Master Outline Bible Study

The Bible is The Word of God

It is important for a new or renewed Christian to start right; therefore, the first lesson is designed to help establish your faith in the Bible, for it IS the word of God.  Keep in mind that the Bible is not a book of philosophy, although it is philosophical. Do not go to the Bible for a scientific argument. However, there is no discrepancy between ascertained facts of science and the Bible. The Bible is not a book of history, but is found to be accurate when recording history. The Bible was given to us from God, revealing Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God the Son, the only Savior John 14:6 [Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.]. He is the center and the circumference. It is Christ from Genesis to Revelation John 5:39 [“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!].

The Bible is as high above all other books as the heavens are above the earth. Someone has said of the Bible: “Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be right.”

1 The Bible claims to be the inspired word of God – (II Timothy 3:16-17): [  16) “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”]

Note:  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Upon this statement of fact, evangelical Christianity stands. The Bible claims to be the inspired Word of God. By “inspiration” we mean that the Holy Spirit exerted His supernatural influence upon the writers of the Bible. The writings were inspired – not necessarily the writers, for the Bible nowhere claims to have been written by inspired men.

1) The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible (II Peter 1:21 [or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.]). Christ told His disciples that he would leave “many things’ unrevealed, and that the Holy Spirit would come and choose certain persons and through them reveal His perfect will unto man; and that the Holy Spirit would be the believer’s teacher (John 16:12-15 [ 12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’]).

2) Man is the instrument used by the Holy Spirit to write the Bible

3) Results: the infallible Word of God.  Therefore, the Bible is free from error and absolutely trustworthy. (Psalm 119:89 [ Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven.] and Matthew 24:35 [ Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.]

2 The Bible is a difficult book (I Corinthians 2:14-16):[ 14) “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15) But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16) For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”]

Notes: The Bible is a difficult book because it came from the infinite to the finite – from the unlimited, all powerful God, to limited man. Therefore, you cannot understand the Bible as you would understand the writings of Plato or Socrates. You can study the great philosophers with the natural mind, and by diligent application, grasp their profound meanings. If the Bible could be understood by natural man, it would be a natural book and could not be the Word of God. Since the Bible is from God, and therefore spiritual, before you can receive its teachings, you must be born of the spirit John 3:6 [ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life ] and filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5:18 [ Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,]. Always approach the Bible praying that the Spirit will be your teacher and will guide you to a better understanding of His Holy Word, or it will remain a difficult, closed book John 16:12-15 [  “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’]

3 The Bible is a book of oneness (2 Peter 1:21): [21) “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”]

Notes: The oneness or unity of the Bible is a miracle. It is a library of 66 books, written by over 35 different authors, in a period of approximately 1,500 years. Represented in the authors is a cross section of humanity, educated and uneducated, including kings, fishermen, public officials, farmers, teachers and physicians. Included in the subjects are religion, history, law, science, poetry, drama, biography and prophecy. Yet its various parts are as harmoniously united as the parts that make up the human body.

For 35 authors, with such varied backgrounds, to write on so many subjects, over a period of approximately 1,500 years, in absolute harmony, is a mathematical impossibility. It could not happen! Then how do we account for the Bible? The only adequate explanation is: “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

4 The Bible claims special power (Hebrews 4:12): [12) “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”]

Notes: “For the word of God is living and powerful…” The Bible claims:

1) Dividing power as a sword (above verse). The Bible will separate man from sin II Psalm 119:11 [ I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.] or sin will separate man form the Bible Isaiah 59:2 [ It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. ]

2) Reflecting power as a mirror James 1:22-25 [ 22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.]. In the Bible, we see ourselves as God sees us – as sinners Romans 3:23 [ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.]

3) Cleansing power as water Ephesians 5:26 [ to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.]. David prayed that God would “wash him from iniquity” and “cleanse him from sin.” Psalm 51:2 [ Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. ]

4) Reproductive power as seed 1 Peter 1:23 [ For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.] . We are children of God because we have been born into the family of God by the incorruptible seed of God. This is the new birth John 3:1-7 [ There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”  5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ ]

5) Nourishing power as food 1 Peter 2:2 [ Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,]. The Bible is spiritual food for the soul. No Christian can remain strong in the Lord and not study the Word of God

5 The Bible commands the believer to study the scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15) 15) [“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”]

Notes: “Study to show thyself approved unto God” is a command. As you study the Bible, you will discover that it does not just contain the Word of God – it IS the Word of God. You must also keep in mind that the Word of God contains the words of God, as well as the words of Satan, demons, angels and man – both good and bad. God is truth and cannot lie. Satan “is a liar and the father of it” John 8:44 [ For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.]. Man is natural and is therefore limited, and does not always speak the truth. To illustrate: Matthew 22:15-46 [ 15 Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 16 They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. 17 Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin,[a] 20 he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” 22 His reply amazed them, and they went away.

23 That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: 24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’[b] 25 Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow. 26 But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them. 27 Last of all, the woman also died. 28 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”

29 Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. 30 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 “But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said,[c] 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’[d] So he is the God of the living, not the dead.” 33 When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching.

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[e] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[f] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” 41 Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.” 43 Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’[g] 45 Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” 46 No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.  ] . In this portion of Scripture, we have the words of Jesus, of the Pharisees, of the Herodians and of the Sadducees. The Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees were trying to entangle Jesus in His teachings, that they might accuse Him of breaking God’s law. Their words were spoken with evil intent, revealing the thinking of the natural man, along with the words of God that came from the lips of Jesus.

As you study the Bible, ask yourself these questions:

1) Who is speaking: God, demon, angel or man?

2) To whom is he speaking: to the nation Israel, to the Gentiles, to the Church, to men in general or to some individual man or being?

3) How can this Scripture be applied to my own life to make me a better Christian?

GOD

The Bible reveals God as the only infinite and Eternal Being, having no beginning and no ending. He is the Supreme Personal Intelligence, and Righteous Ruler of His universe. He is life, and therefore, the only source of life (John 5:26 [ The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. ]).

Man is natural and cannot know God by wisdom (Job 11:7 [ “Can you solve the mysteries of God?

Can you discover everything about the Almighty? ]). God is a person and can be known only by revelation. In the Old Testament He revealed Himself to and through His prophets? In the New Testament He reveals Himself through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3 [ Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.])

1 The existence of God (Hebrews 11:6): [ 6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.]

Notes: The Bible nowhere attempts to prove or argue the existence of God. “For he that comes to God must believe that he is.”

The existence of God as a fact taken for granted by the writers of both the Old and New Testaments. “In the beginning God” (Genesis 1:1 [ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.]). The Bible opens by announcing the sublime fact of God and His existence. There are arguments for the existence of God; they are not conclusive but are food for thought:

Universal belief in God comes from within man. It is innate in man, and comes from rational intuition.

1) The argument from “cause and effect.” Everything that began owes its existence to a cause. We have a watch; we must have a watchmaker. We have a building; we must have a builder. We have creation; we must have a creator. This creation could not have come into existence without an intelligent, personal creator, any more than the alphabet could produce a book without an author.

2) The argument from anthropology. Man’s moral and intellectual nature argues for a moral and intellectual creator.  The Bible and the Christ that it reveals; His virgin birth, His sinless life, His vicarious death and His bodily resurrection – all of this and much, much more – argue for the existence of God.

Notes: The Bible reveals God as personality.  He is called “the living and true God” – One possessing self-consciousness and self-determination.  His personality is shown in what He does, such as:

1) God loves. “God so loved the world” (John 3:16 [ For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  ])

2) God hates.  “These six things the Lord hates” (Prov 6:16 OT  [ There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests:  haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil,   feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. ])

3) God cares.  “He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 [ Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  ])

4) God grieves. “He was grieved in His heart” (Gen. 6:6 OT [ So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.  ])

Only a personality can love, hate, care and grieve; therefore God must be a living, eternal and personal being.

3 The Nature of God (I John 4:8): [ 8) He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.]

Notes: God is described 4 ways in the Bible. Since God cannot be defined, they are incomplete. However, they do throw light upon the nature of God. They are:

1) “God is love” (1 John 4:8 [ But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.]). This is the nature of God in His divine compassion.

2) “God is light” (1 John 1:5 [ This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.  ]). The nature of God’s divine character; there is no darkness in Him.

3) “God is consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29 [ For our God is a devouring fire. ]). This is the nature of God in His divine holiness.

4) “God is a Spirit” (John 4:24 [ For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. ]). This is the nature of God in His divine essence.

The attributes of God reveal His nature. Do not think of His attributes as abstract, but as vital mediums through which His holy nature in unveiled – attributes ascribed to Him, such as:

1. Life is ascribed to God (John 5:26 [ The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son.]).

2) All knowledge is ascribed to God (Psalm 147:5 [ How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!

His understanding is beyond comprehension!  ]).

3) All power is ascribed to God (Revelation 19:6 [ Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God,[a] the Almighty, reigns. ]).

4) Filling the universe with His presence is ascribed to God (Psalm 139:7-10 [ I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!  8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave,[a] you are there. 9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. ]).

God is everywhere but not in everything. If God were in everything, man could worship any object and he would be worshipping God. God is spirit. (John 4:24 [ For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” ])

Notes: Grace is the love and mercy of God in action. Mercy is negative, and love is positive; both together mean grace. To show mercy in love is grace. God showed mercy in love when He sent His Son to bear our sins in His own body on the cross (John 3:16 [For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ]).

1) The grace of God saves forever (Romans 8:38, 39 [ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.]).

2) The grace of God is unconditional; that is, we are not saved if we “hold out unto the end”, or “fail not” or “do our best.” We are saved by the grace of God, apart from works.(Ephesians 2:8,9 [ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.])

3) The grace of God is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9 [ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.]).

4) The grace of God makes no discrimination (Revelation 22:17 [ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.]).

5) The grace of God justifies (Romans 3:23, 24 [  For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.]).

6) The grace of God makes every believer an heir (Titus 3:7 [ Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. ]).

7) The grace of God teaches the believer how to live (Titus 2:11, 12 [ For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God,]).

The grace of God is nothing less than the unlimited love of God expressed in the gift of His Son, our Savior. It is the undeserved love of God toward sinners.

 5 The Trinity of God (Matthew 3:16, 17): [16) “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.  17) And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”]

Notes: By the Trinity of God we mean His tri-personal existence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – three distinct persons in one God.

1) The Father is recognized as God (1 Peter 1:2 [ God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.  ]) and is all the fullness of the Godhead (John 1:18 [ No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.]).

2) The Son is recognized as God (Hebrews 1:8 [ But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice. ] – and is all the fullness of the Godhead in the flesh (John 1:14 [ So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.]).

3) The Holy Spirit is recognized as God (Acts 5:3,4 [ Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”]) and is all the fullness of the Godhead acting upon man, convicting him of sin (John 16:7-11 [ But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate[a] won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.]) and guiding the believer into all truth (John 16:12-15 [ “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’]).

4) The doctrine of the Trinity is not explained in the Old Testament, but is rather implied, (Genesis 1:26 [ Then God said, “Let us make human beings[a] in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth,[b] and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” ]).

5) The doctrine of the Trinity is revealed in the New Testament. In verses 16 and 17, we have Christ being baptized in water, the Father speaking from heaven, and the Holy Spirit descending as a dove. We are to baptize in the “name (not names) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19 [ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.]).

Even creation implies the doctrine of the Trinity.

 1) In creation, we have space, matter, and time in one creation.

2) In space, we have length, width, and height in one space.

3) In matter, we have energy, motion, and phenomenon in one substance.

4) In time, we have past, present, and future in one time.

5) In man, we have body, soul, and spirit in one man (1 Thessalonians 5:23 [ Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.]).

6) In the Holy Trinity, we have Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one God.

JESUS CHRIST

Christianity is unlike any other religion, because it is more than a religion–it is the story of the life of the Son of God. Christ is Christianity is Christ. He is the main subject of each book of the New Testament, and fulfills all the promises of God in the Old Testament. From His incarnation to His Second Coming (Revelation 17:14 [ Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.” ] ), He is the God-man, Christ Jesus in glory, exalted above all creatures, having “all power in heaven and in earth”. Matthew 28:18 [ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ]

During His earthly ministry, He claimed to be God in human flesh. He is what He claimed, or He is not. (Revelation 1:8 [ “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” ] ). Before His claim can be denied, there are some things that must be accounted for:

His virgin birth

His holy, sinless life

His many miracles

His vicarious death

His bodily resurrection

1  The Deity of Jesus Christ (John 1:1 [ 1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ] )

 Notes: The deity of Jesus Christ, or His God nature, is established in the New Testament. Some of the facts are:

1) He is called God by the apostle John (John 1:1 [ 1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ] )

2) He is called God by the apostle Thomas (John 20:28 [ “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. ] ).

3) He is called God by God the Father (Hebrews 1:8 [ But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.  ] ).

4) He claimed to be God in that He was with the Father before creation (John 17:5 [ Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. ] )

5) He claimed to be God in that He was before Abraham.  Abraham rejoiced to see My day…” (John 8:51-59 [ I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”

52 The people said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, ‘Anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

54 Jesus answered, “If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’ 55 but you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”

57 The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?”

58 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am!” 59 At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple. ] )

6) He received worship, and only God is to be worshipped (Matthew 14:33 [ Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. ] ). Angels refused worship (Revelations 22:8, 9 [ I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. 9 But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!” ] ).  Man refused worship (Acts 10:25,26 [ As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” ] )

7) He forgives sin (Mark 2:5-11 [  Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7 “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

8 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man[a] has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11 “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”  ] ). Only God can forgive sin.

8). He is creator and maker of all things (Colossians 1:16 [  for through him God created everything  in the heavenly realms and on earth.

He made the things we can see  and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.] )

9) He is Sustainer of all things (Hebrews 1:3 [ The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. ] ). Only God can control the universe.

10) He claimed to have “all authority … in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18 [  Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ] ).

11) He walked upon the blue waters of Galilee, commanded the winds and the waves, healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, cast out demons, made the lame to walk, turned water into wine, and fed five thousand with the lunch of a lad

2  The Humanity of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:3 [   3)“concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,”] )

Notes: The Humanity of Jesus Christ is seen in His human parentage (Matthew 2:11 [  They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ] )

1) He developed as a normal human being (Luke 2:52 [  Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.  ] )

2) He was subject to all the sinless infirmities of the human nature:

·     He hungered (Matthew 4:2 [ For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. ] )

·     He was thirsty (John 19:28 [ Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” ] ).

·     He was weary (John 4:6 [ Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. ] )

·     He wept (John 11:35 [ Then Jesus wept. ] )

·     He was tempted (Hebrews 4:15 [ This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ] )

Jesus is man, and yet He is more than man. He is not God and man, but the God-man. He is God in human flesh. His two natures are put together in such a way that the two natures become united in one person, having a single consciousness and will.

3    The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ – (Luke 1:26-35 [   26) Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27) to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin’s name was Mary.  28) And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”  29) But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.  30) Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  31) “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.  32) “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  33) “And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”  34) “Then Mary said to the angel “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”  35) “And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. ]

Notes:  The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is without duplicate in history. It was by virgin birth that God became man, one person but two natures: God nature and the nature of man-man without sin (Hebrews 4:15 [  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.  ] ). The union of the two natures became the God-man Christ Jesus.

1) The first hint of the virgin birth is found in (Genesis 3:15 [ And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”  ] ). The One to defeat Satan was to be born of “the seed” of the woman. This is a biological miracle: there is no “seed” of the woman. From this, we are to understand that One was to be born of a woman without a human father (Luke 1:34,35 [

 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.  ] )

2) Isaiah prophesied of the coming Christ (Isaiah 7:14 [ All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin[a] will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’ ] ).

3) Isaiah prophesied of Christ (Isaiah 9:6, 7 [

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace

will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies

will make this happen!

 ] ). This means that God gave His only begotten Son who was with Him from eternity, and the Child Jesus was born of a virgin. God gave His Son “unto us.”

4) According to prophecy, He was to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2 [ But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.  ] )

4  The Death of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:8 [  he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. ] ).  

Notes: The death of Jesus Christ is mentioned more than 120 times in the New Testament and is spoken of many times by the prophets in the Old Testament.

1) The death of Jesus Christ was Vicarious (Matthew 20:28 [ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ] ). He was God’s substitute for sinners (2 Corinthians 5:21 [ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[a] so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ] ). On the cross, Christ was made sin for the sinner, the sinner is made righteous.

2) The death of Jesus Christ was natural (John 19:31-37 [  It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. 33 But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. 34 One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. 35 (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe.) 36 These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” {Exod 12:46; Num 9:12; Ps 34:20.} 37 and “They will look on the one they pierced.” Zech 12:10.] ). By a natural death, we mean that His spirit and soul were separated from His body.

3) The death of Jesus Christ was unnatural (Romans 6:23 [ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. ] ). By an unnatural death, we mean that since He was sinless, in that He “committed no sin” (1 Peter 2:22 [ He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.[Isa 53:9.] ] )

a) -“had no sin” (1 John 3:5 [ And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. ] )

b) -“knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21 [ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[a] so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ] )

c) –before He could die, He had to be “made sin for us.” Therefore, His death was unnatural.

4) The death of Jesus Christ was preternatural (Revelation 13:8 [ And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made. ] ). By this, we mean that the death of Jesus was not an afterthought with God; it was the forethought of God.

5) The death of Jesus Christ was supernatural (John 10:17, 18 [  Jesus said, “No one takes life from me.” Then He said, “I lay it down of Myself”. “I have power to take it up again.” This He did on the cross, after three days and three nights, He took life up again when He arose from the dead.] )

Only God in the form of man could die a vicarious, natural, unnatural, preternatural, and supernatural death.

5  The Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:1-20): 1) Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2) And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3) His countenance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow. 4)  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became as dead men.  5)  But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  6) “He is not here; for He is raised, as He said.  Come; see the place where the Lord lay.  7)  “And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you.”  8).  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. 9)  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  10) Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid, Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”  11)  Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12)  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers.  13)  saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’  14)  “And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.”  15)  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. 16)  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  17)  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  18).  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  19)  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,  20)  “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Amen.

Notes:  Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25 [ Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. ] ). The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the doctrine of the disciples, the faith of the true believer, the courage of the martyr, the theme of every sermon, and the power of every evangelist.

Luke tells us that we have “many infallible proofs” of His resurrection (Acts 1:3 [ During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. ] ). Let us look at some of these “infallible proofs”.

1) After His resurrection He appeared first to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18 [ Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” 16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). 17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.  ] ).

2) He appeared to the women returning from the tomb (Matthew 28:5-10 [ Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” 8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”  ] )

3) Then He appeared to Peter (Luke 24:34 [  There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”] )

4) To the Emmaus disciples (Luke 24:13-31 [

That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.” 19 “What things?” Jesus asked. “The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago. 22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.” 25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat,[b] he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!  ] )

5) To the apostles, Thomas not present (Luke 24:36-43 [ And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! 38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40 As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he ate it as they watched.  ] )

6) Again to the apostles, Thomas present (John 20:24-29 [ One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” 26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. 29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”  ] )

7) To the seven by the Sea of Tiberius (John 21:1-23 [ Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.[a] This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),[b] Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. 3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. 4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called out, “Fellows,[c] have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. 6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. 7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. 8 The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards[d] from shore. 9 When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. 10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. 12 “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead. 15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?[e]” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”  “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”  “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. 18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others[f] will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.” 20 Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” 21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” 22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” 23 So the rumor spread among the community of believers[g] that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

 ] )

8) To over five hundred brethren (1 Corinthians 15:6 [ After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers[a] at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. ] )

9) He was seen of James (1 Corinthians 15:7 [ Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. ] )

10) He was seen again by the eleven apostles (Matthew 28:16-20 [ Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  ] ; Acts 1:3-12 [ During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with[a] water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” Matthias Replaces Judas 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile.  ] )

11) He was seen of Stephen, the first martyr (Acts 7:55 [ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ] )

12) He was seen of Paul on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6 [ As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”  ] ; I Corinthians 15:8 [  Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. ] ).

Many of these eye witnesses died martyr’s deaths because they preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were glad to die for a living Christ. They had the “infallible proofs.”

When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, all of His disciples “forsook Him and fled” (Matthew 26:56 [ But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled. ] ). From this time until after His resurrection, the disciples lived in fear. They did not believe that He would rise from the dead (John 20:9 [ for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. ] ). Without the Resurrection, the cross would have been the end of Christianity. After the death of Jesus, we see His disciples dejected, discouraged, and defeated. The death of Jesus meant the end. How do we account for the great change that came into their lives three days and three nights later? The only logical explanation is that they had the “infallible proofs” that He had risen from the dead, and was alive forevermore. They saw Him, talked with Him touched Him, and ate with Him.

Now look at some “infallible proofs” according to circumstantial evidence:

1) The change that came into the lives of the disciples after the Resurrection-from fear to unlimited courage. They rejoiced in persecution (Acts 5:40-42 [ The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. 41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.[a] 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”  ] )

2) The early church began to worship on the first day of the week, the day of the Resurrection. It was not a law, it was spontaneous (Acts 20:7 [ On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. ] ). For almost two thousand years, the church has worshipped on the first day. For the Christian, every Sunday is Easter

3) The early Christians went everywhere with the word of the Resurrection (Acts 8:1-4 [ Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. 4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.  ] )

4) The empty tomb – for if Jesus is not alive, what happened to His body? The Roman guards were paid to say, “His disciples came at night, and stole Him away while we slept” (Matthew 28:12-13 [ A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. 13 They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ ] ).

First, the disciples were afraid. If they stole His body, then how do you account for the fact that they all suffered, and most of them died martyrs’ deaths? Would not one of them reveal the hiding place to save his own life?

Second, no one was ever arrested or tried for stealing the body of Jesus. It is evident that the governing officials did not believe the story of the guards.

Third, the guards could have been put to death for sleeping while on watch.

Fourth, if they were asleep, how could they known who “stole” the body?

Fifth, had the enemies of Jesus moved the body, they could have produced it and ended Christianity!!

The linen clothes found in the empty tomb are proof of the Resurrection (John 20:1-10 [ Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. 4 They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. 8 Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— 9 for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. 10 Then they went home.  ] ). Had anyone stolen the body, they would not have removed the linen clothes from a three day old dead body. When John saw the linen clothes, he knew that a miracle had taken place. Jesus came out of the clothes, and they collapsed without disturbing the folds. They were left in the empty tomb; and when John saw and believed that Jesus had risen from the dead.

6 The Ascension and Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:9-11 [ 9) Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of sight.  10) And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11) who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go up into Heaven.”]] )

Notes: After forty days of instructing His disciples, the risen Christ ascended up on high and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 10:12 [ But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ] ). Two men brought the message of His second coming to the apostles (Acts 1:11 [ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” ] ). The message of the second coming of Jesus is so important, that it is mentioned over 300 times in the New Testament.

1) He is coming to take His church to be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 [ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died[a] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. ] ; John 14:1-6 [ “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.[a] If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ] )

2) He is coming to judge the nations (Matthew 25:31-46 [ “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[c] you were doing it to me!’ 41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ 45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”   ] )

3) He is coming to save Israel (Romans 11:25,26 [  I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say,  “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.  ] )

4) He is coming to sit upon the throne of David (Luke 1:31-33 [ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” ] ; Isaiah 9:6,7 [ For a child is born to us,

a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!  ] )

5) He is coming to bring righteous government to this earth again, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20 [ He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!  ] )

The Bible is The Word of God

It is important for a new or renewed Christian to start right; therefore, the first lesson is designed to help establish your faith in the Bible, for it IS the word of God.  Keep in mind that the Bible is not a book of philosophy, although it is philosophical. Do not go to the Bible for a scientific argument. However, there is no discrepancy between ascertained facts of science and the Bible. The Bible is not a book of history, but is found to be accurate when recording history. The Bible was given to us from God, revealing Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God the Son, the only Savior John 14:6 [Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.]. He is the center and the circumference. It is Christ from Genesis to Revelation John 5:39 [“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!].

The Bible is as high above all other books as the heavens are above the earth. Someone has said of the Bible: “Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be right.”

1 The Bible claims to be the inspired word of God – (II Timothy 3:16-17): [  16) “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”]

Note:  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Upon this statement of fact, evangelical Christianity stands. The Bible claims to be the inspired Word of God. By “inspiration” we mean that the Holy Spirit exerted His supernatural influence upon the writers of the Bible. The writings were inspired – not necessarily the writers, for the Bible nowhere claims to have been written by inspired men.

1) The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible (II Peter 1:21 [or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.]). Christ told His disciples that he would leave “many things’ unrevealed, and that the Holy Spirit would come and choose certain persons and through them reveal His perfect will unto man; and that the Holy Spirit would be the believer’s teacher (John 16:12-15 [ 12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’]).

2) Man is the instrument used by the Holy Spirit to write the Bible

3) Results: the infallible Word of God.  Therefore, the Bible is free from error and absolutely trustworthy. (Psalm 119:89 [ Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven.] and Matthew 24:35 [ Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.]

2 The Bible is a difficult book (I Corinthians 2:14-16):[ 14) “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15) But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16) For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”]

Notes: The Bible is a difficult book because it came from the infinite to the finite – from the unlimited, all powerful God, to limited man. Therefore, you cannot understand the Bible as you would understand the writings of Plato or Socrates. You can study the great philosophers with the natural mind, and by diligent application, grasp their profound meanings. If the Bible could be understood by natural man, it would be a natural book and could not be the Word of God. Since the Bible is from God, and therefore spiritual, before you can receive its teachings, you must be born of the spirit John 3:6 [ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life ] and filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5:18 [ Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,]. Always approach the Bible praying that the Spirit will be your teacher and will guide you to a better understanding of His Holy Word, or it will remain a difficult, closed book John 16:12-15 [  “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’]

3 The Bible is a book of oneness (2 Peter 1:21): [21) “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”]

Notes: The oneness or unity of the Bible is a miracle. It is a library of 66 books, written by over 35 different authors, in a period of approximately 1,500 years. Represented in the authors is a cross section of humanity, educated and uneducated, including kings, fishermen, public officials, farmers, teachers and physicians. Included in the subjects are religion, history, law, science, poetry, drama, biography and prophecy. Yet its various parts are as harmoniously united as the parts that make up the human body.

For 35 authors, with such varied backgrounds, to write on so many subjects, over a period of approximately 1,500 years, in absolute harmony, is a mathematical impossibility. It could not happen! Then how do we account for the Bible? The only adequate explanation is: “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

4 The Bible claims special power (Hebrews 4:12): [12) “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”]

Notes: “For the word of God is living and powerful…” The Bible claims:

1) Dividing power as a sword (above verse). The Bible will separate man from sin II Psalm 119:11 [ I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.] or sin will separate man form the Bible Isaiah 59:2 [ It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. ]

2) Reflecting power as a mirror James 1:22-25 [ 22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.]. In the Bible, we see ourselves as God sees us – as sinners Romans 3:23 [ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.]

3) Cleansing power as water Ephesians 5:26 [ to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.]. David prayed that God would “wash him from iniquity” and “cleanse him from sin.” Psalm 51:2 [ Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. ]

4) Reproductive power as seed 1 Peter 1:23 [ For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.] . We are children of God because we have been born into the family of God by the incorruptible seed of God. This is the new birth John 3:1-7 [ There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”  5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ ]

5) Nourishing power as food 1 Peter 2:2 [ Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,]. The Bible is spiritual food for the soul. No Christian can remain strong in the Lord and not study the Word of God

5 The Bible commands the believer to study the scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15) 15) [“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”]

Notes: “Study to show thyself approved unto God” is a command. As you study the Bible, you will discover that it does not just contain the Word of God – it IS the Word of God. You must also keep in mind that the Word of God contains the words of God, as well as the words of Satan, demons, angels and man – both good and bad. God is truth and cannot lie. Satan “is a liar and the father of it” John 8:44 [ For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.]. Man is natural and is therefore limited, and does not always speak the truth. To illustrate: Matthew 22:15-46 [ 15 Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 16 They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. 17 Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin,[a] 20 he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” 22 His reply amazed them, and they went away.

23 That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: 24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’[b] 25 Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow. 26 But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them. 27 Last of all, the woman also died. 28 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”

29 Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. 30 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 “But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said,[c] 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’[d] So he is the God of the living, not the dead.” 33 When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching.

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[e] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[f] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” 41 Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.” 43 Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’[g] 45 Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” 46 No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.  ] . In this portion of Scripture, we have the words of Jesus, of the Pharisees, of the Herodians and of the Sadducees. The Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees were trying to entangle Jesus in His teachings, that they might accuse Him of breaking God’s law. Their words were spoken with evil intent, revealing the thinking of the natural man, along with the words of God that came from the lips of Jesus.

As you study the Bible, ask yourself these questions:

1) Who is speaking: God, demon, angel or man?

2) To whom is he speaking: to the nation Israel, to the Gentiles, to the Church, to men in general or to some individual man or being?

3) How can this Scripture be applied to my own life to make me a better Christian?

Outline Five: Sin

SIN

In considering the question of sin, we are faced with two startling facts. The first fact is that man makes so little of sin. To some, it is an illusion-a religious mirage-the invention of some fanatic. It is denied, joked about, and laughed at by man. Many, who believe sin to be a fact, continue in it with little thought of its penalty.

The second fact is that God makes so much of sin. God said, “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20 [  ] ). “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). All sins are an abomination to God (Proverbs 6:16-19 [ There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent,  a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. ] ), and He hates those who work iniquity (Psalm 5:5 [ Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil.  ] ). Moses said, “…All who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 25:16 [ For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are [a]an abomination to the Lord your God. ] ). Sin is an evil force. Its presence cannot be escaped in this life, but it can be overcome by the power of God.

1  The Origin of Sin (Jude 1:6):  [  6) And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their one abode, He has reserve in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;  ]

Notes:  The origin of sin is one of the mysteries of the Bible. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God” (Deuteronomy 29:29 [ “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions. ] ). Its origin is one of the “secret things” that will remain wrapped in obscurity.

Sin was first noted in the heart of Satan. He was created a perfect being, “…till iniquity was found in you” (Ezekiel 28:11-19 [  Then this further message came to me from the Lord: 12 “Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone[a]— red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald— all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire.  “You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you.  Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire.  Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire out from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end,  and you will exist no more.”  ] ). Satan fell from perfection when he exerted his will above the will of God. Five times he said, “I will” (Isaiah 14:12-17 [ “How you are fallen from heaven,

O shining star, son of the morning!

You have been thrown down to the earth,

you who destroyed the nations of the world.

13 For you said to yourself,

‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.

I will preside on the mountain of the gods

far away in the north.[a]

14 I will climb to the highest heavens

and be like the Most High.’

15 Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead,

down to its lowest depths.

16 Everyone there will stare at you and ask,

‘Can this be the one who shook the earth

and made the kingdoms of the world tremble?

17 Is this the one who destroyed the world

and made it into a wasteland?

Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities

and had no mercy on his prisoners?’  ] ). It was his will over God’s will – this is sin. It is believed that Satan, when first created, was the ruler of this earth (Genesis 1:1 [  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.] ). , and that he fell through self-will; and at his fall, the earth “was without form, and void” (Genesis 1:2 [ The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. ] ).

Isaiah tells us that God created the earth “not in vain” (Isaiah 45:18 [ For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the Lord,” he says, “and there is no other.  ] ). “He did not create it a chaos.” The earth was a perfect creation in Genesis 1:1. Something happened that caused a catastrophe and the earth became “without form and void” (Genesis 1:2 [ The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. ] ), but it was not created thus.

It is believed that some of the angels, along with Satan, sinned by leaving their first estate. This does not prove that Satan was the originator of sin, but it does reveal sin in the heart of Satan before God created man.

2 What is Sin (I John 3:4): [  4) Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.   ]

 Notes:  It is impossible to deny the existence of sin, when the whole world is in conflict between good and evil. If sin were not a fact, there would be no crime; we would not need jails or prisons. We would need no locks on our doors, or vaults for our valuables. To some, sin is being indiscreet; or it is a weakness of the flesh. To others, it is the absence from good. To the so-called scholar, sin is ignorance; and to the evolutionist, it is the nature of the beast. The latest theory is that sin is a disease to be treated by science, because man is not a sinner-he is only sick. To others, sin is a form of selfishness, but God declares that;

1) Sin is lawlessness (I John 3:4 [  4) Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.  ] )

2) Sin is falling short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23 [ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ] )

3) Sin is rebellion against God (Isaiah 1:2 [ Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the Lord says: “The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me.] ).

4) Sin is unbelief; it makes God a Liar ( 1 John 5:10 [ All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.] )

5) Sin is going your own way, planning your life according to your own will, without seeking the will of God ( Isaiah 53:6 [ All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.] )

6) All unrighteousness is sin ( 1 John 5:17 [ All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.] )

Sin is a folly to deceive you, a force to destroy you, and a fact to condemn you. Sin is a volitional act of disobedience against the revealed will of God.

 3) How Sin Entered into the World (Romans 5:12):   [  12) Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned –  ]

Notes:  “…by one man sin entered into the world.” The fall of man is found in Genesis 3:1-24 [ The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”  “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[a] and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” 11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” 13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” 14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. 15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” 16 Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” 17 And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. 18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. 19 By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”  20 Then the man—Adam—named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live. 21 And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Look, the human beings[e] have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” 23 So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24 After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. ]  

When Adam sinned, his seed became corruptible ( 1 Peter 1:23 [ For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. ] )

Therefore, we are sinners, because we are born in sin ( Psalm 51:5 [ For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.] )

You do not have to teach children to be bad, but you do have to teach them to be good. You do not have to teach them to lie, but you do have to teach them to tell the truth.”  Therefore as by one man’s offense judgment came to all men resulting in condemnation” (Romans 5:18 [  Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.]  )

According to the Word of God, all men are judged sinners; all are condemned already (John 3:18 [ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.] ).

 “All have sinned” (Romans 3:23 [ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.] )

Sin entered the world through our first parents in the Garden of Eden, and “all have sinned” because all are sinners.

Man sins by choice, because he is a sinner by nature. Therefore, the dominion sin has over you is according to the delight you have in it

4)  The Results of Sin (Ephesians 2:1):  [    1) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,   ]

Notes:  “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 [ For the wages of sin is death, but the [a]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord] ) As a result of man’s sin, there are three deaths. Keep in mind that death does not annihilate; it only separates. In the Garden of Eden, it separated man from God Spiritually; this is spiritual death. In natural death, it separates the spirit and the soul from the body; this is physical death. In final death, it separates man from the mercy of God forever; this is eternal death.

1) The wages of sin is spiritual death. Just as sin separated man from God spiritually and drove him from the presence of God out of the Garden, so sin will separate you from God ( Isaiah 59:1-2 [  Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.] ) The only way back to God is to confess your sins to Him ( 1 John 1:9 [  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.] ) and forsake your sins ( Isaiah 55:7 [Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. ] ) that you may be restored to fellowship with God.

2)  The wages of sin is physical death. Physical death is a result of sin. Death had no claim on man until man sinned. Now all die, because all are in sin. Death is universal; and, since we have a universal effect, we must have a universal cause, and that cause is universal sin. All men die-the good and the bad-the young and the old – and man will continue to die until death is destroyed by the Lord Jesus Christ ( 1 Corinthians 15:26 [ And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.] ) and is swallowed up in victory ( 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 [ Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.] )

3) The wages of sin is eternal death. “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20 [The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.] ). This is eternal separation from the love of God (Revelation 20:14 [

Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. ] ). Once the soul passes beyond the portals of Hades, he is lost and lost forever. He will continue to exist, but without hope. He is damned and damned to all eternity. Eternal death is eternal separation from God ( Luke 16:19-31 [

Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. 22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet.[a] The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and he went to the place of the dead.[b] There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ 25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’ 27 “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. 28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’ 29 “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ 30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ 31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” ] )

 4) Gods Remedy for Sin (2 Corinthians 5:21):   [   21) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  ]

 Notes:  Man, not willing to accept God’s remedy for his ruin, strives to bring about his own salvation by human means.

1) He strives for self-righteousness, when he needs too be made the righteousness of God (Vs 21) (Isaiah 64:6 [ We are all infected and impure with sin.

    When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. ] )

2) He strives to reform when he needs to regenerated (Titus 3:5 [ he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.] )

3) He strives to turn over a new leaf, when he needs a new life (John 10:10 [ The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. ] )

4) He strives to be justified by the Law, when he needs to be justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16 [ Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”] )

5) He strives to clean up the old man, when he needs to be made a new man in Christ (Ephesians 4:24 [ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.] )

6) He strives to be saved by good works, when he needs salvation by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9 [ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.] )

The only remedy for the ruin of man is the Son of God being made sin for us on the cross. The only way to receive this remedy is by faith in Him as personal Savior. (John 20:30-31 [ The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe[a] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name. ] )

JUDGEMENT

In the Scriptures, we are instructed to “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 [ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ] ). This is most essential when studying the judgments. Do not endeavor to make all the judgments conform to the theory of one “general judgment.” The “general judgment” theory is the invention of religion, and is not taught in the Word of God. There are five separate judgments revealed in the Bible, and they differ as to time, place, and purpose. Yet, they all have one thing in common: the Lord Jesus Christ is the judge. (John 5:22 [ For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, ] )

Everyone – from Adam to the last man to be born on this earth – will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ to be judged.

1) In the first judgment, the sins of the believers have already been judged in Christ on the cross.

2) In the second judgment, the believer is to judge self, or be judged and disciplined by the Lord Jesus.

3) In the Third judgment, all believers must appear at the “judgment seat of Christ” where their works are to be judged.

4)  In the fourth judgment, all nations are to be judged at the Second Coming of Christ.

5) In the fifth judgment, the wicked dead are to be judged at the great white throne.

 1   Judgment of the Believers Sin (John 5:24):   [  24) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.  ]

Notes:  In the above verse, our Lord tells us that the believer “shall not come into judgment.” (Matthew 10:15 [ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ] ) Our sins were judged in Christ on Calvary and every believer “has passed out of death into life.”

1) This is present salvation. Christ paid for our sins. He was judged in the believer’s stead. The believer will not come into judgment because:

2) Jesus Christ paid the penalty, and on the grounds of His substitutional death, the believer is separated from his sins forever (Psalm 103:12 [ He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. ] )

3) The sins of believer have been “blotted out” and God has promised that He “will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25 [ “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.  ] )

4) Our Lord suffered for our sins, “the just for the unjust” that we might be saved and never come into judgment as sinners (1 Peter 3:18 [ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,  ]  )

The believer will never be condemned with the world, because Christ was condemned in his place. “For He has made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21 [ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. ] ). Christ was made a curse for us on the cross and “has redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13 [ But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”] ; Hebrews 9:26 [  If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age[a] to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. ] ). The believer will not come into judgment because his sins have been purged (Hebrews 1:3 [ The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. ] ).

2  Judgment of the Believers Self (1 Corinthians 11:31-32): [    31) For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  32) But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.   ]

Notes:  The judgment of the believer’s self is more than judging things in the believer’s life. When the believer judges self, the good and the bad in his life come to light; and he will confess the bad (1 John 1:9 [ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. ] ) and forsake it (Isaiah 55:7 [ Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.  ] ) However, it is not enough just to judge sin in the believer; he must judge self.

1) To judge self is to practice self-abnegation, for when the believer sees self as God sees him, he will renounce self. It is replacing the self life with the Christ life (Colossians 3:4 [ And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. ] ). Christ is the believer’s life.

2) To judge self is to deny self. This is more than self-denial. Self-denial is denying one’s self of the gratifications of the flesh. If we practice self-denial only, it is treating the symptom and not the cause. But when we deny self, we are attacking the cause, for in self (that is, in the flesh) “nothing good dwells” (Romans 7:18 [ And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. ]  ). To deny self is to take up our cross and follow Christ (Mark 8:34-38  [  Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?[a] 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” ] ).

3) To judge self is to lose the self life and find the Christ life (Galatians 2:20 [  My old self has been crucified with Christ.[a] It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ] )

4) To judge self is to no longer be self-conscious, but become Christ-Conscious (Matthew 28:20 [ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” ] )

5) To judge self is to no longer be self-controlled, but to become Christ controlled (Acts 9:6 [ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”  ] )

6)  To judge self is to no longer practice self-esteem, but to esteem others better than self (Philippians 2:3 [ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ] ). To judge self is to become selfless.

 3  Judgment of the Believers Works (2 Corinthians 5:10):  [    10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.   ]

 Notes: The believer’s works will be judged at the “judgment seat of Christ.” The term, “judgment seat of Christ” is found only twice in the Bible; but it is referred to many times. It is found in the above verse; also Romans 14:10 [ So why do you condemn another believer[a]? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ] . A careful reading of both verses with the context reveals that only believers will appear at the “judgment seat of Christ.” Their works will be judged, not their sins, for we have already seen that the sins of the believer were judged in Christ on Calvary, and “There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 [ So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. ] )

This judgment will take place “in the air,” following the first resurrection. “The dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 [ For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.[a] 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died[b] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words. ]  ). There will be a thousand years between the resurrection of the saved and the unsaved (Revelation 20:4-5 [ Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.)  ] ), and there will be a thousand years between the “judgment seat of Christ” where only saved will appear and the “great white throne judgment” where only the unsaved will appear.

At the judgment seat of Christ, the believer will give an account of himself to God. Therefore we should look to our own works, and not judge the works of others (Romans 14:10-13 [ So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me,  and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”   Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.  ] ).

It is a most humbling thought to know that someday the believer will face all of his works – “good or bad.” Some will be ashamed (1 John 2:28 [ And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. ]  ) and “suffer loss” – not the loss of salvation, but the loss of rewards (1 Corinthians 3:11-15 [  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.  ] ). So whatever you do, do it to the glory of God. (Colossians 3:17 [ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. ] )

 4    Judgment of Nations (Matthew 25:31-46)  [   31) “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  32) “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them from one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep form the goats. 33) “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  34) “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  35) “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;  36) ‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37) “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed you, or thirsty and gave you drink?  38) “When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  39)‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’  40) “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly , I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me.’  41) Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:42) ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43) ‘I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’  44) “Then they also will answer Him saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’  45) “Then He will answer them, saying ;Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did not do it to one of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46) “And these things will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”   ]

 Notes:  This judgment is not the judgment of the great white throne (Revelation 20:11-15 [  And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave[a] gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. ] ). A careful comparison of the two judgments will establish the following facts:

The judgment of the nations will take place “when the Son of Man comes in His glory.….Then He will sit on the throne of His glory.” The great white throne is never called “the throne of his glory” (Revelation 20:11-15 [  And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave[a] gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. ] ) 

1)  At this judgment, He will judge the living nations (Joel 3:11-16 [

Come quickly, all you nations everywhere.

Gather together in the valley.”

And now, O Lord, call out your warriors!

12 “Let the nations be called to arms.

Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat.

There I, the Lord, will sit

to pronounce judgment on them all.

13 Swing the sickle,

for the harvest is ripe.[a]

Come, tread the grapes,

for the winepress is full.

The storage vats are overflowing

with the wickedness of these people.”

14 Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision.

There the day of the Lord will soon arrive.

15 The sun and moon will grow dark,

and the stars will no longer shine.

16 The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion

and thunder from Jerusalem,

and the heavens and the earth will shake.

But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,

a strong fortress for the people of Israel. ] ). At the white throne judgment, he will judge the wicked dead.

2) At this judgment, there will be no resurrection of the dead. At the great white throne, the entire wicked are raised: “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them……..” (Revelation 20:13 [  ] )

3) At this judgment, the judge is God “The King” judging the living nations in His earthly kingdom. At the great white throne, the judge is God, judging only the wicked dead.

4) At this judgment, there are no books opened. At the great white throne, the “books were opened.”

5)  At this judgment, there are three classes judged: “sheep” – the saved (Revelation 7:9-17 [

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar,

“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne

and from the Lamb!”

11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. 12 They sang,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

and thanksgiving and honor

and power and strength belong to our God

forever and ever! Amen.”

13 Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?”

14 And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.”

Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in[a] the great tribulation.[b] They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

15 “That is why they stand in front of God’s throne

and serve him day and night in his Temple.

And he who sits on the throne

will give them shelter.

16 They will never again be hungry or thirsty;

they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.

17 For the Lamb on the throne[c]

will be their Shepherd.

He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.

And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” ] ); “goats” – The unsaved

 (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 [ And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 10 When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him. ] ); “tribes” – the elect of Israel

(Revelation 7:1-8 [ Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so they did not blow on the earth or the sea, or even on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted to those four angels, who had been given power to harm land and sea, 3 “Wait! Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants.” 4 And I heard how many were marked with the seal of God—144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel:

5 from Judah        12,000 from Reuben        12,000 from Gad 12,000

6 from Asher        12,000 from Naphtali 12,000 from Manasseh 12,000

7 from Simeon 12,000 from Levi 12,000 from Issachar        12,000

8 from Zebulun 12,000 from Joseph 12,000 from Benjamin 12,000  ] , Romans 11:25-28 [ I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters,[a] so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel[c] away from ungodliness. 27 And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.” 28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  ]  ). At the great white throne, there is only one class: “the dead.”

6) At this judgment, the King gives the kingdom to those who have eternal life. At the great white throne, there are no saved and no kingdom; they are all “cast into the lake of fire.

5  Outline 6.5: Judgment of the Wicked (Revelation 20:11-15):  [  11) Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.  And there was found no place for them.  12) And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.  And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  13) The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.  And they were judged, each one according to his works.  14) Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.  15) And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.  ]

Notes: The great white throne judgment will follow the thousand year reign of Christ. This is the final judgment, and only the wicked dead are to be judged. According to (Revelation 20:5 [ This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) ] ), the believers were resurrected a thousand years before this judgment, and their works were judged at the “judgment seat of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:10 [ For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. ] )

1) At this judgment, the wicked dead will seek a hiding place from the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, the judge. But there is no hiding place.

2) At this judgment, the “dead, great and small” will stand before God. But the greatness of the great will be of no value. “There is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:12 [ All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”  ] )

3) At this judgment, the “book of life” will be opened. Why the “book of life” if there are no saved at this Judgment? The wicked will be shown that God in His mercy provided space for them in the “book of life,” so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20 [ But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. ] )

4) At this judgment, the dead will be judged “according to their works.” God is a just God; and since there are degrees of punishment in hell, some will be punished more than others (Luke 12:42 , 48  [ And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. ] )

1. At this judgment, there will be no acquittal, no higher court to which the lost may appeal. It is lost, and lost forever; it is damned to all eternity, and that without hope. There is a Hades (Luke 16:19-31 [  Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. 22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. 24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ 25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’ 27 “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. 28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’ 29 “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ 30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ 31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”  ] ) and in Hades, there is no hope, no sympathy, no love; even the love of God does not extend beyond the portals of Hades.

REWARDS

 There is a vast difference in the doctrine of salvation for the lost, and the doctrine of rewards for the saved.  Salvation is “the gift of God, not of works” (Eph. 2:8, 9 [  God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ] ).  Salvation is received by faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:36  [ And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” ] ).  Rewards are according to the works of the believer (Matt. 16:27   [ For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. ] ).

A most revealing Scripture concerning rewards is found in 1 Cor. 3:8 -15.  [   8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.  ]

First, every believer will be rewarded “according to his own labor” (verse 8 [ 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.  ] ).  We do not labor for salvation.

Second, “we are God’s fellow workers” (verse 9 [ 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.  ] ) – not for salvation, but for rewards.

Third, the believer is to build on the Lord Jesus Christ, “for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (verse 11 [ 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.  ] )

Fourth, the believer has a choice of two kinds of building materials: “gold, silver, precious stones” – this is building with eternal materials; or “wood, hay, straw” – this is building with temporal materials (verse 12 [  12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. ] ) (2 Cor. 4:18  [ So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. ] )

 The believer who builds on Christ with eternal materials, “gold, silver, precious stones,” shall receive a reward.  Those who build on Christ with temporal materials, “wood, hay, straw,” will receive no reward.  The works of “wood, hay, straw” will be destroyed at the “judgment seat of Christ,” and he believer will suffer loss – not the loss of salvation, but the loss of rewards.

In the first year of my ministry, I set at the bedside of a dying friend.  As we talked of his home going, tears filled his eyes.  Being young in the Lord, I thought he was afraid to die, and attempted to speak words of encouragement to him.  He said, “I am not afraid to die; I am ashamed to die.” He went on to say that Christ was his Savior, but he had lived for self, and now had to meet the Lord Jesus Christ empty handed. His life loomed up before him as “wood, hay, straw.”  He was “saved so as by fire.”

Rewards are called “crowns” in the New Testament.

1  The Crown of Life (James 1:12 [ God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. ] )

2  The Crown Imperishable (1 Cor. 9:24-27 [ Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. ] )

3  The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thess. 2:19-20 [ After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20 Yes, you are our pride and joy. ] )

4  The Crown of Righteousness (2 Tim. 4:5-8  [ But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. 6 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. ] )

5  The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:2-4 [ Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor. ] )

1.  The Crown of Life (James 1:12):  [   12) Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.   ]

Notes:  This reward could be called the lover’s crown.  Upon examination of the above verse, we discover that the believer finds strength to overcome temptation and endure trials, through the love of God.  Paul said, “We also glory in tribulations.”  The question is, do we today glory in tribulations?  We can, only if the “love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:2-5 [ Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  ] ). Without the love of God in the heart of the believer, trials can cause him to become bitter and critical and lose the “crown of life.”

All believers have eternal life (John 3:15-16 [ so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  ] ), but not all believers will be rewarded with the “crown of life.”  This crown will be given to those who are “faithful until death” (Rev 2:10 [ Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. ] ). To receive the “crown of life” the believer must love the Lord more than his own life.  “For whoever desires to save his life (live for self) will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s (live for Christ at all cost) will save it” (Mark 8:35 [  ] ).  This reward will be given to those who live for Christ, and endure temptations, in the power of the love of God (1 Cor 10:13 [  The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. ] ).

2.   The Crown Imperishable (1 Cor 9:24-27):   [  24) Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  25) And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  26) Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty.  Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.  27) But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.   ]

Notes: Paul makes use of the Greek games to illustrate the spiritual race of the believer.  They ran to win a “perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”  No young man could contend in the games unless he was a Greek citizen, born of Greek parents.  No unsaved person can participate in the services of the Lord for rewards; only the born of God are eligible (John 3:3 [ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” ] )

Just as the athlete must deny himself many gratifications of he body, so the believer must say “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection” or he will become “disqualified.”  He will not lose his salvation, but he will lose the “imperishable crown.”

The Greek games had hard and fast rules for all participants.  The New Testament contains the rules for believers who would enter the spiritual race to win the “imperishable crown.”

(1). The believer must deny self of anything that would weigh him down and hold him back (Heb. 12:1 [ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ] )

(2). The believer must keep his eyes fixed on Christ, and not look to the right or the left (Heb. 12:2 [ We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ] )

(3). The believer must find strength in the Lord (Eph. 6:10-18 [ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. ]  )

(4). The believer must place his all upon the altar of the Lord (Rom. 12:1-2 [ And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. ] )

(5).  The believer must, by faith, refuse anything that would impede spiritual progress (Heb. 11:24-29 [ It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons. 29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.  ] )

Do not be spiritual spectator.  Enter the race and run to win the “imperishable crown.”

3.  The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thess. 2:19,20):   [  19) For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?  Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?  ]

 Notes:  The “crown of rejoicing” is the soul winner’s crown.  The greatest work you are privileged to do for the Lord is to bring others to knowledge of Christ as personal Savior.  The degree of you joy in heaven will determined by the souls you have had a part in bringing to Christ.  Paul tells the Thessalonian believers that they are his “hope, or joy or crown of rejoicing” now and when Jesus comes.

(1).  It is wise to win souls to Christ (Prov. 11:30 OT [ The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.

 ] )

(2). It is a work against sin to win souls to Christ (James 5:20 [  you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. ] )

(3). It is a cause for joy in heaven to win souls to Christ (Luke 15:7 [ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.  ] )

(4). Every soul winner will shine as the stars forever (Dan. 12:3 OT [ Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.  ] )

How can you win souls to Christ:

·  Witness with your life; live that others may see Christ in you (2 Cor. 3:2 [ You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; ]  and Gal. 2:20 [ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. ] )

·   Witness with your mouth, trusting the Holy Spirit to give power to the spoken word (2 Cor. 9:6 [ But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ] )

·   Witness with tithes and offerings that others may preach Christ, and you will have “fruit (reward) that abounds to your account” (Phil. 4:15 [ Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. ]  and 2 Cor. 9:6 [ Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. ] )

God has promised that your labor will not be in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58 [ So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. ] ).  The soul winner will not rejoice alone – all of heaven will rejoice with him when he receives the “crown of rejoicing” (John 4:36 [ The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! ] )

 4.  The Crown of Righteousness (2 Tim. 4:5-8):  [  5) But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.  6) For I am already being poured out as a drink offering and my departure is at hand.  7) I have fought the good fight.  I have finished the race.  I have kept the faith.  8 ) Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.  ]

Notes:  The “crown of righteousness” is a reward, and it is not to be confused with the “righteousness of God” which the believer receives when he becomes a Christian; for at that time, the believer is to “become the righteousness of God in Him” 2 Cor. 5:21 [ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ] ).  This saving righteousness is a gift to be accepted by the lost.  The “crown of righteousness” is a reward to be earned by the saved.  If the believer looks for, and loves the doctrine of the second coming of Christ, it will affect his whole life.  Look at the dynamic impact this truth had on the life of the apostle Paul.  He could say:

 (1)   “I have fought the good fight” (verse 7, also 1 Cor. 15:32 [  And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus—if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” ] ).  He fought a spiritual battle throughout his Christian life, and won.  He never surrendered to the enemies of righteousness (Eph 6:12 [ For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. ] ).

(2)   “I have finished the race.”  He had a race to run.  And he did not detour the hard places; neither did he look back (Luke 9:61-62 [ Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”  ] ). He finished his race with his eyes fixed on Christ (Phil. 1:6 [ And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. ] )

(3)   “I have kept the faith.”  He preached the “whole counsel of God” – never betraying any of the great doctrines (Acts 20:24-31 [  But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.  “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know. 28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood[b]—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.  ] ). The apostle looked ahead to the “judgment seat of Christ” where the “crown of righteousness” will be given to those “who have loved His appearing.” How important it is for the believer to look with a heart of love for the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that he may receive the “crown righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8 [ And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. ] ).

5.  The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:2-4):  [  4) and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive crown of glory that does not fade away.  ]

Notes:  The “crown of glory” is a special reward for the faithful, obedient, God-called pastor.  He will receive this reward when the “Chief Shepherd appears.”  It is eternal; it “does not fade away.”  Every believer may share in the pastor’s “crown of glory.”  He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward” (Matt. 10:41).  Support your faithful, God-called pastor by praying for him and encouraging him in the work of the Lord.  Under gird his ministry with God’s tithes and your offerings (Mal. 3:10 OT [ Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! ] ) giving freely of your time to the service of the Lord.  And God will reward you for supporting His chosen servant by allowing you to share in your pastor’s reward.  The pastor will earn this “crown of glory by:

(1)   Feeding the church.  He is to proclaim the Word of God without fear or favor; and, when necessary, he will “convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” 2 Tim. 4:2-5 [  Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.  For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. 5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.  ] ).

(2)   Taking spiritual oversight of the church.  The pastor is responsible to God for the message preached to his people.  No pastor should preach to please the people; he is to please this Lord (Gal. 1:10 [ Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. ] )

(3)   Being an example to the church.  He is not to serve for the reward of money.  Yet, the church is responsible to care for his every material need (1 Tim. 5:18 [  For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!” ] ).  He is the spiritual leader, and not a dictator.  He is to walk with God by faith.  “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”

THE CHURCH

Jesus said, “I will build My church” (ecclesia) (Matt. 16:18 [ Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. ] ). The word “ecclesia” in the New Testament is used to designate any assembly whether it be political (Acts 19:39 [ And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly. ]), Christian (Eph. 1:22-23 [  God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. ] ), or national (Acts 7:38 [  Moses was with our ancestors, the assembly of God’s people in the wilderness, when the angel spoke to him at Mount Sinai. And there Moses received life-giving words to pass on to us. ] ).  It means a called-out assembly or congregation.  God called Israel out of Egypt; they congregated in the wilderness; they were, “the church in the wilderness.”  Today, God calls the saved out of the world to congregate in worship.  This is the church in the world, in it, but not of it.

Unlike the church in the wilderness, the Church that Jesus is building will never cease.  He said, “The gates of Hades shall not over power it.”  His Church is not synonymous with Christendom.  It is in Christendom in the same way in which it is in the world, in it, but not of it.  Christendom is made up of those who profess to be Christians, but they know not Christ as a personal Savior (Matt. 7:21 – 23 [ “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ ] , also, 2 Tim 3:5 [ They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! ]  and Titus 1:16 [ Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. ] ).  Only blood-washed, born again, Spirit-baptized believers constitute the church that Jesus is building.  It is called

Mystery – Eph 3:3-10 [ As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. 4 As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. 7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. 8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone[b] this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. 10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.  ]

Body – 1 Cor. 12:12-31 [ The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,[a] some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,

second are prophets,

third are teachers,

then those who do miracles,

those who have the gift of healing,

those who can help others,

those who have the gift of leadership,

those who speak in unknown languages.

29 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? 30 Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.   ]

Building – Eph. 2:10 – 22 [ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. ]

Bride – 2 Cor. 11:2 [ For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride[a] to one husband—Christ. ]

1 The Church: Its Foundation (Matt. 16:13-18  ) – Peter’s Confession of Christ –  [   13) Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14) And they said, “some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15) He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  16) And Simon Peter answered and said “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  17) And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  18 ) “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and gates of Hades shall not overpower it…”  ]

Notes:  “Upon this rock I will build My church.”  Leading up to this declaration He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is? They answered naming some of the prophets.  Then He said to them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of he living God” (Matt. 16:16 [  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[a] the Son of the living God.” ] ).  In verse thirteen Jesus spoke of Himself as the “Son of Man.”  Now Peter speaks of Him as the “Son of the living God.”  Jesus blessed Peter and said that this great truth came from God the Father.  Again He said to Peter, “You are Peter, (Petros, a little rock) and upon this rock (Petra, a big rock) I will build My church.”  Jesus did not say that He would build His church upon Peter, but upon Himself, the Rock of Ages.

Simon Peter called Jesus the “living stone,” the precious “corner stone,” a “stone of stumbling,” and a “rock of offense.”  He spoke of all believers, including himself, as “living stones.”  Christ is the foundation and believers are the building stones (1 Pet. 2:1-10 [ So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. 4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. 5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say,  “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor,

and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him.[d] But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.”

8 And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10 “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people.

Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”  ] )

Paul speaks of Christ as the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets (Eph. 2:19-22 [  So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. ] ).  He also said, “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”  (1 Cor. 3:11 [ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. ] ) Although the church was a mystery in he Old Testament, yet Isaiah said, “thus says the Lord GOD,  ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed’” (Is. 28:16 [ Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.

 ] ).  Christ is the sure foundation of His church and all believers are little building stones built into a holy temple in the Lord.

2 The Church: Its Head (Col. 1:18 )  [  18 ) He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.  ]

 Notes:  “He is also head of the body, the church.”  Christ is the foundation, cornerstone, and head of His Church.  He is head of the local church, and He is head of the church in its all-inclusive sense, including all born again, blood-washed Spirit-baptized believers in heaven and earth.

The church is more than a religious organization; it is an organism, with Christ as the living head.  It is alive with the life of Christ made living in each member (1 Cor. 12:1-31 [ Now, dear brothers and sisters,[a] regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. 2 You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. 3 So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice[b]; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.[c] 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages,[d] while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,[e] some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.[f]

14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,

second are prophets,

third are teachers,

then those who do miracles,

those who have the gift of healing,

those who can help others,

those who have the gift of leadership,

those who speak in unknown languages.

29 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? 30 Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.

But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. ] ). 

Let us examine briefly the church and observe its role as the body of Christ:

1) The members of the body are given spiritual gifts according to the will of the Holy Spirit (verses 1-11 [ see above ] ).

2) The unity of the body is seen in its many members with different operations all related and coordinated under one Head (verse 12 [ The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. ] ).

3) All are baptized by one Spirit into one body (verse 13 [  Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. ] ).

a)  There is one Holy Spirit.

b) There is one Holy Spirit baptism.

c)  There is one body (the church).

This is the church in its broadest sense.  You cannot join this church.  The only way to become a member of His body is to be spiritually born (John 3:1-7 [  ] ) and baptized into it by the Holy Spirit.

4) The members differ one from the other, yet they function as one in the will of God (verses 14-18  [ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.  ] )

5) The least or weakest member is necessary for the proper function of the whole body (verses 22, 23 [ In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, ] ).

6) If one member suffers, the whole body suffers; if one is honored, all are honored (verse 26 [  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. ] ).

7) The members are to desire the greater spiritual gifts and minister in love (verse 31 [  So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. ] ).

The Lord Jesus Christ has never delegated His authority to anyone, whether he be pope, pastor, deacon, or the majority of the congregation.  He is “head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22 [ God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. ] ), the only absolute and final authority.

3  The Church: Its Organization (Titus 1:4, 5)  [  4) … to Titus, my true child in a common faith:  Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.  5) For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, …  ]

Notes: There is scriptural evidence of some organization in the local church from its inception.  It was a definite and permanent organized congregation, but not as we know it today.

Paul left Titus in Crete to organize the believers into local church bodies and to “set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city” (verse 5 [  For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, … ] ).

The local New Testament church is a microcosm of the complete body of Christ in heaven and earth.  The word “church” is used over one hundred times in the New Testament, and the great majority of the references refer to the local congregation.

Organization in the local church is seen in:

1) Its Officers:  He gave to the church “apostles” (this refers to the twelve; there are no apostles in the church today), “profits” (we have no prophets and have not had since the last book of the New Testament was written), “evangelists” (the evangelist will serve the church until Jesus comes,), and “pastors and teachers” (Eph. 4:11:11, 12 [ Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. ] ).  Pastors and teachers are local ministers; the apostles, prophets and evangelist are ministers at large.

Another officer is the deacon.  His qualifications are set forth in 1 Timothy (1 Tim. 3:8-13 [ In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. 9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, their wives[a] must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. 12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.  ] ).  Deacons are never called a board in the Scriptures.  They are not to run the church; they are ordained to assist the pastor by ministering to the saints (Acts 6:1-7 [ But as the believers[a] rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.” 5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them. 7 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.  ] ).

2) Its Membership records:  The church must have kept records of its members.  The Book of Acts tells us that there were about 120 in the upper room.  The account (Acts 1:15-26 [  During this time, when about 120 believers[a] were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. 16 “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. 17 Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.” 18 (Judas had bought a field with the money he received for his treachery. Falling headfirst there, his body split open, spilling out all his intestines. 19 The news of his death spread to all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.”) 20 Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’ 21 “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus— 22 from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.” 23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen 25 as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.  ] ) reads like the average local church business meeting. Simon Peter is the pastor; he takes the lead and gives direction in choosing one to take the place of Judas.  “And they drew lots,” and Matthias was chosen to be an apostle.  On the day of Pentecost about 3,000 were added to the body of Christ by Holy Spirit baptism (1 Cor. 12:13 [ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,[a] some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.[b] ] ) and the local church in Jerusalem by water baptism (Acts 2:41 [  Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. ] ).  Again the records show another 5,000 added (Acts 4:4 [ But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000. ] ).  The Scriptures tell us that “the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47 [ all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. ] ).

3) Its Ordinances:

a) Baptism (baptize means to immerse).  The Lord commands the believer to be baptized.  This is the believer’s first opportunity to obey his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  In the early church no one ever questioned water baptism; they obeyed (Matt. 28:18-20 [ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” ]  and Rom. 6:1-4 [ Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. ] ). Baptism does not save.  It is a picture of you faith in His death, burial, and resurrection.  It is faith in Christ that saves (John 3:36 [ And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” ] ) and the Ordinance of Baptism that identifies the believer with the risen Savior.

b) The Lords Supper.  There is no saving power in the Lords Supper.  It is a memorial.  The bread is symbolical of His broken body and the wine of His shed blood for the remission of our sins.  Baptism identifies the believer with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection;  and the Lords Supper is a memorial to be observed by the believer to “proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:23-34 [  For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. 27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against[b] the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ,[c] you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. 31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world. 33 So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. 34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.  ] )

4  The Church: It’s Discipline (Matt. 18:15-17)  [  15) “And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16) “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.  17) “And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as Gentile and a tax-gatherer.   ]

Notes:  This is the most difficult and necessary function of the local assembly and its importance cannot be exaggerated.  “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven” (1 Cor. 5:6-7 [ Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.[a] ] ).  Leaven in the Scripture is always a type of evil.  The church is to clean out any evil in its membership.  The motive for disciplining a brother is love (1 John 4:7-11 [ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.  ] ).  The goal is to restore him to fellowship with his Lord and the church.

“If you brother sins …”

1) The first step is to be taken by the one sinned against.  He is to go to his brother alone, not seeking revenge or self-justification, “if he listens to you, you have won a brother.”

2)  If he does not repent, the second step is to take one or two believers and go to him again.

3) If he will not hear the two or three, the third step is taking it to the church.

A good example of church discipline is reported in Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth.  He used strong words calling upon the church to discipline a member for fornication.  He wrote, “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves” (1 Cor. 5:1-13 [ I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. 2 You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship. 3 Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man 4 in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus. 5 Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself[e] will be saved on the day the Lord returns. 6 Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. 8 So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth. 9 When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10 But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. 11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer[j] yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. 12 It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13 God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”  ] ). In his second letter to the Corinthian church we learn that the man repented and was restored to the fellowship of God’s people.  Now Paul writes, “forgive and comfort him … reaffirm your love for him” (2 Cor. 2:3-11 [ 3 That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. 4 I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.

5 I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me. 6 Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough. 7 Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement. 8 So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him. 9 I wrote to you as I did to test you and see if you would fully comply with my instructions. 10 When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, 11 so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes. ] ).  The attitude of the church toward a repenting brother should always be that of forgiveness in love.

5  The Church: Its Worship and Work (Matt 28:16-20) [   16) But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17) And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 ) And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20) teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.  ]

Notes:  First, the church: its worship.  “When they saw Him they worshiped Him” (verse 17).  To worship is to bow down in awe; to pay divine honors to God in humble, reverent homage.  There are three essentials in worship, they are

1) Faith, “the people believed … then they bowed low and worshiped” (Ex. 4:31 [ Then the people of Israel were convinced that the Lord had sent Moses and Aaron. When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. ] ).

2) Spirit, “those who worship Him must worship in spirit (John 4:23-24 [ But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” ] ) Spiritual worship is worship directed by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Phil. 3:3 [ For we who worship by the Spirit of God[a] are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, ] ).

3) Truth, “those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24 ).Jesus Christ is truth, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6 [ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ] ).  Therefore, there can be no pretense or hypocrisy in true worship.  The parable of the Pharisee and the publican illustrates true worship (Luke 18:9-14 [ Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”  ] ).  The publican worshiped in truth and he went home justified.  The Pharisee worshiped in religious pride and he went home rejected.

Second, the church: its work.  “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you” (1 Thess. 1:8 [ And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, ] ).  The church in Thessalonica did the work of the Lord so well that the apostles did not have to evangelize Macedonia and Achaia.  The church shared its faith with the lost and after all that is the main work of the church. This is how that, “this took place for two years … all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:8-10 [  Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. 9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord. ] ).  All of Asia did not journey to Ephesus to hear Paul.  It is evident that the believers went everywhere sharing the gospel. The work of the church is to go with the gospel because:

1) The church is commissioned to work ( Acts 19:18-20 [ Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.[c] 20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect. ] ).

2) The church is to work with Christ (2 Cor. 6:1 [ As God’s partners,[a] we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. ] ), and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32 [ We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.” ] ).

3) The church is to work with Christ in His field (the world) (Matt. 13:36-43 [ Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.” 37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. 40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!  ] ); and Mark 16:15 [  And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. ] ).

4) The need for the church to work is great (John 4:35 [ You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe[a] for harvest. ] ).

5)  The time for the church to work is now (2 Cor. 6:2 [ For God says,

“At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. ] ).

6) The church is to work until Jesus comes to judge the works of the saints (2 Cor. 5:10 [ For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. ] ).

7) The church will be rewarded for its works (1 Cor. 3:9-15 [ For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.  ] ).  God’s program for the local church is, come and worship, and go and work (witness) (Acts 8:1-4 [ Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.  ] )

6 The Church: Its Power (Acts 1:8 )  [  8 ) “…but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  ]

Notes:  On the day of Pentecost the church received power to evangelize the world.  When the hundred and twenty came down from the upper room, they came in the dynamics of the Holy Spirit.  It was a spiritual “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21 [ I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. ] ).  Some were empowered for special service, but all received power to witness.

 The real power of the church is not found in:

1) Modern buildings or unique methods of preaching and teaching.

2)  Its great wealth or how that wealth is used.

3)  The church’s prominence or popularity.  The Laodicean church was the first bragging congregation, (Rev. 3:14-22 [ “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:

15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. 21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. 22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”  ] ) but not the last.

They said, “We are rich.”  God said they were poor.

They said, “We are wealthy.” God said they were wretched.

They said, “We do not need anything.” God said they need everything.

They said, “We are busy in the church.” God said they were miserable.

They said, “We have a vision.”  God said they were blind.

They said, “We are clothed in fine garments.” God said they were naked.

They said, “We are satisfied.” God said they make Him sick.

You can always recognize a Holy Spirit-powered church.  The evidence is obvious; they have power to:

1) Evangelize: They share their faith with the lost and souls are saved.  Evangelism is the only way to make full proof of your ministry (2 Tim. 4:5 [ But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. ] ).  When a church is not involved in winning souls, it grieves the Holy Spirit and is void of power…

2) Reproduce: Souls are born into the family of God by the “imperishable” seed which is the word of God (1 Pet. 1:23 [  For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. ] ).  The Spirit-filled believer sows the seed; this is evangelism.  The Holy Spirit hovers over the seed, convicting and leading the lost to repentance.  This is the spiritual birth.

3) Change: people (Acts 2:37-41 [ Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.  ] ); places (Acts 5:28 [ “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!” ] ); and things (Matt. 17:2-21 [ 2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. 4 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. 7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus. 9 As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man[b] has been raised from the dead.” 10 Then his disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?” 11 Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.” 13 Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” 17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well. 19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” 20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”  ] ).

4)  Turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6 [ Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers[a] instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. ] )

This is the power that filled the upper room congregation on the day of Pentecost.  That power is with the believer today in the person of the Holy Spirit.  He is the power of the church.

7 The Church: Its Future (1 Thess. 4:16, 17)  [  16) for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.  ]

Notes:  The true Church of Jesus Christ has a glorious, victorious future in the world, in the air, in the kingdom and in eternity; it cannot fail.  “The gates of Hades shall not overpower it” (Matt. 16:18 [ Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’),[a] and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. ] ).

1)  The future of the church in the world.  At Pentecost the Holy Spirit set the course for the church as it journeys from the upper room to the Rapture. It is to:

a)  Wage war (Eph. 6:10 [ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ] ).

b)  Run a race (Heb. 12:1-2 [ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ] )

c)  Work in love (1 Cor. 3:9 [ For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. ] )

The Church of Jesus Christ will emerge triumphant for, “we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us” (Rom.8:35-39 [

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.  38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.  ] ).  The church cannot fail because Christ is its Head, the Holy Spirit is its power, and the Word of God is its guide.

2) The future of the church in the air. We shall be caught up.  Caught up:

a) In our imperishable, glorified bodies (1 Cor. 15:42-44 [  It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. ] )

b)  To meet the Lord in the heavens and for the great majority of the church we will see Him in His resurrected body for the first time (1 John 3:2 [ Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. ] )

c) That our deeds may be judged at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10 [ For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. ] ). This is the bema judgment.

d)  That we may be rewarded or suffer loss of reward (1 Cor 3:11-15 [

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.  ] )

3) The future of the church in the kingdom.

a)  The twelve apostles will sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28 [ Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new[a] and the Son of Man[b] sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ] ).

b) All who overcome the evils of Christendom (Laodicea) will sit with Christ on His Kingdom Throne (Rev. 3:21 [ Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. ] )

c) We shall reign with Him a thousand years (Rev. 20:4-6 [ Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.5 This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.  ] ).

4) The future of the church in eternity.  After the kingdom reign of one thousand years there will be “a new heaven and a new earth” Rev.21:1 [ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. ] ).  The earth will be restored to its original, created state (Gen 1:1 OT [ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ] ).  God’s earthly people Israel will inherit the new earth (Ex. 32:13 OT [ Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.[a] You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’” ] ).

The church. His bride will remain in His presence forever.  If in His human form He is in the new heaven or the new earth, we will be with Him, to see Him, to serve Him, and to worship Him.  He will continue to bestow upon His bride the riches of His eternal grace (Eph. 2:6, 7 [  For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. ] ).  Even in our perfect, glorified bodies it will take eternity (time without end) to begin to comprehend the greatness of His grace.

PRAYER

Prayer is as old as man, as universal as religion is, and as instinctive as breathing (Gen. 4:26 OT [ When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. At that time people first began to worship the Lord by name. ] ). All men of all faiths practice it in some form. Prayer springs from the heart with a need – a need greater than man’s ability to encounter. Prayer is man’s acknowledgement of a being higher than he is.

Most men try to pray, yet so few know how. There are two kinds of prayers: the prayer that does not reach God and the prayer that does reach God. This is illustrated by our Lord in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18:9-14 [ Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”  ] ). Both men went to the same place, at the same time, for the same purpose – to pray.

The Pharisee prayed in his religious pride, expecting God to answer because he thought himself worthy. He informed God of his own goodness, that he was better than others were. He boasted of his good works. He said, “I fast; I gave.” This is the kind of prayer that does not reach God. It is self-righteous prayer.

Now look at the publican and his prayer. He came to God in great humility, conscious of his unworthiness, confessing himself a sinner, and begging for mercy. This is the kind of prayer that does reach God. This is righteous prayer.

It is a rare privilege to pray; because it brings you into close fellowship with God, admitting your need for Him and your utter dependence upon Him.

1    What is Prayer Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking (Matt. 7:7-11)  [   7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8  “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks, finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 “Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will you Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  ]

Notes:  Prayer is asking and receiving; it is talking with God. It is making your request known to Him in faith. The above Scripture is so simple on the surface that we are in danger of failing to recognize its immensity. Our Lord instructs the believer to ask, see, and knock; because these three works cover the whole spectrum of prayer.

(1)   Prayer is asking and receiving. When you know the will of God regarding a need, whether it is material or spiritual, you can ask and receive. This is prayer according to the revealed will of God (1 John 5:14-15 [ And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. ] )

(2)   Prayer is seeking and finding. When you do not know the will of God regarding a need, whether it b e material or spiritual, then you are to seek His will in prayer concerning this need until you find it. This is prayer for knowledge of the unrevealed will of God in a specific need (Col. 3:1 [ Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ] ; also Jer. 29:12-13 OT [  In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. ] )

(3) Prayer is knocking and opening. When you know the will of God, and yet you find a closed door, you are to knock, and keep knocking until God opens the door. This is tenacious prayer – prayer for mountain-moving faith. Knocking prayer perseveres until the impossible becomes the possible this is miracle-working prayer (Matt 17:14-21 [ At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” 17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well. 19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” 20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”  ] ). All things are possible when you ask, seek, and knock

2 Why Pray? The Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1)  [    Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to prayer and not lose heart.  ]

Notes:  Pray:

 (1)   Because Jesus said, “Men always ought to pray” (above verse 1). Prayer is imperative. You are commanded to pray (Matt. 26:41 [ Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” ] ).

(2)   Because prayer is the only way to get things from God.   [  “You do not have because you do not ask”  ]  (James 4:2).

(3)   Because there is joy in prayer (John 16:24 [ You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. ] )

(4)   Because prayer will save you out of all your troubles (Ps 34 OT [ 4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

  6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. ] ).

(5)   Because prayer can unlock the treasure chest of God’s wisdom (James 1:5 [  If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. ] ).

(6)   Because prayer is a channel of power (Jer. 33:3 OT) [ Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. ] .

(7)   Because it is a sin not to  pray (1 Sam. 12:23 OT [ “As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.  ] )

(8 )   Because sinners can be saved when they prayer in faith (Rom. 10:13-14 [ 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?  ] ).

(9)   Because Jesus, while here in the flesh, prayed often to the Father. Now if Jesus, the Son of God, needed to pray, then we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17 [ Never stop praying. ] )

3  How to Pray (Matt. 6:9-13) [   9) “In this manner, therefore, pray; 10) Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11) Give us this day or daily bread. 12) And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13) And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and glory forever. Amen.   ]

Notes:  “In this manner, therefore pray.” Our Lord gave this as a model prayer after one of His disciples said unto Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1 [ Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” ] ).

(1)   We are to pray to our Father in heaven” (verse 9), because He is all-wise, all-loving, and all-powerful. We are also instructed to pray in the name of Jesus (John 14:13-14 [  You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! ] ) depending on the meditative influence of the Holy Spirit.

(2)   We are to pray for His will to be done in everything.

(3)   We are to pray for the coming of the Kingdom (Matt. 25:31-46 [  “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’  45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”  ] ).

(4)   We are to pray for our daily necessities.

(5)   We are to pray for forgiveness and are to practice forgiving others.

(6)   We are to pray for the leading of the Lord and for deliverance from evil.

(7)   We are to pray in faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6 [  And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. ] ).

This model prayer is brief, to the point, and not repetitious. It is the perfect prayer.

 4. Where to Pray Peter Freed from Prison (Acts 12:5)  [  5). Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.   ]

 Notes: There was a remarkable change in the prayer life of the disciples after the resurrection of Jesus, and it is noted again after Pentecost. Before the death of Jesus, the disciples slept while Jesus prayed in the Garden (Matt. 26:36-46 [ Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” 42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away[a] unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”  ] ). But, after His death and resurrection:

(1) They assembled in the upper room, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit and they prayed. We should always pray when assembled with believers (Acts 1:13-14 [  When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the zealot), and Judas (son of James). 14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.  ] )

(2) They prayed as they went from house to house (Acts 2:42-47 [ All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.   ] )

(3) They prayed in the church when Peter was in prison (verses Acts 12:5-19 [ The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. 7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8 Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. 9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. 10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. 11 Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders[a] had planned to do to me!” 12 When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. 13 He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” 15 “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” 16 Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. 17 He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what happened,” he said. And then he went to another place. 18 At dawn there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter. 19 Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldn’t be found, Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Afterward Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while.  ] )

(4) Paul and Silas prayed in prison (Acts 16:25 [ Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. ] ). Here we see Christians praying in the presence of unbelievers, but not to be heard of them. Never pray to please others present; pray only to please God.

(5) The most important place to pray is any place where you can be alone with God (Matt. 6:6 [ But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. ] )

(6) We are instructed to pray in all places at all times (1 Tim. 2:8 [ In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy. ] ).

It is great joy to be able to talk with God, any time, any place, under any condition, and to know that He will hear and answer.

5 Hindrances to Prayer A Word to Husbands (1 Peter 3:7)  [  7) Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered  ]

Notes:  When prayers are not answered, you should examine yourself in the light of God’s Word. If you find anything not pleasing to God, confess it, believing God for forgiveness that you prayers may be answered (1 John 1:9 [ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. ] )

(1)   An unharmonious relationship between husband and wife will hinder prayer (verses 1 Peter 3:7 [ 7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. ] ).

(2)   Selfishness will hinder prayer (James 4:3 [ And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. ] ).

(3)   An unforgiving spirit will hinder prayer (Matt. 5:22-24 [ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. 23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[e] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.  ] ). Many Christians go without answers to prayer because they have wronged others, or have been wronged and have failed to humble themselves and seek reconciliation.

(4)   Unbelief will hinder prayer (James 1:6-7 [ But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ]  and Heb. 11:6 [ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. ] )

(5)   Known sin in the heart will hinder prayer (Is. 59:2 OT [ It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.  ]  also Ps 66:18 OT [ If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.   ] ).

When you pray, go to God in all humility. Ask Him to reveal anything in your life that is not pleasing to Him. Then judge it; confess it, calling it by name and forsake it. Pray in all simplicity and earnestness, believing, and God will hear and answer.

6 Does God Answer All Prayers? (John 15:7)  [  7). ”If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  ]

Notes:  The Bible is filled with answered prayers from Genesis to Revelation. You are command to pray, and God has promised to answer (Jer. 33:3 OT [ Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. ] ). In the above Scripture, there are two requirements for answers to prayer. First you are to abide in Him; that is, to continue in Him. It means to remain in His perfect will at all cost (Rom. 12:1-2 [ And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. ] ). Second, His words are to abide in you; they are to become a vital part of your life. You are to be filled with and guided by His words (Col. 3:16-17 [ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. ] ). Meet these two requirements, and your prayers will be answered.

(1) The answer is sometimes immediate. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, and as he began to sink, he prayed, “Lord, save me!” The answer was immediate (Matt. 14:22-31 [ Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning[a] Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong[c] wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”   ] )

(2)  The answer is sometimes delayed. The delay is according to His will (Rom. 8:28 [ And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ] ). The resurrection of Lazarus is a good example of delayed answer to prayer. Lazarus was sick. Mary and Martha sent for Jesus to come and heal him. But Jesus delayed coming until Lazarus was dead and in the tomb for four days. Then He came and raised Lazarus for the dead. The answer was delayed – but not denied (John 11:1-44 [  A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair.[a] Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7 Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.” 8 But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?” 9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” 11 Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.” 12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. 14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.” 16 Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.” 17 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18 Bethany was only a few miles[d] down the road from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[e] Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”  27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 28 Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29 So Mary immediately went to him. 30 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. 31 When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. 32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him,[f] and he was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them.  They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” 38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” 40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”   ] ).

(3) The answer is sometimes “no.” When God answers with a “no,” He always accompanies the answer with peace (Phil. 4:6-7 [ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. ] ) and grace (2 Cor. 12:7-10 [ even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.   ] ).

(4) The answer is sometimes different from what you expect. You pray for perseverance and God sends tribulation – because “tribulation produces perseverance” (Rom. 5:3 [ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ] ). God answers all your prayers – not according to your wishes, but according to His perfect will.

FAITH

“The just shall live by faith.” This declaration of he Christian’s principle of life is found four times in the Bible: Hab. 2:1-5 (OT) [ I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guard post. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint.

2 Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. 3 This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,

for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. 4 “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. 5 Wealth is treacherous, and the arrogant are never at rest. They open their mouths as wide as the grave, and like death, they are never satisfied. In their greed they have gathered up many nations and swallowed many peoples.  ] ;

Rom. 1:17 [  This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” ] ;

Gal. 3:10-11 [ But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”[a] 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” ] ; and

Heb. 10:38 [ And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”   ] . In Habakkuk, we see the difference between the lives of the unjust and the just. The unjust are puffed up and live by their own self-sufficiency. But the just live by faith – their confidence is in God. To them, faith is more than a philosophy of life; it is the very principle of life (Hab. 2:4 OT [ “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.[a]   ] ). The just shall live his whole life by faith. He saved by faith (Acts 16:31 [ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” ] ); he is kept by faith (1 Pet. 1:7 [ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. ] ); and he lives by faith (Gal. 2:20 [ My old self has been crucified with Christ.[a] It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ] ). His faith shall be tried many times and in many ways (1 Pet. 1:7 [ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.  ] ), but faith will always be vindicated, because it is more than equal to any occasion. Faith knows how to wait on the Lord (IS 40:31 OT [ But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.   ] ), and it is always victorious (1 John 5:4 [ For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. ] )

Faith defies reason; it moves mountains (Matt. 17:14-21 [ At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” 17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well. 19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”  ] ). Faith does not always face facts; it never gives up (Heb. 11:32-39 [ How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half,[a] and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. 39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.   ] ). Faith says, “God is working out His perfect will in my life, and I can wait, endure, and suffer.” Faith does not make anything easy, but it does make all things possible.

1 What is Faith? By Faith We Understand (Heb. 11:1-3)  [  1) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  2) For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3) By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.  ]

Notes:  “Now faith is the substance [title deed] of things hoped for …” Your faith is your title deed to eternal life. Just as a title deed is evidence of real estate, so you faith evidence or your eternal estate in God (2 Cor. 4:18 [  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. ] ).

(1)  Faith is taking God at His word and asking no questions (Heb. 11:8 [ It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. ] ).

(2)  Faith is knowing that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom.8:28 [ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ] ). Faith does not believe that all things are good, or that all things work well.  It does believe that all things (good or bad) work together for good to them that love God.

(3)  Faith has two sides.  One side has to do with the intellect. It is an intellectual conviction that Jesus Christ is God.  The other side has to do with the will. It is a volitional surrender of the will to Jesus Christ as Master.  This is seen when Thomas believed and confessed, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28 [ “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. ] ).  “My Lord” this was volitional surrender; “My God” this was intellectual conviction. Together you have saving faith (John 20:31 [ But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name. ] ). Saving faith is an intellectual conviction that Jesus is God, and a volitional surrender to Him as Lord (Master) of your life. By faith, the mind trusts in God; the heart responds to the love of God; the will submits to the commands of God; and the life obeys in the service of God.

(4)  Faith is paradoxical. It goes beyond reason. It believes without understanding “why.”  It sings in prison (Acts 16:25 [ Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. ] ). It glories in tribulations (Rom. 5:3 [ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ] ). It chooses to suffer afflictions (Heb. 11:25 [ He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. ] ). It accepts all things as a part of God’s will (Phil. 1:12 [ And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters,[a] that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. ] )

You are not born with this faith. It comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17 [  So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. ] ). This is why we are commanded to preach the gospel to every creature, that they may hear and believe (Rom. 10:13-14 [ For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?   ] ).

2 The Importance of Faith (Eph. 6:16)  [ 16) … above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one   ]

Notes:  The shield of faith is a vital part of the Christian’s armor.  You are to put on the “whole armor of God” because the Christian life is a warfare, a spiritual conflict. As Paul names the different parts of the Christian’s armor, he comes to the shield and emphasizes its importance by saying, “Above all, taking the shield of faith…”

For with the shield of faith, nothing can hurt you; “… in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37 [ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. ] )

The importance of faith is seen in that:

(1)  You cannot be saved without faith (John 3:36 [ And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” ]

(2)  You cannot live victoriously over the world without faith 1 John 5:4 [ For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. ] )

(3)  You cannot please God without faith (Heb. 11:6 [ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. ] )

(4)  You cannot pray without faith (James 1:6 [ But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ] )

(5)  You cannot have peace with God without faith (Rom. 5:1 [ Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ] )

(6)  You cannot have joy without faith (1 Pet. 1:8  [ You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. ] )

(7)  You are justified by faith and not by works (Gal. 2:16 [  Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” ] )

(8 )  You live by faith Gal. 2:20 [ My old self has been crucified with Christ.[a] It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ] )

(9)  You are made righteous by faith (Rom. 14:1-4 [ Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval. ] )

(10) Christ dwells in your heart by faith (Eph. 3:17 [ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ] )

(11)  The Holy Spirit is received by faith (Gal. 3:2 [ Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. ] )

(12)  “Whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23 [ But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. ] )

Faith is important because it honors God, and God always honors faith.

3 Little Faith (Matt. 14:28-33)  [   28) And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. 29) So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30) But he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord save me!” 31) And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32) And when they got into the boat the wind ceased. 33) Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”   ]

Notes: At this stage in the spiritual growth of Peter, he was a man of “little faith.” However, after Pentecost, he became a spiritual giant.  Let us take of good look at his “little faith” and profit from it.  Jesus, walking on the water in the midst of a storm, came to His distressed disciples. Peter asked to come to Jesus on the water. He must have thrilled at the thought of doing the impossible. Jesus said, “Come.”

 (1)  Peter did the impossible thing: He walked on the water, by faith.

(2)  Next, Peter did the conceivable thing: He saw the storm and had a second thought – he doubted. For a moment, he lost sight of Jesus. He may have turned and started back to the boat (Luke 9:12 [ Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.” ] ).

(3)  Now Peter did the natural thing: He feared destruction. Doubt always breeds fear.

(4)  Then Peter did the expected thing: He began to sink – he failed.

(5)  Now Peter did the right thing: He prayed – “Lord save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him. Once more Peter made contact with Jesus by faith.

(6)  Again Peter did the impossible thing: He walked on the water with Jesus to the boat. In this lesson, we see the success and failure of “little faith.”

 Now, let us recap the steps that led to failure. Peter started by faith and walked on water. Then he saw the storm and had second thoughts that lead to doubt, that produced fear, that caused him to turn back, that brought about failure.

You need a faith that is bigger than the elements that would drag you down to defeat.  You can have big faith “prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:20-21 [  “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” ] ) and by feeding your faith on the Word of God (Rom 10:17 [ So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. ] ). You can have mountain high faith.

4. Three Kinds of Faith (John 11:21-44) [  21) Now Martha said to Jesus “Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died. 22) “But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23) Jesus said to here, “Your brother will rise again.” 24) Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26) “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27) She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” 28) And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29) As soon as she heard that she arose quickly and came to Him. 30) Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31) Then Jews who were with here in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” 32) Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33) When Jesus therefore saw here weeping, and the Jews who came with her, also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled, 34) and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35) Jesus wept. 36) And so the Jews were saying, “Behold how He loved him!” 37) But some said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have kept this man also from dying?” 38) Jesus therefore again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb.  Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39) Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40) Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41) And so they removed the stone.  And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank Thee that Thou heard Me. 42) And I knew that Thou hear Me always; but because of the people standing around I said it, that they may believe that “Thou didst send Me.” 43) And when He said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” 44) He who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings; and his face was wrapped around with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” ]                .

Notes: In this chapter, we see the faith of Martha in connection with the resurrection of her brother Lazarus. Now Lazarus fell ill, and Martha and her sister Mary sent for Jesus to come and heal him. Jesus delayed His coming until Lazarus was dead and in the tomb for tomb for four days. Then He came to raise him from the dead, and found the limited, fundamental faith of Martha His only obstacle.

(1) Martha’s faith was limited. She said, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” The death of Lazarus meant the end of Martha’s faith. She believed that Jesus had the power raise her brother up from the sick bed, but not from the dead. Her limited faith restricted the power of Christ. Limited faith is controlled by circumstances, and motivated by fear of failure.

 (2) Martha’s faith was fundamental. Jesus said, “Your brother shall rise again.” These words were spoken to kindle hope and faith in Martha; but, she said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Martha declared here fundamental faith in a great truth, but that is not enough. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Jesus was saying that He had all power over life and death. Then He asked, “Do you believe this?” Martha evaded the question by stating her fundamental faith in here creed, to the living, all powerful Christ. Her faith limited the power of Christ, and “Jesus wept.” Jesus wept when He came to raise Lazarus from the dead and found limited, fundamental only.

(3) At last, unlimited faith came to Martha when she consented to have the stone moved from the grave.  When Jesus first ordered the stone taken from the grave, Martha objected in unbelief. Then Jesus, challenging her to believe, said, “Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Martha believed and waited to see the glory of God, and she was not disappointed. We often here that” seeing is believing,” but this is not so.  You believe and then see. Faith comes before sight. Now Martha’s faith no longer limited the power of Christ.  She consented to have the stone moved from the tomb and Jesus “cried out with a Lord voice, “Lazarus, come forth,”” and Lazarus was raised up. Don’t be satisfied with limited, fundamental faith only, when you can have unlimited faith that pleases God and reveals his glory.

5   The Hall of Faith (Heb. 11:32-39)  [  32) And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon,  Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33) who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34) quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35) Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection, 36) and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.  37) They were stoned, they sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38) (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 39) And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, [40) because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.  ]

Notes:  This chapter is call the “Hall of Faith.” You need to come here often and linger long, that your faith may become strong in the Lord; for in this Scripture we get a view of the history if Israel and the church, as it is written by faith, in the blood of the saints.

 They worshiped by faith as Abel. They walked by faith as Enoch. They worked by faith as Noah. They lived by faith as Abraham. They governed by faith Israel.  They fought by faith Joshua. They conquered by faith as Gideon. They subdued kingdoms by faith as David.  They closed the mouths of lions by faith as Daniel. They walked through the fire by faith as the three Hebrew children. They suffered by faith as Paul. They died by faith as Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

By faith they were patient in suffering, courageous in battle, made strong out of weakness and were victorious in defeat. They were more than conquerors by faith. It is only by faith in the all-powerful Christ that you can be superior to circumstances and victorious over all the evil forces that would destroy you. “Fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of faith.” The faith of the saints inspires us, but we look to Jesus as our example of faith.

THE ABUNDANT LIFE

“… I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10)  The only way into eternal life is through faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior (John 3:15 [  so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. ] ) But do not stop here; to have eternal life is great-but there is more.  Christ came that you might have life abundantly.  All believers have life, but not all have abundant life.  You are living beneath your privilege if you are a believer and not enjoying the abundant life

For life to be abundant, it must have abundant resources, and the only unlimited source of life is in the person Jesus Christ, the son of God (John 14:6 [ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ] ) To possess this fuller life, the believer must abide in Him (John 15:1-5 [  “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.  ] ). Dynamic, abundant living is not for just a few, it is God’s norm for all believers. It is spiritual life in depth, and without it, the Christian life becomes inane and meaningless.

If you do not have abundant life within you, you will soon yield to the carnal (fleshly) life around you (1 Cor. 3:1-4 [ Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? 4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world? ] ) The carnal life is circumstance-controlled; the abundant  life is Holy Spirit-controlled.  The carnal Christian life leads to defeat; the abundant life leads to victory in Christ.  Man seems to know everything about life except how to live it abundantly.  From this moment on, determine not to be satisfied  with anything less than God’s best: living life abundantly.

1. The Abundant Life is a Yielded Life Rom. 6:10-13 [   (10) For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. (11) Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (12) Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. (13) And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.  ]

Notes: How to live the abundant life is no secret; it is revealed in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  “For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God” (above verse 10).  Faith that saves identifies you with Christ in His death-this is eternal life.  Faith that yields identifies you with Christ in His resurrection-this is abundant life (Col. 3:1-4 [ Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. ] )

(1) It is one thing to have eternal life by faith. It is quite another thing to have abundant life by faith.

(2) It is one thing for you to “… become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21 [ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[a] so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ]);  it is another thing for you to realize His righteous life is in you (1 John 3:7 [ Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. ] ).

(3) It is one thing for you to live in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17 [ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! ] );  It is another thing for Christ to live His life through you (Col. 1:27 [  For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. ] ).

In the above verse (verse 13 [ 13) And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.  ] ),  the believer has a choice. He may yield to God by faith and enjoy abundant life or he may yield to sin and endure a defeated life (Rev. 3:1 [ “Write this letter to the angel[a] of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:

“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.   ] ).  God would have you know the power of a yielded life; it will lift you above circumstances that circumvent abundant living.  The abundant life begins when you yield to Him as Master, allowing Him to live His life through you by faith.

2. The Abundant Life is a Service Life (Rom. 12:1, 2) [   1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  ]

Notes: To live abundantly, you must serve the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself became our example. He served all the way to Calvary, and there He was the obedient servant,” …obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8  [

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.   ] )

In the verses 1 and 2 the believer is urged to take the necessary steps for abundant living.

 (1) You are to “present“. This is volitional surrender to the perfect will of God, even though you may not know God’s perfect will for your life; it is, on your part, an act of faith (John 7:17 [ Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. ]

(2) You are to “present your bodies“. God must control and use the whole man. “And may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ.” Your whole man was redeemed on the cross and sanctified (set apart for service) (1 Thess. 5:23 [  Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. ] ).

(3) You are to “… present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service.” This is exemplified in the life of the Apostle Paul; he was a “living sacrifice”. In life, he was “a servant of Christ Jesus” (Rom. 1:1 [ This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. ] ). In battle, he was a warrior (Eph. 6:10-18 [ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we[a] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.[b] 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

 ] ). In the will of God, he was a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” (Eph. 3:1 [ When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles. . . ] ). These words were spoken from a Roman prison; he never referred to himself as a prisoner of Rome. To the Apostle, prison was a part of the perfect will of God. With this conviction, he lived abundantly (Phil. 1:12 [ And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. ] ) In death, he was victorious (2 Tim. 4:7-8 [ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. ] ).

You have been “transformed”, changed by the power of God, and no longer “conformed to this world” but now you can be conformed to the “good and acceptable and perfect” will of God, and live abundantly!

3. The Abundant Life is a Separated Life. Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.

Notes: Separation is both positive and negative. You are to be “… set apart for the gospel of God”, this is positive (Rom. 1:1 [ This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. ] ). You are to come out from anything that is contrary to the perfect will of God (2 Cor. 6:17 [ Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.   ] ) this is negative.

To be separated means to be sanctified (set apart) for salvation and service.

(1) The word of God has the power to separate the believer from sin (John 17:17 [  Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. ] ) and (Ps. 119:11 OT [ I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.  ] )

(2) God the Father has the power to separate the believer to the “… coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:23 [ Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. ] ).

(3) God the Son has the power to separate the believer to righteousness, “… having no spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:24-27 [

As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. 25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.   ] )

(4) God the Holy Spirit has the power to separate the believer unto salvation and service (2 Thess. 2:13 [  As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first[a] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. ] )

Without being separated, you can have relationship with God; but, you cannot have fellowship with Him. You may be united to Him in Calvary, but separated from Him in sin (Is. 59:1-2 OT [

Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. 2 It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.   ] ). Without separation, you can have influence without power, movement without achievement; you may try, but not trust; serve, but not succeed; war, but not win. Without separation to God from sin, your whole Christian life will be “wood, hay, straw”. The abundant life is made possible by death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and made a reality by being separated to Him.

4. The Abundant Life is a Spirit Filled Life. (Eph. 5:18-20) [   18 ) And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19) speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20) giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  ]

Notes: The Holy Spirit indwells every believer. You may be immature, weak and imperfect; but, if you have been “born again” of the Spirit (John 3:3-7 [ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’    ] )

He dwells in you (1 Cor. 6:19 [ Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, ]  and

Rom. 8:9 [ But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) ] ). It is one thing for you to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, but does the Holy Spirit have you, that He may fill you with abundant life? The abundant life is not found in environment or circumstances, or in the things you may possess. It is found in the infilling of the Holy Spirit. “But filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18  [ Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, ] ) is a command. You may be filled many, many times (Acts 2:4 [ And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,[a] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. ]  and Acts 4:31 [ After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. ] ) The apostles that were filled in Acts chapter 2, were filled again in Acts chapter 4. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be: Spirit-possessed, Spirit-empowered, Spirit-led and Spirit-controlled (Acts 8:26-40 [ As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. 32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.

And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,

he did not open his mouth.

33 He was humiliated and received no justice.

Who can speak of his descendants?

For his life was taken from the earth.”[b]

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. 36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”[c] 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.   ] ).

(1) You are filled with the Spirit that you might have joy (Eph. 5:19-20 [  singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ] ).

(2) You are filled with the Spirit for service (Acts 6:3 [ And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. ]  and Acts 11:22-24 [ When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. ] ).

(3) You are filled with the Spirit for power to be a witness (Acts 1:8  [ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the ]  and Acts 2:4-7 [  And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. 7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee,   ] ).

(4) You are filled with the Spirit for the hour of persecution (Acts 7:54-60 [ The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” 57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.   ] ).

(5) You are filled with the Spirit that you may “walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26 [ So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.  ] ). 

(6) You are filled with the Spirit that you may be led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14 [ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children[a] of God. ] ).

How can you be filled with the Holy Spirit? First, You must desire Him to fill you. Second, you must ask Him to fill you. Third, you must believe that He does fill you (John 4:14 [ But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” ]  and John 7:37-38 [ On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” ] ).  

5. The Abundant Life is a Mature Life (2 Pet. 3:18 )  [  18 ) but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   ]

Notes: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18 [  18 ) but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  ] ). The scriptures reveal four stages of spiritual growth in the Christian life:

(1) The baby stage (1 Cor. 3:1-4 [ Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people.[b] I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? 4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world? ] ) A baby thinks only of self; and, if denied the things desired, it will raise a rumpus. It seeks its own; its feelings are easily hurt and it is often jealous. A baby lives to be served-it never serves. It drinks milk, and cannot eat strong meat. It cries, but never sings. It tries to talk, but never makes sense. These infant characteristics are so prominent in the lives of many church members. They have been born into the family of God, but have failed to develop spiritually. They are spiritual babies-carnal Christians.

(2) The little child stage (1 John 2:12 [ I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. ] ) Some Christians grow to be little children spiritually, but stop there. Here are some of the characteristics of children: they are often untruthful, envious, and cruel. If rebuked, they become martyrs; if crossed, they are resentful and often make a scene. They are talebearers, repeating everything they hear (in adults, it is called gossip). They are given to emotional outbursts, and are easily puffed up. They love praise, and will accept it from any source. They seek only the things that appeal to self. Are you a spiritual child?

(3) The young man stage (1 John 2:13 [ I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one.   ] ) Spiritual growth to that of a young man is not reached by many. He is strong and virile and is well able to overcome his enemy. He has a vision for the future and the faith and courage to tackle it. He is preparing for his productive years. You, too, can become a young man spiritually by doing “away with childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11 [ When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. ] )

(4) The father stage (1 John 2:13 [ I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith

because you have won your battle with the evil one.    ] ) This stage of spiritual development can be reached by all, but so few ever attain it. The spiritual father has peace with God (Rom. 5:1 [ Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ] ) He knows the peace of God (Phil. 4:7 [ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. ] ). He rejoices in his spiritual children (1 Thess. 2:19 [ After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! ]  and 1 Tim. 1:2 [ I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. ] ) He has learned contentment under all circumstances (Phil. 4:11 [ Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. ] ) He knows the only source of true strength (Phil. 4:13 [ For I can do everything through Christ,[a] who gives me strength. ] ) He does not brood over the past, but looks to the future (Phil. 3:13-14 [ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,[a] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. ] ) He knows that all things work together in his life for his eternal good (Rom. 8:28  [ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ] ) He enjoys abundant life now and will enjoy it in the life to come (Eph. 2:7 [ So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. ] )

REPENTANCE

“He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper. But, he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion” (Prov. 28:13 OT [ People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.   ] ).

God desires “truth in the innermost being” (Ps. 51:6 OT [

But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.   ] ). And commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30 [ “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. ] ). The sinner must repent before he can become the recipient of salvation by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9 [ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ] ). The saved must practice repentance if he is to enjoy unbroken fellowship with God (Job 42:1-6 OT [ Then Job replied to the Lord:

2 “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.

3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. 4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ 5 I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6 I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”   ] ). Someone said, “I repented before I understood the meaning of the word, but since then, as a Christian, I have repented many times.”

Repentance is granted by God (Acts 5:31 [ Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. ]  and Acts 11:18 [  When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” ] ). “The kindness of God leads you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4 [ Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? ] ). The kindness of God is not merited; therefore, the result of His kindness which is repentance is a gift. This gift of repentance is an inward change produced by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit as the Word of God is proclaimed (Acts 2:37-38 [ Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  ] ; and John 16:7,11 [ 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.  11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.  ] ). The results, “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21 [ I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. ] ); faith that Christ died for our sins; and that He was buried and that He rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-4 [ Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. ] )

 Repentance qualifies a man for salvation, but it takes a faith in Christ to acquire it. True repentance  [  Saving Repentance ]  is always coupled with faith. It is impossible to have saving faith and not repent. “Repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” are essential and inseparable in salvation.

Faith without repentance is the ultimate of hypocrisy and repentance without faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is sheer folly.

1.  Repentance Defined (Read: 2 Pet. 3:9):  [  9) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward *us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.   ]

Notes: First, let us see that repentance is not:

(1) Sorrow. “Sorrow that is according to the will of God produces repentance without regret, leading to salvation” (2 Cor. 7:9-10 [ Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. 10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. ] ). Godly sorrow is a guilty feeling that leads to repentance, but it is not repentance.

(2) Penance. Penance is an act on the part of the guilty to render payment for sin. It is to make an effort, in some way, to atone for wrongs done against God of man. God calls all men to repentance, not to do penance.

(a) Jesus did not say, do penance and believe the gospel. He said, “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15 [ “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” ] ).

(b) Peter did not say, do penance and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ. He said, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of you sins” (Acts 2:38 [  Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ] ).

(c) Paul did not say, God is declaring all men everywhere to do penance. He said, “God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30 [ “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. ] ) If penance is repentance, then salvation is not the gift of God, and we are not saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9 [ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ] )

(3) Reformation. Reformation is a change brought about by the efforts of man for self-glory (Matt. 12:43-45 [ “When an evil[a] spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” ] ). It is a turning away from known sin, or giving up bad habit, or trying to overhaul the old nature, or turning over a new leaf, or making restitution. Judas reformed but it did not save him and neither can it save you (Matt. 27:3-5 [ When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”  “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” 5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.   ] )

Second, let us see what repentance is:

(1) A change. The change is always evidenced in three elements.

(a) The intellectual element, a change of mind.

(b) The emotional element, a change of heart.

(c) The volitional element, a change of will.

(2) The parable of the prodigal is a perfect illustration of repentance. He had a change of mind, a change of heart, and a change of will (Luke 15:11-32 [ To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.  13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. 17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ 20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ 22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’   ] )

(a) The intellectual element, “He came to his senses.”

(b) The emotional element, “I have sinned.”

(c) The volitional element, “I will get up and go to my father.”

Repentance is a change. The prodigal had a change of mind; and his change of mind effected a change of heart; and his change of heart effected a change of will. No one is ever saved until he wills to be (Rev. 22:17 [ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. ] ). Repentance is change of mind, of heart, and of will.

2. Repentance Preached (Read: Mark 1:1-4)  [  1) the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2) As it is written in *the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.” 3) “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.'”* 4) John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  ]

Notes: Repentance was preached in the Old Testament before the birth of Christ, and during the life and during the life and ministry of Christ. It was preached on the day of Pentecost, and in the Book of Acts after Pentecost. It is taught in the Epistles and the Book of Revelation. It is a doctrine to be preached and practiced in all dispensations.

(1) John the Baptist preached repentance.

(a) He preached the baptism of repentance (Luke 3:3 [ Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. ] )

(b) He preached. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2 [ “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” ] ) He was “THE VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD'” (Matt. 3:3 [ The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”   ] ) John’s preaching of repentance exalted Christ, denounced sin, warned of judgment, and it cost him his head.

(2) Jesus preached repentance.

(a) He preached, “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15 [ Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.[a] 15 “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” ] ). He went about doing mighty works and calling sinners to repent and to have faith in the good news of God.

(b) His preaching of repentance was an ultimatum, repent or perish (Luke 13:1-5 [ About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.” ] ). Salvation by grace is for the repentant soul, and judgment, without mercy, for those who resist!

(3) Peter preached repentance.

(a) At Pentecost he preached, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38 [ Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ] ).

(b) In his second Epistle he preached that, the Lord “… is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9 [ The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. ] ). Every soul that goes to hell goes against the will of God.

(4) Paul preached repentance.

(a) He preached that God ” is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30 [ “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. ] ). This message was given on Mars’ Hill to the intelligentsia of Athens. The results were three-fold: First, some mocked; second, some procrastinated; third, some believed (Acts 17:32-34 [ When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” 33 That ended Paul’s discussion with them, 34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council,[a] a woman named Damaris, and others with them. ] ).

3 Repentance From Dead Works (Read: Heb. 6:1) [   1) Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. ]

Notes: What does the writer of Hebrews mean by, “repentance from dead works”? First, we need to see the other two categories of works. They are:

(1) Good works (Matt. 5:16 [ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. ] ). Only saved souls can do good works and please God. Of the lost, He said, “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Ps. 14:1-3 OT [ Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. 3 But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!  ] ). The believer is not to hide his good works, but lit them be seen to the glory of the heavenly Father. Mary of Bethany anointed the head and feet of Jesus with precious perfume while He sat at the table of Simon the leper. Some of the disciples called her deed an extravagant waste, But Jesus said, “She has done a good deed to Me… She has done what she could” (Mark 14:3-9 [ Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. 4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages[b] and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly. 6 But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? 7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”  ] ). Like Mary, we are to do all we can to the glory of God, not in order to be saved, but because we are saved, having no other motive. This is the way to do good works.

(2) Evil deeds (Col. 1:20-21 [ and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.  ] ). Evil deeds are deeds done by the unregenerate, natural man ( 1 Cor. 2:14 [ But people who aren’t spiritual[a] can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. ] ). He walks according to this world system. He is motivated by the “prince of the power of the air (Satan)”. His talk is filled with the lust of the flesh and he lives to gratify the desires of the flesh and the natural mind, He is a child of wrath and his works are wicked because he is dead in sin (Eph. 2:1-3 [ Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. ] ).

 (3) Dead works (Heb. 6:1 [ So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds[a] and placing our faith in God. ] ). Dead works could be called religious works. They are done by the religious for the purpose of meriting eternal life. It is legalistic effort to keep the moral and ceremonial laws of God for the purpose of winning God’s favor and be saved by works (Eph. 2:8-9 [ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ] ). Paul said, “because by works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight” (Rom. 3:20 [ For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. ] ).

Dead works are performed by the religious, “For not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:1-4 [ Dear brothers and sisters,[a] the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given.[b] As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. ] ).

Paul is a good illustration of repentance from dead works. He clearly stated the he had “no confidence in the flesh”; then he lists his dead works of which he had to repent (Phil. 3:1-9 [ Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters,[a] rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God[b] are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.[c] For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.  ] ). When he compared this righteousness which is by dead works of the law, with the righteousness of Christ which is by faith, he counted the former but rubbish. He knew the meaning of “repentance from dead works”.

4. Repentance and God (Read: Heb. 7:21)  [   21) for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’”   ]

 Notes: “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent” (Num. 23:19 OT [ God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?  ] ). Yet the Bible tells us that He does repent (Gen. 6:5-7 OT [ The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. 6 So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. 7 And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” ] ). This is not a contradiction. It is paradoxical, but not contradictory.

God makes two covenants with man.

The first is unconditional. When He makes and unconditional covenant, He never repents (change His mind [Ps. 110:4 OT] [ The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”  ] ). He made such a covenant with Israel (Rom. 11:25-36 [  I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. 27 And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.” 28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. 30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. 31 Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone. 33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! 34 For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? 35 And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? 36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.  ] ).

 The second is conditional. The Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever because he also is flesh; nevertheless, his days shall be one hundred and twenty years” (Gen. 6:3 OT [ Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with[a] humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.” ] ). In the days of Noah, God gave the human race a 120 years to repent. Only Noah and his family repented and “found favor in the eyes of the Lord: (Gen. 6:8 OT [ But Noah found favor with the Lord. ] ). They met God’s condition and were not judged with the rest of the human race who refused to repent. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is patient toward you, NOT WISHING FOR ANY TO PERISH BUT FOR ALL TO COME TO REPENTANCE” (2 Pet. 3:9  ). It is clear that God wills to save all lost souls. He is “not wishing for any to perish”. To be saved the lost must meet His condition, “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21 [ I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. ] ). Now if a man does not repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God will repent. He will change and judge that man. In love He bestows grace; but, if salvation by grace is rejected, in justice He terminates it. In this way God repents.

5. Repentance, Impossible to Renew (Read: Heb. 6:4-6)  [  4) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5) and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6) if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. ]

 Notes: The key that unlocks the mystery to this difficult portion of Scripture is the word, “impossible” in verse 4. The writer is saying, that the person who so sins will find it impossible to repent again.

First, let us see what the writer does not mean. He does not mean a backslidden Christian. Simon Peter backslid (Matt. 26:69-75 [ Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. 71 Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.[a]” 72 Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said. 73 A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.” 74 Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.  ] ), repented (John 21:3-17 [

Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. 4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called out, “Fellows,[a] have you caught any fish?”  “No,” they replied. 6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. 7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. 8 The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards[b] from shore. 9 When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. 10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. 12 “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead. 15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?[c]” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”  “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.  ] ), and was restored to fellowship with the Lord.

 King David sinned (2 Sam. 11:1-27 OT [ In the spring of the year,[a] when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 2 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.” 6 Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 8 Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.[b]” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 9 But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. 10 When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” 11 Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents,[c] and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.” 12 “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. 14 So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15 The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 16 So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 17 And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. 18 Then Joab sent a battle report to David. 19 He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. 20 But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? 21 Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon[d] killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”  22 So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. 23 “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, 24 the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.”

25 “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!” 26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.  ] ), repented (Ps. 51:1-19 OT [ Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. 5 For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. 7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit[d] from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. 14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. 15 Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. 16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. 18 Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar. ] ), and was restored to fellowship with the Lord (2 Sam. 12:13 OT [

 Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.  ] ). Any backslidden Christian can repent and be restored to fellowship with God.

 Second, let us see what the writer does mean. Hebrews 6:4-6 [  For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. } is proof that being religious is not enough to save you. They professed, but did not possess eternal life. In outward appearance they would be called Christians. But Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 7:21-23 [  “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ ] ).

Esau so sinned against the Lord when he sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew (Gen. 25:27-34 OT [ As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”) 31 “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.” 32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?” 33 But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.  ] ). Later he tried to repent, but found it impossible to do so. The Scripture says, “He found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears” (Heb. 12:16-17 [  Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears. ] ).

At the great white throne judgment where only the wicked dead are judged (Rev. 20:11-15 [ And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave[a] gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. ] ), they too, will try to repent but will find it impossible.

6. Repentance, The Importance of (Read: Acts 17:30): [   30 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent  ]

Notes: Repentance is so important that God commands that “all everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30 [ “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.  ] ).

(1) The lost are to repent. Jesus said, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:13 [  Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[a] For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” ] ). Again, He said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” Luke 13:3-5 .

(2) Backsliders are to repent. Paul said, “I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance” (2 Cor. 7:9 [  Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. ] ). There were fleshly Christians in the church at Corinth. In Paul’s first letter to them he called upon the church to discipline the guilty. In his second letter he rejoices because the guilty repented.

(3) Local churches are to repent. In the Book of Revelation (Rev. 2 & 3 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rev.+2-3&version=NLT), our Lord sent seven letters to seven local churches. He called upon five of the seven to repent.

The church at Ephesus was to repent because she had left her first love.

The church at Pergamos was to repent because she permitted the doctrine of Balaam to be taught, and to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality.

The church at Thyatira was to repent because she tolerated Jezebel to teach and lead God’s servants to commit acts of immorality.

The church at Sardis was to repent because she was a dying congregation.

The church at Laodicea was to repent because she taught she was rich and did not need anything. In her opinion, she had arrived. She did not know that she was neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm and God was ready to spit her out of His mouth.

The Lord called upon these five churches to repent or else He would remove their candlestick and they would cease to be a light in darkness.

The lost are to repent or perish.

The backslider is to repent or be disciplined.

The local church is to repent or lose its effectiveness in a world lost in sin.

7. Repentance, The Evidence of (Read: Acts 26:19, 20):  [   19) Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20) but, declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.  ]

Notes: The evidence of repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ is seen in:

(1) The repentance of unbelieving Thomas (John 20:24-29 [ One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),[a] was not with the others when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” 26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. 29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”  ] ). Thomas would not believe that Christ had been raised from the dead until he saw the risen Savior and was given the opportunity to touch His nail-pierced hands and put his hand into His wounded side. Thomas repented, believed, and made his great confession of faith. “My Lord and My God!”

(2) Three thousand changed their minds, hearts, and wills on the day of Pentecost and immediately gave evidence of repentance (Acts 2:41-47 [ Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. 42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper[a]), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity[b]— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.  ] ).

(3) Saul of Tarsus experienced repentance when he met Jesus on the Damascus road and gave evidence of repentance (Acts 9:1-22 [ Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.[a] So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. 10 Now there was a believer[b] in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers[c] in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers[d] in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!” 21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?” 22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.  ] ).

(4) Cornelius, his family, and friends repented when they heard the gospel preached by Simon Peter, and evidence of repentance followed (Acts 10:24-48 [ They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” 27 So they talked together and went inside, where many others were assembled. 28 Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. 29 So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.” 30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago I was praying in my house about this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me. 31 He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God! 32 Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.” 34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. 38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross,[a] 40 but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, 41 not to the general public,[b] but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers[c] who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues[d] and praising God. Then Peter asked, 47 “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.  ] ).

(5) The Philippian jailer and his house repented when witnessed to by Paul and Silas; the evidence of repentance followed (Acts 16:26-34 [  Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.  ] ).

Repentance is a change of the mind, the heart, and the will. The proof of repentance is:

(a) Turning from “transgressions” (Ezek. 18:30 OT [ “Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign Lord. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! ] ).

(b) turning to God (Acts 26:19-20 [ “And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. 20 I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. ] ).

(c) followed by good deeds (Acts 26:19-20 [ and prove they have changed by the good things they do.  ] )

THE NEW BIRTH

It is of the utmost importance that we have a clear understanding of what Jesus meant when, speaking with Nicodemus, He said, “You must be born again”. The new birth is a spiritual birth. It is as much a birth as the natural birth; it is not just a figure of speech. The first birth is of the seed of man. The second birth is of the seed of God (1 Pet. 1:23 [ For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. ] ). Therefore, you cannot become a child of God by joining the church, any more than a monkey could become a man by joining the human race. He may act like a man, dress like a man, and try to live like a man… but he would still be a monkey. Now, if by some miracle, the monkey could be born again of the seed of man, then… and only then, could he become a man. The only way to become a child of God is to be “born again” (John 3:3 [ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” ] ); not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God”. What is the new birth?

The new birth is a new creation (2 Cor, 5:17 [  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! ] ). The new birth is a spiritual resurrection (Eph. 2:1-9 [ Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  ] ).

The new birth is regeneration (Titus 3:5 [ he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.[a] ] ).

The new birth is partaking of the divine nature of God (2 Pet. 1:4 [ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. ] ).

·    The new birth is receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, by faith (John 1:12 [ But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. ] )

·    The new birth is being made the “righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21 [ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[a] so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ] ).

·    The new birth is compulsory if you are to become a child of God: “You must be born again”.

1) Jesus and The Two Births (John 3:1-8 ) [   1) There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  2) This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3) Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4) Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5) Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  7) Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  8) The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”   ]

Notes: In John 3:1-8, we see Jesus and Nicodemus face to face-Jesus the Son of God, and Nicodemus the son of natural man.  Nicodemus was a very religious man, but he was not a child of God. What a shock it must have been to learn that his religion was not enough! It never is.  He came to Jesus, addressing Him saying, “You have come from God as a teacher”. Jesus knew Nicodemus , as He knows all men (John 2:24-25 [ But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. 25 No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart. ] ), and Jesus knew that he needed more than a teacher-he needed a Savior. He needed more than religion-he needed regeneration. He needed more than Law-he needed life.  Jesus began by going right to the point when He said, “You must be born again.” Nicodemus asked, “How can a man be born when he is old?” Then Jesus pointed out the dissimilarity in the two births: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” (the flesh will never change); and “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (the Spirit will never change (John 3:6 [ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. ] ).

First, let us take a brief look at the flesh birth:

(1)   It produces an old sinful nature (Ps. 51:5 OT [ For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.  ] ).

(2)   It produces a perishable nature (1 Pet. 1:23 [  For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. ] ).

(3)   It produces an old nature under the sentence of death (Rom 6:23 [ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. ] ).

(4)   It produces an old nature that makes every unsaved person a child of the devil (1 John 3:10 [  So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers[a] does not belong to God. ] ). 

Second, let us say a word about the new birth:

(1)   It produces a sinless nature (1 John 3:9 [ Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life[a] is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. ] ).

(2)   It produces a nature that cannot sin (1 John 3:9 [ Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life[a] is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. ] ).

(3)   It produces a righteous nature (2 Cor. 5:21 [  For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ] ).

(4)   It produces a divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4 [ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. ] ).

Every born again person has two natures: The old from the old birth, and the new from the new birth. By the old birth, we are children of the flesh; by the new the new birth, we are children of God. This is why, “You must be born again.”

2) The New Birth Issues a New Sinless Nature (1 John 3:9)  [  9) Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.  ]

Notes: This is one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. Do not try to understand it in the light of personal experience. Keep in mind that the above verse is speaking of the new nature-not the old nature-because the old nature is not born from God. The old nature is born of fallen man and is depraved. The new nature is born of God and is holy.

First, let us see what the verse says about the new nature:

(1)   The new nature does not commit sin, because it is the product of the seed (sperm) of God.

(2)   The new nature cannot sin, because it is the divine nature of God (2 Pet. 1:4 [ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. ] ) and since God cannot sin, the new nature that issues from His holy seed cannot sin.

Second, let us see what the Bible says about the old nature:

(1)   The old nature does sin any time you let it sin (Rom. 6:12 [  Do not let sin control the way you live;[a] do not give in to sinful desires. ] ). As a child of God, you will keep under the old nature (1 Cor. 9:27 [  I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. ] ) by not yielding to the desire of the flesh; or the old nature will keep you under, and you will live a defeated Christian life (Rom 6:13 [  Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. ] ). 

(2)   There is nothing good in the old nature (Rom. 7:18 [ And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. ] ).  The power to live a righteous life cannot be found in the old nature; it can be found only in the new (Gal. 2:20 [ My old self has been crucified with Christ.[a] It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ] ). 

If you have been “born again”, you have two natures-the old and the new-and you are walking according to one of the two. Examine your Christian walk in the light of God’s Word (Rom. 8:5-6 [ Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. ] ). 

3) The New Birth is Imperishable (1 Pet. 1:23)  [  23) Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.  ]

Notes: In the above verse (23) we have two seeds, two births, and two natures.

(1) The corruptible seed issues a corruptible nature (Rom. 1:23 [  And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. ] ). The seed of man became depraved in the seed of Adam when he sinned in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:6-10 OT [ The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[a] and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”  ] ).  Corruptible man can produce only corruptible seed (Matt. 7:18 [ A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. ] ).  “All have sinned…” (Rom 3:23 [  For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ] ) because all are born in sin (Ps. 51:5 OT [ For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.  ] ).  You are not a sinner because you sin-you sin because you are a sinner. 

(2) The incorruptible seed issues an incorruptible nature (2 Pet. 1:4 [ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. ] ).   You cannot corrupt that which is incorruptible; therefore, the incorruptible seed of God issues a new nature that cannot be corrupted at any time, or in any way. The new birth produces the life of Christ, and this life is made living in man by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:8-10 [

That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. 9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life[a] because you have been made right with God.  ] ).

The seed of man is corruptible; the birth of man is natural. Therefore, the nature of man is sinful. The seed of God is incorruptible; the new birth is spiritual. Therefore, the new nature is sinless.

4) The New Birth-Its Means (Read: John 3:14-18 )  [  18 ) And as “Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18) He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  ]

Notes: “Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness” (Num. 21:5-9 OT [ and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!” 6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” 9 So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!  ] ).  He lifted up the serpent for a sinful, disobedient people. When anyone was bitten by a serpent, he had a choice: He could humble himself and by a simple act of faith look and live (Is. 45:22 OT [ Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other.  ] ); or he could refuse to look on the serpent of bronze and die.

“Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Just as the serpent in the wilderness was the only means for the healing of Israel, so the death of Jesus Christ is the only means for the new birth. And the only way to appropriate the regenerating power of God is by faith in the vicarious death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4 [ Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters,[a] of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.  ] ). 

The sinner must come to Christ by faith, believing:

(1) That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (Is. 53:1-12 OT  [ Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? 2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. 3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. 7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream.  But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. 9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. 10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief.

Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. 11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience,  my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.  ] and Zech. 13:6 OT [ And if someone asks, ‘Then what about those wounds on your chest?[a]’ he will say, ‘I was wounded at my friends’ house!’ ] ). 

(2) And that He was buried. This is the proof of His death. He was in the grave three days and nights.

(3) And that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. This is the gospel that saves-but it is powerless to save until the sinner believes it (Rom. 1:16 [ For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[a] ] ). 

The means of the new birth is found in that:

(1) “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son”-to be the only means of the new birth (John 3:16 [  “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ] ). 

(2) Jesus Christ gladly came into the world to become the only means of the new birth (John 12:27  [ “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! ] – and John 17:1-5 [ After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. ] ). 

(3) The Holy Spirit came into the world on the day of Pentecost to convince men of their need of the new birth (John 16:7-11 [ But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate[a] won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. ] ).  A personal faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only means of the new birth.

5) The New Birth: Its Threefold Proof (1 John 5:1)  [  1) Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.  ]

Notes: Every “born again” child of God has the threefold proof of the new birth-proof that he is a child of God. This threefold proof is: first, inward proof; second, outgoing proof; and third, outward proof.

(1) “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1 [ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[a] has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. ] ). Your faith in Christ-that He is God-is personal evidence that you are a child of God (1 John 5:10-13 [ 10 All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. 11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. 13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.  ] ).  This is inward proof of the new birth. 

(2)   “Everyone who loves is born of God” (1 John 4:7-11 [

 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.  ] ).  We are to love our fellow man with the love of God. This we are not capable of doing in the flesh; we must let God love man through us (Rom. 5:5 [ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. ] ).  This is outgoing proof of the new birth.

(3)   “Everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29 [ Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children. ] ).  If you are born of God, you will make a practice of doing right at all times and at all cost (2 Cor. 5:17 [  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! ] ).  This is outward proof of the new birth.

If you do not have the threefold proof of the new birth, now is the time to get on your knees and accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior-by faith in His Vicarious death, burial, and resurrection!

GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION

There are seven facts revealed in God’s plan of salvation, and as you study them, keep in mind that this is God’s plan-not man’s-it is God’s. There is no other plan that can save your lost soul and make you a child of God (Acts 4:12 [ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” ] ).

All roads may lead to Rome, but all religions do not lead to God and salvation. There is only one way, and that is God’s way; and God’s way is a person, and that person is His Son the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6 [ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ] ).  

God’s salvation is threefold: First, Christ appeared on this earth to save you from the penalty of sin, by putting away your sin by the sacrifice of Himself on the Cross (Heb. 9:26 [ If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age[a] to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. ] ). Second, He appeared in heaven, in the presence of God, after His resurrection, to save you from the power of sin (Heb. 9:24 [ For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. ]  and 1 John 2:1-2 [ My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. ] ).  Third, He will appear again on this earth, the second time, as “Lord of lords and King of kings” to save you from the very presence of sin (Heb. 9:28 [ so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. ] ).  Now come to the seven facts of salvation with an open mind and a receptive heart, that God may bring salvation to your soul!

1)   It is a fact that God loves you (John 3:16) [    16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ]

Notes: It is an eternal fact the God loves you with and everlasting love that cannot be fathomed; it is so boundless that it can only be known by faith.

The little word “so” in John 3:16 is most expressive. It gives you some concept of the magnitude of God’s love. God so loved you, that He gave His only begotten Son, to be made sin for you, that you might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21 [ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ] ).  

Jesus Christ was made that which God hates: sin-that you might become that which God loves: righteousness. Because God so loves you, you can exchange your sins for His righteousness. Could you ask for greater evidence of love? Calvary is proof that God loves, and longs to save you.

Before going to the next fact, admit to yourself that: “God loves me!”

2) It is a fact that you are a sinner (Rom. 3:23).  [  23) For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  ]

Notes: What is sin?

·    Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4 [ Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. ] ). 

·    Sin is unbelief; it calls God a liar (1 John 5:10 [ All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. ] ). 

·    Sin is active rebellion against God (1 Sam. 15:23 OT [ Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”   ] ). 

·    Sin is passive rebellion against God (Is. 1:2 OT [

Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the Lord says: “The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me.  ] ). 

·    All unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17 [ All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death. ] ).

God, who cannot lie, said: “All have sinned.” “All” includes you! You have sinned against God by thought, word, and deed. You have committed sins of commission and sins of omission. In the sight of God, you are a lost sinner.

Before going to the next fact, admit to yourself that: “I am a lost sinner, because I have sinned.”

3)   It is s fact that you are now dead in sin (Rom. 6:23)  [    23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.   ]

Notes: You have already confessed and admitted that you are a sinner. Now God would have you know that “… the wages of sin is death.” You are dead in sin until you accept Christ as personal Savior. The Apostle Paul said, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1 [ Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. ] ).  To be saved is to be made spiritually alive in Christ.

What is death?

(1)   Death is spiritual separation. Your sins have separated you from God; you are dead in your sins.

(2)   Death is physical separation. It separated the spirit and soul from the body.

(3)   Death is eternal separation. If you remain lost in your sins, you will stand before God at the great white throne judgment. And there your sins will separate you from the mercy of God forever; this is Hades (Rev. 20:11-15 [  And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave[a] gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. ] ).

You know that God loves you, and that you are a sinner-dead in sins. Before going to the next fact, admit to yourself: “I am dead in sins.”

4)   It is a fact that Christ died for you (Rom. 5:6-8 )  [  6) For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  ]

Notes: He died for those who are unlike God; this includes you! “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8 [ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ] ).

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21 [ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[a] so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ] ) 

Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like sliver or gold …but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:18-19 [ For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. ] ). 

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit” (1 Cor. 15:3 [ I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. ] ). 

“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3 [ I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. ] ).

In light of these wonderful Scriptures, will you now thank God for His great love in sending His Son to bear your sins in His own body on the cross, and admit to yourself that: “Christ died on Calvary for me!”

5)  It is a fact that you can be saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30, 31)  [  30)  And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31) So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”  ]

Notes: The Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas: “Sirs, what must I do to be Saved?” The answer was quick in response, and positive in content: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.” Paul and Silas preached the gospel to the jailer and those in his house; they believed and were saved.

What is this gospel that saves when believed?

First, it is: “that Christ died for your sins.”

Second, it is: “that He was buried.”

Third, it is: “that He was raised on the third day” (1 Cor. 15:3-4 [ I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. ] ). 

Jesus Christ the God-man died for you, was buried for you, and rose form the dead for you; and is now at the right hand of the Father interceding for you (1 John 2:1 [ My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. ] ). 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16).  The gospel is the power of God for salvation only when you believe. Your faith in Jesus Christ releases the power of God that saves your soul.

The man born blind received physical sight by a miracle; but, spiritual sight came when Jesus asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Lord, I believe” (John 9:35-38 [ 35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?[a]” 36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” 37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” 38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. ] ).  Salvation came to Thomas when he believed and confessed, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:24-29 [ One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),[a] was not with the others when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” 26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”  ] ). 

When you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Rom. 10:9-10 [ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. ] ). 

Accept Him now by faith, and pray this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I know You love me, because You died on the cross bearing my sins. Thank You, Lord, for revealing to me my lost, sinful condition. I confess that I am a sinner, dead in sin, and cannot save myself. I do now by faith, gladly accept You as my personal Savior, and thank You, Lord, for eternal salvation. Amen!”

6)   It is a fact that you can be saved and know it (1 John 5:10-13)  [ 10) He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11) And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13) These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.  ]

Notes: “… that you may know that you have eternal life… “(1 John 5:13 [  I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. ] ). Upon the authority of God’s Word, you can be saved and know it. Your faith in God’s infallible Word is your assurance of salvation. “He who believes in the Son has (present tense) eternal life” (John 3:36 [ And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” ] ). 

The Bible is a book of certainties. It strengthens convictions, and establishes beliefs. God would have you know:

(1)   That you are now a child of God (1 John 3:2 [ Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. ] ). 

(2)   That you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21  [ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[a] so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ] and Rom. 10:1-4 [ Dear brothers and sisters,[a] the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given.[b] As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. ] ). 

(3)   That you are now a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17 [ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! ] ). 

(4)   That you are now a son and heir of God (Gal. 4:7 [ Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.[a] And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. ] ).  Could you have greater assurance than is found in God’s infallible Word? “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35 [ Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. ] ).

7)  It is a fact that you are now a child of God and you are to obey Him (Acts 5:29)  [  29) But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.  ]

Notes: “We must obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29 [ But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. ] ). You now belong to Jesus Christ. He is your Lord and Master, and “no one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24 [ “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. ] ).  Determine now to obey your Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, in all things:

(1) Unite with a New Testament church. “And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47 [ all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. ] ). 

(2) Follow Him in the ordinance of baptism (Acts 2:41 [  Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. ] ). 

(3) Join a Sunday school class (Bible Study), and study the Word with God’s children (2 Tim. 2:25 [  Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. ] ). 

(4) Attend the worship services of your church (Heb. 10:25 [  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. ] ).  You need the preaching of God’s Word and Christian fellowship.

(5) Be a faithful steward (1 Cor. 4:2 [  Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. ] ).  All that you are and have belong to God. “… you are not your own. For you are bought with a price …” (1 Cor. 6:19-20 [  Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. ] ).  As a faithful steward, you pay God His tithe (Mal. 3:10 OT [ Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! ] ).  The tithe is one-tenth of your income, and it is the Lord’s (Lev. 27:30 OT [ “One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy. ] ).

(6) Make time in your daily life to pray and read God’s word, that you may grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“How To Witness Effectively”

One day as Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee He saw two men, Simon, called Peter and Andrew, his brother. They were fisherman. “And He said to them, ‘Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men'” (Matt. 4:19 [  Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” ] ).  Soul winners are made, not born. Therefore, to be an effective witness, you must be taught, trained, and motivated by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus took three years to teach and train His disciples in the art of soul winning. After His resurrection He instructed them to stay in Jerusalem and, “wait for what the Father had promised” (Acts 1:4-8 [ Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with[a] water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  ] ). When the disciples asked Jesus if the time had come for Him to restore the kingdom of Israel, He answered, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses…”

On the day of Pentecost, the hundred and twenty received power to witness; and any believer who will acquire the know-how can be an effective soul winner.

He can know that he and the Holy Spirit are a witnessing team. Peter said, “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:32 ).  Therefore, when you witness remember that “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you (1 Cor. 6:19 [ Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, ] ).

When you witness, trust the Holy Spirit to do three things:

(1)   Illuminate the mind of the unbeliever. All lost souls are in spiritual darkness (2 Cor. 4:3-4 [ If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. ] ).

(2)   Stir the heart of the unbeliever. As Peter preached Christ the listeners, “were pierced to the heart” (Acts 2:37 [  Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” ] ).

(3)   Move the will of the unbeliever.

The prodigal returned home when he came to his senses and said, “I will get up and go to my father” (Luke 15:18 [ I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, ] ).  

You may be up-to-date in all modern techniques and technologies of soul winning and able to quote the necessary Scriptures without a flaw; but if you do not evangelize in the power of the Holy Spirit, your soul winning efforts will be ineffective. Approach this last Master Outline Study with an open heart and receptive mind, willing to be made fishers of men.

1)  The Importance of Witnessing (Rom. 10:13-17).  [    13) For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”  14)  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?  15)  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”  16)  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”  17)  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.   ]

Notes: … for “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13 [  For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? ] ). Do not lift this text out of context. There are three questions in verse 14 that must be considered along with verse 13, they are:

First question, “How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed?” The answer is, the lost cannot call on the Lord to be saved until they believe:

(1)   “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

(2)  And that He was buried,

(3) And that He was raised on the third day according to Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1-4 [ Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters,[a] of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

 ] ).

Second question, “And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?” The answer is, the lost cannot believe in Him until they hear the good news of salvation.

(1) The eunuch had to hear to believe (Acts 8:26-39 [ 26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south[a] down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. 32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 33 He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. 36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.  ] ).

(2)  Paul had to hear to believe (Acts 9:1-18 [ Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.[a] So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. 10 Now there was a believer[b] in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers[c] in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.  ] ).

(3)  Cornelius had to hear to believe (Acts 10:1-48 [ In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said. 4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! 5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.” 7 As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. 8 He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa. 9 The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, 10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. 12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” 14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.[b]” 15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” 16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. 17 Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. Standing outside the gate, 18 they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there. 19 Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.” 21 So Peter went down and said, “I’m the man you are looking for. Why have you come?” 22 They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.” 23 So Peter invited the men to stay for the night. The next day he went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa. 24 They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” 27 So they talked together and went inside, where many others were assembled. 28 Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. 29 So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.” 30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago I was praying in my house about this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me. 31 He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God! 32 Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.” 34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. 38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross,[c] 40 but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, 41 not to the general public,[d] but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” 44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers[e] who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues[f] and praising God. Then Peter asked, 47 “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.  ] ).

(4)  The Philippian jailer had to hear to believe (Acts 16:25-40 [ 25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. 35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” 36 So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.” 37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” 38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.  ] ).

Third question, “And how shall they hear without a preacher (witness)?” The answer is, they cannot hear the good news of salvation without a witness.

(1)  Three thousand were saved at Pentecost because the 120 witnessed.

(2)  The eunuch was saved because Philip witnessed.

(3)  Paul was saved because Stephen witnessed (Acts 7:54-60 [ 54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.[a] 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” 57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.  ] ) and Jesus the God-man witnessed, and Ananias witnessed (Acts 9:1-18 [ Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.[a] So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. 10 Now there was a believer[b] in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers[c] in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.  ] ).

(4) Cornelius and his household were saved because Peter witnessed. 

(5) The Philippian jailer and his household were saved because Paul and Silas witnessed.

(6) You were saved because someone witnessed to you!

According to the word of God, the lost cannot be saved without a witness. They must have a witness to hear, they must hear to believe, they must believe to call, and they must call to be saved. But they cannot call until they believe and they cannot believe until they hear and they cannot hear without a witness.  “So faith (saving faith) comes from hearing” (Rom. 10:17 [ So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. ] ).  We are not born with saving faith; it comes only when we hear the gospel. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that every born again child of God obey the great commission to evangelize, to go with the gospel.

2) The Qualifications of a Witness (Col. 2:6, 7)   [   6) -As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7)  rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.   ]

 Notes: A qualified witness is one who is:

(1) Established in the faith. To be established in the faith is to be rooted and grounded in God’s Word. Peter said, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet. 3:15 [ Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. ] ).

The fifteen Master Outline studies in this Bible study were prepared to help establish you in the faith. Study them, carry your Bible with you and take advantage of every opportunity to ponder a portion of one of the great doctrines. They will give you a foundation on which to build a strong faith (2 Tim. 3:16-17 [  All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. ] ).

(2)  Saved and knows it. I know that I am saved because God tells me so in His Word and God cannot lie.

We have the:

(a)  Witness of the Spirit (Rom. 8:16 [ For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. ] ). 

(b) The witness of the Word (1 John 5:13 [ I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. ] ).  

(c)  The witness of faith “The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself” (1 John 5:9-10 [ Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10 All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. ] ).

(3)  Separated. Paul said that he was “set apart for the gospel of God” (Rom. 1:1-16 [ This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. 2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, 4 and he was shown to be[a] the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.[b] He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege[c] and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. 6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart[d] by spreading the Good News about his Son. 10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. 13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters,[e] that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world,[f] to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News. 16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.  ] ).

(a)  A holy desire to share spiritual gifts (verse 11 [  For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.  ] ).

(b) A holy purpose to bear fruit (verse 13 [  I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters,[e] that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles.  ] ).

(c)  A holy obligation to pay a spiritual debt (verse 14 [ For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world,[f] to the educated and uneducated alike.  ] ).

(d) A holy eagerness to share the gospel (verse 15 [ So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News. ] ).

(e)  A holy boldness to exalt the cross (verse 16 [ For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. ] ).

To be separated unto the gospel is to share the Good News with the lost (see Master Outline #11, Section #3).

(4)  Filled with the Holy Spirit. “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18 [ Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, ] ).  We are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit (see Master Outline #11, Section #4). Evidence of the Spirit-filled life as seen in the early Christians:

(a)  They spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31 [ After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. ] ).

(b) They witnessed with great power (Acts 4:33 [ The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. ] ).

(c)  They witnessed with great grace (Acts 4:33 [ The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. ] )

(d) They shared their wealth (Acts 4:34-37 [ There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. 36 For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. 37 He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.  ] ).

(e)  They worshiped in unity (Acts 2:42-47 [  All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper[a]), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity[b]— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.  ] ).

(f)   They suffered persecution (Acts 8:1-4 [  Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. 4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.  ] ).

(g) They glorified in tribulations (Rom. 5:3 [We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  ] ).

(h) They sang in prison (Acts 16:25 [ Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. ] ).

(i)   They loved and prayed for their executioners (Acts 7:54-60 [ The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” 57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.  ] ).

(j)   They rejoiced to suffer shame for His name (Acts 5:41 [ The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. ] ).

They were accused of:

(1)  Filling Jerusalem with the gospel (Acts 5:28) [  “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!” ].

(2)  Upsetting the world (Acts 17:6). [ Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers[a] instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. ]

The 120 Spirit-filled Christians witnessed on the day of Pentecost and the people were:

(1)   Bewildered, that is, they were mentally arrested (Acts 2:6 [ When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. ] ).

(2)   Amazed, that is, they were mentally frustrated (Acts 2:7 [ They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, ] ).

(3)   Marveling, that is, they stood in mental awe (Acts 2:7 [ They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, ] ).

(4)   Mocking, that is, some mentally reacted (Acts 2:13 [ But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” ] ).

(5)   Inquiring, that is, some mentally acted (Acts 2:37 [ Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” ] ).

The gospel proclaimed in the power of the Holy Spirit will motivate the hearer to act or react.

On the day to Pentecost three thousand acted as evidenced by repentance and baptism, while others reacted mocking. No one, but no one, ignored the witness of those Spirit-filled believers!

3)         The Approach (John 1:40-42).  [  40) One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41)  He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42)  And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).   ]

 Notes: There are two ways to approach the prospect.

The first is:

(1)   The direct approach. This approach can be used when witnessing to:

(a)  A relative. Andrew used the direct approach to bring his brother Simon Peter to Christ (John 1:40-42 [ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). 42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”[b]).   ] ).

(b) A friend. Phillip the apostle used the direct approach to bring Nathanael to Jesus (John 1:45-46 [ Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses[a] and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”  46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.  ] ).

(c) The concerned. Jesus used the direct approach to win Nicodemus (John 3:1-21 [ There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.[b] 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.[c] 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” 9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked. 10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man[e] has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.[f] 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[g] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.[h]”   ] ).

(d) The seeker. Paul and Silas used the direct approach to lead the Philippian jailer to Jesus (Acts 16:19-34 [  Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20 “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. 21 “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” 22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. 25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.  ] ).

The second is:

(2) The indirect approach. This can be used when witnessing to:

(a)  A stranger. Jesus used the indirect approach to witness to the Samaritan woman (John 4:7-26 [ Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.[a] She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” 16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim,[b] where our ancestors worshiped?” 21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!”   ] ).

(b) The religious. Phillip the evangelist used the indirect approach to lead the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ (Acts 8:26-39 [  As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south[a] down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. 32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.

And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,

he did not open his mouth.

33 He was humiliated and received no justice.

Who can speak of his descendants?

For his life was taken from the earth.”[b]

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. 36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”[c] 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.   ] ).

 The method in either case will vary according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Whether you use the direct or the indirect approach, be sure to follow through until you have presented God’s plan of salvation and invited them to accept Christ as their personal Savior.

4)   The Follow-Through (Matt. 13:3-8 [  ]  and 18-23).   [    3)  Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4) “And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5) “Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.  6)  “But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.  7)  “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.  8)  “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.      And verse 18)  “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19)  “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.  20)  “But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21) “yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  22)  “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  23)  “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”   ]

 Notes: The parable of the sower illustrates the importance of the follow-through. Only one fourth of the soil was ready for the seed, so only one fourth of the seed brought forth fruit. Jesus explains the parable in (Matt. 13:18-23 [ 18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” ] ), and we learn that:

(1)   The sower is the witness. 

(2)   The seed is the word of God.

(3)   The soil is the heart.

We also learn that there are four types of hearts. They are:

4) The hard heart; this is the wayside soil, fertile but hard.

5) The shallow heart; this is the stoney soil, fertile but depthless.

1. The worldly heart; this is the thorny soil, fertile but possessed.

7)   The understanding heart: this is good soil, fertile and prepared.

The lesson here is a simple one if we expect the seed, the word of God, to bear fruit, the heart must be made ready. The hard heart must be broken; the shallow heart must be given depth; the worldly heart must be taught that the things of this world are temporal (Mark 8:36-37 [ And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?[a] 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? ] ).   This requires time, work, and patience.

5)  How to Share God’s Plan of Salvation (Acts 4:12). [    12)  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.   ]

Notes: There are seven simple steps to take in sharing God’s plan of salvation:

(1)   Share your personal experience of salvation. Don’t give your life story. It should not take more that a few minutes to tell how the Lord saved you. As you come to the close of your testimony, bring out your Bible and say, “May I share with you God’s plan of salvation that changed my life?” 

(2)   Now share fact number one, “It is a fact that God loves you.” Read (John 3:16-17  [   “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  ] ) and the study notes with them. When you come to the close of the study notes, say something like this: “Will you now admit that God loves you?” Lead them to admit it, if you can. This will get them involved in the plan of salvation.  

(3)   Now share fact number two, “It is a fact that you are a sinner.” Read (Rom. 3:23   For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,) and the study notes with them. When you come to the close of the study notes, ask them to admit that they are a lost sinner. When they admit that they are a lost sinner, say something like this, “Isn’t it wonderful? God loves you even though you are a sinner!”  

(4)   Now share fact number three, “It is a fact that you are now dead in sin.” Read (Rom. 7:23   But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.) and the study notes with them. When you come to the close of the study notes, ask them to admit that they are dead in sin. When they admit that they are dead in sin, say something like this, “Isn’t it great? Even though you are a lost sinner, dead in sin, God loves you!” 

(5)   Now share fact number four, “It is a fact that Christ died for you.” Read (Rom. 5:6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.) and the study notes with them. When you come to the close of the study notes, ask them to admit that Christ died on Calvary for them. When they admit that Christ died for them, say something like this, “Isn’t it wonderful? Isn’t it great that God loves you so much that He died on Calvary bearing your sins?” 

(6)   Now share fact number five, “It is a fact that you can be saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” Read (Acts 16:30, 31   [  And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”) and the study notes with them.   ]

(7)   Now share fact number six. Lead them to call upon the name of the Lord in prayer: for “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved!” Read (Rom. 10:9 & 13  If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”).

 When you come to the close of the study notes, be ready to ask them to accept, by faith, Christ as their personal Savior!

6)   How to Give the Invitation (Rev. 22:17) [   17)  And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires let him take the water of life freely.   ]

Notes: To give the invitation is to invite the person witnessed to, to, by faith, accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.  After reading the above verse (Rev. 22:17 [  17)  And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires let him take the water of life freely.  ] ) you can simply say something like this: 

“Will you kneel with me in prayer as I ask the Lord to save you, right here and now?” (Don’t wait for them to get on their knees; you lead the way.  If they will not kneel with you, don’t force it.  Pray a short prayer that the Lord will convict them of sin and bring them to repentance. Get up and make an appointment to return for another witness session).

If they kneel with you, ask them to accept Him now, by faith, by praying with you (repeating after you) the following prayer:  “Lord Jesus, I know You love me, because You died on the cross bearing my sins. Thank You, Lord, for revealing to me my lost, sinful condition. I confess that I am a sinner, dead in sin, and cannot save myself. I do now, by faith, gladly accept You as my personal Savior, and thank You, Lord, for eternal salvation. Amen!”

When you have finished leading them in the prayer, stand up, shake their hand, or preferably give them a hug (Christians are big on hugging!) and say something like this, “Welcome aboard! Upon the authority of God’s Word you are now a child of God!”

7)  How to Follow Up (Read: Acts 2:41-47)  [  41) Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42) ¶ And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43)  Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44) Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45) and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.  46)  So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47)  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.   ]

 Notes: When you have led a soul to Christ your responsibility does not end. You have a spiritual baby, and that baby needs help if it is to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are some things that you can do to help the new Christian to grow spiritually.

(1)  If they don’t already have one, give them an “Open Bible” (we prefer the New American Standard “Open” Bible) which is simply a Bible that contains a good study guide (like the one that this entire study has come out of), a Biblical Cyclopedia, a Concordance and a lot of other very useful and fascinating study aids. Thomas Nelson also publishes “The Christian Life New Testament” which contains this bible study. This is a small new testament that you can carry in your pocket.

(2)  Lead them to a New Testament church. (Invite them to yours!)

a. Take them to church and sit with them.

b. When the invitation is given by your Pastor, ask them to go with you to make their public profession of faith in Christ (Matt. 10:32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.).

c. Arrange with your Pastor to get them baptized as soon as possible.

i.     Start them out right:

   ii.     Point out that we have a “Now Salvation”.

  iii.     Stress the fact that they need to obey the Lord in all things.

  iv.     Teach them how to pray effectively on a daily basis.

   v.     Teach them to read and study their Bible on a daily basis.

(3)   Explain the Master Outline system of study that we have been using.

a. Show them how the Outlines work. 

b. Be sure to show them how to look up each Scripture reference when they are studying.

c. Help them through the Master Study Outlines. By the time that they have reached Outline #15, they should be in a church, and have a solid doctrinal foundation on which to continue to grow spiritually.

(4) Encourage them to evangelize and to witness. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Ps. 107:2 OT [ Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.   ] ).

At this juncture, the new Christian should be fully prepared to “go with the gospel!”

You have accomplished a great thing! Now, don’t rest on your laurels, go find another lost soul!