Introduction

In this mid 1980’s, I was absolutely sick of this world

and I wanted something real. I had been a Christian for
several years, but something was still missing. As I
attempted to read my Bible, I began to realize what it was: I
didn’t know God. Sure, I had received Christ as my Saviour
(1979), but I knew very little of God’s character and plan.
The Bible might as well have been written in a foreign
language because I just didn’t get it.
Then I prayed and asked God to teach me the Bible,
and I was very serious about it. Over the next few years, the
Lord brought me in contact with some of the best Bible
teachers the world has ever known, and I began to really
understand the Bible for the first time.
Since that time, God has enabled me to teach the
entire Bible through in verse by verse exposition and to
author well over one hundred tracts and booklets, and even
two books. By far, my greatest joy is teaching others what
God has taught me.
Since the mid 1990’s, our church has offered a Bible
correspondence course titled Home Bible Studies. Recently,
I sat down and read the course through again, making
revisions and corrections where necessary. Also, we wanted
to make the course available to ministries, to be used by
preachers and teachers everywhere and not only by our
church. So, we made the course more “user friendly” by
offering it in booklet form with seven lessons per booklet.
There is no “right” way to take this course. It has
been prepared so that the student can work at his own pace,
alone or with a group. The memory verses are suggested by
us, but might be required by your course instructor, if you
have one. Some instructors want the verses quoted, while
others want them written off, sometimes even in different
colors. We ask that you cooperate with your course
instructor. He is taking the time (and maybe even the
expense) to provide you with this learning opportunity.
Please show your appreciation and cooperate. You’ll be glad
you did, and God will bless you for it.
If you have no local instructor, you may send this
booklet to our ministry after completing the lesson reviews.
If your work is acceptable, we’ll send the second book to
you. After the course is completed, we will send you the
standard signed and dated certificate.
May the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth (John
16:13).
JLM
August, 2011

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 Lesson I

How Do We Know God Exists?

One of the amazing things about the Bible is that it never
attempts to prove the existence of God. His existence is just taken
for granted. The first verse in the Bible simply says, "In the
beginning God created the heaven and the earth." In fact, His
existence is so obvious that He considers anyone a fool who
doesn't believe in Him. Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool hath said in
his heart, There is no God..." This may seem like an unfair
action on God's part until one considers some of the obvious
proofs for God's existence. The fool said "in his heart" that there
is no God. He didn't say it in his head because he hasn't really
thought it through. When a man claims to be an atheist, he is
simply rebelling in his heart. A thinking person can easily see that
God does exist:

I. THE SCRIPTURAL PROOF

This is the fact that the Bible professes to be GOD'S

revelation of Himself and that no one has ever proven otherwise.
You say, "Well, I don't believe the Bible, so it isn't proof to me."
You're wrong. Sooner or later, you will have to realize that you
can't discard the Bible that easily. There are some stubborn facts
that you must face if you're an honest person. It's only fair to
allow the Bible to stand as a witness to God's existence if the Bible
itself is proven to be a reliable source. So the issue is trust. Can
we trust the Bible?
Well, there are millions and millions of Christians who
have placed their trust in it and have found that it never let them
down. There are millions who have found great joy and
fulfillment by claiming its promises and obeying its
commandments. Isn't that worth something? When you say, "I
don't believe the Bible", you are saying that millions of Christians
have lived a lie." Isn't it true that they found more joy and purpose
in the Bible than you've found in anything else? Isn't that worth
something?
A person who doesn't believe the Bible doesn't know
enough about it to realize the foolishness of his unbelief.

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Suppose I said, "I don't believe George Washington ever lived."
Wouldn't that be rather foolish? The record of history proves that
He did live, so I would be expressing my ignorance of American
history. If you don't believe the Bible, please don't tell anyone, for
you'll only be expressing your ignorance.
What do I mean by this? Friend, do you realize how
accurate the Bible has been in the past? Take the life of Jesus
Christ alone. Did you know that Genesis 3:15 prophesied the birth
of Jesus Christ 4,000 years in advance? Did you know that Isaiah
7:14 prophesied His virgin birth 700 years in advance? Did you
know that His nationality, His family, and the city of His birth
were all foretold hundreds of years in advance? Did you know that
His agony and death on Calvary was prophesied hundreds of years
in advance? Did you know that Psalm 22:1 (1,000 B.C.) actually
told us what Christ would say while on the cross? If you take all
the prophecies about the life and death of Christ, and then figure
the statistical probability of them all coming to pass, do you know
what the chances are? Have you ever thought about it? One
scientist stated that the chances are about 1 out of 10 to the 157th
power! (10 followed by 157 zeros).
I'd say the Bible is a pretty reliable source. Wouldn't you?
If the Bible proclaims the existence of God, then we should give it
some serious consideration. After all, it has been right about
everything else it has claimed.

II. THE PROOF OF NATURE

Romans 1:20 says, "For the invisible things of him from

the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by
the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse".
Psalm 19:1-6 says, "The heavens declare the glory of
God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day
uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not
heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their
words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle
for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his
chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His
going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto
the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."
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 Simply stated, these verses tell us that you can know that
God exists by observing His creation. Since the universe is here,
someone must have put it here. If there's a creation, then there
must be a Creator.
Romans 1:20 says that you can see the invisible Creator
by observing the visible creation. It says even His eternal power
and Godhead. The Bible speaks of God being a Trinity: Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. Did you know that God has given us many
pictures of the Trinity in nature? Take the sun for instance. It has
three rays: alpha, beta, and gamma. Those are chemical rays, heat
rays, and light rays, yet they're all from one sun. Take water for
example. It can be a liquid, a frozen solid, or a vapor. Consider
human beings. We have a spirit, a soul, and a body (I Ths. 5:23).
Our soul pictures God the Father. Our body pictures Jesus Christ,
Who was here in the flesh. Our spirit pictures the Holy Spirit.
Three parts. The whole universe is laid out in threes. In fact, the
universe has three parts: time, space, and matter. Time has past,
present, and future. Space has length, breadth, and height. Matter
has energy, motion, and phenomena.
Friend, the whole universe is made in God's image! There
must be a designer behind every design. If you have a car that
works, then it is because someone designed that car. Someone
designed the engine. Someone designed the transmission.
Someone designed the body style. Someone designed the brake
system. Someone designed the air conditioning system. Someone
designed the tires. It would be foolish to think that no one
designed it, but that all the parts just came together from nowhere
and work together accidentally. If there's a design, (and there are
billions of them in this universe) then there must be a designer.

III. THE PROOF OF CONSCIENCE

This is the undeniable fact that man has a moral

conscience, unlike other life forms. Romans 2:15 says, "Which
show the work of the law written in their hearts, their
conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean
while accusing or else excusing one another;)" There is a law
written upon the heart of man which tells him that certain things
are evil. There isn't any place on earth where people do not have a
conscience about murder, theft, and rape. Anywhere you go, you
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will find laws that men have established to deal with such crimes.
Man knows instinctively in his heart that certain things are wrong
and worthy of punishment. The law is written in his heart. Well,
who wrote the law in his heart? If there's no God, who told man
that it's wrong to steal, murder, rape, and commit adultery?
A good example of this can be found in Genesis 20:1-5.
A heathen king named Abimelech takes Sarah, the wife of
Abraham, to be his own wife. God appears to Abimelech in a
dream at night and sharply rebukes him for this sin. Abemelech
then tells the Lord that he didn't know she was Abraham's wife.
He then repents of this sin.
Now think about that. Abimelech was a heathen who had
no Bible, and no understanding of God and God's laws. Yet, he
knew that adultery was evil. He didn't say, "Well, I don't
understand. What's wrong with me having her for a wife?" He
KNEW in his heart that he had sinned. He knew because of
conscience. The law was written on his heart. Who wrote it there,
if there is no God?

IV. THE LIFE FROM LIFE PROOF

Psalm 36:9 says, "For with thee is the fountain of life:

in thy light shall we see light." Today, there are no new life
forms being formed. All life comes from previous existing life.
You came from your parents, and they came from their parents.
No scientist has been able to produce life without getting it from
other life. It just can't be done. Apple trees come from apple
seeds, which come from apples, which come from apple trees.
There is no question about which came first, the chicken or the
egg. The chicken came first. Life comes from life. Dogs come
from dogs. Cats come from cats. Rats come from rats, and bats
come from bats. Since no one today can produce life without
previous life, would it not stand to reason that life originally came
from one all-powerful and all-living Life Source?

V. THE PROOF OF CONGRUITY

Congruity is the relation of agreement between things.

Congruity is what you have when all the pieces of your puzzle fit
together and give you one complete picture. In a 1000 piece
puzzle, you may have 999 pieces together, but it isn't complete
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without the last piece. When you pick up the last piece, and you
can see that it fits, you are glad and satisfied that your project is
complete. You have congruity. It all fits together.
Well, the acceptance of God as Creator works much the
same way. Without God, nothing really makes sense. Evolution
has too many problems to have congruity. It's only when we
accept God's existence that things start adding up and making
sense. When we accept God's existence and His revelation of
Himself (the written word), the picture starts becoming clear.
Evolution can't explain why people suffer, but God can. Evolution
can't explain why men can't have peace, but God can. Evolution
can't give you inner peace and promise you eternal joy, but God
can. Evolution can't "even the score" and grant fairness to all men
in the end, but God can.
When you really think about it, the existence of God is the
most logical thing you could imagine. He has all the answers. He
can solve all the problems. He can meet every need. God is the
"missing link" that brings everything together and gives meaning
to life. As the wise King Solomon so rightly said, "Let us hear
the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his
commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God
shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,
whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Ecc. 12:13-14)

Lesson Review
1. Where in the Bible would one turn to read that the invisible God
can be seen and understood through His visible creation?

2. Fill in the blank: "The fool hath said ________ ________

_________ there is no God..."

3. Men who have never even seen a Bible or a preacher still have
certain knowledge of good and evil because they do have a God-
given ________________.

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4. The proof of congruity is:

a. The fact that the Bible is the oldest book in existence

b. The fact that God's existence cannot be disproven
c. The fact that the existence of God provides the real
answers in life.

5. Where does the Bible say, "For with thee is the fountain of life:
in thy light shall we see light"?

Suggested Memory Verses: Psalm 14:1, Romans 1:20

Lesson II

The Inspiration
and Preservation of Scripture
In this lesson we will be dealing with the inspiration and
preservation of scripture. This is an important lesson because it
establishes a final authority for future studies. From where did the
Bible come? How long has it been around? How do we know it's
the word of God? Such questions must be answered if we are to
really appreciate and understand the Bible.
The word "Bible" is from the Greek word "biblos", which
means "book". When we say "the Bible", we are simply saying
"the Book". That is, not just any book, but THE Book - the Book
of all books - God's Book.

I. THE INSPIRED WORD

The Apostle Paul tells us the following in II Timothy

3:16-17: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
Notice in our text that Paul said all scripture is GIVEN by
INSPIRATION OF GOD. The scriptures aren't the work of men,
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as some suppose, but are rather given by inspiration of God. The
pagan writings of such people as Plato, Aristotle, Buddha, and
Mohammed are not given by inspiration of God. In fact, very few
of them even profess to be inspired.
The word inspired means "God breathed". The scriptures
are given by the breath of God. This means that the Bible is a
LIVING book, because the first time God breathed in the Bible He
created a LIVING SOUL (Gen. 2:7). Jesus said, "...the words
that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John
6:63) You may also consider Job 33:4, Ezk. 37:9, and John
20:22.

II. THE SPOKEN WORD

Notice that Paul said the scripture is "given" by

inspiration. He didn't say they were "written" by inspiration, but
rather "given" by inspiration. That is, the words were inspired by
God BEFORE they were reduced to writing.
II Peter 1:20-21 says, "Knowing this first, that no
prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For
the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy
men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
This is called Verbal Inspiration. That is, the man of God
would speak by the Spirit of God. This makes God the real
Author. He was the GIVER of the spoken words. The inspiration
occurred in the speaking, not in the writing. David once said,
"The spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my
tongue." (II Sam. 23:2) God inspired the words! God only used
David to pass His words on to others. God was the real Author.
Notice Jeremiah's comments: "Then the LORD put forth his
hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me,
Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth." (Jer. 1:9) See
that? They were GOD'S words, not Jeremiah's. God put the
words into the prophet's mouth so others could hear, but they were
not Jeremiah's words. Luke 1:70 says that, "... he spake by the
mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world
began:"
You may also want to check Exodus 20:1, 25:1, Isaiah
1:2, Ezekiel 1:3, 3:4, Amos 1:1, Matthew 1:22, 2:15, and Mark
12:36.

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III. THE WRITTEN WORD

These inspired words that were spoken by the prophets

were actually written down by scribes (II Sam. 8:17; 20:25; II
Kings 19:2; 22:3; I Chr. 24:6; Ezra 7:6; Jer. 36:10, 12, 32; 37:15;
Mat. 18:19; 15:1; 17:10; Luke 5:30; 11:44; Acts 23:9). It was the
actual inspired words themselves that were written down, not just
the general message. In Matthew 5:18, Jesus said, "For verily I
say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle
shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Quoting
from Deuteronomy 8:3, Jesus says in Matthew 4:4 that "... Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God." How could we live by
every word if the scribe only recorded the general message?
Friend, God said that every word was inspired and recorded for
you and I to read.
A fine example of this is found in Jeremiah chapter thirty-
six. In this chapter the word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah, and
Jeremiah speaks the words. Then Jeremiah's scribe, Baruch,
writes down the words (vs. 4). Later, in verse eighteen, Baruch is
questioned about the manner in which he produced this written
copy of God's word. In no uncertain terms, he says, "...He
pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I
wrote them with ink in the book." Now that's clear! Some of
the Bible may be hard to understand, but that's clear as crystal.
The prophet spoke God's words, and the scribe wrote them down.
That's what the Bible says about its own inspiration.

IV. OTHER PROOFS OF INSPIRATION

Christians generally believe that the Bible is inspired, but

very few are capable of offering any convincing proofs. It is
important to not only know what we believe, but also to know why
we believe. The following are some of the reasons why we
believe the Bible to be God's inspired word.

The Bible Is a Negative Book

Why would man write a book to condemn his own race?

From cover to cover the Bible is NEGATIVE toward man. It
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utterly condemns man (Psa 39:5; Isa 64:6; Rom 3:10-18; John
3:18; Jer 17:9; Psa 51:5). Men everywhere speak highly of
themselves, yet the Author of the Bible speaks of man as being a
hopeless sinner. The Bible HAD to be inspired by someone other
than man.

The Bible Is an Authoritative Book

Most ancient writings do not even profess inspiration, but

the Bible professes not only to be inspired, but to be the ONLY
inspired writing (Isa. 8:20). The central character of the Bible, the
Lord Jesus Christ, professes to be the ONLY way to Heaven.
Unlike the ancient philosophers, the men of the Bible are men who
speak with great power, certainty, and authority. Wouldn't you
expect God to speak with power and authority?

The Bible Is an Infallible Book

Although many have tried, and are still trying, no one has
ever proven that there are mistakes in the Bible (KJV). All
apparent errors and contradictions can be explained Scripture with
Scripture and by closely studying the context.

The Bible Is a Prophetic Book

While other ancient writings do not even attempt

prophecy, the Bible attempts it and fulfills it. One only has to
consider a few Old Testament prophecies about the life of Christ
to see this (Num. 24:17-19; Gen. 49:10; Mic. 5:2; Isa. 7:14; Dan.
9:25; Hos. 11:1; Isa. 53; Zec. 9:9; Psa. 69:21; Psa. 34:20; Psa.
16:10; Psa. 41:9; Zec 11:12; Psa. 35:11; Psa. 22). How could man
write such a book?

The Bible Is a Unified Book

The sixty-six books of the Bible were written by some

thirty-five or forty different authors, on three continents, over a
period of 1,900 years. These men came from all walks of life,
differing greatly from one another, but their writings never
contradict. These books compliment one another. Such an

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accomplishment would be impossible if the Holy Spirit were not
the Divine Author.

The Bible Is an Interesting Book

Unlike other books, the Bible is read by all classes of

people. A small remnant of people from all walks of life share an
interest in the Bible. It is read by the educated and the
uneducated. It is read by the rich and the poor, by the old and the
young, by males and females, by all races, and in all places. What
man-written book has such wide appeal to people?

The Bible Is a Best-Selling Book

The Bible is by far the best-selling book ever published.

The King James Bible alone has been selling for the past 400
years! Only God knows how many total copies have sold during
that time, but no other book in the world would come close to the
number. Just think for a moment. It’s probably true that most
people purchase a Bible at least once in life, or at least in
developed, English-speaking nations, and some people purchase
several Bibles in a lifetime. Yet, do they purchase several copies
of other books? No. Is any other book as common among people
as the Bible? No. You could walk up to the average American
home and ask if the family owns a Bible, and you would usually
hear a “Yes.” Yet, if you asked if they owned a copy of Darwin’s
Origin of the Species or Marx’s Communist Manifesto, they would
likely say, “Of course not!” That would be the case not only in
America, but in many nations, and for hundreds of years. There’s
just no comparison. The Bible is the best-seller because the Bible
is God’s word.

The Bible Is a Blessed Book

It has changed more lives than any other book in world

history. Eighty-eight percent of the colleges in America were
founded for the purpose of teaching God's word and training
missionaries. Many literary countries are the product of Bible-
believing Christianity. Nations and individuals always prosper
when Bible principles are followed. Is this a coincidence, or is
this an indication that God blesses those who obey His word? If
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the Bible is only man's words, then why do so many prosper
through obeying it?

The Bible Is a Preserved Book

If the Bible is only a man-written book, then why does it

still exist? Satan has fought endlessly to rid the world of the
Bible, yet it still exists today. Everything that man accomplishes
eventually falls apart (the wonders of the ancient world,
educational systems, governments, families, organizations, etc.),
but the Bible lives on (Psa. 12:6-7; Mat. 24:35). How did the Old
Testamant survive the Babylonian captivity when God's people
spent seventy years in a foreign land? How did the Bible survive
the Dark Ages when Rome ruled the religious world with pagan
tradition? The Bible must be a supernatural book, else man would
have destroyed it long ago. We will consider this point further in
the next section of the lesson.

V. THE PRESERVATION OF SCRIPTURE

When the dust of the battle dies down we shall hear all sixty-six
books declare with the Apostle Paul, "Do thyself no harm, for
we are all here!" (W.H. Griffith Thomas)

God lives forever, so His Book shall live forever. In

Ecclesiastes 3:14 Solomon said "I know that, whatsoever God
doeth, it shall be forever; nothing can be put to it, nor
anything taken from it: and God doeth it that man should fear
before him." We've learned about the inspiration of Scripture.
Now let's study the reasons and methods concerning the
preservation of Scripture.

Reasons for Preservation

The first reason for the preservation of Scripture is the

logical reason. Just as it makes no sense that you would fool
around and lose your birth certificate, your high school diploma,
or your marriage license, it makes no sense that God would inspire
and record His words and then lose them. This is totally against

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His nature. As much effort as God has put into giving man His
words, it would be foolish to lose them.
From the very beginning God has delighted in preserving
various people, places, and things for His own glory. God
preserved man through the fall in Eden. God preserved Noah and
his family through the flood. God has preserved the Jewish people
until this very day, in spite of their many captivities, servitudes
and persecutions. God has preserved Jerusalem, in spite of the
many aggressive attacks against her. It is logical to assume that
God would preserve the Book that He inspired.
Another argument for the preservation of Scripture is the
fact that preservation is needful. Jesus said, "...if a man love me,
he will keep my words." (John 14:26) How can you keep His
words if God didn't preserve them for you? In II Timothy 4:2 Paul
exhorts Timothy to "Preach the word..." How could young
Timothy preach the word if the word hasn't been preserved? The
Lord Jesus prayed in John 17:17 and said, "Sanctify them
through thy truth: thy word is truth." Friend, you can't even be
sanctified if God didn't preserve His word, because it is the word
which sanctifies!
God's word can keep us from sinning (Psa. 119:11). God's
word gives us wisdom and spiritual discernment (Pro. 22:17-21; I
Cor. 2:12-14). The word brings success (Jsh. 1:8), and gives us
light for the path of life (Psa. 119:105). Most of all, God's word is
essential for a person to be born again! I Peter 1:23 says, "Being
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." Friend, it
has been needful for God to preserve His words.
Finally, the best reason for believing that God would
preserve His words is promise. GOD SAID HE WOULD
PRESERVE HIS WORDS. Note the following:
"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver
tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt
keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this
generation for ever." (Psa. 12:6-7)
"For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and
his truth endureth to all generations." (Psa. 100:5)
"As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the
LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I
have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor
out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's
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seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever." (Isa.
59:21)
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words
shall not pass away." (Mat. 24:35)
"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as
the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof
falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And
this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (I
Pet. 1:24-25)
God never said once that man would preserve His words,
but that HE would preserve them. Our responsibility is to be
faithful and believe what God has said and ignore what the
skeptics are saying. God promised to preserve His words, so He
has preserved them.

Method of Preservation

The Bible is GOD'S Book, so God can preserve it in any

way He chooses. Since the very beginning, God has used MEN to
carry out His work on this earth. It should surprise no one that
God uses His people to preserve His words.
Many scholars agree that since Christians still have a sin
nature (the flesh) that God cannot rely on them in matters of
preserving His holy words. Well, God doesn't rely on anyone for
anything. God, in His sovereign authority, chooses to use certain
individuals to accomplish His will.
For example, Moses and David had a sin nature just like
you and I, but Jesus Christ still considered their writings to be
Scripture (Mat. 4:4; 19:4; Luke 24:44; 20:42). God wouldn't
allow Moses to enter the promised land (Deut. 32:48-52; 34:4), but
He still used him to write the first five books of the Bible. David
committed adultery (II Sam. 11), sinned by numbering Israel (I
Chr. 21), and acted like an idiot before the king of Gath (I Sam.
21), but God still used him to write over half of the the Psalms.
Peter denied Christ three times and then went on to write two
epistles. The one who penned the words of Romans 7:18 also
penned a third of the New Testament (Paul). If God could use
only sinless people, then He would have to do everything Himself!
The preservation of Scripture is GOD'S responsibility, and
He is quite capable of overruling man's faults and sins in order to
get the job done. Since most scholars worship their education
15
rather than God, they'll never understand or accept this important
truth.
God's method of preservation is to use His people. Before
the time of Christ the Scriptures were given to the Jews (Acts
7:38; Rom. 3:2). It was the priestly tribe of Levi that was
responsible for the actual handling and copying of the Scriptures
(Deut. 17:18; 21:5; Ezra 7:11; Neh. 8:7-13; II Chr. 29:30). Today
(until our Lord returns) the Levites have been replaced with
Christians, a spiritual priesthood (I Pet. 2:4-10). So the church
now has the responsibility of handling and copying the Scriptures
faithfully. In fact, we are given severe warnings about handling
the Scriptures unfaithfully (Rev. 22:18-19). God's method of
preservation is to use Spirit-filled believers in the body of Christ to
faithfully copy and pass His words on to future generations.
In lesson four we will see why the King James Authorized
Version is the product of faithful preservation, while modern
versions are the product of Satan's attempts to destroy God's word.

Lesson Review
1. What does the word Bible mean?

2. Where does the Bible say that all Scripture is given by

inspiration?

3. What is meant by the words "inspiration of God"?

a. godly
b. God-breathed
c. holy given

4. True or False? God's word was first inspired when it was

spoken.

5. Which of the following is NOT a proof of inspiration?

a. The Bible is a negative Book
b. The Bible is a unified Book
c. The Bible is a blessed Book
d. The Bible is a complex Book
e. The Bible is a preserved Book

16
6. Please list the three main reasons for preservation of Scripture:

1.
2.
3.

7. True or False? A person must be perfect before God will use

them.

8. Please list two places in the Bible where God promised to

preserve His words:

1.
2.

9. Where in the book of Revelation does God warn people about

altering His words?

Suggested Memory Verses: II Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 12:6-7

Lesson III

Understanding
God's Salvation Plan
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."
(Rom. 3:10) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God." (Rom. 3:23) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered
into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all
men, for that all have sinned." (Rom. 5:12) "But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8) "For the wages of sin
is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord." (Rom. 6:23) "That if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the
17
mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom. 10:9-10
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved." (Rom. 10:13)
Only God knows how many dear souls have been led to
the Lord Jesus Christ by the above verses of Scripture. These
verses, commonly referred to as the "Roman's Road," are used
worldwide by Christian workers in an effort to present God's
Salvation Plan to the lost in a step by step fashion. The Roman's
Road is wonderful for getting straight to the point and dealing with
the primary issues of sin and salvation. Millions have come to
know Christ after reading these verses (including myself), and it is
our prayer that millions more will come to know Him in the
future.
But there is a problem. Because of the habitual use of
such quick and easy portions of Scripture, more and more
Christians are developing a very shallow concept of New
Testament salvation. Time and time again I find myself speaking
with people who profess to be saved, and yet they aren't sure about
their eternal destiny. Many of these people can tell of a specific
time in their life when they prayed and asked the Lord to come
into their heart and save them, but still today they live in a state of
uncertainty. This should not be happening.
Then there are others who have never been saved and
really do not understand the need to be saved. Someone says,
"Well, they probably just don't care." Yes, that's often the case,
but not always. I believe there are many people who would like to
have a better understanding of Jesus Christ and the Salvation that
He offers, and I believe that many such people willreceive Christ
once they truly understand their need for Him.
Friend, if you fit into one of these categories, this lesson is
for you. This lesson will help you to UNDERSTAND New Testa-
ment salvation. Whether you're saved or lost, this lesson can help
you, so please aside a little time and read the following pages,
prayerfully and carefully. You will not be disappointed (Lk. 11:9-
10).

I. GOD’S PERSONALITY

There are many things that can be said about God in this
study, but the one thing that must be said is that God is a HOLY
18
God. So often we hear of God's love for US, and we very seldom
think of God standing alone without man in the picture. Let's first
consider God Himself, without even thinking of mankind. Let's
take a look at the personality of God Almighty.
Exodus 15:11 says, "Who is like unto thee, O LORD,
among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful
in praises, doing wonders?" The seraphims of Isaiah 6 praised
God, crying "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole
earth is full of his glory." If something is holy, then it is whole
or complete. God is holy. He lacks nothing, for he is complete.
God simply cannot be improved upon.
Someone has said, "God without man is God, but man
without God is nothing." How true these words are. One who
wishes to know God must IGNORE himself. It was God who
created man. God existed first, without man in the picture. So, in
order to really understand New Testament salvation, we must first
focus totally upon the eternal God of Glory. We must know
something of God's personality.
We must realize that God never has and never will do
anything wrong for any reason. God has always been holy, and He
always will be. He says in Malachi 3:6, "For I am the LORD, I
change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."
God never has and never will make one single adjustment within
His person. His state of sinless perfection is eternal. If the entire
universe were to turn against God, including all the hosts of
Heaven, it would not change God. He would still be the eternal
God of Glory. Consider these strong portions of Scripture from
the Book of Isaiah:
"All nations before him are as nothing; and they are
counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom will ye
liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?" Isa.
40:17-18.
"I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will
I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."
(Isa. 42:8) ". . . .Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no
god; I know not any." (Isa. 44:8) "I am the LORD, and there
is none else, there is no god beside me: I girded thee, though
thou hast not known me." (Isa. 45:5) "Declaring the end from
the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not
yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my
pleasure." (Isa. 46:10)
19
 So let's first understand one great truth: with or without
us, GOD IS GOD. He is the unchangeable, holy, and eternal God
of Glory. Regardless of what else happens, this will always be
true.

II. GOD IN RELATION TO MAN

Genesis chapter one gives to us the account of the

creation, including the creation of man. We read in Genesis 1:27,
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them." Man was
created in the image of God. That image, as we have already seen,
was a HOLY image. God did not create man in a sinful condition.
God created a sinless man in HIS OWN IMAGE. Luke 3:38 tells
us that this first man, Adam, was actually "the son of God." No
other man after Adam is called a son of God. But Adam was
called this, because he was made in GOD'S IMAGE.
Being absolutely sinless, Adam was now ready to carry
out God's plan. God is a SPIRIT (John 4:24), but He created a
PHYSICAL earth. So He needed a physical being to rule over the
earth. Genesis 1:28 tells us that God gave Adam DOMINION
over the earth and over all of its inhabitants. "Why?" you may
ask. Couldn't God manage to run things for Himself? Sure He
could, but He wanted something more. God had a very special
reason for creating man. Notice how clearly the reason is given in
Isaiah 43:7: "Even every one that is called by my name: for I
have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have
made him." Why did God create man? He did it to bring
GLORY to Himself! All through the Bible we find that God
wants to be GLORIFIED (Psa. 22:23; 50:15; Mt. 5:16; John 12:28;
Rom. 15:6; I Cor. 6:20; etc.), and the beginning was certainly no
exception. God wanted to form a living being out of the ground
and have that being live in close fellowship with Him. God
wanted His human creation to live in RIGHTEOUSNESS. God
wanted to see His children prosper! He didn't want them to fail;
He wanted them to prosper. This would bring honor and glory to
His name. Just as any respectable father delights in watching his
own children live right and succeed in life, God wanted the same
for His children. Like any responsible father, God knew what was
best, and He had a wonderful plan for His children.
20
 So God created man and placed him in a perfect
environment. Would man be obedient and fulfill God's will, or
would he become disobedient? God had to put man to the test.
He had to give man a choice. God could have FORCED Adam
and Eve to always obey Him, but that would be against His nature.
God wanted man to LOVE Him and ENJOY serving Him, so a
choice was given.
Rather than populate the entire universe at once with
newly created humans, God, in His infinite wisdom, placed one
man and his wife in a garden and gave them a choice. You know
the story. Adam and Eve chose to disobey God by eating of the
forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1-6). Satan's way seemed more pleasant at
the moment, so man fell into sin by disobeying God.
Worst of all, man lost the image of God. God was still
holy, but man was now UNHOLY. Man was now a transgressor
against God. Man had failed the test. In his sinful condition,
Adam could not carry out God's divine plan. He was no longer
qualified, for he was now a sinner.
At this point, God could have chosen to destroy His
creation and start with a new one, or He could REDEEM the fallen
creation. He chose to redeem fallen man. He chose to set forth a
master plan that would allow man to become RIGHTEOUS once
again. Being the merciful God that He is, God chose to work out a
wonderful redemption plan for fallen man.
But wait! This will be no easy plan, because Adam and
his wife aren't the only sinners. Every child born after Genesis
chapter three has been born in Adam's SINFUL image (Gen. 5:3).
All men are natural sinners upon being born into the world:
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned." (Rom. 5:12) "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;
and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psa. 51:5) "As it is
written, There is none righteous, no, not one." (Rom. 3:10)
Men are no longer made in God's image. In fact, the Lord
Jesus Christ Himself said "Ye are of your father, the devil..." in
John 8:44. God is not a sinner, so sinners are not God's children.
Sinners are natural-born children of the Devil. Paul writes in
Ephesians 2:2 that lost sinners are "children of disobedience."
Why? Because we naturally receive a SIN NATURE at birth.
In addition to this, we must also realize that we cannot rid
ourselves of this corrupt sin nature. We are "stuck" with a fallen
21
image of unrighteousness. Unless God works a miracle in our
lives, we are absolutely hopeless--forever doomed to the eternal
fires of Hell. We cannot earn our Salvation by performing
righteous works, because our righteousness is no good. Isaiah
64:6 tells us that our righteousness is like "filthy rags!" Instead
of being clean in the eyes of God, men are FILTHY, because of
the sin nature in us all. God is holy, but we are unholy. He is
Godly, but we are ungodly. He is righteous, but we are
unrighteous. Our sin nature stands like a brick wall between us
and God, separating us from His dear fellowship.
Now try comparing a HOLY God with unholy men.
Contrast the two in your mind. You see, there must be a
separation. Just as you keep your clean laundry separate from
your dirty laundry, God must keep Himself separate from ungodly
man. God is not a sinner, so He cannot fellowship with sinners.
Unless sin is somehow removed from man, there is no hope.
Unless man is somehow redeemed from his fallen nature, God has
no choice but to sentence him to Hell forever. The sin debt must
be paid so that man can regain his original righteous image and his
fellowship with God. Someone must pay the price.

III. GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTION

There once was a king who had a very strong reputation

for enforcing the law in his kingdom. He never compromised for
anyone. If someone broke the law, a penalty was always required.
Then one day this king sat upon his throne hearing case
after case, when suddenly a very shocking thing happened. A
young man was brought in for judgment. He had been caught red-
handed in theft. The whole kingdom stood in silence to hear the
king's judgment. You see, this was no ordinary case: the young
man was the king's son!
Being as broken hearted as he was, the king knew that he
still must give judgment. Justice must be served. One hand would
have to severed. Then suddenly the king surprised everyone by
ordering HIS OWN HAND to be cut off! He chose to pay the
penalty himself.
This is precisely what God did for you and I. Notice these
important words from Isaiah 53:5-6: "But he was wounded for
our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
22
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes
we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on
him the iniquity of us all."
Just as the king suffered and fulfilled the law for his son,
God came to this earth and fulfilled the law for us. Jesus Christ
was God manifested in the flesh (I Tim. 3:16), He came to
FULFILL the law (Mt. 5:17). The law demanded a payment for
sin. Either man could spend eternity in Hell, paying for his sins,
or God could make the payment Himself. God, because of His
love for lost man, chose to make the necessary payment Himself.
He gave His only begotten Son as a payment for our sins: "For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life." (John 3:16) "Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is
written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree." (Gal.
3:13) "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
(II Cor. 5:21)
All men are born under "the law of sin and death"
(Rom. 8:2). We are under a curse. But the Lord Jesus Christ
came to our rescue by dying and paying for our sins. Hebrews
10:14 says, "For by one offering he hath perfected forever
them that are sanctified." It took only one offering to pay for
our sins. Now that the payment has been made, all men can be
"perfected" through Jesus Christ! Through Christ we can be set
FREE from the law of sin and death! Through Christ, and Him
alone, we can escape the curse! Through Christ, we can be saved!
After Jesus paid for the sins of the world and returned to
Heaven, a very special gospel (good news) message is preached by
the Apostles and early Christians: "Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:31)
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. 10:9) "For by grace are
ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:8-9)
As lost and doomed sinners, we must take God at His
word and believe that Jesus Christ is our only hope for salvation.
We must trust that His payment for our sins is sufficient. We must
23
STOP trying to "do good" that we might go to Heaven. Our good
works cannot save us, as the above verses reveal. Only the good
work of the Lord Jesus can save us. We are hopeless without
Him. As a criminal sits upon death row awaiting the electric chair,
we sit upon the death row of eternity awaiting hell fire.

IV. GOD’S IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS

While sitting upon the "death row" of eternity, our only

hope is for God to make us righteous, for we cannot establish
righteousness for ourselves (Rom. 10:3). We read in Romans 4:5
the following words: "But to him that worketh not, but
believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is
counted for righteousness."
God's desire is to make us righteous by giving us HIS
RIGHTEOUSNESS! This Scripture goes on to say: ". . . .Blessed
are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are
covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute
sin." (Romans 4:7-8)
God has a way of cleansing us from our sins and giving to
us HIS righteousness so that we may have eternal life. Referring
to the Lord Jesus Christ, Colossians 1:14 says, "In whom we
have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
sins. . ." The "blood" spoken of here is God's blood (Acts 20:28).
The blood of the Lord Jesus was not natural human blood; it was
PURE blood from the Father above. Remember, Mary was a
Virgin; so the blood of Jesus Christ came from His heavenly
Father. This blood was shed at Calvary to be an ATONEMENT for
our sins. The atonement can make us "at one" with God, just as
Adam was in the very beginning. Through the blood atonement of
the Lord Jesus Christ, we can have our sins washed away (Rev.
1:5), thus being placed back into God's righteous image.
All throughout the Old Testament, God required a blood
sacrifice from His people. This blood was obtained from various
animals such as bulls, goats, and lambs. Sacrifices were made
daily, because people would sin daily. By offering to God a
sacrifice, men were showing God that they were aware of their sin
nature and desired forgiveness. Upon seeing this, God would then
accept their sacrifice and forgive their sins. This is called
remission. Hebrews 9:22 says, ". . . .without shedding of blood
24
there is no remission." These many animal sacrifices served as a
foreshadow or a type of the blood of the Lord Jesus that would
eventually be shed at Calvary.
However, forgiveness of sin isn't enough. A penalty still
must be paid. The law must be fulfilled. The record must be
cleared. God could cleanse His people temporarily from their sins
with animal sacrifices, but only the precious blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ could clear their sin record forever. The Old
Testament sacrifices were for forgiveness, but not for making a
person clear from sin (Ex. 34:6-7). This is why Jesus had to come
and clear the record forever. He came to wipe the slate clean for
all eternity. When you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour,
you receive a CLEAN RECORD! You receive HIS
RIGHTEOUSNESS, and since you are trusting Him alone for your
salvation, God will not impute sin to you.
Suppose you receive Him as your Saviour. What then?
Then you become a "son of God. " John 1:12 says, "But as many
as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name." You RECEIVE
Christ by BELIEVING on Christ. You can be "born again"
SPIRITUALLY (John 3:3) by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as
your Saviour. Once you truly turn to Christ alone, asking Him to
wash away your sins, you are FORGIVEN and your sin record is
CLEARED forever. Your soul has been made RIGHTEOUS
through the blood of Jesus Christ. That's precisely why He came
and died. Once you have been born again you will be in God's
family for the first time in your life! God's human creation was
lost in Genesis chapter three, but you, a part of that growing
creation, can be FOUND and REDEEMED to God this very
moment!
There once was a little boy who made for himself a toy
sailboat. While playing in the stream one day, the boat drifted
away. A few days later another boy found the boat. The first boy
said, "Hey! That's my boat! I made it myself, and I want it
back!" The second boy would not hand over the boat, but instead
he offered to SELL it to the boy. So the original owner and maker
of the toy boat reached into his pocket and gave all his money to
pay for the boat. As he walked away, he held the boat to his chest
and said, "You're mine! You're mine! You're mine TWICE! I
MADE you, and then I BOUGHT you: YOU'RE MINE!"

25
 Upon receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour, you will
become God's property (I Cor. 6:19-20). You will become His
child, His responsibility. You will become the property of God, for
he BOUGHT you with his own blood (Acts 20:28). Nothing can
ever change that.
Friend, if you've never really been born again, please
repent of your sins right now and place your total trust in Jesus
Christ to save you. Tell Him that you're sorry for your sins and
that you want to live for Him. Tell Him that you want to have a
new life in Christ (II Cor. 5:17). Aren't you tired of sin? Do you
not want to please God? Repent of your sins right now and ask the
Lord to save you. He said that He would save you, if you will call
upon Him (Rom. 10:13). Why not call upon Him right now?

V. GOD’S PROMISE OF ETERNAL SECURITY

Lord Palmerston, Queen Victoria's Prime Minister, was

crossing Westminster Bridge one day when he came upon a little
girl who had just dropped a jug of milk. The girl broke into tears
as the glass jug shattered into pieces. Palmerston had no money
with him at the time, but he was able to stop her crying by
promising her that he'd return at the same time the next day and
pay her for the jug and the milk. The following morning he was in
the midst of a cabinet meeting when he suddenly remembered his
promise to the girl. He stood up and rushed out to the bridge and
paid the girl the money. You see, to him, a promise was a
promise, and he had to keep it. Nothing was more important.
With or without us, God will always be God. He will
carry out His wonderful plan, regardless of our actions. He never
had to promise us eternal security, just as Lord Palmerston never
had to make the promise to the little girl. But God CHOSE to
promise us eternal security. It was a pure act of grace on His part.
He chose to comfort and strengthen us by making the promise:
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my
hand." (John 10:27-28) "Being confident of the very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it
until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philip. 1:6) “Verily, verily I
say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John
26
5:24) "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and
him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)
We are told in Romans 8:38-39 that NOTHING can
separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ, and the
Lord tells us in Hebrews 13:5 that He will NEVER leave us or
forsake us. Eternal Life is a PRESENT POSSESSION for the
Christian. If you've received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then
you HAVE eternal life. You will not go to Hell, for you have been
saved by believing on the record that God gave of His Son (I John
5:11-13, which see.). If you have received Christ as your Saviour,
then you have received eternal life, because Jesus Christ IS eternal
life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4; Rom. 6:23). He placed His Spirit within
you to keep you and to preserve you (John 14:16-17; II Cor. 1:22);
so you should be REJOICING in Christ, not WORRYING about
losing Him.
You say, "But what if I sin after I've been saved? Won't I
lose my salvation?" No, because it really isn't yours to lose. You
are totally God's property. You didn't earn salvation by any good
work of your own, and you can't lose salvation by any bad work of
your own. Your salvation is based entirely upon the FINISHED
work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Your conduct can affect your
FELLOWSHIP with God, but not your RELATIONSHIP with
Him. You're His son, if you're saved, and that's the way it's going
to stay.

VI. GOD’S TREATMENT OF DISOBEDIENT CHRISTIANS

What happens when a Christian sins? If God doesn't send

us to Hell, then how does He deal with us about our sins after
we've been saved? This subject becomes rather easy to understand
when we fully realize that we are now God's CHILDREN. We
have entered into a Father/son relationship with God. He will deal
with us as a Father deals with a child, NOT as a judge deals with a
criminal.
Christians need to understand that their BODIES have not
been born again. Only our SOULS have been saved. Our flesh is
still corrupt, and it will die one day. Paul said that in the flesh
dwells no good thing (Rom. 8:18). Since the soul has been made
righteous through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, God has
found it necessary to separate the soul from the body. This is
27
called spiritual circumcision. Notice these important words from
Colossians 2:11: "In whom also ye are circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of
the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ."
Instead of being physically circumcised as the Old
Testament Jews were, we have been spiritually by the Holy Spirit.
Our flesh has been cut loose from our righteous soul. When you
received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your soul was SET FREE!
The burden of sin was LIFTED, and the Holy Spirit of God came
to live within your soul (not in your flesh). A Christian's flesh is
still corrupt and sinful, so we are to live in the SPIRIT, not
fulfilling the lusts of the flesh (Rom. 8:1-9; Gal. 5:16). In Matthew
26:41, Jesus Himself said, "....the spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak."
Since the soul has been made righteous, God sees us as
righteous individuals. He does not see our sins, because Jesus
PAID for our sins. Our souls are FOREVER PERFECT (Heb.
10:14). So, if I sin, I do so in the flesh, and God will deal with me
in the flesh about it. He will NOT judge my soul, for it is sinless.
Let's take an example of a Christian who sins against God.
For stronger emphasis, let's take an extreme case where the sin
committed is a most horrible sin. Such a case is found in I
Corinthians chapter five, where a man is charged with having his
father's wife. That's pretty bad, is it not? Some would think that
this man should go to Hell for this sin, but that's not what happens
to him. Paul tells the Corinthians to deliver this man to Satan for
the destruction of the FLESH, so that the spirit might be saved.
What happened? God dealt with this man just as a Father would
deal with a child. God did not disown the man, but He DID
chasten him in order to get him back in fellowship.
To "chasten" is to punish or discipline. Revelation 3:19
tells us that God rebukes and chastens his children. He does NOT
forsake them, but He does correct and instruct them. Hebrews
12:4-8 explains how that all of God's children are chastened of the
Lord. In fact, Hebrews 12:8 actually says that you're a "bastard" if
you're not chastened! So there are two kinds of people in God's
sight: sons and bastards. He corrects His sons, but He doesn't
worry so much about the bastards, because they're going to get
their punishment in Hell. Notice these inspired words from I
Corinthians 11:31-32: "For if we would judge ourselves, we
should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are
28
chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with
the world."
You wouldn't send YOUR children to Hell, and God
doesn't send HIS there. But He does discipline Christians in order
to keep them in tune with His will. No one gets away with sin. No
one has a "license to sin."
If you are a Christian, then you should always be
conscious of the fact that YOU are not your body; you are INSIDE
your body. Your soul has already been redeemed, but you are still
waiting for the redemption of your body (Rom. 8:23). Your body
is no good, for it is still under the law of sin and death. But
remember, your SOUL has been made perfect by the blood of
Christ.
Being a Christian, you are like a prisoner chained up in his
cell. He is lonely and miserable. Then one day someone comes in
and cuts his chains loose, allowing him to begin moving freely in
his cell. He's no longer chained to the wall, but he is still in the
cell until someone comes and frees him completely. Do you get
the picture? You are no longer "chained" to your sins. You're free
from them. Geographically speaking, you are still stuck in your
corruptible flesh until the Lord calls you home to Heaven, but
SPIRITUALLY speaking, you are IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
If you slip and fall, you'll do so IN CHRIST. You see, there is a
difference between falling IN Christ and falling OUT of Christ,
just as there is a difference between falling down IN an airplane
and falling OUT OF an airplane. Spiritually, we are seated in
Heavenly places IN CHRIST, according to Ephesians 2:6, and
that's where we'll stay - FOREVER!

VII. GOD’S WILL FOR ALL NEW BELIEVERS

In a future lesson we will deal with this subject in more

detail, but for starters, the following are some of the more
important duties of every new believer:
Get baptized. Find a Bible-believing church and tell the
Pastor that you're a new believer in Christ and you need to be
baptized. Baptism doesn't save your soul, but it is an ordinance
commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ (Mat. 28:19) and observed
by the early Christians (Acts 8:35-39).

29
 Join a Bible-believing church and be a faithful member
(Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25). Start looking for a fundamental church
that stands on the King James Bible, supports missionaries,
preaches salvation by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9), and
believes in the Deity of Christ, the Virgin Birth, the Blood
Atonement, the Bodily Resurrection, and the literal Second
Coming of Christ. Start having private devotions with God. Read
your Bible, confess your sins, and pray on a daily basis (John
17:17; Psa. 119:11; Eph. 6:17-18; I Thes. 5:17; I John 1:9). Make
a special time for your devotions, and remain faithful to them.
Be a Christian witness (Acts 1:8-9). Tell others what the
Lord Jesus Christ has done for you. Ask God to direct you to
those who are most needful of your witness, and then begin telling
them how Christ can save them just as He saved you. Get some
gospel tracts and give them to family members and friends. Work
toward winning lost souls to the Lord (Prov. 11:30).
Live a holy life for God (I Pet. 1:16). You are a Christian
now, which means you are supposed to be "Christ-like". You
belong to God (I Cor. 6:19-20), so yield yourself to Him and
serve Him by putting Him first in everything (Mat. 6:33; Rom.
12:1-3).
Expose yourself to as much sound Bible teaching and
preaching as possible. Pay close attention to your pastor and
teachers. At church services, sit close to the front, take notes, and
mark your Bible. Saturate your home with good Christian
literature and tapes. Seize every opportunity to grow in your
knowledge of God's word. The more you know about God's word,
the more useful you will be in His service, and nothing is more
important in your Christian life than GOD'S SERVICE.

Lesson Review
1. Which New Testament book contains the traditional "road" of
handy salvation verses?

a. Galatians
b. Romans
c. John

30
2. The fact that man was originally created in God's image comes
from:
a. Gen. 5:3
b. Gen. 1:27
c. Isa. 43:7

3. True or false? Men today are not born in God's image.

4. Which Bible chapter tells us of the fall of man?

5. Where in the Bible are we told that "death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned"?

6. Ephesians 2:2 says that lost people are:

a. children of this world

b. children of the devil
c. children of disobedience

7. Fill in the blanks: "But he was ______________ for our

_________________ , he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we
are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned
every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on ______ the
_______________ of us all." (Isa. 53:5-6)

8. Galatians 3:13 says that Christ was made:

a. a substitution for us
b. a curse for us
c. a blessing for us

9. Does the Bible ever say that Jesus Christ was made SIN for us?

10. Fill in the blanks: "And they said, __________ __ ____

_____ _______ ______, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
(Acts 16:31)

11. Where does the Bible say that salvation is "the gift of God:
Not of works?"

31
12. Through Jesus Christ, God offers to GIVE you His
righteousness, because you are an unrighteous sinner. This is
called:

a. remission of sins
b. imputed righteousness
c. self-righteousness

13. ". . . without __________ ___ __________ there is no

remission."

14. True or false? John 1:12 states that you can RECEIVE Jesus
Christ by REPENTING of all your sins.

15. True or false? Once you've been born again, Jesus will pluck
you out of His hand if you still sin.

16. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and
_____________ on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and
shall not come into condemnation; but is ___________ from death
unto life." (John 5:24)

17. The Holy Spirit separates the Christian’s soul from his flesh
through a spiritual operation called:

a. redemption
b. circumcision
c. regeneration

18. When a Christian sins, God will:

a. take vengeance on them

b. record their sin in the book of life
c. chasten them

Suggested Memory Verses: Romans 3:23, Romans 10:13,

John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:5

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 Lesson IV

How We Know the King

James Bible Is God's Word

Many preachers and teachers across our land talk about

"preferring" and "using" the KJV, but not near enough of them
speak about BELIEVING it. Many prefer it and use it because
that's what their congregations prefer and use, but they do not
BELIEVE it to be the infallible words of God. Many of them are
taught in college to use, prefer, and recommend the KJV, but they
are not taught to believe it. Most "Christian colleges" teach that
the King James Bible is only a translation, and that NO translation
is infallible. Consequently, the average minister today uses a
Book which he doesn't even believe.
Now, I thank God that I don't have that problem. I don't
have to play make-believe with anyone about the word of God. I
believe it. I believe the King James Bible is the preserved and
infallible words of God. It doesn't merely "contain" the word of
God: it IS the word of God. This lesson has been prepared to teach
you WHY we believe and use only the King James Bible.

I. GOD PROMISED TO PRESERVE HIS WORDS

Psalm 12:6-7 says, "The words of the LORD are pure

words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from
this generation for ever." We read in Psalm 100:5 that ". . . . his
truth endureth to all generations," and Jesus said in John 17:17
that God's WORD is truth.
These words state very clearly that God's preserved word
MUST be available to us today, because God PROMISED to
preserve it for us. There MUST be an infallible Book somewhere.
You say, "But ALL translations are God's word, not just
one." That's impossible, because the various translations contain
different readings, and God is not the author of confusion (I Cor.
14:33). Besides, if all of the versions are the word of God, then
where are the "corrupt" and "perverted" versions that we are
warned about in II Corinthians 2:17 and Jeremiah 23:36? If
33
everyone is innocent, then where are those who are said to be
GUILTY of subtracting from and adding to the word of God (Rev.
22:18-19)? God wouldn't have warned us about Bible perversion
if it wasn't going to be a reality. According to the scriptures, there
must be a single Book that is the word of God, and there must be
MANY which are involved in CORRUPTING the word of God.
Now, if the Authorized Version isn't the infallible word of
God, then WHAT IS? There has to be a Book somewhere in "all
generations" which is God's word; so what book is it? Those who
"use" the new versions believe that these are good and reliable
translations, but they do not believe these to be INFALLIBLE
translations. However, I know many people who believe the King
James Bible to be an infallible Book. Why? Because they know
that the One True God has ONE TRUE BOOK. He promised to
preserve His words, and we believe that He has done just that.
Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words
shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35). If His words didn't pass
away, then where are they? I want to read them. There has to be a
perfect volume somewhere. I know the King James Bible is the
word of God because God promised to preserve His words.

II. TRANSLATED UNDER A KING

The main subject of the Bible is the kingdom which God

intends to give to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will be
crowned "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS,"
according to Revelation 19:16. Ecclesiastes 8:4 says, "Where the
word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him,
What doest thou?" Unlike the modern versions, the KJV was
translated under a king. In fact, the king's name was "James,"
which is the English word for "Jacob," the man whom God
renamed "Israel" because he had power with God and with men
(Gen. 32:28).
The new versions have been translated in America, which
is not a monarchy. God's form of government is a theocratic
monarchy, not a democracy. Therefore, it makes sense that His
word would be translated for the English speaking people under a
monarchy with an English king. I know the King James Bible is
the word of God because it was translated under a king.

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III. NO COPYRIGHT

The original crown copyright of 1611 does not forbid

anyone today from reprinting the Authorized Version. It was only
copyrighted then for the purpose of allowing the printer to finance
the publication. Millions, perhaps even billions, of copies of
KJV's have been published without requesting permission from
anyone and without paying royalties to anyone. This cannot be
said of any of the new translations.
The new "bibles" are the work of MEN, but the KJV is a
divine work of the Holy Spirit. The term "Authorized" has
traditionally been applied to the King James Version alone, for
this is the one Book which the Holy Spirit has blessed and used for
so long. The fact that it bears no copyright allows printing
ministries throughout the world to print millions of copies each
year for the mission field. I know the King James Bible is the
word of God because it has no copyright.

IV. GOD TRANSLATES PERFECTLY

The words "translate" and "translated" occur three times in

the Bible, and GOD is the Translator each time. The scholars
insist that the KJV cannot be infallible, because it is "only a
translation." Do you suppose that such scholars have checked II
Samuel 3:10, Colossians 1:13, and Hebrews 11:5 to see what GOD
has to say about translating?
In II Samuel 3:10 we are told that it was God Who
translated Saul's kingdom to David. We are told in Colossians
1:13 that Christians have been translated into the kingdom of Jesus
Christ, and Hebrews 11:5 tells us that God translated Enoch that
he should not see death. God was the One doing the translating
each time! What's the point? The point is that a translation CAN
be perfect, if God is involved in the translating.
When the New Testament writers would quote the Old
Testament (Mt. 1:23; Mk. 1:2; Lk. 4:4; Jn. 15:25; Acts 1:20; 7:42;
I Cor. 2:9; Gal. 3:13, etc.), they had to TRANSLATE from
Hebrew to Greek, because the Old Testament was written in
Hebrew, but THEY wrote in Greek. So, if a translation cannot be
infallible, then EVEN THE NEW TESTAMENT IN THE
"ORIGINAL GREEK" ISN'T INFALLIBLE, because it contains
translations from the Hebrew text.
35
 Obviously God assisted them in their translating by the
leadership of the Holy Spirit, and He assisted the King James
translators as well. The scholars will never understand this, for
most of them have quenched the Holy Spirit in their own lives by
looking to higher education for truth, rather than seeking the
Lord's leadership (John 16:13).
The Holy Spirit Who inspired the word of God through
"holy men of God" (II Pet. 1:21) is quite capable of guiding His
servants to keep the words which Jesus told us to keep (John
14:23). In essence, the KJV translators were merely instruments
which God used in translating and preserving His word. In fact,
they said this themselves in the Dedicatory to the Authorized
Version: ". . . . because we are poor instruments to make God's
holy truth to be yet more and more known to the people. . . "
I know the King James Bible is the word of God because
God is very capable of using anyone He pleases as His very own
instruments of righteousness in order to preserve His word.

V. THE KJV IS FRUITFUL

The Lord Jesus said that every good tree will bring forth
good fruit, and we can know them by their fruits (Mt. 7:17-20).
God had the KJV translated for the purpose of bringing
forth fruit, and it has been very obedient to the call. The greatest
preachers of the past four centuries have been King James Bible
believers. Billy Sunday is said to have led over one million people
to Christ, and he was a KJV believer. Spurgeon, Moody,
Whitfield, and Wesley were all KJV men, and the list goes on.
God has richly blessed the ministries of such men as these because
they stayed busy OBEYING His word rather than questioning its
authority.
The KJV produces good fruit. I was led to Christ with a
King James Bible. Nearly every Christian I know was led to
Christ with a KJV. Why? Because it produces good fruit.
The new translations produce EVIL fruit. The modern
perversions of scripture are producing infidels who do not even
know what the word of God is, much less where to find it. The
new translations produce spiritual babies who are totally incapable
of discussing Bible doctrine. The new versions produce newer
versions, which produce money for the publishers, and I Timothy
6:10 tells us that the love of money is the root of all EVIL.
36
 The Holy Spirit doesn't bear witness to the modern
translations, but He DOES bear witness to the King James. I've
always believed the KJV to be God's word, even before I was
saved. No one ever told me to believe this, but the Holy Spirit just
bore witness to the King James--not the others. After being saved,
I spent several years of my Christian life not being aware of the
big debate going on these days between King James Bible
believers and New Age Version believers. The whole time I
believed only ONE BOOK to be God's word, and even then I was
suspicious of the new versions, although no one had told me to be.
When I discovered that most "Christian" schools in our nation do
not believe the KJV to be the word of God, I was shocked.
How is it that one comes to believe the KJV naturally, but
must be educated out of his belief in it? Why is it that King James
believers are accused of following men when GOD is the One
Who led them to believe it? Why do opponents of the KJV accuse
us of following men, when THEY are the ones who allowed MEN
to talk them out of believing the KJV?
The KJV produces good fruit because the Holy Spirit
bears witness to it like no other book in the world. It's easier to
memorize than any new version, and the beautiful old English
language gives the reader the impression that he is reading a Book
very different and far superior to the rest. It reads different
because it is different, and it is different because it has a different
Author. We shall know them "by their fruit", and I know the
King James Bible is the word of God because it produces GOOD
fruit.

VI. THE KJV TRANSLATORS BELIEVED

THEY WERE HANDLING THE VERY WORDS OF GOD

One can see this truth by reading the Prefatory and

Dedicatory remarks in the Authorized Version. These men didn't
believe they were handling "God's message" or "reliable
manuscripts." They believed they were handling the very words
of God Himself. As the Bible says in I Thessalonians 2:13, they
". . . . received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the
word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."
Like the serpent of Genesis 3:1, modern translators
approach the scriptures in skepticism, saying, "Yea, hath God
37
said?" This was the first recorded sin in the Bible, and it is still
prevalent in the hearts and minds of most scholars and new
version promoters.
God has always allowed such people to be DECEIVED
because of the IDOLS in their hearts (Ezek. 14:1-9; II Ths. 2:10-
12; I Kings 22). A man who lacks faith in God's word is in no
condition to translate it. This eliminates every revision committee
in the past one hundred years, because these committees have
consisted mostly of highly educated men who were heady, high-
minded, and proud, thinking that their intelligence qualified them
to tamper with the pure words of God.
The KJV translators were not like this. Their scholarship
far exceeded that of modern translators, yet they remained humble
and allowed God to use them in order to produce an infallible
masterpiece. They didn't set out to "judge" and "correct" the word
of God. Their purpose was to translate God's word for the English
speaking people, as they were told to do by their king. I know the
King James Bible is the word of God because the KJV translators
believed it themselves.

VII. THE TRANSLATORS WORKED HONESTLY

The critics of the KJV enjoy making a fuss about the

words in italics, which were added by the translators, but the
argument is entirely unnecessary and unfair.
The italic words in the KJV actually prove that the
translators were honest in their work. When translating from one
language to another, the idioms change, thus making it necessary
to add certain words to help the reader grasp the full meaning of
the text. When the KJV translators added such words they set
them in italics so that we'd know these words were added, unlike
we find it in so many new versions today, which do not use the
italics.
Besides, no one has ever PROVEN that the italic words
are not the words of God because no one has "the originals" to
check them with. In fact, we know for sure that the translators
were led by the Holy Spirit to add at least some of the italicized
words.
One good example of this is found in II Samuel 21:19.
When the translators came to this verse in the Hebrew text, they
noticed that an exact translation would give Elhanan credit for
38
slaying Goliath, but we know from I Chronicles 20:5 that he
actually slew the brother of Goliath. So the KJV translators added
the words "the brother of" to II Samuel 21:19. If the Lord had
not led them to do so, then II Samuel 21:19 would contradict I
Chronicles 20:5 (as it DOES in the New World Translation!).
Another fine example is I John 2:23. The last half of the
verse was missing at the time, but the KJV translators inserted it
anyway (in italics), feeling that it was necessary. This naturally
disturbed many people, but since that time new manuscripts have
been found which CONTAIN the last half of I John 2:23. The
translators were right in adding the italicized words.
One last example of the Holy Spirit's guiding influence on
the KJV translators is found in Psalm 16:8, which says, "I have
set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand,
I shall not be moved." As you can see, the words "he is" are in
italics. According to many scholars they should be omitted, but
according to the Apostle Peter they should not be omitted. Peter
quotes Psalm 16:8 in Acts 2:25 and he USES the italicized words!
How did the translators know this if the Lord didn't lead them?
The italics in the King James Bible are the marks of an
honest translation for no one added these words to mislead us or to
change the word of God. They added the words to help us, and
they set the words in italics so we'd know they were added. That's
honesty. I know the KJV is the word of God, because the
translators were more honest in their work than any of the modern
Bible translators.

VIII. THE NEW PERVERSIONS COMPARE

THEMSLEVES TO THE KJV

The new versions do not compare themselves to one

another near as much as they compare themselves to one Book:
the King James Bible. This fact alone proves that there is
something very special and unique about the KJV.
Why does everyone line up in opposition AGAINST the
King James Bible? Why not attack one another? That's easy:
Satan has no desire to divide his own kingdom (Mt. 12:26). His
desire is to discredit the word of GOD, not himself; so he attacks
only one Book, God's Book, the KJV.
Those who oppose the KJV are unsure of themselves, for
they have no Final Authority; so they despise those of us who DO
39
have an Authority. They're unstable, insecure, dishonest, and very
inconsistent. They're all terrified of One Book, the KJV, and
they'll stop short of nothing in their efforts to rid the Body of
Christ of that Book.
I know the KJV is the word of God, because it's the
standard which all others use for comparison.

IX. THE TIME OF ITS TRANSLATION

The King James Bible was not translated during the

apostate and lukewarm Laodicean church period, like the new
translations. The Laodicean period is the last church period before
the Second Coming of Christ. It is the last of the seven church
periods in Revelation chapters two and three. One can clearly see
that we are living in the Laodicean period today by simply
comparing modern churches to the church of Revelation 3:14-22.
This lukewarm period began toward the end of the 1800's and will
continue until Christ returns. The new versions fit well into the
lukewarm churches because they are lukewarm "bibles."
The Authorized Version, however, was translated long
before the Laodicean churches appeared. It was translated during
the Philadelphia church period, which is the best church period of
all. In fact, it was this church that the Lord Jesus commended for
keeping His word (Rev. 3:8-10)!
In 1611, when the King James Bible was completed, the
scourge of lukewarm Laodicea had not yet swept over the world.
There was no "scientific" crowd around in 1611 to put pressure on
the translators. There was no civil rights movement going on at
this time to influence the work of these men. The women were not
screaming for "equal rights," and the humanists and socialists had
not yet taken control. The “politically correct” crowd would not
appear for another four centuries. The massive army of liberal and
modernistic preachers had not yet been assembled. The open
public denial of God's word and the Deity of Christ was practically
unheard of among ministers. It wasn't until the twentieth century
that professing Christianity became flooded with lukewarm
preachers who would be willing to compromise the word of God
for self gain.
The greatest missionary work in church history occurred
between 1700 and 1900, so it makes sense that God would have a
40
Bible ready for this great work, and He did - the KJV.
Unfortunately, the new translations appeared a bit LATE on the
scene! Think about that. ALL NEW BIBLE TRANSLATIONS
COMPLETELY MISSED THE GREAT MISSIONARY WORKS
OF THE 1700’S AND 1800’S! I know the KJV is the word of
God because of the time in history in which it was translated.

X. NO ONE HAS PROVED THAT THE KJV IS NOT GOD’S

WORD

Has any scholar actually PROVED that there are errors in

the King James Bible? No. Enemies of the KJV delight in
ignoring the facts about the Authorized Version, while never
proving anything. All apparent "errors" in the KJV can be
explained through prayer and a careful study of the scriptures, but
the opponents of the KJV aren't interested in looking for truth;
they're interested attacking God's word, while never proving
anything. I know the KJV is the word of God because, after four
hundred years, no one has proven otherwise.

XI. THE MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE

Only a very deceived individual could believe that the

new versions are equal to the King James Bible. Ninety-five
percent of all evidence supports the text of the King James
Authorized Version. The new versions are supported by the
remaining five percent evidence.
The new "bibles" are supported by two very corrupt fourth
century manuscripts, known as "Vaticanus" and "Siniaticus."
These manuscripts are filled with many text alterations to meet the
demands of Roman Catholic tradition. They also include the
Apocrypha, which the Lord Jesus Christ excluded from the Old
Testament in Luke 24:44. All new versions contain readings from
these corrupt manuscripts, and all new versions use their tiny five
percent evidence to attack the ninety-five percent majority text of
the King James Bible.
The Textus Receptus (received text) from which the King
James Bible came can be traced clear back to Antioch, Syria,
where the disciples were first called Christians and where Paul and
41
Barnabas taught the word of God for a whole year (Acts 11:26).
The other "bibles" do not come from Antioch. They come from
Alexandria, Egypt, and from Rome. We don't need an Egyptian
version, for Egypt is a type of the world in the Bible. God called
His people out of Egypt (Exod. 3-14), and God called His Son out
of Egypt (Hos. 11:1 with Matt. 2:13-15). Why, the Bible says that
"every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians" in Gen.
46:34, and the Lord Jesus Christ is called a SHEPHERD in John
chapter ten. Alexandria, Egypt, is associated with superstition in
Acts 28:11, and Aquilla and Pricilla had to set an Egyptian straight
on his doctrine in Acts chapter 18. Alexandrians are also found
disputing with Stephen in Acts 6:9. So we don't need a "bible"
from Alexandria, Egypt.
Then there's the Roman text, also called the "Western
Text." We can also do without a Roman "bible", because it was
Roman soldiers who nailed our Lord to the cross. The harlot of
Revelation 17 is a near perfect description of the Roman Catholic
Church, which has persecuted true Christians throughout church
history. Romans persecuted the Christians in Acts18:2, and in 70
A.D. the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. Rome is the "dreadful and
terrible" beast of Daniel chapter seven, and Christ will destroy the
"Revised Roman Empire" at the Second Coming (Dan. 2; 7; Rev.
13). It has been estimated that Rome is guilty of the blood of
some 200 million people who have rejected her corrupt system. A
"bible" from Rome is another thing we can live without.
There's only one line of manuscripts that we can trust, and
this is the line from Antioch, called the "Syrian" or "Byzantine"
type text. The word of God speaks positively of Antioch, and
negatively of Rome and Egypt. We should take the best and
dump the rest! I know the King James Bible is the word of God
because of the manuscript evidence.

XII. THE KJV EXALTS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Jesus said, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think

ye have eternal life: And they are they which testify of me."
(John 5:39)
A real Bible will testify of the Lord Jesus Christ. The true
word of God will always exalt Jesus Christ, and it will never
attack Hid Deity, His Virgin Birth, His Blood Atonement, His
Bodily Resurrection, His Glorious Second Coming, or any other
42
doctrines concerning His Person. However, the new versions
attack all of the fundamental doctrines concerning the Lord Jesus
Christ at one time or another.
By perverting the many important verses of scripture
which deal with the fundamental doctrines of Christ, the new
"bibles" have a continuous attack launched against our beloved
Saviour, and this is not an overstatement! His Virgin Birth is
under attack in Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:34, and Luke 2:33. His Blood
Atonement is under attack in Colossians 1:14, Acts 20:28,
Ephesians 1:7, and Revelation 1:5. The Bodily Resurrection is
under attack in Acts 1:3, Luke chapter 24, and the last twelve
verses of Mark. His Deity is under attack in Acts 10:28, John
9:35, and I Timothy 3:16. The new versions attack the Second
Coming in Revelation 11:15, and Titus 2:13, and the list goes on
because the new versions have an extreme bitter hatred toward the
Authorized Version and the way it gives the Lord Jesus Christ the
preeminent place.
If the reader doubts this, we challenge you to take
whatever version you want and compare the above verses in it to
the same verses in the King James Bible. The new "bibles" have a
very consistent record of attacking the Lord Jesus Christ; so they
cannot possibly be "the scriptures" that He said would testify of
Him in John 5:39. They testify AGAINST him.
The King James Bible never attacks our Lord. More than
any book in the world, the Authorized Version of the Protestant
Reformation EXALTS the Lord Jesus Christ. If we had no other
reason for receiving the Authorized Version as the word of God,
this reason alone should be enough to convince any true believer,
for how could we not become suspicious of the new versions for
making such changes? I know the King James Bible is the word
of God because it always exalts the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lesson Review
1. In which period of church history was the King James Bible
translated?

a. Philadelphia
b. Laodicean
c. Sardis
d. Ephesus
43
2. In which period of church history were the new versions
translated?

a. Philadelphia
b. Laodicean
c. Sardis
d. Ephesus

3. Whom must one contact for permission to print King James

Bibles?

a. Thomas Nelson Publishers

b. Oxford University Press
c. Cambridge Press
d. No one

4. True or False? Only the Living Bible has produced more good
fruit than the King James Bible.

5. What percentage of all manuscript evidence supports the

readings in the King James Bible?

a. 36%
b. 82%
c. 95%
d. 66%

6. The King James Bible is supported by the majority readings

found in the:

a. Vaticanus
b. Textus Receptus
c. Siniaticus

7. Which of the following is NOT a city associated with

manuscripts?

a. Rome
b. Jerusalem
c. Antioch
d. Alexandria
44
8. From which of the above cities do the best manuscripts come?

Suggested Memory Verses: I Thessalonians 2:13, II Timothy

2:15

Lesson V

Your Spirit, Your Soul, and Your Body

In this lesson we will be studying a subject that modern-
day psychiatrists and psychologists know nothing about, yet these
very people profess to be authorities on human nature and human
behavior. Imagine going to a doctor so he can help you get well
and he doesn't even know what you are!
The Bible says that you are a SPIRIT, a SOUL, and a
BODY. Before you can understand who you are and how you are
supposed to get anywhere in life, you must get acquainted with the
doctrine of spirit, soul, and body. This lesson is written from the
standpoint that God knows more about us than we do (since He
created us) and that God's word can shed more light on human
behavior than any man has ever written. You won't be very
popular or very recognized for believing the forthcoming pages,
but you will be right.
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I
pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Ths.
5:23)
Now, there it is. Paul said that you have a spirit, a soul,
and a body. You are a three-part being. You do not have just a
body, and you do not have just a body and a soul. You have spirit,
a soul, and a body. As we shall learn in a later lesson, God is a
trinity consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, He has made
man a trinity also. In fact, your soul pictures God the Father, your
body pictures Jesus Christ Who was once here in the flesh, and
your spirit pictures the Holy Spirit. God is a trinity, so He has
made man a trinity.
Think of the sun for a moment. The sun gives off light
rays, chemical rays, and heat rays, yet it is still just one sun. Three
rays, but one sun. You are three parts, but one person.
45
 A football is also a good example. It has the outward
leather which you see. Then there's an inner tube which you
cannot see. Then there’s the air inside the inner tube. A football
is three parts, but one football. You are three parts, but one
person. You are a spirit, a soul, and a body.
Notice how it all began in Genesis: "And the LORD God
formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
(Gen. 2:7) First, God formed a BODY from dirt. Then He
breathed a SPIRIT into the body, and then man became a living
SOUL. That "breath of life" is the spirit. Ecclesiastes 12:7 says,
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the
spirit shall return unto God who gave it." He gave it in Genesis
2:7. That word for "spirit" in the New Testament is "pneuma",
which can be translated "breath", "breeze", "a current of air",
"life", "mind", "ghost", or "spirit." When God breathed into
Adam's lifeless body a LIFE was formed. A complete man was
made, which had a spirit, a soul, and a body.

I. YOUR SPIRIT

What good is a football without air? It's no good, for it's

just a dead ball. What good is man without God's Spirit? He is
NO GOOD. So, God made man in his own image with a spirit, a
soul, and a body. Notice Genesis 1:26: "And God said, Let us
make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." He said "in our
image." That's the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God made man in a perfectly sinless image and placed
him in a perfect paradise with a simple command: "And the
LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the
garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the
day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Gen. 2:16-
17) Man was told that he would DIE for eating of the forbidden
fruit, but this cannot be physical death, because Genesis chapter
five tells us that Adam lived hundreds of years beyond the day of
his sin. Man was made a "living soul" when he received God's
Spirit, so man "died" spiritually when he sinned and lost God's
46
Spirit. When Satan said, "Ye shall not surely die" (Gen. 3:1), he
was being very deceitful. Man DIDN'T die physically, but he DID
die spiritually. When Adam sinned he lost God's Spirit, and he
lost God's IMAGE. Adam was made in God's image, but when he
had children they were born in ADAM'S image with a sin nature.
Notice Genesis 5:3: "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty
years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and
called his name Seth:" Adam was the only man in the Old
Testament to have the image of God, and he had it only for a short
time. It isn't until Jesus Christ comes and pays for the sin of the
world that we read again about a man having God's image.
Colossians 3:10 says, "And have put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created
him:" Notice Hebrews 1:3: "Who being the brightness of his
glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all
things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on
high;" Jesus Christ is the image of God, and no one can be born
in God's image until they are BORN AGAIN (John 3:3). Then,
and only then, can a person have God's image. "And as we have
borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of
the heavenly." (I Cor. 15:49)
Since life produces life, it takes life for someone to
receive God's image through Christ. The new birth is a
supernatural birth where the eternal life in Christ gives spiritual
birth to a fallen man. First, one must hear the living word.
Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart." The word of God is ALIVE (quick). Jesus
said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth
nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and
they are life." (John 6:63) The word of God is a living book with
living words, which has the power to bring about a new birth.
Notice I Peter 1:23: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever." If you've been saved, then it's because you
once had a dead spirit, and then upon receiving Christ as your
Saviour you received a new nature, a new image, and a new Spirit.
Ephesians 4:30 says you are sealed with the Holy Spirit. You
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were DEAD spiritually, but God raised you up. Ephesians 2:1
says, "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses
and sins:" Why were you dead? You lost God's image and God's
Spirit in Genesis, and you had to wait for Jesus Christ to give it
back to you.
Think of this. Everyone on earth is either in Adam or in
Christ. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be
made alive." (I Cor. 15:22) There is no third dwelling. Either
you are a sinner in Adam, or you are a saint in Christ. There are
no other options. If you're in Adam, then your spirit is dead
because it was made in Adam's image which was also dead. If
you're in Christ, then you've been born again and sealed with
God's Spirit, in God's image. Everyone has a spirit, but not
everyone has a living spirit in the eyes of God.

II. YOUR SOUL

Your soul is the real you which dwells inside your body
until the moment you die. When you die, your soul departs from
your body and goes to be with the Lord or goes to suffer in Hell.
In Genesis 35:18, we read about the death of Rachel: "And it
came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that
she called his name Benoni: but his father called him
Benjamin." When was her soul in departing? It departed when
she died. In II Timothy 4:6, Paul said, "For I am now ready to
be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand." Did his
body depart when he died? No, his body was buried. His soul
departed. In II Corinthians 5:8 Paul says, "We are confident, I
say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be
present with the Lord." According to God's word, when a
person dies their soul departs from their body and moves to its
eternal home.
"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under
the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God,
and for the testimony which they held:" (Rev. 6:9) So then a
soul has a bodily shape which can be seen. You and I cannot see it
today, but it can be seen, if we are to believe Revelation 6:9. John
said he saw the souls. Now consider Luke 16:23-25: "And in hell
he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar
off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may
48
dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am
tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember
that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and
likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and
thou art tormented." There's a man who has died and went to
Hell. His body was buried, and then he lifted up his eyes in Hell
and asked for water to cool his tongue. This man's original eyes
were still in his dead body in the grave, as well as his tongue, but
his soul, which had a bodily shape, was now in Hell. His soul had
eyes, a tongue, and a brain to make them function. While his body
lay dead in the grave, this man's soul suffered in Hell with all of
his senses, a central nervous system, and a memory.
Some teach that Hell is the grave and that the soul only
goes to the grave at death. This just won't do. In fact, there are
three very good reasons why this cannot be true:

1. There is no FIRE in the grave, but the Bible declares

that there is fire in Hell (Deu. 32:22; Mat. 5:22;
Mark 9:43-48; Jas. 3:6)
2. Hell must be much worse than the grave because
Jesus said it's better to enter the kingdom blind or crippled
than to go to Hell (Mat. 18:8-9). Hell, unlike the grave,
must be a place of suffering.
3. In Genesis 49:33-50:5, Jacob dies and is "gathered unto his
people" (49:33). However, his body isn't buried until seventy
days later (50:3-5). What was gathered unto his people? It
was his soul. Like Rachel, Jacob's soul departed when he
died. His soul went to be with his people while his
body awaited burial.

When you received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, it was

your soul that was saved. This soul is in invisible bodily shape
which dwells inside of you until the day you die, or until the Lord
returns. When your soul leaves your body, it will be either present
with the Lord or tormented in Hell fire.

III. YOUR BODY

Paul said that if any man be in Christ he is a new creature

(II Cor. 5:17), but there is certainly nothing new about your body.
Your old dead spirit has been regenerated, and your soul has been
washed in the blood of the Lamb, but your flesh is still just as vile

49
as ever. You may think much of your flesh, but the Bible
comment is that your flesh is one of your worst enemies: "Watch
and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mat. 26:41) "For if ye live
after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Rom. 8:13) "For
all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of
grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth
away:" (I Pet. 1:24)
Your flesh is still just as carnal and corrupt as ever. Your
salvation hasn't changed your flesh. You have two natures now,
and the one you feed will win the battle in your life. Notice
Galatians 6:8: "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh
reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the
Spirit reap life everlasting." As a Christian, you can sow grass
seed and reap worthless grass, or you can sow good seed and reap
a good harvest. You can pile up junk on this earth, or you can lay
up treasure in Heaven.
Suppose you own two big dogs, a black one and a white
one. For thirty days you feed the black dog the best possible diet,
but you barely give the white dog enough food to stay alive. Then
one day the two dogs engage in a fight. Which dog do you
suppose will win? Naturally, the winner will be the one you've
been feeding.
How much should we feed the flesh? As little as possible.
Paul says in I Timothy 6:8, "And having food and raiment let us
be therewith content." Paul writes in Philippians 4:11, "Not
that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in
whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Your flesh will
never be content. God knows this to be true. God knows that your
flesh is corrupt and that it is capable of doing great damage to your
testimony. For this reason He says, "For if ye live after the flesh,
ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds
of the body, ye shall live." (Rom. 8:13) To "mortify" is to KILL.
What does God say about your flesh? He says KILL, OR BE
KILLED! If you live after the flesh ye shall die spiritually, so
MORTIFY (kill) the flesh before it kills you.
No, we aren't advocating suicide, or at least not physical
suicide. We are dealing with a spiritual battle in a spiritual war
that must be fought with spiritual weapons. Jesus said, "...If any
man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
50
cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23) Your flesh isn't going
to follow Christ. Your flesh wants to eat, drink, and be merry.
Your flesh wants to go to the movies, go shopping for the latest
styles, read dirty books and magazines, listen to worldly music,
and hang out with worldly people. Your flesh wants to keep Jesus
Christ in the closet about ninety-five percent of the time. Jesus
Christ wants to keep your flesh mortified (dead) most of the time.
How can this be done? How can a person stay spiritual
when they are trapped in a physical body? Paul gives some good
advice in Ephesians 6:10-18:
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in
the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that
ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore
take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand
therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having
on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with
the preparation of the gospel of peace, Above all, taking the
shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for
all saints;"
Did you notice Paul's emphasis on the word STAND? We
live in a weak and compromising generation when people do not
have the guts to STAND for anything because everyone lives in the
flesh, which is weak. God's people are supposed to be different.
We have an infallible printed authority which tells us right from
wrong, and God expects us to read His word, establish
convictions, and STAND on it! Like it or not, friend, you are on
the battlefield of good and evil, and there is no neutral ground.
Apart from the protective armour that Paul mentions, there
are two items that we can classify as offensive weapons: the word
of God and prayer. Through the written word God speaks to you,
and you speak to God through prayer. That's communication. The
more you commune with God the more like God you will become.

51
You will grow spiritually. By contrast, the less you commune
with God the less like Him you will be. You will shrink spiritually.
David said in Psalm 119:11, "Thy word have I hid in
mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:9
says, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by
taking heed thereto according to thy word." In John 15:3 the
Lord Jesus Christ says, "Now ye are clean through the word
which I have spoken unto you." Friend, if you plan to stay clean
for God, then you must feed on His word. As John Bunyan said,
"This Book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this
Book."
In Matthew 26:41, Jesus said, "Watch and pray, that ye
enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak." Notice the contrast. The flesh is opposed to
prayer. You've spent more time eating today than you have
praying. Why? The flesh is weak. It is weak and it will quench
your spiritual power unless you STAND against it with God's word
and prayer. When you don't want to pray, just pray anyway,
because that's when you need prayer the most.
In I Corinthians 15:33, Paul said, "Be not deceived: evil
communications corrupt good manners." If evil communi-
cations corrupt good manners, then GOOD communications
corrupt evil manners! If you want to see the Holy Spirit mortify
(kill) the influence of your flesh, just stay in close communion
with God. Pray and read God's word daily. The Spirit will stay
"stirred up" and the flesh will be over-powered.
In your flesh dwells no good thing (Rom. 7:18). Your
flesh is your enemy, and it will remain your enemy for the rest of
your life. Don't let the enemy win. STAND and FIGHT.
Will the flesh ever be righteous? Will the flesh ever be
saved like the soul? Yes, it certainly will. There is coming a day
when the saints of God will be given new glorified bodies. We
will be given immortal bodies that can never sin and never die.
Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul says, "Who shall change
our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body, according to the working whereby he is able even to
subdue all things unto himself." (Philip. 3:21) Jesus Christ is
now in a glorified body (Rev. 1), and those who follow Him will
receive one as well. Romans 8:23 says that we are waiting for
"the redemption of our body." The Christian's soul has been
redeemed, but his body still awaits redemption.
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 Notice these words of comfort from I Corinthians 15: "So
also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it
is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in
glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a
natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural
body, and there is a spiritual body.....In a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall
be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality.....Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that
your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (I Cor. 15:42-44, 52-53,
58)
In closing, think of it this way. The subject of spirit, soul,
and body has to do with the penalty, the power, and the presence
of sin. In the PAST, my SOUL was saved from the PENALTY of
sin. In the PRESENT, (day by day) my SPIRIT is saved from the
POWER of sin, because I have God's Spirit to be my guide and
comfort. In the FUTURE, my BODY will be saved from the
PRESENCE of sin.

Lesson Review
1. Fill in the blanks: "And the very God of peace sanctify you
wholly; and I pray God your whole _______ and _______ and
______ be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ."

2. The above verse is found where?

3. True or false? Since God is the Creator of all men, everyone is

created in God's image.

4. In Genesis 3, man died:

a. emotionally
b. in type
c. spiritually
d. spiritually and physically

53
5. Which of the following references do NOT speak of Jesus
Christ as being the image of God:

a. John 6:63
b. Heb. 1:3
c. Col. 3:10

6. In Hebrews 4:12, what is meant by the word "quick"?

7. Fill in the blank: "And it came to pass, as her _______ was in

departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his
father called him Benjamin."

8. Does a person's soul have a bodily shape?

9. In Luke chapter 16, the rich man's body went to the _________,
but his soul went to ________.

10. Where in the Bible does Jesus say that the flesh is weak?

11. We need to take up our cross and follow Jesus:

a. when we are saved

b. daily
c. when we serve God

12. The Christian's armour includes two offensive weapons. What

are they?

13. Where does Paul speak about the "redemption of our body"?

14. In the past your soul was saved from the ___________ of sin.

15. In the present your spirit is saved from the ___________ of

sin.

16. In the future you body is saved from the ___________ of sin.

Suggested Memory Verse: I Thessalonians 5:23

54
 Lesson VI

What Does God Expect of Me?

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and
follow me." (Luke 9:23) "What? know ye not that your body
is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have
of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a
price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God's." (I Cor. 6:19-20)
Technically, God expects nothing of you. Jesus said in
John 15:5, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth
in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for
without me ye can do nothing. He said, "nothing." A branch is
no good without the vine. A branch by itself will die and become
useless. God expects all believers to deny themselves and
acknowledge their need to allow Jesus Christ to work through
them, just as a vine produces fruit through its branches. By simply
obeying God's word a Christian serves God and glorifies Him.
Jesus said, "...I do always those things that please him." (John
8:29) Every Christian is supposed to be a FULL TIME
SERVANT. Our Christian duty is to follow Jesus and please our
Heavenly Father. God's word gives us all the instructions we need
to live a Christ-honoring life and to lay up great treasures in
Heaven. This lesson presents some of the more important duties
of every Christian.

I. SUBMIT TO BELIEVERS’ BAPTISM

"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same

scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on
their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch
said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou
mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand
still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and
the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come
up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip,

55
that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way
rejoicing." (Acts 8:35-39)
Notice the proper order of events: (1) The eunuch heard
the Gospel. (2) He was told that he must BELIEVE with all his
heart before he could be baptized. (3) He confessed Jesus Christ
openly. (4) Phillip baptized the man by immersion in water. (5)
The eunuch then rejoiced.
Scriptural New Testament baptism is for believers only,
and the only mode of baptism is total immersion. Baptism saves
no one, but it does serve as a perfect opportunity to be openly
identified with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. If
baptism were for salvation then Jesus would not have been
baptized, because He needed no salvation. Baptism pictures the
death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ. Jesus said in
Matthew 28:19, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost:" A sinner is saved by grace through faith in
Christ (Eph. 2:8-9), but an obedient Christian will submit to our
Lord's will and be baptized. God expects you to be baptized.

II. FEAR GOD

Psalm 111:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the

beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that
do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever."
Solomon said, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole
duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment,
with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be
evil." (Ecc. 12:13-14)
To fear God is to simply reverence Him--to highly respect
His power and authority over you. A person who fears God is a
person who always considers God's word and God's will. This is
something that modern America knows very little about. As Paul
wrote in Romans 3:18, "There is no fear of God before their
eyes." A person who fears God is a person who lives a humble
and obedient life before God, always being mindful of the fact that
God is HOLY and He will not overlook sin. According to
Proverbs 15:16, "Better is little with the fear of the LORD than
great treasure and trouble therewith." No matter how educated

56
or wealthy a man may be, if he doesn't fear God he is FOOLISH
and POOR.
In Matthew 10:28, Jesus said, "And fear not them which
kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear
him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." A
man who fears God has no one else to fear, but a man who fears
not God has everyone to fear. Putting God first and fearing Him
above all is the key to a happy and fulfilling life. Also see Psalm
118:6 and Proverbs 29:25.

III. READ AND STUDY GOD’S WORD

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a

workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the
word of truth." (II Tim 2:15) Paul tells us here to STUDY
God's word that we might be APPROVED by God. A Christian
who doesn't spend adequate time in God's word is a disobedient
Christian. This world is filled with sin and ungodly elements, and
only through God's word can we find true spiritual refreshment to
keep us clean and set apart for God's service. David said, "Thy
word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against
thee." (Psa 119:11) God's word will keep a Christian clean!
God's word is like a spiritual bar of soap which the Christian uses
DAILY to be a sweet smelling savor to God. Speaking of the
church in Ephesians 5:26, the Apostle Paul said, "That he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word."
Psalm 119:9 says, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his
way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word." Jesus
said, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken
unto you." (John 15:3) It's all through the Bible, friend, a
Christian CANNOT stay clean without God's word!
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy
mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that
thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written
therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and
then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded
thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither
be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee
whithersoever thou goest." (Jsh. 1:8-9) That's God's promise. A
DAILY habit of spending time in God's word will guarantee a
prosperous and successful life. David said, "O how love I thy
57
law! it is my meditation all the day. (Psa 119:97) Is this true in
your life? It should be. Every Christian should love God's word
and meditate on it often.

IV. PRAY ALWAYS

Jesus said that , "...men ought always to pray, and not

to faint." (Luke 18:1) God speaks to us through Bible reading,
but we speak to Him through prayer. Every Christian needs a
special time each day (perhaps more than once per day) when he
gets alone with God in prayer. Mark 1:35 says, "And in the
morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and
departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." Jesus
realized the need to pull away for a while and get alone with His
Father in prayer. In our fast-paced society this is sometimes hard,
but it's very necessary and well worth the effort.
If you're really trusting God for your daily needs and the
needs of others, then you will naturally go to Him in prayer to
make your requests known. When a child is really depending on a
father to do something, he won't quit talking to the father about it
until it’s done. In fact, that’s one thing that moves the father to get
it done sooner! God expects us to come to Him on a regular basis
to simply "empty" ourselves by laying all our wants and needs in
His hands.
Paul said, "Pray without ceasing" in I Thessalonians
5:17. Prayer is to be continual, because our relationship with God
is continual. Many Christians wait until they've become loaded
down with sins and many burdens before they pray, but this isn't
God's will. God commands us to pray ALWAYS so we'll never
become over-loaded with problems. He wants us to carry a
LIGHT load. Jesus said, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden
is light." (Mat. 11:30).
The subjects of prayer are many. Thanksgiving is an
important part of prayer (Mark 8:6; John 6:11; I Tim. 4:4-5). We
are told to pray for forgiveness (I John 1:9), for personal needs
(Mat. 6:9-13; Philip. 4:6, 19), and for wisdom (Jas. 1:5-7). We are
told to remember others in prayer (Rom. 1:9; Jas. 5:13-16), to
remember our government leaders (I Tim. 2:1-2), and to pray for
our pastors, churches, and missionaries (I Ths. 5:25; II Ths. 3:1;
Jas. 5:16).

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 Everyone needs to take timeout each day for such physical
needs as bathing, eating, and sleeping. Likewise, every Christian
needs a special time each day for Bible reading and prayer.

V. PRAISE GOD

The word "praise" is found 248 times in the Bible. God

desires to be praised by His people! Psalm 22:3 says, "But thou
art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." God
INHABITS the praises of His people! Psalm 150:6 says, "Let
every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the
LORD."
Hebrews 13:15 instructs us on how to praise our God: "By
him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his
name." The key words here are "LIPS" and "THANKS". It is
your Christian duty to use your LIPS to let God know and to let
others know that God is a great God and that you are THANKFUL
for His blessings.
This can be done in normal conversation or by singing. In
Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas were in jail, yet they sang praises unto
God in the presence of others. Romans 10:11 says, "...Who-
soever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." God expects us
to praise Him. When you love someone you speak highly of them.
If you love God, you'll speak highly of Him by praising Him.

VI. BE AN INVOLVED CHURCH MEMBER

Just as a soldier belongs in the military service, a Christian

belongs in a Bible-believing church. It is your Christian duty to be
an active member of a local New Testament church. Hebrews
10:25 says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:
and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." I
Corinthians 16:2 and Acts 20:7 designate the first day of the week
(Sunday) as the proper day for Christians to meet together for
preaching and fellowship.
God expects Christians to assemble together on a regular
basis to worship Him and to exhort one another. A true Christian
will get tired of this world and its ways throughout the week, so

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God has established the local church for our exhortation and
edification.
Actually, the local church has three functions: (1) the
salvation of sinners, (2) the edification of saints, and (3) the
glorification of the Saviour. NEVER join a church that isn't
striving for these three goals (and plenty of them aren't!). The
church is God's army on this earth, and God expects every
Christian to be a good soldier. II Timothy 2:3-4 says, "Thou
therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this
life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a
soldier." Friend, a soldier is a man who has been disciplined and
trained to work together with other soldiers in a fight against an
enemy. The local church is not your enemy. Satan is your enemy
(I Peter 5:8), so God wants you on HIS team so you can fight the
good fight against the Devil (II Tim. 4:7). Paul fought a good
fight, and he did so by being involved with and helping local
churches all of his Christian life.
Read your New Testament. The whole thing is about
churches. Even the last book of the Bible is written to seven
churches. The words "church" and "churches" are found over one
hundred times in the New Testament. Friend, God is very
interested in the work of the church. In fact, the church is the
BRIDE of Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:23-32; Rev. 21:2, 9). How could
you really be close to Jesus Christ and not care for His bride?
Friend, God wants YOU involved in a local Bible-believing
church. Television and radio evangelism may have some good to
offer, but that isn't a church. A church is a called-out group of
believers in Jesus Christ.
You say, "Well, there are too many hypocrites down
there." That's THEIR problem, and God will deal with THEM
about their sins, but YOU will give account for yourself (Rom.
14:12). God's word never gives us a good reason for not being
involved in a local church ministry. Even with all their problems,
Paul never advised the Corinthian Christians to get out of church.
He taught them to deal with their problems and grow as Christians
(Read I and II Corinthians). Our Lord loved the church and gave
Himself for it (Eph. 5:25), and in Matthew 16:18 He said, "...I will
build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
it." The church is God's winning team. If you want to be a

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winning Christian for your Saviour, then join a good church, and
support the pastor and members.

VII. GIVE TO GOD

In Luke 6:38 Jesus said, "Give, and it shall be given

unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together,
and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with
the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to
you again." This world is packed full of wicked and selfish
people. God expects His people to be different. Anyone can be a
TAKER, but it takes self discipline to be a good GIVER.
II Corinthians 9:7 says, "...so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."
Just giving isn't enough to please God. He expects us to give
cheerfully. There are basically three ways to give to God. You
should give of your time, give of your talents, and give of your
treasures.

Give of Your Time

Since you are bought with a price (I Cor. 6:19-20), you

really have no time of your own. You have 168 hours per week,
and God owns them all. You will give account for every wasted
minute, and you will be rewarded for every minute that was well
spent. Notice Paul's instruction from Ephesians 5: "See then that
ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the
time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise,
but understanding what the will of the Lord is." (Eph. 5:15-17)
We are told to REDEEM the time. Make the most of every
minute. Someone once said, "You cannot kill time without
injuring eternity."

Give of Your Talents

I Peter 4:11 says, "If any man speak, let him speak as
the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the
ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and
dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

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 When I was in grammar school my teachers often
conversed with my parents about my progress. I had the idea that
I was doing well enough as long as I passed. My teachers would
tell my parents, "James is doing okay, but he is ABLE to do a lot
better." God isn't just monitoring our Christian service: He is also
comparing our service to our ABILITY. You may very well be
living a much more honorable Christian life than your neighbor,
but are you doing your BEST? Are you using all of your God-
given talents for His honor and glory? If you have a special talent,
start praying that God will show you how to use it for Him. Bob
Jones Sr. once said, "It's always a sin to do less than your best."

Give of Your Treasure

A common practice among Christians is tithing. To tithe

is to give a tenth. The first occurrence of tithing in the Bible is in
Genesis 14:20 where Abraham gives God a tenth of his
possessions. Jacob also vows to tithe in Genesis 28:22. Tithing
was also a requirement under the Mosaic law (Lev. 27:30-32;
Num. 18:21-28; Deu. 14:22). A tenth of all income was to be
given over to the Levitical priesthood for their living and for the
maintenance of the Lord's service. The blessings of God were
promised to those who were obedient to His laws of tithing.
Malachi 3:8-10 says, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed
me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and
offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me,
even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove
me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that
there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Today, although we are no longer under the Mosaic law,
Bible-believing Christians still practice tithing because God
accepted tithes even before the law of Moses. If an Old Testament
Jew, whose sins had not yet been cleansed, can give a tenth of his
income to the Lord, how much more should we be willing to give,
whose sins have been washed away in the blood of Christ?
Most Bible-believing churches consider tithing a minimum
gift, which goes into a general fund to finance the basic expenses
of the church, while special love offerings and missions are
considered separate offerings altogether.
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VIII. LIVE A HOLY LIFE

God is holy, so He expects His children to be holy. I Peter

1:16 says, "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."
To be "holy" is to be whole, to be pure and blameless before God.
It is to lack nothing in God's sight. A Christian is not just a
"sinner saved by grace," as some teach. A Christian in the Bible is
a disciple. "...And the disciples were called Christians first in
Antioch." (Acts 11:26) A disciple of Jesus Christ is one who has
been disciplined to FOLLOW Jesus Christ. We have been called
to live HOLY LIVES, just as our Lord lived a holy life. Notice
these instructive words from II Corinthians chapter six:
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness? And what
concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the
temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living
God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you." (Vss. 14-17)
God demands HOLINESS. He is glorified when we live
above sin and His light of holiness shines through us. We cannot
be too careful. Paul said that we should "Abstain from all
appearance of evil." (I Thes. 5:22) Even things that may LOOK
evil can scar our Christian testimony, so God expects us to be
watchful and live holy lives. He expects us to stay unspotted by
this wicked world.

IX. ESTABLISH GOOD CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIPS

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new

creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are
become new." (II Cor. 5:17)
The last thing you need as a Christian is a bunch of
worldly friends to hinder your spiritual growth. Amos 3:3 says,
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" There's no
point in having close friends who aren't spiritual. Acquaintances
and distant friends are fine, but your closest friends should be
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God-fearing Christians. Keep praying for your old friends and
witnessing to them, but make some new friends who are God’s
friends. A Christian's friends should be saved people who love
God and understand His purpose and plan in life. They'll be a
great encouragement and comfort to you in life.

X. LEARN TO GET ALONG WITH GOD’S PEOPLE

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that

ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with
all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one
another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace." (Eph. 4:1-3)
The best way to get along with people is to want to get
along with them. Satan delights in reaching our hearts through our
old nature and causing us to look for sins and faults among God's
people. Remember, it is Satan who accuses the brethren, not you
(Rev. 12:10). A sensitive and touchy spirit that is easily offended
by others is not the Holy Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Gal.
5:22-23) We need to work hard and really try to get along with
the brethren. Consider these fourteen items from God's word:

1. Love one another - John 15:12, 17

2. Confess faults to one another - Jas 5:16
3. Pray for one another - Jas 5:16
4. Prefer one another - Rom 12:10
5. Receive one another - Rom 5:7
6. Admonish one another - Rom 15:14
7. Serve one another - Gal. 1:3
8. Forbear one another - Eph. 4:2
9. Forgive one another - Eph. 4:32
10. Edify one another - I Ths. 5:11
11. Consider one another - Heb. 10:24
12. Exort one another - Heb. 3;13
13. Care for one another - I Cor. 12:25
14. Comfort one another - I Ths. 4:18

As someone has said, "You're going to live forever with

God's people; so you may as well learn to get along with them!" I
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have learned that I can get along with anyone whom I want to get
along with.

XI. SUBMIT TO AUTHORITIES

The Bible is filled with instruction on how Christians are

to respect and obey their appointed authorities. These authorities
fall into four general categories: the home, the government, the
employer, and the church.
In the home, wives are told to submit to their husbands
(Eph. 5:22-25), and children are told to obey their parents (Eph.
6:1-3). The "times" may have changed, but God and His words
have not changed. The ideal Christian home is a home where
everyone fears God under the leadership of a God-honoring
Christian man.
The government is also an appointed authority of God.
Romans 13:1-4 says, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher
powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be
are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the
power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist
shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a
terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be
afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt
have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee
for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he
beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a
revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
Governments were ordained of God, and He often deals
with men through governments. It is our Christian duty to respect
those who lead our local, state, and national governments.
Sometimes we cannot honestly respect the people in office, but we
can still respect the position that they hold and we can pray for
them. Paul writes these words to Timothy: "I exhort therefore,
that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all
that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable
life in all godliness and honesty." (I Tim. 2:1-2) Christians need
to behave themselves by obeying their leaders and praying for
them (Tit. 3:1; Jude 1:8; II Pet. 2:10-11; I Pet. 2:13-17), because it
was GOD Who made them leaders. We honor God by honoring
our leaders.
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 God also expects us to submit to our employers and not be
trouble makers. I Timothy 6:1-2 even commands servants to
submit to their masters. John the Baptist preached that the Roman
soldiers should be content with their wages (Luke 3:14). Unless an
employer requires an employee to violate God’s law, he is to be
content, remain humble, and submit. If he isn’t willing to submit,
then he can always look for a new job.
Then there are authorities within the church. Hebrews
13:17 says, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and
submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that
must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with
grief: for that is unprofitable for you." We are to honor God
by showing true respect for our spiritual leaders. Your pastor,
your deacons, and elders are men whom God has ordained to serve
as church leaders. Remember to honor God by praying for them
and respecting their authority. If you cannot honestly respect your
church leaders, then find a new church. NEVER rebel against
God's authorities! Don't start trouble. Just quietly behave yourself
and find a new church. God always blesses those who submit to
authority, because all authority comes from God.

XII. BE A CHRISTIAN WITNESS

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost

is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
A witness is a person who tells what he knows. Our job is
to tell lost people what we know about the Lord Jesus Christ and
His saving grace. A religion worth having is a religion worth
propagating. If you are saved, it's because someone took the time
to witness to you. Well, YOU should witness to others. Tell
others what Jesus has done for you, and what He can do for them.
Learn some good salvation verses from your Bible and tell others!
We will deal with this subject in much greater detail in our
next lesson, Leading Others to Christ.

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 Lesson Review
1. Where in the Bible does Jesus say for you to take up your cross
and follow Him?

2. The eunuch had to believe on Christ before he could be

baptized. This is found in:

a. Acts 16
b. Acts 8
c. Acts 2

3. "The ______ of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good

understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise
endureth for ever." (Psa 111:10)

4. How often are God's people supposed to meditate on God's

word?

5. "...men ought always to pray, and not to faint." These words

are found in:

a. Mark 1:35
b. John 6:37
c. Luke 18:1

6. True or False? Peter said we should pray without ceasing.

7. How do we praise God?

a. with our hearts

b. by obeying Him
c. with our lips
d. with true prayer

8. What verse in Hebrews says that we should not forsake the

assembling of ourselves together?

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9. What are the three ways to give to God?

1.
2.
3.

10. Give one Scripture reference on tithing?

11. I Peter 1:16 speaks about:

a. giving to God
b. forgiving others
c. being honest
d. being holy

12. Where does the Bible say for us to abstain from all appearance
of evil?

13. Where does the Bible speak of the fruit of the Spirit?

14. "the powers that be are ________ ___ _______...."

15. What are the three main authorities that God has ordained
upon the earth?

16. Hebrews 13:17 says:

a. pray for them that have the rule over you...

b. obey them that have the rule over you...
c. resist them that have the rule over you...

17. True or False? A witness is a person who leads others to

Christ.

Suggested Memory Verses: Luke 9:23, Psalm 119:11, I

Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 6:38, I Peter 1:16, II Corinthians 5:17

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 Lesson VII

Leading Others to Christ

Proverbs 11:30 says, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree
of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” It is the duty of
every Christian to work toward winning others to Christ. In Acts
1:8, our Lord Jesus Christ told His followers, “But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the
earth.” It is our duty to witness to the lost about Jesus Christ and
His saving grace. This lesson has been prepared to help you be
more equipped to deal with lost people with the word of God.
Unfortunately, most of the witnessing that you do in your
Christian life will not lead a person to Christ. Most witnessing
will simply be a matter of you letting someone know that they are
a sinner, Christ died for them, and He wants to save them. You
may do this verbally, or you may simply leave someone a tract or
write a letter. Either way, most people will ignore you for the most
part and reject Christ. Regardless, it is still our duty to be a
WITNESS. A witness is not a person who wins others, but simply
a person who TELLS WHAT HE KNOWS. That’s our duty--to
tell the lost what we know about Jesus Christ and His saving
grace. This point is well made in Ezekiel 3:17-19: “Son of man, I
have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore
hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou
givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from
his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die
in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if
thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness,
nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou
hast delivered thy soul.” It is not our duty to win everyone, but it
is our duty to WARN them. Paul said in Acts 20:26-27 that he
was pure from the blood of all men because he had declared unto
them the whole counsel of God. That’s our job--to tell the world
about Jesus Christ.
Jesus compared this to fishing in Matthew 4:19 when He
said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Now
immediately we learn three things from this command: (1) Most
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men will never “bite”, (2) some will “get away,” and (3) we will
“catch” some.
If I choose to go fishing, I surely know that most of the
fish in the lake will never bite my hook. I’d be a fool to think that
every fish is out there just waiting for my hook and bait to hit the
water. I just accept the fact that most won’t care to “bite.”
Now some will bite, and I can expect that. But I cannot
expect to catch each fish that bites. Some, perhaps even most, will
get away. They will steal my bait, and I’ll have to bait my hook
again and keep trying. I’d be foolish to get discouraged and quit
fishing just because some fish got away.
A fisherman will catch some fish. A quitter may never
catch any, but a person who fishes regularly will catch some fish.
There is simply no way you can fish every day and never catch a
fish. You say, “I haven’t caught a fish all year.” That’s because
you haven’t been fishing every day. You’ve went a few times,
perhaps several times, but not every day. If you fish every day
you will catch fish.
The same is true in witnessing. If you consistently
witness and pray, you will lead people to Christ. You may not
always be the person to open the Bible and deal with them from
the Scriptures, but you will see souls saved through your continual
witness. Sometimes you may be the person to tell them about
Christ, show them the Scriptures, and pray with them as they call
upon the Lord for salvation. It is at these moments that Satan
fights the hardest, so a good knowledge of God’s word will do
wonders. There’s nothing like taking a Bible and seeing a
person’s eyes light up as they begin to really understand what you
show them about salvation.

I. CONDITIONS FOR EFFECTIVE WITNESSING

Take your Bible and read Acts 8:26-40. This is the story
of the Ethiopian eunuch who became a Christian after Phillip
witnessed to him about Christ. This story offers several good
points about effective witnessing. First, we’ll consider some
points from the standpoint of Phillip, the Christian witness. Then
we’ll consider three points from the eunuch’s standpoint. Thirdly,
we’ll examine this event from the standpoint of the Holy Spirit.
When all is considered, we will have studied an ideal situation for
effective witnessing.
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From Phillip’s Standpoint

He responded to the Holy Spirit’s leadership

In verse 26, the Holy Spirit told Phillip to “arise and go.”
Then in verse 27 Phillip “arose and went.” Rather than wiggle
out of the opportunity, Phillip simply obeyed God’s lead. He
asked no questions, and he made no excuses. He “arose and
went.”
When God speaks to your heart about witnessing to a
person, then ARISE and GO. You say, “Well, how do I know it’s
God speaking to me?” Well, who else would it be? Do you think
Satan wants you to witness to someone about Christ? Follow
God’s lead!

He proceeded tactfully

Notice the wisdom that Phillip used in verse 30. He didn’t

run up to the chariot and yell “You’re going to Hell if you don’t
repent!” This wasn’t the time and place for that. Phillip used
some godly wisdom by taking advantage of the moment. The
eunuch was already reading his Bible, so Phillip stepped in real
casual and smooth and simply said, “Understandest thou what
thou readest?” Now a conversation had been opened.

He used the Scriptures

In verses 32 through 35 we see that the eunuch was

reading Isaiah 53, so Phillip used Isaiah 53 to teach this man about
Christ. He didn’t go into long-winded stories about his own
“religious experience.” Phillip simply took God’s word and gave
this man the answer he was seeking. No man-made method can
beat the Scriptures. Just learn the Book and use it (Heb. 4:12).

He presented the Lord Jesus Christ

Verse 35 says that Phillip “preached unto him Jesus.”

Phillip stuck to the subject at hand, Jesus Christ, and avoided
discussions that weren’t relevant to this man getting saved. Jesus
told us to be witnesses unto Him (Acts 1:8). We should always
stick to the subject and preach Jesus.
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He followed through to completion

In verses 36 through 39 we see that Phillip stayed there

until the Holy Spirit led him away. He didn’t just witness and then
leave. Phillip wanted RESULTS. He wanted to see this man trust
Christ as Saviour, so he stayed right on through the end.
If you find yourself making some real progress with a lost
person, STAY THERE and keep giving them the word! Stick with
the subjects of sin and the Saviour, and watch God soften that
heart and bring them to a genuine conversion.

From the Eunuch’s Standpoint

He was open to the truth

This man had come to Jerusalem to worship (vs. 27).

From this we can see that he was looking for truth. Why didn’t he
stay home and worship the gods of North Africa? He knew there
was more. He knew there was a true God, and he sought to know
more about Him. To really be effective with a person, that person
must be seeking for the truth. Jesus said seek and ye shall find
(Mat. 7:7).

He needed to understand the word

In verses 30 and 31, Phillip wants to make sure that this

man understands the Scripture. Just reading a few verses isn’t
enough. We need to do our best to help the lost understand New
Testament salvation. Too many “soul-winners” have a neat little
system of selected Bible verses that they use on people without
ever making sure that these verses are really understood. The
“Roman’s Road” is fine, but make sure the lost person
understands it. It may be necessary to present many other portions
of Scripture just to properly explain the Roman’s Road.

He had to believe

Notice in verse 36 the eunuch desired to be baptized. No

doubt, many preachers today would have went right ahead and
baptized him without asking any questions, but not Phillip. Phillip
knew that mere baptism couldn’t save anyone, so in verse 37 he
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made sure that this man BELIEVED. He had just preached to him
from Isaiah 53 (the crucifixion), and now he wanted to know if the
eunuch believed, if he accepted his message. The eunuch
confessed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
We need to make sure that the lost believe on Christ, and
mental belief isn’t enough (James 2:19). Before a man can be
saved, he must believe FROM THE HEART. Romans 6:17 says,
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye
have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was
delivered you.” We need to make sure a person really means
business. We need to make sure they really believe (Acts 16:30-
31; John 1:12; Rom. 10:9-10; I Cor. 1:21).

From the Holy Spirit’s Standpoint

He led Phillip to the right place

Notice in verse 29 that God knew exactly where Phillip

needed to be. God didn’t tell him why, but He did command
Phillip to go to the chariot. Phillip had no idea that a man was
about to be saved, but he still obeyed God and trusted His
leadership.

He led Phillip to the right man

God made arrangements for Phillip and the eunuch to

have this conversation. He knew that the eunuch needed the
Gospel and that he was ready to receive it. We need to pray that
God will lead us to those who are most ready. Some are already
being dealt with by the Holy Spirit, and these are often the best
people to speak to about Christ.

He led Phillip to the right Scripture

Certainly, it was God’s plan for Isaiah 53 to be already

opened right there in the chariot. Phillip didn’t have to plan
everything and rehearse all of his words. The Holy Spirit led the
way, and Phillip followed His lead.

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He led Phillip to the right result

In verse 39, we have a man saved and rejoicing. That’s

the work of God. Only God can give true inner joy. Romans
14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
When a man is really saved, he has joy because he has peace with
God.

II. AN IDEAL CONVERSION

In this section we’re going to “listen in” on an ideal

conversation between a lost person and an experienced Christian
witness. Tim is a lost man, while Don is an experienced student of
the word. Pay close attention to how Don uses God’s word in
piercing Tim’s heart.

DON: Tim, let me give you something to read when you get a chance.

TIM: What is it?

DON: It’s a Gospel tract. It tells you about Jesus Christ and how He paid
for your sins on Calvary. By the way, are you a Christian?

TIM: Yeah, I guess so.

DON: Well, let me ask you this. If you died right now, are you 100%
sure that you wouldn’t go to Hell?

TIM: Well, of course not! No one can be 100% sure of that!

DON: Let me show you something from God’s word. Do you believe
God’s word?

TIM: Sure, I believe the Bible.

DON: Ok, this is I John 5:13--already highlighted for you. Would you
read it out loud?

TIM: It says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on
the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal
life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

DON: Did it say you can KNOW that you have eternal life?
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TIM: Well, I don’t think anyone can KNOW.

DON: What did the verse say?

TIM: But, how can you KNOW before you die? That’s impossible!

DON: I thought you believed the Bible, Tim?

TIM: Well, I do, but...

DON: What do you mean “BUT”? Either you believe it or you don’t.
Here, read II Timothy 1:12.

TIM: “...I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is

able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that
day.”

DON: Did Paul say that no one could know for sure?

TIM: Well...uh...no.

DON: Then why do you say that? God never told you to say it, so why
do you say it?

TIM: I just don’t see how....

DON: That’s the trouble, Tim. You’re trying to understand God without
God’s word. It cannot be done. God’s word reveals God’s will and His
plan for you and I. That plan includes knowing Jesus Christ as your
personal Lord and Saviour. Tim, has there ever been a time when you
really received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?

TIM: Yeah, I’ve been a church member for years, since I was a kid.

DON: That’s not what I’m asking. Here, read this verse, John 3:3.

TIM: “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God.”

DON: Did Jesus say anything about joining a church or being a good
person?

TIM: Well, no.

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DON: Tim, salvation is a NEW BIRTH. It’s a SPIRITUAL birth in
Jesus Christ. Just as you were once born physically, you must also be
born spiritually.

TIM: But why? Why is that even necessary?

DON: Well, let me show you why from God’s word. Here, read Romans
5:12.

TIM: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned:”

DON: You see, because of Adam’s sin in Eden (Gen. 3) he received a sin
nature. He lost fellowship with God. In fact, since that day, every
human being born into this world has been born with a sin nature (except
for Jesus Christ), because everyone is a child of Adam (Genesis 5:3; I
Cor. 1:22).

TIM: So, everyone is born a sinner because of Adam’s sin?

DON: Exactly! What does Romans 3:10 tell you?

TIM: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”

DON: That’s right. Now read verse 23.

TIM: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

DON: Sin has separated man from God. Because of sin we are not
children of God (John 8:44; I John 3:10). Our righteousness is no good.
Romans 10:3 says, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness,
and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not
submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Isaiah 64:6
says that your righteousness is as “filthy rags.” Tim, God isn’t wanting
you to establish your own righteousness! He wants you to FORSAKE
your own righteousness and turn to Jesus Christ!

TIM: But what about good people like Ghandi or the Pope?

DON: What did Romans 3:23 say? Did it not say that ALL have sinned
and come short of God’s glory?

TIM: Yes.

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DON: Then even these men must be born again. There are no
exceptions. Jesus said ye MUST be born again. But here is the good
news. Read Romans 5:8-9.

TIM: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now
justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

DON: God knew your hopeless condition, so He sent His Son, Jesus
Christ, to shed His sinless blood to PAY for your sins. YOUR SIN
DEBT HAS BEEN PAID! You couldn’t pay it, so Christ paid it for you!
All you have to do is REPENT of your sins (Luke 13:3) and trust Christ
to save you.

TIM: But, still, I don’t see how that can happen. I mean, you’re still the
same person no matter what you do.

DON: No, you’re still the same PHYSICALLY, but spiritually, a

Christian is a “new creature” in Christ (II Cor. 5:17). Here, read John
1:12.

TIM: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to

become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

DON: See, when you really BELIEVE on Christ you RECEIVE Him.
That is, in your heart, you totally trust Him alone to save you. You reject
everyone else, and you reject yourself. Only Christ can save you (John
14:6). Once you believe on Christ you become a son of God, a member
of God’s family. Here, this is I John 3:2. Read it, please.

TIM: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we
shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

DON: You see, those who have RECEIVED Jesus Christ by

BELIEVING on Him have been BORN AGAIN into God’s family as
God’s SONS.

TIM: Well, what about baptism? Don’t you have to be baptized too?

DON: Jesus commanded baptism (Mat. 28:18-19), but not for salvation.
Baptism is for BELIEVERS only (Acts 8:37). What does Paul say in
Ephesians 2:8-9?

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TIM: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should
boast.”

DON: Many important things should follow one’s salvation, such as

baptism, church membership, Bible reading, prayer, and clean living, but
none of these can SAVE you. You are saved by FAITH in the finished
work of Christ.

TIM: That’s it, just FAITH in what Jesus has already done?

DON: That’s it! You’re saved just like the dying thief was saved. He
simply called upon the Lord for salvation, and Jesus saved him (Luke
23:39-43). Here, read Romans 10:9-10:

TIM: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.”

DON: Earlier in the book of Romans, in chapter 4, verse 25, Paul said
that Jesus was “...was delivered for our offences, and was raised again
for our justification. He was RAISED for our justification, so in 10:9-
10 Paul speaks of BELIEVING that God raised Him. Why? Because He
can JUSTIFY you if you will believe. Would you like to receive Jesus
Christ as your Saviour right now?

TIM: Right now? Shouldn’t I wait till Sunday and do it at church?

DON: No, II Corinthians 6:2 says, “...now is the accepted time; behold,
now is the day of salvation.) The fact that God is showing you the truth
TODAY is proof that He wants to save you today. Besides, you could be
dead before Sunday! You could be in Hell before sundown, Tim, so
RIGHT NOW is the time to turn from sin and turn TO Jesus Christ!
How about it? Would you like to pray right now, and receive Christ as
your Saviour?

TIM: Well, I don’t want to go to Hell!

DON: Jesus doesn’t want you to go to Hell either (II Peter 3:9), so why
not call upon Him right now. Here, read Romans 10:13.

TIM: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved.” Well, how do I call upon Him? What do I say?

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DON: You simply pray in your own words and tell God that you know
you are a sinner, you know you can’t save yourself, and you believe that
Jesus Christ is your only hope for Salvation. Then ask him to cleanse
you from all sin, and make you one of His own.

TIM: Will I be saved then?

DON: If you really mean it. You have God’s promise that if your really
BELIEVE in your heart you will be saved. Would you like to be saved?

TIM: Yes, for the first time in my life, this really makes sense. Yes, I
want to be saved.

DON: Ok, let’s pray. Father, I thank you for the opportunity to present
the Gospel to Tim. We’ve read your word and we your promises. Lord,
I thank you for opening Tim’s eyes that he might understand the
simplicity of true salvation, and I thank you that he realizes his lost
condition and that he wants to be saved--he wants to be a child of God
and live for you. Tim, while we pray, do you believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God and that he shed His blood on Calvary’s cross to pay for
your sins?

TIM: Yes.

DON: Do you believe that He rose from the grave and that He sits in
Heaven right now, and that He can save your soul?

TIM: Yes

DON: Do you believe that anyone in this world can save you other than
Jesus Christ?

TIM: No.

DON: Then, in your own words, tell the Lord right now that you know
you’re a sinner, and ask Him to come into your heart and wash away all
your sins. Ask Him to give you the new birth and make you a new
creature in Christ.

TIM: Lord, I know I’m a sinner, and I know that Jesus alone can save
me. Lord, come into my heart and wash away all my sin. Make me a
child of God. Make me a part of your family--a new creature in Christ.
Help me to be a good Christian and serve you faithfully. In Jesus name,
Amen.

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DON: Did you really mean that?

TIM: Yes, I really meant it.

DON: Then you are now a member of God’s family. You’ve done what
God told you to do, and God has done what He promised. He just
washed your sins away. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but as His
own child, in fellowship with Him.

TIM: That’s amazing. I feel all different inside!

DON: That’s because YOUR SINS ARE GONE, and God’s Spirit has
moved in to stay (Eph. 4:30). Let me ask you something. If you died
right now, are you 100% sure that you wouldn’t go to Hell?

TIM: Absolutely!

III. SOME SCRIPTURE “TOOLS”

Every Christian should be familiar with a good many

verses of Scripture that deal with sin and salvation. Some of these
you should be able to quote from memory to anyone at anytime,
while others you should at least be able to find in the Bible to
show someone.

The Roman’s Road

Romans 3:10: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”

Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God;”

Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned:”

Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

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Romans 10:13: ”For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved.”

Romans 10:9-10: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.”

Believing

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life.”

John 5:24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word,
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

Acts 16:31: “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

John 1:12: ”But as many as received him, to them gave he power to

become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

John 11:25-26: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the
life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest
thou this?”

John 3:36: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God
abideth on him.”

John 3:18: “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Works Can’t Save

Romans 4:5: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

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Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man
should boast”

Titus 3:5: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but

according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

Romans 11:6: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise

grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace:
otherwise work is no more work.”

Galatians 2:16: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of

the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in
Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and
not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh
be justified.”

Repentance

Luke 13:3: “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish.”

Acts 17:30: “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now
commandeth all men every where to repent:”

II Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some
men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Mark 6:12: “And they went out, and preached that men should
repent.”

Hell

Luke 16:23: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and
seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

Mark 9:44: “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched.”

Matthew 25:41: “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand,
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the
devil and his angels:”

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Revelation 20:15: “And whosoever was not found written in the book
of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Matthew 13:42: “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there
shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Eternal Security

Ephesians 4:30: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye
are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

John 10:28-29: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My
Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able
to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”

Philippians 1:6: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which

hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ:”

John 6:37: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

Romans 8:38-39: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,

nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall
be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus
our Lord.”

The Blood of Christ

Revelation 1:5: “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,
and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the
earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood,”

Revelation 5:9: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy
to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain,
and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and
tongue, and people, and nation;”

Colossians 1:14: “In whom we have redemption through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”

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Romans 3:25: “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of
sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”

Hebrews 9:14: “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge
your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

The Five Facts of Life

In closing, always remember that there are five basic

truths that a sinner needs to realize, and the Scripture already
presented can be used to get these truths across. No matter how
you do it, make sure the following facts are well understood:

1. You are a sinner.

2. You will die a sinner.
3. You will be judged a sinner.
4. You will be condemned a sinner.
5. Your only hope is the Lord Jesus Christ.

IV. Following Salvation

Once a person has received Christ as Saviour, they should

be encouraged to follow God’s commands. The material covered
in Lesson VI should be used to show the new Christian what God
expects of them. Baptism, church membership, Bible reading and
prayer should be highly emphasized.
A good way to interest a new Christian in God’s word is
to encourage them to take a good Bible course, such as this one,
with you being their instructor.

Lesson Review:
1. Where in the Bible did Jesus say that we are to be “witnesses”
unto Him?

2. Who in the Bible said that he was pure from the blood of all
men?

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3. Where do we read about the conversion of the Ethiopian
eunuch?

4. What was the subject of Phillip’s message to the eunuch?

5. How do we see the Holy Spirit’s leading in the story of the

eunuch?

6. If you witness to someone who gives a shallow Christian

testimony, what is a good question to ask?

7. Does I John 3:13 tell us that we can KNOW that we are saved?

8. Where does the Bible say that all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God?

9. What are the seven portions of Scripture which make up the

Roman’s Road?

10. Please give two New Testament references on repentance.

11. Please give two New Testament references on the Blood.

12. Please give two New Testament references on Hell.

13. Please give two New Testament references on Eternal

Security.

14. Please give two New Testament references on Believing on

Christ.

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15. What are the five basic facts that you need to get across to any
lost person?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Memory Verses: Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30, Eph. 4:30; Heb. 9:14;
Rev. 20:15

To proceed to Lesson VIII, please have all of the Lesson

Reviews in this booklet completed. Then see your course
instructor. If you have no local course instructor, send this booklet
to BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH, P.O. BOX 383, MARTIN, TN
38237. We will review your work and send you the next booklet,
if your work is acceptable. Please do NOT mail this booklet to
Bible Baptist Church, if you have a local course instructor. Allow
your instructor to review your work and discuss your progress
with you. He can help you far more in person that we can through
the mail.

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 The Sound Doctrine Bible Course
Copyright © 2011 James L. Melton

Book I: Lessons I – VII

Lesson I:
How We Know God Exists

Lesson II:
The Inspiration and Preservation of Scripture

Lesson III:
Understanding God’s Salvation Plan

Lesson IV:
How We Know the King James Bible Is the Word of God

Lesson V:
Your Spirit, Your Soul, and Your Body

Lesson VI:
What Does God Expect of Me?

Lesson VII:
Leading Others to Christ

There are 14 lessons in the Sound Doctrine Bible Course.

The second book contains the following lessons:
The Doctrines of Heaven and Hell, The Fundamentals of
Jesus Christ, The Judgments of the Saved and the Lost,
The Holy Trinity, Basic Bible Prophecy, The Seven
Dispensations, and Rightly Dividing the Word

Additional copies of this booklet may be ordered from

Bible Baptist Church, P.O. Box 383, Martin, TN 38237.
A $1.00 donation per copy is appreciated, but not required.

87
 The
Sound Doctrine
Bible Course
Book I

Seven Bible-Believing
Lessons by James L. Melton
88