Lesson 1: The Sin Problem Gospel means good news, but before we can truly understand how good the Gospel is and fully appreciate what God has done for us in Jesus, we must first understand the bad news of our sin and how lost we are apart from Christ. There are and laws that govern creation. PRIMARY SPIRITUAL LAW: God must determine what is and ; what is right and wrong. God is the only one qualified to determine what is good and what is evil. God is A. : Present in all places at the same time [Psalm 139:7] B. : Almighty or infinite in power [Matthew 19:26] C. : Having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things. [Psalm 147:4-5] D. : Love seeks the benefit of others even at the expense of self [1 John 4:7-8] Satan was the first to presume to define for himself what was good. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. [Genesis 2:16-17 NKJV] The tree of the knowledge of good and evil represented God s and the right He had reserved for Himself to determine and define what was good and evil, right and wrong. Satan s Lie: (see diagram) Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? [Genesis 3:1] - God is you You will not surely die. [Genesis 3:4] - God can t be. He told you a lie.
For God knows you will be like God [Genesis 3:5] - God Himself more than He you. Satan s Strategy: 1. God doesn t you. Satan seeks to erode in my mind the conviction that God me. 2. Unbelief If I don t believe someone loves me, I won t them. 3. Sin Unbelief in God's love causes me to from Him and His ways. [Hebrews 3:12,16-19] 4. Death My sinful choices lead to death and destruction. [James 1:14,15] Sin is rooted in a failure to trust God s and wisdom, which then expresses itself in rebellion against God s authority. [Hebrews 3:16-19] Adam s sin brought into the world. When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam s sin brought death, so death spread to, for sinned. [Romans 5:12 NLT] There is righteous, no, not one. [Romans 3:10 NKJV] For has sinned; we fall short of God s glorious standard. [Romans 3:23 NLT] The wages of sin is. [Romans 6:23 NKJV] Our sin makes us guilty before God and deserving of punishment. [Romans 2:5,6] And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). [Ephesians 2:1-5 NKJV]
Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil CONDEMNED DEATH SIN SIN SIN SIN TRUST MYSELF TAKE CONTROL UNBELIEF MY WILL MY WAY ME AS LORD LIE: GOD DOESN T LOVE YOU
Lesson 2: God s Rescue Plan God s Rescue Plan: Part 1 - The Law God s Law is a: 1. [Romans 3:20; 7:7-13; Galatians 3:19-24] 2. [Romans 13:3-4] 3. [Romans 3:31; 13:8-9; Ephesians 6:2] The Law was never intended by God to us, but rather to cause us to come to the end of ourselves and realize we need a Saviour. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. [Romans 3:20] Since the gift of salvation must be received through faith, before God can resuce us, He needs to first show us our need to be rescued. God s Rescue Plan: Part 2 - The Gospel (see diagram) Jesus did what Adam didn t do - He perfectly submitted to the of His Father [Matthew 26:36-42; Philippians 2:8] 1. God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love - not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. [1 John 4:9-10 NLTse] 2. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. [1 John 4:15-16 NLTse]
3. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. [Romans 5:20 NKJV] 4. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 6:23 NKJV] God s goodness revealed in the Gospel leads us to. [Romans 2:4] God s law exposes the extent of our. The cross reveals the extent of God s. Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. [Romans 3:19-22 NLT]
Tree of Life RECONCILED L I F E G R A C E TRUST GOD SURRENDER F A I T H GOD S WILL GOD S WAY JESUS AS LORD LOVE
Lesson 3: It Is Finished The Law exposes the extent of our sinfulness. The cross reveals the extent of God s love. When Jesus came as our rescuer, He offered us and refreshing. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. [Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV] At the Cross I Am: 1. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace [Ephesians 1:7 NKJV] Redemption: A releasing or liberation effected by payment of ransom; deliverance. (Strong s) Ransom: a redemption-price; what is given in exchange for another as the price of His redemption. (Strong s) For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose Him as your ransom long before the world began, but He has now revealed Him to you in these last days. [1 Peter 1:18-20 NLTse] 2. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. [Colossians 2:13-14 NLTse] Forgiveness: Release from bondage or imprisonment; forgiveness or pardon of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty. (Strong s) 3. Made Righteous: Conforming to the standard, will, or character of God (UBS)
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. [2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV] Righteousness: The state of him who is as he ought to be; the condition acceptable to God. (Strong s) God didn t just the guilt and penalty of my sin and forgive me - He Jesus righteousness to me. 4. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. [Romans 5:8-9 NKJV] Justified: To render righteous; to show, exhibit, declare, pronounce one to be righteous, or such he ought to be and such as he is and wishes himself to be considered (Strong s) Jesus perfect righteousness has become righteousness, and in God s eyes I am now as I ought to be. I am acceptable to God in Christ. We know we have entered into God s rest because we have ceased from our [Hebrews 4:8-10]. It s not that we stop doing good things, but that we stop seeking God s acceptance or the acceptance of others through the good things we are doing. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the, his faith is accounted for righteousness. [Romans 4:5 NKJV] It is! Everything that took place at the cross - forgiveness, redemption, righteousness, justification - ALL of it was Jesus work, none of it was mine! Therefore, since we have been made right in God s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God s glory. [Romans 5:1-2 NLTse]
Lesson 4: Made New When we place our trust in Jesus for salvation we are made and made : Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. [2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV] The Bible describes us as being made up of 3 parts -, &. Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. [1 Thessalonians 5:23 NLTse] It is my spirit that is born again and made alive to God. New life begins when the Holy Spirit baptizes us into Christ. [Galatians 3:26-28; 1 Corinthians 12:13] Baptized: to immerse, submerge; to make whelmed (i.e. fully wet) (Strong s) We are baptised by the Spirit into Christ the moment we repent and believe the gospel. When I am baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit: 1. I am baptized into Jesus. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [Galatians 2:20 NLTse] 2. I am baptized into Jesus. Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? [Romans 6:3 NKJV] 3. I am baptized into Jesus. For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. [Romans 6:4 NLTse] Jesus resurrection testifies to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God. [Romans 1:4] Jesus resurrection testifies to the fact that we have been made right with God. [Romans 4:25] 4. I am baptized into Jesus finished. But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God s grace that you have been saved!)
For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. [Ephesians 2:4-6 NLTse] 5. I am baptized into Jesus perfect life, and holiness. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. [2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV] 6. I am made the of the Holy Spirit. Don t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. [1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLTse] God seals His work of salvation in me by giving the Holy Spirit to me as a - confirming that I have been forgiven and made right with Him. [Ephesians 1:13-14] 7. I am into God s family as God s child. Jesus came to restore the relationship with Himself that sin destroyed. [Romans 8:15-16] Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. [Ephesians 1:4-5 NLTse; see also Romans 8:15-16] We have a new spiritual in Christ. [Colossians 3:3-4 AMP] Water baptism is a to all who believe the gospel. [Acts 2:38] When we choose to be baptized in water we are choosing to publicly ourselves with Jesus and the work He did - His life, His death, His burial, and His resurrection - so that we could be washed from our sins and walk in newness of life. Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But - When God our Savior revealed His kindness and love, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. [Titus 3:3-7 NLTse]
Lesson 5: Ambassadors for Christ As new creations in Christ we are now called to be ambassadors for Christ. [2 Corinthians 5:20-21] We can only be ambassadors for Christ through the power of the. The Holy Spirit is God [Acts 5:3,4], He leads [Romans 8:14], speaks [Hebrews 3:7], teaches [John 14:26], has a mind [Romans 8:27], a will [1 Corinthians 12:11], and emotions [Ephesians 4:30]. The Holy Spirit is a and He wants to have a relationship with us. 1. The Holy Spirit enables us to the gospel as ambassadors of Christ. We are a spirit being, we have a soul, and we live in a body. [1 Thessalonians 5:23] SPIRIT: Recreated by the Holy Spirit when we believed in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. This is who we are in Christ and who I am in God s sight. [John 3:6; 1 Corinthians 6:17; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10] SOUL: Includes mind, will, emotions. This is where we think, feel, and make decisions. BODY: Includes speech, actions, 5 senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing). Our spirit saved (conformed to the image of Christ) when we placed faith in Jesus. [John 3:5,6]. Our souls are saved (being conformed to the image of Christ) by the Holy Spirit. [Romans 12:1,2; James 1:21; Galatians 4:19]. Our bodies be saved (conformed to the likeness of Jesus glorious body) when Jesus returns. [Philippians 3:20, 21] Work hard to show the results of your salvation ( work out your own salvation NKJV), obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. [Philippians 2:12-13 NLTse] The Holy Spirit transforms us from the out by producing His fruit in our lives. [Galatians 5:16-25] The fruit of the Spirit is the nature of God. The fruit of the Spirit is only produced in our lives through in Christ. [John 15:4-5] As we stay connected to Jesus and the message and truths of the gospel, the life in Him flows into us and through the power of the Holy Spirit fruit shows up in our lives. [Romans 12:2]
When our lives bear the fruit of the gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit it brings to the Father and points people to Jesus as their Rescuer. [John 15:8] We no longer seek to obey God to be made right with Him, but because we have been made right with Him we want to live in His ways, do His will and please Him. [2 Corinthians 5:15] Even when I sin I am still righteous, holy, and faultless in God s eyes because I am Christ. My faith in Jesus obedience is the basis of my salvation. 2. The Holy Spirit enables us to the gospel as ambassadors of Christ. We have been given a message not only to live but to proclaim. [2 Corinthians 5:17-21] Through the baptism with the Holy Spirit Jesus equips us to be ministers of reconciliation and His ambassadors: You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. [Acts 1:8 NKJV] 4 Examples of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts: 1. The Day of Pentecost [Acts 2:1-39] 2. The Gentiles [Acts 10:44-48] 3. Believers at Samaria [Acts 8:12-17] 4. Believers at Ephesus [Acts 19:1-6] When we speak in tongues the enables us to speak a language that we haven t learned. It s a language He gives us that we must speak in faith because we don t understand it. When we speak in tongues: We are speaking to God. [1 Corinthians 14:1,2] Our spirit is praying. [1 Corinthians 14:13-15] We are built up and strengthened in our faith. [1 Corinthians 14:1-4; Jude 20-21] We are praying the perfect will of God. [Romans 8:26-27] The baptism with the Holy Spirit is for all believers: Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. [Acts 2:37-39 NKJV; see also Mark 16:15-18] We receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit by through. [Galatians 3:2,5; Luke 11:13] God s love for me revealed in the gospel produces a desire in me to live the gospel and proclaim the gospel as His ambassador so others can be reconciled to God.
Spirit, Soul & Body God s Law speech HABITS mind BODY SOUL SPIRIT (Righteous & Holy) HOLY SPIRIT Fruit of the Spirit emotions (Phil. 2:12-13) Work out Salvation actions will 5 senses