A. Old nature - The Apostle Paul looked back on his life before his salvation and, by the inspiration of God, penned these words in Ephesians 2:3, "Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath even as others." The nature of a saved person is different from the lost. This different nature doesn't mean a Christian will be perfect or that he will never have a bad thought. It does mean that God is within us, changing our nature, leading us to do His will (Romans 6:6-10; Ephesians 2:10).

B. Sin - The reason we have a new nature is because God has taken our sins and placed them on His Son, "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 2:24). (In a later study we will see how God deals with the daily sins of a saved person.)

C. Satan as father - The lost are the children of Satan, pleasing only Satan with their lives, "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of the world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2). Jesus accused the lost Pharisees of being Satan's sons in John 8:44.

D. Love for the world - The new birth doesn't mean we no longer enjoy living or having material things. It does mean we should love God more than these things and be willing to give them up if they hinder our service for Him, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in Him" (1 John 2:15).

A. Righteousness - Wherein we were sinners, filthy in the sight of God, He took the cleanness and goodness of His Son and applied that to us, washing us in His blood. By faith we receive the righteousness of Christ, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Also in Romans 4:5, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

B. Peace - God took away the burden of sin that we might have peace with Him, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). (Also read Philippians 4:7 and Ephesians 2:13.) As we become stronger Christians, our peace will even be greater as we learn to accept His will in all things. Truly, He doeth all things well!

C. Love for others and love for God's work - A Christian just has to love others, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (1 John 3:14). (Also read 1 John 4:7,8,11.) To truly love others means that we are concerned over their souls and want them to serve the Lord with us.

D. New Father - God is our new Father. In Romans 8:15 and Gal. 4:6 we are reminded that we can look to God and cry out "Abba, Father," or "Father, Father," since Abba is the Aramaic word meaning Father. Since God is our Father, we are His children, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." ( 1 John 3:2a). (Also read 1 John 3:1; Romans 8:16.)

E. New Guide and Comforter - The third Person of the Godhead is the Holy Spirit, sometimes referred to as the Holy Ghost or Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict the lost and lead to Christ for salvation. After salvation the Holy Spirit lives within the saved to comfort and guide (John 14:17; Psalm 32:8; John 14:16; 16:13).

F. Riches of Heaven - As children of God, we are heirs of all that Heaven affords, "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together" (Romans 8:17). (Also read John 14:1-3.)

A. Old Testament teachings - In the Old Testament not only people but also days, places, and things were sanctified. After the creation of the 6 days, the Bible says in Genesis 2:3, "And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it." Concerning various articles, we read from Exodus 40:10-11, "And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering and all his vessels and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy. And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it." Aaron was considered sanctified as God's priest, "And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office" (Exodus 40:13). After the children of Israel were delivered from Egyptian bondage, every first born was considered "set apart" for God, "Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine" (Exodus 13:2).

Regardless of whether it was a day, an item, or a person, any thing that was sanctified in the Old Testament was considered separated from the world to be used totally for God as a holy thing.

B. New Testament teachings - Many different beliefs concerning the teaching of sanctification are found in the New Testament. For the purpose of our study, we will mention three basic beliefs:

1. Sanctification will never be perfect as long as we live on earth.

2. Man can continue to improve himself until he reaches a condition of being

sanctified or perfect.

3. Inner sanctification is the work of God when an individual is born again.

This third view holds the belief that the saved are sanctified instantaneously when they are "in Christ" and He is "in them." The Bible teaches that all believers are "saints" and are sanctified, "Jude the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in in Jesus Christ and called" (Jude 1:1). We reject the first two in favor of this teaching. (Also read Acts 20:32; 1 Corinthians 1:2)

C. Source of sanctification - Sanctification is not based on man's goodness or what he might deserve, but totally on God's love and mercy, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5). Many of the members of the Church at Corinth were carnal and weak as revealed in 1Corinthians 5:1,2; 6:1-8, but in verse 11 of our text we are told that they are considered washed and sanctified.

D. Way of sanctification - Man can ONLY be sanctified in God's sight when he has been washed in the blood of Jesus, "By the which we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.--For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:10, 14).

A. Condemned by the Law - Man could never be saved by trying to live by the Ten Commandments The law was given, not to save, but to show the need of salvation, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20). The Ten Commandments can be compared to a mirror that reveals that the face is dirty, but it does not have the ability to wash the face. So it is with the law that reveals sin but does not have the ability to justify the sinner. Jesus said in John 3:18, "...he that believeth not is condemned already." (Also read Galatians 2:16)

B. Substitution of Christ - How could anyone justify himself "just-as-if-he'd" never sinned? We know self-justification is impossible! However, God in His infinite wisdom and great mercy made provision for justification. Imagine a court of law before God's throne where each sinner is declared guilty and is being condemned. Suddenly, Jesus steps forth and offers to be the substitute for each sinner who will accept Him. As the Substitute, He will bear all the guilt and condemnation that came in the law, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross" (Colossians 2:14). Jesus literally became sin for us, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). He not only was made sin, but He bore all the guilt and penalty that should have been ours! The moment we were saved, He became our substitute. We thus see that God could not just ignore our sins; He demanded full payment.

C. Justification by grace - Justification is completely by faith in Christ, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). Faith is sufficient for salvation ONLY because of God's amazing grace, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). All of this is made possible by the blood of Christ, "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9). The Apostle summed it all up when he wrote in Romans 3:24, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." What a loving God He is to accept us as sinners and then look upon us as sons who are justified in his sight by the blood of his innocent Son!

A. Sanctified from the world - Upon sanctifying a sinner, God considers him a "holy" thing to be separated from the world to do the will of God. It is up to each saved person to love the Lord enough to separate himself from the world, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2 Corinthians 6:17). A Christian will never be able to really serve God, as long as he loves the world more than he loves God (2 Timothy 2:20,21). May we all be willing to "set ourselves apart" for God's service to do the work He has called us to do.

B. Justified to the world - God justifies the sinner when He sees the sinner's faith. Since the world cannot see into each heart, faith is seen only by the good works that follow salvation. As an example, Abraham was justified by God when he believed God's promises, (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1-3). The world that Abraham lived in could only see his faith by the works he did. As James states, "Yea a man may say, Thou hast faith and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works" (James 2:18). Abraham showed his faith by being willing to kill his son Isaac and thus was considered justified by all the world that knew him, (Genesis 22:10-12; James 2:21-24). Notice that Abraham was justified by God in Genesis 15, but he was justified to the world in Genesis 22. The world can only see that we are justified by the way we live!

1. He is redeemed (Redemption) by the blood of Jesus,

2. The righteousness of Christ is imputed (imputation is to place on one's account)

to the sinner,

3. All sins are forgiven (Forgiveness) , and

4. Christ living within gives glory (Glorification).

A. The building - Often we speak of "going to the Church" or "the Church House" and we are speaking only of the building where we meet to worship. Even though we use this manner of speaking, the building is NOT the Church but only the place where the Church meets to worship, "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).

B. Universal Church - The popular belief today is that a person is a member of an "invisible" Church at the moment of salvation. Since this Church would contain all the saved, the word "universal" is commonly used. Those who hold this belief have confused the "family of God" with the Church. The moment a person is saved, he is born again into the family of God, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12). (Also read Romans 8:16; Galatians 3:26.) Many who are saved into God's family never unite with the Lord's Church. Being saved and being saved AND a member of a scriptural Church are vastly different. The "universal Church" belief is wrong.

C. Local Church - The Bible teaches that a Church is a congregation of people who are saved and have been scripturally baptized into the fellowship of the Church. In this fellowship, the members have willingly agreed to associate themselves together under a covenant to worship together, to carry forth the gospel, to observe the Church ordinances, and to obey all the commandments that Christ has given to the Church. The Greek word for Church is EKKLESIA and means a "called-out assembly". Out of the 112 times EKKLESIA is translated Church, over 90 times it is referring to a Church in a local sense. For example: "the Church which was at Jerusalem" (Acts 8:1); "As in all the Churches of the saints" (1 Corinthians 14:33); and "John to the seven churches which are in Asia" (Revelation 1:4); are verses that definitely are speaking of local Churches. When the word EKKLESIA is used and it cannot definitely be tied down to a local congregation, the word is used in a general sense speaking of all Churches. As an example of this, when someone says the automobile has revolutionized travel, we understand that a particular car is not meant, but all cars in general. When we hear the word Church we should think of "an assembly of people who have been saved and baptized and are now serving God together."

A. When did the Church begin? - Most people today believe that the Church started on the day of Pentecost. This belief is erroneous. In Jesus' ministry, He talked about the problems among the brethren and told them in Matthew 18:17, "tell it unto the Church." On the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:41 tells us, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them three thousand souls." You cannot add to something that doesn't exist, thus the Church was organized before the day of Pentecost.

Proof of the origin is given by a prophecy made by David in Psalms 22:22b, "...in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." The writer of Hebrews states this prophecy was fulfilled by Christ, "...in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee" (Hebrews 2:12b). You will notice that the word "congregation" was replaced by "church." For Jesus to sing in the Church, it had to be organized during His ministry, "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives" (Matthew 26:30). There is no doubt that the first Church was organized during the personal ministry of Christ when He called out the first disciples that had been baptized by John. And He saith unto them, "Follow me." And I will make you fishers of men Matthew 4:19 The disciples at that time were saved, baptized, and called out to an assembly by Jesus.

B. Who Founded The First Church? - Many proudly boast of the man who founded their particular denominations. The John Calvin's, Martin Luther's, John Wesley's, Alexander Campbell's, and Constantine's surely have their followings. However, Jesus Christ is the founder of the true Church that began in His ministry. There is no place in the Bible where He ever gave anyone else the right to start another Church. From the first Church in Jerusalem, missionaries have gone out into all the world organizing new Churches. Each of these Churches has as its Founder none other than Jesus Christ.

C. Church perpetuity - Since the days of Christ, there have always been people who believed and taught the same doctrines that Jesus taught. Jesus promised that His Church would endure forever, "And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20), and, "Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end" (Ephesians 3:21). As Baptists, we claim to believe the same as the Apostles taught. Furthermore, our Churches have been traced back to the time of Christ proving that we descend from His Church. The following statements were made by men of other denominations. Alexander Campbell, founder of the Church of Christ, said, "From the Apostolic age until the present time, the sentiments of Baptists, and their practice of baptism, have had a continued chain of advocates, and public monuments of their existence in every century can be produced." Sir Isaac Newton said, "The Baptists are the only body of Christians that have not symbolized with the Church of Rome." Drs. Yepij and Dermont were appointed by the King of the Netherlands to write a history of the denominations, and partly said about the Baptists, "The Baptists may be considered as the only Christian community which has stood since the days of the Apostles." These statements were taken from the book "Baptist Faith and Martyr's Fire," by W. J. Burgess.

A. Pastor - God has called men to preach and then placed them in a Church as Pastor. The Pastor is likened to a shepherd over a flock or an overseer, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). The Pastor doesn't "run" the Church, but leads and cares for each soul as God's shepherd.

B. Deacon - The Deacons were not ordained to run the Church or to tell the Pastor what to do. The word "deacon" means "to serve," and a true Deacon will be found serving God by being a servant to the members of his church. The first deacons were ordained to wait on the physical needs of the Church so that the Apostles could give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:1-4).

A. Place to worship - A place of worship is furnished for the members to study, sing, worship, and pray together. Through these services, the members are to grow in grace as they grow together in unity and fellowship.

B. Ordinances - The Church carries out the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. These will be studied in detail in the next lesson.

C. Lighthouse - The Church is to shed the light of the gospel of Christ, "...the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches" (Revelation 1:20). Each time a sinner passes by a Church, he is reminded by the light that someone cares for his soul.

D. Guardian of the Truth - In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul called the Church "the pillar and ground of the truth." The Church cannot afford to compromise, but must teach "Thus saith the Lord"!

E. Missions - The Church is to support missions on local, state, interstate and foreign fields, (Matthew 28:19, Acts 1:8). When the opportunity comes, and the Lord is leading, we should always be ready to "extend an arm" to help other New Testament Churches be organized.

Proof has been given in this lesson showing the difference between the "family of God" and the "Church." All who are in the family of God are going to Heaven to be with Christ. However, God has special blessings for those who are members of a New Testament Church! Those who are members of Churches that still hold to the truth and are from a chain of Churches that date back to Christ can be members of the Bride of Christ. (Read Ephesians 5:27; 2 Corinthians 11:1,2; Revelation 19:6,7.) The saved who are not members of a scriptural Church will be guests at the marriage of the Lamb, (Revelation 19:9). For the ultimate blessings for the Bride (or Church) read Revelation 21:9,10.

This lesson is intended to show new converts the importance of following the Lord in scriptural baptism. What Church you join is important! In conclusion of the lesson, we should make it clear how you can become members of a Church and how your name can be removed from a Church roll.

One can join a Church in one of three ways: (1) being baptized into the Church after being saved, (2) transferring by letter from another Church of like faith and order, and (3) if the Church letter has been lost, the Church can be joined on the Statement of having been saved and baptized. One’s membership can also be removed from the Church in three different ways: (1) one can transfer letter to another Church, (2) one living a life that brings shame to himself/herself, the Lord and the Church can be excluded by a vote of the members, (I Corinthians 5:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6), and (3) dying removes one from the church roll. Treasure your relationship with the Lord’s Church! It is important to the Lord and it should be important to you!Lesson 4

A. Infants - During Jesus’ life on earth, He revealed that He had a special love for children, "And they brought unto Him also infants, that he would touch them; but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:15, 16). However, Jesus never made any statement that would even infer that children should be baptized. On the other hand, John would not baptize anyone that didn't show repentance. Can an infant repent? Neither can an infant be scripturally baptized!

B. For the dead - Some believe that when a man dies, a member of his family can be baptized in his place so that he can go to Heaven. This belief taken from 1 Corinthians 15:29, "Else what shall they do which are baptized from the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" In every generation since Christ, faithful Church members have died while others have been saved and baptized to replace them in serving the Lord in His Church. This explains the phrase "baptized for the dead." According to the Bible, there are no substitutes for baptism. Each person must obey God's commandment for himself.

C. Saved - Only a person who has the assurance of salvation should follow the Lord in baptism. In Acts 8, Philip was witnessing to an Ethiopian eunuch. This eunuch asked the question in verse 36, "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" Philip answered, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." It is obvious that Philip wanted the eunuch to be saved before he was baptized. On the day of Pentecost, those who were saved followed the Lord's commandments and were baptized, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized" (Acts 2:41a). During the ministry of John the Baptist, a multitude came to be baptized of him, but he refused because they had shown no signs of repentance, (Luke 3:7,8). For other examples of people being baptized after being saved, read Acts 10:47; 16:30-33. In addition, we find record of some who had been baptized, but after being truly saved they were scripturally baptized in Acts 19:1-5.

A. Mode of baptism - The world thinks of baptism as either sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. However, the Bible says in Ephesians 4:5, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism," so two of the modes mentioned above are wrong. The word "baptize" is an anglicized form of the Greek word BAPTIZO which means "to dip or immerse." As we study the Bible, there is no doubt about what mode of baptism was used in the Apostolic age. In Matthew 3:16, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water," and Acts 8:38,39, "...and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water..." the mode of immersion was used. Another important verse is found in John 3:23, "...and John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there." The word ‘buried’ is used in describing baptism in Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12. Anyone who doubts immersion as the scriptural mode of baptism is doubting the Bible.

B. Administrator - It is difficult to take the Bible and definitely prove who is qualified to administer baptism to the believer. However, the Lord is still calling men into the ministry, and it is advisable that an ordained Minister be used.

C. Authority to baptize - Even though the Pastor should be used to baptize, the authority to baptize is not in any man but in the local Church. Jesus gave the commission to His Church in Matthew 28:19,20, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost...and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Jesus has not been with any man through all these years, but He has been with the Church. Before the Church was organized, God gave John the Baptist the authority to baptize, "There was a man sent from God whose name was John...he that sent me to baptize with water..." (John 1:6, 33). Jesus respected the authority of John and walked nearly 70 miles to be baptized of him. Today, we should respect the authority of the local Church that received the right to baptize from the early Church at Jerusalem. Always, when the Pastor administers baptism, words such as these are used, "Upon the profession of your faith, and in obedience to the commandment of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, by the authority vested in me by this Church, I baptize thee, my Brother (Sister) in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." A church that doesn't date back to the first Church doesn't have the authority to baptize; therefore, we do not accept such baptism in our Churches.

A. Saved - The Bible leaves no doubt that a person should definitely be saved to take the Lord's Supper.

B. Baptized - A person should be baptized before taking the Supper. In Acts 2:41,42, the early Church first baptized the believers and then "they continued steadfastly in the Apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

C. Local Church - Just being saved and baptized is not enough--the Lord's Supper should only be observed in the Church where the believer is a member. In 1 Corinthians 11:18,20, "For first of all, when ye come together in the Church..., When ye come together therefore into one place..." are taken from statements Paul made concerning the observing of the Lord's Supper. Since it is a Church ordinance, and the Church is local and visible, the Lord's supper should never be observed with anyone who is not a member. Many churches use the admonition that is found in 1 Corinthians 11:28, "But let a man examine himself..." to invite anyone to participate in the observance who may feel ‘worthy.’ It should be noted that Paul is writing to a local Church (1 Corinthians 1:2) and only members of that Church are told to "examine themselves." (Each reader who is a member of a local Church is reminded to examine the heart before taking the ordinance with the home Church, but under no circumstances should it be observed when visiting another Church.)

D. Harmonious Church - The Church should be in harmony and fellowship before observing the Lord's Supper. The purpose of the Supper is "to show the Lord's death till he come" (1 Corinthians 11:26b). All ill feelings should be removed before "breaking bread" together. The resurrection of Christ is pictured when the symbolic broken body and shed blood of Jesus is joined together, when the unified Church (which is His body) partakes of the Lord's Supper together. The church is warned about eating and drinking ‘unworthily’ in 1 Corinthians 11:27, 29. The word ‘unworthily’ is not an adjective describing the individuals partaking of the supper, but an adverb describing the manner in which the supper is observed. The Supper is to be observed worthy of the Lord! To do this, the individual members of the body must be as united as possible in fellowship and doctrine for the broken pieces they each represent to become one in the body of Christ. The Supper is a picture of the resurrection that follows the picture of the crucifixion portrayed in the broken bread and poured fruit of the vine.

A. Ingredients - The ingredients for the Lord's Supper are unleavened bread and fruit of the vine (Matthew 26:26-29). Since leaven is a symbol of evil in the Bible, unleavened bread is used to represent the perfect body of Christ. Also, the fruit of the vine should be clear of impurities to represent the pure blood of Christ.

B. Administrators - The Pastor should break the bread and pour the juice as God's under-shepherd over the flock. It is customary that Deacons be used to pass the bread and cup to the Church as part of their responsibility of "waiting on tables" (Acts 6:2). The congregation waits for the Pastor to lead as they take of the broken body and shed blood of Christ together as one body of Christ.

C. Frequency of observance - The Bible does not teach how often the Supper should be observed. All it says is given in 1 Corinthians 11:26, "For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup...". It is the New Testament replacement of the Passover which was observed once per year. This writer believes that once or twice a year is reasonable. If we observe it too frequently, the true meaning may be lost, and it could become common place. However, we should observe it often enough to be aware of the importance of not only remembering His death, but also looking forward to His coming.

A. Profitable - The Word is inspired and written for our good, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). This verse is broken down into four areas:

B. Not to be altered - In Revelation 22:18,19, God warns against adding to, or taking away from the words of the Bible. Moses warned in Deuteronomy 4:2, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." In our day, many "new" Bibles have come on the market. Most of these are paraphrases (men using their own words to try to explain what God meant) and not translations; thus, they are not inspired. Any Christian who wants to learn the Bible can use the King James Version, and become an adept Bible student if he is dedicated to studying and is regular in Church attendance. A key to remember is this: "No man can say what God wanted said any better than God has said it." May we always use Bibles that are translated from the original texts.

A. Fellowship - Parents who have children away from home love to have them call up when they don't really need anything, but just want to say "hello." We need to be willing to humble down and talk to God at any time, even if there isn't anything special to ask or thank Him for. This close fellowship would keep us from getting separated from Him because of sins that might creep into our lives without a close relationship. A lack of fellowship with God will keep prayers from being answered, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1, 2).

B. In time of need - Everyone needs help to solve problems in this life, but only the saved have Someone to help, "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth" (John 9:31). The only prayer a sinner can have answered is the sinner's prayer for salvation, (Romans 10:13). Prayer was heard from prisons (Acts 16:25), Churches (Acts 12:5) and in many cases from the beds of the sick in the Apostolic age (James 4:15). The problems were different, but God had the answer to all of them. Whatever our problem is, whether large or small, we should take it to the Lord in prayer, "Let us therefore came boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

C. Thanksgiving - Each one of us has so much to be thankful for. As long as we live, we should thank God for His gift of salvation. Before eating, one should thank God for the food He provides, "He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks" (Romans 14:6). We should thank God each day for the privilege of serving Him, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (Colossians 3:17). Sometimes it's good to just say, "Thank you, Lord, for all you've done for us."

A. Daily - Bible study should be a part of each day. To read the Bible is not enough; it must be studied, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). It is a good idea to begin and end each day with a period of Bible study. The Psalmist said that the man who meditates in the law "day and night" will be blessed (Psalms 1:2).

B. Growth - Bible study is required for a Christian to grow in grace. The Apostle Paul said that the Corinthian Christians were babes in Christ, (1 Corinthians 3:1,2). Peter told us how to grow into strong Christians, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). (Also read 2 Peter 3:18.)

C. Guidance - The Bible will guide and help us in reaching many decisions, "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye" (Psalms 32:8). In the midst of a world that is dark with sin, the Bible gives a ray of hope, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalms 119:105). We should be submissive to the teachings of God's Word.

IV. Your Prayer Life. Because your prayer life will be an important part of your fellowship with God, some things will be mentioned here that will help you to attain the right attitude toward praying.

A. How to pray - Never pray to please others. Prayer is between you and God, and whatever you say should be from your heart. Jesus condemned those who prayed just to be heard of men (Matthew 6:7). For prayer to be answered, the petition is made to God through the name of Jesus, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13).

B. How often to pray - According to Daniel 6:10, Daniel prayed three times a day. We should be able to pray instantly any time, day or night. As Paul stated in I Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." We should never do anything that would prevent us from being able to pray at a moment's notice.

C. What to pray for - Since our needs are different, our prayers also will be different. Each of us should pray for healing (James 5:15), for strength, for the forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9), for the lost, for our Church and Church officers, and in thankfulness for His blessings. The Spirit of God will burden our hearts about the things for which we should be praying (Romans 8:26). God has given us two mighty weapons to fight the battle that is before us. Prayer and Bible study will give us strength to be good soldiers for Christ. However, weapons are only mighty when they are used. Therefore, it is essential that we be busy studying and praying.

A. Assurance of salvation - The Spirit is sent to the heart of every believer to give the assurance of salvation (Romans 8:16, 1 John 4:13). The Spirit not only assures, but it seals us (keeps us saved) and is God's earnest (down payment) on our soul, "Who hath sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Corinthians 1:22). (Also read 2 Corinthians 5:5, and Ephesians 1:14.)

B. Bible Study - The Bible can never be understood without the help of the Spirit, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can we know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14). Also read John 14:26. The Spirit moved upon men to write the Bible, and the same Spirit will help us to understand God's Word today.

C. Prayer - The lost person cannot pray since he does not have the Spirit, "Now we know that God heareth not sinners" (John 9:31). We can only pray through the power of the Spirit since the Spirit helps us to know what to pray for, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26).

D. Comforter - We all must bear burdens and have trouble in this life. God has sent His Spirit to comfort us in these times of trials. In verse 7 of our lesson text, Jesus said, "For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you." For other verses, read John 14:15,26.

E. Guide - In reaching decisions, we need to learn to pray and let God's Spirit guide us, thereby keeping us from making many dreadful mistakes. Jesus said in John 16:13, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth." Also read Psalms 32:8, 48:14.

F. Empowers - Jesus expects every Christian to be a witness for Him. We will be effective only if we witness through the power of the Holy Spirit, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Also read Luke 24:49.

A. Garden of Eden - When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they went and hid from the presence of God, "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the lord God make coats of skins and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21). Obviously, an animal had to die, and the first blood was shed to cover the sins of rebellious men. Doesn't this remind us of how Jesus Christ, as an innocent Lamb, came seeking us, even though we were sinners separated from God, and has washed us with His blood that we might wear His righteousness (II Corinthians 5:21)?

B. Deliverance from Egyptian bondage - The children of Israel were under heavy bondage to Egypt. God had sent nine plagues, and each one of them had failed to deliver the people from captivity. The tenth plague was the death of the eldest child in each house where the blood of a lamb was not correctly applied to the doorpost. On a certain night, the death angel passed over every house where the blood was applied, but when the blood was not applied the eldest child died. Finally, the children of Israel were delivered from bondage, but it was only accomplished through the shed blood. Jesus, as God's Lamb, became our Passover Lamb by shedding His blood to deliver us from the bondage of sin (Galatians 4:3-5).

C. Sacrificial offerings - Certain animals that were offered as sacrifices were mentioned above. An offering was made each year at the Passover to remind them of the deliverance from Egyptian bondage and the coming Lamb of God. On the day of atonement, two goats were brought before the high priest (Leviticus 16:5-10). The priest would place his hand on the head of one goat and confess the sins of the people and then the goat was sent off into the wilderness. The other goat was sacrificed before the Lord. This was to remind the Old Testament saints that their sins would one day be placed on the Son of God Who would be the "scape goat" carrying their sins into the wilderness. The Passover and Atonement were only two of the offerings given in the law as received by Moses. However, a detailed study of all the Old Testament sacrifices would reveal that each sacrifice was a prophecy of some phase of the perfect sacrifice that would be fulfilled in Jesus.

A. Spotless Lamb - Jesus lived above sin that He might die for our sins. The Bible says in Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death". If Jesus had sinned, He would have died for his own sins and could not have died for ours. Notice what others said about him:

× Paul said, "Who knew no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21)
× Peter said, "Who did no sin" (I Peter 2:22)
× John said, "In Him is no sin" (I John 3:5)
× Judas said, "I have betrayed the innocent blood" (Matt 27:4)
× Pilate said, "I find no fault in this man" (Luke 23:4)
× The thief said, "This man hath done nothing amiss" (Luke 23:41)

Friend and foe alike agreed on His perfection, "...was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15b).

B. Bone not broken - Moses gave instructions concerning the Passover Lamb, "In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof" (Exodus 12:46). This commandment was fulfilled in Jesus as our Passover Lamb (John 19:31-33).

C. Shed blood - Each sacrificial offering required that blood be shed for the sins of the people. The blood of Jesus was shed on Calvary for the sins of the world, "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water" (John 19:34) .

D. Dispensation of law ended - In the temple, a veil separated the holy place from the holy of holies where sacrifices were offered. Under the law, only the high priest could enter the holy of holies behind the veil in the temple to offer sacrifices on the day of Atonement. When Jesus died, God reached down and tore the veil, revealing the inside of the holy of holies to everyone, "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom" (Matthew 27:51) - God's way of showing the world that all sacrifices had been fulfilled in the perfect sacrifice of Christ. The fulfillment of the prophecies concerning blood had become history.

A. Redemption - The acts of God in redeeming our souls was covered in a previous chapter. The blood of Jesus was the price required to redeem us from sin, "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12). Read 1 Peter 1:18,19; Revelation 5:9.

B. Forgiveness of sins - A big part of redemption is having all sins forgiven, "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Also read Colossians 1:14.

C. Justification - The subject of justification was covered in an earlier lesson. All that is involved in justification is made possible through the blood, "Much more than being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Romans 5:9). Also read Romans 3:25, 26.

D. Peace - In a world of turmoil, we need all the peace we can get. Real peace only comes when we are covered with the blood of Jesus, "And having made peace through the blood of his cross", (Colossians 1:20).

E. Close fellowship - We can have close fellowship with God only through the blood, "But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:13). Also read Hebrews 10:10.

F. Cleansing from sin - After being saved and receiving many provisions of the blood, we continue to sin and go astray. The blood of Christ is still available each day to continually wash and cleanse the Child of God, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Also read Revelation 1:5; Hebrews 9:14; Revelation 7:14.

G. Defeating Satan - The blood of Christ makes us able to overcome the temptations of Satan, "And they overcome him (the Devil) by the blood of the Lamb..." (Revelation 12:11a).

A. Enoch - Before the flood of Noah's day, Enoch was translated by God so that he would not have to die (Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5). Even in that early age, Enoch knew of the second coming of Jesus, "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of theses saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints" (Jude 14).

B. Job - The book of Job is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, books of the Bible. Yet Job wrote of the second coming, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God" (Job 19:25, 26).

C. David - The Psalmist David wrote of his belief in the resurrection at the second coming, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness" (Psalms 17:15).

D. Paul - As in verse 16 of our text, the writer Paul wrote of the second coming in many places, such as we find in Philippians 3:20, "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."

E. John - The Apostle John also had the assurance of a coming Lord, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).

F. Angels -As Jesus ascended to the Father, two angels appeared to tell the disciples that Jesus would come again, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).

G. Jesus - As important as all of the testimonies given above, we hear the promise of Jesus that He would come again, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also", (John 14:3). This is all the assurance we need that Jesus is coming!

A. The Rapture - The word rapture refers to the time when Jesus comes in the air to receive all of His saints. The word rapture does not appear in the Bible, but it is the word that is used to identify the time when Jesus will return in the air to receive His own. In our text, verse 14 reminds us that the souls of the dead saints will come with Jesus to receive their resurrected bodies (verse 16). All the saints who have died will be resurrected, and those who are still alive will be translated to meet Jesus in the air. Jesus does not come down and touch the Earth, but we will go up to meet Him in the air. All the lost will be left behind. For other details read Luke 17:34-37; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57.

B. The tribulation - Once Jesus takes His people away, a seven year period of time will begin. This period is commonly known as the Tribulation period with the last 7 years being called the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21). Several things should be noted about this period. Anyone who has heard the way of salvation before Jesus comes will not be able to be saved in the Tribulation (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). This time of suffering on the Earth will be far worse than anything ever experienced before. At that time, God will pour out His wrath upon those who have rejected His Son. We can thank God that He will spare us from having any part in that day, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

C. Millennium - The Word "millennium" means a "thousand years" and refers to the one thousand years immediately following the tribulation period when Jesus will come down and plant His feet on the Earth to set up His Kingdom (Zechariah 14:4, Revelation 20:6). The Bible continually promises the day when Jesus will be King of kings and Lord of lords. What a day that will be! Many things about this Kingdom stand out to us. For example, the people are important since there will be both resurrected people and those who are still in their natural bodies. Those who are saved in the tribulation, but do not die, (Matthew 24:22, 25:34-37) will enter the kingdom still alive to build, plant, marry, and have children, even as we do today (Isaiah 65:21-24; Zechariah 8:1-5). However, every child of God who has died before the kingdom begins will have been resurrected, either in the rapture or at the end of the tribulation (Revelation 20:4), and in glorified bodies will rule and reign with Christ in His kingdom. Of course, those who never die but are caught up in the Rapture will also be in that number. Those resurrected at the end of the tribulation were saved during the tribulation and died (or were killed) before the period was over.

Another thing that will be of importance to us will be the conditions of the world. Satan will be bound (Revelation 20:2,3), war will not be known (Isaiah 2:3,4), and Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 2:27; 12:5; 19:15,16) for a thousand years. Those still in the natural bodies are sons of Adam and have the ability to sin, but Jesus as King will demand righteousness as shown by the rod of iron. Finally, the effect on the creation will be astounding. The desert and barren place will be changed (Isaiah. 35:1-6). The natural hostility of animals to each other will cease (Isaiah. 11:6,7; 65:25), and man will no longer fear animals (Isaiah 11:6,8). These changes are just some of the ones that will come about when Jesus sits on His throne in Jerusalem as King.

D. Judgments - After the rapture, while the tribulation is on the Earth, all the saved will be judged in the air at the Judgment Seat of Christ for their deeds (Romans 14:9,10: 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15). The lost of all ages will be resurrected after the millennium and will stand before the Great White Throne and then will be cast into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). At this judgment, all the lost will finally confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11), but it will be too late to be saved.

E. Eternal age - After the Great White Throne Judgment, the eternal age will begin. All the things that have broken our hearts in this life will have been destroyed. Every child of God will have been changed by this time and will never suffer again (Revelation 21:1-5).

A. New Body - We have one thing in common with those who have already died in Christ. All of us are waiting for Jesus to come and give us a new body. We don't know much about our new body except that it will be like the body of Christ, "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Philippians 3:21a). How could we ever improve on this? Also read 1 John 3:2; Psalms 17:15.

B. Separation - This may seem strange, but being separated from certain things will be a great blessing. What a great hope we have to know that one day we will be separated from sin, death, pain, sorrow, and every thing that would hurt us, or defile us, in any way.

C. Reunion - The saved will have a great reunion when all the saved will be together around the throne of God.

D. New home - Jesus said in John 14:2, "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." Revelation 21:9-26 gives a detailed description of our eternal home. However, we will not have this home until Jesus has come and reigned for a thousand years.

E. To be with Jesus - Of all the reasons that we have to look forward to the coming of Jesus, the greatest reason is just to be with our Lord. In our text, Paul said, "So shall we ever be with the Lord." The word "ever" is translated from the Greek word PANTOTE and means "always, at all times." From the moment Jesus comes, we will always be in the presence of our Lord. It should be pointed out that those who are members of a Scriptural New Testament Church will be a part of the Bride of Christ and will have been married to Christ after the Judgment Seat of Christ and before Jesus comes to establish His kingdom. How can we help but hope for His Coming?

A. Isaiah 14:12-17 - In this text, Satan is called Lucifer which means "shining one." One of the great sins that anyone can commit is to let self-will come before God's will. This was Lucifer's failure as stated in verses 13 and 14, when 5 times he said "I will." Revealing his lust and pride to be what he was not. For the first time in all of eternity, someone had rebelled against God, and the first sin had been committed. Notice the last "I will" of Satan in verse 14, "I will be like the most High." He knew there was nothing higher than God, so the best he could hope for was to be just "like God."

B. Ezekiel 28:12-19 - Ezekiel was writing to the King of Tyrus, but it is obvious that the text goes far beyond a mortal man to Satan himself. In verse 12, we are told that he "sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty." According to verse 15, he was perfect from the day he was created until iniquity was found in him. This iniquity is defined in verse 17 as "being lifted up" or literally being filled with pride. His doom was to be cast down to the ground and be brought to ashes upon the Earth.

A. Minister - Satan does not mind a person being religious, just as long as it is not according to Spirit and truth. For this reason, he sent forth his ministers into the world to lead people away from the truth that is only in Jesus, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Jesus told us about their end in Matthew 7:21-23. We must always be ready to stand for the gospel of Christ regardless of those who may be against us. Notice that Satan misquoted the Bible in verses 10 and 11 of our lesson text, as he quoted Psalms 91:11,12. The words "in all thy ways" should be at the end of verse 10, showing that Jesus was to stay in the way that God had prepared for Him.

B. Deceiver - Satan tries to deceive people into believing that sin is not really so bad and the Bible is not true concerning it's warning against sin. From the beginning, Satan has tried to deceive people like he did Eve in Genesis 3:1-5, when he told her "Ye shall not surely die." He uses deception by trying to make sin appealing rather than appalling. He paints a beautiful picture of sin, but doesn't show the end result, "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death" (James 1:15). We need to always remember that Satan is a deceiver because he cannot tell the truth (John 8:44).

C. Destroyer - Satan's ultimate desire is to destroy everyone who is trying to serve God, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). With such an enemy as Satan, how could we ever be found guilty of pleasing him rather than God?

A. Paul - The Apostle Paul was a man who really lived for the Lord, but he had a problem in his flesh. We don't know exactly what this problem was; however, it can be compared to problems that each of us may suffer. The important thing is that Satan tried to hurt him in that weakness, ".....there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure" (2 Corinthians 12:7b). Satan had very little effect in having his way with Paul, because the Apostle depended on the grace of God for deliverance (2 Corinthians 12:8,9).

B. Ananias and Sapphira - This couple planned to try and receive glory for themselves by pretending to do something for God, "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost..." (Acts 5:3a). Because of this sin, they both immediately fell dead.

C. David - David was a great man over Israel because God made him king and caused his kingdom to grow. Yet the day came that David became filled with pride and wanted to find out just how many people he ruled over, "And Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel" (2 Chronicles 21:1). As a result, 70,000 people died (2 Chronicles 21:8-14).

D. Peter - As Jesus faced the cross, He knew that Peter would deny Him, "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat" (Luke 22:31). Peter was over-confident and committed that dreadful sin. The effect of the sin was a broken heart, "And Peter went out and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:62).

E. Judas - Judas was a man that walked with Christ but was never saved, John 6:70,71. At the feast of the Passover, Judas left the Lord, "...and when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him..." (John 13:26b, 27a). The result of the sin of Judas was great. Our Lord was betrayed and Judas committed suicide (Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:18).

A. Word of God - In our lesson text, Jesus quoted scripture to Satan each time He was tempted. The knowledge we get from Bible study will help us recognize and resist the temptations of Satan.

B. Prayer - We need to pray for forgiveness of sins when we falter, but too many times we wait until we sin to try and pray. If we learn to pray for strength to resist temptation, we will not have as many sins to repent over. May we pray daily to have the power to overcome Satan's temptations.

C. Spiritual condition - The question has been asked, "How much temptation can a man withstand"? The answer is simply, "It depends on how spiritual he is." The truth could not be stated any better. The more spiritual we are the more temptations we can withstand, understanding the importance of staying as close to the Lord as possible by Church attendance, prayer, Bible study, visitation, and soul winning. Resisting sin doesn't depend on your strength, but on looking to Jesus as the way of deliverance that God has furnished you (1 Corinthians 10:13). Put on the whole armor of God!

A. Mediator - A mortal human being cannot approach an Almighty God on his own merits. For this reason, Jesus, as the eternal Son of God, was made in the fashion of man that He might be the One to bridge the gap between man and God. In other words, He is the "go between," or the Mediator, through Whom we can approach the presence of God, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).

B. Intercessor - An intercessor is defined as "one who intercedes on the behalf of another." Each day as we commit sins and make mistakes, Jesus is at the right hand of God to intercede for us and say, "Father, forgive them, for they are mine." Read John 17:9,10. The Apostle Paul mentioned this work of intercession in Romans 8:34, "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

C. Advocate - The term advocate implies the work of a lawyer and means "one called alongside to help." Jesus certainly doesn't want us to commit sins, but when we do sin, Jesus is alongside the Father to plead our case, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1).

A. Assurance - It would be hard to live for God if we didn't have the assurance of salvation and the assurance that God can provide for us as His sons. The Apostle Paul stressed this assurance in Romans 8:16, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Also read 1 John 4:13; 5:13.

B. Comforter - In times of trouble and distress, the Holy Spirit is always there to comfort us, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" (John 14:16). The Greek word for Comforter is PARAKLETOS and is the same word translated as advocate in I John 2:1. Whereas Jesus is our PARACLETE with the Father, the Holy Spirit is our PARACLETE, that is "called alongside to help us", in times of infirmity.

C. Guide - Each day we make decisions that could affect the rest of our lives. The Holy Spirit was sent to be our daily guide in making decisions, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth..." (John 16:13a). Also read Psalms 32:8 and 48:14.

A. Prayer - God still answers prayer. Jesus has promised that His Father would answer our prayers, "...that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you" (John 15:16b). We should ask only for things that will bring glory to God, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13).

B. Forgiveness - As the Spirit reveals our sins to us, Jesus intercedes with the Father, and the Father forgives when we confess our sins to Him through the name of Jesus. God will forgive us each day, "...and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7b) if we only confess our sins, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

C. Protection - God will stand for us against all enemies that may try to do us harm. The Apostle Paul asked two important questions in Romans 8:31b, 33a, "...If God be for us, who can be against us?...Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?...". Any father who loves his child will stand for him. Troubles may come our way, but God will always take care of them, if we only learn to place our trust in Him.

A. Teaching - Jesus gave the church what we know as the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. The last part of this commission is given in verse 20, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." When we learn more about the Bible, we are made stronger and better Christians. When we are made better Christians, our everyday life will be affected. Thus, the teaching ministry of your church will be a blessing each day.

B. Fellowship - The fellowship we receive from singing, praying, and worshipping together in church will improve our relationship with each other during the week as we work and live together. To be able to fellowship with other Christians each day is a great blessing. The importance of fellowship should remind us of our responsibility to be an encouragement to our fellow church members, especially at times of sickness, death, or other personal problems.

C. Place of service - The Lord receives glory as we serve Him through the church (Ephesians 3:21). If we go only as individuals, we will receive glory as individuals for what we do. However, when we unite with the Lord's church, we can serve the Lord through the name of the church. Serving the Lord through His church gives us the opportunity to support every phase of missions and educational institutions and to help the needy. We should realize that serving in the church should not be just a part-time job, but it should have a part of our daily life. Each day the church will be a special blessing if we use that day as a day of service.

A. Solomon - This wise man of old encourages us by letting us know that we are considered wise in the eyes of God when we win souls for Him, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30).

B. Daniel - This great prophet reminds us that there will be eternal rewards for those who win souls in this life, "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever" (Daniel 12:3).

C. James - James gives us encouragement to witness to the lost by reminding us of what happens to a sinner when he is converted from his sins, "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:20). Realizing what is waiting for every lost person in Hell, we should not be able to keep from telling others about Jesus and His love!

D. Jesus - Jesus encouraged Peter and Andrew to be soul winners, "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). After the resurrection, Jesus not only encouraged us but also commanded us to go out and tell the world about Him (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8).

A. Saved - The lost should be able to see our happiness and the assurance that we possess. A soul on the road to hell is not concerned about what you may think, but he wants to know what you are certain about. A person will never be a soul winner unless he is sure of his own salvation, "...And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Matthew 15:14b). Always be ready for an opportunity to share your testimony about how the Lord saved you.

B. Spiritual - A soul will never be saved without the Spirit of God convicting and drawing the sinner to Christ, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44a). It is necessary that we depend on the power of the Spirit when talking to the lost. For God's Spirit to use us, we need to be close to Him. For this reason, the soul winner is to be regular in prayer and Bible study.

C. Righteous life - In verse 2 of our text, Jesus said He would purge (or clean) us that we could bring forth more fruit. If our life is not what it should be, we can't expect the lost to listen to us. Our dress, our talk, and our conduct ourselves will go a long way in determining whether or not the sinner will listen to our testimony. The world should see a difference in the lives of the saved and the lost. The Bible stresses that members of the same family can be influenced by a Godly member (2 Peter 3:1 and 2 Corinthians 7:12-16). As soul winners, we should live as if we lived in a glass house.

D. Compassion - We need to love the sinner before talking to him about his soul. It is easy to love a little child, but it's much harder to love the drunk in the gutter. This requires us to be reminded that we don't have to love the sin in order to care for the sinner. Jesus loved that sinner enough to die for him (Romans 5:8), then we should love each sinner enough to share the message of salvation with him. To be prepared to win souls for Jesus demands that we love the lost and that we should be dedicated to reaching them.

E. Faith - Most importantly, we need to have faith in Jesus in our efforts to be soul winners. We get carried away with other things too often and forget that Jesus is the One Who does the saving. Today, many have tried to find short cuts to salvation and have sought to bring glory to the soul winner instead of glory for Christ. Always remember, Jesus does the saving! We just need to tell the lost about Him and believe that He has the desire and ability to save all who will come to Him in repentance and faith.

A. The need of salvation, Romans 3:10, 23 - Everyone needs to be saved because everyone has sinned. The Bible says, "There is none righteous..." To enter Heaven, one must be made righteous.

B. The result of sin, Romans 5:12, 6:23a - Death has resulted from sin ¾ physical death, and spiritual death (being lost, Ephesians 2:1) and it also includes being cast into hell after death (Revelation 21:8). Sin has separated the sinner from God. How can he be brought back into fellowship?

C. Good works will not save, Romans 4:1-5 - These verses state that if Abraham were saved by his works, then he could boast about himself. However, he wasn't saved by works but by the grace of God.

D. Baptism will not save, Romans 6:1-4 - In verse 2, Paul said that the saved are "dead to sin." Later in verse 4, he said we are "buried with him by baptism." As we know, a person is always dead before he is buried. Thus, a person should be saved before he is baptized. Since good works and baptism will not help a person be saved, then how can he be saved?

E. Salvation is God's gift, Romans 6:23b - God has a gift for every sinner ¾ it is the gift of salvation. Since it is a gift, no one is forced to accept it. Even though it is free to the sinner, salvation cost God His greatest possession.

F. The payment for salvation, Romans 5:8 - While we were still in sin, Jesus paid the full price for our sins. The gift of salvation was purchased by the blood of Jesus. How can the sinner receive this gift?

G. Faith in Jesus, Romans 5:1, 10:9,10 - We can have peace with God through our faith in Jesus Christ. By believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, every sinner can be saved. However, the word "believe" means more than just believing about Jesus. It carries with it the meaning of depending and trusting on Jesus to remove sin and unrighteousness. Repentance (sorrow from sin and desire to turn from sin) is required in "believing on Jesus," which must be heart felt belief and repentance, since verse 10 tells us that "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness." Thus, the sinner that was unrighteous can be made righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ. The question now is, "How can the sinner place his faith in Jesus and receive God's gift?"

H. Call upon the Lord, Romans 10:13,14 - The sinner places his trust in Jesus as the only sure foundation by calling upon the name of the Lord after he has heard the word and believed the message of Christ. God has promised to save every person (whosoever) who calls upon Him. There is no certain prayer that has to be repeated. The soul winner should encourage the lost individual to forget everything else (and everyone else) and just call upon the Lord from his heart for forgiveness and salvation.

I. God is faithful, Romans 4:21 --God is able to do everything that He has promised to do. As a soul winner, you can give your testimony about how God saved you when you called upon Him. In addition, you could give these examples from the Bible:

In each of these examples, the men were on the road to hell, but each of them was saved when he called upon the name of the Lord. Each prayer was different, but all were answered because it was from the heart.

A. Righteous life - If you are dedicated to serving God, your life will be above reproach. Everyone will make mistakes and commit sins in this life, but no one has the right to form sinful habits, "For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14). As God's child, you need to realize that you are to be an example to the world, as Paul taught Timothy, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). Also read Matthew 5:16 and Ephesians 2:10.

B. Jesus as Master - Who are you going to listen to in life? Whom will you follow? Your confessing Jesus as Lord means that you should allow Him to be Master of your life. In verse 2 of the lesson text, Paul admonishes you to not be conformed to what the world wants you to be but to be transformed to do the "good, and acceptable , and perfect will of God". Do you allow others to dictate what you do in life, or do you let the Lord have His way? Jesus said, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).

C. Love for the Lord - You will never be dedicated to the Lord unless you love Him. The easiest thing in the world should be to love the Lord after all that He has done for you, "We love him, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Once a Pharisee questioned Jesus in Matthew. 22:36, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" His answer was simple, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matthew 22:37). Jesus expects you to love Him enough for the world to see your dedication.

A. Time - Each Church sets up certain times to assemble together for the purpose of worship (normally Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening). Too often, these are the only times that many members devote to the Church. It is very important for you to be dedicated to these services, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25). However, the Church needs much more of your time than these few hours afford. To be a strong Church member, you must spend time in prayer and Bible study. In addition to this, time should be spent each week for visiting the sick and needy, soul winning, inviting others to Church, and serving in other areas where the Church needs you. Being dedicated to the Church requires spending time serving the Lord through the Church, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:16).

B. Talents - Can you imagine a church without an organist, pianist, Choir Director, teacher, or Pastor? If everyone failed to dedicate his talents to the Church, these positions would unfilled. God has placed you in your Church because He knew that your talents were needed, "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him" (1 Corinthians 12:18). The rest of the Church depends on your talent. If you fail to use it, no one else can fill your place. Each member supplies a certain need for the Church, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16). Dedicate your talents to the Church.

C. Tithe - The Church is not a business, but it must be financed. To support a Pastor and other staff members, provide a place of worship, and send missionaries into all the world, regular financial support is required. The Lord does not intend for a few of the members to carry all the burden. For this reason, God instituted a plan that would be fair for every member. His plan involves each member giving the tithe, or 10% of income. A member that has a higher salary, then, would be expected to give more in support of the Church. Abraham knew what God expected, so he practiced tithing, (Genesis 14:20, Hebrews 7;1,2). When God gave the law to Israel through Moses, He included tithing, "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy unto the Lord" (Leviticus 27:30). Jesus said that the tithe should not be left undone, (Matthew 23:23). The Apostle Paul tells us how to support the Church in I Corinthians 16:2, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come". God has promised blessings upon all who follow the Lord's plan in supporting His work (Malachi 3:10). However, the tithe should not be given out of fear or the desire to get more blessings for yourself. You should be willing to pay 10% of your total income because of your love for the Lord and your dedication to His Church, "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:6, 7).

A. Nation - The Lord wants His people to be the very best of citizens, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake" (1 Peter 2:13a). Just as the Lord expects you to support His Church financially, He also wants you to be honest in paying your taxes, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21). Even though your country may not be everything you want it to be, God expects you to be a good citizen and to be dedicated to upholding the law. Also read Romans 13:1,7.

B. Family - You are an important part of your family whatever your role within the family, God has a plan for you. The Bible gives details about what God expects from each member of the family. If you are dedicated to your family, you will try to fill your position the way that God desires. The Lord wants you to love your family and be dedicated to making it a better Christian family.

C. Neighbors - A Christian should be a good neighbor, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:39). It's easy to be good to those who are good to you, but according to verse 14 of the lesson text, God expects you to be good to your enemy. As stated in verse 18, you are told to do everything in your power to live peaceably with all men. Dedicate yourself to being a good neighbor. Your neighbors should know that you are a Christian so that God can use you for His glory.

D. Lost - Be dedicated to reaching the lost. You can't expect the lost to be dedicated to reach you. Salvation is the one thing you can share with others and still not lose anything. You should dedicate yourself to being the type of person who can influence the lost.