Lesson 1
SALVATION
The Plan of God for Man
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
God created man to have fellowship with Him.
The Fall of Man
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were separated from Him by their sin. We have all made mistakes in life. We have failed God and hurt ourselves and other people. If someone dies without confessing Jesus as Lord, he is lost, and his final destination is hell.
God Wants to Save All of Us
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
God sent His Son to save the world. We need to repent, confess Jesus as Lord, and give our lives to God. This is the only way for us to get saved and enter into heaven.
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.
How to Receive Salvation
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.
We receive salvation by believing in Jesus Christ and confessing Him as our Lord. Salvation also includes other benefits such as healing, peace and material provision.
Salvation is a Gift
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.
We can’t get saved by doing good deeds or making sacrifices. Jesus died for us and was raised to give eternal life to all who believe in Him.
The Family of God
But as many as received him (Jesus), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
When we accept Jesus as our Lord, we enter God´s great family. Immediately all our sins are removed, and we become sons and daughters of God. This is the new birth.
Water Baptism
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
It is important to be baptized in water after receiving salvation. This is the first step of obedience to Jesus.
Our Salvation is Secure
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
We only need to receive Jesus as our Lord one time to get eternal life. The Holy Spirit ensures us that we are saved. We can trust God and His Word. If we sin, we don’t lose our salvation, but we hurt our communion with God. For this reason, we must confess our sins to God and receive forgiveness. The best for us is to live close to God and the church, and if someone backslides it is necessary to return again.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Use “The Prayer for Salvation” directing your disciple to repeat in a audible voice. The disciple can get baptized in water after having received Jesus. (In class 7 you will find more information about water baptism). If the disciple has withdrawn from Jesus and the church he must leave his sins, ask for forgiveness, and return to good fellowship with God. Instruct your disciple how to help other people to get saved.
The Prayer for Salvation
“God Almighty.”“I believe that your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for my sins,”“and was raised to give me eternal life.”“Jesus, I receive you as my Lord.”“Thank you for saving me.”“Amen.”
Summary
- All have sinned, and sinners can get saved.
- The two requirements to get saved are: to believe and to confess Jesus as Lord.
- Water baptism is the first step of obedience to the Lord Jesus.
Goals for this lesson
The goals are written to the mentor, about the disciple.
- Guide your disciple to receive Jesus or return to good fellowship with God.
- Teach your disciple how to pray with someone else for salvation.
- When needed, prepare for water baptism as soon as possible.