Receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior is the most important decision you will ever make in your lifetime. This simple decision of childlike faith carries profound significance for all of eternity.
The key word of this lesson is: RELATIONSHIP
The key questions this lesson answers: What does it mean to be born again?
How does salvation affect my relationship to God?
The key purpose of this lesson:
To briefly explain what took place in your life when you received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and how that decision has changed your standing with God. The key point of this lesson: Our relationship with God is now a perfect father and child relationship.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” – John 1:12-13
Satan was formerly known as Lucifer (author of sin), a supreme angel as star of the morning and was called the anointed covering cherub who enjoyed the position of highest honor before God. He was filled with wisdom and beauty and he was blameless. Ezekiel 28:12-15
Satan’s downfall was his Pride; his heart was lifted because of his beauty and his wisdom became corrupt. He desired to enter the very presence of God and establish his throne on God’s throne above the other angels.
For that reason, God thrust him down out of heaven
Adam and Eve were historical people who sinned against God in time and space. This historical even is essential because if Adam was not a real creature who brought sin into the human race at one point in history, then, there is no point to Jesus’s redemption of humanity.
God tested Adam and Eve regarding their obedience. They were to eat of the fruit from any tree except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evel (Gen 2:16-17).
The way through which the temptation came to man and woman was the serpent (Gen 3:1) and the Devil is called the serpent of old (Rev. 12:9; 20:2).
The serpent was deceitful and so as Satan.
· Satan raised doubt concerning God’s Word (Gen 3:1)
· Satan lied by saying they would not die (Gen 3:4
· Satan told a partial truth (Gen 3:5)
The Result of Sin
· Judgment of the Woman (Gen 3:16)
o Desire may mean sexual desire, desire for security under husband’s authority, or desire to rule over the husband
· Judgment on the Man (Gen 3:17-19)
o Judgment against the ground that the world would no longer produce its fruit but only through hard toil by man
· Judgment on Creation (Gen 3:17-18)
o Animals and plants would be affected by the sin. Animals would become wild and ferocious; plant life would produce weeds to hinder productivity
· Judgment on Human Race (Rom 5:12)
o The result of man’s sin was passed onto the entire Human race. All humanity now became subject to death
What is Sin?
· Sin is a transgression of the Law of God (Gr. Parabasis: overstepping) (Rom 4:15; Rom 2:23, 5:14, Gal 3:19)
· Sin is a failure to conform to the standard of God (Gr. Hamartia: miss the mark, every departure from the way of righteousness) (Rom 3:23)
· Involves both sins of commission and omission. Failure to do what is right is also a sin. (Rom 14:23)
· Sin is a principle within a man. The power that deceives men and leads them to destruction (Heb 3:13)
· Sin is Rebellion against God (Gr. Anomia: lawlessness, without law or restraint (1 John 3:4; Tit 2:14; Mat 24:12)
· Sin is wrongful acts toward God and man. The ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Rom 1:18) ungodliness refers to man’s failure to obey God and keep His commandments (Ex 20:1-11). Unrighteousness is seen as a man’s failure to live righteously toward his fellow man (Ex 20:12-17)
· Original Sin means as the “sinful state and condition in which men are born”. Corruption of our whole nature. Derived from Adam, present in the life of every individual from birth and it is the inward root of all the actual sins that defile the life of man. Every part of man is affected: Intellect (2 Cor 4:4); conscience (1 Tim 4:2); will (Rom 1:28; heart (Eph 4:18); and the total being (Rom 1:18-3:30)
1. SATAN’S FAMILY
· Every person in the world is born into Satan’s family. John 8:31-44; 1 John 3:10
· You entered into Satan’s family through a PHYSICAL birth by your earthly father, who is ultimately a descendant of Adam. The descendants of Adam are all born in the image and likeness of a fallen sinner. Genesis 5:3; Psalm 51:5
· You inherited a sinful nature from your father, Adam. Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3
· The bible is clear that as a result of your sin, you are sentenced to die. “For the wages of sin is death…” – Romans 6:23
THE SOLUTION
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – John 14:6
· Jesus is the way. The bible says mankind will die in their sins if they are not saved from the punishment that they deserve through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus became the way to your salvation by dying in your place on the cross, being buried for three days and three nights, and rising again in victory over sin and death. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Colossians 1:12-14
· Jesus is the truth. The bible says that mankind rejects the truth of who God is by choosing to worship themselves and creation. Jesus is the truth they are seeking, and mankind needs to worship him as the one true God. Romans 1:20-25; 1 John 5:20
· Jesus is the life. All mankind is born into sin, and they are condemned to be separated from God in an eternal death in the lake of fire. They need the eternal life that is found in Jesus Christ. Revelation 20:15; 2 Thessalonians 1;7-9
2. God’s Family
· You enter God’s family through a SPIRITUAL birth by your heavenly Father. By trusting Jesus Christ as your Savior, you become a son of God through spiritual birth. This is what the term “born again” means. John 3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:23
· This new birth is described for us in John 1:12-13.
“But as many as received him…” Although Jesus died for all, you must place your trust in Christ as Lord and Savior and choose to become his disciple.
“…to them gave the power to become the sons of God…” God enables you to become a son of God and enter into his family.
“…even to them that believe on his name…” You must believe by grace through faith that Jesus paid for your sin by shedding his blood in death, and that he rose again in victory. “
…which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man…” You do not enter into God’s family through a physical birth (blood), through your effort (will of the flesh), or because someone else wants it for you (will of man).
“…but of God.” Your entrance into God’s family is through a spiritual birth.
· God becomes your heavenly Father when you are adopted into his family. Romans 8:15
· After your salvation, God will no longer deal with you as a sinner, but as his child. 1 John 2:1; Ephesians 5:1
Our relationship with God is now a perfect father and child relationship. Unlike many earthly fathers, God never makes mistakes when He deals with His children.
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” – Matthew 7:11
A. You now have the Holy Ghost dwelling inside of you.
· “That good thing which was committed unto thee by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.” – 2 Timothy 1:14
· “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? – 1 Corinthians 3:16
B. You are now a new creature in Christ.
· “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
C. You now possess eternal life.
· It is yours right now; you are not waiting to receive it sometime in the future. The verses below mention your current spiritual life in the present tense.
· “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life…” – John 3:36
· “…He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” – John 6:47
· “He that hath the Son hath life…” – 1 John 5:12
Though you became a “new creature” (a “new man”) in your soul and spirit the moment you were redeemed (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:24), your “old man” with all the lusts and passions he had prior to your salvation, is still lodged in the members of your fleshy body and mind. (Eph. 4:22; 2:3) There will, therefore, be a constant conflict between your flesh and the Spirit of God within you until you die, or until you receive the redemption of your body at the rapture. (Gal. 5:17; Rom. 8:22-23; Col. 3:3-5) The only way to daily overcome the lust of the flesh—is by walking in the Spirit and renewing your mind. (Gal. 5:16; Rom. 12:1-2)
Confession of sin then becomes characteristic of those whose sins have been cleansed. You confess your sin, however, not TO BE cleansed, but because you HAVE BEEN cleansed! As sons and daughters of God in whom the Spirit of God now walks, He tells us that we are to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) In other words, we are to take biblical ownership and responsibility for removing any and all sin out of our lives! 1 John 1:9; 2 Corinthians 7:1
2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24; 4:22; 2:3; Galatians 5:17; Romans 8:22-23; Colossians 3:3-5; Galatians 5:16; Romans 12:1-2
A. Is all of mankind part of one large family of God?
No. We can only be God’s children by faith in the resurrected Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:26
B. Do we have to earn/work our way to heaven? No. Doing good work does not earn us our salvation. We do good work because we are saved. Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 4:4-5
C. Are there many different ways to get to heaven? No. Jesus is the only way to be with God. Acts 4:12
D. Will I sin after I am saved? Yes. You still have the same body and brain you had prior to your salvation, and they will seek to draw you into sin for the rest of your life. We must learn to renew our minds and put the members of our body to death. Romans 7:18-25; 12:1-2; 6:11-15
E. How does sin affect my relationship with my Heavenly Father?
Your sin will cause your fellowship with God to be broken, but your relationship as his child will not change. However, God will discipline you because you are his child. Hebrews 12:5-11; Proverbs 3:11-12
F. What should I do when I sin?
Begin by confessing it! When you confessed you were a sinner as your called upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to save you, the blood of Jesus cleansed you from all sin: past, present, and future. (1 John 1:9)