith grows, the more your doubts shrink. Faith, comes by diving into the word of God, reading, studying not giving up. Paul said, Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ (Romans 10:17). That is the purpose of this book, to bring you to FAITH, that will eventually consume and devour your doubts!!! THE CROSS MADE GOD RIGHTEOUS JUST The primary purpose of the cross was to uphold God s righteousness in forgiving sinful man. How could God be righteous and justify, forgive, sinful man and still retain his righteousness? How can the justice of God be true if he justifies sinful man? His righteousness should mean and does mean, that someone has to die. A price must be paid. If no price is paid, his righteousness is gone, because partiality has been shown. A sacrifice is needed JESUS. Paul says, Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:20-26).

14 The price has been paid!!! The debt has been erased!!! The sacrifice the terrible sacrifice has been made!!! Jesus made God righteous in saving man from sin. WOW! HE DIED FOR SIN WE DIE TO SIN Paul reveals how serious and grateful he is about his life in Christ when he said, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). It had been a drastic change for him, from persecutor to preacher, but he never regretted and never looked back. He was indebted to his Master who had died for him. Jesus spoke of this drastic change to Nicodemus, in terms of a new birth. The elements of this new birth, were water and Spirit (John 3:5). On the day of Pentecost, thousands gathered to celebrate, and were strangely drawn aside to hear some men speak about this Jesus! Less than two months earlier, they had witnessed his death on a cross. Now, these men were standing and speaking of his resurrection! They spoke with conviction, unashamed, and unafraid! Peter, taking the lead in speaking, presented the first Gospel sermon (Acts 2) and here are the results Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah. 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? 38 Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off for all whom the Lord our God will call. 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, Save yourselves from this corrupt generation. 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day (Acts 2:36-40). Two commands were given (1) Repent (or change your mind) and (2) be baptized (immersed). Two promises were given (1) Remission of sins and (2) the gift of the Holy Spirit. These believers experienced the new birth. Being born of water (baptism) and Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13), which is given to all Christians (Acts 2:39). This was the beginning of the church, which belongs to Jesus. Later, Paul would write, the churches of Christ salute you (Romans 16:16).

15 Lesson Four Questions 1. Faith and doubt cannot exist for long in the same heart, one is going to take over and this will determine a lot in your life. How would you rate yourself in regards to your faith and doubt about Jesus? (Circle one number and place an arrow underneath it to show which way you think you are moving) (doubt) (faith) 2. What is the most difficult thing for you to deal with in regards to Jesus? 3. Salvation is by through. Ephesians 2:8 4. Paul said... it pleased God through the of the preached to those who... I Corinthians 1: Paul said, We preach Christ, to the a stumbling block and the foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, the of God and the of God... I Corinthians 1: How was God made righteous and just in forgiving sinful man? 7. Fill in the blanks... I have been with Christ, it is no longer who, but Christ who in me, and the which I now live in the flesh I live by in the son of God who me and gave Himself for. Galatians 2:20 8. What did Jesus say Nicodemus had to do in John 3:3-5? 9. What two commands and what promised blessings were given in Acts 2:38? 10. What happened to three thousand people on Pentecost according to Acts 2: Please jot down your questions which when answered will help increase your faith.

16 CHAPTER FIVE - THE SIMPLE NEW TESTAMENT PLAN OF SALVATION (WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?) To the truth searcher, the one wanting to know what God s will for him is, this is the most important question. You may not understand everything about the Bible, but then neither did the 3,000 who responded to Peter in Acts 2. They just knew that they needed forgiveness of their sins, and they cried out What must we do?! (Acts 2:37). This is why we will not muddy the water with other things which so many think one must know. We can study those things later. Our concern is simply with whatever has anything to do with this all important question. For this reason, we have laid the foundation, showing how this plan of God (which He had in mind before time began (Ephesians 3:5-6) came into being. For sure the plan has more to it than do this or that, because it involves the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the blood of Christ which cleanses us from sin (Matthew 26:28; Romans 3:25; Romans 5:9 etc). Keep in mind, we will be studying SAVED BY GRACE in the next lesson. The reason is because so many think that when we speak of things we must do to be saved, that we are talking about EARNING OUR SALVATION. Not true! Obedience is not to be construed as earning. The 3,000 mentioned in Acts 2 which responded to Peter s message, and repented, and were baptized earned absolutely nothing. The received a gift of grace SALVATION and the HOLY SPIRIT. Let s begin The word Gospel comes from a Greek word which means good news. The Gospel does not involve countless rules and regulations. It is simple, and yet difficult, because it speaks of making a radical change in life. It calls on people everywhere, from every nation and tribe, to place their absolute trust, and allegiance in King Jesus!!! I hope you are about ready to do just that! The Gospel is ALL ABOUT WHAT GOD HAD DONE to save mankind. He CAUSED IT, DESIGNED IT, PLANNED IT, PURCHASED IT and REVEALED IT. All the believer has to do is RECEIVE IT. But how is this done? (Obviously) ONE MUST HEAR THE GOSPEL We are not trying to be overly simple, nor insulting. It does matter what is heard, because there are indeed many false teachers, teaching things which are just not so. This is why we ENCOURAGE you, to not believe someone just because they claim to be teaching the truth. It is up to you to study, and test what is being taught, to see if it is true or not. This includes the lessons being presented here. TEST IT! LOOK UP THE SCRIPTURES! Write down your questions and let s get some answers. Faith (trust) in God comes as you study God s word, and accept it s teachings. Paul said, And

17 how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! 16 But not all the Israelites accepted. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ (Romans 10:15-17). Some of Jesus last words (which have been recorded) are Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20 (compare Mark 16:15 and Luke 24). The reason for the emphasis is to show how disciples (followers/learners) are to spread the news to everyone. Teach new disciples to teach others etc Faith comes and grows through hearing and accepting and sharing with others what you have learned. FAITH/TRUST Hearing the good news will have one of two responses. Either one will accept (believe) it, or reject it. The choice is personal, and a heart thing. Judging is not allowed, neither is manipulation and coercion. Encouragement, warning and urging is ok, because this is what Peter did on Pentecost (Acts 2:40). Belief is synonymous with faith, and these are equal to trust. There is NO SUCH THING as Faith Only salvation. It is not taught in the scriptures. Even though there are many scriptures on faith. The faith spoken of in John 3:16; Romans 4 and other places is A FAITH WHICH IS SEEN IN ACTION. Look at Hebrews 11, and read the whole chapter and see what faith did. By faith Abel offered By faith Enoch was taken from this life By faith Noah built By faith Abraham obeyed By faith Moses chose By faith Israel passed through By faith the walls of Jerico fell. FAITH WAS THE POWER BEHIND THE ACTION! (No action no faith!) One will either express faith in action or reject faith, which will be seen in the actions of continued disobedience. James said, As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead (James 2:26). And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6). REPENTANCE/CHANGE OF LIFE DIRECTION To repent simply means to change your mind. Of course this will result in action as well. An unbeliever who repents, has come to believe and decided to change. It is hard to say which comes first, but we know both faith and repentance are very important to becoming a Christian.

18 The thief, quits stealing, the adulterer quits doing that, the murderer, quits murdering, the liar, quits lying. The thief begins to work for his money. The adulterer commits to faithfulness. The murderer, becomes a respecter and defender of life. The liar, becomes truthful. When we repent, we are repelled by the former way of life, even though there may be some inevitable consequences of a past life. Luke records in Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. There is no other time to do this, for the truth searcher than NOW! CONFESS JESUS AS YOUR LORD All who were called by Jesus, confessed him openly and without shame. This does not mean a disciple is perfect in this Peter is one which stands out as an example for this. You remember at the trial of Jesus, Peter denied Jesus three times (Matthew 26:34-35, 69-75). Peter repented in tears for sure. Then in John 21, Peter is restored. Later he openly stands up for Jesus, (Acts 2). BE BAPTIZED (IMMERSED) INTO UNION WITH CHRIST Baptism is simply a command (like all the other things mentioned here) of Christ. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16). Peter said, Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Phillip said, But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women (Acts 8:12). Cornelius was told by Peter, So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days (Acts 10:48). (Read the chapter and see that Peter had to be convinced that he was to not only speak to the Gentiles but teach them about Jesus!) The Philippian Jailor was told by Paul, He then brought them out and asked, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 They replied, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved you and your household. 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized (Acts 16:30-33). (The Jailor was told to believe, and then was told what to believe, and then was told to be baptized.) Saul (Paul) was told, And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name (Acts 22:16). Baptism is a command of Christ. It is an immersion in water, and yet there is nothing special

19 about the water itself. The key to all of this, is in a persona s willingness to surrender, and turn to Jesus, and obey and follow him. If Peter had told the multitude to Repent and clap your hands three times. And if Jesus had said this before then this would be easily understood by everyone. He didn t say this, he said, Repent and be baptized Paul says, Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his (Romans 6:3-5). Do you believe in Jesus? Are you ready and willing to turn from sin? Will you stand up for Christ and confess your faith? Then you are commanded (and encouraged) to be baptized! DO THIS TODAY. YOU WILL RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Acts 2:38-39; 5:32).

20 Questions - Lesson Five 1. The Gospel is ALL THAT GOD DID. He it, it, it, and it. All we have to do is it. 2. HEAR...Paul said, So then comes by, and by the Word of God. Romans 10:17 3. On Pentecost Peter preached the Gospel and 3000 responded and became Christian, but it all began with minds and hearts and for the truth. 4. FAITH...Faith is dead without. James 2:24 5. When James talks about works do you think he is saying we have to earn our salvation? 6. Like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Moses and Israel, who never earned anything by their actions, but their was the that created. 7. But without it is to him... Hebrews 11:6 8. REPENTANCE... Is God trying to make our lives miserable by requiring that we repent of our sins? Why do you feel this way? 9. Does God expect us to go back and undo all we have done or repent and start from where we are and go forward? 10.What leads on to repent according to 2 Corinthians 7:8-10? 11. CONFESS JESUS AS LORD... First century Christians often lost their because they confessed Jesus as. 12.If we confess Jesus is Lord before men, what will Jesus do? Matthew 10: BE IMMERSED INTO JESUS CHRIST...Is baptism necessary for salvation? List a scripture that proves this. Below, please list any questions you have on this chapter:

21 CHAPTER SIX SAVED BY GRACE WHY have a chapter on GRACE following a chapter on OBEDIENCE? Is OBEDIENCE opposed to GRACE? Good questions, which we intend to try and answer in this short chapter. First, some curious statements which dad made Do not believe in believing. Believe in God! Faith without proof of faith is dead according to James 2: Real or genuine faith is seen in obedience (Hebrews 11). Faith, must be firmly anchored in God and seen in actions. The important thing here is not how much faith you have, for it will grow it is the object of your faith. Do not believe in repentance, or confession or even baptism BELIEVE IN GOD! Trust in Him! He commands these things. that is good enough reason to support the doing. Without the faith and trust in God, all the other things are ineffective to say the least. Yet Paul says, we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF SALVATION IS BY GRACE. This means, everything God has done and does in saving man, is GRACE. Think about it God is not under ANY obligation, right? He is not in OUR DEBT, right? We are in debt to HIM! Even when we obey his commands HE IS NOT IN OUR DEBT! Because even our obedience is imperfect. Salvation the Christian walk, is not a 50/50 proposition! It is by ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF GRACE, (that) SALVATION IS RECEIVED BY (our) FAITH. IT IS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (God s) GRACE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (our) FAITH THAT BRINGS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT SALVATION. One is either saved or lost. There is no in-between ground. The Bible knows nothing of, kinda saved, sorta saved, probationary salvation, maybe saved, I hope I m saved systems. These come from a misunderstanding of GOD S GRACE. It stems from the belief that His grace is tiny, narrow, and almost not there. THIS IS AS ABUSIVE OF GRACE AS GOING TO THE OTHER EXTREME AND USING GRACE AS A LICENSE. To hear the Gospel, believe and embrace it s truths, and turn to Jesus from self and sin, confessing his name, and being baptized into Christ, are the simple terms of salvation offered by His grace. This obedience in no way EARNS SALVATION that just cannot be done! Paul said, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7). Why do people pit grace against what comes from grace? The Bible speaks of saving grace, singing grace, strengthening grace, praying grace, giving grace, forgiving grace, growing grace, powerful grace, wonderful grace amazing grace. We cannot buy it, earn it, or re-pay it. We can receive and stand in it that s it. God s plan of salvation, is a plan of grace. So why do people ask, If you have grace, can you have works? Paul says, For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). These are not, NOT, works of

22 merit but results of true faith, and love in and for Christ and the sacrifice on the cross which he provided. Grace is the MOTIVATOR. Grace is the INHIBITER (of going back into sin). Grace is ROOM TO MAKE MISTAKES, REPENT, AND GROW. Grace destroys guilt and motivate us to a life in Christ. Works (fruit) of righteousness are altogether different from works (of merit) which can be boasted about. Our works are the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).Jesus said, 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit fruit that will last and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you (John 15:5, 8, 16). CONVERSION: THE NATURE OF GOD IN MAN Conversion changes the nature of a person. God is enthroned Jesus becomes Lord the Holy Spirit dwells within and guides, guards, directs the life of the Christian. Yet the Christian still has the power of choice whether or not to follow the Spirit of God. Does an orange tree eat it s own oranges? Would an orange tree produce oranges, if no one ate them? So it is with the child of God He produces fruit (a life, actions, works), not from guilt, or threats of intimidation, but because it is his new nature! Attending the assembly of the saints, praying, giving, singing, studying the scriptures, being kind, loving, patient, long suffering, joyful, etc are products of the new nature not the result of a CHURCH PROGRAM. It is who (who s) we are, that we produce fruits of righteousness. It is the very purpose of the believer, and as he produces fruit, he is assured of even greater crops to come. SAVED! What a glorious sound. Redeemed, by the blood of the Lamb. Justified by a most marvelous grace of God. Born again, all things become new. All this and heaven as well. Now, find chapter seven on the chart provided with this e-book. Review: (1) Adam sinned prophecy of a coming Savior, (2) Abraham s call a promise of a coming Savior, (3) The Law of Moses given the need for a coming Savior, (4) The cross of Christ The sacrifice of the Savior, (5) Simple New Testament Plan of Salvation, (6) Saved by grace the ultimate gift of God; conversion the nature of God in man.

23 Lesson Six - Questions 1. In our lesson (and in the movie Amazing Grace ) John Newton, when he was old, almost blind and near death made this statement... My memory is almost gone, but I remember two things. I m a great and Christ is a great. 2. How many sins can Jesus forgive? 3. When He forgives our sins, does He hold them against us any more? 4. Many times people do not forgive... why do you think they do this? 5. Paul, a man who in his past, blasphemed, and had persecuted many Christians, causing them to be dragged from their homes, put in prison, and put to death, was forgiven. To him AMAZING was so sweet. Can you give me your thoughts on WHY you think Paul felt this way? (I Timothy 1:12-17) 6. Instead of Paul s life being ruined by guilt and self pity, what did Paul do with the Gospel of Jesus? 7. Is salvation a 40% our faith and 60% God s grace? If not, then what percentage is God s grace and what percentage is our faith? % and % 8. What are the five steps to becoming a Christian?,,,,. 8a. What were the two promises made to people on Pentecost? and. (Acts 2:38-39) 9. What does grace do for us? 10. When Christians sin, is there hope for them? (I John 1:5-10) Thank you for taking time time to go this far in your studies. It is our hope that your life is being blessed and will continue to be bless as you grow in your knowledge of God s word. Please write your thoughts or questions on this chapter below:

24 CHAPTER SEVEN THE CHURCH- THE FAMILY OF GOD Ok, let s establish one basic truth as foundational. THE CHURCH DOES NOT SAVE. THE CHURCH IS THE SAVED. Remember in Acts 2:38, 41, 47, that those who gladly received the words spoken by the apostle Peter, repented of their sins and were immersed into Christ, were forgiven and received the gift of God s Holy Spirit these were added to the church. This is God s church. It is not a building with a sign outside. It is the people who follow Jesus. Someone may build a building where people meet, but it s not their church. The saved don t go to church, the saved are the church. Now let s study the nature (make up) of the New Testament church. FAMILY OF GOD When you were born, you didn t waddle down to the waiting room and choose a family! Come on now.you were born into a family! When you are born again you are born into a family, God s family. God our Father has been adding people to His family since the day of Pentecost. He only adds those that are saved, (Acts 2:47). Paul says, but if I am delayed, I write so you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth, (I Timothy 3:15). While the church doesn t save, (Jesus saves), it is the FAMILY OF THE SAVED. The concept of family, is used to convey relationship which Christians are to have within the family of God. This is why Christians call each other brother and sister. BODY OF CHRIST Referring to the authority of Christ, Paul writes, And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way (Ephesians 1:22-23). In Ephesians 4:4 he says,. there is one body (This means that there is one church, which is his body.) This is not said to be offensive but to cause you to think. When a baby is born, does it matter which family he belongs to? Of course there s just one for that child the one he is born into.) Paul says in Ephesians 5:23, For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. The head (Christ), directs, and preserves, and instructs the body. The saved are members of that body the church. No building is as beautiful as that. Important!!! If you loose a member of your physical body, and the importance of each member becomes very apparent. Same with the church, the body of Christ.

25 KINGDOM (RULE) OF GOD Christians are children in His family, members of the body of Christ, are servants in His kingdom (under His Covenant rule). Paul says in Colossians 1:13, For he has rescued us from the dominion (RULE) of darkness and brought us into the kingdom (RULE) of the Son he loves (Colossians 1:13). It s important not only to note that we are put under His special rule, but that it is a rule of LOVE and GRACE. He loves His people tremendously, and continues to bless and forgive and help them. God is King, the church is His Covenant people, His word is the guide book. John says, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood (Revelation 1:5). (Thus not only is Jesus King of all kings He is especially the Christian s KING.) OTHER DESIGNATIONS FOUND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THE CHURCH (Colossians 1:18), THE KINGDOM OF HIS DEAR SON (Col. 1:13), CHURCH OF GOD (Acts 20:28; Galatians 1:13), CHURCHES OF CHRIST (Romans 16:16), BODY OF CHRIST (I Corinthians 12:27), FLOCK (Acts 20:28), BRIDE, THE LAMB S WIFE (Revelation 21:2,9), TEMPLE OF GOD (I Corinthians 3:16,17,19). IMPORTANT!!! Not one of these designations were used as an official name which the New Testament First century church had on a church sign. These designations all speak of who the saved ARE, and the RELATIONSHIP they have with Jesus and don t have with the world (eg. church = the called out ). IS THE CHURCH A DENOMINATION OR COMPOSED OF DENOMINATIONS? Well, the simple answer is NO and NO. There were no denominations back then. Just Christians, and they met in each others homes, (Acts 2:41-47). Jesus prayed for unity, (John 17:20-21), not division (I Corinthians 1:10). The word denomination refers to a particular group, with a particular name which sets that group apart from others. In Mathematics, it refers to the bottom number of a fraction, which is the amount of times the top number is to be divided into. Therefore, put all this into simple terms, the whole idea of DENOMINATIONALISM IS WRONG, (especially within the body of Christ, (I Corinthians 1:10-13)). We just want to be Christians, and meet where other Christians meet, how about you? When the early church was established on Pentecost, the first thing on the agenda in their business meeting was not the choose a NAME! or BUILD A BUILDING! Look at Acts 2:41-47 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.42 They devoted themselves to the apostles

26 teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Look in Acts 6, where the church chose spiritual men to help free the hands of the apostles to evangelize, by taking care of the needy within the church. Traditions, human regulations, names, organizations, robes, titles, creeds, are wrong, and hurt the Savior that died for us. ALL THEY DO IS DIVIDE. This also explains why people today are so confused, and or turned off at church. ALL DENOMINATIONAL NAMES ARE SIMPLY BARRIERS TO THE UNITY THAT JESUS PRAYED FOR AND SHOULD BE REJECTED. JUST BE A CHRISTIAN Why be a simple New Testament Christian? Planting the seed of the kingdom (Luke 8:11), the word of God, we learn: 1.) what the early church was, 2.) how they became disciples, 3.) their worship (which was pretty simple), 4.) their designations, and the relationship to Jesus and each other, 5.) their joy which came from grace, and 6.) their hope because they are the ones Jesus is coming again to take home to be with him. Why wouldn t you want to be a part of that? When we follow their examples, Jesus will add us to His Family, body, kingdom, church. Call yourself a Christian, (Acts 11:26). You won t be the only Christian, but you will be a Christian only. Then you meet with those who are in the family of God. SOUL WINNING NOT WHAT YOU DO, BUT WHAT YOU ARE! Say what?! A soul winner! Someone who shares their faith, in love, patience, example of changed life, gentleness, and kindness and concern. Why? Why not?! If Christ has changed your life why not share the good news with others? It is the natural outcome of becoming a Christian. Look in Acts 8:4 new Christians who were being persecuted for their faith by the way, went everywhere sharing Jesus with others. The church grew in a fantastic rate. This is fulfilling the love command of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, to go everywhere and share Jesus, make disciples of every nation. It is a world wide goal to reach everyone. Every believer is a sermon read by all they come into contact with. This affects your life, all of it, your family, your job, your play, your driving. It s not a game, not a social club where you make business contacts It is the saved of God.

27 Questions - Lesson Seven 1. What is the one basic truth is established as foundational in this lesson? 2. According to Acts 2:38, what were people told that they must do to be saved? and be for the of. 3. What gift is promised to those who do this? of the 4. What are some of the designations of the New Testament church? a.) b.) c.) d.) 4a. Which of these designations were used in the first century as an official church name? 5. If there is ONE body (of Christ) and that body is the church of which Christ is head, how many churches are there in the New Testament? 6. (Thought question) What does that say about the religious division that exists today? 7. What did Jesus pray for as mentioned in this lesson? 8. What designation was used of those who were followers of Christ? (Acts 11:26) 8a. By the way, there are other designations, like disciples brethren Why? 9. What do we learn from the seed (Word of God) as mentioned in this lesson? a.) b.) c.) d.) e.) f.) g.) 10. What should a Christian do with the message of Jesus? 11. (Thought question) Where should a Christian seek to worship?

28 CHAPTER EIGHT THE BROTHERHOOD (RELATIONSHIP OF CHRISTIANS) IN CHRIST Paul says in Galatians 3:28, There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If this were modernized it might read, In Christ all the barriers, and prejudices are gone. There are to be no Jew and non-jew sides, no racial divisions, no social class differences. Christians are one in Jesus. So it is time to nail this down the brotherhood of Christ, belongs to Christ, no one else. The church was founded as a result of the work of Christ, and built to accomplish (carry on) His work here on earth. Becoming a part of the brotherhood of Christ means belonging to Him, united together in the work and mission of Jesus. Becoming one with Christ, we therefore become one with each other in the fellowship of the saved, (Ephesians 2:14-22; 5:23). Obedience does not change the gift aspect of this relationship, nor does spiritual growth and evangelistic effectiveness. Whatever we do in Christ to further the work and accomplish the mission of Christ is BECAUSE of Jesus. Every single member of the saved community of Christ is the recipient of the gift of grace. (1) Brotherhood in Christ is a PRESENT REALITY, (2) Brotherhood in Christ is created by God, thus a divine reality, (3) Everyone is equal in Christ. The saved community is the creation of God, and all within are equal just saved people in the Lord. No big wheels, and charter members don t elevate We don t vote on someone coming into the brotherhood to see if they are good enough, or worthy, because none of us are. The love we share for each other, is simply because of the love that Jesus has for each individual. So, as surely as Christ has not loved us because of skin color, bank accounts, houses we live in, the jobs we may have, or the status we have in the community each Christian is bound to love the brotherhood the same way. WE APPROVE THE CHOICE OF CHRIST, WHO BY HIS REDEEMING WORK, HAS CHOSEN US ALL AND BROUGHT US INTO BROTHERHOOD. CHRISTIANS ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF WHO IS IN OR OUT JESUS IS! Human love and human mutual acceptance and human mutual interest in spiritual things is not enough. Human love and acceptance, loves and receives people for their own sake. Loving in Christ means we love people for Christ s sake. As surely as Christ did not choose on the basis of skin color or social status or moral performance our brotherhood with Him, is not based on race, color, or moral performance. Peter says, Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor (I Peter 2:17). Here he is pointing in four directions, (1) towards God, (2) towards those that are without, (3) towards earthly rulers, (4) and towards the brotherhood of Christ.

29 Now that you are a believer, one who s every sin is washed away, and one who s every sin will be forgiven in grace by his blood; you have brothers and sisters all over the world. From every nation, and tribe on earth. You are part of a world wide body, church, family, of God in Christ Jesus. Brotherhood is not a dream, a wish, a hope, a goal for which we strive. It is a present reality. Something to be enjoyed, and preserved by exercising love and patience, and applying the grace of God to each other. Honor your rulers but LOVE THE BROTHERHOOD. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

30 Questions - Lesson Eight 1. What should not exist within the brotherhood of Christ? 2. Who does this brotherhood belong to? 3. Thought question: Why is it important that there be no prejudice within the brotherhood? 4. When we become a part of the brotherhood of Christ we become united in the and of Jesus. 5. Does obedience to Christ change the idea that salvation is a gift? 6. True or False In Christ women and non-whites are inferior. 7. True or false In the brotherhood of Christ what matters most is your social standing in the community, and the amount of money you have. 8. In Christ we are to be the of the world and the of the earth. 9. What kind of changes do you think will come to your life, when you give your life to Jesus? 10. How would you feel if you became part of the brotherhood of Christ? Please write any questions you have below which you would like answered:

31 CHAPTER NINE HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKS IN THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN TODAY The news of Jesus had been preached to the multitude that was already in Jerusalem to worship God. Some or many of them had been crying out for the blood of Jesus a month and a half before. They had watched as He was beaten, spit on and mocked, and made to carry His cross. They had seen Him nailed to the cross and raised up, naked and wounded and left to die for all to see. They had heard Him cry out, O God, why have you forsaken me? They had stood, watched, some laughed and others mocked. He died. Raised again the third day, now they must deal with their guilt. Convicted by Peter, who tells them what they had done he continues and tells them what they MUST do to be saved. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins Acts 2:38. However, there is more promised besides FORGIVENESS OF SINS. The gift of the Holy Spirit, now a reality, given to all who are followers of Jesus, Acts 2:39. In Acts 5:32 the writer says, And we (Peter and the apostles) are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. Jesus of course had promised the Spirit even before His death, (John 7:37-39). After all, the new birth (John 3) is one that involves water and Spirit. The water referred to here of course is immersion in water, and that of the Spirit is referring to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit then comes to live in us and we become body, soul and spirit beings. The early church did not have the New Testament. It was being written, letter by letter, to CHURCHES and INDIVIDUALS. When one was baptized, they were not given a copy of the New Testament with Best wishes written on the inside. Each Christian received the gift of God s Spirit, literally living within them. Thus their bodies had become temples of the Holy Spirit I Corinthians 6: But what is the work of the Holy Spirit today in the life of the Christian? Well, the same as in the First Century, the Spirit had then and has now a definitive work to do. THE HOLY SPIRIT BINDS US TO THE BODY OF CHRIST Paul writes, For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink (I Corinthians 12:13). We know the body of Christ is the saved, the church of God. We have learned that our entry into that body is the time we are born again of water and Spirit. Immersion in water is visible while being born of the Spirit is not, but it is just as real. Thus we are bound to the body of Christ with this new birth.

32 THE HOLY SPIRIT THE SEAL MEANS YOU ARE MINE This section may be a bit repetitive, but it won t hurt to look at it. As believers, We are bought with a price (I Corinthians 6:20), and that price of course is the blood of Jesus, (Acts 20:28). Just as God dwelt in the Old Testament tabernacle, which signified, This is My place, and you are My people, now He dwells in the Christian (His temple), (I Corinthians 6:19-20). This indwelling is the mark setting the Christian apart from the rest of the world (the lost), as one who now belongs to God. The Christian becomes Holy Ground, (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22). So, You belong to Me is the idea here. It is easy to fall from a legalistic system, but not from a relationship. THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US OVERCOME THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH Sin will always be a part of our lives, (Romans 7:18). The Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts (Acts 5:32). Yet, flesh (lusts/pride) and Spirit are pulling in opposite directions, always in conflict, (Romans 7:15-24). As strong as the pull of the flesh is, the influence of the Spirit in our lives as a paraclete (Greek for helper ) is greater. He is our Friend in time of need, comforter that makes us strong and bold. When we are born again we are made spirit beings as a direct result of the Spirit s part in the birth, and since this is so, we are given His Divine nature, (2 Peter 1:2-3). So now we are not by ourselves in dealing with sin. His prompting and leading in our lives gives direction and help in dealing with sin. We often pray guard, guide and direct us, right? Well, either He does or He doesn t. We believe in fact that He does. THE ONE YOU SURRENDER TO, WILL RULE. THE ONE YOU HEED WILL LEAD. THE ONE YOU SERVE, WILL BE YOUR MASTER, (Romans 8:5-9). Yield to the Spirit and he will help you overcome the flesh and its power. THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US PRAY Read Romans 8: Powerful verses right? There are many times when we are trying to pray, and we manage to express some of our thoughts and feelings but then what about those things that we really have a hard time with. Things too deep to put into words. Good news! The Spirit of God expresses them for you. He lives in you, so He knows your feelings, and expresses them to God. The most primitive prayer, the most inadequate words, are taken by the Spirit and expressed in words that are true expressions of your feelings and presented to the Father. The most withered and impotent cries, are heard with urgency and importance. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE THE POWER OF OUR RESURRECTION Paul says, You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

33 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8:9-11). That is powerful. The Holy Spirit works in the lives of the Christian, not only now, but even when we pass from this life. Now, I will pause here to say this. The study of the Holy Spirit can hardly be covered in one or two short lessons. I would not want to have you think that I know it all or that this is all there is. There is much more. We are offering a free e-book on this web site, The Holy Spirit How He Works In The Life Of The Christian. Feel free to take advantage of this free offer, for a deeper study of this subject.

34 Questions - Lesson Nine 1.) Have you done what Peter told the multitudes on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38? Yes No If not, may we help you in becoming a part of the church, the body of Christ today? Yes No If No, would you clarify your reason? 2.) Which one of the PROMISES mentioned to those on the day of Pentecost thrill you the most? (Acts 2:38-39) (Both is OK!) Why??? 3.) Does God s Spirit dwell in the Christian? How do we know? 4.) What is so important about what Paul says in I Corinthians 6:19-20 (What are your thoughts here?) 5.) I have mentioned only five of many things that the Spirit does for the Christian in this lesson, which one means the most to you? Why? 6.) When you have His Spirit, who do you then belong to? 7.) Fill in the blanks THE ONE YOU TO, WILL YOU. THE ONE YOU WILL. THE ONE YOU WILL BE YOUR. 8.) What do you think about the statement in #7? 9.) What will the Holy Spirit do at the resurrection? 10.) Do you want to learn more about God s Holy Spirit? Please write what questions or thoughts you have below:

35 CHAPTER TEN - BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT It is VERY IMPORTANT to have this chapter included here. The final instruction concerning the Holy Spirit is given in Ephesians 5:18, Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. While drinking wine to the excess will take away one s mind, and Paul prohibits this, he on the other hand, encourages, If you are going to be filled with (controlled by) anything, be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit. Drunkenness is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19). Too much wine (drunkenness) leads to works of the flesh. As far as I can tell, one cannot get enough of the Holy Spirit, which leads to more and more fruit of the Spirit. Paul says, Don t quench the Spirit s influence in your life (I Thessalonians 5:19). And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). If I am not to quench the Spirit or grieve the Spirit, what am I to do? BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. This is not a suggestion, and it is not really an option for the Christian. This is not an alternative lifestyle. This is a COMMAND. Now the reason why this is an important chapter is, because we are not commanded to receive the gift of the Spirit (Acts 2:39). We are PROMISED that we will receive the gift of the Spirit. Yet commanded to be filled with, controlled by, the Spirit. (1) This command is an emphatic imperative which should be literally translated, BE BEING KEPT FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. It is present and on-going. While we all receive the Spirit as a gift (Acts 2:39, 5:32), we are to continually allow the Spirit to control, and fill our lives. (2) This command is for each and every Christian. It was not just for the apostles, elders, deacons. Paul was not converted along with the 3,000 on the day of Pentecost. Frankly we don t know where he was. However, we are assuming he was there since it was a big day for the Jews. The Gentile Christians of Ephesus were not there either. Yet this command is for all Christians. (3) This command is in the present. Continue to be filled with the Spirit. You eat food every day allow the indwelling Spirit to feed, nurture and nourish you every day. The Spirit will lead and feed your spiritual nature. (4) This is a command to be obeyed. Yet in the obedience, it is important to understand the motive behind it all. TO GROW IN CHRIST!!! Guilt, coercion, manipulation are not there. JUST GROW IN CHRIST!!! God will be praised, and the Spirit will continue to make and form Christ in you. Just like it is hard to hide when a person is stoned, falling down drunk it is hard to hide when your life is under the control, filled by the Spirit.

36 Chapter Ten (A few) Questions 1. According to Paul, it is better to be filled with the as opposed to getting drunk on wine. Why? 2. What is another phrase which can be substituted for be filled with the Spirit? 3. Why is it important for the Christian to be filled (controlled by) the Spirit of God? Please write down your questions which you have from this chapter:

37 CHAPTER ELEVEN - TODAY IS THE DAY OF (YOUR) SALVATION Redeemed how I love to proclaim it, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed through His infinite mercy, a child and forever I am REDEEMED! Recently I (dad) stood by the grave of FRANCIS JANE CROSBY, the author of that marvelous song. She went on to write, I know I shall see in His beauty, the King in who s law I delight; who lovingly guardeth my footsteps, and giveth me songs in the night REDEEMED! Paul declares, For he says, In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Take out your calendar look for yesterday or tomorrow. Would a, could a, should a are not words found in the dictionary. Giving your life to Jesus, is strictly a PERSONAL DECISION YOUR DECISION. Accepting and trusting in Jesus is not something your loved ones can do for you. It is your decision. It affects everything and more it affects your eternity. The express purpose of this little book is to lead those looking for a personal relationship with Jesus, to do just that. Please, DO NOT IGNORE POSTPONE DELAY this! Easily, this is the most important decision you will make. Do it now! Questions: (1) Do you believe Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) the Son of God? ( ) YES ( ) NO (2) Are you now lost, a sinner, without the cleansing blood of Jesus in your life? ( ) YES ( ) NO (3) Are you ready to turn from your life of sin and follow Jesus, depending on his Grace? ( ) YES ( ) NO (4) Are you ready to speak openly of your faith in Jesus? ( ) YES ( ) NO If you have answered YES to these questions, then you are ready to complete this process, and be born again by being born or water and Spirit, in baptism. As Saul (Paul) was told, And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name (Acts 22:16). Say YES to God, YES to Jesus Do what Paul did! Do what the 3,000 did on Pentecost! Do what Eunuch of Ethiopia, Cornelius, the Samaritans, the Philippian Jailor all did! Be buried by baptism into His death, and be raised as Jesus was to new life, (Romans 6:3-6). TODAY IS YOUR DAY! Question? What about my parents who have died and were not baptized? Your parents/ grandparents, were honest, right? They did the best they could, right? They are in the hands of a merciful God who understands this. If they could come back and speak with you right now, would they encourage you to do what the Bible says? ( ) YES ( ) NO It is still your day, your opportunity to be saved. Do this today!

38 Questions Chapter Eleven 1. Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? What does this mean to you? 2. Do you consider yourself a person who now is lost? What does this mean to you? 3. Are you ready to turn from your sins, and follow Jesus as your Lord? What does this mean to you? 4. Are you ready to stand up for Jesus? What does this mean to you? 5. Are you ready to put Jesus first, and be immersed for the remission of sins into a relationship with Jesus? What will this mean to you? Can we make arrangements today to have this done? 6. If you answered No Please give your reason(s). Please write questions you have after studying this chapter below:

39 CHAPTER TWELVE - HEAVEN ETERNAL HOME OF THE REDEEMED Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. 2 My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? (John 14:1-2) The Revelation written by John describes Heaven more fully Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth He will wipe every tear from their eyes There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away I am making everything new Come I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are it s temple Then the angel showed me the river of the waters of life No longer will there be any curse (Revelation 21 and 22). HEAVEN IS A PLACE Jesus said, I go and prepare a place for you (John 14:1-2). Shut your eyes and picture your house, the one you live in now. IT IS A PLACE. Literal or not, heaven is a place prepared for the redeemed ALL OF THEM. If you think this earth is beautiful, from the wonder of the morning light, or the glow of the sunset across the horizon just try and imagine how beautiful heaven must be. Hard to imagine but Heaven is real a PLACE. HEAVEN IS A PERSON God will be there. Jesus will be there. The Holy Spirit will be there. IN PERSON. All the redeemed from all of history will be there! The Apostles, Prophets, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and on and on you can go ALL WILL BE THERE! How? I don t know. I just want to be THERE. Dad sold what he called, our old homestead after his mother and dad passed away. It just wasn t the same without them being THERE IN PERSON. I had the same feelings when mom and dad passed away in It was so very sad, so very hard to even go through their house, their things which were no longer needed. I wanted to pick it all up and hold it but they were not THERE. But, I know where they are waiting for that special day of reunion. HEAVEN IS A PERSON. HEAVEN IS ME I m going there. How do I know? Is it because I am so good? No! Is it because I followed Him perfectly? Certainly No! It is because of His grace, and His PROMISE. I stand on those promises, and in His grace. I sing about those promises, and one day when the coffin is filled, I will realize and receive those promises. He is faithful that promised! (I Corinthians 1:9). Heaven is me in prospect and promise. Glory to God! (The adventure is not over yet!)

40 Questions Chapter Twelve 1. What has Jesus gone to do? 2. Describe from Revelation, what will and won t be there. 3. Heaven is a. What does this mean to you? 4. Heaven is a. What does this mean to you? 5. Heaven is. What does this mean to you? 6. Do you believe Jesus is faithful in keeping his promises to prepare a place for you? 7. How badly do you want to go to heaven? 8. Are you ready to obey what Jesus said, and be saved today if you have not done so? 9. If you said No, then what ONE THING is holding you back? Please write down your questions and concerns which you have after studying this chapter:

41 CHAPTER THIRTEEN GEHENNA THE FINAL PLACE OF THE WICKED AND LOST GEHENNA is a Greek word which is all but GOOD! I don t like it! I don t like reading about it! I encourage all to avoid it (and everyone can avoid it by God s grace). If heaven is a real place, so is hell. If heaven is NOT real, then one cannot believe in Hell. You can t have one and not the other. Gehenna came from the name of a valley outside Jerusalem, owned by Hinnom (Hebrew). Eventually this valley became a sewage dumping place (or land fill ) for city refuse. It burned day and night, worms and maggots devoured the rotting flesh of animals and even the poor and wretched of mankind. Jesus chose to use this word to describe the place for the Devil and his angels. He used the word 12 times and included those who hate their brother (Matthew 5:22). Jesus condemned the city of Capernaum and said, And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades (Hell)(KJV). For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day (Matthew 11:23). Jesus also said, If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell (Matthew 18:8-9). Jesus spoke of this place as a place where the worms do not die, and fire does not go out. It is a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Hell is a place AWAY from the presence of God! Jesus said, I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him (Luke 12:4-5). (Now you see why I don t like this chapter!) Jesus offers joy, peace, forgiveness, grace, love, blessings, as well as HEAVEN. Why be lost?

42 Questions Chapter Thirteen 1. I do not like this chapter why do you not like this chapter? 2. What does Gehenna refer to? 3. Describe hell. 4. Who is hell designed for in the first place. 5. Why did Jesus condemn the city of Capernaum? 6. What do you think Jesus means when he says, If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell (Matthew 18:8-9). 7. Hell is a place where God is NOT there What does this mean to you? 8. I know you don t want to go there. Let s go now and baptize you into Jesus Christ! Please write down your questions which come to mind from studying this chapter:

43 A PERSONAL NOTE FROM DAD My Dear Friend, This book would be incomplete without this personal note. I wanted to close it with a few thoughts from my heart to yours. Right now, HEAVEN AND HELL seem a long way off. Even the word tomorrow is not too realistic. We live TODAY. When I was a young minister, I brought a coffin (a real coffin) into the church building for a Sunday morning service. It was a TERRIFIC ILLUSTRATION. It was empty and it represented many truths. IT ILLUSTRATED LIFE, for the coffin, you and I will be in, IS EMPTY. IT REPRESENTED SALVATION, for the empty coffin still offers us the invitation of Christ. Behold I stand at the door and knock. Open the door and I will come in and abide with you (Revelation 3:20). IT PORTRAYS TIME, remaining. Time to say YES! Time for the fallen Christian to repent (Revelation 3:14-20). Time yet to have your sins washed away! (Acts 22:16). Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The (your) coffin is still empty, and Judgment is not yet. When will that day be? When will the coffin be filled? TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION YOUR SALVATION. Say Yes to God! Crown Jesus as your Lord. Judgment will be no more, for heaven will be your home. Love you, (Signed) Jack Exum (Mom and Dad)