18 Lessons On Discipleship

18
For New Christians
Doctrinal Lessons
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Table of Contents
Lesson # page #
1 Assurance of Salvation 5
2 The Devotional Life 9
3 The Two Natures of a Child of God 13
4 The Authority of the Scriptures 17
5 How to Take in the Word of God 21
6 The Balanced Christian Life 25
7 How to Pray 29
8 Meditating on the Word of God 33
9 The Tithe 37
10 How to Resist Satan 41
11 Walking in the Spirit 45
12 What To Do When We Sin 49
13 The New Testament Church 53
14 The Lord’s Chastening of His Children 57
15 Baptism 61
16 The Lord’s Supper 65
17 The Ministry of the Word Through the Local Church 69
18 The Sin of Judging Others 73

LESSON
The first Epistle of John was written with the purpose of giving true believers the
assurance of salvation. It is true that there are truly saved people who doubt their
salvation. I trust that this lesson will help to clear up this doubt.
Memorize: 1 John 5:13
1
Assurance Of Salvation
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God;
that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of
the Son of God.
This verse is the key verse to the Epistle, and it says you can know that you are
saved. The word know is found 40 times in the First Epistle of John. Take your con-
cordance and look up these references.
The understanding of the following will help you to have the assurance of salva-
tion.
GOD’S PROMISE TO YOU
God promises to the believer eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13, “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. These things have I written
unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have
eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. ”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
God gives forgiveness. Colossians 2:13, “And you, being dead in your sins and
the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having for-
given you all trespasses;”
1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
God makes us His sons. Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus.”
John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Salvation is based on facts not feelings. Colossians 2:6, “As ye have therefore
received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:”
There is an inner witness for the saved. 1 John 4:13, “Hereby know we that we
dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”
1 John 5:10, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he
that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that
God gave of his Son.”
Romans 8:16, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God:”

The believer is a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
THINGS YOU WILL HAVE IF YOU ARE TRULY SAVED
Hunger for the study of God’s Word. 1 Peter 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the sin-
cere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” The word desire translates, epipotheo,
and means, intense desire; to pursue with love, to long after. This is a verb and it is in the
imperative mood which is a command that expresses urgency. There is nothing that is more
imperative in the believer’s life than to study God’s Word. It will save him from heresies
that will ruin his Christian life.
1 Thessalonians 2:13, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when
ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men,
but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
A believer will have a desire for holy living. Hebrews 12:9-10, “Furthermore we have
had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much
rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days
chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of
his holiness.”
1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his com-
mandments are not grievous.” The word grievous means, burden. The keeping of the
Lord’s commands are not a burden to the saved.
The believer will have a love for others. 1 John 3:14, “We know that we have passed
from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth
in death.”
The believer will have a desire to tell others. Acts 4:20, “For we cannot but speak the
things which we have seen and heard.”
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:

QUESTIONS ON LESSON 1
1. Write out 1 John 5:13 from memory. It must be word perfect.
2. How many times is the word know found in 1 John?
3. Name three promises God gives to the believer.
4. Salvation is based on __________ not ____________.
5. Who is the inner witness for the saved? __________________________
6. A person who is truly saved will have a hunger for _______________________.
7. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we _______________
_____________________.”

LESSON
Introduction: A devotional life is necessary if we are to walk daily with the Lord.
Memorize: Psalm 5:3
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct
my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
2
The Devotional Life

There are many reasons why every believer should maintain a regular time of
devotion. This is called by many “the quiet time.” I would like for us to examine why
the devotional time is so necessary.
HERE WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
The way for fellowship was provided through the Cross. Romans 5:10, “For
if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much
more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Because of the Cross, God is
no longer at enmity with the human race. He has made a way for us to fellowship with
Him. This way is through the sacrifice of His Son and our faith in Him.
The new birth creates the inward man for fellowship and obedience to God.
Ephesians 4:24, “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness.”
2 Peter 1:4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corrup-
tion that is in the world through lust.” With the new creation, we partake of the divine
nature. This is life without end and life in fellowship with Him.
The Holy Spirit indwells the believer and creates a need for fellowship.
Romans 8:15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye
have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” We need to ask
ourselves, “Do we cry Abba, Father?” It may not be in those words, but it should be
in words of worship acknowledging God as our Father. If this Spirit is not in us, it
could be an indication that we are not His.
Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit
of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”
The Spirit’s indwelling is a seal of salvation and the fact that He creates a spirit of
worship in us is a sure sign of His presence.
The calling of salvation is called a fellowship. 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faith-
ful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
John also brings this out in 1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare
we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is
with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
THIS FELLOWSHIP IS NECESSARY TO FRUITFULNESS
Meditation in the Word produces fruitfulness. Psalms 1:1-3, “Blessed is the

man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and
in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the

rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and
whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Fellowship with the Spirit is necessary to fruitfulness. Ephesians 5:18-20, “And be
not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the
Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ;” There is no filling with the Spirit without fellowship, and there is no fruitful-
ness without the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
WE ARE SANCTIFIED THROUGH THE WORD
Jesus prayed for this. John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
Sanctification through the truth will set one apart for witnessing. If the one witnessing is
no different in his conduct from the one to whom he is witnessing, there is challenge to
change.
The word cleanses. John 15:3, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken
unto you.”
SANCTIFICATION IS THREE-FOLD:
There is positional sanctification. 1 Corinthians 1:2, “Unto the church of God which
is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in
every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:”
There is experiential sanctification. 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “For this is the will of God,
even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” That this is experiential
sanctification is evident because it has something to do with abstaining. It is a command
to be obeyed.
There is ultimate sanctification. 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God,
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we
shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” This has to do with the change that we will
have at the rapture.
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
10
1. Write out Psalm 5:3 from memory. It must be word perfect.
2. What is the devotional life called by many?
3. What happened that guarantees our fellowship with God?
4. The New Birth ___________ the inward man for fellowship and
_________________ to God.
5. The calling of salvation is called a ______________.
6. This fellowship is necessary to _________________.
7. We are sanctified through the __________________.
8. Give the threefold aspects of sanctification.
11
12
LESSON
Introduction: There are two natures in a child of God. The part of a man that is
born of the Spirit is spirit; the flesh is unchanged. Now let us notice the teaching of
Scriptures on this subject.
Memorize: John 3:6
3
The Two Natures of a Child of God

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit.
GOD MAKES NO CLAIMS TO CHANGE THE FLESH
The flesh is the nature that is totally depraved. Ephesians 2:3, “Among whom
also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the
desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even
as others.”
The flesh nature is inherited from Adam. Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one
man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned:” The word passed translates dierchomai and means, to pass
through. The sin nature which is synonymous with death is passed through Adam
to his children. All of Adam’s children have received the fallen sin nature of their
father Adam. The sin nature is hereditary. Jesus did not come to save the sin nature,
but He came to save man from his sin nature. Again, the sin nature is not changed
when a person is saved. This is the reason Christians still have problems with sin
after salvation.
The flesh is called the natural man; it cannot understand the Spiritual things
of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned.” This verse is not only speaking about the unsaved but
also about the carnal Christian. The carnal Christian is walking after the flesh and
therefore thinks just like the unsaved.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual,
but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not
with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For
ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions,
are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” The words walk as men mean that the carnal
Christian is operating in his life on human viewpoint.
The carnal or fleshly mind cannot even be subject to the law of God. Romans
8:7-8, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
To be in the flesh is to be unsaved; to walk after the flesh describes the Christian who
is walking as men i.e., the human viewpoint.
The flesh is not profited by the words of Christ. John 6:63, “It is the spirit that
quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are
Spirit, and they are life.”
Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 15:50, “Now
this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither
doth corruption inherit incorruption.” The resurrection will bring the believer into the
presence of the Lord in a body that does not have an old sin nature, i.e., the flesh.
13
THE HUMAN SPIRIT IS BORN OF GOD
This is stated by the Lord in no uncertain terms. John 3:6, “That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” You will notice the first Spirit
is in capitals and the second is not. The first is talking about the Holy Spirit and the second
is speaking of the human spirit.
Man is a threefold being. 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “And the very God of peace sanctify
you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless
unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is the spirit that is born of the Holy Spirit.
This resurrection of the human spirit is called quickening. Ephesians 2:1, “And you
hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” The human spirit in the unsaved
man is dead in its relation to God.
When this takes place the believer is called a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:17,
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.” The word creature in this verse translates ktisis and
this word means the act of creating.
The part of the believer that is born of God is called the “new man” and is “created
in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24, “And that ye put on the new man,
which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” You will notice that the
new man does not attain “righteousness and true holiness” by human effort, but is “cre-
ated” that way by the Lord.
The new man is indwelled by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye
not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God,
and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your
body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Ephesians 1:13, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise,”
THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN THESE TWO NATURES
The flesh and the Spirit lust against one another. Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh lusteth
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
This struggle is described by Paul. Romans 7:15-25, “For that which I do I allow not:
for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would
not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that
dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to
will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that
I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it
is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do
good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 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. O wretched man that I am! who shall
deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then
with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
14
Some people say that Paul is telling his experience before he was saved. I call your atten-
tion to the present tense verbs. What Paul describes here is his present experience.

-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
15
1. What changes take place in the flesh once we are saved?
2. How do we come about obtaining the flesh nature? Give a Scripture reference.
3. What does this lesson say about the natural man? Give reference.
4. Paul said to the church at Corinth: “And I brethren, could not speak unto you as
_____________ but as unto _____________ even as unto _______ in __________.
5. What verse says the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God?
6. Man is a three-fold being. Name the three aspects of man’s being.
7. The resurrection of the human spirit is called what?
8. Describe the conflict between the two natures of the child of God.
16
LESSON
Introduction: To establish the authority of the Scriptures is absolutely necessary. If
the Scriptures are not authoritative, then we have nothing to fear in breaking them.
If they are inspired of God and God is speaking through them, they become the final
word to us. 4
Memorize: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The Authority of the Scriptures

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for re-
proof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may
be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
THE SCRIPTURES ARE INSPIRED
They are God-breathed. 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration

of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:” All Scripture means from Genesis through The Revelation.
The word inspired translates theopneustos and means, God breathed. It is like
when we take a breath of oxygen and then exhale carbon dioxide. When the writers
of the Scripture inhaled, God breathed into them His Word; and when they exhaled, it
came out in the written Word. So the Bible is a God-breathed Book.
The men who wrote the Scriptures were inspired of God to write. 2 Peter 1:21,
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” The word moved translates phero
and means, to move by bearing. It is a passive voice which means that the men of
God did not originate what they wrote but rather it happened to them, i.e., they found
themselves being carried along by God in the writing of the Scripture.
The very words are inspired of God. This is what the theologians call verbal
inspiration. This is one of the reasons that we believe that no translator of the Scrip-
ture has the right to change the meaning of the Scriptures in translating. I personally
believe that the translation of the King James Bible is the nearest to the correct origi-
nal text and therefore should be used instead of the other modern translations.
1 Corinthians 2:13, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s
wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with
spiritual.” The Word of God is not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but
which THE HOLY GHOST TEACHETH.
THE SCRIPTURES ARE TO BE RECEIVED AS FROM GOD
The Thessalonians received the Scriptures as from God. 1 Thessalonians 2:13,

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the
word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is
in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
The Bible is God’s Word for us today. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and
earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
John the Baptist said about the Word of Jesus in John 3:34: “For he whom God hath
sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
17
THE SCRIPTURES ARE TO BE OBEYED
Continuing in the Word is a true test of discipleship. John 8:31, “Then said Jesus to
those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples
indeed;”
Those who love Him will keep His Words. John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said unto
him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will
come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
The assurance of salvation comes through obeying His Words. 1 John 2:3, “And
hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”
THE SCRIPTURES WILL BE FACED IN THE JUDGMENT
Jesus said the Scriptures will judge those who reject His Words. John 12:48, “He
that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I
have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
The unsaved will face the Scriptures in the final judgment. Revelation 20:11-12,
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the
heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which
is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works.”
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
18
1. How much of the Scripture is inspired?
2. What is the Greek word for inspiration and what does it mean?
3. What does verbal inspiration mean?
4. How did the Church at Thessalonica receive the Scriptures?
5. What is continuing in the Word a test of?
6. What did Jesus say a believer would do if he loves Him?
7. What did Jesus say would judge a person in the last day?
19
20
LESSON
Introduction: There are some things that will help us get a grasp on the Bible. How
we take it in will make a difference concerning the grasp we have on it.
Memory Verse: Colossians 3:16

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonish-
5
Taking in the Word of God

ing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in
your hearts to the Lord.”
WE MUST FIRST HEAR THE WORD
This is the way faith comes and grows. Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
D. L. Moody said that he used to pray for faith. Then one day he discovered this
verse and began to read His Bible to gain faith and it happened.
John 8:47, “He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not,
because ye are not of God.” If one is saved, he will hear God’s words. If he is unsaved,
there will be little or no interest in what God says in His Word.
The disciples understood the teaching of Christ here. John says in 1 John 4:6,
“We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us.
Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” There are so many profess-
ing Christians who care nothing for the Word of God. This passage gives the reason
why.
WE MUST READ THE WORD
Paul told Timothy to read the Word. 1 Timothy 4:13, “Till I come, give atten-
dance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”
Sometimes the word study scares the young Christian. Forget study for now. Just
read the Scriptures regularly, and the first thing you know you will be studying it.
Acts 17:10-11, “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night
unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were
more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readi-
ness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
This passage describes a group of Christians that all of us should imitate.
WE MUST STUDY THE SCRIPTURES
2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The word study translates
spoudazo and means, to rush, to exert yourself. This verb is in the imperative mood.
This means that it is a command expressing urgency. It is urgent to know enough
Scripture to keep yourself from being led astray into false doctrine. The first and pri-
mary way to refute evil is to know the truth. The words rightly dividing the Word of
truth mean, to cut straight, or, to walk a straight line. The Bible is our straight edge.
We use it to walk a straight line.
21
The approach to the study of the Scriptures must be in faith. The Bible is verbally
inspired and is without error. When one comes to a seeming contradiction, you can be sure
that study will resolve the problem and it will be discovered that there was no contradic-
tion. Would finding Noah’s Ark on one of the mountains of Ararat cause you to believe the
Word of God more than you do now? Not me. There was an Ark and whether they ever find
the remains makes no difference whatsoever about my faith in what the Bible says about
it. God’s Word settles the issue once and for all. Tozer said, “To seek proof is to admit
doubt.”
The Bible is to be studied by believers, not skeptics.
THE BIBLE NEEDS TO BE MEMORIZED
Through memorization of Scripture, we can hide it in our hearts. Psalms 119:11,

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Not only does the
Word of God keep us from sinning, it also loads our weapon so that we are ready for the
enemy.
The Jews memorized the Word under the law. Deuteronomy 6:6-9, “And these words,
which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently
unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou
walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind
them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou
shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”
Deuteronomy 11:18 says, “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in
your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between
your eyes.”
There have been those who have memorized the whole Bible. Not many can do that;
but all of us can memorize portions of Scripture that will enable us to witness to our faith
with the Word of God.
Solomon taught to memorize the Word. “My son, keep my words, and lay up my com-
mandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine
eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.”
THE BIBLE NEEDS TO BE OUR DAILY MEDITATION
The fruitful Christian will meditate. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the coun-
sel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his
season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” The man in
this passage would be termed a fanatic. My definition of a fanatic is an extreme fan. We
should welcome the accusation of being a fanatic. I am an extreme fan of Jesus. Therefore
I am an extreme fan of His Word.
God told Joshua to meditate day and night in the Scriptures. “This book of the law
shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou
mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy
way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
22
Paul instructed Timothy to meditate in the Word of God. “Meditate upon these
things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto
thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thy-
self, and them that hear thee.”
THE BELIEVER MUST USE THE WORD OF GOD
“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” The word use translates hexis
and means, a power acquired by custom, or practice. Someone has said, “If you don’t use
it, you lose it.” There is a lot of truth in that. We don’t just need to memorize the Word, but
we also need to use the Word memorized.
Some suggestions in regard to practicing the truth of this lesson.
1. Have a time where you read the Word daily.
2. Take notes of what you read. Save the notes for future reference.
3. Write down how the passage applies to you.
4. Pick an important verse out of the passage for memorization.
5. Take a 3x5 card and write the verse on one side of the card and the reference on the
other side. You begin by reading the verse and remembering the reference. Then you turn
the card over and read the reference and quote the verse. Once you have memorized the
verse, keep the card and go back once a week and practice it. Remember, if you don’t use
it, you will lose it.
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
23
1. How does faith come and grow?
2. Write out from memory Colossians 3:16. It must be word perfect.
3. He that is of God _______ ________ _________.
4. Paul told Timothy to give attendance to three things. Name them.
5. When Paul and Silas came to Berea, what did they find the believers doing?
6. What can you do to keep yourself from being led astray?
7. How does one hide the Word of God in his heart?
8. What did God tell Joshua to do with the Scripture?
9. What did Paul tell Timothy to give himself wholly to?
10. There are four things that are given that will help one practice the truth of this lesson.
What are they?
24
LESSON
One of Webster’s definitions to the word balance is, “to regulate so as to keep in a
state of just proportion.” The aim of this lesson is to set forth the different things that
should exist in the Christian’s life that will give him the proper balance and keep him
on a course for growth and usefulness in the Lord’s service. 6
Memorize: 2 Corinthians 5:17
The Balanced Christian Life

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.”
WE MUST KEEP OUR EYES ON JESUS
Hebrews 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the
author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Life is in Christ. Colossians 2:6, 9-10, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus
the Lord, so walk ye in him: For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”
Christ is our life. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the
Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
2 Corinthians. 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your
own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye
be reprobates?”
Colossians 3:3-4, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
A major cause for failure. Taking our eyes off Jesus to look at others is the major
cause for failure in the Christian life. Satan will carefully point out inconsistencies in
the lives of others, but he can find nothing wrong with Christ.
WE MUST TAKE IN THE WORD OF GOD
We are told to take it in. 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto
God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
The greatest desire of the Christian’s life should be to be approved by Him. God wants
us to know His Word. And then He wants us to be able to rightly divide His Word.
We are told to meditate on His Word. Psalms 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of
the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” It will be hard for Satan to
put wrong ideas in our minds if we are constantly meditating on God’s Word.
We are to live by the Word of God. Matthew 4:4, “But he answered and said, It is
written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of
the mouth of God.”
We are fully furnished by the Word. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
25
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works.”
WE MUST SPEND TIME IN PRAYER
The Word of God suggests times for prayer. Psalms 55:17, “Evening, and morning,
and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.”
Psalms 119:164, “Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judg-
ments.”
Waiting on God is the listening form of prayer. Psalms 27:14, “Wait on the LORD: be
of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Waiting
on the Lord is probably one of the most difficult forms of prayer. Much patience must be
exercised. Just because God does not act immediately when we make our request of Him
does not mean that He is not going to respond.
Proverbs 20:22, “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he
shall save thee.”
Prayer is the way the promises of God are claimed. Matthew 21:22, “And all things,
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray,
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO GOD’S WILL
Walking is Paul’s word for obedience. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should
walk in them.”
Ephesians 4:1, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of
the vocation wherewith ye are called,”
Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself
for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor.”
Disobedience places us in darkness and out of God’s will. 1 John 1:6, “If we say that
we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:”
We are to walk in the light. 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us
from all sin.”
Disobedience places us under discipline. 1 Corinthians 11:30-32, “For this cause many
are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we
should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we
should not be condemned with the world.”
WE MUST WITNESS CONCERNING OUR FAITH
We are commissioned to witness. Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the
Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in
all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
We are to witness concerning our experience of salvation. Paul gives his testimony
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of salvation in Acts 26:14-19, “And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice
speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said,
I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared
unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things
which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering
thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their
eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by
faith that is in me. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly
vision:”
WE MUST BE FAITHFUL TO THE LOCAL CHURCH
We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Hebrews 10:25, “Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one
another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
We are to glorify the Lord by our lives in the Church. Ephesians 3:21, “Unto him be
glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
One can glorify God personally in a dead Church. Revelation 3:1, 4, “Thou hast a
few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with
me in white: for they are worthy.”
-By Dr. Earl White

Notes:
27
1. What is the aim of this lesson?
2. To whom should we look as we run the Christian race?
3. Write out Galatians 2:20. It must be word perfect.
4. Why should we examine ourselves?
5. What is a major cause of failure in the Christian life?
6. What four things are the Scriptures profitable for?
7. What form of prayer is “waiting on God?”
8. What two things does this lesson say about obedience?
9. What does it mean to witness concerning our faith?
10. Where does the Bible say God gets glory from our lives?
28
LESSON
Prayer is one of the most important opportunities in the Christian’s life. It is the
time we commune and fellowship with God and make needed requests of Him. Every
Christian should have a prayer time daily. This lesson will point out some ways in
which we can pray so as to get our prayers answered. 7
Memorize: 1 John 5:14-15
How To Pray
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according
to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we
know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
The first thing in prayer---
WE SHOULD COME BEFORE HIM TO WORSHIP
Anna is a good example. Luke 2:36-38, “And there was one Anna, a prophetess,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with
an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore
and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and
prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the
Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”
Anna was a godly old lady that loved God and had given herself to worship. She
loved God’s house. There is where her time was spent. She prayed for the coming
of the Messiah. No doubt many thought she was wasting her time. They may have
thought she was a little touched, but Anna was there when Joseph and Mary brought
the Christ child to the temple to have him circumcised according to the custom of the
law. Anna gave thanks for the coming of the Messiah. I like to think she burst forth in
praise acknowledging that the Messiah had arrived. She had been praying for this for
years.
Anna teaches that time is not wasted in prayer. She had the glorious privilege of
announcing the coming of the long-looked-for Messiah. We need to come before Him
in worship. See also thanksgiving in connection with prayer; Phil. 4:6; Col. 2:7.
WE SHOULD COME BEFORE HIM WITH SPECIFIC REQUESTS
This is taught by the Lord in prayer promises. John 14:13, “And whatsoever ye
shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” This
was literally fulfilled in the lives of the Apostles in those early years of the Church.
The early church prayed specifically for boldness. Acts 4:29, “And now, Lord,
behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may
speak thy word,” They also prayed for a vindication of their ministry; Acts 4:30, “By
stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the
name of thy holy child Jesus.” There should be something about our lives that can only
be explained by the presence of God. If God is on the life, people will know it.
Paul prayed specifically. Ephesians 6:18-19, “Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplica-
tion for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open
my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,”
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WE SHOULD PRAY ACCORDING TO HIS WILL
We are taught this by our Lord in the model prayer. Matthew 6:10, “Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” The believer should always seek
the Lord’s will. The Lord did not save us to bless our life in the flesh. He saved us that
He might do through us in this life what He created us to do. Revelation 4:11, “Thou art
worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and
for thy pleasure they are and were created.” So if we live our lives for His pleasure we will
have to deny ourselves many things that only satisfy the flesh. Our day had not yet arrived.
Romans 8:18-19, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the
creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”
The Lord will reveal His will to us if we exercise patience in prayer. Colossians
1:9, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and
to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding;” Philippians 2:13, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to
do of his good pleasure.”
Hebrews 10:36, “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God,
ye might receive the promise.”
Jesus taught with the parable of the importunate friend. See Luke 11:5-10. It is the man
who continues to pray and does not faint that gets his answers.
WE SHOULD PRAY WITH FAITH
Faith is one of the most common words among Christians. After all we are saved by
faith; Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God:” And we are called to walk by faith; Hebrews 10:38, “Now the just shall
live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”
Here are some great prayer promises. They are for the believing saint; Mark 11:23-24,
“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed,
and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those
things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I
say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and
ye shall have them.”
Then there is our text: 1 John 5:14-15, “And this is the confidence that we have in him,
that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear
us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” When
you look at these verses they seem so simple; but after an attempt to claim these promises
by faith, we discover that they are not meant for us, or there is something wrong with our
faith. Rather than go through the struggle of weeding out the things that stand in the way
of faith, we just assume that these promises are not for Christians in our day. It is a simple
cop-out.
Acts 2:39, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”
C.H. Spurgeon said, “It is a good rule never to look into the face of a man in the morning
till you have looked into the face of God.”
30
E.M. Bounds says, “The faith which creates powerful praying is faith which centers
itself on a powerful person. Faith in Christ’s ability to do and to do greatly, is the faith
which prays greatly. Thus the leper lay hold upon the power of Christ. ‘Lord, if thy wilt,’
he cried, ‘Thou canst make me clean.’ In this instance, we are shown how faith centered in
Christ’s ability to do, and how it secured His healing power.”
“Answered prayer brings praying out of the realm of dry, dead things, and makes pray-
ing a thing of life and power. It is the answer to prayer that brings thing to pass, changes the
natural trend of things, and orders all things according to the will of God. It is the answer to
prayer that takes praying out of the regions of fanaticism, and saves it from being utopian,
or from being merely fanciful. It is the answer to prayer that makes praying a power for
God and for man, and makes praying real and divine. Unanswered prayers are training
schools for unbelief, and imposition and a nuisance and impertinence to God and man.
-By E.M. Bounds.
Answers to prayer are the only surety that we have prayed aright.
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
31
1. Write out 1 John 5:14-15 from memory. It must be word perfect.
2. What is the first thing that should take place in prayer? Give one person that is an
example of this.
3. What specific thing did the early church pray for? Give the reference.
4. What does praying according to His will mean? Give a verse that states this.
5. The Lord will reveal His will if we exercise ____________ in prayer.
6. What is one of the primary elements that must be present if we are to receive an
answer to prayer?
7. Give one of the great prayer promises mentioned in this lesson.
8. What did Spurgeon say was a good rule in our prayer lives?
32
LESSON
Introduction: The word meditate means to murmur in low tones. It is like a cow
chewing her cud. It is a careful thought focused on a single subject. Meditation is done
with a view to a better understanding of what God has said.
Memorize: Joshua 1:8
8
Meditating on the Word of God

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate
therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is writ-
ten therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have
good success.”
IT WAS COMMANDED TO JOSHUA
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate
therein day and night. . .” It might be said that God wanted Joshua to be saturated in
the Word of God. Notice the following points in this verse:
He was to do this night and day. The failure to have good success as Christians is
that we are unwilling to get wholly involved in serving the Lord. The man who obeys
the truth set forth in this verse will have some cards with Scripture written on them and
he will be glancing at them all during the day.
He was to do it that he would “observe to do according to all that is written
therein.” It is not just knowing the Word, but living the Word that makes the differ-
ence. He will be regular in Church (Heb. 10:25); he will be consistent in tithing (Heb.
7:25); he will take every opportunity to witness concerning his faith (Acts 1:8); he will
have an established personal creed that he lives by (Luke 1:1; Jude 1:3).
As a result the Lord promises “good success.” I want the kind of success that the
Lord says is success.
MEDITATION ON THE WORD IS AN AID TO UNDERSTANDING
Meditation helps to mold our thinking. Where we have been thinking wrong,
meditation helps to reprogram our minds to right thinking; Ephesians 4:23-24, “And be
renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness.” The word renewed translates ananeoo
and means, recently born. It is passive voice which means that the subject receives the
action of the main verb. In other words, the new nature received in the new birth is
making an effort to bring the thinking of the Lord into the spirit of our minds. We are
to cooperate and let it happen.
This was a key to the Psalmist’s success; Psalms 119:59, “I thought on my ways,
and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.” As a result he says, “I have more under-
standing than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation” (Psalms 119:99).
Imagine a child in a science class in school and the subject of creation comes up. The
teacher goes to great lengths to describe the alleged process of evolution, that he/she
wrongly has bought into, and a little child that has just memorized Gen. 1:1 and Psalm
33:6,9, raises a hand and quotes the Scripture. These verses just blow the theory of
evolution right out the window. The teacher will feel very uncomfortable, because that
is how you feel when you have been challenged and have no answer.
33
IT IS A TIME OF PERSONAL DISCOVERY
David speaks of satisfaction and praise which come as a result of meditation. Psalms
63:5-6, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise
thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night
watches.”
It is easy for the young Christian to assume that meditating on the Word day and night
will make a long-faced Christian out of you. Just the opposite is true. The Lord made us
with the capacity for joy and He wants us to have joy. Jesus told His disciples in John
15:11, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that
your joy might be full.” The words be full mean, up to the brim. This is a joy that passes
understanding. And this joy is not received by listening to the off-colored jokes of a stand
up comedian. It is a joy that is a gift from our Lord Himself. And there is no greater joy than
He gives. Meditation in His Word will bring a time of personal discovery.
In meditation we discover His comfort. To those believers who are studying this lesson
in discipleship, there is probably not a one of you who have not already experienced special
comfort from reading and meditating on the Word. Psalms 94:19, “In the multitude of my
thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”
Meditation on the Word of God reveals our own true thoughts and motives. Hebrews
4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
This text says, “The Word of God is quick and powerful . . .” The word quick translates,
zao, and means, to be among the living. It is in the continuous tense. The Word of God
never dies; it is always living. The word powerful is translated from the same word from
which we get out word energy. The word of God is living and filled with energy.
The words, is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, tell us what it does.
The word discerner translates kritikos and is the Greek word from which we get our word
critic. The Word of God is a critic of the thoughts of the heart. When thoughts are wrong,
the Word of God as a living organism criticizes them and we have the opportunity to stop
before we put these thoughts into action. The word intents translates ennoia and means,
something that is being thought but not yet carried out. The Lord knows our thoughts and
intents. The God of grace reveals to us through His Word that we are thinking wrong and
gives us an opportunity to put this out of our minds before we act on it.
MEDITATION ON THE WORD SHOULD BE PLANNED
Make it the last thing you do at night. Psalms 119:148, “Mine eyes prevent the night
watches, that I might meditate in thy word.”
Make it the first thing when you get up; you could possibly meditate on a verse that
you are committing to memory. Psalms 119:147, “I prevented the dawning of the morning,
and cried: I hoped in thy word.”
Meditate during the day. Psalms 119:97, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation
all the day.”
-By Dr. Earl White
34
Notes:
35
1. What does the word meditate mean?
2. Meditation is practiced to obtain what?
3. How often did God tell Joshua to meditate on the Word of God?
4. He was to meditate that he should ____________________________.
5. What did God promise Joshua if he would meditate in the Word?
6. What is meditation on the Word of God an aid to?
7. What did David say was the personal and emotional result of meditation
in the Word?
8. In meditation we discover ____________ _____________.
9. The Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. What does
the word discern mean?
36
LESSON
Introduction: Giving is one of the first things a young Christian needs to learn. From
the very beginning, believers have come before God in worship with an offering.
Please notice what the Bible says about giving.
Memorize: Malachi 3:10
9
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,
The Tithe
and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the
windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room
enough to receive it.”
THERE IS A PLACE TO GIVE
It is called the storehouse. Malachi 3:10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,
that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of
hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that
there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
It was used for the support of the ministry (the Levites) and the work of God.
When Israel withheld the tithe it brought on the chastening of the Lord. Malachi
3:8-9, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we
robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me,
even this whole nation.”
The Church is the place to give today. 1 Corinthians 16:2, “Upon the first day of
the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there
be no gatherings when I come.”
THERE IS A PLAN IN GIVING
Abraham tithed before the law. Genesis 14:20, “And blessed be the most high God,
which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.”
Jacob tithed before the law. Genesis 28:20-22, “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying,
If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread
to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then
shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s
house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.”
The tithe was incorporated into the law. Leviticus 27:30-34, “And all the tithe of
the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is
holy unto the LORD. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add
thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even
of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD. He shall
not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at
all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. These
are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel
in Mount Sinai.”
Jesus approved the giving of the tithe. Matthew 23:23, “Woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted
the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have
done, and not to leave the other undone.”
37
Tithing is applied as the plan for the support of the ministry today. 1 Corinthians
9:7-14, “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and
eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the
flock? Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written
in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn.
Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no
doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth
in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a
great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over
you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest
we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy
things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with
the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of
the gospel.”
Jesus receives tithes given today. Hebrews 7:8, “And here men that die receive tithes;
but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.”
OFFERINGS ARE GIVEN ABOVE THE TITHE
Malachi speaks of “tithes and offerings.” Malachi 3:8, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye
have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.”
The Holy Spirit will tell us what to give as an offering. Acts 5:1-4, “But a certain
man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the
price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’
feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost,
and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own?
and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in
thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”
The law of sowing and reaping is involved in giving. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, “But this I
say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully
shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him
give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to
make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may
abound to every good work:”
There is a definite promise to the one who gives above the tithe. Luke 6:38, “Give,
and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and run-
ning over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal
it shall be measured to you again.”
C.H. Spurgeon told the following: “A man boasted that religion had been to him a very
cheap thing, costing him only a few cents a year. A good man said to him, ‘The Lord have
mercy on your little stingy soul.’ If a man has no more religion than that, if he has not a
religion that will make him generous, he has no religion at all.”
-By Dr. Earl White
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Notes:
1. Write out from memory Malachi 3:10.
2. What is the place to give called?
3. What was the tithe used for?
4. What happened when Israel failed to give the tithe?
5. Where should one give his tithe today?
6. Give the reference where Jesus approved the tithe?
7. How can a man rob God?
8. What law is involved in giving?
9. What is the definite promise given to the one who gives above the tithe?
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40
LESSON
Introduction: Satan is a real foe. The following are a few suggestions that will reveal
how Satan can be resisted.
Memorize: James 4:7

10
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
How to Resist Satan

RECOGNIZE HIS REALITY
Many do not believe that Satan exists. We know from the Scriptures that he does
exist and where he came from.
He is a fallen angel. Ezekiel 28:12-19, “Son of man, take up a lamentation upon
the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the
sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God;
every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl,
the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the
workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou
wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou
wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of
the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created,
till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the
midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane
out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst
of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast cor-
rupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay
thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the
multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a
fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the
earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people
shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.”
There are those who take this passage just to refer to the king of Tyrus. However,
there are things in this passage that could never apply to the king of Tyrus. The king
of Tyrus was not “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” He had never been in “Eden
the garden of God.” The king of Tyrus was not created. He could not be called “the
anointed cherub that covereth.” The primary application of this passage is to Lucifer,
an angel of God, who sinned and took a third of the angels with him when he rebelled
(Rev. 12:3-4).
Isaiah 14:12-15, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast
said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of
God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will
ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt
be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” Satan went wrong in his heart. He
claimed sovereignty over God. We see this in the five “I wills.” He attempted to usurp
the throne of God. In doing this, Lucifer became Satan, a fallen angel.
Jesus said everlasting fire is prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew
25:41, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”
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Paul had to deal with Satan; 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:14; 12:7; 1 Thess. 2:18.
RECOGNIZE HIS DEVISES
He tempts us not to forgive others: 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, “To whom ye forgive any
thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave
I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant
of his devices.”
He casts doubt on God and His Word. Genesis 3:4-5, “And the serpent said unto the
woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your
eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
He tempted Jesus to violate the will of God. Matt. 4:1-11.
He blinds the unsaved to the truth of the Gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “But if our
gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the
minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, should shine unto them.”
RECOGNIZE OUR VICTORY OVER HIM IN CHRIST
Christ has overcome Satan: John 12:31, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall
the prince of this world be cast out.”
Believers are in Christ and are protected in Him. Colossians 3:1-3, “If ye then be
risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand
of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead,
and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Believers share the resurrection life of Christ now. Ephesians 2:5-6, “Even when we
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) And hath
raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
Christ within us is stronger than Satan without. 1 John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little
children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in
the world.”
WE MUST APPROPRIATE CHRIST’S POWER TO RESIST SATAN
Faith is the capacity we have to appropriate His power. 1 John 5:4, “For whatsoever is
born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even
our faith.” To overcome the world is to overcome “the god of this world,” i.e., Satan.
Faith in His power over Satan and his kingdom. Ephesians 1:19-21, “And what is
the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of
his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set
him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and
might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that
which is to come:”
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RECOGNIZE OUR RIGHT TO RESIST HIM
Appropriate His power to resist him. Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, my brethren, be

strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye
may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole
armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand.”
We are commanded to resist Satan. 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in
your brethren that are in the world.”
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
43
1. Write from memory James 4:7. It must be word perfect.
2. Where did Satan come from?
3. Name one of the devices of the Devil.
4. In what way did Satan tempt Adam and Eve?
5. In what way does Satan keep the lost in darkness?
6. What did Jesus say in John 12:31 about the prince of this world?
7. Where is the believer in Christ today, according to Ephesians 2:5-6?
8. What is taught about our strength in 1 John 4:4?
9. How do we overcome the world?
10. What authority does Christ give the believer over Satan?
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LESSON
Memorize: Galatians 5:16

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
11
Walking in the Spirit

The word walk refers to the whole round of Christian activities. To walk in the Spirit
means that we are under His control in every area of our lives. How can this be done?
WE MUST PERCEIVE HIS PRESENCE
His presence is promised. John 14:16-17, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall
give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of
truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:
but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
Through meditating on these two verses one arrives at the conclusion that one of the
works of the Holy Spirit is to “Comfort.” “One called to one’s side, esp. called to the
aid of another; one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for
defense, legal assistant, an advocate.” The disciples were destined to many confronta-
tions. They would have to answer questions that were completely unreasonable. The
Holy Spirit is the one who will take up their part and be their Advocate.
He comes into our lives when we are saved; Eph. 1:13-14.
He is known only by faith. 2 Cor. 4:18: Faith is the only thing that sees the unseen.
2 Cor. 5:5,7: “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath
given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. (For we walk by faith, not by sight)”
WE MUST LEARN TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit communicates with us. 1 John 5:10, “He that believeth on the
Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a
liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” The Holy Spirit in
us witnesses to our regenerated human spirit; Romans 8:14-16, “For as many as are
led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit
of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children
of God:”
We have the Holy Spirit as a teacher. 1 John 2:27, “But the anointing which ye
have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as
the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it
hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”
WE MUST APPLY HIS TEACHINGS
Keeping His commandments is applying His teaching. John 14:21, 23, 26: “He
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that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth
me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him . . .
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father
will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him . . . But the Com-
forter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you
all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
He takes the things of Christ and shows them to us; John 16:14, “He shall glorify me:
for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” The words He shall glorify me
mean that the Holy Spirit has one purpose and that is to serve Christ by serving the saints.
There is no self glory on the part of the Holy Spirit.
WE MUST BE SENSITIVE TO HIS DESIRES
He urges us to submit to one another, Ephesians 5:19-21, “Speaking to yourselves

in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the
Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
He grieves when we commit sin. Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of
God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
WE ARE TO REJOICE IN VICTORY
1 John 5:4-5, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the vic-
tory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but
he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
Jesus overcame the World (John 16:33) and we overcome in His victory over the world.
We are to rejoice by faith in this truth.
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
46
1. Write out Galatians 5:16 from memory. It must be word perfect.
2. What does the word walk refer to in this lesson?
3. What must we do with reference to His presence?
4. Whom do we have as a teacher?
5. When does the Holy Spirit enter the life? Give Scripture reference.
6. In what way does the Holy Spirit communicate to the believer?
7. What passage of Scripture teaches that keeping His commandments is applying His
teaching?
8. The Holy Spirit urges us to __________ to one another.
9. What attitude does the Holy Spirit take when we sin?
10. What does the believer overcome by believing that Jesus is the Son of God?
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48
LESSON
Introduction: Have you noticed that since you have been saved you still have a
problem with sin? You thought all that would go away. It would be wonderful if it did,
but the fact is we do not get rid of our old sin nature when we are saved. This lesson is
designed to help you understand why this happens and what the remedy is.
12
What to do When We Sin

Memorize: 1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.”
THE GOAL OF THE CHRISTIAN IS HOLINESS
God’s goal for our lives is to be conformed to the image of Christ. Now anything
less than this is “coming short of the glory of God.”
Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did fore-
know, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many brethren.”
While the goal of the Christian is to be conformed to the image of Christ, one never
quite reaches that goal. Even those who come close, have a long way to go. Then there
are times in our lives, we just kind of give up. This is when sin begins to make its way
into our practices.
The part of us that is born again is “created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Ephesians 4:24, “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righ-
teousness and true holiness.” The words after God mean, After God’s image. It is the
dead spirit of the believer that is born from above. John 3:6, “That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” You will notice that the first
Spirit begins with a capital letter. It is because it is the Holy Spirit that is being referred
to. The second spirit is spelled with a small letter because it is the human spirit that is
being referred to.
Man is a tripartite being. This is brought out in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “And the very
God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body
be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The soul is made
up of mind, emotion, and will. The body has its five senses and is the home of the soul
and spirit. The spirit also dwells in the body. It is dead to God until it is regenerated by
the Holy Spirit. Or, as our text says, “which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness.”
The human spirit, after God creates it after His image, becomes the inward man. This
inward man did not attain righteousness and true holiness by its own merit. It is created
that way just like Adam was created perfect in the beginning.
John writes in 1 John 2:1, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that
ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous:”
THE WEAKNESS OF THE CHRISTIAN IS THE FLESH
The flesh was the weakness of the law. Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not
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do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:” Paul said the law was weak through the
flesh. He spoke of what it “could not do.” The law was able to instruct, but the flesh could
not measure up. No one was ever saved by keeping the law (Rom. 3:19-20).
The believer can only overcome through a walk after the Spirit; Romans 8:4, “That
the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit.”
We have to mortify the deeds of the body through the power of the Holy Spirit;
Romans 8:13, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
When we walk after the flesh we can do nothing but sin. Galatians 5:19-21, “Now
the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you
before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit
the kingdom of God.”
THE RESTORATION OF THE CHRISTIAN COMES THROUGH CONFESSION
Confession brings restoration. 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” A man cannot be
more right than the blood of Christ makes him when he confesses known sin.
Forgiveness is based on two things:
1. The Advocate. He is our representative, like a lawyer; 1 John 2:1-2, “My little chil-
dren, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not
for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
2. The propitiation. The word means mercy seat This takes us back to the Old Testament
tabernacle where the atonement was made. Here is where man and God met together on the
basis of sacrifice; Romans 3:24-26, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemp-
tion that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in
his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
Forgiveness restores to fellowship: 1 John 1:5-7, “This then is the message which we
have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the
truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Once forgiveness is obtained, it is forgotten by the Lord. Hebrews 10:17, “And their
sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”
There are some hindrances to forgetting:
1. Unbelief. If we do not believe God forgets, we will carry around false guilt. We will
find ourselves confessing the same sins over and over again.
2. A wrong understanding of grace. Galatians 2:21, “I do not frustrate the grace of God:
for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Romans 8:32, “He that
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spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things?”
3. Bondage to the law. Many think they are accepted on the basis of keeping the law;
Galatians 3:2-3, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the
law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now
made perfect by the flesh?”
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
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1. Write out from memory 1 John 1:9. It must be word perfect.
2. What is God’s goal for our lives?
3. The part of us that is born again is created. How is it created?
4. Name the tri-part being of man. Give reference.
5. What is an advocate? Explain and give reference.
6. What is the only way a believer can overcome?
7. How do we mortify the deeds of the body?
8. How is a fallen Christian restored?
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LESSON
Introduction: We have always believed as Baptists that the Bible is the only rule of
faith and practice for our churches. Since this is true, we must always go to the Bible
to find what we believe to be God’s instructions concerning anything we do. God told
Moses to build the Tabernacle and all the things that pertain to it, “according to the
pattern, that the Lord showed him in the mount; Heb. 8:5.
13
The New Testament Church

Memorize: Matthew 16:18
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
We must build New Testament Churches according to the example and practices of
the New Testament.
THE FIRST CHURCH WAS BUILT OUT OF PREPARED MATERIAL
Jesus built the first Church which is the model for all others. He said in our text:
“Upon this rock I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18).
John the Baptist came to prepare the material for the first Church:
1. He was sent from God; John 1:6. He was therefore a missionary.
2. His purpose was to make ready a people for the Lord; Luke 1:17; Matt. 3:3.
3. His preparation was by preaching: Matthew 3:2, “And saying, Repent ye: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
4. He explains that the Messiah was coming to baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire;
Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh
after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”
5. He authenticated his message with Old Testament Scriptures; Matthew 3:3, “For
this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in
the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
6. He carefully explains about the Messiah; John 3:25-36; then he gave the same
plan of salvation that Baptists give out today; John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath
of God abideth on him.”
7. His preparation was by baptizing his converts; Matthew 3:5-6, “Then went out
to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were
baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”
8. He refused the unrepentant; Matthew 3:7-8, “But when he saw many of the Phari-
sees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers,
who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet
for repentance:”
9. His baptism was authorized by God; Matthew 21:23-27, “And when he was come
into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he
was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee
this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing,
which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The
baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with
53
themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then
believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.
And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I
you by what authority I do these things.”
10. The Father introduced Jesus to John at His baptism; Matthew 3:13-17, “Then cometh
Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him,
saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering
said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.
Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the
water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending
like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased.” See also John 1:29-34.
11. John’s disciples became the first followers of Jesus; John 1:35-37, “Again the next
day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he
saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed
Jesus.”
12. John magnified the Lord to his disciples and said in substance that his work would
end when the work of preparation was finished; John 1:29-30, “The next day John seeth
Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of
the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me:
for he was before me.” John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
13. Every New Testament Church must be formed out of prepared material.
JESUS FORMED THE FIRST CHURCH DURING HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY
He took the disciples of John for the formation of the Church.

1. Jesus called John’s disciples to follow Him; Matthew 4:18-20, “And Jesus, walking
by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, cast-
ing a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will
make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”
2. The Church began in Galilee; Acts 10:37, “That word, I say, ye know, which was
published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John
preached;”
3. Proof that Jesus used the disciples of John to begin His Church is found in the require-
ments for Apostolic ordination after Judas killed himself; Acts 1:15-22, “And in those days
Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were
about an hundred and twenty) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been ful-
filled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which
was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part
of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling
headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known
unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue,
Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his
habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus
went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he
54
was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”
4. He ordained the Apostles and put them in the Church:
First, He ordained twelve; Luke 6:12-13, “And it came to pass in those days, that he
went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when
it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he
named apostles;”
Second, He placed them in the Church; 1 Corinthians 12:28, “And God hath set some
in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then
gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”
5. The Church was trained in discipline; Matthew 18:15-19, “Moreover if thy brother
shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall
hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one
or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the
church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose
on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on
earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which
is in heaven.”
6. The Church was commissioned by Jesus Himself while he was on earth before the
ascension; Matthew 28:16-20, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a
mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him:
but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto
me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end
of the world. Amen.”
THIS MODEL SHOULD BE FOLLOWED IN STARTING CHURCHES
There must be the preparation of:

1. Preaching the doctrine of repentance like John.
2. Preaching salvation through faith in Christ.
3. Baptizing the converts by the authority of a New Testament Church (Matt. 28:16-20)
so that they are identified with Christ in baptism and the Local Church that authorized the
baptism.
4. Leaders should be found and instructed and placed in the local body. Jesus is building
His Church. He will call some of the converts to places of leadership. It is our responsibil-
ity to find the ones the Lord calls and prepare them for leadership.
-By Dr. Earl White
55
Notes:
1. Write Matthew 16:18 from memory. It must be word perfect.
2. What have Baptist always believed the Bible to be?
3. Who built the first local Church?
4. Who prepared the material out of which the local church was formed?
5. With what did John the Baptist authenticate his message?
6. Who did John refuse to baptize?
7. Where did the first followers of Jesus come from?
8. Where did the Church begin? Give the reference.
9. Jesus ordained the apostles and put them in the church. Give two references to prove
this.
10. Jesus commissioned the church before Pentecost. Give the reference.
56
LESSON
Introduction: This lesson will deal with an aspect of the Lord’s care of His children.
Let’s notice the following:
Memorize: Hebrews 12:6
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he re-
14
ceiveth.”
The Lord’ Chastens His Children

THE LORD CHASTENS IN LOVE
Hebrews 12:6-8, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every
son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons;
for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”
The word chasten translates paideuo and means, to train children; to chastise or
castigate with words, to correct; of those who are molding the character of others by
reproof and admonition.” This is a continuous action verb in the present tense. This
means that the Lord is continually watching us as His children and molding us by
reproof and admonition.
The word scourge translates mastigoo and means, to whip, to beat with a lash. This
punishment is prescribed for various offenses and follows an established procedure.
The number of strokes is not to exceed thirty-nine and may be reduced in case of physi-
cal weakness. Women may be whipped as well as men.” -- Kittel.
The goal of chastening is to teach and develop character by this means. God does it
in love, but it does not seem like love when it is going on. Hebrews 12:9-11, “Further-
more we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence:
shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they
verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that
we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to
be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righ-
teousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
We are to “endure chastening.” The word endure translates, hupomeno, and means,
courageous endurance; the bearing of pain by the wounded, the calm acceptance of
strokes for misbehavior.
When I was a boy and my grandmother whipped me (she would go to jail for it
today!), in the process she would be saying, “Earl, do you understand what I said?”
I screamed, “Yes, grandmother I understand, I understand, and I won’t do it again.”
Grandmother always told me she did it because she loved me. Well, I thought, “There’s
a lot of love there!”
The absence of chastening in a professed Christian is an indication that he is not
saved. Hebrews 12:8, “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers,
then are ye bastards, and not sons.” The word bastard translates nothos and means,
“illegitimate; one born, not in lawful wedlock, but of a concubine or female slave.”
Here it means someone who professes to be saved but has not truly been born again.
Chastening is done with a view to producing holiness in the life. Hebrews 12:10,
“For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our
profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.”
57
THE LORD CHASTENS THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE CONDEMNED WITH THE
WORLD
1 Corinthians 11:32, “But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we
should not be condemned with the world.”
Many have accused Baptists of teaching that because we believe in eternal security that
we think it is all right to sin. Verse 32 helps one to understand that though we are secure
in our salvation, we are not set free to sin. God chastens His children. The judgment of the
Christian is not a judgment that leads to the loss of salvation but it is rather a chastening of
the Lord to correct wrong doing.
The way of keeping chastening to a minimum. 1 Corinthians 11:31, “For if we would
judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” The Lord’s Judgment of His people is for their
correction. When we see an area where we are wrong, and we move to correct it, and ask
the Lord’s forgiveness, then the Lord does not have to step in and do the chastening.
There are three ways chastening came to those in Corinth:
1 Corinthians 11:30, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many
sleep.”
1. Weak. The word weak translates, asthenes and means, weak, infirm, feeble. This was
some kind of debilitating weakness that was not caused by sickness but the direct chas-
tening of the Lord. This is probably a case that would be hard to diagnose since it came
directly from the Lord for some wrong done. This is the same word that is used in James
5:14 where James asks, “Is any sick among you.”
2. Sickly. The word translated sickly translates arrhostos and means, without strength,
weak, sick. This word means, powerless, feeble, ill. It is evidently an advance on the word
weak. This suggests different degrees of chastening. The word weak refers to one who has
lost his strength by disease.
3. Sleep. Sufficient numbers (ikanoi) are already asleep in death because of their des-
ecration of the Lord’s Table. Paul evidently had knowledge of specific instances. A few
would be too many. Barnes says, “And many sleep. Have died. The death of Christians, in
the Scriptures, is commonly represented under the image of sleep.” Let’s keep in mind that
this was not a normal death. The death of these came as a chastening of the Lord.
THE LORD USES THE CHURCH IN CHASTENING
1 Corinthians 5:1-3, “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and
such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his
father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done
this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present
in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done
this deed,”
The purpose of discipline should always be to restore. Evidently this fornicating
brother in Corinth had been dealt with, and the next step was to expel him from the body.
Verse 2 says, “. . .he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.”
The words be taken away translate exairo and means, to remove, to lift up and be taken
out of a place.
Verse 7 says, “Purge out there the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are
58
unleavened.” The words purge out translate ekkathairo and mean, to clean out, to cleanse
thoroughly.
Paul teaches here that sin tolerated in the Church will eventually leaven the whole
lump—the church being the lump.
Once outside the church, he is subject to the destruction of the flesh by Satan. 1 Corin-
thians 5:5, “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit
may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
If the brother or sister refuses to be restored and reinstated as a member in good stand-
ing with the Church, then the Church must be restored by their expulsion. 1 Corinthians
5:12-13, “For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them
that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among
yourselves that wicked person.”
A CHASTENED CHRISTIAN DOES NOT LOSE HIS SALVATION
1 Corinthians 5:5, “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” The words “that the spirit may
be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” make it clear that the one turned out of the church
does not lose his salvation. He is under discipline of the Church and is subject to physical
death if he remains unrepentant.
This is also brought out in 1 Corinthians 11:32, “But when we are judged, we are chas-
tened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” Once a person is
saved, he may lose his fellowship with the Lord, but never his relationship. He will not be
condemned with the world.
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
59
1. Write out from memory Hebrews 12:6. It must be word perfect.
2. What will happen if you endure chastening?
3. What does the word “scourge” mean?
4. What is the goal of chastening?
5. The absence of chastening in the believer is an indication of what?______________
6. 1 Corinthians 11:32 says, “But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord,
_____________________________________. Finish this verse.
7. What can we do to keep chastening to a minimum?
8. There are three ways that the Lord chastened the believers in Corinth. Name them.
9. God uses the church in chastening. What should always be the ultimate goal of chas-
tening?
10. If a brother or sister refuses to be restored, what should the church do?
60
LESSON
Introduction: Baptism is a church ordinance. The word ordinance, is “a direct com-
mand of an authoritative nature.” (Webster), Baptism is a command of the Lord for all
believers in this age. Let us notice baptism as it is taught in the Scriptures. In order for
baptism to be Scriptural, there are four things that are necessary.
15
Baptism
Memorize: Rom. 6:4
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life.
THERE MUST BE A PROPER CANDIDATE
There must be evidence of repentance. This is brought out by John the Baptist in
Matthew 3:7-8, “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his
baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from
the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:” John insisted that
there be evidence of repentance before he baptized them.
The great commission indicates this. In the Great Commission, discipling comes
before baptism. Matthew 28:19-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Philip made sure the Ethiopian eunuch believed before he baptized him. Acts
8:36-38, “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch
said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou
believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they
went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.”
Baptism must follow ones profession of faith. If a person joins the Church and
later discovers he was not saved, and then is saved, it is necessary for him to be bap-
tized, for baptism must follow the experience of salvation to be Scriptural.
THERE MUST BE THE PROPER MODE
The word baptize means to immerse. There are other words for sprinkle or pour
in the Greek text. But they are never used to describe baptism. Sprinkling and pouring
came about as an expediency. Someone would be on their death bed and want to be
baptized. The Catholic Church decided that sprinkling would be okay in such cases as
this. Baptism is a burial and a resurrection. Romans 6:4, “Therefore we are buried with
him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory
of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
John baptized where there was much water. This is brought out in John 3:23,
“And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water
there: and they came, and were baptized.”
61
Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch both went down into the water. This is brought out
in Acts 8:38, “And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into
the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.”
Paul says baptism is a burial. Romans 6:4, “Therefore we are buried with him by bap-
tism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
THERE MUST BE THE PROPER AUTHORITY
The church was given authority to baptize. This is brought out in Matthew 28:18-20,
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Jesus stresses His authority and then authorizes the Church to administer baptism.
The apostles died, but the Church Jesus built did not. The Church has the authority to
administer the ordinances.
Jesus called attention to the authority for baptism. Matthew 21:23-27, “And when he
was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he
was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this
authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if
ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of
John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying,
If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if
we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered
Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority
I do these things.”
Note Jesus’ argument concerning authority: Jesus asked, “The baptism of John, whence
was it? from heaven, or of men?” When Jesus asked was John’s baptism from heaven, He
was speaking of heaven’s authority. Authority is the subject under consideration here. Then
He turns it around and says, “or of men?” He is drawing attention here to the fact that it is
possible that baptism does not have heaven’s authority. The man who baptizes, if he does
not have church authority, does not have heaven’s authority. This is the reason that Baptists
historically have not taken baptism from other faiths. There are some Baptists who will
take what is called “alien baptism” today and when they do, they violate the Scriptures and
ignore the historical teaching on the subject.
Jesus submitted to John’s baptism. Matthew 3:13-17, “Then cometh Jesus from Gali-
lee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to
be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it
to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens
were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting
upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.” This did not make Him the Son of God, it just made Him an obedient Son and it
pleased the Father.
62
Churches with no authority. A church that does not teach the truth concerning grace
and the fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures does not have the Scriptural authority to
administer baptism.
THERE MUST BE A PROPER PURPOSE
Baptism does not save. If a person is baptized in order to obtain salvation, his reason
is unscriptural. There are many so-called Christian Churches who definitely teach that one
must be baptized to be saved. This is how baby baptism started. Those who sprinkle babies
do it so they won’t die and go to hell if they die in infancy. Jesus died for the unaccount-
able. A baby does not go to hell if it dies in infancy even if it has not been sprinkled. And if
he is sprinkled, he will grow up believing that this took care of his sin. It did not. He must
trust Jesus as his personal Saviour when he is old enough to know right from wrong.
Baptism sets forth three great truths.
1. We are identified with Him in His death; Rom. 6:6.
2. We are identified with Him in His resurrection; Col. 3:1; Eph. 2:5-6.
3. We are identified with Him in our walk in the newness of life; Eph. 2:10.
Baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God; 1 Pet. 3:21,
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
63
1. Baptism is a ____________ _____________.
2. What must be in evidence before one can be baptized?
3. What requirement did Philip make before he baptized the Ethiopian eunuch?
4. Is baptism to follow ones profession of faith or come after it?
5. What verse makes it clear that baptism is a burial?
6. Is a proper authority necessary for baptism to be valid? If so, who has that authority?
7. Why was Jesus baptized?
8. If baptism does not save, then what is the purpose of baptism?
9. Baptism sets forth three great truths. Name them.
10. Peter said that baptism is the answer of a good ______________ toward God.
64
LESSON
Memorize: 1 Corinthians 11:2

16
“Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordi-
The Lord’s Supper

nances, as I delivered them to you.”
Like baptism, the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance to be observed in the New Testa-
ment Church until Jesus comes back. While Scriptural baptism is only administered
one time, the Lord’s Supper is observed over and over again to remind us that we are
accepted by God because of the cross. Notice the following about the Lord’s Supper:
IT WAS INSTITUTED BY THE LORD HIMSELF
Jesus instituted this ordinance at the Passover; Matthew 26:17-29, “Now the
first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him,
Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover? And he said, Go into
the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will
keep the Passover at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had
appointed them; and they made ready the Passover. Now when the even was come, he
sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one
of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of
them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand
with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of
him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for
that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said,
Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. And as they were eating, Jesus took
bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this
is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink
ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the
remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the
vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
1. The Passover was an annual feast in Israel observed as a memorial of their deliv-
erance from Egyptian bondage; Exo. 12:14-28.
2. The Passover was only observed by Israel or by those who had become a proselyte
of the nation and its religion; Exo. 12:48-49.
At the close of the Passover, Jesus instituted His Supper; Matt 26:26-30.
The chronology of events are as follows:
1. Jesus secures the place to eat the Passover; Matt. 26:17-18.
2. They prepare to take the Passover; Matt. 26:21-25.
3. They ate the Passover together; Matt. 26:21-25.
4. Jesus washes His disciples feet and teaches them the lesson on loving and serving
one another; John 13:2-20.
5. Jesus institutes the Supper; Matt. 26:26-29.
6. Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives and to the Garden of Gethsemane and on to the
cross; Matt. 26:36-75.
65
ITS ELEMENTS ARE TWO:
The bread symbolizes the sinless body of Jesus. Therefore, it is unleavened bread;
Matt. 26:26. There are two ways His body was sinless:
1. His virgin birth; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23. A child under normal conditions is born a
sinner; Rom. 5:12; Psa. 51:5; Psa. 58:3. Jesus had no earthly father. He was begotten of
God by the Holy Ghost.
2. His life was sinless; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 Pet. 3:18; Heb. 7:26.
The fruit of the vine is to symbolize the blood of the New Testament which He shed
for the remission of sins; Matt. 26:28; 1 Pet. 1:18-19.
ITS ADMINISTRATOR IS THE CHURCH
It is to be taken by the Church when they assemble; 1 Cor. 11:33. There is no Scrip-
tural authorization for taking the Supper to a sick person at home or in the hospital. The
Supper is to be taken by the assembled Church.
Since the Church does have a right to judge its members (1 Cor. 5:12) and since it does
not have a right to judge those who are outside its membership (1 Cor. 5:13), the church
does not have the right to administer the Lord’s Supper to those over whom it does not have
the right of discipline. Remember, the Lord set the rules for His Supper.
ITS PARTICIPANTS
It is to be taken only by those who are truly saved; 1 Cor. 10:16-17.

It is to be taken by those who are separated from idolatry; 1 Cor. 10:20-21.
It is to be taken by those in good standing with the Church; 1 Cor. 5:11-12.
It is to be taken by those who examine themselves and get their hearts right with
Him; 1 Cor. 11:28.
ITS PERVERSION
It is perverted when a divided membership partakes; 1 Cor. 11:18-20.

It is perverted when the Church allows idolaters to partake; 1 Cor. 10:21.
It is perverted when it is not done in remembrance of Him; 1 Cor. 11:25-26.
Its perversion brings chastening. This is brought out in 1 Corinthians 11:29-32, “For
he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not dis-
cerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many
sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged,
we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” Chasten-
ing came to the Church at Corinth in the following ways:
1. Many were weak. This weakness did not come from a natural illness. It was imposed
by the Lord because of the perversion of the Lord’s Supper.
2. Many were sickly. Again, this came directly from the Lord upon the members of the
Corinthian Church because of the perversion of the Lord’s Supper.
3. Many sleep. This is the sleep of death. God chastens His children when they do wrong
and refuse to repent.
-By Dr. Earl White
66
Notes:
67
1. Write out 1 Corinthians 11:2 from memory. It must be word perfect.
2. What does the Lord’s Supper typify? How often should it be taken?
3. Who instituted the Lord’s Supper?
4. When was the Lord’s Supper instituted? Give reference.
5. What are the two elements of the Lord’s Supper?
6. What do these two elements symbolize?
7. Who is to administer the Lord’s Supper?
8. Each participant is to qualify to take the Supper in four ways. Name them.
9. In what three ways can the Lord’s Supper be perverted?
10. What happens to those who pervert the Lord’s Supper?
68
LESSON
Introduction: In this lesson we will study God’s way in getting the Word to believers
for their encouragement and growth.
Memorize: Colossians 3:16 17

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonish-
The Ministry of The Word

ing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in
your hearts to the Lord.”
THE TEACHING GIFTS WERE PLACED IN THE CHURCH
The apostles were spiritual gifts to the church. This is brought out in 1 Corinthi-
ans 12:28, “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets,
thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversi-
ties of tongues.”
This whole list was given by the Lord to the local Church for their spiritual develop-
ment.
1. Apostles. These men had special authority.
2. Prophets. These men had special messages. They also had the power to predict
the future.
3. Teachers. These men had the gift of teaching the revealed Word.
This list grows in Ephesians 4:11, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” Two are added in this list:
1. Evangelists. These had the special gift of soul winning.
2. Pastor-teacher. The Greek construction makes the word teacher a further explana-
tion of the pastor, i.e., teaching pastors. They also had the special gift of overseeing the
local Church.
THE CHURCH IS THE PLACE WHERE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IS

TO TAKE PLACE.
This truth is brought out in Ephesians 4:12, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” There are three results
that will take place.
1. The perfecting of the saints. The word perfecting means, maturity. The gift of the
pastor-teacher is for the maturing of the saints.
2. The work of the ministry. The maturing of the saints will result in the work of the
ministry.
3. The edifying of the body of Christ. This is the effect that the work of the ministry
will have on the local Church. There will be growth in spiritual maturity and numeri-
cally.
This is a Divine truth, a Scriptural principle and will not work except in a New
Testament Church.
69
WHEN BELIEVERS WITHDRAW FROM THE CHURCH
1. They reject the Lord’s authority in their lives. This is rejecting the Lordship of
Christ.
2. They reject what Jesus purchased with His own blood; Acts 20:28, “Take heed there-
fore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
3. They reject the Church that Jesus loves; Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
THE LORD IS PREPARING HIS BRIDE THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCH; Eph.
5:21-33.
There are four important truths that we learn through the local Church:
1. We learn submission to our head in the church; Vs 21.
2. We submit to cleansing in the local Church; Vs 26.
3. We realize the purpose of His ministry to us through the local Church; Vs 27.
4. We learn separation unto Christ in the local Church; Vss 30-31.
We always need to be reminded that the local Church is where He gets glory from our
lives; Ephesians 3:21, “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen.”
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
70
1. Write out Colossians 3:16 from memory. It must be word perfect.
2. Where did the Lord place the teaching gifts?
3. Give the reference that the Apostles were put in the church for instruction and growth.
4. What special gifts did the apostles have?
5. What special gift did the prophets have?
6. What was the special duty of a pastor?
7. When believers withdraw from a local new testament church what are they rejecting?
8. There are four truths that we learn from the local church. Name them.
9. Write out from memory Ephesians 3:21. It must be word perfect.
71
72
LESSON
Memorize: Matthew 7:1-4

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be
18
judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And
The Sin of Judging Others

why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the
beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out
the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?”
There are several reasons why the believer is not to become a judge of others. This
lesson will set forth some of those reasons.
THE COMMAND AGAINST IT
Our text says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” The word judge translates krino
and means, to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong. This is a present
active imperative verb. This means that what Jesus is saying applies to the present tense
experience of the believer. The imperative mood is a command expressing urgency.
There is nothing that will divide Christians more than the sin of judging.
Jesus is an example of this: John 3:17, “For God sent not his Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” The word con-
demn in this verse is the same word that is translated judge in Matt. 7:1. Jesus did not
come the first time to condemn the world, He came to save it.
The reason is that the world is already under condemnation. This is brought out in
John 3:18, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son
of God.”
We are not to judge one another. This is brought out in Romans 14:3-4, “Let not
him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge
him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man’s
servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God
is able to make him stand.”
Romans 14:10, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought
thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”
Romans 14:13, “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this
rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”
This is a hard rule to follow. If a person is doing wrong especially to us, there is
something that rises up within us to judge the person. First we justify ourselves. Then
we carry that spirit of condemnation and try to hurt the other person. The heart may
be verbally hurt but it is hurt just the same. We often say, “I can’t let him get away
with that.” The Scriptures teach that there is a day of judgment coming and we are to
wait and allow God to do the judging. Romans 12:19-21, “Dearly beloved, avenge not
yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will
repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him
drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil,
but overcome evil with good.”
73
There is another reason why we should not judge one another.
THE BELIEVER BECOMES GUILTY OF THE SAME SIN FOR WHICH HE JUDGES
OTHERS
Romans 2:1, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest:
for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the
same things.”
This verse begins by stating that the one judging is inexcusable. The word inexcus-
able translates anapologetos and means without defense or excuse. The person judging
is without excuse because he knows what the Bible teaches and goes ahead and commits
the sin of judging.
Here is an illustration. The Bible says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” When a person
does this, he is in direct violation of the Lord’s command. There is no amount of excuses
that one can give to justify a violation of this command. This is also true when it comes to
judging others. (Church discipline is another matter).
Romans 2:1 says, “. . . whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another,
thou condemnest thyself, for thou that judgest doest the same thing.”
Someone has explained this verse this way. When a man commits a sin, he is certainly
guilty of that sin. He has taken the right to do what the Lord has forbidden. He will not be
excused for that sin. His only recourse is to repent and seek the Lord’s forgiveness.
Now another Christian judges him or condemns him for committing this sin. Paul says
he is guilty of the same thing. The same word Judge is used both of the man who commits
the wrong and the man who judges him. How is this possible? The one who judges takes
a right to himself that God has not given him. He judges in violation of the command of
God just like the man who violates the command “Thou shalt not commit adultery. Paul
says it is the same thing.
Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” When you judge someone else, it is
a fact that you will be judged by that person and his friends. We do not need to be judged
ahead of time. Most of us cannot stand a very close look.
1 Corinthians 4:3-5, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of
you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself;
yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge noth-
ing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of
darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have
praise of God.”
The words, For I know nothing by myself can be translated I know nothing against
myself. My conscience is clear.” But then he follows with the words, yet am I not hereby
justified. Just because one cannot find something wrong with himself does not mean that
there are not things yet unrecognized. So Paul’s conclusion is that we are to judge nothing
before the time. God is the only one who has all the facts.
The mote and the beam. Most Christians are familiar with this passage of Scripture.
The mote is a little small splinter. The beam is a large piece of wood that holds up the
house. Now just imagine a man with a large beam in his eye trying to fish out a little small
splinter in the eye of the other man that can barely be seen with the naked eye. Quite a sight
wouldn’t you say? Why did Jesus make such a wide contrast in this illustration to explain
to the disciples not to judge?
74
Here is the point Jesus is making. The giant mote in the eye of the one judging is the
sin of judging the man with the splinter in his eye. Judging is the bigger sin, and it is a sin
committed among Christians all the time. I am not saying it is easy. But we must discipline
ourselves to not judge. You will win a lot more people to the Lord, if you do not have a
spirit of judgment.
There is an incident in John 8:1-11 that illustrates the point. The religious leaders had
caught a woman in the act of adultery. They brought her to the temple where Jesus was
and told Him the law said to stone her. Jesus looked at that crowd of hypocrites and said,
“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” They dropped their
rocks one by one on their way out. When the exodus took place, no one was left except the
woman and Jesus. (I’ve wondered about the guy if they were caught in the act of adultery).
Then Jesus said something that must have relieved and thrilled this harlot. John 8:10-11,
“When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman,
where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord.
And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Jesus said, “Judge not.”
THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN WORK THROUGH A NON- JUDGING PERSON
Again I emphasize that Jesus did not come to judge. John 3:17, “For God sent not
his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be
saved.”
The attitude of non condemnation is brought out in Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father,
forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
A judging person cannot avoid the spirit of vengeance. Romans 12:19, “Dearly
beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Ven-
geance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
A judging person cannot avoid bitterness; Ephesians 4:30-31, “And grieve not the
holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness,
and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all
malice:” Hebrews 12:15, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest
any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”
-By Dr. Earl White
Notes:
75
1. Write out from memory Matthew 7:1-4. It must be word perfect.
2. What is the first reason given in this lesson for not judging another?
3. What does the word Judge mean?
4. We are not to judge one another. Give the reference that teaches this.
5. What does the believer become guilty of when he judges another?
6. Explain the mote and the beam.
7. The Holy Spirit can _________ through a ________ _________ person.
8. A judging person cannot avoid two things. Name them.
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77

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For New Christians

The Fellowship Tract League is a nonprofit organization

The Book Division of the Fellowship Tract League pub-

2 The Devotional Life 9

3 The Two Natures of a Child of God 13

4 The Authority of the Scriptures 17

5 How to Take in the Word of God 21

6 The Balanced Christian Life 25

8 Meditating on the Word of God 33

10 How to Resist Satan 41

11 Walking in the Spirit 45

12 What To Do When We Sin 49

13 The New Testament Church 53

14 The Lord’s Chastening of His Children 57

16 The Lord’s Supper 65

17 The Ministry of the Word Through the Local Church 69

18 The Sin of Judging Others 73

GOD’S PROMISE TO YOU

THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

THINGS YOU WILL HAVE IF YOU ARE TRULY SAVED

1. Write out 1 John 5:13 from memory. It must be word perfect.

2. How many times is the word know found in 1 John?

3. Name three promises God gives to the believer.

4. Salvation is based on __________ not ____________.

5. Who is the inner witness for the saved? __________________________

6. A person who is truly saved will have a hunger for _______________________.

The Devotional Life

HERE WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD

THIS FELLOWSHIP IS NECESSARY TO FRUITFULNESS

Meditation in the Word produces fruitfulness. Psalms 1:1-3, “Blessed is the

WE ARE SANCTIFIED THROUGH THE WORD

1. Write out Psalm 5:3 from memory. It must be word perfect.

2. What is the devotional life called by many?

3. What happened that guarantees our fellowship with God?

5. The calling of salvation is called a ______________.

6. This fellowship is necessary to ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________.

7. We are sanctified through the __________________.

8. Give the threefold aspects of sanctification.

The Two Natures of a Child of God

THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN THESE TWO NATURES

1. What changes take place in the flesh once we are saved?

_____________ but as unto _____________ even as unto _______ in __________.

6. Man is a three-fold being. Name the three aspects of man’s being.

7. The resurrection of the human spirit is called what?

The Authority of the Scriptures

They are God-breathed. 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration

THE SCRIPTURES ARE TO BE RECEIVED AS FROM GOD

The Thessalonians received the Scriptures as from God. 1 Thessalonians 2:13,

THE SCRIPTURES WILL BE FACED IN THE JUDGMENT

-By Dr. Earl White

1. How much of the Scripture is inspired?

3. What does verbal inspiration mean?

4. How did the Church at Thessalonica receive the Scriptures?

5. What is continuing in the Word a test of?

6. What did Jesus say a believer would do if he loves Him?

Memory Verse: Colossians 3:16

Taking in the Word of God

WE MUST FIRST HEAR THE WORD

WE MUST READ THE WORD

WE MUST STUDY THE SCRIPTURES

THE BIBLE NEEDS TO BE MEMORIZED

Through memorization of Scripture, we can hide it in our hearts. Psalms 119:11,

4. Salvation is based on not __.

6. This fellowship is necessary to _________________.

_____ but as unto _ even as unto _ in ________.

3. He that is of God _ ___.

8. In meditation we discover _.