How to Study the Gospel with Someone

An easy-to-use resource to guide teens, college students, & adults through one on one Bible studies on the gospel.

Wesley Thompson

Purpose
This book provides teens through adults the information needed to lead one-on-one evangelistic Bible studies. It provides step by step information including: Bible passages, questions, illustrations, options for increased in-depth study on certain topics, and instruction on what notes to write down together.

Alternate Use
While this book was not designed specifically for use in the classroom, it can be used as a resource to teach this evangelistic approach in your Sunday morning and Wednesday night Bible classes or in other group settings. A suggested approach to this is demonstrated below.
Weeks 1&2 Introduction to Evangelism

The introduction to this book could be used to help prepare these lessons, but additional information would be necessary.)
Week 3 Lesson 1 The Authority Week 4 Lesson 2 Sin and Its Effect on Us Week 5 Lesson 3 The Promise Week 6 Lesson 4 The Law Week 7 Lesson 5 The Fulfilment of the Promise Week 8 Lesson 6 Accepting the Gift Week 9 Optional Follow Up Study Examples of Salvation in Acts Weeks 10-11 Practice sessions For this series, you would need to provide each student with a copy of this book. After the first two weeks of introduction, you would go through each of the lessons in this book as a class. During your two practice sessions at the end of this series, you would have those in the class pair up with someone. In the first of these two sessions, one student would choose a lesson and lead their partner as if they were teaching the material to a non-Christian. In the second session, they would swap roles and the other student would choose a different lesson to teach their partner. This is a great way to simulate an actual one-on-one Bible study and it will help your students to realize that they ARE CAPABLE of studying the gospel with someone! This is an 11 week plan while most congregations use a 13 week curriculum. However, there will most likely be lessons that take more than one week of your Bible classes, filling these 2 additional weeks.

CONTENTS
Introduction How to Use this Book and What to Expect.1 Lesson 1 The Authority.........6 Lesson 2 Sin and Its Effect on Us.....................20 Lesson 3 The Promise...............32 Lesson 4 The Law..42 Lesson 5 The Fulfilment of the Promise..57 Lesson 6 Accepting the Gift73 Optional Follow-up Study Examples of Salvation in Acts........89 Reference Lesson Summaries.....91 Quick View of Cards...................96 Bibliography.....................99

Introduction
How to Use this Book & What to Expect
Studying the gospel with someone can be very intimidating to Christians of all ages. Many times people in the church believe this is the job of the preacher or other ministers, but we are all called to share the good news of salvation in Christ. 1 Peter 3:15 says (this and all other quotations are taken out of the 1999 New International Version), But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. We often feel that we do not know our Bibles well

enough to teach someone else, and we may feel that we must be prepared to answer any question on the spot. You may say, I dont know what to teach and what to leave out, what questions to ask, or what format to use! These questions and fears keep many Christians from sharing their faith. As a youth, college student or adult you have

opportunity to share the gospel with people and make an eternal impact on their lives. As a youth, you have the opportunity to teach others who are at the time in their lives when they are making decisions about God, and making many choices about what type of person they will be. As a college student, you have similar opportunities. There are many people in your schools who are outcasts and are looking for someone to show interest in them. We need to show love and compassion for them by not only befriending them but also by teaching them about the deep love of Jesus. Adults have opportunities to talk to their co-workers, friends, and other parents they know through their childrens extra-curricular activities. This book is written in such a way that Christian teens, college students, and adults alike can read it and immediately begin sharing the good news of Jesus with others. My hope and goal is that this book eliminates many of your questions and fears about studying the gospel with someone by providing step by step information, including what Scriptures to look up together, what questions to ask, what answers you need to hear, examples and illustrations, and what to write down together. In every lesson, you and those you are studying with will write the main Scripture references and points you discuss on index cards. Index cards are preferred to notebooks
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or other methods because they are small and a little stronger. You can store them in your Bible and keep up with them easily. You can also take a picture of them with your cell phone, so they are always accessible. Abbreviate the books of the Bible in your citations to ensure that you have enough space. For example, you should write Mt 17:1-5 instead of Matthew 17:1-5. If you have smaller to normal hand writing this information will fit on a 3x5 index card, but if not you can use a 4x6 index card instead (also there is always room on the back if you need it). While the format of this book is user friendly, you should still read over each lesson before your study and make sure you understand the material. If you have any questions, talk to someone you respect as a Christian and study it for yourself. You can guarantee that there will still be questions that you dont know how to answer. Dont feel like you have to be able to answer every question on the spot. Learn to say, That is a good question and Im not sure how to answer it now, but Ill be glad to look it up and we can discuss it next time. However, it is important that you research this question and prepare yourself to discuss it the next time you meet. Many times questions lead you off topic; in these instances you may need to say, That is a great question, but its really another topic than what we are studying; after we finish this study, we can begin to study that subject if you would like. For example, you might say this is if you are studying about Sin and its Effect on Us and the person you are studying with asks you about instrumental music in the worship assembly or womens role in the church. These are good topics but are secondary issues to the gospel and can cause you to get completely off topic or drive people away before you have a chance to really develop a Biblical relationship with them. These two phrases are very helpful and you will find that you may say them quite often. Learn them and use them.

It is not recommended to study with 2 non-Christians at once, because one person

may dominate the discussion and not let the other ask questions, however it can be done if you or they feel strongly about it. However, if another Christian is close to this person and wants to join in the study; this will help them learn how to study the gospel with you. If this is the case it is very important that you agree who is leading the study and let that person guide the study along. Also, you should make sure this is the preference of the
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person you are to study with. In some cases it is actually better to have another Christian friend with you. For example, if a guy wants to study the gospel with a girl he knows and she has a female Christian friend in common with him; he should ask her to join their study so this girl feels more comfortable. In this instance, the guy would lead the study, and the girl would help answer questions, make comments, and be available to talk with this person in between lessons. You will begin each lesson by writing the card number and topic on the top line of the index card. Then there are many tools to help you along the way. Everything in black lettering is meant for you to say out-loud, while red lettering signifies that the information is for the teacher and is not meant to be read aloud. After lesson one, each lesson begins by reviewing the information you have learned in previous lessons. Summaries of each lesson are available in the reference section located at the back of the book. You will often see the phrase followed by a question in blue

lettering. This will help you to easily find the next question to discuss. This tool appears very often throughout the lesson, because it is very important to get the person you are studying with engaged by asking questions and responding positively to their feedback.

This does not mean that you agree with everything they say but that you encourage their
effort and show that you value their input. The Scriptures that you are to read together are provided but you should still turn in your Bible to the specific passages. These are provided to help you to study beforehand and to be able to quickly look back or reference them later in the study if needed. When it is time for you to write something down, this will be marked with green lettering. Also, an example of what is being written is provided with the most recent addition in green, while previous notes are in black. On occasion you will come across an These are written in purple and offer

more in-depth study on a specific topic if needed. If you feel that this information is not necessary for your study, you can skip forward to the next section described in the intersection. This study will begin with a lesson entitled The Authority, which focuses on Jesus authority over the church and the inspiration of the Bible. It teaches how we should mold our beliefs and lives around its teachings. This is a vital lesson, because it is
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necessary for the person you are studying with to agree that the Bible will be the standard by which you both determine what to believe when it comes to spiritual matters. If the person does not agree to this, then you will not be able to make any progress with any of the other lessons. You will need to stop this series and answer their questions or let someone who has more knowledge on the topic take over the study until they come to this point. This book is meant to help you teach the gospel to someone who believes in God and the Bible, but has not yet been taught the truth of the gospel. You will need another source to study with someone who does not believe in God, Jesus, or the inspiration of the Bible. The second lesson is entitled Sin & Its Effect on Us and contains an in-depth look at sin and its consequences. In this lesson, sin is established as the barrier that separates God from mankind. The title of the third lesson is The Promise and it is focused on how God began to bring about our salvation in the Old Testament, beginning with a promise to Abraham. Many people will go straight from our sin problem to Jesus as Savior, which is effective, but does not show how God worked to bring about our salvation throughout the Old Testament. This series of lessons will explain the role of the Promise, circumcision, and the Law in Gods plan to bring about salvation. This will give people a complete view of God working throughout the entire Bible to bring about our salvation. Continuing this theme, the fourth lesson is entitled The Law and looks at the strengths, weaknesses, and purpose of the Law. The title of the fifth lesson is The Fulfillment of the Promise and it shows how Jesus fulfilled the Promise made to Abraham and offers salvation to all by paying the price for our sin through His death on the cross. The sixth lesson is entitled Accepting the Gift and teaches how to accept the free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23) offered by God through Christ that no one could ever earn on their own. I believe you will find that you are able to share the gospel with someone. I hope this book takes away many of your fears or excuses. Remember there is no secret formula that guarantees someone will respond to the gospel by putting on Christ in baptism. It is not your responsibility to make them make the right decision. It is not even your responsibility to convict the heart of the person you are studying with (the Holy
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Spirit does that). You simply must have a love for Jesus, a desire to share His love and message of salvation with others, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone and share with people this great message of salvation.

Lesson 1 The Authority

This study will focus on the source of authority when it comes to the subjects of God, Jesus, salvation, and other important Biblical topics. Card number 1 is entitled The Authority. On the first line of the index card write the number 1. and The Authority as illustrated below.

1. The Authority
Everyone has their own opinion on any subject matter, from sports, to music, favorite television shows, or what restaurants are the best. There are also many different opinions on salvation and other Biblical topics. What may influence someones opinion on any given Biblical topic? Answers to this may include: the belief of the individuals parents, what denomination or religious group he was raised in, favorite authors. What separates ones opinion from another? If your

friend told you that it was okay for you to cut through parking lots to avoid traffic lights, but a policeman warned you that it is against the law; who do you listen to? Or maybe the better question is who should you listen to? What separates the

opinion or advice received from the friend versus that received from the police officer? The policeman has authority that your friend does not have. He has the ability to give you a ticket and charge you a fine. Likewise, in Biblical matters it is important that we do not get caught up in opinions which may be false teachings but search for the authority on the matter. Therefore, this study aims to help us discover the source of authority when it comes to Biblical matters. The first passage that we will look at is Matthew 17:1-5. On the next line of the index card, write Mt 17:1-5 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person you are studying with to read this passage.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5
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Matthew 17:1 After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2. There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4. Peter said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will put up three sheltersone for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah. 5. While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him! This passage begins with Jesus taking Peter, James, and John to the mountain by themselves. While they were there, He was transfigured. What does it mean to be transfigured? If you break down the word trans means change (as in transition) and figure refers to appearance. Therefore, if Jesus was transfigured, His appearance changed. In fact, the passage goes on to say that His face was bright like the sun and His clothes were as white as the light. We get the word metamorphosis from the Greek word used in this passage. After Jesus was transfigured,

who appeared with Him? They should be able to respond that it was Moses and Elijah. Who was Moses? According to the persons knowledge of Scripture, their answer may vary in detail. Most people will know some of the major events in his life; however, do not be surprised (or respond negatively) if the person only remembers the name and does not know much about him. Moses may be known for many things, but two specific things stand out. First, Moses was called and used by God to lead the Israelites out of slavery. This happened in the book of Exodus. In Exodus 3:1-4:17, God called Moses through a burning bush; and, in chapters 7-14 of Exodus, Moses and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh who let the Israelites go after God sent 10 plagues upon Egypt. Therefore, Moses was seen as the Great Freer (or rescuer) of Israel. Moses was also known for receiving the 10 commandments on Mount Sinai in Exodus 20:1-17, which were the basis of the entire law. So, Moses was known as the Lawgiver and the one who led Israel out of slavery. After you feel the person has a good grasp of Moses and the significance of his role in Israels history, move on to the next paragraph. Who was Elijah? After asking this question, you might find that those who had knowledge of Moses may not know as much about Elijah. Elijah was
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a great prophet. In fact, many view Elijah as the greatest prophet in the history of Israel. In 1 Kings 18:16-40, Elijah stood up to 450 prophets of Baal and to the king; proving God to be the one true God. Also, in 2 Kings 2:11 we see that Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. What famous person (alive or dead) would

you most like to meet and why? For a Jew, Moses the lawgiver and freer of Israel, and Elijah, the great prophet, were two of the most significant figures in their history. These are the heroes that they admired and respected. So when Peter, James, and John saw Moses and Elijah standing with Jesus, they were amazed, even star-struck. Their

attention to the transfigured Jesus was overshadowed by these two great men, and they wanted to build a shelter and/or memorial for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. It was almost as if they were saying, Wow Jesus, You are worthy of being in the same company of Moses and Elijah. But, while they were still speaking, a bright cloud surrounded them and a voice, which by context appears to be God, the Father, spoke. What did God say from the cloud? God said that Jesus was His son and to listen to Him. In saying this, God tells Peter, James, and John; Yes, Moses was a great man who I worked through to free Israel and to pass down the Law, and Elijah was a great man whom I spoke through and did many miraculous things through, but Jesus is my Son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to Him. Likewise, there may be many people we admire and respect who have taught us many things; however, above everyone else we must listen to Jesus, Himself. Above any Biblical commentary or book, friend, teacher, coach, preacher or even our parents, we must follow the teachings of Jesus. Jesus is Gods son, and in Biblical matters, He has the authority. He has supreme power and final authority over any other man/woman of God: past, present, or future. So what we see in this passage is - above all we need to listen to Jesus. Across from Matthew 17:1-5 on the index card write, Above all we must listen to Jesus and on the next line of the index card, write Mt 28:18 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Above all we must listen to Jesus.
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Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. According to this passage, how much authority does Jesus have and where is His authority over? The answer, according to this passage, is that If Jesus has all

Jesus has all authority over heaven and earth.

authority - then who can claim to have authority over Him today? The obvious answer to this question is that if Jesus has all authority then that leaves no room for someone to claim authority over Jesus in a particular matter. Christ is the authority over everything. So then, according to this passage, Jesus has all authority. Across from Matthew 28:18 on the index card write, Jesus has all authority and on the next line of the index card, write Eph 1:18-23 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority.

Ephesians 1:18. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, 19. And His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, 20. which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21. far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, 23. which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. . We will focus on verses 20-23. Will you explain to me in

your own words what this passage teaches? This passage again talks about the authority of Christ. Look at this passage again and point out all the absolute terms used in this passage (the most significant of which are in bold). Christ is far above all rule and
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authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. So, what

point is Paul trying to get through to us? Jesus may have come to the earth as a servant, but He is now in a great position of authority and is head over EVERYTHING for the church. Similar to before, If Christ has all authority (especially over

the church) who can claim to have authority over Him? The obvious answer is no one! So, we understand from this passage that Jesus is over everything for the church. Across from Ephesians 1:18-23 on the index card write, Jesus is over everything for the church, and on the next line of the index card, write Jn 12:44-50 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Jn 12:44-50 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is over everything for the church.

John 12:44. Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in Me, he does not believe in Me only, but in the One who sent Me. 45. When he looks at Me, he sees the One who sent Me. 46. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness. 47. As for the person who hears My words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. 48. There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. 49. For I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me what to say and how to say it. 50. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say." Who is going to judge us according to this passage? Many people will not be able to see the proper answer right away. They may say that Jesus is the judge. It is true that in other passages Jesus is portrayed as the judge on the Day of Judgment. In John 5:24-27, it says I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed
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over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For, as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. And He has given Him authority to JUDGE because He is the son of man (emphasis mine). Other passages that speak of Christ as judge are Acts 10:42-43 and 2 Timothy 4:1. They also may respond by saying God is the judge in this passage. Again, it is true that God, the Father, is described as the judge in other passages of Scripture. For example, Hebrews 12:22-24 says that you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the JUDGE of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a New Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (emphasis mine). Other passages that declare God as judge include Acts 17:29-31 and Hebrews 10:30-31. In other passages we see both God, the Father, and Jesus portrayed as judge. But in this passage (John 12:44-50) another judge is spoken of. In verse 47, Jesus declares that He did not come to judge the world but to save it. Then in verse 48, He declares that there is a judge for the one who does not accept His words. Who or

what is that judge (as seen in verse 48)? The Word is said to be the judge. Jesus says in verse 48 that very word which I spoke will condemn him on the last day. He explains this by stating that these words were the words of God. were in school, who was your judge? When you

There are actually multiple answers to this

question. Your teacher was your judge. They assessed your work and assigned you grades accordingly. Your principal was your judge because he had the power to punish, suspend, or expel you from school. But what other judge was there? Your work judged you as well or your knowledge of the material available for you to learn. Did you listen, study, and apply the information given to you? This is what you were judged by. Similarly, God is judge; He is creator and has complete power over us. Jesus is judge; because He has provided the means of our salvation and is at the right hand of God. But, the Word is also our judge; because It is inspired by God and contains the message of
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salvation. As Romans 1:16 says, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. On the Day of Judgment, we are judged by whether or not we have obeyed the gospel contained in the Word of God, by being restored to God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If you were going to have an exam the following day,

what would you want to know? You would want to know what the exam would be on; what subject, even what specific topic or chapters in your textbook. In order for you to pass the exam, what would you need to know? You would need to know the material that you were going to be tested on. So then, if we

are going to be judged by the Word of God, then what does that mean? It means we must study and know what the Word of God says. Gods Word is available for us to learn and to know. 1 John 5:13 says, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life (emphasis mine). This does not mean we have to pass a comprehensive exam based on our knowledge of the Bible, however on the Day of Judgment, we will stand before God and we must be confident that we have obeyed His Word. This means we must study It, form our own beliefs based on what we read in His Word, and follow It. Across from John 12:44-50 on the index card write, We will be judged by the Word and on the next line of the index card, write 2 Pe 1:3-4 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Jn 12:44-50 2 Pe 1:3-4 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is over everything for the church. We will be judged by the Word.

2 Peter 1:3. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
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How has God given us everything we need for life and Godliness? Verse four says that through His promises we can escape from our state of corruption caused by evil desires and participate in the divine nature. John 3:16 states that God loved us so much that He gave His Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. God has provided us with the way of salvation. What has God not provided for us spiritually? Nothing, we understand from these verses that God has provided ALL we need in order to be holy and have eternal life. Across from 2 Peter 1:3-4 on the index card write, We have all we need for life and godliness and on the next line of the index card, write Jn 20:30-31 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Jn 12:44-50 2 Pe 1:3-4 Jn 20:30-31 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is over everything for the church. We will be judged by the Word. We have all we need for life and godliness.

John 20:30-31. Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. What is your favorite miracle that Christ performed? The gospels are filled with accounts of Jesus doing many miraculous things; from casting out demons to healing the sick, the blind, the lame, and even raising people from the dead. What does this passage say about how many miracles Christ performed? It says that Jesus did many that werent even recorded in this gospel. Later on, in chapter twenty one, verse twenty five of John, we read: Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. How amazing is it that
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Jesus did so many miracles that the world could not contain the pages it would take to write all of them down? Now, of course, this is poetic hyperbole (exaggeration for effect), but the author is trying to get across the vast number of miraculous things that Jesus did during His ministry. Okay, now lets turn our attention back to chapter twenty. If there are so many more miraculous events from Christs life, people might ask why John didnt write them down. Why did John only choose to include

the select miraculous events he wrote about in his gospel? They were enough for us to believe in Jesus and have life. Across from John 20:30-31 on the index card write, We have enough to believe and have life and on the next line of the index card, write 2 Pe 1:20-21 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Jn 12:44-50 2 Pe 1:3-4 Jn 20:30-31 2 Pe 1:20-21 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is over everything for the church. We will be judged by the Word. We have all we need for life and godliness. We have enough to believe and have life.

2 Peter 1:20. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Where does this text say that Scripture comes from? Prophecy has always come from God, as men were moved to speak and write by the Holy Spirit. This does not mean that the authors style is removed, but that he was unable to change the message that was being written through him. If men did not have the authority to change Gods Word, as it was being written in the past; what does that tell us about those of us who read His Word today? We do not have the authority to change His Word today to fit our wants or desires. 2 Timothy 3:16 states,
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All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Scripture comes from God and therefore we must respect and obey it. Across from 2 Peter 1:20-21 on the index card write, Scripture is from God and not man and on the next line of the index card, write Gal 1:6-9 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Jn 12:44-50 2 Pe 1:3-4 Jn 20:30-31 2 Pe 1:20-21 Gal 1:6-9 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is over everything for the church. We will be judged by the Word. We have all we need for life and godliness. We have enough to believe and have life. Scripture is from God and not man.

Galatians 1:6. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel7. which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8. But even if we or an angel from Heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9. As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
Do you know what the word gospel means? The word gospel means good news and refers to the message of salvation that is offered freely to all, through Jesus Christ. Apparently, some Christians in Galatia were turning from this gospel or changing the good news of Christ in some way. Paul basically says it is impossible to turn from the gospel to another gospel because there is no good news once you leave your relationship with Jesus Christ. What warning did

Paul give concerning turning to a different gospel? He says that those who do so will be eternally condemned. He even goes so far as to say, even if an angel comes and preaches to you a different gospel, dont listen to him. Allow him to be eternally condemned and
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you hold fast to the gospel.

Who then has the power or authority to

change the gospel? No one! No one can change the gospel; because once you do, it ceases to be the gospel (good news). Across from Galatians 1:6-9 on the index card write, No one can change the gospel and on the next line of the index card, write Rev 22:18-19 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Jn 12:44-50 2 Pe 1:3-4 Jn 20:30-31 2 Pe 1:20-21 Gal 1:6-9 Rev 22:18-19 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is over everything for the church. We will be judged by the Word. We have all we need for life and godliness. We have enough to believe and have life. Scripture is from God and not man. No one can change the gospel.

Revelation 22:18. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. This passage has a very strong message. Now, it is important to point out that this passage is referring to the book of Revelation and not to the Bible as a whole; however, I believe its message is true for the Bible as a whole, which will be shown later. What does this passage of Scripture say not to do? It says not to add to or take away from prophecy. Can you give me an example of how someone

may add to the Bible? One example of how someone could add to the Bible is to say that it is not adequate for salvation by itself. They could claim that you may need some additional source to accompany it or you must follow a specific list of rules or creeds in addition to what the Bible teaches.
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Give me an example of how

someone may take away from the Bible? One example of this is for someone to say that

something taught is Scripture is not necessary. refreshing may come from the Lord.

For instance in Acts 3:19 we read

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of If someone taught that repentance was not

necessary for salvation then they would be taking away from what Scripture teaches. Why would it be wrong to add to or take away from prophecy? Earlier we spoke about how prophecy is from God and not man; it is God-breathed. Therefore, it is wrong to change it by either adding to it or taking away from its teachings. This passage in Revelation, as said earlier, is specifically referring to the book of Revelation. It would be wrong to add to or take away from it BECAUSE it is from God. Therefore, this Scripture can be applied to the Bible as a whole; because the Bible is from God, we cannot change it by adding to it or taking away from it. Across from Revelation 22:18-19 on the index card write, Do not add to or take away from the Bible and on the next line of the index card, write Mt 15:3-9 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Jn 12:44-50 2 Pe 1:3-4 Jn 20:30-31 2 Pe 1:20-21 Gal 1:6-9 Rev 22:18-19 Mt 15:3-9 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is over everything for the church. We will be judged by the Word. We have all we need for life and godliness. We have enough to believe and have life. Scripture is from God and not man. No one can change the gospel. Do not add to or take away from the Bible.

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Matthew 15:3. Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4. For God said, `Honor your father and mother' and `Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' 5. But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, `Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' 6. he is not to `honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8. These people honor Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me. 9. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.

This passage may be a little difficult to understand unless you know its context. People could make a vow to leave their money to the temple when they die. However, while alive, they had the ability to use these funds as they pleased. Some were misusing this practice by telling their parents that their money was donated to God (through the temple), and therefore they were no longer bound by Gods law to assist them, since their money was pledged to God instead. Jesus said that God commanded us to honor your father and mother, but these people were using their tradition (or accepted practice) of claiming that their giving to the temple excluded them from having to honor their father and mother by supporting them in their time of need. We cannot violate Gods will simply because other people are doing the same thing or society approves of our actions. We are to form ourselves after Gods Word and not form Gods Word around our lives. How might someone form Gods Word around their life? For example, lets say that someone wants to sleep late on Sundays and sit around the house and rest all day. So, even though we read in Hebrews 10:25, Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching, they stay home, saying that it is not important to gather to study and worship with other Christians as long as you are living a good lifestyle. In doing this, they are placing their tradition or their desired (even accepted) lifestyle over the teachings of Scripture. As Christians, we must always place Scripture over our wants or traditions. Across from Matthew 15:3-9 on the index card write, Scripture is over tradition as illustrated below.
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1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Jn 12:44-50 2 Pe 1:3-4 Jn 20:30-31 2 Pe 1:20-21 Gal 1:6-9 Rev 22:18-19 Mt 15:3-9 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is over everything for the church. We will be judged by the Word. We have all we need for life and godliness. We have enough to believe and have life. Scripture is from God and not man. No one can change the gospel. Do not add to or take away from the Bible. Scripture is over tradition.

This completes the first lesson. Before you end with a prayer, remember to ask if the person you are studying with has any questions on the topic of Biblical authority. Then summarize what was learned from the Scriptures you read together. As you

summarize this lesson, point to the line of the card that contains the information you are talking about. In Matthew 17:1-5, we learned that above everyone else we must listen to Jesus. In Matthew 28:18 and Ephesians 1:18-23, we discovered that Jesus has authority over everything, especially things pertaining to the church. In John 12:44-50, we learned that we will be judged by the Word; therefore, we need to know what it says and follow it. We also saw in 2 Peter 1:3-4 and John 20:30-31 that we have everything we need in order to believe and have life and godliness. In 2 Peter 1:20-21 and Galatians 1:6-9, we talked about how Scripture is from God and not man. We discussed how the writers could not change the meaning of Scripture as it was being written, therefore we cannot change it today as we read it. In fact, changing the gospel causes it to no longer be the message of good news. In Revelation 22:18-19, we continued this discussion by saying that we cannot change Scripture by either adding to it or taking away from it. Finally, in Matthew 15:3-9, we learned that we cannot change Gods Word to fit around our traditions or preferences, but we shape our lives around His Word. So, we see that Jesus has authority over the church and God has also placed His authority in the inspired Word of God. In the next lesson we will discuss sin and its effect on us. Remember to end this session with a prayer.
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Lesson 2 Sin & Its Effect on Us

It is important to begin each week with a review of what you have learned so far in your study together. Turn to the Reference section of the book that contains the lesson summaries on page ninety-one and review lesson one. Todays lesson is on sin and its effect on us. In this lesson, we will be discussing what sin is, and what effect it has on our relationship with God. On the first line of the index card write the number 2. and Sin & Its Effect on Us as illustrated below and on the next line of the index card, write Ge 1:26-27 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person you are studying with to read this passage.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27
Genesis 1:26-27. Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." 27. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. In this passage we read about God creating man. What stands

out to you, in this passage, concerning how we were made? In these verses we read that God created us in His image. What does it mean to be created in the

image of God? You may get many different answers to this question. Many people might say that we look like Him in some way. While there may be a chance that our appearance resembles that of God, it is more likely that this passage is referring to something else. What separates us from all other animals that God

made? Again, you may get many different answers to this question, including our intelligence, appearance, etc. In John 4:24, we read, God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth. From this passage we can see that God is a spiritual being. There are also many scriptures that refer to the soul or spirit of a man (select a few from the ones below to share). Proverbs 20:27 states, The lamp of the Lord searches the
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spirit of a man; it searches out His inmost being. In Matthew 16:26, we see the importance of the soul; What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? In Matthew 10:28, the soul is distinguished from our fleshly bodies and is shown as more important; Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (capitalization mine). Other passages teach that our soul longs to be with God. Psalm 42:2, My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? We see this again in Psalm 84:2, My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Now, lets turn our attention back to our main passage in Genesis chapter one. In this passage we see that we were created in the image of God. Most likely, this is a reference to us being created as spiritual beings, not just flesh and blood. In this way, we stand out from all of Gods other creations. This continues to be true today. Psalm 139:13 states, For You created my inmost being; You knit me God creates us as not only together in my mothers womb (capitalization mine).

physical beings, but spiritual beings as well, and our spiritual selves can never be satisfied unless we have a relationship with God. Across from Genesis 1:26-27 on the index card write, God made us in His image and on the next line of the index card, write Ge 3:8 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27 Ge 3:8 God made us in His image.

Genesis 3:8. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. In a moment, we are going to read verses one through seven and discuss what would have caused Adam and Eve to hide from God; but before we do that, there is something of great importance, in verse eight, that we need to discuss. In verse eight, we
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read that Adam and Eve heard the sound of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day. If you are at home and you hear one of your other family

members walking in another room or down the hall, can you often distinguish who it is by the sound of their walking? Because you have heard those in your family as they walk in the house many times before, you are able to distinguish who is walking by the sound they make. What does Adam and Eves ability to distinguish the

sound of God as He walked through the garden indicate? This seems to signify that this is not the first time that God walked in the Garden. It is very likely that many times, possibly in the cool of the evening, God would come and walk through the garden with Adam and Eve, and on this occasion they heard the sound of God as He walked through the garden and they tried to hide from Him. How amazing it would be to be able to walk and talk with God, and yet how sad it would be to feel the need to hide from Him. Earlier in Genesis 2:16-25, God speaks to Adam about not eating from the tree of knowledge, He tasked Adam with naming the animals, and created woman as a helper for him. So, what we learn from these passages is that God had a relationship with Adam and Eve. Across from Genesis 3:8 on the index card write, God had a relationship with man and on the next line of the index card, write Ge 3:1-7 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27 Ge 3:8 Ge 3:1-7 God made us in His image. God had a relationship with man.

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Genesis 3:1-7. Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, `You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2. The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3. but God did say, `You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" 4. "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Will you describe to me in your own words what happened in this passage? In this passage, Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating fruit from a tree that God had forbidden them to eat from. Later, in chapter three, we see that God punished Adam and Eve and banished them from the garden (vs. 23). What was Adam and Eves disobedience to God the first example (or instance) of? Their disobedience was the birth of sin. Romans 5:12 states, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. So in this passage we see that sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Now, before we move on, it is important to note something in these verses. Many times guys like to blame Eve for what happened. They talk as if Adam was just minding his own business, when Eve walked up and offered him an apple. Then, he unknowingly ate it and disobeyed God. Ive heard many teenage boys say: If it werent for Eve, we would still be happy in the garden. Notice what it says in verse 6, When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, WHO WAS WITH HER, and he ate it (emphasis Mine). According to verse 6, Adam was with Eve and knew exactly what was going on when he chose to eat the fruit and disobey God. So, we see that Adam and Eve both chose to sin by disobeying God. Across from Genesis 3:1-7 on the index card write, Man sinned

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and on the next line of the index card, write Jas 1:13-15 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27 Ge 3:8 Ge 3:1-7 Jas 1:13-15 God made us in His image. God had a relationship with man. Man sinned

James 1:13-15. When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; 14. but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. In this passage we see the process of sin. Where does this

passage say the process of sin starts? We see that God does not tempt us, but sin comes from our evil desires. Galatians 5:16-17 says, So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. As we discussed earlier, we are spiritual beings, but we are also physical beings. These two sides (flesh and spirit) will often fight against one another. 1 Peter 2:11 says, Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your sou. Satan will often use our fleshly desires against us, by tempting us to do evil. In Matthew 4:3, we read that the tempter came to Jesus. This is in the context of Satan tempting Jesus in the desert. We know the tempter is the Devil, because later in verse 5 it refers to him as the Devil. Temptation, in and of itself, is not wrong. We have already established that Satan tempted Jesus. To have a desire or temptation to do evil is not sin. As we continue to verse fourteen and fifteen in James, chapter one, we see that when we are enticed by these sinful desires to the point that we obey them or act upon them, this gives birth to sin. According to this passage, then, sin is ultimately,

what? It starts off as a desire to do something evil. However, sin does not occur until we choose to act on that temptation. Remember, the temptation, itself, was not sin.
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Therefore when tempted we have a CHOICE. Sin is a choice; a choice to disobey God. Adam and Eve were tempted to eat of the fruit, but they had the ability to choose to not eat it. By choosing to eat the fruit, they sinned. Across from James 1:13-15 on the index card write, Sin is a choice and on the next line of the index card, write Ro 3:23-24 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27 Ge 3:8 Ge 3:1-7 Jas 1:13-15 Ro 3:23-24 God made us in His image. God had a relationship with man. Man sinned Sin is a choice

Romans 3:23-24. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24. and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. It is easy to say, So what? What does Adam sin have to do with me? According to this passage, who sins? Everyone makes mistakes; everyone sins. There is only one type of person who has no sin. Do you know who that is? They may say Jesus. Yes, Jesus had no sin, but that is not the type of person we are looking for, since He is the only one to be God and man. They may also answer that those whose sins are forgiven have no sin. That is true, so there are two types, then; what is the other? Children have no sin. Remember, we said that sin is a choice. It is a decision to follow an evil desire. Take an infant for example, do they know what it means to sin? Do they make choices to follow evil desires? Of course not! At this point if the person you are studying with agrees that children are not born into sin, but eventually we all choose sin as we grow older, then you can move to the next main scripture by skipping to the green section. If they have questions about this or believe in original sin, continue by studying the following scriptures together. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus says, I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. In this passage, we are told to
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become like children. If children were filled with sin, Jesus would not make this plea. It is true that Adams sin allowed sin to enter the world, and for sin to come to all; since we all end up choosing sin at some point in our life. However, we do not inherit his specific sin or the sins of our grandparents or parents. The entire eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel is devoted to this point. Ezekiel 18:4 says, For every living soul belongs to Me, the father as well as the son both alike belong to Me. The soul who sins is the one who will die (capitalization mine). Then, verses five through thirteen describe a father who is

righteous and does not follow idols, or defile his neighbors wife, oppress anyone, rob anyone, but provides others with help in time of need. This man has a son who does all these evil acts. Verse thirteen speaks about this son, saying: Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head. Continuing, in verses fourteen through

seventeen, if this evil son has a son of his own who does not do these evil things that filled his fathers life, verse seventeen states, He will not die for his fathers sin; he will surely live. To summarize this, verses nineteen through twenty-one say, Yet you ask, why does the son not share the guilt of His father? Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him. This is about as clear as a passage could be. THE SOUL who sins is THE ONE who will die. The son WILL NOT share the guilt of the father, NOR will the father share the guilt of the son. It is true that when David was overwhelmed with sorrow because of his sin with Bathsheba, including the murder of Uriah, he made the statement Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me in Psalm 51:5. However, this is a poetic statement concerning the overwhelming feeling of guilt that filled his life because of his sin. In a similar fashion, Job made a statement that gives the opposite message in Job 3:11-13, when he said Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed? For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest.
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In this passage, Job is

overwhelmed by sorrow and wishes he would have died at birth because then he would be at peace. If children were born into sin, then he could not have this wish. Both of these passages are poetic, and speak more to the individuals emotions at the specific time in their life; whereas, the previous passages we read and discussed clearly state that sin is a choice to do evil and not something we inherit from our parents, or anyone else. However, as stated above, if we live to grow out of childhood, we all eventually choose to sin as we read in Romans 3:23. Across from Romans 3:23 on the index card write, Everyone sins.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27 Ge 3:8 Ge 3:1-7 Jas 1:13-15 Ro 3:23-24 God made us in His image. God had a relationship with man. Man sinned Sin is a choice Everyone sins.

Now that we have come to the conclusion that everyone sins (not including young children), we must ask ourselves, what are the results or consequences of our sin? The next three passages we will look at deal with the results of our sin. In the center of the next line on the index card write the heading, The Results of Sin and on the next line of the index card, write Ro 6:23 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27 Ge 3:8 Ge 3:1-7 Jas 1:13-15 Ro 3:23-24 Ro 6:23 God made us in His image. God had a relationship with man. Man sinned Sin is a choice Everyone sins. The Results of Sin

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Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. According to this passage what is the wage of sin? They should be able to see from this passage that it is death. This verse uses the term wages. What is a wage? It is interesting how many people dont automatically know the meaning of this term; so dont be surprised if the person you are studying with is unfamiliar with it. If the person is not sure, use the following question. If they understand it well, skip to the next question concerning Romans 6:23. What does minimum wage refer to? Minimum wage is the lowest legal amount you are allowed to pay an employee. So if you take away minimum from the phrase, a wage is the payment received for work done. For example, if I agree to pay you $20 to wash my car, what do you expect when you finish washing my car? You expect to get paid $20. You have earned this payment because of your actions. So, a wage has to do with a payment that is deserved on the basis of a work or action. What is the work done in Romans 6:23? The work or action that took place was sin. And what is the wage of this action? Death is the wage of sin. By doing the action of sin, we deserve or have earned the payment of death. If you add this information to what we learned in Romans 3:23, you discover that everyone has sinned and therefore we all have earned and deserve the punishment of death. If the wages of sin is death, Why arent we all dead? Even in the garden, Adam and

Eve told the serpent that God warned them that if they disobeyed Him, they would surely die. It may be possible that God would have allowed Adam and Eve to live forever in the garden without death if they did not disobey Him, but there is another type of death other than a physical death. We have already concluded that we were created in the image of God and are therefore not only physical beings, but spiritual beings as well. God warned us to fear the one who could not only kill the body, but the one who had the power to kill the soul as well. How were Adam and Eve punished in response to their sin? They may mention Eves pain in childbirth and the difficulty in working the ground for Adam, but along with this they were both banished from the garden, and we
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no longer read of God walking alongside them again. They were separated from God and this was the greatest punishment they received. Likewise, when we sin, we die a spiritual death. We will explore this more in the next passage; but for now, we understand from Romans 6:23 that the wage of sin is death. Across from Romans 6:23 on the index card write, The wage of sin is death and on the next line of the index card, write Isa 59:12 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27 Ge 3:8 Ge 3:1-7 Jas 1:13-15 Ro 3:23-24 Ro 6:23 Isa 59:1-2 God made us in His image. God had a relationship with man. Man sinned Sin is a choice Everyone sins. The Results of Sin The wage of sin is death.

Isaiah 59:1-2. Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. 2. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. According to this passage, what have your iniquities (another word for sin) done to you? The clear answer is that our sins separated us from God. God is holy; throughout the Bible we can read of Gods holiness. In Psalm 99:9, we read, Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy. In Habakkuk 1:13, we read, Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; You cannot tolerate wrong (capitalization mine). Because God is perfect and holy, He cannot dwell in the presence of sin. Therefore, when we sin we can no longer have a

relationship with God. In Romans 6:23, we learned that the wage of sin is death. We see in this passage, how this takes place: our sin separates us from God, who is our spiritual source of life, resulting in our spiritual death. Across from Isaiah 59:1-2 on the index card write, Sin separates us from God and on the next line of the index card, write Jn
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8:34-36 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge1:26-27 Ge 3:8 Ge 3:1-7 Jas 1:13-15 Ro 3:23 Ro 6:23-24 Isa 59:1-2 Jn 8:34-36 God made us in His image. God had a relationship with man. Man sinned Sin is a choice Everyone sins. The Results of Sin The wage of sin is death. Sin separates us from God.

John 8:34-36. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

What is the result of sin, according to this passage? Sin enslaves us. What does it mean to be a slave? You may get many

answers, ranging from: to work for someone, or forced labor, etc. What is the difference between a slave and an employee? An employee has rights and choices. An employee gets to clock out or leave work. He is paid. An employee can make requests and sometimes even demands. Ultimately, an employee can choose to quit his job. A slave has no rights. A slave is a piece of property. If you owned me as a slave, it would be the same as owning a car or a piece of furniture. You would have complete control over me and be able to treat me how you wish. If you want to take good care of your car, but beat your slave, you have the right to do that, because I am your property. Therefore, to be a slave is to be owned by someone or something. To be a slave to sin means that sin owns us; we are its property. Many times we lie to ourselves and we convince ourselves that we can control sin. We say: I am going to sin, but Im in control. Ill just do it for a little while; I can quit at any time. We act as if sin is our
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slave, and we are in control. However, it is sin that controls us. You have most likely experienced how making one bad choice or committing one small sin led to many other bad choices and you might have found yourself doing things you never thought you would. Sin controls us. It takes over our lives; it makes us its slave. Across from John 8:34-36 on the index card write, Sin makes us its slave as illustrated below.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27 Ge 3:8 Ge 3:1-7 Jas 1:13-15 Ro 3:23 Ro 6:23-24 Isa 59:1-2 Jn 8:34-36 God made us in His image. God had a relationship with man. Man sinned Sin is a choice Everyone sins. The Results of Sin The wage of sin is death. Sin separates us from God. Sin makes us its slave.

As you summarize this lesson, point to the line of the card that contains the information you are talking about. The first step to solving any problem is usually to admit and understand that you have one. In this lesson we discovered that we are all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). We are spiritual beings who have a need to be in fellowship with our creator. Like Adam and Eve, we are born having a

relationship with God (Genesis 3:8). However like Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1-7), at some point, we sin by choosing to act on our sinful desires (James 1:13-15). Everyone eventually makes the choice to disobey God and sin enters their life (Romans 3:23). What were the results of sin we discussed? Because of our sin, we deserve the payment of death (Romans 6:23-24), are separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), and are slaves to sin (John 8:34-36). Many times we think that we control our sin, but in actuality sin controls us. So, everyone sins and falls short of the glory of God. In the next lesson we will look at the first steps that God took to bring about our salvation. Remember to end this session with a prayer.
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Lesson 3 The Promise

It is important to begin each week with a review of what you have learned so far in your study together. Turn to the Reference section of the book that contains the lesson summaries on page ninety-one and review lessons one and two. Now that we know that everyone sins and that this results in our spiritual death, separation from God, and slavery to sin, we will begin to look at what God did to bring about our salvation. What was the first thing that God did to bring about our salvation? When asked this, most people will say that God sent Jesus to be crucified for our sin. Jesus was the ultimate solution to our sin problem. However, He did not come for thousands of years after Adams sin. You can demonstrate this by showing the page of the Bible that records the sin of Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter 3 and compare it to the first page that speaks of the actual birth of Christ in Matthew chapter one. You can hold the many pages that are between Genesis and Matthew with your fingers and What was happening during all of this time between Genesis and Matthew? In todays lesson, we will look at the first steps that God took to bring about our salvation. We will discover how God worked throughout the Old Testament to bring about salvation that came through Jesus Christ. This is the third card and it is entitled The Promise. On the first line of the index card write the number 3. and The Promise as illustrated below and on the next line of the index card, write Ge 12:1-3,7 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person you are studying with to read this passage.

3. The Promise
Ge 12:1-3,7
Genesis 12:1-3,7. The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. 2. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" 7. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

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This is a very important Old Testament passage. God blesses Abram (whose name was later changed to Abraham) and made promises to him. Most scholars point out three main promises that God made Abram. Can you pick out these three promises? The first one is usually referred to as the land promise. God promises to provide Abram with a new land for his descendants. We can see the fulfillment of this when the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River and entered Canaan in Joshua 3. The second promise is usually referred to as the nation promise. This was a very special promise because Abram was very old and did not have any children, yet God was going to bring about a great nation through Abrams descendants. The last promise is a little more difficult for many people to see and yet it is the most important one. In verse 3, it says And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. God promises to do something through Abram that would bless all nations or all people. Gods promise to make Abram into a great nation was a wonderful message of hope to a man who was very old and without any children. Gods promise to give him land was meaningful to Abram and his descendants; but this promise, usually referred to as the seed promise affects all people. God promises to bless all nations. In this lesson we will discuss the meaning and importance of this great promise. Across from Genesis 12:1-3,7 on the index card write, God promises to bless all nations and on the next line of the index card, write Ge 22:15-19 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

3. The Promise
Ge 12:1-3,7 Ge 22:15-19 God promises to bless all nations.
Genesis 22:15-19. The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16. and said, "I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17. I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18. and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." 19. Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

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In this passage, God reconfirms the promise He made to Abram. Between this passage and the previous one we read, Abram tried to take matters in his own hands. Do you know what Abram did to try and help God fulfill His promise? When he was 86 years old (Genesis 16:16), he slept with his wifes maidservant since his wife had not yet born him a child. Hagar, the maidservant, conceived and bore him a son named Ishmael. However, when Abram was 99 years old (Genesis 17:1), God appeared to him, changing his name to Abraham (Genesis 17:5), and confirming that Sarah would give birth to a son, through whom God would bring about the promised great nation (Genesis 17:19-22). Turning our focus back to this passage (Genesis 22:15-19), we discover that it is not through Abraham directly that God will bless all nations. Through whom does God say He will bless all nations through? God promises to bless all nations through Abrahams offspring. It is important to note that the term offspring here or seed in other translations is singular. God is not promising to bless all nations through the collective offspring of Abraham or the nation of Israel, but one descendant of Abrahams would bless all nations. In this passage, a Messiah is promised. A descendant of Abrahams will come to bless all nations. Across from Genesis 22:15-19 on the index card write, Abrahams SEED will fulfill the promise and on the next line of the index card, write Gal 3:15-16 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

3. The Promise
Ge 12:1-3,7 Ge 22:15-19 Gal 3:15-16 God promises to bless all nations. Abrahams SEED will fulfill the promise.

Galatians 3:15-16. Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your Seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.

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You might think that too much is being made of a simple promise. You could ask: How do we know Genesis 12:3 and 22:18 refer to a Messiah or that they are prophesying about Christ? This passage in Galatians is key. To

whom does this passage say the Promise referred to? This passage clearly states that the promised Seed referred to Christ. It even points out that the Seed in the Promise is singular and referred to one person, who is Christ. He is the Messiah. Do you know what the term Messiah means? The term Messiah can be defined as the anointed one or the promised redeemer. The coming of the Messiah is rooted in the great promise to Abraham, that a descendant of his would come and bless all nations. Twice in the gospel of John (1:40-42, 4:25-26), Jesus is shown to be this promised Messiah. Therefore, this passage teaches that the Seed from the Promise referred to Christ. Across from Galatians 3:15-16 on the index card write, The SEED referred to Christ and on the next line of the index card, write Gal 3:8-9 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

3. The Promise
Ge 12:1-3,7 Ge 22:15-19 Gal 3:15-16 Gal 3:8-9 God promises to bless all nations. Abrahams SEED will fulfill the promise. The SEED referred to Christ

Galatians 3:8-9. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9. So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. In this passage, we read that the Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith. Who are the Gentiles? Gentiles are anyone who is

not Jewish or a descendant of Abraham. If you are not a Jew, then you are a Gentile. In the Old Testament, God separated the nation of Israel from all other nations, a nation set apart for Him. However, God promised that a Messiah would come that would bless all nations. According to this passage, what did the promise announce in
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advance? It announced the gospel in advance. In our first lesson (page seventeen) we

discussed what the term gospel means.

Do you remember what this

term means? The term gospel means good news and refers to the message of salvation that is offered freely to all, through Jesus Christ. The first step that God took in our salvation was to make a promise; a promise that Christ would come and bless all nations. This promise announced the gospel in advance. Across from Galatians 3:8-9 on the index card write, It announced the gospel in advance and on the next line of the index card, write Josh 23:14 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

3. The Promise
Ge 12:1-3,7 Ge 22:15-19 Gal 3:15-16 Gal 3:8-9 Josh 23:14 God promises to bless all nations. Abrahams SEED will fulfill the promise. The SEED referred to Christ It announced the gospel in advance.

Joshua 23:14. Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. What makes a promise valuable? People might say that if it is something you want, it is valuable. This is only partially true. If I

promise you a brand new car every day, but never give you so much as a bus pass, then does my promise have any value? Of course not, it is not only what is promised that determines the value of a promise, but also who is making the promise. The passage we just read comes from Joshuas address to Israel before his death. Abrahams descendants had become a great nation. God had led them out of slavery, through the wilderness, and they had taken possession of the promised land. Joshua, before his death, reminds the people of Gods faithfulness. He always fulfills His promises. This can be seen over and over throughout the Bible; if God makes a promise, He always fulfills it. If God

promised to provide salvation to your family from a great flood, He provided it (Genesis 7:1-4). If God promised freedom from slavery, He provided it (Exodus 3:7-9). If God promised victory in battle, He provided it (Joshua 1:3, Judges 7). This pattern is repeated
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over and over again. If God makes a promise, then it is valuable, because God always fulfills His promises. Across from Joshua 23:14 on the index card write, God always fulfills His promises and on the next line of the index card, write Heb 10:23 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

3. The Promise
Ge 12:1-3,7 Ge 22:15-19 Gal 3:15-16 Gal 3:8-9 Josh 23:14 Heb 10:23 God promises to bless all nations. Abrahams SEED will fulfill the promise. The SEED referred to Christ It announced the gospel in advance. God always fulfills His promises.

Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. According to this passage, why are we to hold unswervingly to hope? We are to hold on to hope, because God is faithful in fulfilling His promises. This New Testament passage is similar to the statement of Joshua in the Old Testament; God fulfills His promises. What are some of the promises that God has made to us? Philippians 4:19 states And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (capitalization mine). In this passage, God promises to provide all of our needs through Christ. Notice He did not promise to provide all of our wants or desires, but our needs. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (capitalization mine). What great promise does God make to us in this passage? God promises not to allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and to provide a way of escape. In 1 Corinthians 15:56-57, we read: The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (capitalization mine). What other great promise does God make to us
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in this passage? God promises to provide victory over death through Jesus Christ. This is in no way a complete list of all the promises that God has made to us, but we can see that God has made great promises to us, just like He did to Abraham, Joshua, Moses, and others throughout the Bible; and just like them we should hold on to hope, because God is faithful in fulfilling His promises. Across from Hebrews 10:23 on the index card write, Hold to hope because God is faithful and on the next line of the index card, write Ge 17:9-14 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

3. The Promise
Ge 12:1-3,7 Ge 22:15-19 Gal 3:15-16 Gal 3:8-9 Josh 23:14 Heb 10:23 Ge 17:9-14 God promises to bless all nations. Abrahams SEED will fulfill the promise. The SEED referred to Christ It announced the gospel in advance. God always fulfills His promises. Hold to hope, because God is faithful.

Genesis 17:9-14. Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10. This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner--those who are not your offspring. 13. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.

We see in this passage the institution of circumcision. Circumcision is a physical practice that still occurs today in which a portion of skin from male children is removed. Circumcision is discussed many times throughout the Old and New Testaments. You may have wondered what the significance of this practice was, and why the Jews placed so much value in it. According to this passage, what was the spiritual
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purpose of circumcision? Many people may get caught up in the rules in this passage; such as, who is to be circumcised and the consequences if this practice is not followed. However, the spiritual purpose of circumcision is seen in verse 11, You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. Circumcision is the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham (and Abrahams descendants). God promised a Messiah would come from the descendants of Abraham and bless all nations. To remind Israel of this promise, God instituted circumcision. In this way, Gods promise was passed on to each new generation. Every father would circumcise his male children as a sign and reminder of Gods great promise. It was also similar to a stamp or seal. It signified that God made this covenant with Israel. For example, lets say I was going to make a will. Turn your card over and make a pretend will on the back (an example is pictured below, following this paragraph). Lets say in this will I will pass on my ________ (fill in some possession of yours, possibly a game system, instrument, phone, etc.) to my friend _____________ (any person you mutually know). I will leave my _____________ (another possession) to _______________ (the name of the person you are studying with). Finally I will leave _______________ (another possession) to _________________ (If someone else is in the study, use their name; if not, use anyone). Now, in order to make this a legal document, what

would I need? You may get many different answers, including that the person would need to die. This would put the will into effect but something else makes it legal or valid. It would need to be signed and notarized. The notarys seal would be a symbol of the agreement or covenant I had made (draw a symbol to represent the notary, such as a circle with a bird or stars in it).

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Circumcision was similar to the notarization on a will. It was the seal of the covenant that God made with Israel. Many other times God used a symbol to seal a covenant with man. One well-known example of this occurred when God placed a rainbow in the sky as a symbol or sign of His covenant to never flood the entire earth again (Genesis 9:13). We keep using the term covenant. Do you know what the word covenant means? A covenant is a promise made binding by an oath. It is a binding promise or contract between two or more parties. For example, a marriage is a covenant (Proverbs 2:16-17). In the marriage covenant, a man and a woman promise to be devoted to one another for life, remaining faithful and supporting one another throughout lifes ups and downs. When God makes a covenant with man, He is always faithful, as we discussed earlier. However, a covenant often requires action from both parties. For example, God made a covenant with Israel in Deuteronomy (29:12-13, 30:16-18) to lead them and provide land for them, and in return Israel was to worship God, exclusively. If Israel turned away from God, then they would not live long in the land God provided. So, a covenant is a contract between two parties. God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants that a Messiah would come and bless all nations and circumcision was the sign of this covenant. It was a physical symbol for a spiritual covenant and through this act the covenant was passed down to each new
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generation. Across from Genesis 17:9-14 on the index card write, Circumcision given as the sign of the covenant, as illustrated below.

3. The Promise
Ge 12:1-3,7 Ge 22:15-19 Gal 3:15-16 Gal 3:8-9 Josh 23:14 Heb 10:23 Ge 17:9-14 God promises to bless all nations. Abrahams SEED will fulfill the promise. The SEED referred to Christ It announced the gospel in advance. God always fulfills His promises. Hold to hope, because God is faithful. Circumcision given as sign of the covenant.

As you summarize this lesson, point to the line of the card that contains the information you are talking about. So, we see in this lesson that God made a promise to Abraham that He was going to bless all nations through a descendant of his (Genesis 12:3, 22:15-19). The Seed or descendant prophesied was Christ (Galatians 3:15) and in this prophecy the gospel was announced in advance (Galatians 3:8-9). We learned that God is always faithful in fulfilling His promises (Joshua 23:14) and therefore we should hold on to hope (Hebrews 10:23). Finally, we discussed how circumcision was given as the sign of the covenant (Genesis 17:9-14) and in this way, Gods promise of a Messiah was passed down from generation to generation. Remember to end this session with a prayer.

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Lesson 4 The Law

It is important to begin each week with a review of what you have learned so far in your study together. Turn to the Reference section of the book that contains the lesson summaries on page ninety-one and review lessons one through three. In todays lesson we will discuss the purposes and weaknesses of the Law. Did it fulfill the Promise? What role did it play in bringing about our salvation? The title of our fourth card is The Law. On the first line of the index card write the number 4. and The Law as illustrated below and on the next line of the index card, write Ex 20:1-17 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person you are studying with to read this passage. You can use your judgment on whether or not to read this entire passage or to scan through it based on the knowledge of the person you are studying with.

4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17
Genesis 20:1-17. And God spoke all these words: 2. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3. You shall have no other gods before me. 4. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, 6. but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name. 8. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10. but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 13. You shall not murder. 14. You shall not commit adultery. 15. You shall not steal. 16. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17. You shall not covet your neighbors house. You shall not covet your neighbors wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
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What is taking place in this passage? The Israelites have been led out of Egypt. Moses climbs Mount Sinai, where God gives him the 10 In essence, what was the Law? It was a list of rules or dos and donts: Do not follow other gods, keep the Sabbath, do not murder, honor your father and mother, and so on. What happened if you broke the Law? commandments which are the core of the Law that Gods people, Israel, are to live by.

Animal, grain, or flour sacrifices were offered to cover their sin. In the first seven chapters of Leviticus, the offerings and sacrifices people were to make are described. In Leviticus 5:5-6 we see that a person is to offer a female lamb or goat for certain sins. If they cannot afford this, then they can offer two doves or two pigeons (vs. 7). If they cannot even afford the doves or pigeons, then they could offer fine flour (vs. 11). Therefore we see that the Law is given to Israel along with the corresponding sacrifices to be offered if the Law was broken. Across from Exodus 20:1-17 on the index card write, The Law is given and on the next line of the index card, write Dt 4:1,13 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 The Law is given.
Deuteronomy 4:1, 13. Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 13. He declared to you His covenant, the Ten Commandments, which He commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. Who was the Law given to? Many may answer that it was given to Moses. This is true, but who did it apply to? Read the verse together again if necessary. Hear now, O ISRAEL, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you (emphasis mine). The Law was given to Israel. In Leviticus 5:1 we see Moses

summoning all Israel and repeating the Law that was given to them by God. How many nations did the Promise say it would bless? The Promise stated that Abrahams seed would bless all nations.
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How many nations was

the Law given to? The Law was given to Israel, which was one nation; however at times it was divided into more. Across from Deuteronomy 4:1,13 on the index card write, It was given to Israel as illustrated below.

4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 The Law is given. It was given to Israel.
If the Law was only given to Israel, could it fulfill the Promise? No. Also, the promise stated that a descendent of Abrahams would bless all nations, not that a set of guidelines or laws would be instituted. In Galatians 3:17-18, we read What I mean is this: The Law introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the Promise. For if the inheritance depends on the Law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in His grace gave it to Abraham through a promise (capitalization mine). If the Law did not fulfill the Promise or do away with it, then what was its purpose? This is the question we will seek to answer with our next three passages. In the center of the next line on the index card write the heading, Purposes of the Law and on the next line of the index card, write Ro 3:20 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 Ro 3:20
Romans 3:20. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the Law; rather, through the Law we become conscious of sin. This passage says no one could be declared righteous through the Law, which we will discuss in detail later. It made us conscious of sin.
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The Law is given. It was given to Israel. Purposes of the Law

What does this passage say the Law did? What does it mean to be conscious of

something?

If someone is unconscious, then it means he is unaware of what is going on

around him. So, to be conscious of something means to be aware of or to understand. Romans 7:7 states, What shall we say, then? Is the Law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the Law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the Law had not said, Do not covet (capitalization mine). We see in this passage that the Law helped to teach us what sin is, and therefore it made us conscious of sin. Why do you think that God did not just

send Jesus to die for our sins right after Adam and Eve sinned? Why make a promise to do it in the future and then give the Law to live by in the mean time? Take this as just an opinion; but I believe this passage helps us to see that we needed to learn about sin before we would truly appreciate Christs sacrifice. Lets say you were climbing a tree in a park; people are all around you. Suddenly you slip, but before you fall completely, you are able to firmly grab on to the last limb. If you are like me, the first thing you might do is look to see if anyone saw you. Have you ever walked into a wall or done something stupid and looked around quickly to see if anyone saw you? So, you look around and notice everyone is still going about their normal actions. No one is pointing and laughing or offering any assistance. What would you do? Some may say they

would call for help, but most will admit they would try to climb back up or down on their own. If they dont know how to answer, or they say they would call for help you can Would you not try and see if you could fix the situation yourself before asking for help? It is a normal human tendency to try and fix our own problems. We do not like to admit weakness or ask for help. One of the stages that children go through around the age of two is the desire to do things for themselves. You can offer to help them get up in a chair, or put a puzzle together, and they will say, No, I do it myself! In Romans 3:20, we see that the Law made us conscious of sin. It seems we needed to learn for ourselves that God is holy and we are not; that we can never follow the Law perfectly and that we need a savior! Across from Romans 3:20 on the index card write, It made us aware of sin and on the next line of the index card, write Heb 10:1 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.
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4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 Ro 3:20 Heb 10:1 The Law is given. It was given to Israel. Purposes of the Law It made us aware of Sin.

Hebrews 10:1. The Law is only a shadow of the good things that are comingnot the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Again, we see what the Law could not do in this passage, which we will come back to soon. However, What does this passage say the Law did?

This one may be a little tricky, because of its wording. This passage claims that the Law is only a shadow of the good things to come and not the realities themselves. Do you think you could pick your shadow out of a crowd of shadows? Some may say yes, and some may say no. yourself out of a photograph? Why? Would it be easier to pick Photographs show close to a complete

representation of a person, while a shadow only offers a vague reflection. We may be able to pick out our shadow if we are comparing it to people of different heights or sizes. However, if we are near people of relative height and weight, it might be difficult. What does this have to do with the Law? We have previously discussed the holiness of God and how we, who are unholy, cannot be in a relationship with Him unless we are made holy (pg. 34-35). The Law may not have been able to fulfill the promise, making us holy and bringing us back into an intimate relationship with God, but it allowed people to have a shadow of this relationship to come. It was not the reality, as this passage says. It was merely a shadow, but it at least offered a shadow of the great things to come. God was not able to dwell within each individual through the Law, as offered in the New Testament, or cleanse people of their sins. However, God dwelled near the people in the temple or tabernacle (Exodus 40:33-38) and His followers sin were left unpunished awaiting the Messiah (Romans 3:25). The Law shadowed the good things to come, allowing Gods people to have a type of relationship with Him until the promise was
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fulfilled. It gave a taste of the good things to come and provided a longing for more. Across from Hebrews 10:1 on the index card write, It shadowed the good things to come and on the next line of the index card, write Gal 3:17-25 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 Ro 3:20 Heb 10:1 Gal 3:17-25 The Law is given. It was given to Israel. Purposes of the Law It made us aware of Sin. It shadowed the good to come.

Galatians 3:17-25. What I mean is this: The Law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. 19. What, then, was the purpose of the Law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The Law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20. A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. 21. Is the Law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the Law. 22. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the Law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24. So the Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law.

This is a great passage that helps to explain the roles of the Promise, the Law, and Christ. In this passage, we can see two more purposes of the Law. What was the purpose of the Law, according to this passage? Verse 19 says, It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the Promise referred had come (capitalization mine). The Law was a temporary solution for sin until Christ came and paid the price for our sin. It provided Gods people with a way to show their faith to
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God, by obeying the Law, and allowed animal and other sacrifices to be made when the Law was broken. It is similar to wrapping a wound to stop the bleeding until you can see a doctor and get the treatment you need. Therefore this passage teaches that the Law was a temporary solution for sin. Later, in verse 24, we read: So the Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith (capitalization mine). Here, we learn that another purpose of the Law was to lead us to Christ. Take your Bible and place it on the far right side of the table (if you have extra cards, you can write GOD on one instead). Now, use the back of cards 1, 2, & 4 and write MAN on one, THE LAW on another, and CHRIST on the last one as illustrated below.

This Bible will represent God, and these cards represent mankind, the Law, and Christ. Remove The Law and CHRIST from the table and begin by placing MAN next to GOD. We are all created in Gods image and have a relationship with Him. But eventually we all sin. So, because of sin, man is separated from God. Illustrate as shown below.

However, God promises that He will bless mankind, and in so doing announced the gospel in advance that we would be brought back into a relationship with Him. The Law is then instituted; but its purpose is not to reunite us with God, but to lead us to Christ. Place the LAW card onto the MAN card and move them to the CHRIST card as illustrated below.

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The Law did not fail to bring us to God; it was simply never meant to. Its purpose was to bring us to Christ. Once this occurred, the Law had fulfilled its purpose and was no longer needed. Take the LAW card off the table. Christ, who was greater than the Law, was now able to reunite us with God. Move both the CHRIST and MAN cards to GOD, represented by the Bible, as illustrated below.

This illustrates what was revealed in Galatians 3:17-25. The Law was put in effect to lead us to Christ. When Christ came, the Law was fulfilled and was no longer necessary. Christ then reunited man with God through His sacrifice as we will discuss in our next lesson. You may ask, How did the Law bring us to Christ? Weve actually detailed this already in our discussion on Romans 3:20. The Law made us aware of our sin, and the need to be made holy. It taught us that we were sinful and helped us to realize that we can never be holy by our own means. It also shadowed the good things to come as we discussed in Hebrews 10:1, and helped us see our need for a savior. By accomplishing these things, the Law helped to prepare mankind for the coming of Christ. We learn another interesting fact from verse twenty-five of this text. Here we read, Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law. (capitalization mine). Once you saw a doctor and had your wound mended with

stitches, what would be the purpose or value of the wrap you used earlier? Why? The wrap would become useless, because something better had come. It would have fulfilled its purpose by managing the bleeding until you were able to receive stitches. Now that
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you have properly bandaged the wound, it is no longer necessary. This is true with the Law, as well. It dealt with sin temporarily until the Great Physician came (Luke 4:23, Matthew 9:12-13) and healed us of sin, making the Law unnecessary. So, according to this passage, since Christ has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law. Many people do not realize that, even though the Ten Commandments and other portions of the Law were needed at the time, we are no longer under them today. This is just a side point that I thought was necessary to bring out in this passage. However, for our study, we see that the purpose of the Law was to temporarily deal with sin until Christ came, and it was put into effect to lead us to Christ. Many people will be If they

shocked to hear that we are not under the Ten Commandments anymore.

understand and agree with this by reading this passage in Galatians, then move on to the green section. However, if this raises questions, continue with the following texts that support this teaching. You may also choose to go over the chart below that illustrates how nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament (excluding the Sabbath). Matthew 5:17 says, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. In this passage, we see that the Law was not simply abolished, but it was fulfilled. Jesus fulfilled the Law and it was therefore no longer necessary. Ephesians 2:14-18 states, For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the Law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (capitalization mine). In this passage we see that Jesus was able to bring near to God those who were far away. Through the cross, we can now have access to the Father. It also says that He abolished the Law with it commandments and regulations in His flesh. This is repeated, even more clearly and emphatically, in Colossians 2:13-14: When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God
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made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. This passage emphatically says that Jesus nailed the Law to the cross. It has been canceled and taken away. Lastly, Romans 7:4 says, So, my brothers, you also died to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God (capitalization mine). This passage confirms that we also have died to the Law through the body of Christ. We belong to Christ and not to the Law. These passages reveal that when Jesus came the Law had fulfilled its purpose and, by dying on the cross, Jesus ceased the reign of the Law. So, if we are no longer under the Law, does that mean we can lie, steal, commit murder, and break all the other Ten Commandments? No, in fact nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament. Do

you know which commandment is not continued under the New Covenant? As New Testament Christians, we are no longer required to keep the Sabbath day. Below is a chart that lists the nine commandments that are repeated in the New Testament.

Commandment
You shall have no other gods before me You shall not make or worship an idol You shall not misuse the name of the lord Honor your father and Mother You shall not murder You shall not commit adultery You shall not steal You shall not give false testimony You shall not covet your neighbors house

New Testament
Matthew 4:10, 6:24 1 corinthians 10:14 1 timothy 6:1 Colossians 3:20 1 Peter 4:15 / 1 John 3:15 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Ephesians 4:28 Colossians 3:9 Luke 12:15

Many times in the New Testament, Jesus and his disciples are accused of violating the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-2, Luke 6:6-11). However, Jesus states in Matthew 12:8 that The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. We have already looked at

Colossians 2:13-14 which says that Jesus cancelled the written code, nailing it to the cross. Later, in verses 16-17, we read Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what
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you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath Day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality; however, is found in Christ. So, now that the Law has been nailed to the cross, do not let anyone judge you in regard to the Sabbath day. This is the clearest the Bible could be on this point. Now that reality has come in Christ, the shadows of the Law (which include the Sabbath day along with festivals, and animal sacrifices) are no longer necessary. This is repeated in Galatians 4:8-11, when Paul asks Christians why they are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? He says they are observing special days and he fears he may have wasted his efforts on them. Hopefully, we can agree now that we are no longer under the Law. While nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament, we are not under the Sabbath, nor do we offer animal sacrifices. Going back to our passage in Galatians 3:17-15, we discovered that the Law temporarily dealt with sin and it led us to Christ. Across from Galatians 3:17-25 on the index card write, It dealt with sin and brought us to Christ as illustrated below.

4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 Ro 3:20 Heb 10:1 Gal 3:17-25 The Law is given. It was given to Israel. Purposes of the Law It made us aware of Sin. It shadowed the good to come. It dealt with sin and brought us to Christ.

To this point we have learned that the Law was given to Israel. It helped to make us aware of sin. It shadowed the good things that were to come when the Messiah came. It temporarily dealt with sin and it led us to Christ. Now that we have looked at the purposes of the Law, lets discuss in full its weaknesses, many of which we have already read about. In the center of the next line on the index card write the heading, Weaknesses of the Law and on the next line of the index card, write Ro 7:12-15 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

4. The Law
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Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 Ro 3:20 Heb 10:1 Gal 3:17-25 Ro 7:12-15

The Law is given. It was given to Israel. Purposes of the Law It made us aware of Sin. It shadowed the good to come. It dealt with sin and brought us to Christ. Weaknesses of the Law

Romans 7:12-15. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. 14. We know that the Law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

The Law is holy. It commands perfection. James 2:10 states, For whoever keeps the whole Law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it (capitalization mine). There is one problem with that. What problem

exists with the Law commanding perfection? The Law is perfect, but we are not. We have already established that everyone sins and falls short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Therefore, no one is perfect. Paul says in this passage that he sins. In verse fifteen, he says I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. This is the same Paul who made the statement, in 1 Corinthians 11:1, Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. Paul hated sin, yet he still struggled to completely rid his life of it. We are to strive for holiness, but we all stumble. Therefore, the first weakness of the Law is that no one could keep it because it required perfection. Across from Romans 7:12-15 on the index card write, No one could keep it and on the next line of the index card, write Heb 10:3-4, 11 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

4. The Law
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Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 Ro 3:20 Heb 10:1 Gal 3:17-25 Ro 7:12-15 Heb 10:3-4,11

The Law is given. It was given to Israel. Purposes of the Law It made us aware of Sin. It shadowed the good to come. It dealt with sin and brought us to Christ. Weaknesses of the Law No one could keep it.

Hebrews 10:3-4, 11. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4. because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 11. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. If you violated the Law, then you would make a sacrifice for your sin. What was the problem or weakness with the Law that we see in this passage? Verse four says It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. The Law could not take away sin. What did we say is the problem between man and God? Mans sin is what separates him from God (Isaiah 59:1-2) and the Law was incapable of removing that sin. This fact is repeated in verse eleven when it says that these sacrifices were repeated over and over, but they could never take away sin. Verse two of this same passage states that if the Law was able to cleanse us of our sin; then the offerings would not have to be repeated over and over again. So, another important weakness to the Law is that it could not take away sin. Across from Hebrews 10:3-4 on the index card write, It could not take away sin and on the next line of the index card, write Heb 7:18-19 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 Ro 3:20 The Law is given. It was given to Israel. Purposes of the Law It made us aware of Sin.
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Heb 10:1 Gal 3:17-25 Ro 7:12-15 Heb 10:3-4,11 Heb 7:18-19

It shadowed the good to come. It dealt with sin and brought us to Christ. Weaknesses of the Law No one could keep it. It could not take away sin.

Hebrews 7:18-19. The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19. (for the Law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

This passage says that the Law, referred to as the former regulation, was weak and useless. What weakness is described in this passage? It says that

it could not make anything perfect. God is perfect and holy and we are not. In order for us to be in relationship with Him we need to be made perfect and holy and the Law was unable to accomplish this. However, in Christ a better hope is introduced that allows us to draw near to God. We read this same point earlier in Hebrews 10:1, which stated that the Law can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Therefore, we have learned that the three great weaknesses of the Law are that no one could keep it, it could not take away sin, and, lastly, it could not make anything perfect. Across from Hebrews 7:18-19 on the index card write, It could not make anything perfect as illustrated below.

4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 Ro 3:20 Heb 10:1 Gal 3:17-25 Ro 7:12-15 The Law is given. It was given to Israel. Purposes of the Law It made us aware of Sin. It shadowed the good to come. It dealt with sin and brought us to Christ. Weaknesses of the Law No one could keep it.
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Heb 10:3-4,11 Heb 7:18-19

It could not take away sin. It could not make anything perfect.

As you summarize this lesson, point to the line of the card that contains the information you are talking about. Hopefully this lesson has helped to explain the purpose of the Law and how it fits into the plan of our salvation. The Law was given through Moses to Israel (Exodus 20:1-7, Deuteronomy 4:1,13). It did not come to all nations and was not the fulfillment of the promise. Without looking

at your card, what were the purposes of the Law that we discussed? The Law made us aware of sin (Romans 3:20), shadowed the good things to come (Hebrews 10:1), temporarily dealt with sin, and led us to Christ (Galatians 3:17-25). After Christ came, the Law was fulfilled and was no longer necessary. Without looking

at your card, what were the weaknesses of the Law that we discussed? No one could keep the Law (Romans 7:12-15), it could not take away sin (Hebrews 10:3-4,11), and it could not make anything perfect (Hebrews 7:18-19). In our next lesson we will look at the fulfillment of the Promise. Remember to end this session with a prayer.

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Lesson 5 The Fulfillment of the Promise

It is important to begin each week with a review of what you have learned so far in your study together. Turn to the Reference section of the book that contains the lesson summaries on page ninety-one and review lessons one through four. In this lesson we will learn about the fulfillment of the great Promise, which came about through Jesus Christ. On the first line of the index card write the number 5. and The Fulfillment of the Promise and on the next line of the index card, write Mt 1:1-17 (17) on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person you are studying with to read this passage. You do not have to read this entire passage. Feel free to read only the first four verses. Then, later you will read verse 17 together.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17)

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What is this passage about? If they say it is a genealogy, make sure they recognize that it is a record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ (vs. 1). If you are like me, many times I would skip genealogies when reading the Bible. They are usually long and have a lot of names that are difficult to pronounce. What is the point of genealogies? Genealogies allow you to trace your descendants. Some people can trace their family history to famous people in history. Do you know of any famous or interesting people in your familys lineage? After they respond, read verse seventeen together. What is the significance of this genealogy? This genealogy connects Jesus to Abraham. If you dont mind writing in your Bible, circle Abrahams name in verse 2 and Jesus name in verse 16. You can also connect these with a line, if you wish, as illustrated above. The whole point of this passage is to show that Jesus was Abrahams descendant. Why is this so important? As weve discussed numerous times in this series, God promised Abraham that his Seed (or one of his descendants) would bless all nations (Genesis 22:18). Galatians 3:8 states that this promise announced the gospel in advance. Therefore, the gospel of Matthew begins by proving that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham by tracing his father, Joseph, back to Abraham. Now, it must be pointed out that Jesus was conceived through the Spirit and was not truly Joseph and Marys child biologically (Matthew 1:18-23). However, to all those who knew Him, He was viewed as the son of Joseph, the carpenter, and Mary (Matthew 13:53-58). He was born, through the Holy Spirit, into this family as the fulfillment of the Promise made to Abraham. Across from Matthew 1:1-17 (17) on the index card write, Jesus was Abrahams Descendant and on the next line of the index card, write 1 Pe 1:18-20 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant.

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1 Peter 1:18-20. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19. but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. What would you do if you received one million dollars? Let them answer and then, What would you be willing to do for this

amount of money? For instance, would you be willing to move to a foreign country for 20 years and not talk to any of your family or friends during that time? Would you kill someone if you were guaranteed not to be caught? Money is able to

purchase many different things, but, according to this passage, what can it not do? Money cannot redeem us. What does the term redeem mean? The Interpreters Dictionary defines redemption as something lost or alienated from its owner restored through payment. Websters defines redeem as to ransom, free, or rescue by paying a price or to convert into something of value. We do not use this term very often. The one instance we use this term most often is in connection to coupons. You can redeem your coupons at a store and receive money back. In this process, something that has no value of itself is given value. Therefore, in this passage we see that money could not redeem us or restore our value. It could not ransom us or settle the debt our sin had caused and restore us to our original owner. Many people look to wealth for happiness in this life and never find it. Look at the many famous actors and singers who are wealthy but who struggle with drugs, divorce, and even commit suicide, despite their wealth. salvation. Money cannot guarantee happiness in this life and it cannot purchase our According to this passage, what does redeem us? Only the

blood of Christ is able to redeem us. He cleanses us of our sin and, in essence, restores our value. Now then, notice when it says that Christ was chosen to be the payment for our sins. When does it say Christ was chosen to fulfill this role?

Before the creation of the world, Christ was chosen. How amazing is it to think that before God created us or anything else in this world, He knew that we would ultimately
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turn against Him; yet He loved us so much that He chose to offer Jesus as our sacrifice, before we were even created? Christ was not plan B. After man sinned, God didnt struggle throughout the Old Testament to find a way to bring about our salvation, only to finally realize that Christ would have to be sacrificed. The Law wasnt a failed attempt to bring about our salvation. God chose Christ as our salvation before the creation of the world. When man sinned, God worked throughout the Old Testament to prepare us for the coming of Christ. Jesus was Abrahams descendant yet He was chosen before the creation of the world. Across from 1 Peter 1:18-20 on the index card write, He was chosen before creation and on the next line of the index card, write Heb 10:5-7 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation.

Hebrews 10:5-7. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me; 6. with burnt offerings and sin offerings You were not pleased. 7. Then I said, Here I amit is written about Me in the scrollI have come to do Your will, O God. Again, this passage teaches that the sacrifices in the Old Testament were not sufficient to take away our sins, and therefore Christ came to fulfill the will of God. What do you notice about Christs attitude toward being this sacrifice? Jesus volunteered. Notice He says, Here I am in verse seven. Jesus was not forced to come to earth and take our sins; He willingly chose to be our sacrifice. In John 10:17-18, we read: The reason my Father loves Me is that I lay down My life - only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father (capitalization mine). Christ loved us to the point that He was willing to volunteer to pay the price for our sins. No one forced Jesus to die on the cross; He willingly laid His life down for us. Across from Hebrews 10:5-7 on the index card write, He volunteered to
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be our sacrifice and on the next line of the index card, write 2 Co 5:20-21 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 2 Co 5:20-21 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation. He volunteered to be our sacrifice.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21. We are therefore Christs ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christs behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. According to verse 21, how much sin did Jesus have? Jesus had no sin. Hebrews 4:14-15 says, Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are yet was without sin (capitalization mine). This verse shows that Jesus was tempted in every way. He has experienced the same temptations as we have, yet He never sinned. Why is it important that Jesus had no sin? If they are unsure how to answer this question, continue with the following questions. If they answer correctly, skip to the green section. What were the results of sin we discussed in

our second study? The wages of sin is death. It separates us from God and enslaves us. If Jesus sinned, then what would He deserve? He would have

deserved death, just as we do. He could not offer to pay for our sins, because He would have sins of His own that needed to be paid for. However, since Jesus did not sin, He did not deserve death. He willingly died as a payment for our sins. In fact, this passage says He became sin for us. Jesus ransomed us. Is it possible for a slave to

free Himself? No, he can try to run away, but he could never truly free himself, because he does not have the ability to pay the price for his freedom. If a slave is to be freed, someone must come and pay the price for his freedom. Similarly, we know that, by
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sinning, we became slaves to sin (John 8:34). We were therefore slaves to sin, and unable to free ourselves. Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life without sin, and then offered to purchase our freedom. However, the payment for our sins was death. Because He was sinless, He did not deserve death, but offered His life as a payment for our sins. He who had no sin became sin for us. He took on our sin and the punishment that came with it. In Galatians 3:13, we read: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. The perfect and sinless Son of God became a curse for us; He became sin for us so in order to pay the price for our sin. Across from 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 on the index card write Jesus was sinless but took our sin and on the next line of the index card, write Heb 9:27-28 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 2 Co 5:20-21 Heb 9:27-28 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation. He volunteered to be our sacrifice. Jesus was sinless but took our sin.

Hebrews 9:27-28. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28. so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. According to this passage, what are two things we can be certain will happen to us (if Christ does not come back before we die)? We can be certain that we will die and we will have to face God in judgment. Death is not

something most people like to think about, however it impacts us all. Eventually, we all die and face God in judgment. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13, we read: Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. Why should Christians not fear or mourn death like

the rest of men? Because if you have been saved by Christ, then death is not to be feared,
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because we know that we will be reunited with God. We will discuss this in more detail later in this card and in the next lesson as well. What does this

passage say concerning the sacrifice of Christ? Christ was sacrificed one time. Unlike the sacrifices of the Old Testament that were repeated again and again, and were unable to take away sin (Hebrews 10:1), Christs one sacrifice offers salvation to all. John 3:16 says that God loved the world so much that He gave His Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. This passage reaffirms that Christ offers salvation to all who believe in Him, without distinction of gender, age, or nationality. Across from Hebrews 9:27-28 on the index card write, Jesus 1 Sacrifice = salvation to all and on the next line of the index card, write Heb 9:15-17 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 2 Co 5:20-21 Heb 9:27-28 Heb 9:15-17 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation. He volunteered to be our sacrifice. Jesus was sinless but took our sin. Jesus 1 sacrifice = salvation to all.

Hebrews 9:15-17. For this reason Christ is the mediator of a New Covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritancenow that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16. In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17. because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. In this passage, we see that Christ brought about a New Covenant. He ended the Old Covenant (Romans 10:4) and established the New. Under the New Covenant, salvation is offered to all people through the sacrifice of Christ. When did this New Covenant go into effect? It went into effect once Jesus died. Look at verse 15 again, For this reason Christ is the mediator of a New Covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant (emphasis
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mine). This Scripture clearly states that this covenant went into effect after Jesus death ransomed us. Go back to card number 3, entitled The Promise. On the back of this card we made a will. In this will, I was to give _________ to _________, _________ to

__________, and _______ to _________. Fill in these blanks with the objects and people you wrote down on your card. This will was notarized to authenticate and seal it, resembling circumcision that was the seal of Gods covenant with Abraham. However, these things still belonged to me, why? Besides the fact that this is simply a pretend will, these things would still be mine because I am still alive. When would the will go into effect? It would go into effect upon my death and, at that time, the possessions would be transferred to those described in the will. Write DEATH over the will to emphasize this, as illustrated below.

Looking back at verses sixteen and seventeen of Hebrews chapter nine, we see that Jesus bringing in the New Covenant is compared to a will and therefore it did not go into effect until after Jesus died. Therefore this passage teaches that the New Covenant did not go into effect until after Jesus death.
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Read the next section prior to

your study and decide if you would like to go over this information with the person you are studying with or if you want to skip it. This information reconfirms the point that the New Testament did not go into effect until after Jesus death and discusses in advance how the criminal on the cross was saved before the New Covenant went into effect. This is important for people who believe that belief alone is sufficient for salvation, as they often point to the criminal on the cross as an example of someone who was saved without being baptized. The following information deals with this conflict in advance in a way that is non-confrontational. If you do not wish to go over this material, skip forward to the green section. In the Old Covenant, people were saved by faith in God and the coming Messiah, shown through their obedience to the Law. Under the New Covenant, people are saved by faith through the Messiah who has already come. However, while Jesus was on earth, we see another possible means of salvation. In Luke 7:36-50, a sinful woman comes to Jesus and begins to clean His feet, using her tears as water and her hair as a towel. The Pharisee who was with Jesus could not believe that He was allowing this sinful woman to do this. Jesus then told the woman that her many sins have been forgiven (vs. 47). In this instance, we see a womans sins forgiven after she washed Jesus feet with her tears and her hair. In Mark 2:1-12, a paralyzed man is lowered into the room with Jesus through the roof by four men. Jesus sees their faith and tells the paralyzed man Son, your sins are forgiven (vs. 5). The teachers of the Law thought that Jesus was

blaspheming, since God is the only one who could forgive sins. Jesus then asks, in verse nine, which is easier for Him to say to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up, take your mat and walk? Jesus then says, in verses ten through eleven, But that you may know that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins, He said to the paralytic, I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home. In verse twelve, we read: He got up, took up his mat, and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God saying, We have never seen anything like this(capitalization mine). heal the paralyzed man? Why do you think Jesus didnt simply Why tell him his sins were forgiven? Jesus used this

opportunity to show that He had the power to forgive sins. If He falsely claimed to be
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able to forgive sins, God would not have worked through Him, and the paralyzed man would not be healed. The miracle confirmed the fact that Jesus had the power to forgive sins. In the first instance, a woman who washes Jesus feet with her tears and hair has her sins forgiven. In the second passage a paralyzed mans sins are forgiven because of his faith (and also the faith of his friends), but also to show to those around that Jesus had the ability to forgive sins. Is this the normal example of salvation? Can we wash someones feet with our tears and hair or lower a paralyzed man through a roof and have our sins forgiven? Of course not, so what we see in these passages is that, while Jesus was on earth, He had the power to forgive sins any way He wanted to. In another example of this, Jesus told the criminal on the cross Today you will be with Me in paradise(capitalization mine) after the criminal asked Jesus to Remember me when you come into your kingdom (Luke 23:42-43). This was the last person to be saved by Christ before the New Covenant went into effect. He was saved by Jesus, before His death in a similar manner to the sinful woman and paralyzed man. So we see that while Jesus was on earth He could forgive sins any way He wanted to and after His death the New Covenant went into effect. Across from Hebrews 9:15-17 on the index card write, New Covenant in effect at Jesus death and on the next line of the index card, write Rev 1:17-18 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 2 Co 5:20-21 Heb 9:27-28 Heb 9:15-17 Rev 1:17-18 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation. He volunteered to be our sacrifice. Jesus was sinless but took our sin. Jesus 1 sacrifice = salvation to all. New Covenant in effect at Jesus death.

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Revelation 1:17-18. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed His right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the first and last. 18. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. In this passage, who appeared to John, the author of this book? A specific name is not given, however we see that He is the first and last, He was dead and is now alive forever. Now, others besides Jesus were raised from the dead (John 11:38-44, Matthew 27:50-53), however Jesus is the only one who was raised from the dead and is alive for ever and ever. He never again experienced death. What does Jesus tell John that He has? He holds the keys of death and Hades. Now then, completely understanding Hades may take an entire lesson of its own. Some view it as the place of torment after death for those who are not saved while others view it as the place of the dead which is divided into two sections: Paradise and torment. In this description the latter view is taken but you can feel free to adapt it if you hold the alternate opinion. It is often mistakenly translated as Hell which is a completely different place. Hell is the eternal place of torment for those outside of Christ. In Luke 16:19-31, we read the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the beggar. Both of these men die and enter the place of the dead (Hades). However, Lazarus is in comfort, while the rich man is in torment. In verse 23, the term Hell is often used, however Bibles usually point out with a footnote that this is the word Hades. We also know that Jesus went to paradise after dying, with the criminal on the cross (Luke 23:43), however after He was raised from the dead, He told his disciples not to hold on to Him for He had not yet returned to the Father (capitalization mine) (John 20:17). So, we see that Jesus was in Paradise, but that He was not in Heaven with God, the Father. Jesus entered the place of the dead, Hades, and because He was raised from the dead for ever and ever, He destroyed the hold that it has over those who are dead. This is the message He gives to John in verse eighteen, I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. So, we see that Jesus conquered death, and holds the keys to its door. Across from Revelation 1:17-18 on the index card
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write, Jesus conquered death and on the next line of the index card, write 1 Co 15:55-57 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read. If the person you are studying with wants to study more about Hades, suggest that you wait until this series is completed and then you can research it more and study it together then.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 2 Co 5:20-21 Heb 9:27-28 Heb 9:15-17 Rev 1:17-18 1 Co 15:55-57 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation. He volunteered to be our sacrifice. Jesus was sinless but took our sin. Jesus 1 sacrifice = salvation to all. New Covenant in effect at Jesus death. Jesus conquered death.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? 16. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 17. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a great passage, because it is almost as if Paul is taunting death, when he says: Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting in verse fiftyfive. According to this passage, who can have victory over death?

Anyone can have victory over death through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Unless Jesus comes back in our lifetime, we will still experience death, but we will be in comfort like Lazarus in Luke 16:22, knowing that when Jesus comes we will be raised to eternal life with the Father (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Therefore this passage reveals that we also have victory over death through Jesus Christ. Across from 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 on the index card write, We have victory through Christ and on the next line of the index card, write 1 Co 15:3-5 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

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Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 2 Co 5:20-21 Heb 9:27-28 Heb 9:15-17 Rev 1:17-18 1 Co 15:55-57 1 Co 15:3-5

Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation. He volunteered to be our sacrifice. Jesus was sinless but took our sin. Jesus 1 sacrifice = salvation to all. New Covenant in effect at Jesus death. Jesus conquered death. We have victory through Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:3-5. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4. that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5. and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve. This passage contains the gospel message in a brief but complete manner. What are the three elements of the gospel message that Paul passes on as of first importance? On the back of this card, make a drawing symbolizing Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, as illustrated below. Make sure to only take up half of the card, because you will need the remaining space in our next lesson.

This is the power of our salvation: Jesus death, burial, and resurrection. This is what enables us to be freed from sin and rejoined with God. Notice that Jesus was raised to eternal life. Lazarus and others were raised from the dead, but Jesus was raised from the grave, never to experience death again. Paul also mentions that Jesus appeared to Peter
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and the other apostles. He even goes on, in the following verses, to point out that He appeared to more than five hundred others, confirming His resurrection. So, this passage displays the power of the gospel: Jesus death, burial, and resurrection. Across from 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 on the index card write, Jesus death, burial, & resurrection and on the next line of the index card, write Ac 4:12 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 2 Co 5:20-21 Heb 9:27-28 Heb 9:15-17 Rev 1:17-18 1 Co 15:55-57 1 Co 15:3-5 Ac 4:12 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation. He volunteered to be our sacrifice. Jesus was sinless but took our sin. Jesus 1 sacrifice = salvation to all. New Covenant in effect at Jesus death. Jesus conquered death. We have victory through Christ. Jesus death, burial, & resurrection

Acts 4:12. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. According, to this passage, how many other ways are there to be saved, besides through Jesus Christ? Zero, Salvation is found in NO ONE ELSE. We know that this passage refers to Jesus as the only name under Heaven by which we must be saved, because if you look in verse 10 of this passage, you see: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. Here, we see that Jesus is the subject entering into verse 12. Many people want to say that all paths lead to God. You can follow any other religion, or worship Buddha, Muhammad, or any other religious figure and they will lead to salvation. However, we see in this passage that this is not true. Jesus death paid the price for our sins. Jesus resurrection defeated death and its power over us. Therefore, salvation is only in Jesus
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Christ! Across from Acts 4:12 on the index card write, Salvation is ONLY in Christ as illustrated below.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 2 Co 5:20-21 Heb 9:27-28 Heb 9:15-17 Rev 1:17-18 1 Co 15:55-57 1 Co 15:3-5 Ac 4:12 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation. He volunteered to be our sacrifice. Jesus was sinless but took our sin. Jesus 1 sacrifice = salvation to all. New Covenant in effect at Jesus death. Jesus conquered death. We have victory through Christ. Jesus death, burial, & resurrection Salvation is ONLY in Christ

As you summarize this lesson, point to the line of the card that contains the information you are talking about. In our third lesson, we said that the first step that God took, in bringing about our salvation, was to make a promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed by his Seed or one of His descendants (Genesis 12:3, 22:18). In this lesson, we see Jesus as the fulfillment of this Promise. In Matthew 1:1-17, we discovered that Jesus was indeed a descendant of Abrahams, through his earthly father, Joseph. However, many people were descendants of Abraham, so how do we know that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise? Jesus was chosen before the creation of the world to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins, as we read in 1 Peter 1:18-20. We discussed from Hebrews 10:5-7 that Jesus willingly volunteered to be this sacrifice. We read 2

Corinthians 5:20-21 and discussed the importance of Jesus living without sin. Because He had no sin, Jesus did not deserve death and could offer His death as a sacrificial payment for our sins. In Hebrew 9:27-28, we learned that unlike the sacrifices in the Old Testament that were repeated over and over, Jesus one sacrifice offers salvation to all. His death paid the price for our sins. In Hebrews 9:15-17, we discovered that the New Covenant went into effect only after Jesus death. In Revelation 1:17-18, Jesus appeared to John, and told him that He was dead, but is now alive for ever and ever and He holds
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the keys of death and Hades. Jesus resurrection destroyed the hold that death had on us, and He now has the power to deliver us from death. We, therefore, have power over death through Christ, as seen in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, a brief but complete picture of the source of our salvation is portrayed: Jesus death, burial, and resurrection. Lastly, we discussed, after reading Acts 4:12, that Jesus is the only way to salvation. He, alone, offers freedom from sin. He, alone, can rejoin man with God, the Father. He, alone, has power over death. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Promise, and the only way by which we can be saved. In our next lesson we will discuss how we receive the salvation that is offered in Jesus Christ. Have you been saved? IF THEY SAY YES, then ask them to write out how they were saved before the next study and bring it with them. Ask them to share what they believed and what actions they took. You should also ask them to include the age they were at each event (this does not have to be exact, only an estimate is necessary). This will help in the next lesson, because many people will often change their story to fit with what is taught. If you can have them fully explain their salvation experience beforehand and have this available, this will help to prevent this conflict. You can volunteer to do the same thing and you can share your salvation experiences with each other, before starting the next lesson. However, if they are willing to do this on their own, dont offer to share the assignment. This will help to avoid comparing these examples prior to the lesson. IF THEY SAY NO, share that you will be studying about salvation in the next lesson. Remember to end this session with a prayer, and continue praying for the person you are studying with to be open to Gods message of salvation until your next study.

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Lesson 6 Accepting the Gift

I want to remind you that it is NOT your responsibility to save the person you are studying with; Jesus alone is the savior (Acts 4:12). It is not even your responsibility to convict the persons heart; the Holy Spirit does this (John 16:7-8). Your responsibility is only to share the good news. You teach; it is up to them to respond to the salvation offered by Christ, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. In the parable of the sower, in Matthew 13:3-8, the same sower cast similar seed over multiple soils, however many of the soils did not take the seed and produce healthy crops. One soil, however (the good soil), produced a great crop. The sower is responsible for sowing seed. The seed has the power to bring forth a great crop, but the soil must accept and nurture it. So, again, in this series you have been sowing the seed that has the power to produce a great change in a persons life, but it is up to them to accept and nurture the great salvation that is offered. Some of those you study with will respond immediately to the salvation that is offered. Some will never accept this great salvation. While, for others, this seed may just take a little more time to grow. The seed you planted by sharing the gospel with them will stay with them and continue to convict their hearts for the rest of their life. I have had a friend come and visit me, with whom I had not studied with or even seen for years, who was ready at that point to accept the gospel that was shared with him long ago. If the person you are studying with decides to obey the gospel at the end of this lesson, praise God! However, if they do not, continue to pray for him or her, because you never know when that might change. If the person you are studying with believed they had been saved, then use the following paragraph to guide you through a discussion on their salvation experience. If not, then skip to the next paragraph. Were you able to

write out your salvation experience since we met last? If not, have them describe it to you verbally. If so, read through it together and attempt to transfer this information onto a line chart. For example, perhaps someone will say they went to church as a child and raised their hand at a special service when they were eight years old to have Jesus come
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into their heart. Later on they went to a summer camp, around the age of twelve, where they truly dedicated themselves to Jesus. Then, when they were fourteen, they were baptized when they moved to a new church. You could transfer this information to a line chart as illustrated below.

Will you point out to me the point at which you were saved on this chart? You may be surprised that some people are unsure of the exact time in which they were saved. Later in this study, when you discuss how to accept salvation, you can compare what you learn from Scripture to what they have shared with you. If someone mentions that they were baptized, you should ask them how they were baptized (sprinkled, poured, or immersed) and why they were baptized (to join a specific church or denomination, as a sign of salvation that had already occurred, or for salvation). Sometimes people will change their salvation story to fit what is being taught in this lesson. Discussing this beforehand will give you a clear and honest picture of what they believe and what they have experienced. It is important to begin each week with a review of what you have learned so far in your study together. Turn to the Reference section of the book that contains the lesson summaries on page ninety-one and review lessons one through five. We have discovered throughout the previous lessons that although our sins separate us from God, He offers salvation to all through Christ. Today, we will discuss how to receive this great salvation offered through the New Covenant. On the first line of the index card write the number 6. and Accepting the Gift and on the next line of the index card, write Ro 6:23 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person you are studying with to read this passage.

6. Accepting the Gift

Ro 6:23
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Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Weve referred to this passage many times throughout this series to establish that the wages of sin is death. We discussed what a wage is. What is a

wage? A wage is a payment made in response to work that has been done. If you agree to pay me $10 per hour to work in your yard and I work three hours, then I deserve the wage of $30. If you apply this knowledge to this passage, then we see that our sinful actions cause us to deserve the payment of death. In contrast to this, eternal life is described as a gift. What is the difference between a wage and a gift?

A gift is not deserved or earned; it is free. A person earns their wage; gifts are freely given. It is possible for you to receive a gift that you could never payback. If someone gave you a million dollars, you would probably be extremely happy. However, you probably did not deserve it, and you most likely would never be able to pay that person back. So, while a wage is earned, a true gift is offered freely. There

is one exception or stipulation to every gift; do you know what it is? This may be a difficult question for many people to answer, while others may answer correctly very quickly that a gift can be accepted or rejected. If they answer correctly skip the next two questions. If not, continue by using the following example. Take your Bible or a pen in your hand and Lets say I was going to give this to you for free.

What would you have to do in order to have it? Sometimes people will say that they have to say thank you. It is nice to say thank you when you are given something, but it is possible to take a gift and not say this. Now, extend the Bible or pen you are offering and say, here, this is for free, it is a gift. The person you are studying with will most likely reach out and take the Bible or pen from you. Even though what I

was offering was free, what did you have to do in order to receive this gift? You had to reach out and take it. This is the exception, condition, or stipulation to every gift; it comes with a choice. Anytime someone offers you a gift, you have the ability to accept it or refuse it. If someone offers you something you do not want, for one reason or another, you can reject it. For example, I enjoy a free meal. If someone offers to pay for my
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meal, I accept it, smile, and say thank you. However, many times you may see friends or especially fathers and their adult sons refuse to let each other pay for their meal. They are being offered a gift of a free meal, but they choose to decline. Similarly, salvation is offered as a free gift. We do not deserve it, we could never earn it, and we can never pay God back. However, like any other gift, God does not force it upon us; we must be willing to accept it. So, this passage describes salvation as a gift, which brings about the question, how do we go about accepting this great gift? Across from Romans 6:23 on the index card write, Salvation is a gift! In the center of the next line on the index card write the heading, How Do I Accept Salvation? and on the next line of the index card, write Jn 3:16 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

6. Accepting the Gift

Ro 6:23 Jn 3:16
John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
According to this passage, what do you have to do in order to have eternal life? We must believe in Jesus. This in no way causes us to deserve salvation, but it is necessary for us to accept this great gift. Jesus said to Martha, in Matthew 11:25, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies (capitalization mine). Salvation is only offered through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). In order to be saved we must believe that Jesus is the son of God, that He came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, was raised from the dead, and that He offers salvation to all. The first step necessary for us to accept salvation is to believe. Across from John 3:16 on the index card write, Believe in Jesus and on the next line of the index card, write Ro 10:9-10 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

Salvation is a gift! How Do I Accept Salvation?

6. Accepting the Gift

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Ro 6:23 Jn 3:16 Ro 10:9-10

Salvation is a gift! How Do I Accept Salvation? Believe in Jesus.

Romans 10:9-10. That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. According to this passage, what else do you have to do to receive salvation? Make sure they answer, dont give them the answer. We must What does it mean to confess Jesus as confess, Jesus is Lord.

Lord? This cannot be just an empty statement. 1 Peter 3:15 says, But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord The term Lord means ruler. To confess Jesus as Lord means that you acknowledge Him as Lord and make a commitment in the presence of others to allow Jesus rule your life. This is a natural progression from the first step we discussed. If you truly believe Jesus is Lord, then you should be willing to confess that to others. This is not only a one time occurrence! We must continually be willing to confess Jesus as Lord. Colossians 2:6 says, So then, just as you received Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him (capitalization mine). We must continue to follow Jesus and share our faith in Him with others. If others ask if we believe in Jesus, we must be willing to answer, yes! Colossians 4:5-6 says, Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. We see in this passage that we must use the opportunities that God gives us to share our beliefs by confessing Him to others. Too often Christians let these opportunities go by without acting on them. This passage teaches that we must confess Jesus as Lord. Across from Romans 10:9-10 on the index card write, Confess Jesus as Lord and on the next line of the index card, write Ac 3:19 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

6. Accepting the Gift

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Ro 6:23 Jn 3:16 Ro 10:9-10 Ac 3:19

Salvation is a gift! How Do I Accept Salvation? Believe in Jesus. Confess Jesus as Lord.

Acts 3:19. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. We have already established that we must believe and confess to be saved. According to this passage, what else must we do to have our sins wiped out? We must repent. What does it mean to repent? If you break this word down, it literally means to change your mind, however, it means more than this. To repent is to make a complete change; to turn one hundred and eighty degrees from the life you used to live and to follow God. We see in this passage that we are to repent and Turn to God. Ephesians 4:22-28 says, You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing

something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. In this passage we are told to put off our old self, be made new in the attitude of our mind, and put on the new self. Why is it important for us to be made new in the attitude of our minds? To make a change, we must first make a mental decision. We must change what we think about and what our goals are. We must change ourselves inside before we can change ourselves outside. We follow this mental change with a change in our actions. This passage emphasizes the need for repentance in a Christian. In verse 28, we see that if someone stole before they were a Christian, they are not to steal any longer, but to work and share what they have. Acts 3:19 teaches that we
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must repent in order to have our sins wiped out. Across from Acts 3:19 on the index card write, Repent from sin as illustrated below.

6. Accepting the Gift

Ro 6:23 Jn 3:16 Ro 10:9-10 Ac 3:19 Salvation is a gift! How Do I Accept Salvation? Believe in Jesus. Confess Jesus as Lord. Repent from sin.

John 3:16 says we must believe, Romans 10:9-10 says we must confess, and Acts 3:19 states that we must repent. Which one of these should we do?

We must do all of them. As we have discussed before, we cannot add to or take away from Gods Word (Revelation 22:18-19), therefore we must follow it completely. There are people who believe that belief is all that matters. As long as you believe, it does not matter what you say or what you do. Other people teach that repentance is all that is important. As long as you are a good person, it does not matter what you believe. Others may teach that you simply have to confess Jesus as Lord in order to be saved. However, we must do all three of these in order to accept salvation. There is also one more thing that God requires in order for us to receive salvation. In our next few passages, we will discuss the role and importance of baptism. In the center of the next line on the index card write the heading, Baptism and on the next line of the index card, write Ac 2:3839 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

6. Accepting the Gift

Ro 6:23 Jn 3:16 Ro 10:9-10 Ac 3:19 Ac 2:38-39
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Salvation is a gift! How Do I Accept Salvation? Believe in Jesus. Confess Jesus as Lord. Repent from sin. Baptism

Acts 2:38-39. Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off for all whom the Lord our God will call. Before we discuss this passage, it is important to point out the context of this passage or what is happening when this is being said. The book of Acts begins soon after the resurrection of Christ. In Acts 1:9, we read of Jesus ascending into Heaven. In Acts 2:1-4, the Holy Spirit comes on the Apostles as Jesus had promised (John 14:15-17, Acts 1:5, 8). Peter, along with the other apostles, then speaks to the crowd on Pentecost. This is the first time that the gospel is preached under the New Covenant. He tells them that Jesus was accredited by God through the miracles He performed, but they crucified Him. However, God raised Him from the dead (Acts 2:22-24). Peter concludes, in verse thirtysix, by saying that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. When the people heard this they were cut to the heart and asked What shall we do (Acts 2:37)? This brings us to the passage we read; lets read it again. Read Acts 2:38-39). What does Peter tell the people to do? He tells them to repent and be baptized. There are many different teachings concerning the purpose of baptism. What does this passage say baptism is for? Again, make sure they answer this for themselves, even if you have to read it together multiple times. It says we are baptized into Jesus Christ For the forgiveness of sins. This is not what Im telling you, you read it for yourself. In our earlier lessons, what did we learn

was the problem between God and man? We all sin (Romans 6:23) and are therefore separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). This passage says that, in baptism, our sins are forgiven. If this is true, can we have our sins forgiven without being What else does this baptized? Not according to Gods Word.

passage say happens at our baptism? Read the passage again if necessary. We receive the Holy Spirit. In 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, we read: Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (capitalization
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mine). In this passage, we see that the Holy Spirit marks us as Gods children and is the mark or symbol of our salvation. This same message is repeated in 2 Corinthians 5:5 and Ephesians 1:13-14. Look at the will on the back of card number three again. Much like this will was sealed with the notarys seal, and the promise was sealed with circumcision, our salvation is sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit marks us as belonging to God, and promises us victory over death through Jesus Christ. This is not the only role of the Holy Spirit, but it is the role that is most significant to this study. A complete study on the Holy Spirit can be a later subject to study together if they are interested in learning more on Its role. So, in Acts 2:38-39 we learn that when we are baptized our sins are forgiven and we receive the Holy Spirit. Across from Acts 2:38-39 on the index card write, Forgiveness of sin & receive HS and on the next line of the index card, write Gal 3:26-27 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

6. Accepting the Gift

Ro 6:23 Jn 3:16 Ro 10:9-10 Ac 3:19 Ac 2:38-39 Gal 3:26-27 Salvation is a gift! How Do I Accept Salvation? Believe in Jesus. Confess Jesus as Lord. Repent from sin. Baptism Forgiveness of sin & receive HS.

Galatians 3:26-27. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. What does this passage say happens to us at baptism? It says that we are clothed in Christ upon our baptism. According to Acts

4:12, who is the only way of salvation? Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. As we discussed in the previous lesson, His death, burial, and resurrection are the power of our salvation. If Jesus is the only way to salvation, and baptism clothes No. We have already

us with Christ, can we be saved without being baptized?

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established that baptism is necessary for the forgiveness of our sins and to receive the Holy Spirit, but now we also see, in this passage, that it clothes us with Christ. Across from Galatians 3:26-27 on the index card write, Clothes us in Christ and on the next line of the index card, write Ro 6:3-7 on the far left side as illustrated below and ask the person to the left of the last reader to read.

6. Accepting the Gift

Ro 6:23 Jn 3:16 Ro 10:9-10 Ac 3:19 Ac 2:38-39 Gal 3:26-27 Ro 6:3-7 Salvation is a gift! How Do I Accept Salvation? Believe in Jesus. Confess Jesus as Lord. Repent from sin. Baptism Forgiveness of sin. Receive HS. Clothes us in Christ.

Romans 6:3-7. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2. By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3. Or dont you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4. We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5. If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. 6. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin 7. Because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

We have already discovered that baptism is for the forgiveness of sins, to receive the Holy Spirit, and to be clothed in Christ. It is therefore as essential (but no more essential) to accepting salvation as belief, confession, and repentance. This is confirmed in 1 Peter 1:21-24. In verse twenty, we read that eight people were saved on Noahs ark through water. Then, verses twenty-one through twenty-four state, And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus
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Christ who has gone into Heaven and is at Gods right hand with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him (capitalization mine). Twice in this passage it states that baptism saves you. Notice it is not the water that saves you, but it is the resurrection of Jesus Christ combined with the commitment you are making in this act, that brings about your salvation. You may ask yourself, why baptism? Why be dunked or fully immersed (literal definition of baptism) under water. The simple answer for many is, Because God said so. There are probably many Christians who understand that baptism is commanded and believe it is necessary for salvation, but who never understood why God chose this act as part of the salvation process. If God said spin in circles, you spin in circles. While this type of belief is not wrong, Romans 6:3-7 helps us to see why God may have chosen baptism to be part of accepting salvation. Find card number five and look at the back of it that has the drawing that symbolizes Jesus death, burial, and resurrection. Remember, we said that Jesus death, burial, and resurrection were the power of our salvation. In verse three of this passage we see that we are baptized into Jesus death. Directly under the drawing of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, draw a box filled with water and a person standing in the water. Write sin in the water, and draw an arrow from the cross symbolizing Jesus death to the word sin. Just as Jesus died, in baptism we die to sin. Mark out the word sin with an x to symbolize this, as illustrated below.

In fact, in verse six, it says that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with. In baptism we participate in Jesus death; just as Christ died, we die to sin. In verse four, we read that we are buried with Jesus in
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baptism. Draw the man sideways, symbolizing his burial in baptism, and draw an arrow from the tomb symbolizing Jesus burial to the man being baptized as illustrated below.

Notice that our baptism is a burial, not a sprinkling or a pouring. As was pointed out earlier, the word baptism literally means to be dunked or full immersed in water. Jesus was crucified for our sins and in baptism we put to death our old self, which was focused on sin. Jesus was buried, and we are buried with Christ in baptism. Now, in verse five, we read If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. This states that we join in Jesus resurrection through baptism. Draw the man standing in the water and an arrow pointing up toward the arrow that symbolizes Jesus resurrection.

I believe we see the answer to the question: why baptism? Our baptism is a reenactment of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection. It demonstrates our belief in the power of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection to save us. By putting to death our old self that was a slave to sin, we confess Jesus as Lord and demonstrate our commitment to repent from sin. We
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die with Christ, we are buried with Him, and we share in His resurrection. We are indeed clothed with Christ, as we discussed in Galatians 3:26-27. As we read in 1 Peter 3:21, it is not the water that saves us. If we go through the act of baptism without believing in Jesus, then we have simply gotten wet. However, when we combine our belief,

confession, and repentance with baptism, we receive the promised salvation that Christ offers. Baptism is a participation in Jesus death, burial, and resurrection. Across from Romans 6:3-7 on the index card write, Participate in Jesus death, burial, & resurrection as illustrated below.

6. Accepting the Gift

Ro 6:23 Jn 3:16 Ro 10:9-10 Ac 3:19 Ac 2:38-39 Gal 3:26-27 Ro 6:3-7 Salvation is a gift! How Do I Accept Salvation? Believe in Jesus. Confess Jesus as Lord. Repent from sin. Baptism Forgiveness of sin. Receive HS. Clothes us in Christ. Participate in Jesus death, burial, and resurrection.
Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God; that He died for your sins and was raised from the dead? If they say no, discuss why they answered this way. If they say yes, Are you willing to confess Him as Lord? If Are

they say no, discuss why they answered this way. If they say yes,

you willing to repent and live your life for Jesus? If they say no, discuss why they answered this way. Remind them that there is nothing more valuable than having a relationship with Jesus. If they say yes, Then, are you willing to be baptized in water, to participate in Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, having your sins washed away, and receiving the Holy Spirit? At this point they may want to be baptized immediately. They may understand that they are not saved without being baptized but still choose not to be baptized. Many times you can sense that a person is interested in accepting salvation through baptism, but something is holding them back. They may
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have questions about who has to be there and what exactly is involved. Encourage them that they do not have to have the whole congregation present unless that is what they want. It can be just the two of you, or they can invite their family and friends to come. Talk with them, listen, and try to see what might be holding them back. Do not over push or try negative reinforcement, such as: Do you want to go to hell? This will only distance them from you. If the person you are studying with believed they had been saved, then use the following two paragraphs to guide you through some of the conflicts that may arise. If not, skip to the last paragraph. Point out the differences between their salvation experience and what you studied together. Praise them for the things they have done correctly and encourage them to do what they know now they should do. FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE HAS ALREADY BELIEVED AND CONFESSED - say, You have already shared with me that you believe in Jesus and have confessed Him as Lord, what is keeping you from repenting of your sins and being baptized for the forgiveness of your sins? If someone has been baptized, you should have already found out at what age and for what purpose they were baptized. Compare this information to what you have studied. FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE WAS BAPTIZED AS AN INFANT, you would want to point out that you studied in card number two that young children do not have sin and, therefore, they are not separated from God and do not need to be baptized to be saved by Christ. Is an infant able to believe in

God, repent of their sins, or confess Jesus as Lord? No, they cannot and they are also unable to make a decision to be baptized. You can use the following illustration to help in this circumstance. Lets say I was studying with you and you had never before been baptized. You believed in Jesus and were willing to confess and repent, but not be baptized. Is this sufficient for receiving salvation? Not according to

the many Scriptures we looked at today. So, I pleaded with you over and over, but you were not willing. Remember, this is just an example. Finally, I hit you over the head and knocked you unconscious. I tied you up and drove you to a lake, swimming pool or baptistry. At this point, you awake and are struggling to get free, maybe even crying as I force you under the water and back up again. Then I untied you or I left and called
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someone to untie you so you would not beat me up. been saved, after all, you were baptized? Most people will say no.

Now, have you

Why not? Your baptism was not because of your faith in Jesus. You did not choose to accept Him through baptism. I took you by force and immersed you in water. Now, how is this different than baptizing an infant? True, we dont tie babies up when we baptize them. But, we take them, even though they have no idea what is happening, and they may be crying or even struggling against us through the process. Then we sprinkle or pour water over them, which are not the type of baptism we read of in the New Testament, and we declare they have been saved. How does this

compare with the process of salvation that we studied today? Let them answer, then again Do you want to be baptized, knowing that you are choosing

Christ as your savior and allowing Him to wash away your sins and reunite you with God? Now, there are many of these types of examples, and I will not be able to cover them all in this book, but one last example that occurs often is IF SOMEONE HAS BEEN BAPTIZED BUT THEY ORIGINALLY SAID IT WAS FOR A PURPOSE OTHER THAN RECEIVING SALVATION. Some of this information will also be helpful with the previous example of someone who was baptized as an infant. Many times people will want to alter their original description of their baptism to agree with what you have studied together. This is why you were to discuss this in detail

beforehand. Remind them of what they said or even wrote down for you earlier. Then read 1 Peter 3:18-22 together. We discussed this passage earlier in this lesson. We saw that baptism was compared to Noah and the flood, in which eight people were saved by water. Verse twenty-one says that this water symbolizes baptism which saves us.

However it says that it is not the removal of dirt from the body, but our pledge toward God combined with the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We get wet many times: we take baths, we swim, and do other activities that involve water. The difference between these immersions into water and baptism for salvation is the purpose behind it. Water does not save us; Jesus saves us. When we are baptized in response to our faith in Him, believing He has the power to save us from our sin, confessing Him as Lord, and
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repenting from our old life of sin, then the blood of Christ purifies us from our sin. If we are immersed in water for any other reason, we are just wet. This is a question only you can answer. Be honest. Where you baptized into Christ for the

forgiveness of your sins? If they are not sure, then encourage them to remove all doubt by taking that step today. If, after you talk for a while, something still holds them back or they want to think about what you have studied for a while, suggest that you have another study in a few days. During this time, encourage them to read over what you have already studied together and pray that God will give them wisdom and courage to obey the gospel. Tell them that they can call, text, or message you any time with questions, if they just want to talk or if they decide to be baptized into Christ. If they decide to be baptized, discuss who they would like to do this, and who they want to be present. After they have obeyed the gospel, help them to grow in Christ; get together and continue to study and pray together. If they are not interested and dont want to continue to study, tell them thank you for studying with them and close in a prayer. If they are interested in a follow up study, set a time and tell them you will look at the examples of those saved in the New Testament and go over any of their questions once youve had time to study them. Remember to close with a prayer. Whatever the result, know that you have planted the seed of the gospel in their heart, and if they open their heart, it will convict them.

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Optional Follow-up Study Examples of Salvation in Acts

This lesson provides a follow up study if the person you are studying with was not quite yet ready to obey the gospel, but was interested in studying more about it. You should start by answering any questions they had at the end of the study that you have now researched. Next, ask them if they have any new questions, and try to answer them. Never be afraid to say that you dont know the answer to a question, and tell them that you will study and get back with them as soon as you can. After you have done this, you can study together the examples of people saved under the New Covenant that are recorded in the book of Acts. You will read the provided passages of Scripture together and mark what actions the person took in order to be saved. If the passage says that the person believed, then write the verse that states this in the square for belief. If the passage states that the person repented, then write the verse that says so in the square for repentance, and so on. At the end of the study, you will notice that some Scriptures mention belief, some mention repentance, but all indicate that the person was baptized. It is also important to mark down when the person was baptized. This helps to point out that when people were convicted by their belief in Jesus, they responded by immediately obeying the gospel. Please point out that just because the passage does not say that a person believed, confessed or repented, does not mean that they did not do these things; it is simply not recorded. However, the presence of baptism in every passage illustrates its importance in the plan of salvation. In the end, the main purpose of this study is to give the person you are studying with another chance to share with you what may be keeping them from obeying the gospel message, and for them to make the decision to accept salvation by believing, confessing, repenting, and being baptized into Christ. Use the instructions above to guide the person through the provided card. Step by step instructions will not be provided as in other chapters. The last passage that you will read together is from an alternate account of Pauls conversion. Ask them the same question that was posed to

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Paul. that you care.

What are you waiting for? Do this in love, and let them see

Regardless of the results, continue to pray for this person, and let them know that you are always available to them if they ever have any questions or if they come to the decision to put on Christ in baptism. If they obey the gospel, help them to grow in Christ; get together and continue to study and pray together. It is important to begin each week with a review of what you have learned so far in your study together. Turn to the Reference section of the book that contains the lesson summaries on page ninety-one and review lessons one through six before beginning.

7. Salvation Examples in Acts

Scripture Believe Repent Confess Baptism When 2:36-41 Vs 37 Vs 38 Vs 38 That day, 41 8:5-13 Vs 12 Vs 12,13 Upon Belief, 12 8:26-39 Vs 36,38 Immediately, 38 9:1-19 Vs 18 10:24-48 Vs 48 16:13-15 Vs 14 Vs 15 16:25-34 Vs 33 Immediately, 33 18:8 Vs 8 Vs 8 19:1-7 Vs 31 Vs 5 On hearing, 5 Acts 22:16 What are you waiting for?

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Reference Lesson Summaries

Lesson 1
The title of the first card was The Authority. During that study, we discussed where Biblical authority comes from. Everyone has their own opinions and beliefs, but where can we find the authority on Biblical matters? One of the main passages we discussed in that lesson was Matthew 17:1-5, where Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him on a mountain and was transfigured there. Who appeared

with Jesus? Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Jesus. We discussed how Moses was viewed as the great Lawgiver and rescuer of Israel and Elijah was viewed as one of the greatest prophets in Israels history. How did Peter, James,

and John react when Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus? They wanted to build 3 shelters for them; however, a voice from heaven spoke. What did God say to them? He said, This is my Son, whom I love, with Him I am well pleased; listen to Him. From this passage, we discussed that, while there may be other people who we have great respect for, above all we should listen to Jesus. We read Matthew 28:18 and Ephesians 1:20-23; which state that Jesus has all authority, especially over the church. In John 12:44-50, we discussed that we will be judged by If we are going to be judged

what? We will be judged by the Word.

by the Word, then what does that tell us? We need to know the Word for ourselves. We must also obey the Word. Based on 2 Peter 1:3-4 and John 20:30-31, we discussed how we have everything we need for life and godliness. In the final four passages on the card (2 Peter 1:20-21, Galatians 1:6-9, Revelation 22:18-19, Matthew 15:6-9), we discussed how prophecy is from God and therefore we cannot change it. We cannot add to or take away from It, and we cannot shape Gods Word around our lifestyle or traditions.

Lesson 2
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The second card we studied was called Sin and Its Effect on Us. After reading Genesis 1:26-27, we discussed that we are created in the image of God. In what way are we created in Gods image? We are not only physical beings; we are spiritual beings, as well. We have a spirit within us that desires to be in

fellowship with God. Many people may try to fill this need with many other things (money, physical relationships, drugs, etc.), but they can never fill this God hole in their life with anything besides God, Himself. We looked at Adam and Eve in the garden and noticed that man had a relationship with God. God would even walk alongside Adam and Eve in the garden. What happened to change this? Adam

and Eve sinned by eating fruit from a tree that He had forbidden them to eat from. In James 1:13-15, we discovered that sin is ultimately what? Sin is a CHOICE. We are tempted to do something evil; and when that evil desire is conceived, by us acting upon it, it is sin. If sin is a choice, then it is something we can work to remove from our lives by making better choices and avoiding tempting situations. However, we discussed how we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, as seen in Romans 3:23. So, since we all sin, it is important to know what the consequences of sin are. Do you remember the three consequences of sin that we

discussed? In Romans 6:23, we learned that the wages of sin is death. In Isaiah 59:1-2, we read that sin separates us from God. Finally, in John 8:34-36, it states that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Sin kills, separates, and enslaves. Sin is Satans trap, set up to keep us from having a relationship with God.

Lesson 3
The title of the third card is The Authority. By this point we established everyone has sinned and mankind was separated from Gods glory. God had to act, if we were to be reunited with Him. During this lesson we discussed the first step or action that God took to bring about our salvation. What was Gods first step in

bringing about our salvation? God made a promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 and 22:18 that his seed or one of his descendants would come and bless all nations. The title of our third card, therefore, was The Promise.
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In Galatians 3:15-

16, who did we discover this Promise referred to? It referred to Christ. Because of this, Galatians 3:8-9 states that it announced the gospel in advance. After reading Joshua 23:14 and Hebrews 10:23, we discussed how God always fulfills His promises, and therefore we should hold to the hope He offers with confidence. Lastly, we discussed the seal or sign of this covenant. What was given as a sign of this covenant? Circumcision was instituted as a sign of the covenant and in this way Gods promise was passed down to each new generation.

Lesson 4
After God made the great promise to Abraham, which was sealed and symbolized by the act of circumcision, what was the next big action that God took in the process of bringing about our salvation? In Exodus 20:1-17, the Ten

Commandments, which were the basis of the Law, were given to Israel, as we also read in Deuteronomy 4:1,13. The Law was the title of lesson four. What were the purposes of the Law that we discussed? In Romans 3:20, we learned that the Law made us conscious or aware of sin. Hebrews 10:1 says that it shadowed the good things to come, and Galatians 3:17-25 teaches that the Law was a temporary solution for sin that was put in charge to lead us to Christ. How did

the Law make us conscious of sin and lead us to Christ? It taught us that God is holy, but we are unholy and unable to keep the Law. Therefore, through the Law we realized our need for a savior. What were the weaknesses of the Law that we

discussed? First of all, we learned from Romans 7:13-15 that no one could keep it. Also, in Hebrews 10:3-4, 11 we discovered that it was unable to cleanse us from our sin. Finally, in Hebrews 7:18-19, we saw that the Law was incapable of making anyone perfect. We also discussed that the Law did not set aside or do away with the Promise (Galatians 3:17).

Lesson 5
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The fifth card is entitled The Fulfillment of the Promise. We began this lesson by looking at Jesus genealogy in Matthew 1:1-17. Who did we trace

Jesus genealogy back to and why was this so important? This passage traces Jesus back to Abraham, through His father, Joseph. This was important because God promised Abraham that a descendant of His would bless all nations. Although

Jesus was born many generations down from Abraham, when was He chosen to be our savior, according to 1 Peter 1:18-20? We see in this passage that He was chosen before the creation of the world. We discussed that Jesus volunteered to pay for our sins, through His sacrifice, and that no one forced Him to do this (Hebrews 10:5-7). Next, we looked at 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. much sin did Jesus have? He had no sin. According to this passage, how Why is this so important?

Because, if Jesus sinned, He would have been separated from God and He would have deserved death. Therefore, He would be enslaved to sin as we are and He would have been unable to free us from the grip it has on us. Unlike the Old

Testament sacrifices, how many times was Jesus sacrificed? Jesus was sacrificed one time, and this one sacrifice offers salvation to all according to Hebrews 9:27-28. According to Hebrews 9:15-17, when did the New Covenant go into effect? It went into effect after Jesus death. This was compared to a will, in which it is necessary to prove the persons death before it goes into effect. In Revelation 1:17-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, we discussed how Jesus resurrection allowed Him to conquer death. He now holds the keys to death and Hades, and we too can experience victory over death through Christ. According to Acts 4:12, how

many ways are there to salvation? There is one way to salvation; it is only through Christ, He is the fulfillment of the Promise.

Lesson 6
The title of our sixth lesson was Accepting the Gift. In Romans 6:20, eternal life is described as a gift. We discussed that there is one condition to every gift. Do you remember the one condition to every gift? We must accept a gift in order to receive it. Therefore, the question that must be answered is, How do we accept
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salvation? In John 3:16 we read that you must believe in Jesus to be saved. After reading Romans 10:9-10, we discussed the importance of confessing Jesus as Lord. Acts 3:19 teaches that we must repent from sin to have our sins wiped out. What is repentance? Repentance means to change your thoughts and actions, to turn from sin and live for God. Lastly, we discussed baptism. What were

the purposes of baptism that we discussed? Baptism is for the forgiveness of sin and to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39). It clothes us with Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). We also participate in Jesus death, burial, and resurrection through baptism.

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Reference Quick View of Cards

1. The Authority
Mt 17:1-5 Mt 28:18 Eph 1:18-23 Jn 12:44-50 2 Pe 1:3-4 Jn 20:30-31 2 Pe 1:20-21 Gal 1:6-9 Rev 22:18-19 Mt 15:3-9 Above all we must listen to Jesus. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is over everything for the church. We will be judged by the Word. We have all we need for life and godliness. We have enough to believe and have life. Scripture is from God and not man. No one can change the gospel. Do not add to or take away from the Bible. Scripture is over tradition.

2. Sin & Its Effect on Us

Ge 1:26-27 Ge 3:8 Ge 3:1-7 Jas 1:13-15 Ro 3:23 Ro 6:23-24 Isa 59:1-2 Jn 8:34-36 God made us in His image. God had a relationship with man. Man sinned. Sin is a choice. Everyone sins. The Results of Sin The wage of sin is death. Sin separates us from God. Sin makes us its slave.

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3. The Promise
Ge 12:1-3,7 Ge 22:15-19 Gal 3:15-16 Gal 3:8-9 Josh 23:14 Heb 10:23 Ge 17:9-14 God promises to bless all nations. Abrahams SEED will fulfill the promise. The SEED referred to Christ. It announced the gospel in advance. God always fulfills His promises. Hold to hope, because God is faithful. Circumcision given as sign of the covenant.

4. The Law
Ex 20:1-17 Dt 4:1,13 Ro 3:20 Heb 10:1 Gal 3:17-25 Ro 7:12-15 Heb 10:3-4,11 Heb 7:18-19 The Law is given. It was given to Israel. Purposes of the Law It made us aware of Sin. It shadowed the good to come. It dealt with sin and brought us to Christ. Weaknesses of the Law No one could keep it. It could not take away sin. It could not make anything perfect.

5. The Fulfillment of the Promise

Mt 1:1-17 (17) 1 Pe 1:18-20 Heb 10:5-7 2 Co 5:20-21 Heb 9:27-28 Heb 9:15-17 Rev 1:17-18 1 Co 15:55-57 1 Co 15:3-5 Ac 4:12 Jesus was Abrahams Descendant. He was chosen before creation. He volunteered to be our sacrifice. Jesus was sinless but took our sin. Jesus 1 sacrifice = salvation to all. New Covenant in effect at Jesus death. Jesus conquered death. We have victory through Christ. Jesus death, burial, & resurrection. Salvation is ONLY in Christ
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6. Accepting the Gift

Ro 6:23 Jn 3:16 Ro 10:9-10 Ac 3:19 Ac 2:38-39 Gal 3:26-27 Ro 6:3-7 Salvation is a gift! How Do I Accept Salvation? Believe in Jesus. Confess Jesus as Lord. Repent from sin. Baptism Forgiveness of sin. Receive HS. Clothes us in Christ. Participate in Jesus death, burial, and resurrection.

7. Salvation Examples in Acts

Scripture Believe Repent Confess Baptism When 2:36-41 Vs 37 Vs 38 Vs 38 That day, 41 8:5-13 Vs 12 Vs 12,13 Upon belief, 12 8:26-39 Vs 36,38 Immediately, 38 9:1-19 Vs 18 10:24-48 Vs 48 16:13-15 Vs 14 Vs 15 16:25-34 Vs 33 Immediately, 33 18:8 Vs 8 Vs 8 19:1-7 Vs 31 Vs 5 On hearing, 5 Acts 22:16 What are you waiting for?

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Blomberg, Craig L. 1992. Matthew. The New American Commentary, 22. Nashville: Broadman. Buttrick, George Author. eds. 1962. The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible. New York, Abingdon Press. Coffman, James Burton. 1985. Commentary on Genesis. Abilene, Tex. : ACU Press, 1985. Freedman, David Noel. eds. 2000. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. Garland, David E. 1999. 2 Corinthians. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman and Holman. Green, Joel B., McKnight, Scot, eds. 1992. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Downers Grove: InterVarsity. Merriam & Webster eds. 2001. Websters New Dictionary of the English Language. New York: Popular Pub. Poythress, Vern S. 1995. The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub. 1984. The Holy Bible. New International Version. Nashville: Cornerstone Bible Pub.

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