Welcome to God’s Family!

BUILDING
NEW BELIEVERS

 A Discipleship Ministry

 

BECAUSE OF YOUR NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN CHANGED, AND THAT IS WONDERFUL, BUT NOW YOU NEED TO

GROW!

When you handed your life over to the Lord, you made the most important decision of your life. The Scripture says "There is rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who comes to repentance!"

Perhaps you didn’t realize that God’s wonderful Grace in reaching out to save you has already had a ripple-effect in Heaven itself!


SPIRITUAL GROWTH: THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THIS MATERIAL

You will make your way through this material with an experienced Christian who will serve as your temporary guide and helper over a period of six weeks, with the purpose of getting you firmly grounded and established in your Faith, and in the Word of God, the Bible.

You will also be introduced to the fundamental truths of Christianity, based on the authority of God’s Word. The six sessions will cover:

This experience will be supported by an Introductory Bible Study, requiring some mid-week study and preparation, with reviews and discussion each week.


WHAT DID GOD DO IN YOU WHEN YOU
SURRENDERED YOUR LIFE TO HIM?

On the authority of God’s Word, the Bible, you can know with assurance that:

  • YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND YOU HAVE BEEN "CLEANED UP" SPIRITUALLY

"If we confess our sins, he is just and will forgive us our sins, and will cleanse (purify) us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1 vs 9)

  • YOU HAVE BECOME A CHILD OF GOD

"Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God, and the Spirit Himself testifies (gives evidence) with our spirit that we are God’s children." (Romans 8 vs 14-16)

  • YOUR ETERNAL FUTURE HAS BEEN SECURED

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death!" (Romans 8 vs 1)

  • YOU HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT WHO NOW LIVES INSIDE YOU

"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that the Holy Spirit lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3 vs 16)

  • HE (THE HOLY SPIRIT) WILL REVEAL TRUTH TO YOU FROM THE BIBLE AS YOU READ, AND WILL HELP YOU GROW AS HE TEACHES YOU MORE ABOUT GOD

"The Holy Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way, no-one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us!" (1 Corinthians 2 vs 10)

NOTE:

You may not have realized it, but the Holy Spirit is a PERSON, and not some sort of abstract "force" as many people think. You actually have God Himself living in you!

 

WHAT ROLE WILL YOUR PARTNER / MENTOR PLAY?

Your mentor has been chosen because he or she is a mature and experienced Christian, who has "been around" for several years and who is able to guide you through your early experience as a new Christian.

He or she will play 3 important roles:

  • To guide you through the biblical content of this programme, explaining concepts and truths which you may not yet be familiar with.
  • To encourage and advise you on challenges which will arise through your study of the Bible, and the practical application of truth to your everyday life as you learn to "stand on your own feet" in a spiritual sense.
  • To provide a link between you and the local church, encouraging you to become involved and effective in the fellowship, in obedience to God’s command.

 


WEEK ONE

LEARNING TO READ WHAT GOD HAS WRITTEN FOR ME

 

Write down in a sentence or two your experience of handing your life over to the Lord. What were the circumstances, what Scriptures challenged you, and when did you surrender to him?

 

 

What do these verses from the Bible have to say about your faith in Jesus Christ?

John 1 vs 12?

 

John 6 vs 47?

 

1 John 5 vs 13?

 

Philippians 1 vs 6?

 

 

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SPIRITUAL GROWTH?

1 Peter 2 vs 2?

 

2 Peter 3 vs 18?

 

 The amazing truth is that once you become a Christian, you enter into a living and daily relationship with God!

 

WHAT 5 THINGS DO PEOPLE TYPICALLY DO TO ENRICH
AND DEVELOP A LOVE RELATIONSHIP?

1_______________________________________

2_______________________________________

3_______________________________________

4_______________________________________

5_______________________________________

 

LEARNING TO READ WHAT GOD HAS WRITTEN FOR ME

Three things you are going to need:

  • A TIME
  • A PLACE
  • A COPY OF THE BIBLE
  • (Plus an exercise book or pad of writing paper to make notes and keep a "spiritual journal" of what God is doing in your life as you grow)

     

    A THREE-STEP GUIDELINE TO HELP YOU GET INTO THE
    RIGHT FRAME OF MIND AS YOU READ GOD'S WORD

    • PREPARE TO MEET A PERSON! Don’t just expect to read a book when you open your Bible – prepare to meet GOD HIMSELF!
    • MAKE A CONNECTION between what you read and what is happening in your life. The Bible starts to come alive for you when there is application to the real issues of life.
    • KEEP A RECORD of what happens between you and the Lord as you read his Word. Keeping a written track of sound advice, answered prayer and God’s faithfulness to you will reinforce His reality in your life.

    A GUIDE FOR DAILY DEVOTIONS

    Probably the most important habit that we can develop is to set aside a regular time each day when we meet with God to read Scripture and speak to Him in prayer. Find a time and a place where you can meet with God each day - and make a commitment to keep that time. The time of devotions has two parts: (1) Reading God's Word and (2) Praying to God. These notes explain how to use the Daily Devotions guideline.

    1. Reading God's Word

    Scripture: Fill in the reference of the short passage of Scripture that you will focus on for your time of devotions. It should be no longer than six to ten verses. Read it through twice, slowly.

    Observation: List anything that you observe about the passage - the characters, main teachings, fresh ideas - anything that you see. Here you are answering the question, What is in the passage?

    Interpretation: Write down the thoughts that you have about the passage that will help you to understand what it is actually saying. Here you want to think a bit deeper and try to get into or behind the words. You are trying to answer the question, What does the passage mean?

    Application: Now you are ready to answer the question, What is the passage saying to me? You want to hear from God at this stage as the Holy Spirit takes the passage and applies it to your life. You can reflect on whether there is something you should avoid, some habit to get rid of, some action to take, or some sin to confess.

    2. Praying to God

    Adoration: As you begin to pray you should develop the habit of writing out your prayers. As you reflect back on the passage allow it to guide the things you say as you speak to God. If the passage has stressed that God is holy, then allow your adoration to express that fact. Here you deal with who God is, not so much with what He has done.

    Confession: You will probably have sensed God speaking into your life as you read the passage, so spend some time confessing those areas that God has brought to mind. If there is nothing directly related to the passage to confess, then bring in anything thing else that comes to mind and confess it to God.

    Thanksgiving: Spend some time writing down, again with reference to the passage, those things that you are thankful to God for. Remember that as we thank God for what He has done for us, we give Him the recognition that he deserves and we strengthen our faith in His ability to take care of us.

    Supplication: The last section involves bringing your requests to God. Notice we don't start with this because prayer is not "filling up a shopping basket". Once we have expressed our adoration of God; confessed anything that we have done to displease Him; and thanked Him for all He has done for us; then we are ready to pray for things that we or others need from Him.

    As you close your time of devotions, spend some time reflecting on what you have read, written and discovered. You may like to speak some of your written prayers out loud to God. There may be a verse of Scripture or a promise from God that you can take with you into your day. Make a note of it and plan to remember it during the day. Remember that God goes with you into your day!

     


    DAILY DEVOTIONS

    Scripture:

    Observation:

     

     

     

    Interpretation:

     

     

     

    Application:

     

     

     

    Adoration:

     

     

    Confession:

     

     

    Thanksgiving:

     

     

    Supplication:

     


    WEEK TWO

    LEARNING TO TALK TO GOD

     

    What do we learn about talking to God from Philippians 4 vs 6-7?

      

    HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING A LETTER TO GOD??!!!

    Try it out this week, writing a short letter every day, and using one of these starting sentences on each day, and completing the sentence with genuine things which are real in your life at the time.

    Day 1: "I LOVE YOU BECAUSE…………………………"

     

    Day 2: "THANK YOU FOR…………………………………"

     

    Day 3: "I AM SORRY FOR……………………………………"

     

    Day 4: "PLEASE WILL YOU……………………………."

     

    Day 5: "I PROMISE THAT ……………………………"

     

    GETTING INTO THE RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR PRAYER

    Read Matthew 6 vs 5-8 to gain some practical insight into attitudes towards prayer.

    Verse 5: BE REAL. The objective is not to impress God or other people with our prayers.

    Verse 6: BE RELAXED. Your prayer should be private and sincere.

    Verse 7-8: BE REVEALING. Say it like it is. God knows what you need before you open your mouth, but wants to hear it from you anyway!

     

    THE A.C.T.S. MODEL FOR PRAYER

    In discussion with your mentor, write down some definitions of what is meant by each of the following four types of prayers:

    ADORATION

     

    CONFESSION

     

    THANKSGIVING

     

    SUPPLICATION

     

     

    USING THE A.C.T.S PRAYER MODEL

    The four parts of the prayer you wrote and said to God is based on four aspects of prayer which are called:

    • Adoration
    • Confession
    • Thanksgiving
    • Supplication

    Each day, as you spend time in devotions with God, you should use ACTS as a prayer outline. Here are some more insights into each:

    ADORATION ... "I praise you God because ... "

    "Give thanks to the Lord and pray to Him. Sing to Him. Sing praises to Him. Tell about all the wonderful things He has done. Be glad that you are His." (1 Chronicles 16 vs 8-9)

    CONFESSION ... "I ask for forgiveness for ... "

    "But if we confess our sins, He will forgive our sins. We can trust God. He does what is right. He will make us clean from all the wrongs we have done." (1 John 1 vs 9)

    THANKSGIVING ... "I’m thankful for ..."

    "Oh, how grateful and thankful I am to the Lord because He is so good." (Psalm 7 vs 17)

    SUPPLICATION ... "I ask you for ... "

    "Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks. And God’s peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The peace that God gives is so great that we cannot understand it." (Philippians 4 vs 6-7)

     

     

    EXTRA MATERIAL ON THE ACTS PRAYER MODEL

    ADORATION

    Why should we praise God? (Philippians 1 vs 6)

     

     

    1 John 4 vs 10

     

    What is the best way for you to show your gratitude toward God, and your faith and trust in Him in all circumstances? (Philippians 4 vs 6)?

     

    What does God expect of us? (1 Thessalonians 5 vs 16-18)

     

    If you sometimes find it hard to praise God, read some of the Psalms (Psalms 146-150 in particular).

    How do you communicate your adoration to God?

     

    CONFESSION

    What will hinder fellowship with God? (Isaiah 59 vs 1,2)

    Psalm 51 was David's prayer after he had fallen out of fellowship with God. What did David conclude that God wanted of him? (Psalm 51 vs 6,16,17)

     

    What was David's observation about confession? (Psalm 32 vs 1-7)

     

    What was David's observation about not confessing his sin? (verses 3,4)

     

    What should you do when you know that your fellowship with God has been broken by sin? (1 John 1 vs 9)

     

    Is there a sin in your life that is keeping you from fellowship with God?

     

    How will you deal with that sin?

     

    THANKSGIVING

    How often should we give thanks? (Hebrews 13 vs 15)

     

    For what should we praise Him? (Ephesians 5 vs 20)

     

    Why? (1 Thessalonians 5 vs 18)

     

    What about a situation that seems adverse? (Romans 5 vs 3,4)

    How do you practice thankfulness when you pray?

     

    Make a list of each problem, disappointment, heartache, or adversity that concerns you at the moment. Begin to thank God for each one! Doing so demonstrates your trust in Him.

     

    INTERCESSION

    Intercession involves asking for things on behalf of other people. An example of intercession is provided in Colossians 1 vs 3. What was Paul's prayer for the Christians?

     

    List the requests you have for God to work in people’s lives.

     

    Spend time bringing each request to God.

     

    PETITION

    Why should we expect God to answer our prayers? (Matthew 7 vs 9-11; Romans 8 vs 32)

     

    According to Psalm 84 vs 11,12, what has God promised to do?

     

    What part does belief play in our prayers? (Mark 11 vs 24; James 1 vs 6,7)

    Faith is necessary for answered prayers. What else is required? (Matthew 6 vs 9,10; 1 John 5 vs 14,15)

    Why will God not answer some prayers? (James 4 vs 3)

     

    How does this relate to your prayer life?

     

     


    WEEK THREE

    LEARNING TO MEET AND WORK WITH GOD’S FAMILY

     

    Who or what is "God’s family?"

     

    What is "the church?"

     

    The church has been described as an ORGANISM, and not an ORGANIZATION. What is the difference between the two?

     

    The original Greek word for the church is "EKKLESIA". What does this mean, and what are the implications for us today?

     

    The church is described in three interesting ways in the Bible. Read the verses from the Bible for each of these descriptions, and write your comments down:

    A BODY

    (Romans 12 vs 3-8)

     

    A BUILDING

    (1 Peter 2 vs 1-10)

     

    (1 Corinthians 12 vs 14 27)

     

    A BRIDE

    (2 Corinthians 11 vs 2)

     

    (Ephesians 5 vs 21-33)

     

    What does the church (i.e. people who are Christians) do? (Acts 2 vs 42)

    1. ______________________________

    2. ______________________________

    3. ______________________________

    4. ______________________________


    God has put together in his church a wide range of different people with different skills and different spiritual gifts (you will learn more about these gifts as we go along).

    (1 Corinthians 12 vs 12-27)

     

     

    Part of your spiritual growth will be to identify, develop and use your spiritual gifts in the church, i.e. for the benefit of other people (and you do have at least one gift; God has given you what He wants you to have).

    What does the Bible say about the reasons why Christians should continue to meet together regularly? (Hebrews 10 vs 24-25)

     


    Some critically important reasons why meeting together to hear and learn from the Bible is essential for all Christians:

    • TO KEEP OURSELVES CLEAN FROM SIN

    "I have hidden your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you" (Psalm 119 vs 11)

    • TO GAIN COMFORT IN TOUGH TIMES

    "Renew my life, O Lord, according to your laws. Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law. Yet you are near, O Lord, and all your commands are true" (Psalm 119 vs 150)

    • TO RECEIVE GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION FROM GOD

    "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119 vs 105)

    • TO RECEIVE AND BE SET APART BY GOD’S TRUTH

    "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" (John 17 vs 17)

    • TO RECEIVE THE SPIRITUAL STRENGTH TO LIVE GODLY LIVES

    "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Mathew 4 vs 4)

    • TO HAVE OUR OWN FAITH RENEWED, AND BRING OTHER PEOPLE TO FAITH IN CHRIST

    "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God" (Romans 10 vs 17)

    • TO BE REMINDED AND ENCOURAGED BY THE EXAMPLES OF OTHER GODLY PEOPLE, AND BY THE LORD HIMSELF

    "Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever!" (Hebrews 13 vs 7)

    • TO BE DISCIPLINED, CORRECTED AND TRAINED

    "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" (2 Timothy 3 vs 16)

     


    WEEK FOUR

    LEARNING TO DO WHAT PLEASES GOD

     

    What does God have to say to us on this subject? (John 14 vs 23)

     

    Can you think of one thing which you currently do that you would want to stop doing because it dishonours God?

     

    Can you think of one thing which you currently are, which is displeasing to God?

     

     

    Write down at least one new thing that you are going to start doing (with God’s help) that is in line with God’s will, and which will therefore be pleasing to Him.

     

     

    When faced with a "tricky" decision which tempts you to take short-cuts on God’s standards, use this simple memory and conscience-jogger:

    W W J D ???

    Jesus was constantly pushed and tested by people who tried to trip him up on ethical and moral issues. As you read the Bible, check out specifically how he responded to people and situations in a way which always put God’s standards first and never compromised or sinned.

    Write down anything on this topic which you need to include in your prayer time. What help do you need from him to enable you to live in a way that is pleasing to Him?

      

     

    PLEASING GOD THROUGH BAPTISM

    1. Why Should I be Baptized?

    A. To Follow the Example Set by Christ

    "At that time Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the river" (Mark 1 vs 9).

    B. Because Christ Commanded It

    "Jesus said, 'Go then, to all people everywhere and make them my disciples, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28 vs 19-20).

    C. It Demonstrates That I Really am a Believer

    "Many of the people who heard Him believed and were baptized." (Act 18 vs 8). "We know that we have come to know Him, if we obey His commands" (1 John 2 vs 3).

    2. What is the Meaning of Baptism?

    A. It Illustrates Jesus' Burial and Resurrection

    "Christ died for our sins...He was buried...and He rose again." (1 Corinthians 15 vs 3-4). "For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ" (Colossians 2 vs 12).

    B. It illustrates my New Life as a Christian

    "By our baptism then, we were buried with Him and shared His death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead ... so also we may live a new life." (Romans 6 vs 4). Baptism doesn't make you a believer, it demonstrates that you already believe. It does not "save" you. You are "saved" only by your faith in Jesus. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith...it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2 vs 8-9). Baptism is like a wedding ring - it's the outward symbol of the commitment you make in your heart.

    3. Why be Baptized by Immersion?

    A. Because Jesus was Baptized that Way

    "As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water." (Matthew 3 vs 16).

    B. Every Baptism in the Bible was by Immersion

    "Then both Philip and the man went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water..." (Acts 8 vs 38-39).

    C. The Word "Baptize" Actually Means "to Dip Under Water"

    The word was used in Greek culture of a garment dipped in dye.

    D. Immersion Best Symbolizes a Burial and Resurrection

    "When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. The old life has passed away and a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5 vs 17).

    4. Who Should be Baptized?

    A. Every Person who has Believed in Christ

    "Those who believed and accepted His message were baptized." (Acts 2 vs 41). "Simon himself believed and was baptized" (Acts 8 vs 13). "But when they believed Philip as he preached the Good News ... and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." (Acts 8 vs 12).

    5. When Should I be Baptized?

    As soon as you have believed!

    "Those who believe ... were baptized ... that day!" (Acts 2 vs 41). "Then Philip began with the scripture and told him the Good News about Jesus. As they travelled along the road, they came to some water, and the man said, 'Look, here is water! Why shouldn't I be baptized right now?' Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' The man answered, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' So they went down into the water and Philip baptized him" (Acts 8 vs 35-38).

    There is no reason to delay. As soon as you have decided to receive Christ into your life, you can and should be baptized. If you wait until you are "perfect" you will never be ready.

     


    WEEK FIVE

    LEARNING TO TALK ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP

     

    Some new Christians will talk happily about their new relationship with the Lord, but others will feel shy or uncertain, and may want to keep quiet.

    (It is a reality that some people are judgmental about any person who shares his or her faith, declaring them to be "religious fanatics", and remember, Satan will be delighted if we are pressurised into silence. He does not want us to be effective in introducing others to Christ!

    An illustration of this situation would be a doctor who has discovered the cure for cancer, but chooses to keep quiet while sick people all around him continue to die from the disease. No-one would thank him for his shyness!

     

    Keep this "3 Openings Prayer" in your mind each day:

    Lord, please:

    • OPEN THE MIND OF A FRIEND to be receptive to God’s Word
    • OPEN A NATURAL OPPORTUNITY for me to talk about the Lord
    • OPEN MY MOUTH to make use of the opportunity, and to say the right words

    We actually have the words of eternal life, and in a sick world, people are looking for spiritual truth and answers to the problems of life! We have the solution in Christ!

    What do we learn from the Bible about sharing our faith?

    (1 Peter 3 vs 15-16)

     

     

    (Matthew 5 vs 14-16)

     

    (Romans 1 vs 14)

     

    (Matthew 28 vs 19-20)

     

    (John 3 vs 16)

     

    We all have naturally-different styles of communicating with other people. There is a way or style of sharing your faith that will be suited to you and your personality.

    Look up these Bible references and see how different people used unique and effective ways of talking to other people about the Lord.

    • CONFRONTATIONAL (Acts 2)

    Peter was a no-nonsense, assertive, "say it like it is" character!

    • INTELLECTUAL (Acts 17)

    Paul was an educated and well-read person, who used the power of thought, rationale, and intellectual discussion to share his faith

    • TESTIMONIAL (John 9)

    The blind man who had been healed by Jesus was a simple person, and he responded in a simple way, telling the facts of his experience with the Lord without any argument or clever words. He let his experience speak for itself.

    • INTERPERSONAL (Luke 5 vs 29)

    Matthew, when he became a Christian, invited his friends to a meal at his home, using a friendly social situation to tell them about his relationship with the Lord.

    • INVITATIONAL (John 4)

    The woman who had been profoundly influenced by her meeting with Jesus, called all her friends together to come with her to an event at which they too could meet and come to experience the Lord for themselves.

    • SERVICE (Acts 9 vs 36)

    Dorcas was a woman of few words but much loving action in service to other people. She used her skills, time and effort to set an example to others of how the Lord had changed her life, and actually modelled what the Lord had demonstrated in his own life.

     


    WEEK SIX

    MY COMMITMENT TO ONGOING SPIRITUAL GROWTH

     

    Why is ongoing spiritual growth important? "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2 vs 15)

     

    What will happen to your faith if you don’t continue to grow in your relationship with God? "Be on your guard, so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men, and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3 vs 17)

     

     

    What will Satan attempt to do, now that your life is committed to Christ? "Satan stalks about like a ravenous lion, searching out whoever he can totally destroy" (1 Peter 5 vs 8).

     

    What role will each of the 5 major areas we have studied play in your life from now on?

    • PRAYER?

     

    • BIBLE STUDY?

     

    • MEETING WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS?

     

    • LIVING IN A WAY THAT PLEASES GOD?

     

    • TALKING ABOUT MY FAITH IN CHRIST?

     

     

    Read and complete the pledge document on the next page!

     

    You are at a vital stage of your relationship with the Lord

    • YOU CAN’T STAND STILL!
    • YOU CAN’T GO BACK!
    • YOU ARE NOW DIFFERENT!
    • YOU MUST NOW GROW!

     

    MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU MOVE ON TO YOUR NEXT STAGE
    OF GROWING IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM

     


    MY PLEDGE TO WORK AT MY ONGOING SPIRITUAL GROWTH

    I understand from God’s Word that I have committed my life to Christ, and am now His child. In order to be obedient to Him and to grow spiritually, I now undertake to:

    • Attend at least one service every Sunday, in order to hear God’s Word and share fellowship with other Christians.
    • Join a suitable mid-week home Bible Study group, and to commit myself to that group of people in regular fellowship.
    • To develop a regular pattern of private daily study of the Bible.
    • To the discipline of daily prayer.
    • Share my faith in Christ with other people whom I meet and work with on a daily basis.

     

    DATE:

    SIGNATURE:

     

     


    INTRODUCTORY BIBLE STUDY

    Contents

    1. WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?
    2. WHAT WAS I LIKE BEFORE I CAME TO FAITH IN CHRIST?
    3. WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I CAME TO FAITH IN CHRIST?
    4. HOW CAN I BE SURE ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST?
    5. WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?
    6. HOW DO I GROW INTO EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN SERVICE?

    "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God" (Romans 10 VS 17).

    It is vitally important that we learn from the very outset of our Christian life to depend not on our own feelings or the opinions and advice of other people, because all of these will shift and change according to circumstances, but rather to build our belief on THE BIBLE which is the eternal and unchanging WORD OF GOD.

    This study is designed to consolidate your faith and give you answers from THE BIBLE around some of the questions relating to your new faith in Christ.

     

    UNDERSTANDING AND FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND THE BIBLE:

    • The Bible was written by 40 different authors over a period of around 1000 years, under the direct inspiration and guidance of God.
    • We believe that the book we have in our hands today is indeed God’s inspired Word, and contains the truth about God, ourselves, and the way in which we can come to know Him and His Will for our lives.

    It is in two parts:

    • The Old Testament, written before the life of Christ (in the Hebrew language,) contains books of history, poetry and law.
    • The New Testament, (written in the Greek language), is a record of the life and teaching of Jesus with regard to salvation and the growing and ongoing life of individual believers and the body of believers all round the world, who are jointly called "the church." It also teaches about second coming of Christ to claim His Church and take them to be with Him at a future time of His choosing.
    • A vital part of your life as a Christian is your daily study of the Bible, because it is the way in which we get to know God and to understand how He wants us to live.
    • It contains God’s Truth, and is the only foundation for the establishment and growth of our faith and our relationship with God, in a world which rejects and suppresses truth and distorts the values which have been established by God.
    • You have been given scripture references in this material rather than page numbers. This research will help you to become familiar with the layout of the Bible, and where you can find the various books.
    • There is an index page at the beginning of the Bible you have been given, which will help you find the references.

    Question 1
    WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?

    • Jesus is probably the most controversial figure of history. Independent historians confirm that he was born and lived in Palestine (modern Israel), performed amazing miracles, developed an enormous popular following and died by crucifixion after a Roman trial had found him not guilty of insurrection.
    • His subsequent miraculous resurrection from the dead was independently witnessed over a 40-day period by over 400 people.
    • His life had a dramatic impact on everyone who met him. His claims were outrageous to the Jewish leaders of the day, and were misread by the political leaders.
    • No-one living then (or today) can conveniently choose to ignore him as being irrelevant to their lives. He is either God or else a madman.

    WHAT DID OTHER PEOPLE SAY ABOUT JESUS?

    (From the Gospel of John)

    1:34 - "I have seen and can testify that this is the Son of God"

    1:49 - "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel"

    2:11 - He revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him

    3:2 - "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God, for no-one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him!"

    4:28 - "Come and see a man who has told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Christ?"

    4:42 - " We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world!"

    6:68 - "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God!"

    7:12 - There was widespread whispering about him. Some said "He is a good man"; others replied, "No, he deceives the people", but no-one would say anything publically about him for fear of the Jewish leaders

    7:40 - On hearing his words, some of the people said "Surely this man is the Prophet". Others said "He is the Christ" Still others said "How can the Christ come from Galilee?" The people were divided because of Jesus; some wanted to seize him, but no-one laid a hand on him.

    9:16 - The Pharisees said "this man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath", but others asked "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs? So they were divided over who Jesus was.

    11:27 - Martha said "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world"

    11:45 - Many of the Jews had seen what Jesus did, and put their faith in him. The Pharisees and chief priests said "what are we accomplishing? Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come along and take away both our place and this nation! Do you not realize that it is better for you for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to perish?"

    12:13 - The people in Jerusalem took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting "Hosanna! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!" The Pharisees said "See, this is getting us nowhere! Look how the whole world has gone after him!"

    19:2 - The soldiers went up to him again and again, saying "Hail, King of the Jews!", and they struck him in the face.

    19:14 - Pilate said to the Jews "Here is your King!" They shouted "Take him away, take him away, Crucify him!" "Shall I crucify your king?" asked Pilate. "We have no king but Caesar!" they screamed.

    19:37-38 - Pilate said "You are a king, then?" Jesus replied "you are right in saying I am a King!" Pilate went out to the Jews again and said "I find no basis for any charge against him!"

    20:27-28 - Jesus said " See my hands; reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe! Thomas answered, "My Lord and my God!"

    WHAT DID JESUS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT HIMSELF?

    Professor C.S. Lewis in his classic book ‘Mere Christianity" said: "I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "IM READY TO ACCEPT JESUS AS A GREAT MORAL TEACHER, BUT I DON’T ACCEPT HIS CLAIM TO BE GOD."

    That is the one thing that we cannot say!" A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things that Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher! He would either be a lunatic on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg, or else he would be the Devil from Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God: or else he is a madman or something even worse."

    SOME OF JESUS’ OWN CLAIMS, RECORDED IN JOHN’S GOSPEL

    1:51 - "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on (me), the Son of God!"

    3:13 - "No-one has ever gone into heaven except(me), the One who came from heaven- the Son of Man!"

    3:18 - "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son!"

    3:36 - "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects (me) the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath will remain on him!"

    4:10 - Jesus said "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water!"

    4:25 - The woman said "I know that the Messiah (called Christ) is coming, and when he comes he will explain everything to us. Jesus said "I who speak to you am he! (the Messiah).

    5:24 - Jesus said "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me, has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life!"

    5:25 - "The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall 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 God!"

    5:39 - Jesus said "You diligently search and study the scriptures because you think that by them you can possess eternal life. These are the scriptures that testify about me, and yet you refuse to come to me to have life!"

    6:27 - Jesus said "Do not work for food that spoils, but rather for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you! On him (Jesus) God the Father has placed his seal of approval!

    6:35 - Jesus declared "I am the bread of life! He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never go thirsty!"

    6:40 - "My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day!"

    6:43 - Jesus answered "No-one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up again at the last day!"

    6:47 - "I tell you the truth; he who believes on me has everlasting life.

    I am the bread of life!"

    6:51 - "I am the living bread that came down from heaven! If a man eats of this bread, he will live for ever!"

    7:37 - Jesus stood and said in a loud voice "If a man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him!"

    8:12 - Jesus spoke to the people again and said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life!"

    8:23 - Jesus said, "You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; and if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins!"

    8:58 - Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was I AM!

    (the Hebrew word "Elohim", meaning "the eternal pre-existent Creator- God" ). This represented blasphemy to the Jews of the day

    9:5 - Jesus said, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world!"

    10:9 - Jesus said, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved!"

    10:17 - Jesus said, "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, I lay it down of my own accord. I have the authority to lay it down, and the authority to take it up again!"

    10:27 - "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish! No-one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand!"

    10:36 - "What about the one whom the Father has set apart as His very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said "I am God’s Son?" Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does! But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father!"

    11:25 - Jesus said, " I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live, even though he dies. And whoever lives and believes in me will never die! Do you believe this?"

    12: 32 - Jesus said, "I, when I am lifted up (in crucifixion) will draw all men to me!"

    12:42 - Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me! I have come into the world as a light, so that no-one who believes in me should stay in darkness. I did not come into the world to judge it but to save it!"

    14:1 - "Let not your hearts be troubled; You trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so I would have told you so. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am!"

    14:19 - "Before long, the world will not see me any more, but you will see me! Because I live, you also will live! On that day you will realize that I am in the Father, and you are in me, and I am in you!"

    15:5 - "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit!"

    16:14 - "He (the Holy Spirit) will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine!"

    16:33 - " I have told you these things so that, in me, you might have peace! In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world!"

    17:1 - "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that your Son might glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people so that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Glorify me in your presence with all the glory I had with you before the world began!!"

     

    Question 2
    WHAT WAS I LIKE BEFORE I CAME TO FAITH IN CHRIST?

    • What proportion of the population do you think could be regarded as "righteous"? (Living up to God’s required standard) Romans 3 vs 9?

     

    • What proportion of the population do you think could be regarded as "sinful?" Romans 3 vs 23

     

    • What is God’s assessment of human nature? Jeremiah 17 vs 9

     

    • What does the Bible say about sinful people and their relationship with God? 1 Corinthians 6 vs 9-11

     

    • Why are people apparently unable to see and understand spiritual truth? 2 Corinthians 4 vs 4

     

    • Who introduces us to spiritual truth? 1 Corinthians 2 vs 14

     

    • What effect does our basic sinful nature have on the way we typically live? Romans 7 vs 19

     

    • Were we in any way exempt from the problem of sinful living? Ephesians 2 vs 2

     

    • What is the inevitable end result of sin? James 1 vs 15

     

    • Although we know instinctively that God exists, and we see evidence of His existence in creation around us, what are the two things sinful people refuse to do? Romans 1 vs 21

     

    • What characteristics do we see in human lives that tell us immediately what the effects of sin are? Romans 1 vs 29-32?

     

    Question 3
    WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I CAME TO FAITH IN CHRIST?

    • What was God’s answer to the problem of sin? 1 John 4 vs 9,10

     

    • What did God promise you would become? I John 3 vs 1,2

     

    • What two things has God promised He will do when we confess our sins? I John 1 vs 9

     

    • What are the promises of God for us, which flow from the death of Christ on our behalf? Romans 5 vs 8-11

     

    • We were previously bound (tied down) by sin. What has now happened? Romans 6 vs 18

     

    • What is God’s gift to us when we turn to Him in repentance? Romans 6 vs 23

     

    • What enormous burden is relieved when we come to Him in faith? Romans 8 vs 1,2

     

    • God does three wonderful things for us when we become His children. What are they? 1 Corinthians 6 vs 11

     

    • Can we ever come to God and gain forgiveness by keeping the law? Galatians 2 vs 15,16

     

    • What kind of relationship do we enter into when we hand our lives over to Christ? Galatians 3 vs 26-29

     

    • The Scripture says that we used to be "slaves to sin." What have you now become? Galatians 4 vs 7

     

    • The book of Ephesians has some wonderfully comforting truth for us about our new position in Christ. List some of these truths from God’s Word:

    Ephesians 1 vs 17-23?

     

    Ephesians 2 vs 1 -12?

     

    Ephesians 2 vs 19?

     

    Question 4
    HOW CAN I BE SURE ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST?

    • How did God demonstrate His love for us in the most personal and practical way possible? 1 John 4 vs 9,10

     

    • What does God Himself promise about those who acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 4 vs 15

     

    • God speaks about His "testimony" (evidence) in our lives. What is it? 1 John 5 vs 11-13

     

    • The Bible says that Jesus, the Son of God has given us spiritual understanding. For what purpose? 1 John 5 vs 20

     

    • What re-assurance do we get from the Bible in Romans 8 vs 14-17?

     

    • What legal requirements have been met by Jesus’ death on our behalf? Romans 8 vs 33,34

     

    • What things are capable of separating us now from God’s love? Romans 8 vs 37-39

     

    • What results flow from our confession of our sin and our trust in Christ? Romans 10 vs 9-11

     

    • List what the Bible calls "the fruit of the Spirit" which will begin to be evident in the life of a new believer as he or she lives life in dependence on Christ. This is a supernatural gift from God, and cannot be produced in any other way. Galatians 5 vs 22

     

    Question5
    WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?

    • God expresses two of His requirements of us in 1 John 3 vs 28. What are they?

     

    • How do we deal with the problem of being tempted to go back to our old life, or "being led astray"? 1 John 2 vs 26

     

    • God does not want us to continue in sin. What does He want for us? 1 John 3 vs 9-10

     

    • What does He want the focus of our attention to be? Romans 8 vs 5

     

    • What does the Bible say about the role of LOVE in our lives? 1 Corinthians 13 vs 4

     

    • What provision has God made to help us to stand firm in our new faith? 2 Corinthians 1 vs 21

     

    • What role does God want us to play as far as representing Him is concerned? 2 Corinthians 5 vs 20

     

    • What does God say about our relationships with other people? Galatians 6 vs 9

     

    • For what reason has God given us the gift of people who are Pastors and Teachers? Ephesians 4 vs 11-13

     

    • What is God doing in your life right now, and why? Phillipians 1 vs 6

     

    Question 6
    HOW DO I GROW INTO EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN SERVICE?

    • What does 1 John 3 vs 3-6 teach us about love and obedience?

     

    • What should our attitude be towards the Gospel message? Why? Romans 1 vs 16

     

    • What sort of communication should we be having with other people and why? Romans 10 vs 14

     

    • What is God’s requirement from us in terms of our time, talent and ability? Romans 12 vs 1,2

     

    • God has given us individual gifts to be used in His service. What do we learn about this process from the Bible?

    Romans 12 vs 4-8?

     

    Romans 12 vs 13?

     

    Romans 12 vs 15?

     

    Romans 12 vs 16?

     

    Romans 12 vs 17?

     

    • What does God say about the use of our time and about our ambitions? Romans 14 vs 7,8

     

    • Does God take this topic lightly? Is it an optional extra? Romans 14 vs 11-12

     

    • How does he want us to react to difficult people? Romans 14 vs 19

     

    • How about our prayer life? Romans 15 vs 30

     

    • How are we going to manage all of this? 2 Corinthians 12 vs 9

     





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