Print this page and study the lesson, reading all Scripture references very carefully. 

GOD

HAS A MESSAGE FOR

HUMAN BEINGS

Jeremiah 10:23

Human beings can find their own way. □Yes □ No

2 Timothy 3:15-17

The scriptures are inspired of God. □ Yes □ No

The scriptures are a sufficient guide enabling God's people to do every good work. □ Yes □ No

Other sources of guidance are needed in order to know God's will.

□ Yes □ No

Indicate which of the following are inspired of God and possess divine authority:

Human feelings? ” Yes ” No Traditions and doctrines of men? □ Yes □ No

Actions of the majority? □ Yes □ No The scriptures? □ Yes □ No

Hebrews 1:1, 2; John 1:17; Matthew 17:4, 5

Before Christ came, God's people were Israelites who lived and worshiped according to the law of Moses and teaching of prophets preserved in the Old Testament. Since Christ has come, God's people are those who follow Christ and his teaching.

John 12:48

The word of Jesus Christ is the standard by which people will be judged.

□ Yes □ No

2 Corinthians 3:4-6

The _________ Testament is the part of the Bible which contains the will of Christ. The sole authority for learning how to become a follower of Christ, how to worship as a Christian, and how to be saved in the last day is the New Testament.

□ Yes □ No

Ephesians 2:12; 4:18

What does it mean to be lost? Without ____________ ...having no hope, without

Ephesians 2:1-3

Human beings are lost because they are dead in ______________ and________.

WHAT IS SIN?

1 John 3:4

...__________ is the transgression of the law.

1 John 5:17

James 4:17

Romans 3:23

How many have sinned?_______________

Romans 1:18

God's anger (wrath) is revealed against all sin? □ Yes □ No

1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 5:6-10

God loves human beings who are lost in sin so much that __________________ died to pay the penalty for the sins of humanity.

The ungodly are justified (declared righteous or not guilty) by virtue of Christ's blood. □ Yes □ No

Sinners, who are God's enemies, are reconciled to God through Christ's death.      □ Yes □ No

Redemption, justification, and forgiveness of sins are in _____________ .

Do you consider yourself to have been saved?

□ Yes (Please complete the section below) □ No (Please pass over this section)

When were you saved? _______________________________________

How old were you at the time? _________________________

Were you saved at a religious service? □ Yes □ No 

If yes, at what church?_________________________________________

If yes, what, if anything, did you confess before the church at the time of your salvation? ____________________________________________________. 

Were you baptized? □ Yes □ No   

In your baptism, were you immersed? □ Yes □ No  

If yes, how much time elapsed between the day on which you believed you were saved and the day on which you were baptized? ________________________

Was baptism required for you to be saved? □ Yes □ No   

Was baptism required for membership of the church you joined? □Yes □ No    If you had died after you believed you had been saved but before you had been baptized, would you have gone to heaven?   □ Yes □ No

Romans 6:3-4; How does one get into Christ?___________________

How does one get into Christ's death which justifies and reconciles sinners to God?______________

Galatians 3:26, 27

One is a child of God by ____________.

In Christ, one is a child of God by faith. □ Yes □ No

By faith, one comes to be a child of God in Christ by being baptized into Christ.

□ Yes □ No

Who may be baptized, i.e., what three things must one do before he or she may be baptized?

...he that __________________ and is baptized...

...______________________ and be baptized...

Confess faith in Christ by saying, I _________________ that Jesus Christ is the _______ of God.

Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; Acts 8:38, 39

We are ___________________with Christ by baptism. Is a burial in water the same as sprinkling or pouring water on a person? □ Yes □ No

Is one in Christ before he or she is baptized? □ Yes □ No

Is one saved before he or she is baptized into Christ? □ Yes □ No

Does one experience the forgiveness of sins before he or she is baptized into Christ? □ Yes □ No

Salvation is by the grace of God through faith.□ Yes □ No

In baptism one undergoes the washing of regeneration (washing of "new birth").      □ Yes □ No

Baptism is performed upon a person; one does not baptize himself, but submits to baptism (allows himself to be baptized). □ Yes □ No

Is it God, or the one being baptized, who acts or works in baptism?

□God □ the one being baptized

Baptism, the washing of regeneration, stands in contrast to "works of righteousness." □ Yes □ No

To submit to baptism for the forgiveness of sins is to submit to God's gracious washing. □ Yes □ No

When God has commanded baptism, people who are baptized show that they believe that God's will is right (justified God). □ Yes □ No

When God has commanded baptism, people who refuse to be baptized reject the counsel of God (as did the Pharisees and lawyers). □ Yes □ No

Those who are baptized for the remission of sins are added by the Lord to the ____________________ .

All those who are being ________________ are added by the Lord to the church.

Christ's church is his _________________ .

We have learned that one is baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27). We have seen that Christ's body is his church (Ephesians 1:22, 23). According to 1 Corinthians 12:13, when one is baptized into Christ, one is baptized into Christ's one ________________, which is his _____________________.

How many churches does Christ have?___________

John 15:5, 6; Ephesians 4:4

Are individual Christians or denominations the "branches" of Christ's one body, his church?

□ Individual Christians □ Denominations

Those who are baptized into Christ are added by the Lord to this church (Acts 2:41, 47). □ Yes □ No

Suppose a person reads the New Testament, believes in Christ, repents of sins, confesses faith in Christ, and is baptized into Christ. Of what church is that person a member?________________

Instead of seeking to join a church, one should simply obey Christ and allow the Lord to add him or her to his church. □ Yes □ No

The church of which Christ is head is the one that obeys him. □ Yes □ No

Christ is in now in heaven. Can he still exercise headship over his church on earth?  □ Yes □ No

How? A________________________________ (will).

(Illustration: Can you exercise your will upon earthly events after you have left this world? □ Yes □ No  How? By writing your own last will and testament).

The one that obeys the Lord's will on how to be saved and how to live?

□ Yes □ No

The one that obeys the Lord's will on how to worship? □ Yes □ No

In worshiping and serving Christ in his church, one should be guided solely by Christ's teaching and that of his apostles. □ Yes □ No

The teaching of Christ and his apostles is recorded in the New Testament.

□ Yes □ No

To learn how God desired for the Israelites to worship, we should consult the Old Testament, but to learn how God desires for Christians to worship, we should consult the New Testament.         □ Yes □ No

Matthew 15:9; John 4:23, 24

God is pleased by worship which is according to his revealed will rather than worship which is according to human desires, preferences, or traditions.

□ Yes □ No

One who desires these spiritual blessings must get into Christ in order to enjoy them. □ Yes □ No

Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God? □ Yes □ No

According to Jesus' parable, to repent is to make a decision to do the Father's will.

□ Yes □ No

Have you repented of the sins of your past, i.e., decided to do God's will?

□ Yes □ No

If not, are you willing to repent now? □ Yes □ No

Acts 2:37, 38; Romans 6:17

Have you been baptized (buried or immersed in water)? □ Yes □ No

If you have been baptized, please consider if it was for the right motive or purpose. Every religious act involves the heart (mind), including one's motives and purposes.

A religious act must be done with the right motive or purpose to be acceptable to God. □ Yes □ No

As we have seen, in valid, New Testament baptism, one is baptized in order to be saved, in order to get into Christ, in order to receive the forgiveness of sins.

Have you been baptized in order to be saved, in order to get into Christ, in order to receive the forgiveness of sins? □ Yes □ No  If you answer yes, please study the following section.  If you answer no, you may pass over it.

If you believed you were saved before you were baptized, were you baptized in order to be saved? □ Yes □ No (If there is a question about this matter, refer back to Your Religious History Profile, above). 

If you were not baptized in order to be saved, were you baptized for the right purpose?

□ Yes □ No 

If you were not baptized for the right purpose, was the immersion to which you submitted valid, New Testament baptism? □ Yes □ No 

Read Acts 19:1-5  

When these people learned that the immersion to which they had submitted was not valid, they submitted to valid baptism. □ Yes □ No 

Since salvation is so important, one should be immersed again if there is any doubt about the validity of his or her baptism. □ Yes □ No

1 John 5:13; Matthew 7:21

Consider what has just been studied. In light of this, do you know for sure that you are saved and that if you die today you will go to heaven? □ Yes □ No

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

If one does not obey Christ, he or she is in grave danger.□ Yes □ No

HOW SOON SHOULD YOU GET INTO CHRIST?

How soon were these people baptized?_________________________________

How soon was the Ethiopian baptized?__________________________________

How soon was the jailor baptized?_____________________________________

When should you be baptized?______________________________

James 4:14

If you postpone being baptized into Christ, do you know that you will have a future opportunity?         □ Yes □ No

2 Corinthians 6:2; Acts 22:16

Are you ready now to be baptized into Jesus Christ in order to have your sins washed away and be added to the Lord's church? □ Yes □ No

If you need assistance in being baptized into Christ, please contact the Houston Park Church of Christ (334) 874-7941 or the church of Christ nearest you.

Prepared by Tom McLemore 2003