Gospel

Three Tenses of Salvation Next, let’s consider a fundamental doctrine in the word of God, which has as its foundation the grace of God.  We’ve already seen that God’s plan of salvation is offered to mankind on the basis of grace.  Let’s rightly divide the word of truth by considering three different aspects of this salvation found in the Bible. First, let’s understand that the term “salvation” means to rescue or to deliver and the context determines what the nature of the salvation is. In the Old Testament, “salvation” almost always refers to some sort of physical salvation from various enemies, circumstances, and even death.  In the New Testament, “salvation” sometimes is referring to physical deliverance but normally it is used in a spiritual sense. Second, you need to realize that spiritual salvation is spoken of in three tenses or phases in the Bible.  We have a tendency as believers to think only of salvation which occurred at a point in time in our past, to save us f

Look out for these Terms and Definitions mostly used in the teaching: Grace – God’s unmerited or undeserved favour and kindness toward unworthy mankind. Justification – The judicial declaration in which a holy God declares righteous the unworthy but believing sinner on the basis of Christ’s sacrificial work on the sinner’s behalf. Sanctification – The process by which a believer in Christ, through the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, is progressively set apart unto God as a vessel for His service. Glorification – The yet future state of all believers in which they will be made like Christ, with glorified bodies and without sin in the very presence of God in heaven. Introduction During this first study, we want to explain why the teaching of the grace of God is so important. Let me ask you a few questions regarding God’s grace: ·       Do you understand God’s grace in salvation? ·       Do you understand God’s grace in eternal security? ·

GOSPEL The gospel message is central to Christianity and it is of utmost importance to know, use, teach, and defend the clear gospel of the grace of God. And so we will spend the rest of our time explaining the gospel message. A roadmap serves several purposes. It shows you where you want to go (your destination) and it shows you how to get there. When you die it is safe to assume that you will want to spend eternity in heaven with God. This is the desired destination. The gospel roadmap shows you how to get there. The basic meaning of the word “gospel” is “good news”. It is a message from God to man revealing how God has acted on behalf of humanity making it possible for every person to spend eternity with Him in heaven. This message starts out with some bad news but then ends with some truly significant good news. The roadmap lays out this information in a logical and easy to follow format. The Gospel – Four Parts The Gospel message can be laid out in four parts. It has a 

Heart Of The Matter “That I may know Him” (Phil. 3:10). The desire of every Christian must be to know his Saviour. Earthly, we all desire to know our parents well. Actually, knowing our parents help us to know what we can or can't ask, do, or say to and for them. The closer the relationship and fellowship better is the understanding and care for each other. The same is true in our relationship and fellowship with our Saviour, God. The thing is; He knows us well. But we ought to know him too. Denial to self or self-confidence is a major step to getting to know Him. Knowing Christ in trial by seeking the sympathy of His heart Immaturity is selfish; maturity is selfless. “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). “The question for the tried and tempted, the harassed and oppressed, is this: ‘Which would you rather have, the power of Christ’s hand in deliverance from the trial, or the sympathy of His heart in the midst of trial?’ The carnal mind, the unsubdued h

Christ - Confidence Christ confidence “For we worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3). There is no place for self-confidence in the Christian life Contrary to general opinion, there is no place for self-confidence in the Christian life. Christianity is the life of Christ living in a believer. Confidence in self is forgetting who saved you and where your victory lies.  Confidence is essential  But not from the source of self. The awakened believer is so keenly aware of the sinful self-life that, for him, self-confidence is out of the question. In time, his “O wretched man” complex is replaced by “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 7:24, 25). Christ-confidence is the basis for the healthy Christian’s walk. Sinful self-confidence is the basis for the sickly Christian’s defeat. What our Father does to revive confidence in us “Our Father takes all things from under our feet until we have nothin

Partakers “If, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God” (1 Pet. 2:20). Affliction and suffering are the lot of all men, the privilege of all believers. Our sufferings bring forth need, and our need brings forth His comfort and consolation. Blessed need! “As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation” (2 Cor. 1:7). Blessed promise! “If you aspire to be a son of consolation; if you would partake of the priestly gift of sympathy; if you would pour something beyond commonplace consolation into a tempted heart; if you would pass through the intercourse of daily life with the delicate tact that never inflicts pain; you must be content to pay the price of a costly education-like Him, you must suffer.” Blessing out of suffering “There are blessings which we cannot obtain if we cannot accept and endure suffering. There are joys that can come to us only through sorrow. There are revealings of divine truth wh

Author Of Peace “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Cor. 14:33). The day we were saved, total war was declared between sinful self and the Holy Spirit. Lasting peace will come when we rest in Calvary’s conquest of sin and self, and allow that victory to be applied by the faithful Spirit of God. “The Holy Spirit does not reason from what man is for God, but from what God is to man. Souls reason from what they are in themselves as to whether God can accept them. He does not accept you thus; you are looking for righteousness in yourself as a ground of acceptance with Him. You cannot get peace in this way. ‘But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’ (Rom 5:8). “The Holy Spirit always reasons down from what God is, and this produces a total change in my soul. It is not that I abhor my sins; indeed I may have been walking very well, but it is ‘I abhor myself.’ The Holy Spirit shows us what we are, and that is on

Gospel Questionaire to help you know where the person stands Sometimes it is difficult to know how to help a person understand the gospel in a way that you start from where a person believes about God and his salvation. Praise to be God that He has given us the Holy Spirit to give us discernment and wisdom.  God has enabled us to come up with a questionnaire which helps you help the person understand more his/her standing when it comes to salvation.  The following is a layout you can follow or modify buy do not just confuse the purpose of the questionnaire. Opening the Questionnaire 1.        What is your name? 2.        What church do you attend? 3.        Are you a Pastor? 4.        When you die, how certain are you that you will go to heaven?  How sure are you that God will allow you to enter?  Are you 50% sure?  Or 80% sure?   Or 100% sure?  What are your personal chances of getting in? Write your answer here:  ________ % 5.     

Abide In Abundance “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me” (John 15:4). Quality Of The Fruit The quality of the fruit of the branch depends upon the quality of the life of the vine. Neither quality nor quantity is the product of the branch, for the branch merely receives what is produced by the vine . “To walk with God in hallowed fellowship is not only the secret of joy and growth, it is the condition of all acceptable service, of all real usefulness. The value of what we do depends very much upon what we are. And what we are depends upon where we abide. The mightiest power for usefulness is the quiet influence of a life that abides habitually in the secret place of the Most High. Such an one dwells in the source of all life, of all purity, of all fruitfulness.” -E.H.H. “It is just a matter of taking a position that is already yours. The enemy has filled the minds of many

TILL THE STORM PASSES OVER A lady was driving along with her father. They came upon a storm, and the young lady asked her father, "What should I do?" He said "keep driving".. Cars began to pull over to the side, the storm was getting worse. "What should I do." The young lady asked? "Keep driving," her father replied. On up a few feet, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also pulling over. She told her dad, "I must pull over, I can barely see ahead. It is terrible, and everyone is pulling over!" Her father told her, "Don't give up, just keep driving!" Now the storm was terrible, but she never stopped driving, and soon she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of miles she was again on dry land, and the sun came out. Her father said, "Now you can pull over and get out." She said "But why now?" He said "When you get out, look back at all the people that gave up and are