BGP Belief

The fourth point: Faith and Baptism

Fill in the blanks using the following terms: law, gospel, baptism

1.Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17).

2.God’s Word includes Law and Gospel. 1)Law. a. Using the word “love” includes both law and request (Romans 13:10b).  b._____tells us to love God (12:30) and to love people (Mark 12:31). C.But we do not obey this command, therefore, we do not completely love. D. The function of the law is to show our sin, not to justify ourselves.  (Romans 3:20b).

2) gospel
a. The meaning of gospel is that we are not saved by our own behavior, but because of God’s mercy and forgiveness (Titus 3:5).  B. The gospel tells us that though faith and baptism we receive God’s saving grace.

3.We must find a balance when we speak law and _______ .  1)We must not speak only _____, and emphasize the fires of hell. As though God enjoyed punishing people, casting them into hell, or making plans to scare them into believing in Jesus. A. God made hell for the devil and his angels, not for people (Matthew 25:41b). b.God will all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). C. He uses love to attract people to His presence. (Jeremiah 31:3). Our reason for talking about law is we hope the listener will know he is a sinner and will repent. 2) We must not speak only _____ for people to go to heaven. Only those who believe and are baptized will be saved (Mark 16:16). Besides Jesus making it possible for people to be saved, there is no other method (Acts :12). We joyfully share the gospel with people, for the gospel is the power of God to save all those who believe (Romans 1:16).   


4.In conclusion, after people hear God’s word, the Holy Spirit leads them to believe, to repent and _________.

  1. The goal of testimony—people are able to believe and be baptized (Mark 16:16).

Use the following words to fill in the blanks below: Assurance, God, baptism, forgiveness.

1.Faith. 1)Faith basically is the substance of our belief and hope (Hebrews 1:1). A.For example, if you have a good friend, and you call on him for help, you have faith that he is able to help you and will help. B.Even more important is that when we have faith in God, and call upon Him to forgive our sins, we know that He will _______ us on the basis of Jesus, and some day will take us to heaven.

2)Another meaning of faith is to be confident that certain things you cannot see truly exist (Hebrews 11:1b).  a.for example, we cannot see the air, electricity, love, but they still exist. b.Even more important, as soon as we have faith in God, ________ God exists, loves us, an through Jesus Christ forgives our sins and will take us to heaven.

3)Faith is comprise of knowledge, acceptance, and trust. A good example of someone who came to faith is in Acts 8:35-38. a.Knowledge is the facts given to us in God’s Word. Even though the eunuch at first did not understand what he was reading of what Isaiah the prophet had written, but Philip explained to him that the scripture verse was about Jesus Christ.  Before Philip spoke to him the eunuch already had knowledge from God’s Word. b.Acceptance is that we agree that _______ Word is true. The eunuch saying in a loud voice that he believed that Jesus Christ is God’s Son demonstrates his acceptance. C.When we trust, we are responding to God’s Word.  We want to hear more, to learn how to pray, we want to be baptized, and so on. After the eunuch heard the gospel, he quickly trusted and wanted to receive ________.

4 )The pictures below portray more examples, explaining the meaning of trust. 
The Tightrope walker. [There are ten panels 1.the rope extending across a chasm containing a waterfall; 2.the walker on the rope; 3.The crowd watching; 4.Long range view of the walker on the rope. 5.The crowd applauding and shouting “success,” “wonderful,” etc.6.The tightrope walker pointing to himself asking if they trust him to do it again’ 7. The tightrope walker asking if anyone trusts him enough to sit on his shoulders while he walks; 8.the walker finding a willing person; 9.the person is on his shoulders as he walks on the rope; 10. The crowd realizing that the volunteer truly trusts.] [see these pictures in the Chinese version]. 

The explanation of the tightrope walker story

When we consider the watchers in the crowd we can understand that faith is comprised of knowledge, acceptance, and trust.

In the sentences below (a through e) , the underlined words symbolize the three components of faith, called knowledge, acceptance, and trust.

a.After the crowd sees the success of the tightrope walker crossing over the waterfall, they have knowledge that he is able to do it. b.The tightrope walker asks the crowd if they believe he can do it again carrying another person. c.When the tightrope walker asks the crowd who is willing to be carried, only one person said he was willing. The other people all said they were not willing. This shows they really did not have trust in him. d.Finally, a small boy let himself be carried by the tightrope walker, showing his complete trust in the walker. That small boy was the walker’s son. e.Through this story, we are reminded that the Holy Spirit works in our hearts, bringing us to trust. Therefore,  when we hear God’s Word (knowledge), and confess with our mouth that God’s Word is true (acceptance). However, through the Holy Spirit’s power, we are willing to repent, letting the Lord Jesus guide us through the trials of life, and one day we will ascend into heaven (trust).

5)When we spread God’s Word, the Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of the listeners. When a person hears God’s Word and believes it, we want to give him a chance to display his faith. That is: ask him through a simple prayer to ask God to give him a clean heart (Psalm 51:10a). In this way, he is able to immediately establish direct communication with God through prayer, to repent, to be forgiven, and receive a new life. Of course, when he understands more of God’s Word, we will encourage him to be baptized.  

In the faith sentences below, strike through three words of victory over enemies.

2.Baptism

When we proclaim Christ to someone, and then he believes, we will encourage him to be baptized. Below are some of the benefits of baptism:
1)enter God’s kingdom (John 3:5-6)
2)escape from enemies: Sin — our sins are forgiven and cleansed (Acts 2:38, 22:16). B.death. We no longer fear death, because through baptism, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are united with Him (Romans 6:3, 5). Even though we will sin, but we will be raised form death and enter eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:53-54). C. devil — through the death of Jesus on the cross, the devil is already defeated (Hebrews 2:14b). After the listener believes, we urge him to quickly be baptized. 

3.Faith is completely God’s work.

Fill in the blanks with the following words: sin, belief, glory.

1.God gives belief to the listener. 1)The father draws people to Jesus (John 6:44). As a person hears about God’s love, he _______, through Jesus Christ, God resolved to clean him from _____, we expect God to guide him to repent and believe. 2)It is only by the Spirit’s work that someone is able to say “Jesus is Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:3b). When someone leaves sin and comes to Jesus, we must not feel proud of ourselves, or glorify ourselves. The 3 in 1 God — father, son and Holy Spirit — is the one to receive all the ________.

2.It is God who gives someone the faith to believe in Jesus, we must not have the new believer to “decide” to follow Jesus and congratulate him. Just the opposite, we give all the _______ to the 3-in-1 God. If anyone needs a large amount of money for an operation, and his friends give him the money, people will not praise the sick man for   the money but will praise the friends who gave him the money. In the same way, when God gives His saving grace to someone, we will give the glory and praise to God.

3.We need to understand that giving a testimony will result in differing reactions. We must not plan to force someone to believe.

1)When Paul the great evangelist spread the message, not everyone _______ (Acts 17:32-34). Some people ridiculed him, some said they would listen again some other time, and some believed.

2)When we spread the gospel, we are not to think that everyone will repent and believe. If a person does not ______ the news of saving grace, we are not to blame ourselves as failures. When they have the message more times, it mayh be many years before they believe.

3)We believe in God’s powerful word, and nmot our own ability to make others believe. To repeat, we must not force people to repent and believe.

Homework

1.According to the course’s directions, fill in the blanks or underline the words.

2.After finishing that, for tomorrow’s class prepare to answer: “In what aspects should a person grow in Christ?”

Return to menu