#1                                               PRAISE GOD I’M SAVED

                                                        (Now what do I do?)

   For centuries, people from all nations, races, and creeds have come to know our Lord Jesus Christ as personal savior only to become complacent and cold regarding the things of God and wind up living the rest of their lives just like they did before they received Christ. Why does this happen year after year? The answer is simply because they have lacked the necessary follow-up and concern from those that won them to Lord.

   Consider this, what would happen if at the time of our birth, our mother would have said, “Now that I have carried this baby for nine months and have gone through the pain and agony of my baby’s delivery, I think I’ll just leave the baby alone by himself and he will be fine.” Obviously we would not be getting the attention we would need in order to grow or even survive in this big bad world. The same is true with every Christian that is “born” into God’s family. From the time of our “birth” we need care and attention in order that we might be able to grow and mature in the faith.

   This first lesson will be about the first few things that a new born Christian should be taught in order to begin a new life in Christ and set a foundation from which to build upon.

                                             I. LEARN OBEDIENCE TO GOD

                                       (Obedience- to be submissive to authority)

   As we ponder through our entire life the one essential ingredient every person must agree upon is this, if our parents, or if we as adults did not initially teach our children to obey us as the ultimate authority, then we as children or our own children began a downward spiral of disrespect of all authority that would ultimately lead to a life of disappointment and sorrow for the parents as well as for the children.

A. Deuteronomy 26:16 Whole heartedness is required.

B. Joshua 1:8 It is the price we must pay for success.

C. Mathew 7:21, Revelation 22:14 It will secure our entrance into God’s kingdom.

D. Genesis 6:22 The example of Noah’s obedience to God.

E. Genesis 22:2, 3 The example of Abraham’s obedience to God.

F. I Samuel 15:22 There is a great price to be paid for disobedience.

G. John 15:10 It is the price we must pay if we desire the fellowship God wants for us.

                                      II. LEARN ABOUT BELIEVERS BAPTISM

   The act of being baptized as a Christian has caused division in families, nationalities, and religious denominations. Some believe baptism to be an imperative step to our salvation, some believe that we can be baptized by sprinkling, some by emersion, and some even believe that someone can be baptized for someone else. The stand that we must take is one that can be substantiated only by the Word of God, not by denomination, or by rulers, preachers, or Popes.

   There are two distinct words used to describe baptism in the New Testament : (1) Baptisma- (noun) consisting of the process of submersion, immersion, and emergence. This form of the word is used to describe John’s baptism, and to describe the form of baptism the Christians used also. (2) Baptizo- (Verb) to completely dip garments   in order to dye the garment a certain color.

A. Mathew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9 Jesus was our greatest example.

B. Mathew 28:19 The great commission given by our Lord Jesus Christ.

C. Acts 8:38; 9:18; 10:48; 16:15; 16:33; 19:1-5 Baptism comes after conversion.

D. Luke 23:39-43 The thief that died on the cross beside Jesus had no time to be baptized. Chaplin’s in the armed forces have won thousands of soldiers to Christ on the battlefield and in hospitals just prior to death. It was impossible to baptize them but they are with Jesus today in heaven.

E. Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12 The significance of baptism.

                                III. LEARN TO FEED ON THE WORD OF GOD

   As we mentioned at the beginning of our lesson today, as “new born babes” we all need attention and care in order to grow. Without eating a certain amount of food every day, we would slowly physically deteriorate and eventually die. The same is true of our “spiritual growth”, we need to “eat” the Word in order to grow strong in the Lord.

A. II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:21 The Word is divinely inspired.

B. Psalms 119:89, I Peter 1:25 The Bible will last forever and ever.

C. I Peter 2:2 The Bible is the food that we all need in order to grow spiritually.

D. Psalms 119:105, 130 The precepts, direction and instruction from the Bible give us proper direction and wisdom in order to live according to how God wants us to live.

E. Romans 1:16 The Word of God is the only thing that can save a lost sinner from hell.

F. Romans 10:17 The Word of God is the only way we can increase our spiritual faith.

G. Hebrew 4:12, John 1:1-4, I John 5:7 The Word of God is alive and is a probing instrument in the hands of God.

H. II Timothy 2:15, Revelation 22:18, 19 The Word of God is not to be tampered with.

                                         IV. LEARN TO FIGHT THE DEVIL

   One of the most dreadful mistakes Christians make is to think that once we are saved everything will be hunky dory from now until Jesus comes. We seldom think about the war that is raging between God and Satan for the souls of all mankind. Remember this; God saves us for a purpose. If all God wanted from us is to be saved, He would have saved us and immediately taken us to heaven with Him. God has a divine purpose in saving each person, and He has a specific purpose and ministry for each one of us.

A. Ephesians 6:12 We have a powerful, invisible enemy that wants to destroy us.

B. I Timothy 1:18, II Timothy 2:4 We have been saved in order that we might be volunteer soldiers in the army of God.

C. Hebrews 12:1, I Peter 5:8 The Devil knows our weaknesses and is always ready to attack and devour us.

D. I John 4:4, Ephesians 6:11-18 God has given us the weapons and armor to fight the good fight of faith.

E. Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18 One of the first “fiery darts of the Devil” (Eph. 6:16), is to get a new Christian to doubt that God really did save them. This tactic is to get us to stop concerning ourselves with the spiritual battle and just concern ourselves with number one. Review how God saved you; Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9, Romans 10:13, John 6:37. As best as you knew how, you made a heartfelt, specific decision to put your faith and trust on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ to save your soul. As the Scripture has said, God cannot lie so we know that He had to do what He said He would do. Do not question the character of God. Our doubts and fears are emotional and physical. Our salvation is Spiritual. (John 6:63) The flesh (physical) and the Spirit are at odds with each other and will seldom if ever agree with each other.

God bless