LESSON 4: WHAT I BECOME THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS

People have many needs. Here are some common problems. Which ones do you think are most common to the people you know?

Fear of death	Bad habits	Low view of self-worth	No purpose in life
Loneliness	Feel Powerless	Feel far from God	Guilt

In order to help us deal with these problems, God places all who trust in Jesus into a privileged position, explained in the Bible verses below. First read the Bible verse, then write the main point on the first blank line. Then, on the second blank line, write one of the problems from the list above. (answers are listed at bottom).

YOUR SPECIAL POSITION IN CHRIST:

Read 1 John 3:1. A believer is called a (1)_________
… and so there is no reason to have a low (2)______ .
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-18. Because of trusting in Jesus, a believer becomes a (3) _____________… and so God can give him strength to overcome any bad (4)_________________ .

3.Read 1 Peter1:3. This verse explains that I have a living (5) ___________ because God caused me to be born again.

Read Colossians 3:9-10. Now I have a new (6)__________ which wants to obey Jesus.

Read Second Corinthians 5:15. Because we live for ______ (7), not for ourselves, we have _________ (8) in life

About Satan. Read Revelation 12:9. Satan was created as a good angel, but he rebelled against God and became God’s opponent (the word “satan” means”opponent”.) The angels who rebelled with Satan are called “evil spirits” or “demons” in the Bible. Satan lives for self, not for God. When we live for self, we are thinking the same way as Satan. Satan makes suggestions to do bad to our thought life. This is what is meant by “temptation”. Our selfish nature (the “old self, the old man”) finds these suggestions to be reasonable, and likes to do them. God has provided an answer to this problem by giving us a “new self” which finds it natural to follow Jesus, not Satan.

6.Read 1 Corinthians 12:27-28. The church is here called the body of (9)_________.

As soon as someone believes in Jesus, that person is part of the church. Please read verse 26. Those who belong to the ________ care for one another. … so, the person knows others will care when the person feels (11)_________ .

7.Read 1 Corinthians 12:7. God has given the (12)_______

… who can help when the person feels (13)____________ .

8.Read 1 John 5:13. The believer knows that after death there is (14)__________

… so there is no need to fear (15)________________.

9.Read Acts 10:43. Because the person believes in Jesus, the person has (16)___________________

… so the person can turn to God when feeling (17)__________ .

Read Colossians 1:27. From the time the person trusted Jesus,

there was a special connection: Jesus is (18)___ me… so the person knows God is near, even when feeling (19)___________________ .

Your position in Christ is given to you instantly upon trusting Jesus. There is nothing additional you need to do in order to have it. Even if you do not feel it, God has declared that he gave it to you.

USING CREED TO REVIEW

Below is the third part of the Apostles Creed. After you read it, circle the words that are the same as the things you wrote in the gift boxes:

THE APOSTLES CREED, THIRD PART

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

“Saints” means “believers,” (and “communion” means “togetherness”), so “communion of saints” means that we have an eternal relationship with all other Christians. “Amen” means we agree with what was just said.

HELP FOR DAILY LIVING. Write words from the Creed that help when one feels:

Lonely (20)_________________

Powerless (21)_______________________

Guilty (22)__________________

Sad because life is short (23)____________

ANSWERS: (1) Child of God (2) low view of self worth (3) New Person (4) Bad habits (5) hope (6) self (7) God (8) purpose (9) Body of Christ (10) Church (11) loneliness (12) Holy Spirit (13) no power to do right (14) Eternal Life (15) Death (16) forgiveness of sins (17) guilty (18) in (19) far from God (20) Holy Christian Church (21) Holy Spirit (22) Forgiveness of Sins (23) Life Everlasting

Return to menu. …. Go on to lesson 5