A STUDY GUIDE
BECOMING
A
CHRISTIAN
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
ROGER MARTIN
BECOMING A CHRISTIAN
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
©COPYRIGHT 2014 DO NOT DUPLCATE WITHOUT PERMISSION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. EXPLANATION: Understanding The
Big Picture .....................................................1
II. SALVATION: God Had A Plan! ..................8
III. REVELATION: God’s Plan Unfolds ..........14
IV. INVITATION: The Opportunity of a
Lifetime! ......................................................23
V. MOTIVATION: What Difference Does It
Make? ..........................................................27
VI. PERSONALIZATION: How To Become
A Christian ..................................................35
VII. REALIZATION: What Just Happened To
Me ................................................................40
VIII. APPLICATION: Now That I Am A
Christian –What’s Next? .............................45
IX. TEMPTATION: Don’t Be Surprised If… ...51
X. INFORMATION: Questions Everyone
Asks .............................................................57
XI. INSPIRATION: A Final Word and
Resources .....................................................68
BECOMING A CHRISTIAN
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
INTRODUCTION
It is natural for everyone to have questions about
what it means to be a Christian. The questions are
important. The answers are important. The purpose
of this brief study guide is to set forth, from
beginning to end, what it means and what all is
involved in becoming a Christian.
This study will explain why the need to be a
Christian exists; how God put a plan into place to
make it possible; what action God Himself took on
man’s behalf; how a person can become a Christian;
what difference it makes in a person’s life; and
finally, what to do and what to expect when one
becomes a Christian.
This subject matter of Becoming A Christian
concerns the most important issue of a person’s life.
Be sure to read and re-read this material until you
know what it all means and why it is important for
your own life.
Discussion questions are available at the end of
each chapter.
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I. EXPLANATION:
Understanding The Big Picture
The Bible begins by telling us that God created the
heavens and the earth and all that exists. He made
our universe, the galaxies and the world in which
we live. He made the seas and the dry land and all
that they contain. He made mankind (Genesis
chapters 1 and 2).
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!
The Bible tells us that God’s creation was
stunningly beautiful and absolutely perfect. It was
so perfect that God Himself would personally visit
His beautiful creation. He had made man and
woman in His very own image. This means that
God made man to be an eternal being. God wanted
man to live forever and so He breathed His very life
into man. He named the man and woman whom He
had made, Adam and Eve. God would come down
in the cool of the day and walk and talk with Adam
and Eve. He gave to them the responsibility of
being the caretakers of His beautiful creation. God
also put a particular tree in the midst of His garden.
Adam and Eve were told not to eat of its fruit.
By doing this, God gave to mankind the personal
choice to obey or to disobey (Genesis chapter 2).
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IT HAPPENED ONE DAY
One day, Eve was tempted to eat of the fruit of the
forbidden tree. She had listened to the voice of the
Tempter who told her that God had lied to them. He
told her that if she would eat of the forbidden fruit,
she would become just like God.
The temptation sounded so good to Eve that she ate
of the fruit. She then gave it to Adam and he ate of
it also. In that moment of time, mankind had made a
choice. They chose to listen to the voice of the
Tempter (the devil) instead of listening to the voice
of God, their Maker. They chose to disobey rather
than to obey (Genesis chapter 3).
ABSOLUTE CHAOS!
The world of absolute perfection that God had made
has never been the same since Adam and Eve made
their choice. Because of their choice to disobey
rather than to obey, our world was plunged into the
familiar world that we know it to be today. It is a
world of war and conflict and power struggles
between nations and individuals. It is a world of
hatred and bloodshed. It is a world of sickness,
disease and death. It is a world of calamity,
accidents, and natural disasters. It is a world of the
strong taking advantage of the weak. The Bible
calls our world a ‘domain of darkness’
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(Colossians 1:13). We see the effects of this fallen
world of darkness in our own personal lives. Every
one of us has experienced the pain of deceit and
hurt and the sting of death as we gather around the
graves of our loved ones.
But God never intended His beautiful creation to be
such a place of pain. But He knew what it would
become when He gave to man the free will to make
his own choice in life. When man chose to ignore
the voice of God, our world has paid the price of
that decision ever since.
BUT THAT’S NOT ALL
Not only did man’s disobedience to God throw all
of God’s perfect creation into chaos, conflict and
ruin, but it caused something even worse. Man’s
disobedience to God changed man’s relationship
with God. The relationship between God and man
was broken. Man now found himself on the wrong
side of God. And, ever since the time of Adam and
Eve, everyone who has been born into this world
has been born separated and alienated from God.
“BUT, THAT’S NOT FAIR!”
That is exactly what we all want to say and think.
We all would like to think that if we were Adam
and Eve, we would never have chosen to disobey.
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And since we think we all would have done better,
it is easy to think it is unfair that they should
represent all of us in the making of their choice. But
the Bible tells us otherwise. The Bible makes it very
clear that all of us would have made the very same
choice that they did – in fact, we actually have
made the very same choice, and not just once, but
many times over. The Bible declares that “all have
sinned and have come up short of God’s perfection
and expectations” (Romans 3:23). This coming up
short of God’s perfection and expectations applies
to every one of us. It is easy to look at others and
then compare ourselves to one another. We may
conclude that we are better than others in such a
comparison. But being better than someone else
doesn’t solve the problem we all have of not being
good enough. For example, what if the whole
human race were to be lined up on the West Coast
of the United States and told to swim 2500 miles to
Hawaii. Some might be able to swim 10 yards. The
very best of swimmers might make it 200 miles. But
the very best swimmers would still come up 2300
miles short, even though they were better swimmers
than the others. And that is the way we all are with
God. God’s moral law, the Ten Commandments,
proves to all of us that, while some might be better
at keeping the Ten Commandments than others, we
have all come up “miles” short of a perfect
performance. We have all missed the mark of what
God requires. This missing the mark is what the
Bible calls “sin.” It is the sin of Adam and Eve, as
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well as our own personal sin that has separated us
all from God.
But it gets even worse than that. The Bible tells us
that not only have we all sinned and come up short,
but we have done so purposefully, consciously, and
intentionally. We have done so by going against our
own conscience and acting in full knowledge
against what we knew to be right. God has a code of
‘right and wrong’ and He has put it in every
person’s heart. We know when we violate that code,
because our conscience lets us know (Romans
2:15). Adam and Eve knew they had crossed a line
with God the very moment they ate of the forbidden
fruit. That is why they tried to hide from God
(Genesis 3:8-11). We all have proven that we are
just like Adam and Eve, and so none of us can
blame them for the world we live in, nor can we
accuse God of treating us unfairly.
The bottom line is this: we are all born into this
world separated from God. We have confirmed and
proven such separation by our own conscious
choice. Therefore, becoming a Christian is all about
getting back on the right side of God and becoming
re-united with Him in a restored relationship. But
how can this happen?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why do you think Eve gave into the
temptation to eat of the forbidden fruit?
2. Do you think you would have done the same
thing? Explain.
3. God never created our world to be a place of
sickness, war, conflict and death. How did it
become this way?
4. Why did God allow man to make his choice
and allow the world to become what it has
become?
5. When people blame God for the way the
world is today, especially when bad things
happen, how do you respond?
6. How did man become separated from God?
How serious is this separation?
7. How do you respond to the fact that you
were born into this world separated from
God?
8. What evidence is there in your own life that
you have chosen to do wrong?
9. What do the following verses say to you:
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“For all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
“Therefore, just as sin entered into the world
through one man, and death through sin, and
in this way, death came to all men, because
all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)
“Consequently, just as the result of one
trespass was condemnation for all men…”
(Romans 5:18a)
“For just as through the disobedience of the
one man, many were made sinners…”
(Romans 5:19a)
10. What conclusions about your own life can
you make from this first chapter?
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II. SALVATION:
God Had A Plan!
Man’s disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden
and our own wrong choices and separation from
God, DID NOT CATCH God off guard. God never
had a Plan B. Plan A is still in place. God had a plan
already in place for man to have a restored
relationship with Him, long before He even created
the world and mankind. God knew what would
happen. He knew all of us would make the wrong
choice. He knew all of us would become separated
from Him. He knew His world would become
something different than what He created it to be.
And so, He had a plan already in place. The Bible
tells us that God actually determined the plan that
included providing a Savior and salvation for
mankind – long before the foundations of the world
were even put into place. Revelation 13:8 talks
about “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of
the world.”
GOD KNEW WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE
Man desperately needed help. Something needed to
be done. Man had made his choice and it was
impossible for man to reverse his own decision.
What needed to be done, could not be done by man
himself. Man, now finding, himself on the wrong
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side of God, has no ability within himself to right
his own wrong. He had disqualified himself from
having that ability by the choice that had been
made. Man has no ability to offer to God any viable
or acceptable solution to his own separation. The
solution, therefore, could not originate from man’s
side of things. There was absolutely nothing man
could do to solve his dilemma.
GOD KNEW WHAT HE WOULD DO
And now we come to a most amazing and
astonishing thing. God, Himself, would originate
taking action on man’s behalf. God, Himself had
already decided that He would do what needed to be
done. God, Himself would provide a Savior for the
world and make a way for man to be restored to a
right relationship with God. To do so, God knew
that He would need to provide the needed sacrifice
of His own Son, and send Him to earth as one of us
and allow Him to remove the sins of mankind.
What a plan God had! It would cost Him
everything! It would cost Him His life. He would
experience our death. His Son would experience
what it is like to be separated from God.
In experiencing such separation, all of the sins of
mankind would be placed on His shoulders. It
would be a once and for all sacrifice. It would be a
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sacrifice for all of the sins of all mankind. It would
be a sacrifice for all time – past, present and future.
What an amazing plan! God, Himself, offended by
man’s willing and conscious choice to reject Him,
now offers to act on man’s behalf. Man would once
again have the opportunity to be in a right
relationship with his Maker. Such a thought and
such a plan is nothing short of amazing!
The only question left is, “Why?” Why would God
do such a thing for us all? Again, the Bible gives us
the answer. The following verses tell us what was
the motivation behind God’s plan to provide the
opportunity for man to be restored to a right
relationship with God.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His
one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16)
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in
this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.” (Romans 5:8)
“This is how God showed His love among us:
He sent His one and only Son into the world that
we might live through Him. This is love: not
that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent
His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
(I John 4:9,10)
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God loved mankind so much that He was willing to
lay down His own life in order to remove the barrier
of man’s sin that had separated man from God.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How significant is it that God knew what
would happen to His beautiful creation and
to mankind and that He already had a plan in
place to address it?
2. Why is man unqualified and not in a
position himself, to do anything about his
separation from God?
3. Explain what is meant by the fact that a
solution for man’s dilemma could not
originate with man.
4. How would you explain God’s solution and
God’s answer and God’s provision for
man’s problem?
5. Why would God provide such an answer for
man’s problem of sin and separation from
God?
6. What does God’s provision mean to you that
He would do such a thing for man?
7. What does John 3:16 say to you personally?
8. Describe in your own words the meaning of
Romans 5:8.
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9. How would you sum up this chapter in your
own words?
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III. REVELATION:
God’s Plan Unfolds
With the failure of man in the Garden of Eden and
his separation from God, God’s plan to provide a
rescue and salvation for man went into effect. This
would enable man to once again have the
opportunity to be in a right relationship with God.
God’s plan would progressively unfold over the
next 4000 years, from the time of the Garden of
Eden until the time of Christ. This gradually
unfolding plan would include the choosing of a man
to be the father of a nation. It would include the
development of a nation and the establishment of a
kingdom and its failure. It would include the
promise of a coming Messiah, the birth of the
Savior, His subsequent rejection by His own people,
His death and resurrection and His ascension back
into heaven.
THE CHOOSING OF A MAN
God chose a man by the name of Abraham to be the
father of a future nation (Genesis 12). The nation of
Israel would come from the offspring of Abraham.
Through Abraham’s son Isaac, and through Isaac’s
son Jacob, Jacob’s twelve sons would become the
foundation of the twelve tribes of Israel. God’s plan
begins to unfold.
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A NATION IS BORN
(Genesis 37-50 and Exodus 1-15)
When Jacob’s sons sold their brother Joseph into
slavery, he ended up in Egypt. In the providence
and plan of God, all of Jacob’s family would also
end up in Egypt. Joseph had become the Prime
Minister of Egypt under the Pharaoh at that time.
Over the next four hundred years, the nation of
Israel developed and became a strong nation. Under
the leadership of Moses, Israel left Egypt for the
land that had been promised to Abraham by God,
Himself. God gave His Law to Israel, the ten
commandments to guide their living. God’s plan
continues to unfold.
A KINGDOM ESTABLISHED
As the nation of Israel developed, God raised up
King David to rule in Israel. God promised David
that through his bloodline, the Messiah would come
into the world and that His kingdom would be
established forever (II Samuel 7:8-17). The nation
of Israel was at its strongest point under the reign of
King David.
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ISRAEL’S FAILURE
God’s plan and purpose for Israel was that, as a
nation, they would be the avenue through which
God would bring the Savior into the world. But
God’s plan and purpose for the nation of Israel was
also that, as a people, they would represent God to
the rest of the world:
“…then you shall be My own possession among
all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you
shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy
nation.”
(Exodus 19:6,7)
God wanted Israel as a nation to show the rest of the
world what it was like to belong to God and honor
God with their living. But Israel failed in doing this.
They took for themselves the many gods of the
other nations around them. As a result, God allowed
Israel to be taken into captivity. For hundreds of
years, Israel suffered under the empires of Babylon,
Persia, Greece and Rome. But God’s plan continued
to unfold just as He had promised.
A SAVIOR IS BORN
Jesus Christ was born in the town of Bethlehem
two-thousand years ago in fulfillment of the
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promises given to Abraham and David and the other
prophets (Genesis 12:1-3, II Samuel 7:8-17, Micah
5:2). Christmas is the celebration of the birth of
Jesus Christ (Luke 2). The coming of God into our
world is one of the great climatic moments of all
time. God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, into our
world to reconcile man back to God. The choosing
of Abraham, the establishing of the nation of Israel
and the unfolding of God’s plan over the centuries
of time, led to this wonderful event of the birth of
the world’s Savior. Jesus Christ, as God’s Son,
could be the sacrifice for man’s sins, because He
Himself was without sin.
JESUS CHRIST REJECTED
Jesus Christ served as a carpenter in the shop of his
step-father Joseph. At the age of thirty He started
preaching and teaching that the Kingdom of God
had come to earth. The Jewish people, however, had
different expectations for their Messiah. They
wanted a mighty king who would be able to deliver
them from the oppression of Rome. They wanted
someone who would re-establish the kingdom of
Israel as it used to be in the glory days under King
David. They wanted an earthly liberator and they
were unprepared for the kind of Messiah that Jesus
was. He claimed to be God (John 8:58), and He
backed up His claims by doing many miracles. But
the Jewish leaders of the day led the people in
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rejecting Jesus as their Messiah. They brought false
accusation against Jesus, and had Him arrested. He
was put on trial before Pontius Pilate. Pilate found
Him to be innocent, but for fear of the people he
condemned Him to death. He was crucified and
hung on the cross between two thieves.
THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST
(John 19)
When Jesus Christ was crucified, His death enacted
and fulfilled the plan of God. This is why He had
come into the world (Matthew 20:28). His death
was the once and for all sacrifice needed to remove
the barrier of man’s sin that separated man from
God. When Jesus hung on the cross between heaven
and earth, the sins of all of mankind (past, present
and future) were placed on Him, (I John 2:2;
Hebrews 10:12-14). Jesus, the perfect and sinless
Son of God, experienced death and separation from
God on our behalf. The sacrifice that was needed
and required was complete. The price of man’s sin
was paid in full. The transaction was accomplished.
There is nothing more that can be done or needs to
be done regarding man’s sin. Jesus Christ, in dying
for all of mankind, has made it possible for man to
be re-united with God in a restored relationship.
This was God’s plan from the very beginning of
time.
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THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
(John 20)
Three days after Jesus was crucified and buried, He
arose again from the dead. He was resurrected. This
too was all a part of God’s plan. Without the
resurrection of Jesus Christ, man is still in his sin
and is still separated from God and stands guilty
before God. But when Jesus conquered death by His
resurrection, He broke the power of sin and the
penalty of sin that it had over mankind. The
resurrection power of Jesus Christ is stronger than
the power of sin. It is this resurrection power of
Jesus Christ that sets us free from the sin of our
lives and its penalty of eternal separation from God.
What a wonderful plan God had for all of us!
THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST
(Acts 1:10-11)
Forty days after Jesus rose from the dead, He
ascended back into heaven from whence He had
come. His mission was complete. God’s plan had
been fulfilled. God, Himself, had made provision
for man’s sin. Man now has the opportunity to be
restored back to a right relationship with God. Jesus
Christ, now in heaven, awaits for God’s time clock
to fulfill its appointed time. And then when God’s
time clock is completed, He will once again return
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to this earth – this next time in all of His power and
glory. At that time He will fulfill all of the yet
unfulfilled promises that He has made with His
people Israel.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How would you describe God’s plan to
provide salvation for mankind?
2. Why would God’s plan unfold over so many
years?
3. How did the nation of Israel originally come
into existence?
4. How did Israel as a nation fail to live up to
God’s expectations of them? What was the
result of their failure?
5. How did God send His own Son into the
world and why was that necessary?
6. Why did the Jewish nation reject Jesus
Christ as their Messiah? Why was this
rejection a part of God’s plan?
7. Why was Christ’s death so important?
8. Why was the resurrection of Jesus Christ so
important?
9. What does it mean to you that this was all
God’s plan, even before He created the
world?
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10. What does this chapter say to you
personally?
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IV. INVITATION:
The Opportunity of a Lifetime!
God’s plan to provide an opportunity for man to be
re-united in a right relationship with God, has been
fulfilled and completed.
The price for man’s sin and restoration to God has
been paid in full.
Justice has been done. The offense that man had
committed against God has been forgiven.
All that needed to be done has been done by God
Himself. He became a man and as a man He acted
on man’s behalf. There is nothing more that man
can do. This is one of the things that sets the
Christian faith apart from all other faiths and
religions. They all demand that man must do
something and keep doing something in order to
earn forgiveness and acceptance before God. But
the Christian faith teaches that whatever needed to
be done, has already been done by God Himself,
and that man can do no more.
And so, having removed the barrier of man’s sin
that had separated man from God, God now sets
before man a wonderful opportunity. It is really the
opportunity of a lifetime! God now allows man the
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opportunity to choose to be on the ‘right side’ of
God. The door is wide open for man and God to be
reconciled once again in friendship and fellowship,
just like it used to be in the Garden of Eden.
THE GRACIOUS INVITATION
God now invites man to come to Him. God, after all
he has done to make this restoration possible, could
force and command all of us to come to Him,
whether we want to or not. But he doesn’t. He
simply invites us with a gracious invitation. The
reason for this is very important and significant.
The reason God invites man to come back to
Himself, rather than forcing him to do so, is because
it was man who voluntarily made the choice to
disobey God, and walk away from God in the first
place. Back in the Garden of Eden, man chose by
his own free will to disobey God and give his
allegiance to another. Since man chose to walk
away, God now gives man the opportunity to
choose to return. It is now up to man to respond to
God’s wonderful and gracious invitation. God’s
invitation to man is offered to one and all. The
Bible uses a wonderful word to communicate this
all-encompassing invitation. The word is
‘whosoever’! Whosoever wants to respond can do
so. Whosoever wants to accept God’s invitation can
do so. Whosoever means you and me and everyone!
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THE GIFT
God is so desirous of man accepting His invitation
that He describes it in the most appealing way
possible. He presents the invitation in the form of a
gift:
The gift of God’s son, Jesus Christ.
The gift of His death and resurrection on
man’s behalf.
The gift of complete forgiveness.
The gift of eternal life.
The gift of knowing life the way God meant
it to be.
God invites man to come to Him and receive the
gift of a restored relationship with Him. This
restored relationship with God is only made
possible through the gift of God’s Son, Jesus Christ
(John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
There has never been an invitation so awesome, so
great and so amazing as God’s invitation to man, to
receive the gift of God’s salvation.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What has God done about the problem of
man’s sin that had separated God and man?
2. How was justice done regarding man’s sin?
3. What does it mean to you that everything
that needed to be done regarding man’s sin
has been done, and that there is nothing
more that man can do?
4. What opportunity does God set before man
now that the barrier of sin has been
removed?
5. Why does God give man an invitation to
come to Him, rather than demanding,
commanding and forcing man to do so?
6. When God says ‘whosoever’ may come to
Him, what does that mean to you?
7. Why is God’s offered salvation like a gift to
be received?
8. How would you personally describe this
gift?
9. How important do you consider this gift to
be in your own life?
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V. MOTIVATION:
What Difference Does It Make?
The decision to become a Christian by accepting the
gift of God’s Son to be your Savior, and thereby
give you salvation, makes all the difference in the
world in a person’s life. Everything changes. So, it
is important in each of our lives to ask the question,
‘Why”? Why should I accept God’s invitation and
what difference will it make in my life?’ Here are
some reasons.
First, you will experience God’s total forgiveness.
This means you will have a new standing with God.
Before you accept His invitation, you stand before
God as guilty. But when you accept His invitation,
you stand before Him as forgiven.
Second, when you accept God’s gift of salvation
you actually become a part of God’s own family.
You become a child of God, a son or a daughter,
and God Himself becomes your Father. As His
child, you will live under His love and care for you.
As His child, you receive special privileges and
blessings that come with belonging to Him as your
heavenly Father.
Third, when you accept God’s Son as your own
Savior, God puts His Spirit within you so that you
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have God with you for the rest of your life. God, by
way of His Holy Spirit will guide your life in the
right way. His Spirit will empower you and enable
you to have the right attitude and response to the
things that happen to us in life.
Fourth, when you become a Christian, you will
become a brand new person and you enter into a
brand new life.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; the old is gone and the new has come!”
(II Corinthians 5:17)
Jesus said, “I have come that you might have
life and have it to the full.”
(John 10:10)
New life includes having a new purpose, new
desires, new goals, new attitudes, new perspectives,
new values and new understanding. Everything
becomes new. You will be enabled to give up your
old selfish way of living and replace it by making
Jesus Christ the center of your living.
Fifth, when you accept God’s invitation to become
one of His followers, you will have a new
destination. As long as a person is separated from
God, the Bible tells us that our future is just that – a
separation from God that never ends. Man
instinctively knows this to be true. That’s why
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religion appeals to man. It is man’s effort to remedy
his separation from God. And whenever you hear
someone, in the heat of the moment, say to another
person, “Go to hell”, that person is really saying, “I
wish for you the worst possible fate!” The worst
possible fate for anyone is separation from God that
never ends. This is what hell really is. That is why
Jesus spoke to this issue so clearly (Matthew 5:22;
23:33; Mark 9:43-44; Luke 16:23; 12:5). Separation
from God that never ends is the current condition,
direction, and destination of every person’s life,
who does not choose to accept God’s gracious and
generous invitation to return to Him. No one ever
desires a ‘never ending separation from God’ to be
the end to their life.
But, on the other hand, when a person does accept
God’s gracious invitation and free gift of
forgiveness, the destination and future of that
person’s life is that of living forever in the very
presence of God. Living forever in God’s presence
is what God originally intended for all of us. This is
what heaven is. That is precisely what God intended
all of us to experience back in the Garden of Eden.
But man (through Adam) made this to be
impossible when he chose to disobey God. This
disobedience caused everyone to become separated
from God. Everyone would desire heaven if they
really understood the two options and what they
both actually mean.
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But now, God has made a restored relationship with
Him, all possible again. And so, God invites man to
once again be in friendship with Him. But he leaves
the decision and the choice up to each one of us.
“YES, BUT I DON’T WANT TO BE A
HYPOCRITE!”
Many people respond to God’s invitation with a
“Yes, but, I don’t want to be a hypocrite” response.
That is a very common response as it is the opinion
of many that, ‘all Christians are just a bunch of
hypocrites.’ A hypocrite is a person who says one
thing and does another. It should be noted to that
end, that both Christians and non-Christians alike
qualify. But, let’s just suppose that the hypocrite
accusation ONLY applies to a Christian. If that
should be the case, then being a Christian is being
just like Adam and Eve in their failure. They were
created perfect and they were without sin. But they
became imperfect when they disobeyed God, just
like we all have done. And it is being just like the
nation of Israel in their failure to live up to God’s
expectations for them. For, they were also
imperfect. And so, now you have Christians who, as
hypocrites, also fail to live up to God’s expectations
for them. They too, prove themselves to be
imperfect. But just think about all these failures and
imperfections for a moment. Do they not all
together just make God’s love and God’s plan all
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the more amazing? Do not the failures of man only
highlight the love and mercy and grace of God all
the more? Becoming a Christian is especially
designed for imperfect people, just like all of us.
Who wouldn’t want to belong to a God who accepts
us all for who we really are?
The bottom line is that being a Christian does not
mean that we all turn in a perfect performance. For
being a Christian does not depend on man’s
performance (not at all to excuse hypocritical
living). But being a Christian depends solely on
God’s Word, His promise, His faithfulness, and His
finished work on man’s behalf. Becoming a
Christian and being a Christian solely and
completely depends upon God from beginning to
end, and not upon ourselves.
So the caution might be this: be careful that you
don’t minimize or miss out on God’s wonderful gift
of salvation to you, over an excuse that, in reality,
actually becomes the best reason to be a Christian.
It is a great reason to become a Christian because
one realizes just how much God loves us and
accepts us for who we really are: people who have
failed and people who have all come up short of
God’s requirements and expectations. But the good
news is this: God gladly accepts all of us
unconditionally with our failures, warts and all!
And by His grace, He will begin to work on the
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areas of all our flaws. And that is truly amazing –
amazing grace!
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How important do you consider God’s offer
of forgiveness of your sins to be?
2. How important do you consider family to
be? What would it mean to you to be a part
of God’s family?
3. When a person receives God’s gift of
salvation and forgiveness, how does life
change and become new for that person?
4. When it comes to a person’s eternal future,
what does it mean to have a new
destination? How important would you
consider this to be for your own life?
5. Why do many people consider Christians to
be hypocrites? How can this accusation keep
a person from becoming a Christian and
accepting God’s gift of salvation?
6. How do the failures of man only highlight
God’s love for mankind all the more?
7. Why is it important that being a Christian
depends on God’s performance and not on
man’s performance?
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8. How is it possible for someone to miss out
on God’s wonderful gift of salvation over an
excuse that isn’t much of an excuse?
9. How would you answer the question: ‘What
difference does being a Christian make in a
person’s life?’
10. What would you consider to be the greatest
motivation to become a Christian?
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VI. PERSONALIZATION:
How To Become A Christian
If it is your choice and the desire of your heart to
become a Christian, you have just made the most
important decision of your life! Here is how a
person becomes a Christian.
Everyone who becomes a Christian, becomes a
Christian by faith. This simply means that a person
personally applies the truth to one’s own life.
By faith, a person believes that Jesus Christ is God
and that He became a man by way of being born of
the virgin, Mary. You apply this to your life by
acknowledging that He came to this earth because
He loved you personally (John 3:16).
By faith a person believes that Jesus Christ suffered
and died on the cross and in doing so, He took all of
your sins upon Himself. He could do this for you
because He, Himself, was sinless. He paid the debt
of your sin in full and has forgiven you every sin of
your life! You apply this to your own life by
admitting, ‘He died on the cross because of my own
sins.’
By faith a person believes that Jesus Christ rose
from the dead on the third day and was resurrected,
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thus, conquering death on our behalf. You can apply
this to your own life by admitting, ‘Jesus Christ was
resurrected from the dead and conquered death for
me.’
By faith, a person receives the gift of God’s
salvation and forgiveness that can only come
through Jesus Christ. You can apply this to your
own life by accepting God’s gift of salvation and
forgiveness as being true for you.
By faith, you turn away from your ‘self’ way of
living and turn away from any living that is
displeasing to God. It is a turning away from any
kind of disobedient way of living, because it was
that kind of living that separated you from God in
the first place. This turning away is called
repentance. It would be disingenuous to say to God,
‘I’m glad to accept your gift of forgiveness, but I’m
going to keep on living a life that offends You.’
That is why repentance is necessary and important.
Repentance is what helps one to avoid hyposcrisy.
You can apply this to your own life by deciding
right now that you are turning from anything in
your life that you know is displeasing to God.
One way to put your faith into action is to verbally
tell God that you gladly accept His gift of
forgiveness and salvation. You can verbalize it with
words like the following:
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“Dear God,
I know I need you to be in my life as my
Savior. I know that I am a sinner and that
because of my sin, I am separated from you.
Today, I turn away from the kind of life that
brought about my separation from you. I
believe Jesus Christ, your Son, came to earth
and died for my sins and that He conquered
death by being resurrected from the dead.
Today, I receive Jesus Christ as my Savior
and I gladly accept your gift of salvation and
forgiveness. Thank you for loving me so
much and for coming into my life today.
Amen.”
God, by His grace, has enabled you to exercise faith
to both believe Him and receive him into your life.
By faith you have accepted Jesus Christ into your
life to be your own personal Savior. By faith you
have received His gift of salvation and forgiveness.
By faith you have become a Christian, for the Bible
says: “…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as
Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him
from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart
man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with
the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation”
(Romans 10:9,10).
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Have you made the decision and the choice
to invite Jesus Christ into your life to be
your Savior and thereby become a
Christian?
2. What does it mean to you to exercise faith in
something or someone?
3. God’s provision of salvation through the
finished work of Jesus Christ in His death,
burial and resurrection is called ‘The
Gospel’ which means, ‘Good News’. What
makes what Jesus did for mankind, ‘good
news’?
4. “By Faith” means you accept and believe
that something is true and that you receive it
to be true for your own life. What does this
mean to you today?
5. Becoming a Christian is as simple as
accepting or receiving a gift. Why does God
make His salvation a gift to be received?
6. Read the prayer that is provided in this
lesson out loud. After reading the prayer,
summarize the content or explain it in your
own words.
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7. When you ‘personalize’ God’s gift of
salvation and forgiveness to your own life,
you have become a Christian. How would
you explain what you just did to someone
else so they might understand it?
8. You may not feel any different than you did
before. This is because salvation is not a
matter of the emotions. It is a matter of fact.
God said it. Jesus Provided it. You accepted
it. That settles it. Why might this be
important to understand?
9. On the other hand, forgiveness and being
accepted by God into His family is such a
wonderful thing, many people, having
received God’s gift find themselves
overcome with joy and gladness. What
would cause them to have such joy?
10. As a new Christian, you have just become a
follower of Jesus Christ. What does this
mean to you?
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VII. REALIZATION:
What Just Happened To Me
The very moment you accepted Jesus Christ by faith
to be your Savior, a number of things immediately
became true of your life.
First, you just became ‘born again.’ This is a term
Jesus used to describe the fact that you became a
new person. You were born spiritually into God’s
family. You became a spiritual child of God (John
3:3-5).
Second, you just experienced the forgiveness of all
your sin. You have been declared to be righteous in
the eyes of God. All charges of sin and wrong that
had been charged against you for the time of
judgment have been dropped. You have been
declared innocent. You have been freed from any
penalty of sin (Ephesians 1:7).
Third, the Bible teaches that you have just been
transferred from the realm of death to the realm of
life. When Jesus came into your life to be your
Savior, you became a partaker of eternal life. Before
a person becomes a Christian, that person is a
recipient of the nature of death. This death is more
than physical. It is a spiritual death that results in
eternal separation from God. But now, that has
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changed. You are now a recipient of eternal life
because you have Christ’s Spirit within you (I John
5:11,12).
Fourth, the Bible also teaches that the moment you
believed and became a Christian, God, by way of
the Holy Spirit came to live within you. God has
taken up residence within you. God’s indwelling
presence is God’s guarantee, or his official seal of
authority, that promises your eternal future with
God (Ephesians 1:13,14; I Corinthians 6:19,20).
Fifth, the moment you became a Christian, you
were placed by God’s Spirit into His Church, which
is called ‘the body of Christ.’ You belong to the
household of faith. You belong to the ‘family of
God.’ Other believers in Jesus Christ are now your
brothers and sisters in Christ. You have become a
part of God’s spiritual family (Ephesians 2:19-22;
I Corinthians 12:27).
Sixth, when you became a Christian, you entered
into a brand new life. The Bible states, “Therefore,
if a man be in Christ, he is a new creature or person;
the old things have passed away; behold, new things
have come” (II Corinthians 5:17 NASV).
Everything has become new for you: A new way of
thinking. A new direction in life. New desires. New
priorities. A new belonging. New friends. A new
future. A new hope. A new kind of joy. The list
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could go on and on. The Bible declares, ‘everything
has become’ new. Because you have entered into a
new life, it takes a while to adjust and learn what
has changed concerning your new life.
And last, the very moment you became a Christian,
your relationship with God was restored as if you
were never separated from Him in the first place.
This means that you are now on the ‘right side’ of
God and that you can enjoy fellowship and
friendship with Him. Just like Adam and Eve, who
walked and talked with God in the Garden of Eden,
so you too can now enjoy His continual presence
with you and within you. This means that you can
worship God and give Him the honor that He truly
deserves. (Before being a Christian, we lived our
lives apart from Him and without Him in our lives
at all.) But now, God is in your life and you are re-
united with Him. It’s just like coming home after
being gone on very long trip. This is how God
always meant life to be lived in the first place. God
loves everyone so much that He desires that
everyone be restored to a right relationship with
Him. Welcome back to friendship with God!
Welcome Home! (I John 1:3-7; II Peter 3:9).
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What does it mean to you to be ‘born
again’?
2. What does it mean to you to be forgiven of
all your sin?
3. What does it mean to you to now be a
partaker of eternal life instead of eternal
separation from God which is described as
‘spiritual death’?
4. What does it mean to you to now have God,
by way of His Spirit, living within you?
5. What does it mean to you to now be a part
of God’s family, the household of faith or
the body of Christ?
6. What does it mean to you to now have a
brand new life?
7. What does it mean to you to ‘repent’ or ‘turn
away’ from the kind of living that brought
about your separation from God in the first
place?
8. What does it mean to you to now have a
right relationship with God?
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9. How would you summarize what just
happened to you in becoming a Christian?
10. It would be a good time to read the third
chapter of the Gospel of John and the fifth
chapter of Romans. If you read and re-read
these two chapters it will help you
understand what has happened to you as a
new believer in Jesus Christ.
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VIII. APPLICATION:
Now That I Am A Christian –
What’s Next?
Now, what do I do? This is a very important
question because God wants every Christian to
grow and become strong in their faith. The Bible
declares, “Like new born babies, you crave pure
spiritual milk, so that by it you may GROW UP in
your salvation” (I Peter 2:2 NIV). “But GROW in
the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”
(II Peter 3:18).
When a person is a new Christian, having just been
‘born again’, the Bible describes us as ‘babes’ in
Christ. It is a way of saying we are just beginning
our spiritual journey. Just as a new born baby drinks
its mother’s milk and begins to grow and become
stronger each day, so it is for every Christian. God’s
Word, the Bible, becomes our ‘milk’ and spiritual
nutrition. There is a need to grow and become
stronger in one’s faith. Spiritual growth is one of the
evidences that a person has really been ‘born again’.
The following steps will help you to grow strong as
a Christian.
First, tell someone that you have become a
Christian. Do not keep it to yourself. Tell your
family. Tell your friends. Do not worry about what
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they will think or what they might say. Remember,
they may not understand all that you understand at
this point. This is one of the reasons for this study.
Many people do not become Christians because
they do not understand what it really means or what
it is all about. When you tell others about your faith
in Jesus Christ, it may be the first step in their own
lives to also consider becoming a Christian.
Second, find another Christian who knows more
than you do about the Christian life and faith. Ask
that person to teach you and mentor you in learning
more about the Bible and the Christian life. This
will greatly help you to learn faster and grow
stronger more quickly.
Third, start reading the Bible every day. The Bible
is God’s Word that He has given to us. It teaches us
about God and how He wants us to live our lives.
You may read things you don’t understand, but as
you keep reading, God will give you understanding.
Also, if you start meeting with another Christian,
that person can help you in answering some of your
questions.
The Gospel of John would be a good starting point
for your reading.
Fourth, begin to attend a church that believes and
teaches the Bible. You will meet other Christians
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who will become your friends and they will help
you and encourage you in your faith.
Fifth, seek to be baptized. Baptism is a way of
declaring to others that you are a Christian, a
follower of Jesus Christ. The waters of baptism help
you declare your faith publically by allowing you to
identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ. When you are placed under the water, it is a
way of saying that Christ died for your sins. When
you are raised up out of the water, it is a way of
saying that Christ was raised from the dead for you.
It is important to know that the waters of baptism
have nothing to do with washing your sins away as
some people may think. (It is a natural thing to link
water with cleansing, but in baptism, that is not the
meaning.) Your sins were washed away and taken
away when Christ died on the cross for you.
Baptism is simply a way of declaring that you
personally identify with what Jesus Christ did for
you and that you are now a Christian.
Sixth, a new Christian always grows stronger and
faster in his faith when he gets involved with some
responsibility or in some way serving in the church.
There are many opportunities where a person can
participate and be involved as a volunteer. Things
like being a greeter or parking lot attendant, or
helping around the facility, or helping with
equipment or technology or sound are generally
areas where a person can start helping right away.
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The list is really endless where help is needed in the
local church. As you begin to serve and contribute
with your abilities, you will be strengthened in your
faith. You will learn what serving is all about.
Seventh, keep telling others about your decision to
follow Jesus and how it all came about in your own
life. Everyone has their own story to tell. Every
time you tell your story, it will encourage you and
strengthen your faith. Furthermore, every time you
tell your story, you never know how God may use
your story to encourage or motivate that person to
also want to follow Jesus and become a Christian.
There are many Christians who have never done the
things that have been suggested above. They
continue to believe and follow Jesus, but many of
them continue to be baby Christians. As such, they
do not have a strong and vibrant faith. And with a
weak faith, they are more susceptible to temptations
and failures and misplaced priorities and focus. So,
it is important to make every effort to grow and
become strong and mature in your Christian faith.
Make every effort to learn, to study, to read and to
serve. You will find that it makes all the difference
in the world.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How is becoming a Christian similar to
being like a newborn baby?
2. Why is it important to tell someone right
away that you have become a Christian?
3. Who do you know who is an older and
mature Christian that you can begin meeting
with on a regular basis so you can ask
questions and learn more about your
Christian faith?
4. Why is it important to find a church to
attend that believes and teaches the Bible?
5. How would you describe what baptism is?
Why is it important to be baptized?
6. What are some skills that you may have that
you can offer as a way to become involved
in serving in your local church?
7. How would you describe your story as to
how you became a Christian? How will
telling your own story help you in becoming
stronger as a Christian?
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8. What can happen to a new Christian if one
does not start applying the suggested actions
in this chapter?
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IX. TEMPTATION:
Don’t Be Surprised If…
Temptation is an effort to challenge and disrupt
your faith. Every Christian faces temptation and has
to learn to deal with it all the time. So, don’t be
surprised if you find yourself being tempted in some
way or another.
The goal of temptation is to create defeat, failure,
discouragement and destruction in your Christian
life. You may discover yourself being tempted to
sin – to do what you know you should not do.
You may find yourself being tempted to doubt your
faith and wonder if everything you have been told is
really true.
You may find yourself tempted to have wrong
desires and attitudes.
But here is what the Bible says about temptation:
“No temptation has seized you except what is
common to man. And God is faithful; He will not
let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But
when you are tempted, He will also provide a way
out so that you can stand up under it.”
(I Corinthians 10:13) This verse teaches us that
temptation is common to everyone! You are not
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being singled out and you are never alone when it
comes to temptation. That is why having other
Christian friends in your life can be a big help to
you when it comes to facing life’s temptations.
This verse also teaches us that God is faithful to us
in every situation of temptation. He has not
abandoned us. He is faithful to provide a way of
escape. There is always a back door! There is
always a way out. When you know you are being
tempted, look for the way of escape.
All through the Bible there are examples of people
who faced temptation. Adam and Eve were tempted
in the Garden of Eden. They gave into the
temptation and the result was disastrous for the
whole world (Genesis 3:1-24). We all are still
paying the price of the consequence of their
disobedience today.
Jesus, Himself, was tempted in the wilderness to
listen to the voice of Satan, and do what Satan
suggested. But Jesus did not give in to the
temptation. He stood strong. He quoted Scripture.
He withstood the heat of the moment (Matthew
4:1-15).
The Apostle Peter had vowed that he would never
let Jesus down. But when the pressure was on, he
denied that he even knew who Jesus was three
different times (Luke 22:54-62).
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And temptation will come to you. You can count on
it. And when it does –
1. Don’t be surprised.
2. Look for the way of escape.
3. Depend on God’s Word. It is powerful!
4. Pray for God’s strength and help.
5. Ask for help from other Christians.
But, if like Peter, you happen to fail, you will find
that your own conscience will convict you,
(Romans 2:15). That is one of the ministries of the
Holy Spirit who is now within you. And when you
know that you have failed in some way and have
given into the temptation, here is what the Bible
tells us to do:
1. Repent, or turn away from the failure.
2. Don’t keep doing it.
3. Confess the failure to God.
4. And when we do, the Bible tells us that
when we turn away from our failure and
confess it to God, He always forgives us.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and purify us from all
unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). There is no Christian
who is perfect. Jesus Christ is the only person who
ever lived on this earth who was perfect in every
way and without sin. That is what qualified Him to
be the sacrifice for our own sins.
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But as Christians, God has given to each one of us
His Holy Spirit to empower us and give us strength
and sensitivity as to what is right and wrong. He has
given to us the Bible to guide our lives and to lead
us in the paths of righteousness. As we pursue God
on a daily basis and continue to grow strong and
become mature in our faith, we will honor and
please God with the choices we make and how we
live our lives.
But, don’t be surprised if you find yourself facing
temptation after temptation. It is just one of the
realities of being a Christian.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How would you describe temptation?
2. What is the goal of any temptation?
3. Why is being tempted NOT a sin? When
does temptation become a sin?
4. Read I Corinthians 10:13 out loud. Read this
verse five times. List several things this
verse says about temptation.
5. What happened when Adam and Eve were
tempted to eat of the forbidden fruit in the
Garden of Eden? What was the result of
their failure? (Genesis 2:8,9; 15-17)
6. Jesus Christ was also tempted by Satan in
the wilderness (read Matthew 4:1-11). How
did He respond to the temptation?
7. When you are tempted, what are some steps
you can take to not give in to the
temptation?
8. When a person does give in to a temptation,
what should he do?
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9. Read I John 1:9 out loud. Read it over
several times. Why is this verse important to
every Christian?
10. What does it mean to you to ‘please God
and honor Him’ with how we live our lives?
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X. INFORMATION:
Questions Everyone Asks
As a new Christian, you will have questions.
Everyone has questions. Never be afraid or
embarrassed to ask your questions. It is an
important part of the growth process.
And if someone should ask you a question about
your faith, and you do not know how to answer, do
not be fearful or embarrassed. All you have to do is
tell them, “I’m not sure what the answer is, but I
will find out and get back to you.” Every time you
have these situations it is an opportunity for you to
grow stronger in your faith.
The following questions are just a few of the
common questions that everyone asks at one time or
another.
1) What if I sin or do something wrong? Am I still
a Christian and will God still forgive me?
Answer: You will make mistakes and you will sin,
and yes, God will forgive you and yes, you are still
a Christian. But we are to take this matter seriously
and not treat it lightly. That is why God gave to us
instructions concerning what to do when we find
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ourselves in this situation. As was mentioned in the
last chapter on temptation, we must do two things:
First, turn away from our wrong and stop doing it.
This is called repentance. Second, confess our sin
and failure to God. “If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).
When we do this, God is always faithful to forgive
us our sin. Never forget to thank God for His
faithfulness to forgive.
2) What if I have doubts about my faith and my
salvation?
Answer: This is not uncommon. Satan loves to fill
our minds with doubts. When we doubt it makes us
unstable and weak as a Christian. The Bible tells us:
“…the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea
driven and tossed about by the wind” (James 1:6).
Satan would love to have Christians doubting
because it affects how we live and it affects the
condition of our faith. So, when you find yourself
doubting, here are some helpful steps to consider:
* Talk to someone who is stronger in their faith
than you. They will have been through times
of doubt themselves.
* Claim the promises of God and read them
over and over. God’s Word is true and it never
fails. You can count on what God has said.
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You will find His promises to be a great
encouragement to you.
The following Scriptures contain just some of
the wonderful promises of God:
God’s Forgiveness: Romans 8:1; Isaiah
43:25
God’s Protection: Psalm 91:1,2
God’s Presence: Psalm 23:4; Hebrews
13:5
God’s Peace: John 14:27; Philippians
4:6,7
God’s Care: I Peter 5:7
God’s Comfort: I Corinthians 1:3-5;
Psalm 23:4; 34:17-180.
* Pray. Ask God by His Spirit to give you peace
within (Philippians 4:6).
* Keep reading, keep learning and keep asking
questions. Many times our doubts come
because we lack sufficient information.
* Choose to believe. Whether we believe or
doubt, it is a choice that we make.
* Persevere. Don’t give up. That is what
doubting wants you to do. But as you keep
pressing on with your faith, your doubts will
clear up and dissolve in time.
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3) What if I don’t feel any different as a Christian?
Answer: This is a very important question and many
people have struggled with their feelings. But here
is a fact: Being a Christian is not based on nor does
it depend on how one feels. If it did, every Christian
would live life like a yoyo, being up one day and
feeling down the next. But being a Christian is
based on faith not feelings. So it does not matter
how you feel. So, the real question might be, ‘what
do I do about my feelings?’ Here are a couple of
suggestions.
* Listen to great worship music. God uses music
to soothe and comfort and encourage the soul
(Psalms 145-150).
* Look for ways to encourage others. This will
get your mind off of yourself and in the
process will change your perspective and your
feelings.
4) What about all the other religions – Aren’t all
religions the same?
Answer: Apart from the Christian faith, all religions
are the same in two very important areas: First, all
other religions originate with man and try to please
God or satisfy God.
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Second, all other religions require man to do works
that will satisfy and appease God, endeavoring to
make man acceptable to God. The problem with
both of these areas is that the solution originates or
begins at the wrong end. Man is not qualified to
offer anything that God can accept. Secondly, if
man could earn his acceptance, he would never
know if he had done enough. The truth is, man can
never do enough to earn acceptance with God.
On the other hand, The Christian faith is set apart
from other religions in two important areas.
First, God initiates reaching out to man, and God
Himself has done all that needs to be done
regarding man’s sin and separation from God.
Second, God has provided all that is necessary and
God is completely and wholly satisfied with what
He has done to remove the offense of man’s sin and
failure. Therefore, He offers to man the gift of
salvation and forgiveness, and all man has to do is
accept God’s offer. No other religion in the world
has ever offered such good news to man.
This is not at all meant as a criticism of other
religions, but simply meant to point out the vast
distinction between the Christian faith and all other
religious faiths.
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5) Why are there so many different churches and
how can I find the right church to attend?
Answer: This can be a very confusing issue for
many new Christians.
First, look for a church that believes the Bible and
teaches the Bible. It may sound strange, but not all
churches believe the Bible nor do they teach the
Bible.
Second, look for a church that has energy and life in
the presentation and teaching that keeps your
attention.
Third, look for a church that meets your needs and
is able to care for you and your family.
Fourth, as you become friends with other
Christians, they will be able to give you helpful
information regarding a church that will help you
grow in your faith.
There are many reasons why there are so many
different churches. Some have different ethnic
backgrounds. Some churches may believe the basics
of the faith but differ on how things are done. Some
churches differ on more minor issues of doctrine
and some churches differ on major issues of
doctrine. As you grow stronger in your Christian
faith, you will become more familiar with the
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church environment and the Holy Spirit will guide
you in this important matter.
6) What will happen to me as a Christian when I
die?
Answer: God knew that we would have questions
and concerns about our future and so He has
provided a clear answer. The Bible states: “To be
absent from the body is to be at home with the
Lord” (II Corinthians 5:8). This means that when
we die, our earthly body is put in the ground, but
our spirit goes straight to heaven to be with God.
And then when Jesus Christ comes back, our dead
bodies will be resurrected (just like Jesus was
resurrected) and our spirit is reunited with our brand
new resurrected body. When this happens, we will
then be with God forever. This is how the Bible
describes it in I Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NASV):
“But we do not want you to be uniformed, brethren,
about those who are asleep (dead), that you may not
grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. For if we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God
will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in
Jesus (meaning Christians who have died). For this
we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who
are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord,
shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For
the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise
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first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with
the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these
words.”
7) How will the world end?
Answer: The world will end with Satan’s final
defeat and with God’s resounding victory. The
Bible teaches that Jesus Christ will physically reign
over this earth for one thousand years (called the
millennial reign of Christ). During this time Satan
will be bound and unable to be destructive with his
influence. But at the end of the one thousand year
reign of Jesus over the earth, Satan will be released
for a short season of time. He will go out and
deceive a great multitude. They will gather together
to make war against God and in this final battle they
will be destroyed. God will reign on His throne
forever and ever. He always has. He always will. As
a Christian, you are on the side that wins!
Revelation chapters 20-22 describe these events.
God wants everyone to be saved and to come to
Him. He does not want even one person to perish
(II Peter 3:9). That is why the Bible ends with a
final invitation to man:
“And the spirit and the bride say ‘Come’. And let
the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who
is thirsty come. Let the one who wishes, take of the
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water of life without cost” (Revelation 22:17
NASV).
This is an invitation that God wants every person to
accept. This is how a person becomes a Christian.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. As you consider this lesson, how would you
answer the question: If I do something
wrong, am I still a Christian and will God
still accept me?
2. In light of the above question, how would
you define ‘repentance’ and how important
is it?
3. What should a person do if he has doubts
about his faith and salvation?
4. What is the difference between ‘feeling’ and
‘faith’? Why is this important?
5. What happens if a person bases his faith on
how he feels instead of on what God has
said?
6. Why are there so many different religions in
the world? What would you say to a person
who might say "It doesn’t matter what
religion you belong to as they are all the
same?"
7. What makes the Christian faith different
from all other faiths?
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8. What should a person look for when trying
to find a church to attend?
9. What happens to a Christian when one dies?
10. How does being a Christian make a
difference when it comes to facing death?
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XI. INSPIRATION:
A Final Word
If you have become a Christian through the reading
of this material – WELCOME TO THE FAMILY
OF GOD! You have become a member of the
household of faith! May God bless you in your
journey of faith as you walk by faith with Jesus for
the rest of your life!
However, if, on the other hand, you are still on your
way to becoming a Christian, do not give up. Keep
pursuing the truth. Keep asking your questions.
May your quest be honest and sincere, for if it is,
God has a promise for you and all who seek Him
with their heart:
“And you will seek Me and find Me, when You
search for me with all your heart.”
(Jeremiah 29:13)
Do not hesitate to read and re-read this study guide.
And for questions you may have, do not hesitate to
find another Christian who can encourage you and
assist you in your pursuit of the truth.
But, either way, as a new Christian or as one who is
still on your way to becoming a Christian, the
following books are recommended for your further
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reading. Many people have found these books to be
very helpful to their own spiritual growth. Many of
the following books are found on the ‘Most read
Christian books of all time’ lists.
1. THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE by Rick
Warren. You will find both hope and
purpose in this best-selling, must read book.
2. MERE CHRISTIANITY by C.S. Lewis. The
book discusses many aspects of life from a
Christian perspective with practicality and
clarity.
3. PILGRIM’S PROGRESS by John Bunyan.
For clarity and enjoyment, it is
recommended to use the pictorial edition by
Moody Press. Everyone will identify with
the experiences set forth in this book. It is an
allegory that describes our journey of faith.
4. THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP by Dietrich
Bonhoeffer. The author was arrested by the
Nazis, and he lost his life for his faith in
Christ. This book is a masterpiece on
following Jesus.
5. MY HEART CHRIST’S HOME by Robert
Munger. This small booklet challenges
every Christian to allow Jesus Christ into
every area of one’s life.
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6. EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A
VERDICT by Josh McDowell. This book is
full of facts and information that will
provide answers and give confidence to
every Christian.
7. A CASE FOR FAITH by Lee Strobel. An
insightful book that provides a logical
explanation for the Christian faith.
8. THE PURSUIT OF GOD by A.W. Tozer.
This book will help everyone know God
better.
9. EXPERIENCING GOD by Henry Blackaby.
You will find this book helpful and practical
in making God a part of your every-day life.
10. THE GRACE AWAKENING by Chuck
Swindoll. Everyone needs grace, the favor
of God. This book will help you become a
person of grace.
11. THE SAVING LIFE OF CHRIST by Major
Ian Thomas. A very helpful and insightful
book that helps a person understand the
spiritual life.
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12. KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE by Paul
Little. This book defines and explains the
basic beliefs of the Christian faith.
13. PEACE WITH GOD: THE SECRET TO
HAPPINESSS by Billy Graham. This book
by the world’s most well known evangelist
reinforces the information found in this
study guide.
14. HOPE FOR THE TROUBLED HEART:
FINDING GOD IN THE MIDST OF PAIN
by Billy Graham. This is a must read book
for everyone who struggles with trouble and
pain in life.
15. BORN AGAIN by Chuck Colson. The
author describes himself as the most
unlikely candidate to become a Christian. It
is a remarkable story of his journey and how
God changed his life.
BECOMING A CHRISTIAN
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Roger Martin is a graduate of Western Baptist
College (now Corbin University), Dallas
Theological Seminary and the California Graduate
School of Theology. He is the founding pastor of
Rolling Hills Community Church in Danville,
California and served as the Senior Pastor there for
twenty-one years. He has served as the Global
Director for International Students, Inc. in Colorado
Springs, Colorado and as the Executive Director of
Shasta Bible College in Redding, California and as
the Senior Pastor of East Hills Community Church
in the Oakland Hills.