Date: Jan 25, 2025

Subject: DGC foundation class- class one

New birth is a Spiritual rebirth that begins with

1. Acts 3:19- Confess Christ as Lord
2. Believe in the sacrifice of Christ
3. Repenting from sin and commiting to God- Romans 20:9-10

What is in the new birth for me;

1. Forgiveness and Christ righteousness 2 Corinthians 5:21
2. Ezekiel 36:26- removes the heart of stone.
3. John 3:6-7 it is not intellectual or physical
4. No one can see or enter God's kingdom without it. John 1:12
5. Ephesians 2;8-9 it is obtained by grace
6. Sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked by your commitment to follow Christ . Ephesians 2 or
1;13
Who is a Christian :
1. Philippians 2:5 someone who is Christ like in character and in action
2. In a relationship with God and a child of God John 1;12, John 17:3 you have eternal life by
being in a relationship with God and knows Jesus as Savior and Christ
3. John 15:15- one who is in Communion and fellowship with God i.e. a friend of God habitually;
on a daily basis
4. One who is in conflict with the enemy(devil and his agents), a soldier for Christ, a disciple of
Christ, Ephesians 6:7
5. One who is a Pilgrim e.g Abraham, there is a difference between when God tells you wait
here and stay here, and this is your heart posture. When God tells you to wait here, you must be
careful with the decisions you make e.g planting, friendships, and businesses, you may be
required to move at any time and you need no attachment to anything.
Stay here however can allow you to build.
You are not to place undue attachment to instructions over the instructor. Or to material things
whether men or possessions.
6. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, one who is a minister of reconciliation i.e. the work of an evangelist.
The generic call and purpose of a Christian is the ministry of reconciliation, evangelism,
although some people are called specifically to this.

Importance of new birth

1. Restores life from spiritual death to newness in Christ Romans 6:4-8, Ephesians 2:3
2. Deliverance from sin, self and the devil, you lose the desire to please your flesh. Mark 8:4.
You have the ability to resist the flesh. Colossians 1:13, matt1:21, 1 John 3:5
3. Be determined to follow Him commitedly. The temptation will always come, be determined to
stand even in the face of temptation, not in your strength but leaning in His grace and
maximizing it.
4. Guarantees a place with God John 3:3
5. Transforms and renews the soul, desires, tastes, your desires become one with God. Psalms
37:4. To delight is to pay attention intentionally. You stay with Him until what is in His heart
becomes what is in your heart and then your desires align.
Your longings will also change, you place greater value on things that are on greater value to
God.
Your thoughts also change.
6. Romans 8:17 grants power and authority as a child and heir of God
7. Galatians 3:14. Grants Access to the blessings of Abraham

What Hinders the New Birth

1. The fear of persecution- 2 Timothy 3:12, you may miss out on opportunities and be excluded
from certain things.
2. Comfort and riches 1 Timothy 6:9-10.
3. People think they have to do something more than just confessing and believing. They have
to do something to earn it.
4. Self righteousness, pride, intellectual pride.
5. Covetousness and materialism
6. Desire to please man over God e.g. Saul.
7. Turning back after commiting to God. Luke 9:63

Signs of being born again

1. Romans 1:3- seal of the Holy Spirit Ephesians 1:13-14
2. New love for God and His people, after God's heart, you cannot love God and not love His
people, which is the church, and the world also John 3:16.
3. The joy of salvation Psalm 51:12
4. Philippians 4:17. The peace of God fills your heart even in storms or chaos
5. A resolution to forsake sin. He works in us to will and do
6. A hunger and passion for communion with God and spiritual things, thirsting after
Righteousness.

Conclusion
Genuine salvation does not end in the heart there must be an overflow that fills into your
actions, desires.
There must be a change.
Spiritual growth requires a solid foundation in genuine salvation 2 Peter 3:18.

Question:
Does responding to an altar call mean someone is genuinely born again?
Answer:
No,
The behind the scene is what matters.
You must confess, believe in your heart, and the fruits will be a testament of your life and heart
and the transaction that has taken place.
No fruits, no transaction
What follows is what is important

Sin in a man
According to the Bible:
Sin is any action thought or behavior against Gods command and moral standards
Romans 3:3
How does the Bible define sin:
1. Sin is a lack of faith - Romans 14:23. Anytime your respond in fear or doubting is sin.
2. By your thoughts, breaking one law is breaking all laws, ignorance is not an excuse. The
consequence is the same penalty-death. James 2:10
3. Hate as murder. 1 John 3:15. Sin goes beyonds actions and includes thoughts that opposes
God's will and nature.
Every sin has a consequence Gen 3:1-10 Adam and Eve
Cain - Genesis 4.
4. Dishonor, disobedience.
Gen 49:1-14- Reuben
2 Samuel 12:19-13
Carrying out an instruction God did not send you. You must do what He tells you to do.
5. 1 kings 11:1-11- man pleaser, the fear of man.
6. 2 kings 5:20, acts 5:1-10, gal 2:1-11, 16. Covetousness e.g. Peter

Scripture brings guidance.

Who in the Bible abstained from sin
1. Joseph Gen 39:1-10. Ignored temporal pleasure for transgenerational relevance. We must
live our lives in consonance with the nature and intents of God to last beyond our lifetime.
2. Phinehas Numbers 25:3-8
3. Jesus- Luke 4:5-6, temptation in the wilderness.
4 job 2:9-10
5. Rechab- Jeremiah 35:6-9
6. Daniel- Daniel 1:8

Anytime you steer away from your course and do what men want you to do is sin.
Doing what is convenient to you alone is a sin.
Unforgiveness is a sin.
Every sin has a consequence
Procrastination can also be a sin.
Prayer: Lord Jesus reveal to me my faults and sin. I have received the life of Christ and the New
Birth, please show me my heart.
Show me where I can do better and should do better. Show me so I can make progress.

The Holy Ghost convicts us, so that we can change.

Repentance- to change your mind
You are a physical representation and embodiment of what is in your mind.

Consequences of not embracing conviction of sin:

The Holy Ghost convicts but you bring the repentance to Him.

1. Your heart becomes very hardened, seared with iron. Psalms 51. Your senses and
consciousness to spiritual realities and God begins to die. Your heart becomes very hardened,
seared with iron. Psalms 51. Your senses and consciousness to spiritual realities and God
begins to die.
E.g. Cain 1 Timothy 4:21

2. The place of fellowship goes. You will no longer be able to fellowship.with God from a broken
place. The voice of God becomes far from you and you won't be able to hear His voice.
God has to pass through your heart and so the state of your heart defines how much of God you
can relate to.
The life of God may not die, but your consciousness to it dies.

Benefits of conviction of sin

1. It leads you to repentance and anytime you repent, it helps you conform to the image of
Christ Everytime you repent. Failure to repent means you conform to images that are not of
Christ. E.g baal, Nebuchadnezzar, etc. you are bowing down to another image that is not of
Christ.

2. Spiritual health and vitality. You can sense the life of God. The realities of the Spirit and what
is in the of God is not far from you. you will feel what God feels. You are sensitive to the feelings
and burdens of God.
God renews your heart Everytime you repent

God renews your heart so it can accommodate the dimensions and expressions God is bringing
to you.
You see things from God's perspective, you bear fruit and please the Lord.

3. Increased spiritual sensitivity and consciousness- a dull heart Brings dull hearing and
hardness of heart.

Conviction of sin:
To be convicted of sin
Conviction is derived from convict
To be convicted means to be reproved or found guilty of a crime
There is no true conversion without true conviction of sin.
When a man realizes that he is sick, that brings the realization of the need of a doctor
The gospel reveals to state of your sinfulness so you can understand the benevolence and
dividends of the grace of God
To Appreciate the finished works of Christ
The journey of Christianity will continue with faith in Christ Jesus

Conviction is needed at the point of salvation, it is therefore continuous, progressive and

needed. It is a present continuous work of the Holy Ghost in the heart of a believer. It is not a
one off thing.

We must maintain this heart posture in our Christian walk

John 16:8, acts 2:37-38

The first thing the Holy Ghost does when He comes to a man is to convict the man of sin
It is the first working of the Holy Ghost in the heart of a believer.

To convict means to reprove.

A ministry of the Holy Ghost is to reprove. He points us in areas of our lives that are in
disobedience, outside the will of God, our interactions, etc.
It can be synonymous to the pricking of our heart.
God uses conviction of sin as police for a believer and works in hand with our inner witness.

It helps us see the need of righteousness and judgement

Operations of the Spirit how does conviction work

Acts 2:37-38, John 8:9.
It is a sign of spiritual health
He warns us of our acts and tells us where we transgress

The operation of conviction of sin is not in the mind, but In the heart.
The location of your heart is in your Spirit and not your soul.

Isaiah 6:1-5 Conviction brings us to God and reveals to us the areas of our inefficiencies and
inadequacies, so we can come to appreciate the work of grace.

The Holy Ghost convicts us by our conscience and gives us the grace to overcomes sin. It
comes to initiate the working of grace on our insides.
Romans 6:1. The antidote to sin is grace
Conviction is the revelation of the sinful state of man.

Protocols needed for the pulling off of the old man is the conviction of sin. It leads to repentance
in the faith.

Conviction of sin leads to Godly sorrow.

Repentance without conviction of sin and Godly sorrow is not repentance.
Conviction helps us see the fallen state of man and the capabilities of grace.

It is the working of the Holy Spirit and not of angels.

Inward working of the Holy Ghost is through our conscience

Outward working of the Holy Ghost is through men.

Conviction of sin is also a form of God's love. He uses it to chastise His children.

Godly sorrow
It is a response towards the conviction of sin
Types of sorrow:
1. Worldly sorrow: Judas
2. Godly sorrow: Peter

You can be convicted and fail to see the grace of God available, but rather you see yourself.
E.g. Judas.
Worldly sorrow drove judas to more sin
Godly sorrow drove Peter to repentance

The intention of God is to save all men, including sinners.

People react differently when confronted with sin,
some may be defensive. Being defensive is an operation of the flesh. You can't be corrected.
Some others react with self condemnation and prefer to carry on.

2 Corinthians 7:9-10

Godly sorrow
It is a response towards the conviction of sin
Types of sorrow:
1. Worldly sorrow: Judas
2. Godly sorrow: Peter

You can be convicted and fail to see the grace of God available, but rather you see yourself.
E.g. Judas.
Worldly sorrow drove judas to more sin
Godly sorrow drove Peter to repentance

The intention of God is to save all men, including sinners.

People react differently when confronted with sin,
some may be defensive. Being defensive is an operation of the flesh. You can't be corrected.
Some others react with self condemnation and prefer to carry on.

2 Corinthians 7:9-10
Godly sorrow is vital when it has to do with maintaining your relationship with God.
Godly sorrow leads to repentance
Repentance is a change of mindset, no going back, change of perspective. Pushes you to
God's arm.
It is a fundamental principle of sustaining your walk with God.

Worldly sorrow leads to more sin, depression and death, Makes you avoid change, causes you
to hide from God. It is rebellion

Acts 2:37, 2 Samuel 12:17, 2 Corinthians 7:8-12.

Examples
Judas
King Saul, Adam and Eve.

Repentance from sin

Repentance according to the Bible:

1. Repentance is a Change of mind towards sin : Ezekiel 18:21-23, Psalms 51:4

Repentance goes beyond being sorry, the guilt has to birth an action or a change of action

2. Change of mind towards God: Malachi 3:7. You are embracing God and leaving sin.
Repentance is not a noun but an action word. Return also means repentance

3. Repentance is change of mind towards self Jonah 3:6-10, Romans 6:11-14KJV

Greek word for repent is 'metanoia' and it means to change the way you think. The way you
think towards sin, God and yourself. I.e. having a change of mind and turning away from sin.

Importance of Repentance from sin

1. Repentance turns our heart towards God with a broken spirit, allowing us to receive grace for
the blotting out of our sins and to access blessings for life and Godliness. Acts 3:19 MSG.
It doesn't cover your sins or put a stigma on you, it blots it out, contrary to what Satan or the
flesh suggests you to do. it cleanses us thoroughly.

2. It helps us to take a humble posture so that we can receive forgiveness and be cleansed by
God. Isaiah 1:18-19 KJV.
A deep remorse that leads to taking action.

3. Repentance enables us to obtain God's mercy and restoration. Proverbs 28:13.

Repentance is therefore a good thing that we must embrace. We shortchange ourselves when
we do not repent.

4. It draws us back to God and saves us from divine judgement. Jeremiah 18:8KJV

Practical examples from the Bible

Those who did not repent from their sins.
1. Judas(did not) Matt 27:4-5
2. King Saul (did not)1 Samuel 15:30
3. Cain Gen 4:9-13
4. Reuben Gen 49:3-4

Those who repented from their sins

1. The tax collector Luke 18:13
2. People of Nineveh (did) Jonah 3:6-10
3. Peter Luke 22:62
4. Mary. Luke 7:37-50.
5. Job 42:5-6
6. People of Ephesus acts 19:19.

True repentance is a product of love and reverence of God, demonstrating an act over the
pleasures of sin. It is arrogance not to ask God for forgiveness because you believe He has
forgiven you of your past present and future sins.
Change towards sin is turning away from God
Change towards God is embracing God.

Assurance of salvation.

Salvation is deliverance from Sin, the adamic nature.

Romans 10:9-10. Believe in your heart, make confessions and then receipt of the Zoe life of
God. You can then do righteous works of God.

Assurance
It means a declaration tending to inspire full confidence. Something designed/fashioned to give
confidence. It also means the state of being assured a total confidence or trust. In one word,
assurance also means certainty.
Salvation
Salvation refers to the deliverance from sin and it's consequences, brought about by faith in
Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9.
It is a gift made available by grace and obtained by faith. We did not work for salvation.

Assurance of salvation
It is more of the soul than the Spirit.
It means the confidence and certainty that a believer has, that he or she has been saved
through faith in Jesus Christ and is secure in God's promise of eternal life. 1 John 5:13TPT

People may claim that they are born again but not all of them are deeply sure of their claim, it
will be quite unusual if a man or woman is not sure whether he is married or not.
Similarly we cannot speculate whether we have been saved or not, it is either we are saved or
are not.

Assurance of salvation, scriptural indicators:

1. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
2. John 1:12
3. John 3:16
4. Ephesians 2:13
5. Romans 10:9-10
6. 1 John 4:15
7. 1 John 5:10-13
These are scriptural indicators that solidify that our salvation is assured.

How and what it takes for a believer to remain assured of His/Her salvation
1. Romans 12:1-2
2. Hebrews 4:14- hold fast to your confessions
3. Hebrews 10:25- fellowship with brethren, come to church
4. Proverbs 1:10

The Christian Identity

Now that we are saved, we are called Christians.
1. A child of God- John 1:12.
2. An ambassador of Christ- Ephesians 6:20.
3. A king i.e. having authority to rule- Rev1:6
4. The temple of the Holy Spirit- acts 7:48
5. A soldier of Christ fighting for the kingdom of God- 2 Timothy 2:3-4.