Memory Verse: Matthew 4:4
Lesson Verses: 1 John 5:11,12
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is
in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son
of God hath not life." 1 John 5:11,12
I. Introduction
The decision to trust Jesus Christ as the Saviour of your
soul is the greatest decision you could ever make! The
purpose of this lesson is to explain briefly what happens
when a person gets saved, and how the decision to trust
Christ forever affects their relationship with God.
II. Is Anyone “Good?”
A. The spiritual condition of everyone is described as
what? Look in Romans 3:10, and 23, where we are described as __________.B. What does the Bible say “sin” is? (1 John 3:4) _______________________. To “trans-gress” is to “cross a line” that God laid out showing what is right and wrong. When we cross His laws (break through them), we sin. We call it “breaking God’s laws.” Everybody could be doing something, but if God said NOT to do it, and we go ahead anyway, then we have sinned.
C. God says, “There is __________ good; no not one” (Romans 3:10).
III. God’s Absolute Laws of Right and Wrong
A. Most everyone agrees we all break a few of God’s laws
here and there, but almost nobody believes they are enough
to keep us out of heaven. The Bible says otherwise!B. God laid out the requirements for entrance into His heaven in a simple list and that requirement is perfection - having NO sin in us at all
C. If you think you don’t sin, then God says you are _____ (1 John 1:8)
D. To be classified as a sinner does not only mean being a murderer, or a thief, but it means when a person does ANY sin (James 2:9,10; like stealing, cursing, rebelling, hating, dishonouring, coveting, etc.). Therefore, anyone who sins at all, is a sinner in God’s eyes, and needs to be saved.
E. Compare this truth to a tree – a small tree can be known for what it is, even when it has no fruit. The fruit (let’s say, apples) comes later, but it produces apples because it is an APPLE tree. A sinner sins because he is a sinner.
F. If you want to try and prove that you don’t sin, take the following test:
The Big Ten
Never? Occasionally? All the time?
1 I have made something in my life more important than
loving and obeying God
2 I have bowed down to a statue, or an idol
3 I have used Gods’ (or Jesus’) name flippantly
4 I have worked on the Sabbath
5 I have dishonoured or disobeyed my parents
6 I have killed somebody
7 I have committed adultery
8 I have stolen ANYTHING, EVER
9 I have told a lie
10 I have coveted something
G. The above list is not anything new. What do we call this list? Not the Ten
Suggestions, but God’s Ten ___________________. You find this list in
every Bible in Exodus chapter 20, from verses 1 through 17.H. Note that if you ticked NEVER in number 6 above, remember that God says
“Whosoever _________ his brother is a __________: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1John 3:15)I. If you ticked NEVER in number 7 above, remember that Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to _______ after her hath committed __________ with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28).
J. Even if you only ticked a few of the above NEVERS, then you are a pretty good person in man’s eyes, but in God’s eyes, you still are a SINNER (a law breaker) and you have proven God to be correct, and ought to now realise the truth that you need something to save you from the coming penalty on sin..
IV. The Need for Salvation
A. Ok, so we are sinners – we break God’s laws. So what? Well, there is a BIG penalty for all our sins. What is that penalty? ________ (Romans 6:23).
B. “Wages” are what we earn - they are the result of our actions. Every sin we commit, we earn DEATH. Not what we want is it?
C. Death may be the end of life, but not the end of a person’s existence. What lies ahead of every person is eternity. If a person dies in their sins, they are condemned to an eternity in hell.
1. The Bible says hell is a place where Satan, his angels, and all unbelieving people will spend eternity suffering eternal punishment and separation from God.
2. It is no joking matter: There are 162 references to hell in the New Testament alone, and 70 of these were made by Jesus himself! They include:
Matthew 13:41,42; 5:29,30; 10:28; 11:23,24; 16:18; James 3:6; Revelation 20:13,14.
D. But WHY did God create Hell? God created hell because He is a righteous
and holy God and cannot allow sin in His Heaven. Since all men are sinners,
Jesus came into the world to save man from hell's punishment by living aperfect sinless life, die a substitutionary death, be buried and then raised
again by God. All this so sinners could receive the free gift of eternal ______? (Rom 6:23) and thus have free access to heaven. It is by Jesus' finished work on the cross that sinners such as you and I are allowed into Heaven. But those who do not accept Christ's gift and trust only in Him are destined to go to hell because they are still in their sins (John 3:18,36; 1 Cor 15:16,17).
V. The Way of Salvation is found in a Person, Not a Religion
A. What did God provide for us when His Son died?
1. “____________ life” (John 3:16,17), instead of an eternity in hell!
2. But to get it, we must be “born _______” (John 3:3,7).
3. Read Romans 6:23 again. Thankfully, God doesn’t just show us our condition,
and abandon us – He offers us a free “_________.” The “______
of God” (which cannot be earned) is the opposite of the wages of our sin!4. Specifically, that free GIFT is called, “_____________ life.”
B. It is given to us freely, requiring a committed choice on our part to accept it.
C. It is provided FREE to you through the willingness of Jesus Christ to take
your and my place in death and judgment on the cross! There is no other way
to heaven than through Jesus alone (John 14:6)!D. Ephesians 2:8,9, says it is impossible for a sinner to save themselves from the
penalty of their sin through good works!1. Notice it is “not of _________, lest any man should boast.”
2. Notice also that it is “not by works of_______________…” (Titus 3:5)
3. It is only obtained by surrender - allow Jesus to do all the saving of your soul - no longer trying to do all the right things to earn heaven. Stop working at being good, and accept what Jesus did for you in your place.
E. One great truth to appreciate - The theme of the Bible from start to finish is
all about “the _________ of God which taketh away the _______ of the
world” (John 1:29). Jesus is our sin-substitute so that we can be saved!
VI. Let's explore the two births the Bible talks about
A. Our first birth is our PHYSICAL birth (read all of John 3:1-7):
1. The first birth is a water birth (John 3:5). It is not baptism. We start in water. Every human is born out of a water sack in the womb.
2. Your first birth comes from your physical parents. Their “flesh” produced your _________ (John 3:6). It is only a human life – not eternal.
3. Take a look at the chart below. You are the box in the middle, between the physical world around us, and God.
a. Your body is what God gave you to interact with this world
b. Your spirit is what God gave you to interact with Him
c. Your soul is the real you – the part that feels, and wishes, and
dreams, and chooses
4. The real you (your soul) is in the centre – using your body to interact with, and relate to this world. Your soul uses your spirit to interact with God.
5. We are spiritual beings as much as we are physical beings.
6. What is the Soul?
a. The soul is part of the trinity of man (1Thes 5:23). Each part is vital,
but Jesus said the soul is the most important (Mt 16:26)b. It is called the hidden or the inner man (1Pet 3:3,4; 2Cor 4:16-18)
c. The soul is the source of your emotions, your will, the ability to reason,
and understand. It is your awareness of yourself.d. In other words, your soul is the real you – what you really are, what
you think, how you feel, and why you feel that way.e. It is separate from the body – an immaterial, invisible part of you
(2Cor 4:18).7. Everything would be fine, except the part of you that is supposed to be able to communicate with God (your spirit) is DEAD. Sin by our first parents killed that part of us on the inside (Gen 2:17). The only way to regenerate the spirit is by being born again, but this time, on the inside!
B. The second birth is your SPIRITUAL birth (John 3:5,6):
1. This birth can only come from God. John 4:24 says that “God is a__________.” He is not flesh like we humans are. According to John 3:6, His Spirit will produce _________ in the life of a sinner if they would just fully believe on His Son, Jesus Christ (John 7:37-39)!
2. The second birth involves trusting God’s ________ to be true (1Peter 1:23). You can fully and completely trust the death of Jesus Christ to be your payment for your sin, because God said in His word you could, and that He would give you as a free gift, eternal salvation - eternal life!
3. If you didn’t have God’s perfect word to trust, how could you know what to believe at all? Everyone’s guess would be as good as another’s.
C. Therefore, there are only two “births” that a person can experience.
1. The first birth gives only temporary life - it came from temporary parents. It ends in death because of sin (Rom 5:12).
2. The second birth is only experienced by a person who turns to Christ for salvation from sin. It never ends because it came from an eternal Parent.
3. The first birth makes you physically a child of your parents. The second birth makes you spiritually and eternally a child of ____ (John 1:11,12).
D. A person desperately needs Jesus Christ, because without Him, there is no other _______ to God (John 14:6). Can’t look to Allah, or Buddha, etc!
1. It is SIN that _____________ all of humanity from God (Isaiah 59:2).
2. If a person dies without having their sin paid-off by faith in what Jesus Christ did on the cross, there is only one destiny for them (John 3:36; Matthew 23:33; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10-15).
a. What is that destiny? _____________________________
b. That’s why God calls upon everyone everywhere to ____________
(Acts 17:30) and be saved when? ___________ (2 Corinthians 6:2)
E. Salvation is NOT a "process" - it is instantly given (Luke 18:9-14). There is always a process to the humbling of a person, but when they know they are lost, and in need of forgiveness, once salvation is asked for, it is instantly, and totally given as a free gift by God – because of Christ (Romans 6:23)!!!
F. What must a person do in order to be saved from hell (born again)?
1. ______________ (Acts 20:20,21; 2 Peter 3:9). Repentance is a determined choice to turn away FROM sin, and turn TO Jesus Christ for salvation. It is being very sorry for your sin, and hating it! This is different from “penance” which is you trying to PAY for your sinfulness. You cannot do anything to pay for sins - only Jesus can!
2. ______________ (John 1:11,12; John 5:24; Acts 16:30,31).
a. What does it mean to “believe on Jesus?”
1) Not just agree with the Bible with our head (even “the devils
also ___________, and tremble”; James 2:19)2) But to understand from the heart that the only payment that God will accept for your sins is the death of Jesus Christ in your
place (1 John 2:1,2; 5:4,5).3) To accept His payment for your sins is when you allow Him to come into your heart and save you FROM your sins!
b. The word “propitiation” in 1 John 2:2, means “full payment.” God
had to do more than just “forgive” sins, He had to completely payoff
all the broken laws that had mounted up against us, and that is
what Jesus’ death did - it paid in full all our sin debt!G. Read carefully Romans 10:13,17. Can you be sure Christ will save you if you ask Him to do so? Yes, or No
1. Would you agree that if God said it - that should settle it? Then believe it! That is all Jesus asks of us – just believe with all our heart!
2. Faith is “confidence” in God’s promise, that He will never lie to you! He promises in His word over and over that He can and will save you! Have you ever asked the Lord Jesus to save you from your sin and make you a child
of God? ________. When was that? ___________. If you have not, will you ask Him, even now? (Revelation 3:20) Yes, or No. He stands at the door of your heart,
knocking, and waiting. The handle is on YOUR side of the door. Open it, and let Him in! THAT’s when you become BORN AGAIN.
VII. The Four ‘R’s of Salvation - Learn these well!
A. Realize you are a sinner, and without the necessary righteousness to earn your entrance into heaven (Romans 3:23). None of us are good enough to go as we are! We have to be changed from condemned to forgiven. Again, remember that God’s law proves that we sin, and proves that we are in eternal trouble with God because of our sin!
B. Recognize that you cannot save yourself, and that you need God's specific intervention (Titus 3:5). None of us have the ability to pay off our sins, no matter how much we try! No one can ever be "good enough!"
C. Repent of your old life, and all the sin that filled it (become disgusted with your sin and flee from it to God), and give all that you are to the One who loves you and gave Himself for you on the cross (2 Corinthians 7:10). You can’t truly repent unless you see yourself as a sinner separated from God by your own sin, and realize the only eternity for you is in hell (John 3:36). Once you have repented, you are then empty, and ready to…
D. Receive the free gift of eternal life from God by faith, asking in prayer for God to save you because of Jesus (Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 10:13)! You need to ask specifically to be saved - don’t be vague or shy with God! And remember: you can ask simply because Jesus Christ paid for it, for you! Nothing could be simpler, and yet eternity hangs in the balance!
VIII. The Completion of A Person’s Salvation
A. Is salvation ever dependent upon our ability to live perfect and holy lives? (see Galatians 3:11) Yes or No? Remember, salvation is NOT a “continual” process, but rather a one-time event, that changes your destiny forever! Just like your first birth was a one time event, so also is your second birth!
B. Who is it that intercedes (helps us) with God on behalf of a Christian who yields to temptation in a time of weakness? (1 John 2:1,2) _________. Even a Christian can sin. A Christian is not perfect, only forgiven.
C. We therefore can never lose our salvation once we have been born again! (Romans 8:37-39; John 10:27-29; Jude 24).
D. Let’s examine why not!
1. Because we have been Adopted into God’s family - taken from being condemned sinners, and made into children of God, and heirs of everything that God has (Romans 8:15-17)! We are in God’s family now!
2. Because we are Forgiven - all our sins (past, present and future) were paid-for completely at the cross by Jesus Christ! There is NO further payment necessary for us to pay (Ephesians 1:7; Acts 26:18)!
3. Because we have been Justified - we exchange our sinfulness for the righteousness of Jesus Christ (Acts 13:38,39; 2 Corinthians 5:21)!!!
IX. Dealing With Sin Once You Are Already Saved
A. Can a Christian be happy while disobeying God? Yes or No?
1. Notice how it will affect us (Psalm 32:2-5) When you keep silent about your sin (Iniquity is another word for sin):
a. You will age faster.
b. God’s ___________ will be hard against you, not blessing you.
c. You will basically “dry up” like a desert.
2. See in Hebrews 12:5-11 where God always endeavours to make us mature, and holy in our lives by ____________ us when we sin.
a. Chastening means “correcting” NOT punishing. God brings trouble into your life to get you back “on the strait (hard path) and narrow”
b. God chastens His children because He _________ them.
c. If a person never experiences God’s chastisement, it is evident that person never became a Christian at all and is a_____________ (Heb 12:8) – God calls them illegitimate – not the real thing – a faker).
B. What should a believer do when they sin? (1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13)____________________ and___________________________. To “confess” means to agree with God about the sinfulness of your life, and especially specific acts where you broke His direct commandments!
X. Concluding Questions - Fill in these questions from memory.
A. The Bible was written for us to know that we are _________, and that as sinners we needed God to reach down to us (not for us to reach up), and to save us from ________.
B. God has revealed truth through the _________ alone.
C. The theme of the Bible from start to finish is all about “the _________ of God which taketh away the _______ of the world” (John 1:29).
D. What has separated all of humanity from God? ____________
E. Our salvation depends only upon whether we are willing by faith to let the_______ of Jesus Christ be sufficient to pay off all our sin-debt to God, instead of trying to pay it off ourselves with our own good works.
F. The term “born again” refers to what? An external birth, or an internal birth? (Circle one).
G. When Jesus died, whose place was He taking? _______________
H. When a person repents of their sins, and calls upon Jesus Christ to save them from hell, how long does it take before they are forgiven of all sins, past, present, and future?_______________________
I. Have you let Him take your place, and been born again yourself? Yes or No
J. Is Jesus Christ worthy of your life being lived for His glory from now on?
Yes or No (Circle one).