Biblical Discipleship 101
(Lesson 1 Salvation)
Introduction
Throughout history, God has given every individual a chance to accept His eternal plan of salvation. Sadly, most people have rejected it and so will suffer forever.
Thus, accepting Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior is the most significant decision you could ever make during your lifetime. Instead of being destined for hell, you will now spend eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ. No longer living life in vain, now you have a reason to live with eternal results. The emptiness inside has been filled by him.
The devil also knows of your new life in Jesus Christ. His desire for you to reject God’s salvation is no longer in effect. However, he now will exert every effort to keep you from growing close to God and fulfilling God’s plan for your life.
These discipleship lessons are designed to help you begin your new life in Jesus Christ. They are to help you understand what your relationship to God is, how to communicate with Him, how to apply basic Bible principles to your life, and how your life can be an influential witness and testimony of God’s grace.
Whether you just got saved or have been a Christian for years, understanding these principles will help establish a solid foundation in your life whereby you can learn to enjoy a victorious life in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our sincere prayer for you is that these lessons might help you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lesson 1: Salvation
“What Happened When I Got Saved?
And
What is My New Relationship to God?”
Your decision to trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior is the greatest decision you could ever make. However, it is very unlikely that you understand the true significance of what has happened in your life. The purpose of this lesson is to explain briefly what took place and how your decision has affected your basic relationship to God.
I. There are only two spiritual families in the world.
A. The devil’s family.
1. John 8:44 speaks of a group of people who are “of their father the devil.” –See also John 8:38.
2. You enter this family by birth through your physical father, who is ultimately a descendant of Adam are born in Adam’s image and likeness which is that of a fallen sinner.
3. You inherited your sin nature from your father Adam. Romans 5:12 states, “Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, that all have sinned.”
4. Romans 5:12 also states that as a result of your sin you were sentenced to die.
a. Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death…”
b. I Corinthians 15:22 ”…In Adam all die…”
B. God’s family.
1. John 1:12-13 says, “But as many as received him (that is your decision to trust Jesus Christ as your Savior), to them gave he power to become the sons of God (your entrance into God’s family), even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man (it is not a physical birth), but of God” (it is a spiritual birth).
2. You also enter God’s family by birth; but it is a spiritual birth by your Heavenly Father. John 3:3 states, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
3. This new birth puts you into God’s family in exactly the same way your physical birth puts you into your father’s family. You are now a son of God by birth.
4. As a result of your new birth, you have inherited God’s divine nature, and you now have eternal life.
a. John 6:47 - “He that believeth on me hath (present tense) everlasting life.”
b. John 3:36 - “He that believeth on the Son hath (present tense) everlasting life…”
c. I John 5:12: “He that hath the Son hath (present tense) life…”
II. Being in God’s family separates you from the devil’s family.
A. Your body is now the temple of the Holy Ghost. God’s Holy Spirit lives inside you. I Corinthians 6:19
B. II Corinthians 6:14-18 commands the believer to maintain a difference between himself and the lost.
C. The new life is perfectly summarized for you in II Corinthians 5:17-18, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ…”
III. What is my relationship with God now?
A. He is your Heavenly Father, and you are his child. I John 2:1 says, “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.”
B. Now that you are saved; God no longer deals with you as a sinner, he deals with you as a son.
C. That relationship is pictured by the earthly relationship between a father and his son.
1. A good father loves and cares for his son. I Peter 5:7
2. A good father protects his son. Matthew 18:6
3. A good father provides for his son. Philippians 4:19
4. A good father guides and teaches his son. John 14:26
5. A good father helps his son. Psalm 46:1
6. A good father encourages his son. Philippians 4:13
7. A good father disciplines his son. Hebrews 12:5-11
8. A good father feeds his son. Matthew 4:4
9. A good father has a plan for his son. Romans 8:28-29
*D. A good father will NEVER do anything to purposely hurt his son. He will only do those things which will help him grow and mature into the young man he wants him to be. Your Heavenly Father operates in the same way, only His ways are perfect. Unlike earthly fathers who sometimes err, God never makes a mistake in his dealings with His sons.
Matthew 7:11 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
IV. You did not lose your physical nature at the time of your spiritual birth.
A. That is obvious because you are still alive!
B. You now have two natures.
1. Old nature – physical, sinful, in Adam’s image.
2. New nature – spiritual, perfect, in God’s image.
C. Both natures are present constantly. The one that will control you is the one you feed the most.
1. Colossians 3:5-10
2. II Corinthians 4:14-18
V. Basic questions.
A. Will I sin after I am saved?
Yes, you still have your old sin nature. Romans 7:25
B. How does my sin affect my relationship with my Father?
God does not kick you out of His family. When you sin, He disciplines you as a son Hebrews 12: 5-11
C. What should I do when I sin?
Confess it and trust the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse you. I John 1:6-10; Proverbs 28:13
Lesson 1: Salvation
“What Happened When I Got Saved?
And
What is My New Relationship to God?”
1. Who are the two spiritual fathers mentioned in John 8:38? Give a scripture reference to support both answers.
A.
B.
2. How does an individual enter the devil’s family?
3. How does an individual enter into God’s family?
4. Why are people sentenced to die after their physical or first birth?
5. List three verses that promise you eternal life.
A.
B.
C.
6. List two reasons why a Christian in God’s family is different than a non-Christian in the devil’s family.
A.
B.
7. God now deals with you as His _____________ rather than a ________________.
8. Your new relationship with God can be seen through the earthly father and child relationship. List nine ways God deals with you as His child.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
9. Briefly explain the two natures you now possess.
A.
B.
10. What would be the reason for one nature to overpower the other nature?
11. When a Christian chooses to continue in a particular sin, what can he expect from God?
12. According to I John 1:9, when we confess our sins to God, then He will ______________us and ______________us from all unrighteousness.
13. Briefly explain the primary purpose of this lesson.
Key memory verses:
Romans 5:12, John 3:3, I John 1: 9
NOTE: In many churches today, some popular teachings are:
1. All mankind is part of one large family of God.
2. All mankind must earn their way to heaven.
3. All mankind can get to heaven through any way they choose.
4. If there is such a thing as sin, it must be confessed to another man or a church leader.
From the Bible principles taught in this lesson, you should understand that these teachings are false, and why.
Write any questions you may have concerning the subjects in this lesson.
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Lesson 2 Eternal Security
LESSON 2: Eternal Security
“Now That I Am Saved, Can I Ever Lose My Salvation?
Once an individual has settled the questions of salvation as the Bible declares it – by grace through faith in Jesus Christ – it is imperative that he understands how that decision has affected his entire life.
In lesson one, we learned that there are only two spiritual families on this earth, God’s and the devil’s. We learned that we were born into the devil’s family at the time of our physical birth, and we are born into God’s family when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. (John 1:12-13) In this lesson we will discuss the state of the new believer in God’s family, and from the biblical facts, settle the question of eternal security of the Christian.
I. Study the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself on this subject.
A. Jesus Christ promises that, “…him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) God will not cast you out of his family under any circumstances.
B. John 10:27-29 makes it clear that no man can cause you to lose your salvation, because God your Father is greater than all men.
II. Okay God won’t cast me out, and no man can take my salvation, but what about myself? Can I do something to lose my salvation?
A. Salvation is by grace through faith, and not by works. It is a GIFT from God. No man can lose his salvation on his own, because no man earned his salvation, Ephesians 2:8-9
B. Galatians 3:10 and James 2:10 tell us if we had to do anything to earn or keep salvation, we would lose it easily. Yet II Timothy 1:12 assures us it is Jesus Christ who keeps us, now we ourselves.
C. Galatians 2:21 states clearly that if we could become righteous by anything we do, then Jesus Christ’s death was a waste.
III. Okay, God won’t cast me out, no man can cause me to lose my salvation, and I can’t lose it myself, but is there anything else that can cause me to lose my salvation.
No. Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am persuaded that neither:”
A. “Death” – you can’t lose it when you die.
B. “Life” – you can’t lose it while you are alive.
C. “Angels” – can’t take it from you.
D. “Principalities – the government can’t take it from you.
E. “Powers” – the devil can’t cause you to lose it.
F “Things present” – nothing happening right now can take it away.
G. “Things to come” – nothing in the future can make you loves it.
H. “Height” – nothing above you.
I. “Depth” – nothing below you.
J. “NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
IV. Why is this?
A. Because your relationship with God is now a father/son relationship by birth. Review John 1:12-13
B. When you were born physically, there was a record made of your birth called a birth certificate. When you were born again, a record was made.
I John 5:11-13
C. Your birth certificate was marked with a seal. Your spiritual birth is sealed by the Holy Spirit of God. Ephesians 1:13, 4:30
*D. You will be your father’s son for eternity because you were born of his seed. You could leave the country, disown each other, change your name, and never see him, hear from him, or even think about him the rest of your life; but it will never change the fact that he is your father. The same is true of your Heavenly Father. You can die, but you can never be unborn. Your birth is fixed forever, both physically and spiritually, and even God Himself can not change that fact.
V. Basic questions.
A. How can I know for sure I am saved?
The epistle of I John is written for this purpose. I John 5:13 says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life…” As a new Christian, I John should be a primary focal point to help you grow and to settle this issue.
B. What if I don’t feel saved?
1. Your salvation is not based on feelings. It is based upon the objective factual truth of the word of God.
a. I John 3:20 says, “For if our heart condemn us (we think or feel lost), God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” God knows if you’re saved, even if you don’t.
b. Titus 1:2 says, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.”
2. JUST BELIEVE WHAT GOD HAS SAID!
I John 2:25
LESSON 2: Eternal Security
“Now That I Am Saved, Can I Ever Lose My Salvation?
1. What is the promise that we can claim in John 6:37?
2. From John 10:27-29, you should understand that no man can cause you to lose your salvation. Why is this?
3. We cannot do anything ourselves that would cause us to lose our salvation. What can we learn from the following verses to support this?
A. Ephesians 2:8-9
B. II Timothy 1:12
C. Galatians 2:21
4. Is there anything at all that can separate us from the love of God?
5. Romans 8:38-39 shows us that we have received the love of God in Christ Jesus.
6. Briefly explain three examples that relate your spiritual birth to your physical birth.
A.
B.
C.
7. What scripture reference promises that you can know you have eternal life?
8. What do the following verses teach you concerning the promise of eternal life?
A. I John 3:20
B. Titus 1:2
C. I John 2:25
9. Briefly explain the primary purposes of this lesson.
Key memory verses:
Ephesians 2:8-9, I John 2:25; I john 5:13
NOTE: In many churches today, some popular teachings are:
1. We must work to keep our salvation.
2. If we sin after we are born again, we can lose our salvation.
3. God punishes his children according to His own whim and pleasure.
From the Bible principles taught in this lesson, you should understand that these teachings are false, and why.
Write any questions you may have concerning the subjects in this lesson and forward to contact Dr. Skip Pilgrim.
Key memory verses:
Ephesians 2:8-9, I John 2:25; I john 5:13
NOTE: In many churches today, some popular teachings are:
1. We must work to keep our salvation.
2. If we sin after we are born again, we can lose our salvation.
3. God punishes his children according to His own whim and pleasure.
From the Bible principles taught in this lesson, you should understand that these teachings are false, and why.
Write any questions you may have concerning the subjects in this lesson.
Lesson 3: Baptism
“NOW THAT I AM SAVED, WHERE DO I START?”
Virtually every religious denomination in existence teaches some form of baptism as part of their doctrine, and the diversities in their teachings are wide. This lesson is intended to give the Bible’s clear and definite teaching on the subject so the individual understands perfectly what God’s intention is regarding baptism.
I. Why does God instruct us to be baptized?
A. Baptism is the first act of obedience in service to the Lord. ANYONE can be baptized; it takes NO special talents or effort.
B. Jesus set the example Himself by submitting to baptism BEFORE He began His public ministry.
Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-2
C. In Matthew 3:13-15, It is clear that Jesus was baptized in obedience to God’s plan. In verse 15, He said, “…Suffer (allow) it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” This point of submission and obedience is the single most important thing to realize regarding baptism.
D. Some Bible characters who submitted to baptism after salvation.
1. The Ethiopian eunuch. Acts 8:36-39
2. The apostle Paul. Acts 9:18
3. The Phillipian jailer and his house. Acts 16:25-33
II. What is the purpose of baptism?
A. Several types of baptism are mentioned in the Bible. In each case, physical baptism is a picture of a spiritual truth. The important point to consider is the picture portrayed by baptism.
B. Romans 6:1-7 (specifically verses 3-4) shows the two purposes of baptism.
1. It PICTURES the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
2. It is a public testimony of the new convert’s identification with Jesus Christ through the death, burial, and resurrection, which is how he was saved. It identifies him with the Lord Jesus Christ.
III. Who should be baptized?
A. The clearest case of an individual’s baptism in the Bible is the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-39. In verse 36, the eunuch asked, “…what doeth hinder me to be baptized?” Phillip the answered with the condition of baptism in verse 37, “…if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” Then the eunuch’s response sealed the matter, “…I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
B. The only requirements for baptism are the requirements for salvation found in Romans 10:9-10
1. Heart belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
2. Confession that He is Lord and Savior.
C. There are NO cases of baptism in the Bible of anyone but believers.
D. Some other instances of baptism immediately after salvation include:
1. Acts 8:12
2. Acts 18:8
IV. What is the method of baptism?
A. Again, Acts 8:26-39 gives the clearest example. In verses 38-39, BOTH Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch went down INTO the water and came up out of the water.
B. In Matthew 3:16, Jesus was baptized in the same manner.
C. As seen previously; baptism is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection. The only way to bury someone is to put them completely underground. The biblical method of baptism is complete immersion. No one in the Bible was ever sprinkled because no one can be buried by sprinkling dirt on them.
V. How important is it to be baptized?
A. It is NOT essential for salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear a man is saved by grace through faith WITHOUT works, including baptism.
B. It IS essential for service and spiritual growth. Matthew 28: 19-20 (the “great commission”) proves it is essential. Baptism is an integral part of the great commission and precedes teaching.
C. Before anyone can be taught to follow Jesus Christ, they must be willing to submit to the first act of obedience. If a person refuses to obey the Lord in the first point, he will not obey in future points. Matthew3:13-15
VI. Basic questions
A. Where should I be baptized? Since baptism is a public confession of your faith in Jesus Christ, most often it will be publicly in front of the local church. Many times people will be baptized in creeks or rivers, which is fine; the Lord Jesus Christ was baptized in the river Jordan. The actual place of baptism is not important. The act of public testimony of your identification with the Lord Jesus Christ is the important point.
Lesson 3: Baptism
“NOW THAT I AM SAVED, WHERE DO I START?”
1. Give the key reason why God instructs the Christian to be baptized.
2. In Matthew 3:13-15, Jesus was baptized to demonstrate His and
to God and His plan. Jesus fulfilled this before He began His
.
3. List three men who were baptized after salvation in the New Testament.
A.
B.
C.
4. What are the purposes for baptism found in Romans 6:3-4?
A.
B.
5. In Acts 8:36-37, the Ethiopian eunuch had to fulfill two requirements before he could be baptized. What were the two requirements?
A.
B.
6. How do we know that the Ethiopian eunuch and Jesus were not baptized by sprinkling of water?
A.
B.
7. Baptism by complete immersion in water is a picture of what?
8. Baptism is essential in order for the Christian to and .
Also, one must be willing to submit to baptism so they can be to follow Jesus Christ.
9. Is Baptism essential for salvation?
Give a scripture reference that explains this.
10. Briefly explain the primary purpose of this lesson.
Key scripture passages you must be familiar with:
Matthew 3:13-17, Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:1-7
NOTE: There is much false teaching among religious groups concerning baptism. The Christian should be aware of some of them.
1. Man must be baptized in order to be saved.
2. Baptism by being sprinkled is just as meaningful as immersion.
3. Babies should be baptized into God’s family, or into “the church”
From the Bible principles taught in this lesson, you should understand that these teachings are false, and why.
Lesson 4: The Holy Spirit
“What are the Functions and Attributes of the Holy Spirit in my Life?
The day you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, the Holy Spirit of God took up permanent residency inside your body. This third person of the trinity is perhaps the most misunderstood and ignored part of a Christian’s relationship with God.
The purpose of this lesion is to give the individual a basic understanding of what the Holy Spirit of God does in his life.
I. Where do I find the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit of God lives on this earth inside your body if you are saved. He came in at the moment of salvation and took up permanent residency.
A. I Corinthians 6:19-20 is the definitive passage.
B. See also:
John 14:17; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 2:22
II. What is the function of the Holy Spirit?
A. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin. John 16:8-9
1. In the lost, he convicts of sin to bring them to salvation.
2. In the saved, he convicts of sin to keep them clean and show them how to live for Jesus Christ.
3. You must understand the difference between conviction and guilt.
a. Conviction is God pointing out that something is wrong so you can make it right.
Isaiah 1:18
b. Guilt is the devil accusing you of being unworthy to receive God’s blessing.
Revelation 12:10
B. The Holy Spirit creates and regenerates.
1. The Holy Spirit is active in creation.
Genesis 1:2; Job 33:4
2. In Jesus Christ, you are a new creature, born again by the Holy Spirit.
John 3:3-8
C. The Holy Spirit seals you once you are saved.
Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30
D. The Holy Spirit bears witness to you of your salvation.
I John 4:13; Romans 8:16
E. The Holy Spirit teaches you the Bible.
John 14:26; 16:13-15; I Corinthians 2:9-10
F. The Holy Spirit intercedes in prayer for you.
Romans 8:26-27; Ephesians 2:18
G. The Holy Spirit comforts you in time of need.
John 14:15-18; II Corinthians 1:3-4; II Timothy 1:7
H. The Holy Spirit empowers you to serve God.
Zechariah 4:6; Ephesians 3:16; II Corinthians 4:7
III. What is the result of the Holy Spirit in my life?
A. The Holy Spirit of God produces a set of character qualities as you give your life to Him and walk in His power. This set of character qualities is called the fruit (singular) of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. It is singular because ALL of these qualities are produced at the same time by a close relationship with the Holy Spirit.
B. The fruit of the Spirit consists of:
1. Love.
2. Joy.
3. Peace.
4. Longsuffering
5. Gentleness.
6. Goodness.
7. Faith.
8. Meekness
9. Temperance.
IV. Basic questions.
A. What is “being filled with the Spirit” and how can I accomplish this?
1. Ephesians 5:18-19 shows that a person who is filled with the Spirit will have a joyous heart attitude toward God. Colossians 3:16 shows that letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly results in the same heart attitude. Therefore, a person who saturates his mind with the word of God will be filled with the Spirit.
2. Simply WALK in the Spirit. Walking is a steady, consistent, natural process of growth. Galatians 5:16-18, 25; Romans 8:1
3. Allow God to control your life. The filling of the Holy Spirit is NOT you getting more of the Holy Spirit. You got all of Him there is at the time of salvation. It is the Holy Spirit getting more of you.
4. BE PATIENT AND CONSISTENT! Being controlled by the Holy Spirit does not happen overnight. It is a lifelong process of spiritual growth.
Lesson 4: The Holy Spirit
“What are the Functions and Attributes of the Holy Spirit in my Life?
1. Where do you find the Holy Spirit? List three scripture references to support your answer.
2. At what time does the Holy Spirit come into the believer’s life?
3. Why does the Holy Spirit convict the lost of sin?
4. Why does the Holy Spirit convict the Christian of sin?
5. What is the difference between conviction and guilt?
Conviction:
Guilt:
6. List seven other ways that the Holy Spirit works in the life of the Christian.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
7. What is the result of the Holy Spirit in your life?
8. Galatians 5:22-23 lists for us the of the . These qualities are produced in the Christian by a with the
.
9. In order for the Christian to be “filled with the Spirit,” they must invest time learning and living the .
10. True or False
_____A. I must get more of God’s Holy Spirit each day.
_____B. Being controlled by the Holy Spirit is a lifelong process of spiritual growth.
_____C. Romans 8:1 teaches that you must walk after the flesh.
_____D. John 6:13 shows us that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.
_____E. Romans 8:26-27 shows us that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our prayers unto God.
10. Briefly explain the primary purpose of this lesson.
Key memory verses:
I Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 5:22-23; Galatians 5:16
NOTE: In many churches today, some popular teachings are:
1. A Christian does not get all of the Holy Spirit at salvation.
2. The Holy Spirit can leave you if you sin.
From the Bible principles taught in this lesson, you should understand that these teachings are false, and why.
Write any questions you may have concerning the subjects in this lesson.