Leading souls to Christ

What if the Lord were to come right now? Would you know for sure, nothing doubting, that you would go to Heaven?

Can we know that we have eternal life? Yes!

1 Joh 5:13 - These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

Then what has been written? (Let us now turn to John 8:24)

Is this a life or death statement?

Joh 8:24 – “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Then who is Jesus? (Let us now turn to Matthew 16:13-17)

Whose Son is He?

Matt16:13-17 – “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’

14 So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’

15 He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am’"

16 Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’

17 Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”

Is His being the Son of God all that we must believe concerning His identity? (Let us now turn to John 1:1)

Jesus being the Son of God is God . . . Notice here:

John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:17 . . . John 8:32 . . . John 17 . . . John 14:6 . . .

When Jesus came to earth, did He leave His Godhead in Heaven? (Let us now turn to Colossians 2:9)

Notice that Jesus is 100% man and 100% God.

Colossians 2:9 – “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”

“All” means nothing is lacking. (Let us now turn to Hebrews 1:9)

God the Father calls His own Son God.

Hebrews 1:9 – “But to the Son He says: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.” The Hebrew writer quotes from Psalm 45:6-7.

Who does Jesus Himself claim to be? (Let us now turn to John 8:58)

Jesus Himself claims to be the great “I Am.”

John 8:58 - Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

So, we must believe Jesus is God, or we will die in our sins. (Let us now turn to Matthew 3:16-17)

There are three “persons” in the Godhead . . . And Jesus is one of them.

Matthew 3:16-17 – “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

And Jesus is one of the three.” (Let us now turn to 1 Timothy 2:5)

What is Jesus called here?

1 Timothy 2:5 – “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ.”

Why do we need a mediator? (Let us now turn to Isaiah 59:2)

What has separated us from God?

Isaiah 59:2 – “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you . . .”

What can save us? (Let us now turn to Romans 1:16)

What is the power of God to save us?

Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,* for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

What is the gospel of Christ? (Let us now turn to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

The Bible interprets itself.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 – “ Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,

2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ DIED for our sins [1st part of the gospel] according to the Scriptures,

4 and that He was BURIED, [2nd part of the gospel] and that He ROSE again the third day [3rd part of the gospel] according to the Scriptures.”

(Let us now turn to Ephesians 1:7)

In His death we can reach His blood.

Ephesians 1:7 – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

How wonderful is this forgiveness? (Let us now turn to Jude 24)

He can present us how?

Jude 24 – “Now to Him who is able to keep us from stumbling, And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.

Jesus takes care of our sin problem with his death. Now, why was He raised for us? (Let us turn to 1 Corinthians 15:20-23)

Watch how Jesus takes care of our grave problem.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 – “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.”

(Let us turn to 2 Timothy 1:10)

In a nutshell, what two things does the gospel bring us?

2 Timothy 1:10 – “But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Paul says it another way in Romans 5:10

What can we be through Jesus’ death? What can we be through His life?

Romans 5:10 – “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

(Let us turn to Romans 10:9)

Must we confess Christ and believe the gospel to be saved? Is this a life-and- death statement?

Romans 10:9 – “. . . If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved.”

Must we change our lifestyles? (Let us turn to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,* nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ”

Read: Ephesians 4:17 - 5:7 (Lifestyles must change)

Read: Galatians 5:19-26 (Lifestyles must change)

What if we do not change? (Let us turn to Luke 13:3, 5)

Are these life and death statements?

Luke 13:3, 5 – “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish . . . I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

To get in on the saving gospel what must we do? (Let us turn to 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)

What must we do to escape God’s vengeance and everlasting destruction?

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 – “. . . The Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,

8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. ”

How do we humans “obey the gospel?” (Let us turn to Romans 6:3-6)

Do you see the gospel here? “How do we get “into His death?”

Romans 6:3-6 – “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? [1st part of the gospel]

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death [2nd part of the gospel], that just as Christ was raised from the dead [3rd part of the gospel] by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

Romans 6:17-18 – “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

5And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

Why would God want us to get “into His death?” Ephesians 1:7 – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

Where does one actually become a Christian?

Galatians 3:26-27 – “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

If one becomes a Christian, will he face persecution? (Let us turn to John 15:20)

Could I be persecuted for becoming a Christian? It is possible

John 15:20 – “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you . . .”

What is the worst kind of persecution? Let us turn to Luke 14:26, 28

Luke 14:26, 28 – “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple . . . For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.”

To count the cost, let us turn to 2 Peter 2:20-21

2 Peter 2:20-21 – “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

Acts 22:16 – “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

Acts 2:47 – “. . . And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

The Lord would be happy to add you to His church today.

• These Scriptures references and diagrams were arranged by Larry West of “We Care” Ministries and are adapted for use here with some additions.