LESSON NINE - Turn and Trust
WHAT MUST WE DO TO BE ACCEPTED BY GOD?
As you read this lesson, be sure to hover over the the Bible verses to read them or look them up in your own Bible. When the Bible passage is longer, you need to click on “more” in the bottom right corner of the pop-up window.
There is only one way for anyone to be accepted by God.
Even though we owe death, God desires to save us from His wrath.
1 Timothy 2:3-6 (NKJV) Compare translations and the original languageGod takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked and would rather that they repent. God wants you to be saved.
Jesus is the only way for someone to be accepted by God the Father.
John 14:6 (ESV) Compare translations and the original languagePraise God that He provided the way for us to be accepted by Him!
We must be born again by the Spirit of God in order to be accepted by God. God does not accept us simply because we have Christian family members. John 3:3 (ESV); John 1:10-13 (ESV) Compare translations and the original language
We may have been born into a Christian family, but we must be born by the Spirit of God if we are to be a part of God’s family.
In order to receive eternal life, we must repent toward God the Father and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:21 (KJV) Compare translations and the original language
Jesus did not come for the righteous; He came for sinners.
Eternal Life is a personal, right, relationship with God the Father and the Son. John 17:1-3 (NASB) Compare translations and the original language
We receive eternal life the moment we believe and have a personal relationship with God the Father and His Son!
God saves the repentant sinner by His grace alone through their faith alone in Christ alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) Compare translations and the original language
God gives us everything we need as a gift to be saved. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. We don’t deserve to be saved.
Repentance is a change of mind which brings about a change of direction. Acts 26:18 (NASB) Compare translations and the original language
Knowing Christ as Savior radically affects our purpose in life!
Faith is trusting in the sufficiency of the person of Jesus: His perfect life, death, burial, and resurrection. It is entrusting your soul to Him.
Acts 16:30-31 (KJV) Compare translations and the original languageWe come to Christ because He is all that we have or will ever need.
To “repent” means to change your mind about the holiness of God, your sin, the death that you owe, and who Jesus is. Acts 17:29-31 (ESV) Compare translations and the original language
We had no clue we were dead in our sin until we heard the message of salvation. Praise God for granting us repentance!
To “place your faith in Christ” means that you believe that God completely and personally accepts you through Jesus Christ.
John 3:16-18 (NASB) Compare translations and the original languagePraise God that those who believe in Jesus have eternal life!
We must believe that Jesus is God. John 8:24 (NASB) Compare translations and the original language
If Jesus is not God, then we have no hope!
We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God. John 20:30-31 (KJV) Compare translations and the original language
The name of Jesus gives us authority to be accepted by God through faith, because Jesus is the Son of God.
We must turn from our sins as we trust in Jesus’ blood to save us.
Acts 26:20 (NASB) Compare translations and the original languageLife is never the same for someone who trusts in Jesus as their Savior!
We must turn from trusting in our good works to save us and believe that God already accepts us through Jesus. Hebrews 6:1 (NKJV) Compare translations and the original language
Praise God our salvation, doesn’t depend on us!
We must believe that the blood of Jesus washed away all our sins. Romans 3:21-26 (NKJV) Compare translations and the original language
Through Jesus’ blood, we have no more guilt or shame!
We must believe that Jesus rose from the grave. Romans 10:8-13 (KJV) Compare translations and the original language
If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then we have no hope.
God accepts us by His mercy. He does not accept us because we do righteous deeds. Titus 3:4-7 (NASB) Compare translations and the original language
Mercy is the act of not getting what we do deserve. We deserve eternal death for our sin, but God does not give it to us because of Jesus.
God accepts us the moment we trust in Jesus, not merely because we say a prayer. Proverbs 15:29 (NKJV) Compare translations and the original language
Repeating a prayer in itself after someone doesn’t make God accept us. Put simply, prayer is telling God what we already believe in our hearts.
God accepts us by grace through faith alone in Jesus alone. He does not accept us on the basis of our church attendance. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NASB) Compare translations and the original language
Our walking into church does not make God accept us. He accepts us anywhere we are if we truly believe the Gospel.
God does not accept us by our faith plus our works. Romans 4:4-5 (NKJV) Compare translations and the original language
God does not accept us by faith in our faith. Instead, He accepts us by grace through faith in Christ.
God saves us the moment we believe the Gospel message. He does not accept us through being baptized in water. 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 (KJV)
1 Corinthians 1:21 (KJV); Romans 1:16-17 (ESV) Compare translations and the original languageJesus did not say baptism with water saves us. He baptizes us with the Spirit the moment we believe.
If we believe the Gospel when we die, our bodies are buried, but our souls immediately go to be with Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:19 (NASB) Compare translations and the original language
What a blessing to know for sure that when we die, we immediately go to heaven to be with Jesus! Jesus is what makes heaven so amazing!
If we do not believe the Gospel, then God’s wrath remains on us, and we are still destined for the Lake of Fire. John 3:36 (NKJV); 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (KJV) Compare translations and the original language
Sadly, many will die in unbelief without hearing the message. For what are you waiting? Go tell someone!
Consider memorizing one of the following passages (in whichever translation you prefer) as a summary of this lesson: Mark 1:15 (ESV) or John 3:16-18 (KJV) or John 3:36 (NASB)
As we share the Gospel, it is important to remind ourselves that people already know that God is real, but they are suppressing the truth.
Our lives and our relationship with God demonstrate that He is real.
We must be bold when sharing the Gospel. Don’t try to prove that God is real; put the burden of proof on them.
Our Gospel conversation should lead to the point at which the hearer believes on or rejects Jesus.
Ask them, “What will you do right now with what Jesus did for you?” or “What is keeping you from trusting Jesus right now?”
Bible References
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