This lesson will include the questions, answers, and commentary for the ninetieth through ninety-ninth of this Discipleship. As per the Holy Bible, this tenth lesson answers questions concerning sin, repentance, redemption, God’s Word, baptism, and the Lord’s supper.
Christian Discipleship Lesson Ten
QUESTION 90: ARE ALL TRANSGRESSIONS OF THE LAW EQUALLY HEINOUS?
Answer: Some sins in themselves and because of unrepented repetition are more heinous in the sight of God than others. Scripture: Ezekiel 8:13; Jeremiah 9:3; John 19:11; 1 John 5:16.
A born-again Christian will be forgiven for a sin “in the moment” with a simple apology to God. We all sin and fall short. For example, you tell a lie and instantly feel guilty and repent to that person and God. That’s a sin “in the moment,” and God will forgive you. Unfortunately, some sins are continuing or unrepented, like the sins of fornication, homosexuality, bearing false witness through gossip, and others. These unrepented sins show a deeper problem because if you can sin without repentance or even without feeling guilty of sin, you were probably never saved in the first place. A lack of salvation with unrepented sin will send you to hell.
QUESTION 91: WHAT DOES EVERY SIN DESERVE?
Answer: Every sin deserves God’s wrath and the curse, both in this life and in the life to come. Scripture: Ephesians 5:6; Galatians 3:10; Proverbs 3:33; Psalm 11:6; Revelation 21:8.
Every sin is worthy of a death sentence because God will not allow any sinfulness to enter heaven. You can enter heaven if you are redeemed, justified, and sanctified by Christ’s sacrifice and your salvation. Without salvation through God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, you will feel God’s wrath in this life and the eternal torments of hell.
QUESTION 92: WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF US, THAT WE MAY ESCAPE HIS WRATH AND CURSE, DUE TO US FOR OUR SIN?
Answer: To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for our sins, God requires of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption. Scripture: Acts 20:21; 16:30, 31; 17:30.
Salvation through God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
QUESTION 93: WHAT IS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST?
Answer: Faith in Jesus Christ is saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, trusting him to forgive our sins and guide us to eternal joy based on his divine power and atoning death. Scripture: Hebrews 10:39; John 1:12; 6:35; Philippians 3:9; Galatians 2:15-16, 20; Matthew 14:31.
We accept all the truths about Jesus Christ found in scripture and accept Jesus as our savior. Jesus’ sacrifice for us provides us redemption, justification, and sanctification by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
QUESTION 94: WHAT IS REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE?
Answer: Repentance unto life is a saving grace by which a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, does, with anguish and hatred of his sin, turns from sin to God, with full purpose of, and endeavor toward new obedience. Scripture: Acts 2:37; Joel 2:13; Jeremiah 31:18, 19; 2 Corinthians 7:10, 11; Romans 6:18.
Repentance is rejecting sin in your life and choosing to follow the teachings of the Bible, in other words, God’s will instead of your will. You hate sin, so you read and study the Bible to understand God’s will so you can actively avoid sin and live in obedience to God.
QUESTION 95: WHAT ARE THE OUTWARD AND ORDINARY MEANS BY WHICH CHRIST COMMUNICATES TO US THE BENEFITS OF REDEMPTION?
Answer: The outward and ordinary means by which Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption are his ordinances, especially the Word, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Prayer, all of which are made effective to the elect for salvation. Scripture: Romans 10:17; James 1:18; 1 Corinthians 3:5; Acts 14:1; 2:41, 42.
The Bible provides all of the information needed for people to live a life in obedience to God. The Bible offers information about the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It also trains you to pray by example and through the Holy Spirit of God within you.
QUESTION 96: HOW IS THE WORD MADE EFFECTIVE FOR SALVATION?
Answer: The Spirit of God does the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, and efficient means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith unto salvation. Scripture: Psalm 19:7; 119:11, 18; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Peter 2:1, 2; Romans 1:16.
Through the Holy Spirit of God in your life, the Word of God is the only thing necessary for convincing and converting sinners, personal growth in Christianity, and source material for preaching and evangelism.
QUESTION 97: HOW IS THE WORD TO BE READ AND HEARD THAT IT MAY BECOME EFFECTIVE FOR SALVATION?
Answer: That the Word may become effective for salvation, we must attend to it with diligence, preparation, and prayer, receive it in faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives. Scripture: Proverbs 8:34; 1 Peter 2:1, 2; 1 Timothy 4:13; Hebrews 2:1, 3; 4:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:10; Psalm 119:11; James 1:21, 25.
We read and study the Bible to know God’s will and apply it in our lives. We read it in context. We apply it in context and never “cherry-pick” scripture to assert our will, thoughts, or ideas. We always seek God’s will and wisdom and reject any information contrary to Biblical scripture. We always receive the entirety of Biblical scripture as truth by faith and love from our Lord and obey His will at all costs.
QUESTION 98: HOW DO BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER BECOME EFFECTIVE MEANS OF SALVATION?
Answer: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effective means of salvation, not from any virtue in them or him that administers them, but only by the blessing of Christ and the working of his Spirit in those who by faith receive them. Scripture: 1 Peter 3:21; 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7; 12:13.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper will not save you. They are put in place as reminders of your salvation through God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Baptism reminds you that sin no longer binds you; you are a new person and born-again. Your old life is over, and your new life as a Christian has begun. The Lord’s Supper reminds you of Jesus Christ’s willing sacrifice of his body and the shedding of His blood for you. These outward reminders of your salvation may prompt others to heed the call of the Holy Spirit and get saved too.
QUESTION 99: HOW DO BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER DIFFER FROM THE OTHER ORDINANCES OF GOD?
Answer: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper differ from the other ordinances of God in that they were specially instituted by Christ to represent and apply to believers the benefits of the new covenant by visible and outward signs. Scripture: Acts 22:16; Matthew 26:26-28; 28:19; Romans 6:4.
The ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only two ordinances of the new covenant in Christ. All previous ordinances were for the old covenant between the Jews and God. These new covenant ordinances do apply to Jews that have accepted Christ as Savior. These Jews can discontinue all Old Testament ordinances because they are new creatures in Christ, in other words, born-again believers.
Christian Discipleship
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