KEY SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

Transcription

1 Key Spiritual Truths Add l. Study A KEY SPIRITUAL TRUTHS Because all spiritual truth is important, it is hard to speak of key spiritual truths. But these have been selected as a foundation to your Christian growth. If you do not understand these truths, you will not make much progress with the rest of the Bible. These seven lessons deal with key truths concerning the relationship between God and man. They begin with the existence of God and His love for us. Then they cover the fall of man because of the first sin and God s solution for that fall through the sacrifice of His Son for our sins. The fifth lesson explains our need to respond to the gift of forgiveness that God offers us. Lesson 6 highlights the fact that we are saved by faith alone and not by good deeds; lesson 7 explains the eternal relationship we have with God if we have Christ in our lives. This study can be used by Christians as a foundation for their faith and by those who are sincerely seeking to learn about God. Instructions This Bible study can be used independently, but we highly encourage you to do it with a few other people because we learn so much from others. Each week has seven daily lessons on a common theme. The reading for Day 1 of each week (in bold italics) should be discussed in the study group. The remaining lessons are for personal study. 1 st Week During your small group meeting the first week: 1. Read aloud the introduction and Week 1 comments, Existence of God, found on page 3. Discuss these comments before reading the Bible verses for Day Read aloud the verses for Day 1 (in bold italics) on page 7, make observations, and discuss the meaning of the verses. 3. Finally, discuss how to apply these verses to your lives. An illustration of this method is given below. (See Example for Day 1.) During the remainder of the week, study the daily verses on your own, using the method of observing, interpreting, and applying. Record what you are learning each day. This will make it easier to share with others at the next meeting and will also help you remember what you are learning. To maintain a close walk with God, spend time daily with Him in His Word. 2 nd and Following Weeks During the small group meeting the second week: 1. Spend the first half of the time sharing how you each applied the lessons of the past week to your life. 2. During the second half of your time together, discuss the comments for the coming week s lesson, and read aloud the verses for Day 1 of that week ( in bold italics), then discuss them together. Again, during the remainder of the week, study the daily verses on your own. Page 1 of 8

2 Add l. Study A Key Spiritual Truths Example for Day 1 As you read the Scripture for each day, use this pattern of study: Observe What does the Bible say? For example, notice in the Genesis creation story that God creates everything (chapter 1). He also creates how it will all work together by establishing the support structures first. Interpret What does the Bible mean? This suggests that God is very thorough in all that He does. No small detail goes overlooked. Apply What truths can I put into practice, and what changes should I make? If I can see God s detail on a mega-scale, can I also appreciate that He is aware of and can handle the details of my life as well? Some days may have only a few verses to read, while other days may have a chapter. Whatever the reading may be, take time to think about the passage and how it applies to your life. As you study, allow the Holy Spirit to lead you into a greater understanding of God. And this can be helped by sharing what you are learning with others. Paul instructed Timothy: The Challenge The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2). Anything that does not reproduce dies out. Therefore, it is not enough for you to gain a deeper relationship with God. For Christ s church to grow, believers need to faithfully plant the seeds of faith in others as well. The Good News must not stop with you. God wants you to reproduce spiritually by introducing others to faith in Christ and helping them grow in their faith. At the very beginning of the study, we strongly urge each person to commit to helping others go through the study. These others might be your own family, your friends, or co-workers. You can start such a group anytime you feel comfortable with the material you have already learned. You don t have to wait until the end of the study. Enjoy the Bible study! May the Lord bless you greatly, and may He use you to help others grow in their relationship with Him CCCI All rights reserved. Reprints of unchanged studies allowed. Contact: trulyfollowingjesus@ccci.org Page 2 of 8

3 Key Spiritual Truths Add l. Study A BRIEF COMMENTS ON KEY SPIRITUAL TRUTHS The Bible is an infinite source of wisdom regarding God and how He wants us to live. No one can ever master the Bible because the Holy Spirit keeps applying it in creative ways to our lives as we study it. However, certain truths are foundational to an eternal relationship with God. This study focuses on these truths. Our prayer is that this study will lead you into a deeper relationship with God. WEEK 1 Existence of God People try to come up with many explanations and proofs for and against the existence of God. God presents one overwhelming piece of evidence creation. God has also given man an inner sense of His existence his conscience. The scientist Pascal once said, There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator through His Son Jesus Christ. So read what God has to say about His existence, and let the Holy Spirit work in your heart. WEEK 2 God s Love for Us It may be difficult for you to feel that God loves you, particularly when things go wrong. Or you may not appreciate God s love when He disciplines you. But God does love you. He tells you so, and He demonstrated it by sending His own Son to take the punishment for your disobedience. May these words from Scripture encourage your faith to see God as your loving Father. WEEK 3 Fallen Nature of Mankind Nearly everyone knows that people do not live up to God s standard. The problem is that they think God grades on a scale. They think they don t have to be perfect, but just avoid failing somehow. In reality, God grades on a pass/no-pass system. The only way to get a passing grade based on our own performance is to make no mistakes, which is impossible for humans. It only took one act of disobedience by Adam and Eve to condemn them and consequently the whole world to death. WEEK 4 Jesus Christ Is God s Only Provision God told Eve that her offspring would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). This was the first promise of a Redeemer who would save mankind from the consequences of sin. Seven hundred years before Christ s death, the prophet Isaiah gave a beautiful picture of His death on the cross as a payment for our sins! Jesus said that no one can come to the Father except through Him. Acts 4:12 tells us, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Jesus is God s only provision. Salvation is through faith, not works. WEEK 5 Our Need to Respond Forgiveness of our sins is not based on simply knowing about Christ. It is based on a personal decision to accept Christ s payment to believe that He is the Son of God and that He took the punishment for our sins. Our response is prompted by the Holy Spirit and is not by our choosing. Jesus made it clear that we do not choose Him. He chooses us (John 6:44, 65; 15:16, 19). We need to respond and give Him control of our lives so we may live in a way that pleases God. Page 3 of 8

4 Add l. Study A Key Spiritual Truths Perhaps you have never established a personal relationship with Christ. He promised, Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me (Revelations 3:20). You need to surrender your life and invite Him to come in. Prayer is one way to express your faith in Jesus. Here is a suggested prayer: Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen. If this prayer truly expresses the desire of your heart, then Christ will come in just as He promised. But remember, it is your faith in Christ and what He has done for you that saves you, not this or any other prayer. WEEK 6 We Are Saved by Grace, Not by Works The cross of Jesus Christ divides the world. On one side are those who believe that Jesus paid the price for their sins through His death on the cross. On the other side are all those who try to earn their forgiveness through good works or at least hope their good works outweigh their bad works. This includes believers of every other religion as well as many of those who call themselves Christian. The Bible makes it very clear that salvation is a gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ. And that faith does not come from ourselves, but is also God s gift. We have nothing to boast about! As James 2:14-26 explains, when we have genuine faith in Christ, it will be demonstrated by our deeds. WEEK 7 Our Eternal Relationship with God Jesus promised that nothing can separate us from Him. His Father gave us to Him, and no one can snatch us out of God s hand (John 10:28-29). That seems clear. Yet we have verses in Hebrews 6:4-12 and 10:26-39 that warn us about falling away. Can something happen that causes us to lose our salvation? It is difficult to explain the answer to this question in a few short paragraphs when Bible scholars have debated it for two thousand years, but let s give it a try. First, let s review the big picture. It is clear from Genesis to Revelation that we can do nothing to earn our salvation. God tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9 that our faith is a gift because He does not want anyone boasting. But if we could keep our salvation by not doing something wrong, surely that would give us reason to boast. So the idea of losing our salvation through disobedience or lack of good deeds simply does not fit with the rest of Scripture. In fact, the Apostle Paul became angry and perplexed with the Galatian church when the people went back to obeying the law of circumcision. He told them that they could not be saved by trying to maintain obedience to the law. (See Galatians 2:15-16.) So how do we explain these passages in Hebrews? Here is an explanation that seems consistent with the rest of biblical teaching: Hebrews 6:4-12 No one should think he can fall away from the faith, then renew his commitment at a later time when it is more convenient for him. That s like crucifying Christ all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace. It doesn t work that way. If you have accepted Christ, you need to keep growing in Him. If you don t keep growing, you should carefully examine yourself to see if you are truly a believer. (See footnote below for further explanation.) Page 4 of 8

5 Key Spiritual Truths Add l. Study A Hebrews 10:26-39 This passage is a serious warning to anyone who hears the gospel of Christ and continues to live in sin, whether he is a non-believer or a believer. In either case, the person should expect consequences for disobedience to God. A non-believer has nowhere else to turn for forgiveness, so he will receive the expected punishment. The believer should expect severe discipline from the Lord, even leading to physical death. Let s take this from the theological level to the personal level. The course of action is the same whether you think you cannot lose your salvation, or you think you can. The writer of Hebrews strongly encourages you to keep growing in your faith and not become complacent. Anyone who thinks he is a Christian, but is coasting along, should examine himself. Has he truly accepted Christ s death as payment for his sins? If so, he should repent and start growing. He should heed the warning that God disciplines those who are truly His. If he is without God s discipline, he should seriously examine himself, because a lack of the Lord s discipline strongly signals that he is not truly God s son (Hebrews 12:8). The person who continues to sin, counting on some earlier decision in his life, may find he was never really a Christian at all! Jesus said many will be in this category (Matthew 7:21-23). The Bible speaks of the hope we have. This hope is simply an expression of the faith that saves us in the first place. A Christian who perseveres to the end of his life verifies his salvation and makes his hope sure. Let s follow the advice Paul gave to the Colossians: So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord [by faith], continue to live in Him [by faith] (Colossians 2:6). Your eternal relationship with God is not based on obeying all the laws. It is based on your faith that Christ s death on the cross paid for your sins. If you start to live by the law (instituted rules) instead of by faith (trust in God), you will probably begin to have doubts. No one can obey the law perfectly. Footnote: There are three major interpretations of Hebrews 6:4-12: 1. Some people believe a Christian can lose his faith. They also believe he can find it again, which this passage clearly says is impossible. The people who believe this way are called Arminians. 2. Some believe the writer is speaking of non-believers who think they are believers. The description of people who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit makes it difficult to believe they are not believers. 3. Some believe the writer is setting up a hypothetical situation: If it were possible for a believer to fall away and lose his salvation (which is impossible), then he could not be restored because he would have to crucify Christ all over again and subject Him to public disgrace anew. This study takes the viewpoint of the third interpretation because all Scripture says salvation is a gift of God and warns of God s discipline as a loving Father if we do not grow in obedience CCCI All rights reserved. Reprints of unchanged studies allowed. Contact: trulyfollowingjesus@ccci.org Page 5 of 8

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7 Key Spiritual Truths Add l. Study A KEY SPIRITUAL TRUTHS Week 1 Existence of God Day 1 God s Work of Creation Genesis 1:1 2:3 Day 2 The Heavens Declare Psalm 19:1-6; 89:5-8; 97:6 Day 3 God s Invisible Qualities Clearly Seen Romans 1:18-20 Day 4 God Reigns Isaiah 40:12-31 Day 5 The Lord Speaks to Job Job 38:1 40:5; 42:1-6 Day 6 Jesus Is God in the Flesh John 1:1-18 Day 7 We Must Believe He Exists Hebrews 11:6 Week 2 God s Love for Us 1. He Gave His Son John 3:12-17; Romans 5: God Is Love and Enables Us to Love 1 John 4: His Love for Those Who Fear Him Psalm 103: God Keeps His Covenant of Love with Nehemiah 1:1-11; Deuteronomy 7:7-11 Those Who Love and Obey Him 5. Examples of God s Unfailing Love Psalm 107: Nothing Can Separate Us from God s Love Romans 8: God Disciplines Those He Loves Hebrews 12:1-13 Week 3 Man s Fallen Nature 1. The Fall of Man Genesis 3: Sin Entered the World through Adam Romans 5: All Have Turned Aside Psalm 14:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20 4. If We Claim to Be without Sin 1 John 1: We Have No Excuse Romans 2: We Cannot Rely on Observing the Law Galatians 3:1-14; Romans 3: The Wages of Sin Is Death Romans 6:20-23 Week 4 Jesus Christ as God s Only Provision 1. God s Promise of a Redeemer Genesis 3: The Suffering Servant Who Takes Our Isaiah 52:13 53:12 Punishment 3. Christ Died in Our Place Romans 5: Jesus Is the Only Way John 14: No Other Name Acts 4: One Mediator between God and Men 1 Timothy 2: Christ s Sacrifice Once for All Hebrews 10:1-18 Week 5 Our Need to Respond (Obedience and Continued Commitment) 1. To as Many as Received Him John 1: You Must Be Born Again John 3: Jesus Waits to Be Invited Revelation 3: We Must Believe in Him Romans 10:9-11; 1 John 5: Our Faith Is a Gift from God Ephesians 2:1-10; John 15:16 6. Importance of Confession 1 John 1:5-10; Psalm 32:5 7. Importance of Obedience John 14:15-24; 1 John 2:3-6 Page 7 of 8

8 Add l. Study A Key Spiritual Truths Week 6 We Are Saved by Grace, Not by Works 1. So That No One Can Boast Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Galatians 6:14 2. A Righteousness from God Romans 1:16-17; Isaiah 61:10 3. We Receive His Righteousness through Hebrews 11:6; Romans 3:21-28 Faith 4. The Example of Abraham Romans 4: The Consequence of Relying on Works Romans 9:30 10:13; Galatians 2:15-3:11 6. We Are Chosen John 15:16; Ephesians 1: Our Deeds Demonstrate Our Faith James 2:14-26 Week 7 Our Eternal Relationship with God 1. God Has Promised Eternal Life John 3:16,36; 5:24; 6:40; 11: Nothing Can Separate Us from God Romans 8: No One Can Snatch Them John 6:35-40; 10:25-30 Out of My Hand 4. Sealed by the Holy Spirit for Eternity Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; Psalm 145:20; 37:28; 1 Corinthians 1: Warning against Falling Away Hebrews 6:4-12; 10: No One Is Justified by Observing the Law Galatians 2:16 3:14 7. We Have a Hope Hebrews 6:11-19; 1 Peter 1:3-9; Romans 8:18-25; 15:13 Page 8 of 8