WHAT IT MEANS TO BELIEVE IN JESUS - LESSON 4

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Do you know what it means to believe in Jesus? Yes No

Join us in this study as we open our Bibles and learn about WHAT IT MEANS TO BELIEVE IN JESUS.

JOHN 3:14-16

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

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COMMENTARY

This text is sometimes called the “Golden Text of the Bible.” This is so because it presents to us in one verse the following: The Greatest Being—God, The Greatest Motive—Love, The Greatest Need—the World, The Greatest Sacrifice—the Only Begotten Son, The Greatest Offer—Whosoever, The Greatest Condition—Believeth, The Greatest Tragedy—Perish, The Greatest Promise—Everlasting Life. Most everyone is acquainted with this text. However, few truly understand what it means to believe on Jesus. In our study, we want to learn what it means to believe on Jesus Christ and be saved.

1/13

NUMBERS 21:8–9

8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

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COMMENTARY

God told Moses to make a brass serpent and put it on a pole in the center of the camp. He said everyone that had been bitten by the fiery serpents that came to the pole and looked on the brass serpent would be healed. Israel was saved by faith; however, it was not by faith alone. There was something God required of them in order to be healed––they had to look. They could not remain in their tents and say, “I believe, I believe!” No, they had to obey God. Now, Jesus said that He, the Son of Man, would be lifted up like the serpent in the wilderness was lifted up. Just as the Israelites were not saved by faith alone, neither are we saved by faith alone; we have to obey Jesus. There is no doubting that we are saved by faith, but we are NOT saved by faith alone. [Familiarize yourself with this entire context in order to communicate the story in your study.]

2/13

JOHN 3:18-21

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

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COMMENTARY

Jesus describes the character of the faith that is required in order to be saved. The man that believeth not and is condemned is the man that “doeth evil” and whose “deeds were evil.” But the man that believeth on Him and is not condemned is the man “that doeth truth” whose deeds are “wrought in God.”

3/13

JAMES 2:14, 17, 26

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

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COMMENTARY

Faith without works is dead being alone. Just like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. It is neither faith nor works alone, but both together. This is illustrated by desire without the appropriate action in relieving the needy (cf. I John 3:18), by the dead faith of the demons, the obedience of Abraham and the obedience of Rahab. [You should familiarize yourself with this whole context thoroughly in preparing for your studies.]

4/13

GENESIS 22:12

12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

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COMMENTARY

When did Jehovah say He knew that Abraham feared God? It was not until he had done all that Jehovah commanded him concerning Isaac (cf. 22:2). [Familiarize yourself with this entire context in order to communicate the story in your study.]

5/13

HEBREWS 11:17-19

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

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COMMENTARY

Abraham “offered up Isaac” by faith. His obedience to God was a matter of faith.

6/13

JOSHUA 2:18–19

18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household. 19 Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.

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COMMENTARY

Rahab was instructed to put the scarlet cord in the window of her house which was on the wall and bring all her family inside. If she did not do this, she and all of hers would perish. Rahab and her family were saved alive. [Familiarize yourself with this entire context in order to communicate the story in your study.]

7/13

HEBREWS 11:31

31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

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COMMENTARY

By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not. Her obedience was of faith. Her faith saved her because it was made perfect through works, that is, obedience.

8/13

ACTS 2:36-41

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

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COMMENTARY

Peter preached Christ to this audience. Verse 36 indicates without doubt that these men were convicted of the truth of his preaching—they were pricked in their hearts. However, they were not considered saved at that point. It was after repentance and baptism that they were saved and added to the church (v. 47, the Lord added to the church daily such as were being saved [ASV]).

9/13

ACTS 16:14–15

14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

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COMMENTARY

When did Lydia regard herself as a believer? When she heard the Gospel or after she had obeyed the Gospel? Obviously, she was not regarded a believer until after her obedience to the Gospel.

10/13

ACTS 16:31–34

31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

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COMMENTARY

16:31–3When was the Philippian jailer called a believer before his repentance and baptism or after? He is not called a believer until after he is baptized into Christ.

11/13

HEBREWS 5:8–9

8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

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COMMENTARY

Of whom is Jesus the Saviour? Jesus is the Saviour of ALL that obey Him? Are there any who Jesus saves that have not obeyed Him?

12/13

MARK 16:16

16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

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COMMENTARY

This is what Jesus has asked you to do. Will you obey Him and be saved?

13/13

Completed!

CLICK TO BEGIN LESSON 5 - CAN A CHILD OF GOD SIN AND BE LOST?

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