Salvation In Christ: Lesson One

Instructions:

1. Read the lesson.

2. Go to www.wbslessons.org/index2, select the appropriate question & answer form, answer the questions and complete the Student Information.

3. Submit the completed form by clicking on the submit button at the bottom of the form. Your Study Helper will review and grade your lesson and send you the the results with your grade.

LIVING WITHOUT CHRIST

Are you saved? Nothing is as important as being saved. Food, water, clothing and shelter are important. But these things are only brief--salvation is eternal.

The gospel has been given because of the need for salvation. "Gospel" literally means "good news." The best news in the world is that we can be saved. Of course before any of us will seek the wonderful things offered in the gospel for our salvation, we must be convinced that we are lost sinners.

The first gospel (good news) sermon ever preached is found in Acts 2:14-40. In this sermon the people were told they were sinners, even guilty of crucifying Jesus. Here was their response:

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).

Why did they ask such a question? Because they saw themselves as sinners. They knew they were lost and were anxious to find out what they needed to do to get rid of their sins and be saved.

You and I will never ask, "What shall we do?" until we see ourselves as sinners needing salvation. But when we admit our guilt and become willing to follow God's way, we can be sure He will save us.

WHAT IS SIN?

Sin is terrible--it separates us from God. Give sober attention to this study, applying it to your own life.

The Meaning of Sin. "Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4). You can see from this scripture that sin is anything which is opposed to God's law. In other words, anything which goes against the teachings of the gospel (the New Testament) is sin. Here's the way John said it: "All unrighteousness is sin" (1 John 5:17). There are three different ways in which we can sin.

1) We sin by doing things which God's Word plainly names; such things as fornication, adultery, drunkenness, idolatry, lying, stealing, murder, hatred, and covetousness. The following passages list some of the things we must avoid: Matthew 15:19; 1 Corinthians 6:9, Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:25-31; 5:3, 4: 2 Timothy 3:2-4, 1 John 3:15;.

2) Not only do we sin by doing the things listed above--but also by failing to do good when we have opportunity. In other words, God not only wants us to refrain from evil--He also wants us to act by doing good. James said, "To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

3) We also sin when we have wrong attitudes. The New Testament doesn't just disapprove outward acts--it goes to the heart of the matter and deals with the motives, intentions, and desires. You may see this in such passages as Matthew 5:21, 22, 27, 28; Mark 7:21.

WHERE DID SIN COME FROM?

Origin of Sin. Sin started with Satan. John said, "He that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning" (1 John 3:8). For this reason those who live a life of sin are spoken of as being children of the devil (John 8:44; 1 John 3:10).

Temptation

Satan is always trying to lead us into sin (John 13:2 Acts 5:3).; He does this through temptation (1 Corinthians 7:51: Thessalonians 3:5). Temptation appeals to our natural, fleshly desires (James 1:14; 1 John 2:15-17).

It is not a sin to be tempted. It is only when we yield to temptation that we are guilty of sinning (James 1:12, 15). Even Jesus was tempted--but He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 4:1- 11).

The fact that Adam and Eve were tempted by what the devil placed before them was not sin. The sin came when they yielded to the temptation and went against God's law.

The same is true of us. God does not count us sinful because we are tempted--it's when we give in to the temptation and go against God's law that we become guilty of sin.

WHO HAS SINNED?

All Have Sinned. Every responsible person has sinned. None of us can say, "Not guilty!" Paul said, "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10). Later in that same chapter he wrote, "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Since all of us have sinned, and the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23), we must lean upon the grace of God if we are to be saved. That grace is available. Paul tells us we are "justified (excused) freely by his grace through the redemption (salvation) that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24).

We cannot expect salvation on the worth of our own morals and goodness--we are sinners. It makes no difference whether we have sinned little or much, we have gone against God's law. We must admit our guilt and seek forgiveness according to God's plan. The good news is that God has provided a way, and that we can be saved.

WHAT IS THE RESULT OF OUR SIN?

The Effects and Results of Sin. The effects of sin are seen everywhere: separated families, prisons, war, unhappy people. Without Christ men are miserable. The Bible speaks plainly concerning the condition of the person living in sin:

he is spiritually sick (Matthew 9:12)
he is lost (Luke 19:10)
he is a child of the devil (John 8:44)
he is a slave of sin (Romans 6:16)
he lives in darkness (Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 2:11).

The final result of sin is death. The Bible speaks of two types of death: fleshly and spiritual.

Fleshly death is a result of Adam's sin--not of our own personal sins. All people, regardless of their spiritual condition, must face death of the flesh. However, everyone will be raised or resurrected from the dead. All people will be resurrected regardless of whether they lived good lives or evil lives.

"For since by man (Adam) came death, by man (Christ) came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:21, 22)

"Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28, 29).

We will not have to answer for the sins of Adam. God does not hold us responsible for the sins of others, but only for our own personal disobedience of his law (2 Corinthians 5:10). "So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12).

Death of the Spirit is the penalty for our own sins--the Bible calls it "the second death."

"But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).

This horrible death is an eternal separation from God and Christ. It keeps the person who continues in sin from going to heaven. Jesus said to those who refused to turn from wrong ways:

"I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin: whither I go, ye cannot come" (John 8:21).

These "shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord. . ." (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

This is the final result of a sinful life. (Read Romans 6:23 and James 1:15.)

WHAT IS HELL?

Hell is real. It's a horrible place where "there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:42). The horror of it is increased by the fact that those who go there "shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). Other passages which should be studied are: Matthew 23:33; 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 12:5; 13:25-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 5:21; Ephesians 5:5; Hebrews 10:27-31; Revelation 21:27; 22:14, 15.

God doesn't want any of us to go to hell.

Hell was "prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).

It is only when a person lives his life in obedience to Satan rather than God that he is given a place in hell. It is not God's will that any should perish (2 Peter3:9). This is why He has provided the way for us to escape the guilt of sin. He offers a plan for escape which we will study in our next lesson.

GOD LETS US CHOOSE OUR WAY

We are free to choose--we can choose the way that leads to hell, or the way that leads to heaven. God will not force any of us to follow the way of salvation (John 5:40). But He invites us and gives us the opportunity to come to Him if we will .

Are you living in sin? If so, we hope this study, showing the terrible results of sin, has caused you to decide to seek God's help. In our next lesson we will consider the way of escape God offers through the gospel.