Salvation Message
Notes
Transcript
CROSSROADS
FULL GOSPEL
BIBLE COLLEGE
Copyright 1985,1993,2001,2007
Crossroads Full Gospel
International Ministries
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Copyright © 2005 Published by, and the sole property of, Jimmy Swaggart Ministries,
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by The International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Also used: The New Testament: An Expanded Translation (Wuest) translated by Kenneth S. Wuest.
Copyright © 1961 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Bracketed comments following some scriptures assist the reader in understanding the intended
meaning of these verses
We acknowledge the additional works of the various Scholars and Bible Commentaries used in
conjunction with the College material. This is not to say that we agree with all their theology,
but we certainly value their contribution to the Body of Christ.
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INTERDENOMINATIONAL BIBLE TEACHING SYLLABUS
Crossroads Full Gospel Bible College is interdenominational and bases its teachings on the solid
foundation of God’s Holy Word (the Bible).
The correspondence course consists of a program of structured teaching material divided into three
series of studies. At the end of each study is a set of questions which are answered by the student upon
completion of the study.
We prefer head pastors of local churches to be in control of distributing the studies and correcting the
answers to the questions. When this is not possible, our college, or another accredited Bible School, will
distribute the studies and correct the students’ answers.
The governing structure of the syllabus is based on the principle of “precept upon precept; line upon
line” (Isaiah 28:9-10), for in gaining spiritual knowledge of God’s Word, we should first walk before we run.
To do anything contrary to this may cause confusion in a person’s life. Christians should thus first learn
their “spiritual A.B.C.’s” - gain an understanding of the milk of God’s Word - before they attempt to digest
the meat of God’s Word. This is the reason we teach “precept upon precept, line upon line”.
The studies cover most areas needed for Christian growth, from the basic fundamentals to more
advanced teachings of God’s Word.
The Bible teaching course can be entered:
(a) Through your local church, or if not available there,
(b) Through the C. F.G. Bible College or,
(c) Through Regional Correspondence Bible Schools.
The amount of time you study each day, and how far you proceed with the program, will be up to you.
We recommend, however, that people study on a daily basis. We also recommend half an hour to an hour a
day as a minimum study time. And while it is usually better if the hour’s study can be done in an
uninterrupted block, some may find it more convenient, if studying an hour a day, to study half an hour early
in the morning and half an hour at night, etc.
The cost of each study in the first series will be $................ This is to be paid in advance.
The following are Certificates which the Correspondence College offers at an Advanced, Intermediate,
or Ordinary Grade:
1. Certificate in Christian Studies.One.
2. Certificate in Christian Studies Two.
3. Certificate in Christian Studies Three.
4. A Diploma in Christian Studies is also available to those who successfully complete the advanced
questions for series One, Two and Three.
OUR OBJECTIVES
1. Our aim is to help lift up the name of Jesus into its rightful place by lifting the standard of Gods
Word in Christians lives.
2. Our aim is not to work in opposition to local churches, but to help support them, for the local church
is foundational to the Body of Christ.
3. Our aim is by Gods grace to help make disciples out of Christians.
4. Our aim is to help bring God’s Word into people’s lives in a structured and meaningful way,
step by step, principle by principle.
5. Our aim is to help people know the truths of God’s Word, so that the truth can set them and
others free by the power of God.
6. Our aim is to help make God’s teachings available to all who are hungry for and desire to know
the truths and standards contained in His Holy Word.
Dear Bible student,
Congratulations on beginning your first study in our Bible Teaching Syllabus. We know and pray that as
you continue to gain knowledge of God’s Word, you will become a more effective witness for the gospel of
Jesus Christ, knowing that:
ROM 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
ROM 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the
likeness of his resurrection:
ROM 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be
destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
To study God’s Word is both our great responsibility and our great privilege. For the Lord has
commanded us to seek truth and wisdom. He tells us in His Word that if we seek His truths earnestly, with an
open heart, we will find them. And God promises that living in “the truth” will set the captives free.
As you learn, understand and act in accordance with God’s principles, you will become a more
confident person in Christ, producing godly fruits - works of faith and love. With God given faith, you can
cast all your cares on Him (our Lord Jesus) because you will know without a doubt that He cares for you.
You will know indeed that God is on your side and that all His promises are “Yea and Amen” in Christ
Jesus: 2 Corinthians 1:20.
It is your responsibility, however, to seek and discover His truths and then, by faith, to live in them. (For
ignorance can result in loss - Hosea 4:6). For God’s Word tells us:
2TI 2:15 Study (and be eager) to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who does not need
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
HEB 11:6 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.
When a person becomes a disciple of Christ he can, in faith, say:
PSA 18:1 I love You, O Lord, my strength.
PSA 18:2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in Whom I take
refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
PSA 18:3 I call to the Lord, Who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
PSA 18:32 It is God Who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
For he will know that:
PSA 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
PSA 19:8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are
radiant, giving light to the eyes.
PSA 19:9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and
altogether righteous.
PSA 19:10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
PSA 19:11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Students can, with the help of other study aids, study and expand the topics taught to the level they
desire, as per the instructions.
If you have any queries or are in need of prayer, please write to us.
May the Lord richly bless you.
“SALVATION MESSAGE”
Study 1
Christian Foundation Studies
Series One
CONTENTS
THE SALVATION MESSAGE....................................................................................................1
THERE IS ONLY ONE TRIUNE GOD..................................................................................2
THE BIBLE - OUR ROAD MAP............................................................................................3
THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF MAN......................................................................................4
THE WAY OF SALVATION....................................................................................................6
Death - The Proof Of Sin.....................................................................................................8
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE ACCEPT JESUS AS THEIR LORD ?..........................................9
WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY ?................................................................................................10
SPIRITUAL REGENERATION IS NEEDED.......................................................................11
THE BOOK OF LIFE............................................................................................................12
CAN YOUR NAME BE TAKEN OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE ?...................................13
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION...........................................................................................16
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MAKING JESUS LORD ?.............................................17
TO HAVE VICTORY IN JESUS...........................................................................................19
THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY....................................................20
THE SINNER’S PRAYER.....................................................................................................21
THE SALVATION MESSAGE
Congratulations on receiving Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour. In doing so,
you have made the most important decision of your life!
This small study is only a very brief outline of the salvation message, to start you on
your way in the Christian walk. All the points are important to grasp, so study it carefully,
expanding the booklet where you can.
Know, however, that Christianity is more than escapism. It is founded on and nurtured
through a relationship between the Father and His son or daughter. Christianity is about
the grace of God through which we have been saved, and the grace we need daily to walk
the way He wants us to walk, faithful to Him.
It was once said by a great philosopher, “Irrespective as to how much education one
may possess, if one does not truly have a Bible education as well, one is not truly
educated.”
To this we could add that Bible education is the foundation on which man builds his
character. Therefore true education is character building. Only the Spirit of God can teach
man the eternal truths that pertain to such character development. Only then can man obey
the two greatest commandments:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with
all your mind, and with all your strength . . .” (Mark 12:30).
“You shall love your neighbour as yourself . . . ” (Mark 12:31).
“. . .Christianity is more than escapism. It is founded
on and nurtured through a relationship between the
Father and His son or daughter. . .”
Unless we, by the grace of God, not only believe but also trust in the teachings of the
Bible, we will not have been truly educated in the things that matter, the things of eternal
value.
Background Reading: John 3:1-18
By accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour you have escaped an eternal future of
everlasting torment in the Lake of Fire. As a result of your commitment, your name is now
written in a book in heaven called the LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE. As Revelation Ch.20
tells us:
REVELATION 20:10 And the devil who deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire
and Brimstone . . . and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.
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REVELATION 20:15 . . . And whosoever was not found written in the BOOK OF
LIFE was cast into the Lake of Fire (and shall be tormented day and night forever and
ever).
This shows that there is life after physical death. Though your body will die, you (the
spirit-man, the real you) will live on forever - for you are an eternal personality. God’s
Word also tells us that we are three-part beings. We each have a spirit and a soul (mind),
and we live in a physical body. The body can be thought of as the suitcase which houses
the real us while we live on the earth.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:23 . . . And I pray God (that) your whole spirit, soul and body
be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When a person’s physical body dies, their spirit and soul, the real person, will
continue to live on for eternity. Therefore, in a million years time, we will all still be in
existence. Where we live for eternity, however, will be determined by whether or not we
received Jesus into our lives as Lord and Saviour while we lived on earth. When a person
dies, their spirit and soul will go immediately to either heaven or hell, depending on
whether they belong to Jesus or not.
“. . .There is life after physical death . . . for you are
an eternal personality. . .”
Note that the Lord Jesus Christ clearly states that He is THE WAY and NO ONE can
come to the Father but by Him.
JOHN 14:6 Jesus said unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes
unto the Father, but by Me.”
He does not say that He is A WAY - as if there are other ways! Definitely not! Jesus is
THE ONLY WAY and there is no other way. No Church is THE WAY, no religion is THE
WAY, no religious leader is THE WAY, His mother Mary is not THE WAY, good works and
self-effort are not THE WAY. Only the crucified, buried, risen and living Christ is THE
WAY and NO ONE comes to the Father in heaven except through Him. He also says that
anyone who comes to Him, He will never cast out. Therefore the needy sinner who
believes in the Lord Jesus and comes to Him with a repentant heart, seeking a Saviour, will
always be received.
JOHN 6:37 All who the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and he who comes to Me I
will in no wise cast out (no one will ever be turned away).
THERE IS ONLY ONE TRIUNE GOD
There is one true triune God, eternally co-existent in three persons Who form the
Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Word and God the Holy Spirit. These three dwell
together in perfect unity, forming one heavenly government called God - and each of these
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three Divine persons Christians recognize to be God. In other words, each is called God in
His own right, and all are equally holy, just, righteous and loving.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Later He also created all the
creatures that live upon the earth, and then He created man. The Word of God reveals to us
the existence of the Trinity:
GENESIS 1:26 And God said, “Let Us (God the Father, God the Word and God the Holy
Spirit) make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the
earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
1 JOHN 5:7 For there are three Who bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and
the Holy Spirit: and these three are one (in nature, purpose and unity).
God had no beginning and will have no end. We, created in God’s image (Genesis
1:26-28), will also have an unending existence. After we die physically, we will pass to the
next life where we will continue to live forever - for eternity (Romans 6:23; John 14:2-3).
“. . .He does not say that He is A WAY - as if there are
other ways! . . . Jesus is THE ONLY WAY and there
is no other way. . .”
As you grow in your new life in Christ, you can come to a greater understanding
(revelation) of God and experience greater intimacy with Him - our Creator and Lord. To
grow in Christ we need the good food, “the sincere milk” (1 Peter 2:2) of God’s Word.
THE BIBLE - OUR ROAD MAP
The Bible, otherwise known as the Word of God, is just that - God speaking directly
to us. While there are many writers, the Bible has only one Author, that being Almighty
God.
We, as Christians, learn about God through His written Word, which is divinely inspired
and full of Divine truth.
2 TIMOTHY 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
God will communicate with you through His written Word, the Bible. God will reveal
Himself to you, or indeed anyone who will take the time to read His Word with an open
mind.
HEBREWS 4:12 For the Word of God is quick (living) and powerful, and sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
(exposing our motives, desires and thoughts for what they are - as God sees them).
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The truth of God’s Word leads us both to the power of deliverance and the Deliverer of
that power. We can, with all confidence, depend on the authoritative written Word of God,
for it is impossible for God to lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2). The Bible is our “Manual of
Life,” and tells us of God’s commandments and principles. It is our detailed roadmap
which shows us, as Christians, how to live the saved life (Joshua 1:8; John 17:17). It is the
foundation of all Christian doctrine and should be the foundation on which our Christian
life is built, and the filter through which every thought should be passed.
THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF MAN
Background Reading: Romans 1:16-20
What YOU do or do not do on this earth, will
determine whether you go to heaven or hell after
your physical body dies.
It is up to each of us to choose where we will spend eternity.
WE MAKE THIS CHOICE by either accepting or rejecting God’s free gift of
salvation, through Christ Jesus. In fact by not seeking God, Who will direct us to the
Cross, we are rebelling against the moral light within our conscience, the moral light which
will tell us that there is a God. Having been given this light, we are responsible for seeking
and finding (Romans 1:20). Indeed God has not hidden Himself and is easy to find if we
truly seek with an open heart.
“. . .The truth of God’s Word leads us both to the
power of deliverance and the Deliverer of that
power. . .”
So even by not seeking truth we rebel against our God-given conscience. Man is born
separated from God and on the road to eternal death. God throws man a lifeline to enable
him to escape the waters of destruction - and this lifeline is Jesus Christ. If man rejects
Jesus Christ, all he then does is continue on the road to hell, having either missed or
rejected the opportunity to be saved and gain eternal life. The Word tells us that some fear
and reject the very thing that would set them free because they love the darkness they are
already in, and want to continue in it (John 3:18-20).
Nevertheless, man is accountable for his sin and his position. We know this because
the scriptures tell us that man is without excuse to believe because the heavens declare that
there is a Creator:
ROMANS 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
ROMANS 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God
has shown it unto them.
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ROMANS 1:20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made (His creation), even His
eternal power and Godhead; so that they (all men) are without excuse (to believe there is
a God)
PSALM 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His
handiwork.
Indeed men see God’s handiwork as they look at the revelation of nature. As man
recognises, with an open heart, that there is a Creator, he then becomes responsible for
seeking that Creator and finding a way of communicating with Him. God promises that
those who seek will find, and those who ask will receive (Matthew 7:7-8). Indeed the Lord
will move heaven and earth to respond to an open heart, and a seeker of truth - to reveal
Christ to that person (John 14:6).
“. . .God throws man a lifeline to enable him to
escape the waters of destruction - and this
lifeline is Jesus Christ. . .”
Many believe that those who have never heard the Gospel cannot be held accountable
for rejecting it. However, the phrase “so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20) tells
us otherwise. The scriptures declare that man has no defence when it comes to unbelief.
Unsaved man in looking at the created world should acknowledge the existence of a
Creator, a mighty Being to whom worship and obedience are due. That man denies this
truth, represses it or shuns it in horror renders him as being “without excuse.” Men will
be judged according to the light they have been given, not the light they have not been
given.
As Cottrell says, “Whether individuals have or have not heard the gospel is not the
issue. Whether they will be saved or lost depends not on what they have not heard, but on
what they have heard. They will be judged according to the light they have, not the light
they do not have.” And he quotes Morris as saying “Our condemnation in each case lies
in the fact that we have sinned against the light we have, not against the light we have
never received.” 1
Therefore it is not just because of Adam’s sin that man is condemned.
“Some would claim, that God is unfair in condemning men who have been placed in
their present position by the fault or act of another, namely Adam. In reply to this
argument, it may be said that Scripture nowhere says that men are finally condemned for
Adam’s transgression as such. On the contrary, the Gospel reveals to us the Atonement,
preordained from the first by the offering of animal Sacrifices, for the avoidance of such
final condemnation.
So, man was given a way out even from the very beginning, but for the most part has
ignored or rejected that Way, Who has always been Christ, which makes the transgression
of all who followed Adam as far-reaching as was the original transgression. So man is lost
not only because of original sin, but even more so because of his rejection of God’s
Solution for that sin (John.3:16). Once again, as Paul said, man is “Without excuse.” ”
“ . . . all have sinned against Light which they might have followed.” 2
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The Word of God also tells us that every man has been given “the measure of faith”
(or access to “the measure of faith”) to believe there is a God (Romans 12:3).
Note: This scripture also applies to the saved who are given access to “the measure of
faith” required for service and obedience.
This “measure of faith” for the heathen is really an inward moral light, contained in the
conscience, which gives man the ability to acknowledge a Creator. Sin has not
extinguished this gift and man’s natural inclination is to seek out his Creator. Sin will stifle
this inward motivation, however, and man can, through his own choosing, simply block off
to the existence of a Creator. If man denies this part of himself, he will do himself damage,
for only through being open to this light can he discover God. The measure of faith is a
measure of awareness of God supplied by God’s grace. Man is therefore responsible for
seeking truth, but he will not discover truth on his own terms, only on God’s terms!
“. . .Men will be judged according to the light they
have been given, not the light they have
not been given. . .”
God reveals Himself to man as man is open and seeks. Man is responsible for seeking
the answers to life, but those answers can only be revealed by the Father. Man cannot
discover them any other way.
The responsibility of man is therefore to seek the knowledge of God which will lead
him to salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How can he do this, you may ask.
God has told us that if we knock on His door, He will reveal truth to us. How? Through
prayer. He will open the door and reveal Himself and His Word of promise and hope
(Matthew 7:7-8). There is, however, an important condition attached to this promise.
When we seek God we must be open, leaving our ideas, opinions and perceptions of how
we think things operate, on the shelf. We need to seek God and truth on His terms, not
ours, being open to receive what He desires to reveal to us, not what we think we already
know!
THE WAY OF SALVATION
Background Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-6
While man is responsible for seeking the God to which his conscience testifies, man
still has the power of choice. This means that God, in His love, will never force anyone to
receive His free gift of grace. His very nature is love, and love will never force. The free
will of man to accept or reject the Gospel is a sacred scriptural principle. Only by a willing
acceptance of Jesus’ Lordship can God’s saving grace be obtained, by which we are saved.
And this has nothing to do with any “good works” we may have done, as Ephesians 2:8
and 9 tell us:
EPHESIANS 2:8 For by grace (God’s unmerited favour) are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
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EPHESIANS 2:9 Not of works (man cannot merit salvation), lest any man should boast
(try to take the credit).
In other words, salvation can never be based on one’s own works. For this reason noone can take personal pride in it, and the glory belongs to the Lord. Sadly many people think
that after this life, because they have lead good lives and harmed nobody, then their “good
works” will give them favour with their Creator, and an entrance to heaven. But “good works”
cannot save. Otherwise Jesus Christ would not have had to shed His Blood and die on the
cross at Calvary.
The Bible tells us that:
ACTS 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else (except Jesus), for there is no other Name
under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (N.I.V.)
Jesus Himself said:
JOHN 14:6 . . . “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father,
but by Me.”
Therefore our so called “good works” outside Christ cannot earn our salvation. Also,
if people try to come to God through Mohammed or Buddah or even Mary, for example, it
will not work. The Name of Jesus is the only Name through which we can be saved.
There is no other way - no other Saviour, no other Redeemer. All roads do not lead to
heaven - there is only one road which does. This is the road that leads from the Cross of
Calvary to heaven. This road is a narrow way, but the Light of God’s presence is on it, and
God has promised those who come via the Cross, a place in heaven (Matthew 7:13-14;
John 14:2).
This way, however, involves faith, for to receive anything from God, faith is required.
And scripture tells us that faith comes as a result of believing on God’s Word.
HEBREWS 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God): for he who
comes to God must believe that He is (that He exists), and that He is a rewarder of them
who diligently seek Him.
To every person who yields to the message of the Gospel, by repenting of their sin and
making Jesus their Lord and Saviour, God will give the ability to trust in the reality of the
Gospel. This reality is Christ crucified, buried and raised from the dead - and us abiding in
Him (John 15:5).
“. . .Man is therefore responsible for seeking truth,
but he will not discover truth on his own terms,
only on God’s terms. . .”
God has made the way for every person to enter into life - spiritual life, abundant life
and eternal life with Him. It is now up to each person to choose to enter into this spiritual
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life or else remain in spiritual death (1 John 5:11-12). And each person born into this world
has only the period of their own lifetime in which to repent - after physical death there is
no “second chance” (Hebrews 9:27).
Death - The Proof Of Sin
Every child of Adam, which includes the whole human race, has been born a darkened
sinner unable to redeem themselves, unable to bridge the gap between themselves and God.
This is the reason God’s love was manifested at the Cross in Jesus.
Man, blinded by sin and crippled by the sin nature, is born needing the saving spiritual
Light that heaven gave to the world through Jesus (Luke 1:79).
How do we know that man is a sinner in darkness and needs saving from his darkness?
The answer is found when one comes to understand that man was created in the
beginning to never die. He was created to live forever, growing in the knowledge of God
and enjoying His fellowship. We see the first example of this in God seeking to walk with
man in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8). This would have been a
regular occurrence before Adam and Eve sinned and hid themselves in shame from God.
Adam lived 930 years, Enos 905 years and Cainan (Kenan) 910 years. Methuselah, the
oldest man who ever lived, died just before the flood aged 969 years. After Noah’s flood,
the life of man was shortened, and today a person of great age will live to 100. All in all,
however, death has reigned since the Fall of man in the Garden. For God to create, in His
image, a spiritual being called man, only to then have that being die a few short years later,
would go against God’s principles. Let us explain this statement.
From God can only come life, never death, for He is only Light and Life. Darkness
and death have no part in God and had no part in His original plan (John 1:4; John 8:12).
Something that this spiritual entity called man did must have caused a separation from his
spiritual life source (God) which caused death to come. God did not create this spiritual
being called man to die. The physical death of man proves beyond doubt that something
has gone drastically wrong with God’s creation.
“. . .All roads do not lead to heaven - there is only one
road which does . . . the road that leads from the
Cross of Calvary to heaven. . .”
The Bible explains to us that this wrong is sin and that it has darkened man from the
time he came into existence, from the time of Adam’s sin. Again death silences every
argument that man would use to try and justify himself, or to blame his environment or
others for his sinful behaviour. The very presence of physical death declares that man’s sin
is real and that it, and the sin nature, are at the root of all his problems. God, in Christ,
however, has made the way for man to walk with Him again, and in His will and His power
to bring Him glory. Amen.
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WHY SHOULD PEOPLE ACCEPT JESUS AS THEIR LORD ?
Background Reading: Genesis 1:26-28; 2:8-9, 15-25; 3:1-24
Mankind originated when God created a perfect sinless man called Adam, who
became the father of all mankind. Before Adam fathered any children, however, he sinned
against God. This allowed spiritual death (therefore spiritual darkness) to surround his
spirit, and he thus became separated from God. This position of death (or separation from
God) has been inherited by all his offspring, as Romans 5:17-18 declares:
ROMANS 5:17 For if by one man’s (Adam’s) offence (sin) death reigned (in all) by one
(through that one man); (how) much more (will) they who receive abundance of (God’s)
grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by (through) One, Jesus Christ.
ROMANS 5:18 Therefore as by (through) the offence (sinful action) of one (Adam),
judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the (one act of)
righteousness (by Jesus) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of (that
brings) life (union with God to all who believe and receive Jesus as Lord).
God’s written Word tells us that life (or conversely death) is in the blood (Leviticus
17:11). We can understand from this that ALL of Adam’s offspring have genetically
inherited his polluted blood, and it is this polluted blood which has caused mankind’s state
of spiritual death.
ROMANS 3:23 For all have sinned (are born in a state of sin separated from God, and are
sinners), and come short of the glory of God (as a consequence are deprived of God’s
saving presence);
ROMANS 6:23 For the wages of sin is death (spiritual death which is separation from
God); but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The love of God was shown when Jesus died on the cross, becoming the sinless
sacrificial Lamb. It was through this act of love that God made the way for us to be
cleansed and taken out of our state of sin. The Word of God reveals to us that sin is so
serious that:
HEBREWS 9:22 . . . without shedding of blood (there) is no remission (forgiveness of
sin).
Most basically defined, sin is anything that does not conform to the character and
nature of God. Sin is not only doing that which is wrong, in thought, word or deed, sin is
also not doing that which is right, morally and spiritually. This means that there are sins of
commission - wrongdoing - and sins of omission - not doing right. Without God in your
life, positionally and experientially, you will sin. As the scriptures tell us, man is born in a
state of sin, dominated by the sin nature, and therefore commits sin. Everything fallen man
does is steeped in sin and he is unable to rectify this situation.
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“. . .The physical death of man proves beyond doubt
that something has gone drastically wrong
with God’s creation. . .”
Such was the debt and weight of sin that the second member of the Trinity had to
become a perfect man and be sacrificed in our place on the altar of Calvary in order to
make the way for man’s redemption. What an awesome price! This sinless sacrifice was
required to satisfy perfect justice. Nailed to the cross, Christ took the punishment for our
sin, and now is the only Mediator between God and man. All must come through Him, for
He alone holds the keys of truth - to unlock men’s hearts to His grace, and the gates of
heaven to man (Revelation 1:18).
It was Jesus Who paid the price for our forgiveness through the shedding of His Blood.
Without the shedding of His Blood we could not have been redeemed - restored to God.
The Resurrection of Christ then became the ultimate proof to Believer and unbeliever alike
of the truth of the Gospel. It shows forth the defeat of the power of death, and guarantees
salvation to the Believer. So the way has now been made. It is the responsibility of each
individual, however, to respond to God’s love by accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
Only by doing so can each person escape the bondage of spiritual death and the fearful
prospect of an eternity of torment without God in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15). And
justice decrees that the weight of our sins (without Jesus) will determine the measure of
that torment.
WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY ?
Christianity is not a religion, a system of ethics or a set of traditions which are relied
upon to produce the goal of pleasing God. For as we have learned, man has no way of
earning his own salvation. Rather, Christianity is a personal relationship between bornagain Believers and God. And in this relationship, Christians know God to be their
Heavenly Father (Romans 8:14-17). Christians are people who have made Jesus Christ
their personal Lord and Saviour, and who continue to follow Him through the teachings
contained in God’s written Word. Therefore Christianity is not based on practices, rituals or
methods but on a relationship which then orders the Believer’s faith-walk (John 14:23;
Hebrews 5:9).
“. . .The Resurrection of Christ then became the
ultimate proof to Believer and unbeliever alike
of the truth of the Gospel. . .”
As Christians grow in the knowledge and love of God, they can allow this love to flow
through them so that they perform righteous works of faith and love (John 15:5). This is
one of the Bible’s promises, and in this way, the Father is truly glorified. Indeed as
Christians express the love of God and display the power of God in their lives, men and
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women will be drawn to the Saviour. Believers, with God’s grace at work in and through
them, become banners of His love, showing others the truth of the Gospel through their
attitudes and actions (John 13:34-35). Indeed the finished work of the Cross defeated the
power of sin. This results in a transformed life, a changed character and a new Lord. Only
the power of the Blood can produce these radical changes in the heart and life of a man (2
Corinthians 5:17).
SPIRITUAL REGENERATION IS NEEDED
Background Reading: Romans 5:6-11
Spiritual regeneration is another term for being “born again.” This regeneration takes
place because of God’s saving grace. We were born sinners, and because of the sin nature
which permeated us from birth, we sinned continually (Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10).
Sin’s stain kept our soul in darkness.
But upon regeneration (being born again), the Holy Spirit came to dwell within us (1
Corinthians 6:19) and God’s saving presence surrounded our spirit. In this, darkness was
driven out of our spirit - for He Who has come is the true Light of the world. He is, in fact,
the Father of Lights (James 1:17).
JOHN 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a
man be born again (regenerated), he cannot see (enter) the Kingdom of God.”
Regeneration (to be born again by the Spirit) is the only way the sin problem can be
dealt with and the gulf between man and God bridged - for God alone could forgive our
sins and give us spiritual life in exchange for spiritual death.
JOHN 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish, but have (with God) everlasting
life.
Through the action of accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour, man can be reunited with
God. However we must be sorry for the sins of the past and turn from them, forsaking our
old life to follow Jesus. This is what the word “repentance” means. As we do this, God
will give us the power, through His grace, to walk away from our old life and our old ways
of sin.
“. . .Sin is not only doing that which is wrong, in
thought, word or deed, sin is also not doing that
which is right, morally and spiritually. . .”
There was no other way God could bring mankind back to Himself but by allowing
His only begotten Son Jesus to shed His Blood and to die. Jesus, Who was God the Word
clothed in flesh, became the perfect sacrifice. Through this, God could then legally bring
mankind out from under the authority of darkness, otherwise known as spiritual death.
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John 1:1 and 1:14 tell us about God the Word taking on human form - being clothed in
flesh.
JOHN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God (God the Word).
JOHN 1:14 And the Word was made flesh (a human being) and dwelt among us . . .
These scriptures are speaking of God the Word, the second member of the Holy Trinity.
God the Word took on flesh through the virgin birth and became a human being called
Jesus. He was called the Son of God and the Son of Man, being truly identified with both
God and man. He became, without ceasing to be God (God the Word), a perfect sinless
man. He stripped Himself of the right to use His Godly power while on earth, including
the knowledge He possessed as God the Word, and forsook His heavenly rights as God.
Therefore during Jesus’ earthly ministry, God’s miraculous power was released by the faith
that Jesus obtained as a man.
Jesus’ life displayed the fruit of the Divine Nature which energized Jesus’ human
nature, empowering Him to walk in fellowship with the Father all the days of His earthly
life. Indeed He said to His Disciple Phillip, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father”
(John 14:9), His sacrificial love showing forth the Father’s nature and character. Fallen
man, however, did not have access to this Divine Nature until after the Cross. Access to
the graces and energies of God’s Divine Nature had been denied following Adam’s sin, and
the descent of man into spiritual death. At the Cross, man’s redemption was paid for, and
man once again gained the right to access God’s Divine Nature through Jesus the Saviour.
When God brings man back into spiritual union with Himself, man becomes a partaker of
the Divine Nature as he yields to the Spirit of God.
“. . .Regeneration (to be born again by the Spirit) is
the only way the sin problem can be dealt with
and the gulf between man and God bridged. . .”
Jesus died on the cross at Calvary and was resurrected by God’s mighty power. Today
He is seated at the right hand of God the Father, and all power and authority in heaven and
on earth have been given to Him (Matthew 28:18).
This is Jesus, our wonderful Saviour, the Prince of Peace, the King of kings, the Lord of
lords and our Kinsman Redeemer. Amen.
THE BOOK OF LIFE
Background Reading: Luke 10:17-20
Your name is now written in the Book of Life because you have:
1. Acknowledged you were a sinner born in a state of sin, and needed God’s saving
grace to be set free from the grip of sin and death (Romans 3:23).
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2. Received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour according to Romans 10:9-10:
ROMANS 10:9 That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
ROMANS 10:10 For with the heart man believes (faith is exercised) unto righteousness
(rightstanding with God); and with the mouth, confession (open acknowledgement) is
made unto salvation (action with your faith).
Because of this you are made righteous in Christ. You need now to:
3. Continue to follow and serve Jesus as Lord of your whole life, through acting on
the direction God has given in His written Word (Hebrews 5:9).
4. Continue to turn your back on all sin through repentance. This involves making a
complete “about face” in regard to sin, i.e. making a 180 degree turn. To do
anything against God’s commandments, knowingly or unknowingly, is called
sinning. (Know, however, that after this quality decision, God will give you, through
His grace, the spiritual strength to walk in the righteous standard that He has set).
1 JOHN 1:9 If we confess (acknowledge then forsake) our sins, He (God) is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (the results of sin).
5. Diligently study God’s Word so you can know and obey all God’s commandments
(2 Timothy 2:15).
6. Set aside a special time each day when you can read the Word of God, pray and
fellowship with the Lord. This is called your “quiet-time” and is best done at the
start of each day, before daily responsibilities and pressures take precedence.
Remember, to draw close to God, you need to spend consistent time with Him
(Psalm 5:1-3).
7. Rely not on willpower but the empowerment of the Holy Spirit through the Divine
Nature both to desire and then to do the things He asks (2 Peter 1:4).
CAN YOUR NAME BE TAKEN OUT
OF THE BOOK OF LIFE ?
YES! - you can forfeit your salvation after becoming a Christian. The following
scriptures show that this is possible:
EXODUS 32:33 And the Lord said unto Moses, “Whosoever has sinned against Me,
him will I blot out of My book” (this shows that one’s name can be added or taken out).
In scripture God is warning Christians not to fall into the types of sin described in
1Corinthians 6:9-10. He is also showing the world His moral standard so that the mirror of
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truth can reveal sin for what it is, and that as sinners, we all need God’s grace and
forgiveness.
See also - 2 Peter 2:20-22; Luke 8:13; 1 Timothy 4:1; Galatians 5:4.
BUT
REVELATION 3:5 He who overcomes (by staying in Christ), the same shall be clothed
in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will
confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.
First Corinthians gives us an outline of the types of sins, that if practised without
repentance, will cause people to be fast-tracked into unbelief, thereby bringing them to
deny Jesus at a relational level - whereby forfeiting their salvation:
1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous (all who reject God’s
Son) shall not inherit the Kingdom of God (shall not go to heaven)? Be not deceived:
neither fornicators (sexually immoral), nor idolators (idol worshippers), nor adulterers,
nor effeminate (sexual perverts), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexual
offenders), nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers (slanderers), nor
extortioners (swindlers), shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
REVELATION 21:7 He that overcomes (by staying in Christ) shall inherit all things;
and I will be his God, and he shall be My son (adopted into the family of God and treated
as a son forever).
REVELATION 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
murderers, and whoremongers (the sexually immoral), and sorcerers (those who practise
magic arts), and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns
with fire and brimstone (the Lake of Fire): which is the second death (eternal separation
from God following the Great White Throne judgement).
If former Christians practice these types of sin and in doing so, lose their faith in Jesus’
Lordship, God calls them to repent. They can then be restored to salvation, for God calls all
sinners, everywhere, to repent so that they may be cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb (1
John 1:9). The Blood is sufficient, even in such cases.
Note: Sin always pulls us away from God's influence and grace. Repentance and the
Blood of Jesus applied to sin cause us to come back under the influence of His grace. Some
types of sin exert a greater gravity to pull us into a dark place, this place being that of man
thinking and living without God’s influence and grace (Hebrews 3:12-14).
Sin will take us on a journey away from God's influence. Sins of greater gravity can
help fast-track us into darkness, causing a change in our hearts so that relational truth in
Christ becomes historical truth outside of Christ. This means that heart-belief shrinks to
mental assent, and we then only believe with our minds, not our hearts. In this way, the
faith required for salvation is extinguished.
These scriptures give Christians a warning that practising these types of sins will fasttrack Christians into unbelief, resulting in them stepping out of Christ and therefore
forfeiting their salvation.
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If unbelief is left to run its race through the Christian not maintaining the proper object
for their faith, i.e. the Cross, the finished work of Christ at Calvary, then ultimately they
will forfeit their salvation. This is because man is saved by faith in Christ and His finished
work. Only by this means can man be joined to Christ and so be saved.
“. . .YES! - you can forfeit your salvation after
becoming a Christian. . .”
Jesus saves from sin, and not in sin. Christians who think they can practise sin with
immunity are sadly mistaken – for such “shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (1
Corinthians 6:9).
Such sins will cause Christians who practice them to deny Jesus on a relational level,
thereby shifting their belief to a religious or historical level which means only meaning
mental assent that He is Lord.
In regard to people who live in a de facto relationship, and let’s say in a church service
give their hearts to the Lord, these people should not return to that de facto relationship. To
do so would be to continue to commit the sin of adultery (or fornication). Because of a lack
of repentance from the sin about which scripture warns, they would not have truly made
Jesus Lord. If they truly have had a conversion experience, then to stay in this type of
relationship will help fast-track them into unbelief. As we have said, this means that the
relational truth of Jesus as Lord, which is heart-truth and constitutes faith, would eventually
change to mere historical truth about Jesus. We must meet the conditions to be “in Christ”
if we are to abide in Him. Sin is sin, and we are saved from it, not saved so we can return
to it with impunity.
Repentance for salvation purposes is an attitude and commitment of the heart to go
God’s way and not any other way, including the way of the flesh.
Salvation May Be Forfeited or Abandoned by Rejecting Christ
“God, as a loving Heavenly Father, does not desire that any person fall away from the
salvation He has graciously provided in Christ. “Instead he is patient with you, not
wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
But, the Bible also teaches that believers who have accepted Christ as Savior can be lost if
they repeatedly disregard the teachings of Scripture, continue to resist the conviction of the
Holy Spirit, and finally reach the point where they have turned away from their Savior.
Jesus makes that point in the Parable of the Sower where, speaking of some who have
become believers, He said, “They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall
away” (Luke 8:13).3
However, be assured that, providing you truly purpose to live within the Biblical
boundaries of salvation and continue to have faith in Christ’s finished work on the Cross,
nothing can remove you from the Father’s hand (John 10:27-29). This guarantee is valid
for eternity, as long as Jesus remains your Lord. Indeed He has prepared a place in heaven
for all who receive Him and continue in His love (John 14:1-3).
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“. . .Repentance for salvation purposes is an attitude
and commitment of the heart to go God’s way and not
any other way, including the way of the flesh. . .”
Those who reject making Jesus Lord and Saviour (or do not, with an open heart, seek
God Who will show them the truth of Calvary) will remain spiritually bankrupt, walking in
spiritual darkness. After physical death they will live in everlasting torment. Rejection
through ignorance or the avoidance of truth will be no excuse (John 12:48), for man is
accountable for his position of sin.
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
Background Reading: 1 John 3:1-3; John 10:27-29
If you have made Jesus your Lord and Saviour and are following Him, you can rest
assured that you are saved and that you are a child of the living God. Jesus declared in John
5:24:
JOHN 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He who hears (and receives) My Word, and
believes on Him (the Father) Who sent Me, has everlasting life (with God), and shall not
come into condemnation (shall not go to hell); but is passed from death (separation from
God) unto life (union with God through Jesus Christ).
This scripture gives us great assurance for it declares that we, as Believers, have eternal
life and are no longer separated from God, but united with Him forever (as we remain “in
Christ”). This is the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
ROMANS 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation (no guilt) to them who are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (according to His leading
and empowerment).
ROMANS 8:2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from
the law of sin and death.
Some people, on receiving Jesus, sense a dramatic change in their lives and feel very
different within themselves. Others, however, are not conscious of any change at all. This
does not make one person more saved than another, nor does it mean that God loves one
person more than another. Such differences occur because we are all individuals and
respond differently to life’s experiences. Therefore we cannot base our salvation on the
way we feel, for our emotions can vary from day to day and are by no means reliable
indicators of our spiritual position in Christ. We can therefore only base our salvation on
what God’s Word declares - for the Word of God is our assurance of salvation, and the only
proper foundation for our faith. Eventually, however, Christians, with proper study and
openness to the Spirit of Truth, obtain that blessed assurance of their salvation and union
with Christ through His precious Blood.
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Be aware, however, that Satan will try to influence you with thoughts of doubt
concerning the reality of your salvation. For example, he may try to convince you that
you’re not really saved, or that God doesn’t really love you or that the whole thing is all a
figment of your imagination. You need to ignore such suggestions and declare that you are
a child of God, saved by grace through Jesus’ sacrifice. God’s Word is the final authority
on the matter. Hold fast to your conviction regardless of what the devil, your emotions or
other people may try to tell you. Speak out the truths of God’s Word in the face of any
uncertainty, and learn to rely on it in every situation. Other scriptures to look over are John 3:16; Romans 10:9; 10:13; 5:1; Colossians 1:12-13; 1 Timothy 2:4.
“. . .We can therefore only base our salvation on what
God’s Word declares - for the Word of God is our
assurance of salvation. . .”
Our Lord said “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly” (John 10:10). This should settle it if Jesus is your Lord!!
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MAKING
JESUS LORD ?
Background Reading: Psalm 23
1. When we took this step we were taken out of the Kingdom of Darkness and placed
into the Kingdom of Light (the Kingdom of God).
COLOSSIANS 1:13 Who (God) has Delivered (rescued us - all who have received Jesus
as Lord) from the power (dominion) of darkness, and has translated (placed) us into the
Kingdom of His Son
2. With Jesus as our Lord at the time of our physical death, we will go to heaven
rather than hell. This is the guaranteed promise of an eternal future spent with God
rather than in everlasting torment (2 Corinthians 5:8).
3. With our names written in the Book of Life, God becomes our eternal Provider.
Today He can provide:
(a) SPIRITUALLY The Lord has promised to help us grow and prosper spiritually as we follow the leading
of His Word.
3 JOHN 1:2 Beloved, I wish (pray) above all things that you may prosper and be in
health (physical prosperity), even as your soul prospers (spiritual prosperity).
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This verse is telling us that God wants our souls to prosper along with our physical
bodies. If our souls are to prosper, our minds must first be renewed by studying God’s
Word. In this way we come to know and accept His principles. Then we must willingly act
in faith on this renewal of our minds. Some of the fruits which can be produced in our
lives as a result are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These are known as “the fruit of the Spirit.” In other
words God desires for us, as His children, to develop, by His grace, in character, displaying
these fruits in our lives. In this He is well pleased.
(b) PHYSICALLY (Health) Although it was completely unjust, Jesus’ suffering and death constitute the Sacrifice of
Atonement which took place so that mankind could be made whole, spirit, soul and body
(Hebrews 13:12). Therefore both His suffering and death together constitute the Sacrifice
of Atonement - that has set free all those who believe and trust in Christ and His
redemptive work. The Atonement itself was then brought to completion by the
Resurrection.
“. . .Be aware, however, that Satan will try to
influence you with thoughts of doubt concerning the
reality of your salvation. . .”
In the context of the Atonement, Christ’s finished work on our behalf, we can now
understand that He paid the price for our healing by the stripes (wounds) He endured both
prior to and during the crucifixion. This means that we can claim healing by believing and
trusting on His Word.
ISAIAH 53:4 Surely He (Jesus) has borne our griefs (taken our sickness, weakness and
disease), and carried our sorrows: yet we did (ignorantly) esteem Him stricken, smitten
of God, and afflicted.
ISAIAH 53:5 But He was wounded (pierced) for our transgressions (rebellion), He was
bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace (the punishment that brought us
peace) was upon Him (and Him alone); and with His stripes (by His wounds) we are
healed (and made whole - if we believe to receive from God).
Jesus, the Bible tells us, is the same yesterday, today and forevermore (Hebrews 13:8).
He healed people by the power of God when He walked upon the earth, and God’s power is
still available today to bring healing into our lives. We receive healing, and any other of
God’s promises, by having faith in His Word and praying in the Name of Jesus - with our
focus on Calvary and Christ’s finished work. Sin and everything it has brought into this
world, including sickness and disease, have been defeated by “Christ’s finished work.”
Amen. We need to pray with faith (trust and belief), not wavering but being fully
persuaded that God’s Word is true, and will accomplish what it declares for those who
receive its promises.
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(c) MATERIALLY The Lord has promised to provide for our needs as we live according to His Word.
MALACHI 3:10 “Bring all your tithes (and offerings v.8) into the storehouse, that there
may be meat in My house, and prove Me now in this,” says the Lord of Hosts, “if I will
not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not
be room enough to hold it.
MALACHI 3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer (Satan and his forces) for your sakes,
and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit
before the time in the field . . . ”
As we give our tithes and offerings in faith, with a willing heart, and continue to live a
surrendered life, trusting in Him in every area of our lives, God has promised to bless us,
provide for us and protect our provision. He will then be Jehovah Jireh, our Provider
(Matthew 6:25-34).
“. . .Jesus, the Bible tells us, is the same yesterday,
today and forevermore. . .”
This is only an outline of some of the benefits of making Jesus Lord. Indeed God’s
Word contains many more promises and they are available to all who believe according to
the Word and surrender their lives according to the Word.
TO HAVE VICTORY IN JESUS
Background Reading: 1 John 5:1-4
To have victory in Jesus, we need, with God’s grace at work in and through us, to
obey all His commandments. So first we must acknowledge the truths in His Word. Then
we must choose to act on them, believing for God’s empowerment to live according to His
will, not ours. Doing this will bring us into a victorious life in the Christian faith. To just
believe that God’s Word is true will not change people’s lives, or indeed be of any benefit.
In fact the Bible tells us that even the demons believe in God . . . “and tremble” (James
2:19)! What is needed is that we combine our belief with action - that we purpose to obey
the truths contained in God’s Word from our hearts. Only from the vantage point of
commitment is God’s power made available to us to live the saved life. This power comes
through the Divine Nature that we, in Christ, are partakers of (2 Peter 1:4).
Willing acts of obedience will develop a mature, true love in our lives. From this will
come lasting spiritual fruits, and so prosperity of our spirit, soul and body. If we live in this
love, the lives of those around us will be affected, for they will see the reality of Christ’s
love in us as we allow God’s grace to work through us. Amen.
Indeed the Word of God tells us that the measure of our love for God will be the level
of our obedience. Jesus stated in John 14:21:
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JOHN 14:21 He who has My commandments, and keeps (obeys) them, he it is who
loves Me: and he who loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and
will manifest (reveal) Myself to him.
As we, by God’s empowering grace, keep His commandments, we will be pleasing Him
- being at one with Him, asking according to His will and having our prayers answered:
1 JOHN 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTHS OF CHRISTIANITY
1. We were all born in a state of sin, and need God’s grace to overcome sin:
ROMANS 3:23 For all have sinned (all are born in a state of sin and are sinners), and
come short of the glory of God (as a consequence, are deprived of God’s saving presence).
See also Romans 6:3-4.
2. The shedding of Jesus’ sinless Blood on the cross was the redemptive price
needed to release us from the bondage of sin. However for us to be released from
sin’s eternal grip, we needed to repent of (turn our backs on) sin, and receive Jesus
as our Lord and Saviour:
ROMANS 10:9 That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (that Jesus is
your Lord), and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you
shall be saved.
ROMANS 10:10 For with the heart man believes unto righteousness (rightstanding with
God); and with the mouth confession (open acknowledgement) is made unto salvation
(action with our faith).
3. Jesus was raised from the dead by God’s power and is alive forevermore:
REVELATION 1:18 I am He Who lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
All power and authority in heaven and on earth have been given to Him by God the
Father:
MATTHEW 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, “All power is given
unto Me in heaven and in earth.”
4. Jesus is God the Word, Who forsook His heavenly privileges and clothed Himself
with flesh through the virgin birth:
JOHN 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
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Jesus’ father was God, and therefore He was a sinless man, as Adam (man’s federal
head) was before he committed high treason.
5. Man is responsible for seeking God’s truths so that he may be set free, spiritually
and physically. And God has revealed to us in His Word that if we diligently seek
truth with an open, sincere and unbiased heart, we will find it:
MATTHEW 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened unto you:
MATTHEW 7:8 For every one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him
who knocks it shall be opened.
6. The chief heartfelt confession the sinner must make is the Lordship of Jesus
Christ. Before sinners come to Jesus they cannot, through their own efforts, obtain
God’s favour or power to overcome sin:
EPHESIANS 2:8 For by grace (God’s unmerited favour) are you saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
EPHESIANS 2: 9 Not of works (nothing man does can earn him salvation), lest any man
should boast.
However when Jesus is allowed to be Lord of our lives, we have access to the power of
God to help us overcome sin:
PHILIPPIANS 4:13 I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.
Because:
PHILIPPIANS 2:13 . . . it is God Who works in you (through Divine enablement) both
to will and to do of His good pleasure.
THE SINNER’S PRAYER
Use this prayer as a reference for helping others receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
Dear Father, scripture tells me that I am separated from You and Your love. I want to put
this right and enter into a relationship with You as Your child. I acknowledge I am a sinner. I
believe that Jesus died on the cross and shed His Blood for my sin. I also believe that Jesus
was raised from the dead by the power of Your Spirit. I am now willing to turn from my
way and go Your way, and I ask forgiveness for the things I have done wrong, the sins I have
committed. I ask You Jesus into my heart as my personal Lord and Saviour. I will now live
for You Lord, with the help of Your grace at work in me, and serve You, day by day. I
believe I am now forgiven and washed of all sin. I believe I am now born again and that my
name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I thank You Lord, and pray all this in the
precious Name of Jesus. Amen.
Salvation Message
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Remember: You are now a child of God and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you:
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19 . . . do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have (received) of (from) God, and you are not your
own?
You have found the greatest treasure life offers, the Lord Jesus Christ. As you continue
in your new life in Christ, you can come to know God in a deeper way - as your Father,
your healer, your provider, your refuge and your eternal home. Remember too that we will
all still exist a billion years from now. Therefore the most important aspect of each
person’s brief earthly life is to gain the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Nothing else gained in our earthly life, no success or wealth or power, can compensate for
an eternity spent in the Lake of Fire where the weight of man’s sin is so great that it will
keep him there forever. We cannot take with us anything gained outside Christ - indeed
temporal riches and fame will be left behind to fade and rot (Matthew 6:19-21). Only the
love of God, if taken hold of in this life, will last for eternity in the heart of the Believer.
God bless you and may you have the victory in your new life in Christ. Amen.
TIME LIMIT - Due on or before.........................
This time limit is based on a minimum of ....... hours of study per week.
You should allow as a general guideline, ........... hours to answer the questions.
TOTAL ALLOWANCE ......... hours.
If you are having problems completing this study within these guidelines, you may
need to seek assistance from those in charge of distribution.
Salvation Message
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STUDY QUESTIONS
The following questions are designed to assess how much you have understood and retained from
your studies.
Answer and number all questions on line-ruled paper, giving two or three scriptures with each
answer whenever possible. Also give an explanation, whenever possible, of how you arrived at your
answer.
Answer these questions according to the instructions given regarding the grade you have chosen to
work at, i.e. either Intermediate Grade or Ordinary Grade.
If you do not understand a particular question, contact those responsible for distribution.
For ease of correction write the actual question down on your answer sheet before answering
each question, and please print all answers to the questions.
Note: If you do not agree with any particular viewpoint expressed in the studies and you have
another viewpoint, answer questions relating to this area in the following manner:
The view that the studies teach is . . . . . . . . . . .
But I believe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(and state the reasons why you do so )
Note: Remember the time limit and complete the study and your answers within the allotted
period.
If you are studying at Intermediate Grade, you will later be eligible to do the Advanced Questions if
you so desire. You will not be able to use your study books or notes to help you answer these questions.
In fact all you will be able to use are Bibles and Concordances. So prepare for this by studying properly
and answering these questions according to the instructions given.
(See letters concerning how to study.)
____________________________________________
THE SALVATION MESSAGE
Study Questions
1.
If Christianity is much more than escapism, on what is it founded?
2.
To be truly educated, what do we need to believe on and trust in?
3.
What are the two great commandments?
4.
What is the punishment described in Revelation 20:10?
5.
Where must your name be written to avoid this place of punishment?
6 (a) 1 Thessalonians 5:23 tells us that we are each made up of three parts. What are
they?
(b) After physical death, which part(s) continue on for eternity?
(c) What determines where this will be?
7.
If Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, where will you (your spirit-man, the real you) go
when your physical body dies, and for how long will this be?
8.
Can joining a church save us? Why?
9 (a) Who is God?
(b) How many true Gods are there?
10 (a) Did God have a beginning, and will God ever have an end?
(b) Is God ever wrong?
11.
How does God reveal Himself to us, as Christians?
12.
What is the “Manual of Life” for the Christian, and what does it tell us?
13 (a) Why is man “without excuse” to believe there is a Creator?
(b) What else has man been given to help him believe there is a Creator?
14.
What then is the responsibility of man?
15.
If we seek God with an open heart, what is promised?
16.
Why won’t God force anyone to receive His free gift of everlasting life?
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17 (a) According to Ephesians 2:8, by what are we saved?
(b) Why can’t we ever save ourselves by just doing good works?
18.
Acts 4:12 tells us that there is no other Name given by which we can be saved.
What is this Name?
19.
What is found on the narrow road that leads from earth to heaven (through which
the sinner must pass to gain eternal life)?
20.
To receive anything from God, what is required?
21 (a) Who decides where you will spend eternity?
(b) When, and only when, can this choice be made?
22.
How is death the proof of sin?
23 (a) Who was the physical forefather of all mankind?
(b) What type of human being was Adam before he sinned?
(c) After he sinned, what was passed down to all mankind and what did this do to
mankind’s position with God?
24 (a) According to Romans 6:23, what is the wage paid for sin?
(b) What is the gift mentioned in this verse, and through whom is it available?
25.
What is sin?
26 (a) What was the price needed to pay for mankind’s sin (including your own)?
(b) Why couldn’t any of Adam’s offspring pay this price?
27.
What major sign showed to Believer and unbeliever alike, the truth of the Gospel?
28 (a) Who pays the price for the sins of the person who does not accept Jesus’ sacrifice on
their behalf?
(b) What is this price?
29 (a) What is a Christian?
(b) How can God draw men and women to the Saviour through the life of a Christian?
30.
What produces a transformed life and a changed character?
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31.
What is the only way the gulf between man and God can be bridged, and the sin
problem dealt with?
32.
What happens to the darkness in our spirit when we are born again, and what comes
to surround our spirit?
33 (a) According to John 3:16, what gift did God give to the world?
(b) To whom is this gift available, and does this leave anyone out?
34.
How did the second member of the Trinity become man’s Mediator?
35.
According to John 1:1, who was and is “the Word” ?
36.
According to John 1:14, who became a human being and lived among us?
37.
How was God’s miraculous power released in Jesus’ earthly ministry?
38 (a) What nature did Jesus have?
(b) When did man lose access to this nature?
(c) When did man gain access to this nature?
39.
How was Jesus raised from the dead?
40.
Where is Jesus today and what power and authority have been given to Him?
41.
To have your name written in the Book of Life, what must you do?
42.
What is the promise God gives us in Romans 10:9, and what are the two conditions
we must meet to receive and live in the victory of this promise?
43.
Once you have become a Christian, what do you then need to do in terms of your
walk with the Lord?
44 (a) What does God call “sin” ?
(b) What does the word “repent” really mean?
(c) According to 1 John 1:9, what does God promise if we confess (and repent of) our
sins?
45.
What is the “quiet time,” and why do we need it?
46.
Can you have your name taken out of the Book of Life, and if so, how? Give
scriptural backing for your answer.
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47 (a) According to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, what are some types of sin which will draw a
Christian away from Christ’s Lordship so that, they will forfeit their salvation?
(b) What should a person do if they have become a Christian, and have been living in a
de facto relationship i.e. are living with a partner without being legally married?
48.
The words “thieves,” “liars” and “the covetous” are found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
and Revelation 21:7-8. To what do these words refer in these scriptures?
49.
Will rejecting God’s free gift of salvation through ignorance excuse anyone from
the penalty of eternal punishment?
50 (a) Why can’t we rely on our feelings to tell us whether we are saved or not?
(b) On what do we need to base our assurance of salvation?
51.
What may Satan do or say to try to convince us that we are not saved, and how
should we respond?
52.
When you made Jesus Lord and Saviour, from whose dominion (authority) were
you rescued, and into whose kingdom were you placed? What scripture tells us
this?
53 (a) When you received Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, what position did you enter into
with God?
(b) In this position, what are you now entitled to?
54.
How does your soul prosper?
55.
When your soul prospers, what are some of the righteous fruits which will be
produced in your life?
56.
What constitutes the Sacrifice of Atonement, and what brought the Atonement to
completion?
57 (a) What was defeated by Christ’s finished work on the Cross?
(b) On what should we focus therefore, when seeking any kind of healing?
(c) What does Hebrews 13:8 tell us about Jesus and healing?
(d) Give two Old Testament verses which promise physical health.
58.
What does God promise in return for your obedience and faith if you do what He
commands in Malachi 3:10?
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59 (a) In Malachi 3:11, God tells us He will rebuke the devourer for our sakes. Who is
“the devourer” ?
(b) According to John 10:10, what is the nature of the devourer, and what are some of
the ways in which he operates?
60 (a) To have daily victory in Jesus, what is required of us?
(b) What power is made available to us to live the saved life and overcome sin - and
when do we gain access to this power?
61.
Will just believing that God’s Word is true do anything for people? If not, what
more is needed?
62 (a) How do we develop a mature love in our lives?
(b) What will happen to other people’s lives if we live in this love?
63.
What does the Bible say is the measure of our love for God?
64.
Write out a version of the sinner’s prayer you could use to bring someone to
salvation.
65.
What is the most important aspect of each person’s brief earthly life?
66.
What can we take with us when we leave this earthly life, and therefore, on what
should we be focusing in this life?
67.
At what grade did you study this booklet and answer the questions, Ordinary Grade
or Intermediate Grade?
68.
Do you wish to commit yourself to studying at 7 hours a week or 4 hours a week in
regard to your next study?
Note: Please send $.................. with these answers for your next study.
Note: Under certain circumstances, you may not feel you can commit 7 hours a week
to the next study. You can then opt to study at 4 hours a week. The time limits will
be adjusted accordingly. Should your situation change, you can increase your time
to 7 hours a week - just notify the college or those in charge of distribution.
Salvation Message
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STUDY TIMES
MONTH
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday Thursday
Friday
Saturday
TOTAL
WE BELIEVE:
1. The Bible is the inspired, infallible and authoritative written Word of God.
2. There is one true triune God, eternally co-existent in three persons Who form the Holy Trinity:
God the Father, God the Word and God the Holy Spirit. These three dwell together in perfect
unity, forming one heavenly government called God, and each of the three divine persons we
recognize to be God.
3. God the Word stripped Himself of His rightful godly privileges and became flesh, a human
being called Jesus Christ. Nevertheless He remained God the Word, being both truly God and
truly man.
4. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin. He was crucified, buried,
and then raised from the dead by the power of God. He now sits at the right hand of the Father,
and is the only Mediator between God and man.
5. In the spiritually lost condition of men - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
(are deprived of God’s saving presence).
6. Salvation is found in no one else except Jesus, and there is no other name under heaven which
is given to men whereby mankind can be saved.
7. In the essential need of the new birth by faith in Jesus Christ. The only means of being cleansed
from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Christ.
8. Spiritual regeneration (the new birth) is brought about by making Jesus Christ Lord and
Saviour, and by believing that Jesus’ precious shed blood was the price needed to redeem man
from sin.
9. In the Person and work of the Holy Spirit with His gifts and fruit abiding in the Church.
10. In the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, as the Spirit
gives utterance.
11. That believers should be water-baptized, as the Lord commands, by full immersion, in the name
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
12. That divine healing is provided in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, by applying faith to
God’s Word of promise.
13. In the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit by Whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live
a holy life.
14. Jesus Himself shall descend from heaven to resurrect the righteous dead and to catch away the
living saints to meet with Him in the air. This event is known as the Rapture of the Church.
15. In the second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth along with His glorified saints. This event will
take place after the Rapture (the snatching away).
16. That all who accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour will enjoy everlasting life with Him.
17. That all who do not accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour will spend eternity in everlasting torment
in the lake of fire, along with Satan and his forces of evil.
Cottrell, J., Romans, Vol.1.
S.B.C. Romans, pg.31.
3 A.O.G. USA Position Paper 2017.
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