God’s Glorious Salvation
A Guide For New Believers in Jesus Christ
By Cary Cox and Luke Geraty
Lession 1. True and False Conversion: Have I truly repented of my sins and believed on Christ?
It is possible to think you are a Christian because you have made a decision or prayed a prayer, and really be deceived. The Bible says that some will be surprised when they stand before Christ after death at the Judgment:
· Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23
Jesus also taught that among the wheat in his field (a picture of true believers) there are weeds (called tares) pretending to be the real thing. At the judgment the wheat will be separated from the weeds; true believers will be separated from pretenders (see Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).
To be surprised on Judgment Day is a horrible possibility. Many will think they are going to heaven with the Lord, but will be surprised when they are judged by God and condemned. Can you think of anything more important than being absolutely SURE about your standing before God?
So how do you know if you are true or false?
To be saved, the Bible tells us to repent of our sin and believe on Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21). Sometimes we are told to do things the Bible does not tell us. We are not saved by raising our hand, repeating a prayer, going to church, trying to be good, being baptized, or anything else we can do. We are saved by God’s grace when he enables us to repent of our sin and believe on Jesus Christ.
What is repentance? Repentance starts with godly sorrow over our sin. We see that we are indeed sinners who have broken God’s good laws and who have not loved God as he deserves. We realize that we have done nothing good that can save us, and that our sins are against the holy God who created us and deserves to have our love and worship. God gives us a repentant heart so that we begin to hate our sin that we once loved, and love the God that we formerly hated and rebelled against. We cry out to God for mercy and for grace and help to deliver us from our sins.
What is faith? As we turn away from our sins in repentance, we are turning towards God’s solution for our sins: Jesus Christ and his work on the cross. As God opens our mind and heart to understand that Jesus died for our sins, in our place, at the cross, we begin to value Jesus and what he has done for us. With the inward eyes of faith we see Jesus dying on the cross – not just for everyone, but for US – actually paying for our real sins with his precious blood. We realize that he suffered greatly for us; he felt the weight and guilt and shame of our filthy sins. We understand that God judged Jesus in our place and poured out his wrath on Jesus so he does not have to pour out his wrath on us at the judgment! As we have turned from our sins in repentance, we believe in Jesus as the Son of God who bore our sins at the cross and rose from the dead to save us! We place all our hope, all our trust, in Jesus and what he did for us.
True Believers Produce Fruit
If God has enabled someone to be a true believer – to truly repent of sins and have faith in Jesus – then that person will begin to produce fruit that will be evidence that he is a true believer and not a false pretender.
Jesus said:
· A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Matthew 7:18-20
If God has truly saved you, you will show fruit. This is because God will finish what he starts (Philippians 1:6)! He will not abandon you; if he has started a saving work in you, he will continue that work to completion for his glory.
So examine yourself in light of God’s word. Have you truly repented of your sins? Have you believed on Jesus Christ and placed your faith in what he has done for you at the cross? If so, continue to repent and believe. Keep following Jesus to the end, praying to bear much fruit for the glory of God!
The 11 Evidences of Being Born Again
(From John’s Epistles)
- Those who are born of God keep his commandments.
1 John 2:3–4: “By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
1 John 3:24: “Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him.”
- Those who are born of God walk as Christ walked.
1 John 2:5–6: “By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”
- Those who are born of God don’t hate others but love them.
1 John 2:9: “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.”
1 John 3:14: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.”
1 John 4:7–8: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
1 John 4:20: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar.” - Those who are born of God don’t love the world.
1 John 2:15: “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
- Those who are born of God confess the Son and receive (have) him.
1 John 2:23: “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.”
1 John 4:15: “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”
1 John 5:12: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
- Those who are born of God practice righteousness.
1 John 2:29: “If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.”
- Those who are born of God don’t make a practice of sinning.
1 John 3:6: “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.”
1 John 3:9–10: “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
1 John 5:18: “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”
- Those who are born of God possess the Spirit of God.
1 John 3:24: “By this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.”
1 John 4:13: “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.”
- Those who are born of God listen submissively to the apostolic Word.
1 John 4:6: “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
- Those who are born of God believe that Jesus is the Christ.
1 John 5:1: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.”
- Those who are born of God overcome the world.
1 John 5:4: “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”
Lession 2. Salvation: What happened to me?
If you are a true believer in Christ who has repented of sin, then God has done some amazing things for you! The Bible tells us about this awesome salvation God has done for and in us.
Regeneration. God made us alive spiritually when we were dead in sin! The Holy Spirit of God, when we heard the gospel, raised us from spiritual death and gave us new life (Ephesians 2:1, 5). Now we will live forever; we are born again! We also are indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit.
· “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” 1 Peter 1:3
(see also John 1:13 and 3:3-8)
Justification. Not only has God made us alive from the dead, but he has justified us in his sight. Before, we stood condemned and guilty before the Judge of the earth as sinners and rebels. But now God has taken our sins away from us and declared us to be right with him! Not only has he cleared us of the guilt and condemnation of our sins, but he has counted to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ! This means that Jesus’ goodness – righteousness – is given to us by God! So we do not go to heaven because of our goodness, but because of Jesus’ goodness that is given to us through faith.
· “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 (see also Romans 4:5)
Adoption. Not only has God raised us from spiritual death, given us new life, taken away the guilt of our sins and given us the righteousness of Jesus Christ through faith, but he has also taken us into his family and given us the rights of children of God! God is now our Father! He has welcomed us to his family, his table and his house. What a glorious salvation in Jesus!
· “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” Galatians 3:26
(see Romans 8:15-17)
Lesson 3. The Gospel Applies to ALL of Life. How do I live?
We live every day the same way we became Christians: turning from our sin in repentance and constantly looking in faith to Jesus Christ who died for us and rose again. This is what our focus should be at all times! We do not come to Jesus by faith and then go out to live our life with our own power, our own way. We must continue in the gospel until the end.
Sometimes Christians get distracted after awhile and lose focus on Jesus and the gospel. Maybe they are distracted by another teaching, or by the things of this world. But Jesus is our life! Set your sights firmly on the one who died for you and rose again. He will see you through as you hold to his gospel and trust him.
Remember also that while we must produce good fruit (good works) as evidence that we are truly saved, these good works are never the cause of God’s favor upon us, but the result and the evidence of God’s favor. We will certainly serve God because we love him and are thankful for what he has done for us, but we must never think that we are earning God’s happiness with us by our good works. Jesus’ work is the foundation of our favor with God, not our work. So as you serve the Lord and labor to do his will, never let your focus be on YOU and YOUR WORKS, but on Jesus, his glory, and what HE has done for you. Your standing before God is secure in Christ, not just when you have a good day or perform well; your standing before God is also secure in Christ when you have a bad day, or stumble into sin. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). All eyes on Jesus! (Colossians 3:1-3)
Lesson 4. The Church. I am a part of the Body of Christ. The importance of church connection.
When we were saved, we were made a part of the church, which is called the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). We alone are not the church, but we are a part of the church – together with all other believers. The universal church is all of God’s people from every time, every nation, every language. But the Bible also refers to a group of believers in a particular location as a church. God’s plan is that we “do life” TOGETHER with other believers. God himself is made up of 3 Persons (There is only one God, but he is 3 Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have wonderful love and fellowship with each other. This is the foundation for our loving relationships with other believers. It is God’s will for us to connect with a local church that preaches the gospel, glorifies Jesus, and teaches the Bible. God does not want us to try to live the Christian life by ourselves, or with loose friendships with other believers that we see at irregular times. We are to be in loving, committed relationships with other believers.
In this way, we can learn to love other people who are not perfect. Other believers will sometimes sin against us, hurt us, dissappoint us. But God has called us to love one another. He is teaching us to love people when they hurt us and when they are different from us. The church also provides accountability when we stray.
The church is called to meet together often to worship God, study his word together, and make each other stronger. We need each other! (See 1 Corinthians 12)
Just as our body is made up of many different parts, yet we have only one body, so is the church made up of different believers while remaining one church. Each believer is gifted in a different way, and all the members of a church are important and needed. So now that you have believed on Christ, connect to a church!
Lesson 5. Growing in Christ: The Means of Grace. What does God use to make me mature?
We are all born, and then we grow up. We become mature. But this does not happen automatically. There are means that are used on our path to maturity as a human being. We must eat food to grow strong. We must have air to breathe. We need guidance and education to mature.
Also in Christ, God is growing us up into maturity (Ephesians 4:13). And just as there are means that are used in our physical, mental and emotional maturity, there are also spiritual means to growth in grace. These are things that God uses to bless us and make us strong. They are like pipes God uses to pour on us the water of his grace.
First there is baptism. Christ has commanded all his followers to be baptized in water. This is how we publicly show our faith. We still had faith in Christ prior to baptism, but now that faith is shown to all by obeying Jesus’ command (Matthew 28:19). The other ordinance that Jesus commanded his church to observe is Communion, or the Lord’s Supper. In this ordinance, bread and wine are used to picture Jesus’ death. The bread pictures his body that was broken for us, and the cup pictures his blood that was shed for us. While baptism in water is the outward sign of our beginning our walk with Christ, the Lord’s Supper is the continuing outward sign that we are continuing to follow Jesus. Through these ordinances of the church, as we participate while looking only to Jesus in faith, we are blessed and strengthened.
Other means of grace in the church are the preaching of God’s word, prayer with the church, fellowship, ministry, laying on of hands, anointing with oil, church discipline when we sin, proclaiming the gospel to others, serving one another in the church, giving financially, etc. None of these things have power apart from Christ. We must look to Jesus, but Jesus uses these means that his word has instructed us to observe.
God also uses our personal times of prayer, studying the Bible, and sharing Christ’s gospel with others to greatly bless us and grow us. Pray constantly! Always be in an attitude of prayer and worship, sharing your heart with God in prayer and listening for his leading. Be honest with God, but respectful. He is our Friend and Father, but he is still God. Read your Bible constantly! Our enemy the Devil will bring false teachings to our ears that sound good, and we must know God’s word.
· But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18
It is the responsibility of the believer to make diligent use of the means of grace. Don’t neglect them! That would be like neglecting air or food but still wanting to live and grow.
Lesson 6. The Holy Spirit. I Am Never Alone!
When we were born again, God’s Holy Spirit came to live within us. He is always with us and has come to help us, comfort us, lead us, give us power to serve Jesus, and bless us in many ways. The Holy Spirit is God. He is not just power, like electricity, but is a Person. He feels, he grieves, he speaks, and we can have fellowship with him (2 Corinthians 13:14).
Though the Holy Spirit indwells all believers, we are still commanded to continuously be filled with the Holy Spirit. We must daily, and moment by moment, ask God to fill us with his Spirit and yield to the leading of the Spirit. We must daily surrender to God and offer ourselves to his service. It is good for the church to pray for one another to be filled with the Holy Spirit, laying hands on one another.
The Holy Spirit also gives spiritual gifts to the church. Every believer is gifted by God’s Spirit. The purpose of the gifts is to build up the church for Jesus’ glory. We should use the gifts according to the guidelines set in God’s word for their use, not abusing them or making too much of one particular gift above another (read 1 Corinthians, chapters 12 through 14).
Lesson 7. Mission: Sharing the Gospel With Others. What is my mission?
The mission of believers is to proclaim the gospel of Christ to all people groups, starting where God has placed us and going out to the ends of the earth. We are to shine God’s light in the darkness. We can start by telling our friends and family members how God has saved us. We can begin to share this good news with strangers, praying for opportunities and looking for open doors God places before us.
The gospel deed is living a life that glorifies God and gives validity to our preaching of the gospel. We must reach out to others in love, sharing Christ’s mercy and love with those in need. This includes sharing our food, meeting needs, befriending the lonely, etc. This is very important, but this is not the complete mission.
The gospel word is completely necessary, in addition to the gospel deed. While our acts of compassion will be used greatly, God has ordained that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). We simply must proclaim the word of God. Through the gospel preached, God’s Spirit works to bring people to salvation.
What is the gospel?
It is very important to have a clear understanding of the gospel if we are to share it with others in a right way, that glorifies God and helps produce true converts, rather than false, religious pretenders.
· The gospel starts with the character of God. God is holy and hates sin (Isaiah 59:2). God is just, and will judge sinners by rightly condemning them (Psalm 7:11-12, Isaiah 5:16).
· We must also address the sinful condition of man. Though we were created in God’s image, Adam sinned and plunged the whole race into depravity and sinfulness. All have sinned. No one is good. (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6).
· If God is good and must punish sin, and all men have sinned, how can anyone be saved?
· The cross of Christ. God set forth one plan, one way; he gave his Son to die for sinners and be judged in their place, that those who believe could be forgiven of sin. Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave. (Romans 3:23-26; Romans 4:25)
· Man must respond to this news of God’s action to save sinners, by repenting of sin and believing on Christ. Repentance (Psalm 51:3, Romans 7:15, 24), confessing sin to God and turning away from it (Isaiah 1:16; Matthew 3:10). Faith (Hebrews 11:1; Romans 4:21, John 3:16, Acts 16:31).
· Assurance of salvation is given as fruit is produced in the believer’s life. “A true Christian is a new creation and will live a life that reflects God’s radical work of re-creation in his/her life” (www.heartcrymissionary.com) (2 Corinthians 5:17, Matthew 7:16, 2 Corinthians 13:5, 1 John 5:13).
Get to know this glorious gospel! Study it, praise God for it, love it, and proclaim it!
Lesson 8. The Future: What Has God Promised? What will happen to me?
The same God who has started a saving work in us, will continue that work until completion! Here is what we have to look forward to in the Christian life, after we die, and in eternity future:
Sanctification. God declared us to be right with him when we believed (that is called justification). But now God is going to daily work in our lives to progressively grow us up to what he has already declared us to be! This ongoing work of the Spirit of God in the believer’s life is called sanctification. Sanctification is not always fun - sometimes God uses difficult circumstances, suffering, persecution, and trials of all kinds to sanctify us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and trust God. He has not promised that it will always be easy, but he has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). Even in the hard times we can rest in God’s faithfulness, knowing that it is because he loves us that he is molding us to look like Jesus and working in our lives. He disciplines those who are his sons (Hebrews 12:7-11). God knows just what it will take to conform us to the image of Christ. Sometimes it will be hard, but God is with us. Trust him, rest in him and know that an eternity of glory and blessing awaits!
Preservation/Perseverance. God preserves us until the end (Jude 24-25). He is holding us securely in Christ and no one can take us from his hands (John 10:28-29). And while God is holding onto us, our responsibility is to endure unto the end (Matthew 10:22, 24:13). Never give up! Never quit repenting of sin, believing Jesus, trusting in what he has done for us at the cross, and following him in faith and obedience! God is preserving us, and we are persevering till the end!
Glorification. The same God who declared us to be right with him through faith in Jesus (justification), and who is daily growing us up to the image of Christ (sanctification) has also promised to complete this salvation and glorify us! We will be given new bodies like Jesus’ body and we will live forever with him in glory! (1 John 3:2; Romans 8:17, 30)
God has not promised that believers will always be healthy and rich and have easy circumstances in this lifetime. But Jesus has secured for us a new life and a future of eternal blessing with God, forever! In that day, we will have riches that money cannot buy; we will never face sickness or pain again; and we will be happy in the Lord forever and ever. Praise God for this glorious salvation! May he keep us faithful to the end.
AMEN!
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