gtoctr/ws022713
·
There
is only One God – Jehovah, the God of the Bible
·
God
created the heavens and the earth and made man like Him
·
Adam
and Eve sinned through their disobedience and were separated
o From each other
o From God
o From God’s purpose
and provision on planet earth
o From eternal life
§ Sin brought birth to
death and eternal separation from God
·
Sin
claimed the souls of all man and demanded sacrifice
o The blood of animals
could only temporarily cover man’s sin
o The blood of man was
impure and unacceptable
o The sin debt
required the perfect sacrifice of a sinless man
·
Jesus,
Son of God and Son of man, willingly offered Himself
o Not because He had
to but because He wanted to – love
o In death He destroyed
him who had the power over death
o He triumphed over
principalities and the powers of darkness
o He took the keys of
death, hell and the grave
·
Jesus,
the promised Messiah, victoriously rose to life on the 3rd day
·
God
willingly opened a door through Jesus and extended an invitation by grace back
into His perfect plan for all mankind
·
There
is only one way back into God’s grace – it is by faith
Key Scripture:
Ephesians 2
8 For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man
should boast.
Commentary:
There was a man who lived in the day of
Jesus who was a member of the religious group known as the Pharisees. His name
was Nicodemus and he was a prominent and well known religious leader of the
Jews. This man, not wanting to stir up controversy or cause unnecessary problems
for himself, came to Jesus during the nighttime, after dark when no one else
could recognize him. Nicodemus had a genuine respect for Jesus and said,
"Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do
these signs that You do unless God is with him."
Jesus answered Nicodemus and said,
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God." Nicodemus replied to Jesus in earnest, "How can a
man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb
and be born?"
Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say
to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom
of God.”
Herein Jesus is clearly referring to the
element of water baptism as an outward sign which is meaningless without an
inward conviction. More than having or producing an appearance of religious
piety, one must be born of the spirit. More than merely joining the Church or a
religious group of the day, in order to even see the Kingdom of God, much more
to expect to enter into that Kingdom, one must truly be converted in heart and
soul.
If the only approach we make to God is to
clean the outside of our life, or make an outward commitment, we fall short of
what it takes to enter a spiritual Kingdom. For this reason Jesus concluded: “That
which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ’You must be born again.’” (John
3:1-7 Commentary) We must not die in sin but rather die to sin in Christ.
The effects of sin passed from Adam upon all
mankind thereafter, even good men. Salvation comes only with a true conversion
of the soul. Salvation is offered by grace, through faith in Jesus, and not by
works.
Important Points:
1.
Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
2.
Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
3.
Romans 10:13 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved.
a.
Romans 10:9 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.
b.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
