The Substance of Faith An Evidence and Foundational Christian Curriculum Part 5

Part 5a: How can I Know God?

Know = relationship Jesus: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3 NKJV)

Misconceptions What is a conversion? How do we deal with sin? Is salvation our choice or God’s choice?

God is holy; we are sinful "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isaiah 6:3 NKJV) Holy = clean, separate from sin “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23 NKJV)

Separation from God Sinfulness of humans Holiness of God

Jesus bridges the gap Sinfulness of humans Holiness of God

Grace = gift “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 3:23-24 NKJV)

Believe! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 NKJV) Other verses that say we must believe: Mark 5:36; 9:23; Luke 8:12, 50; John 1:12; 3:15, 16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:29, 35, 40, 47; 7:38; 11:25, 26, 40; 12:36, 46; 14:12; 20:31; Acts 10:43; 13:39; 16:31; Romans 1:16; 3:22; 4:3, 5, 11, 24; 9:33; 10:4, 11; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 15:2; Galatians 2:16; 3:6, 22; Ephesians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 4:14; Hebrews 4:3; 1 Peter 2:6; 1 John 5:5, 10, 13; Acts 15:9; 26:18; Romans 3:22, 26, 28, 30; 4:12, 16; 5:1, 2; 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17; 2 Corinthians 1:24; Galatians 2:16; 3:7, 8, 9, 11, 24, 26; 5:6; Ephesians 2:8; 3:12, 17; Philippians 3:9; 2 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:39; 1 Peter 1:9; 1 John 5:4

God pulls us out, but we must take His hand

Faith is widely misunderstood Faith is not just thinking something is true Faith is living like something is true

Faith =Trust W. E. Vine’s definition of faith: (1) a firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgement of God’s revelation or truth, e.g., 2 Thess. 2:11-12; (2) a personal surrender to Him, John 1:12; (3) a conduct inspired by such surrender, 2 Cor. 5:7.

Examples of faith Noah: God said to build an ark  Noah did  it is called faith (Hebrews 11:7) Abraham: God said to leave his country for a new one  Abraham did  it is called faith (Hebrews 11:8-10)

Faith involves doing Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:17 NKJV) Faith Works Faith Works OR

Faith involves doing Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:17 NKJV) Faith Works Faith Works OR DEAD! Not true faith. Faith of the demons.

Transformation Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4 NKJV)

Transformation Repentance – changing our minds; turning from sin and turning to God (Acts 26:20) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 NKJV)

Transformation I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2 NKJV)

Transformation Physical BaptismSpiritual Baptism “water” – Acts 10:47-48; Examples: John at the river Jordan (Matt. 3:13; John 1:26); Phillip and the Eunuch (Acts 8:36) – “here is water” Burial and resurrection with Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:11- 12) Definition: immersion –- both immersion in water and immersion in Christ

Physical baptism Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 NKJV) Examples of physical baptism: Acts 2:41; 8:12, 13, 16, 36, 38; 9:18; 10:37, 47, 48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16

Public profession “…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 NKJV)

Being perfected…but not yet perfect 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 NKJV) In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:10 NKJV)

Growth “…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16 NKJV)

Walk in the Spirit I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16 NKJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV)

Grow like children Less expected More expected

Communication Prayer Word of God

Spiritual nourishment “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4 NKJV) Take in God’s word like nourishment, taking a little each day

We can choose to push God away For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. (2 Peter 2:20-21 NKJV)

We choose… Other verses that support we can choose to fall away from God: Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-29; Rev. 2-3; Luke 8:13; 9:62; John 15:2, 6; Acts 9:1-24; Romans 11:13-23; 1 Corinthians 8:11; 9:26, 27; 10:12; Galatians 5:1-4; 1 Timothy 1:19; 4:1; 6:10; Hebrews 3:12, 13; 4:1, 11; James 5:12, 19, 20; 2 Peter 2:1; 3:17; 2 John 1:8

We choose… "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:28 NKJV) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: NKJV)

Choose whom you will serve "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15 NKJV)