A LESSON FOR THE NEW NEW BELIEVER

FOLLOWING is a study I prepared for  some adult Sunday School students who the previous Sunday indicated by their statements, not by promptings from me, that they were understanding God's plan for eternal salvation for the first time.  I needed a handout for the following Sunday as I would not be there, and another Sunday School Leader would begin a new study.  I searched on line for such a resource, but found none suitable.  I desired to have in print what I did not have prepared for class, so that they would have information available to them to begin to study scripture, and internalize what they have believed.

I am very curious what my brothers and sisters think of this as a rudimentary resource just to begin someone on their walk through a "3-D Gospel life" (thanks to Dr. Jim Reitman, http://justsoyouallknow.blogspot.com/  ). 
Please leave comments or questions at the end, as you feel led of the Lord: 

Thank The LORD, YOU GET IT!

Just in case you forget it,

This is where you go to get it.

Duane Watts, 2009



John 3:16 For God So Loved the world that HE gave His only begotten son, that whosoever (you) believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:36 John the Baptizer says: He that believes in the SON has everlasting life now.

John 11:25 Jesus says to Martha (and to you) :

I AM

The Resurrection                and                          The Life

He who Believes in ME                            He who Lives &  Believes

Though he die, yet shall he live.               in ME shall never ever die.*

DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?

John 20:30 After Thomas Sees our Resurrected Lord for the 1st time and exclaims “My Lord and MY GOD!,"

John says: These signs (8 miracles written in the Gospel of John) have I written to you so that you may Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that Believing you will have life in His name.



*John Niemela “The Cross In John’s Gospel” Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society,
  Spring 2003

SECURE IN CHRIST

Having believed, your eternal life is in no way contingent upon you.
Nothing you do can either make you more secure or less secure in your eternal destiny.
Your eternal salvation is only contingent upon He who gave it to you.
As we just saw, Jesus promised it to you, and only He can lose it.
This would require Him to fail or to break His promise.
This Jesus has never done, nor ever, ever will do.

Another way to illustrate this is no mere illustration, but is scripture. In II Timothy 2:13 To paraphrase: Even if we stop believing still He abides faithful, for He can not deny Himself.

Remember your baptism? O.k. your physical baptism did not save anyone. Just as in old testament circumcision, (Romans 2:28) it is an outward sign of an internal spiritual reality. (Romans 6:3-5) Your baptism (going under the water) represents you dying, being buried with Jesus. Coming up out of the water, represents you being regenerated (born again) with Jesus in His resurrection. You are “positionally” in Christ Jesus. Your life is in His. This is something we can not see, and sometimes given my behavior it is even harder for me to believe. But it is more true, more real than your kitchen table.


Get Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:

Chapter 2:5-9 While we were still dead in our trespasses and sins HE made us alive TOGETHER With CHRIST (by grace have you been saved). And has raised us up together and has now Made us to sit IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS, that in ages to come HE may show us the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

For by Grace have you been saved through faith (belief) and that grace is not of yourselves, it is the gift of GOD, Not of works lest anyone should boast.

It took a long while for me to rest in the fact of my eternal destiny being settled. I continually looked for other resources to compare notes. Many teachers simply don’t agree. Many believe that what God has given God can take away. He certainly can; but since He has promised to put you in Christ, when He looks at you, He sees the righteousness of Christ.

Paul’s epistle (letter) to the Romans is a wonderful work of expository teaching. The work of a teacher is to open the scriptures to her or his students and help them to understand the scriptures by comparing scripture with scripture, to reveal God, and His nature, and our failure,
Our need, and His plan to reconcile us with HIM.

Romans 3, Paul describes in the Old Testament how that all are guilty under the commandments. In verse 20-24:

Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in HIS sight: for the law only brings knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of GOD without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law [the writings of Moses: Genesus, Exodus, etc] and witnessed by the prophets [Isaiah, Elijah etc.].
This witnesses even the righteousness of GOD which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto All and upon All who Believe. For there is no difference: All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.
Having been justified freely by HIS grace [unearned favor] through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…

In Romans 4:3-5 Paul quotes scripture: “Abraham Believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness”. Then Paul says: Now to him that works, a reward is given that is earned, as a debt, not of Grace. But to him who does not work [for acceptance from GOD] but Believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith [belief] is accounted to him for righteousness [he is declared righteous].

Some food for thought until we meet again!

Contact info:

My cell…. 401-1930 

My e-mail...... ddw.2009@hotmail.com

I would love to hear from you if you have any questions.

GODS BLESSINGS and PEACE to YOU and YOUR FAMILY

IN JESUS CHRIST, OUR FOREVER LORD AND SAVIOR

Duane Watts