The sky was still dark when the old patriarch clearly heard God speak. “Abraham, … Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”
Genesis 22:1,
2. Abraham began to tremble when he considered the staggering consequences of this command. God had promised that through Isaac he would father a mighty nation.
All of Abraham’s hopes and dreams were set upon this miracle son given to him and Sarah in their old age. He didn’t understand why God was asking him to do this strange act, but he had learned to trust and obey his heavenly Father, even when perplexed. So Abraham gently awakened young Isaac and two trusted servants, and the small company began the three-day trip to Moriah. As they neared the mountain of sacrifice, Abraham instructed his servants to wait for him and Isaac to return. Then he placed the wood on his son’s back, and together they started up the mountain.
Sensing that something was wrong, Isaac said, “Father, we have what we need to start a fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham replied, “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” When they reached the top, Abraham tearfully explained the reason for their mission. Willingly Isaac submitted to God’s command. After the last embrace, the father tenderly bound his son and laid him upon the rock altar. Abraham raised the knife, but suddenly he was stopped by an angel and directed to sacrifice instead a wild ram that was trapped by its horns in a nearby thorn-bush. This moving story was not the only time a father had to make a painful decision to sacrifice his beloved son.
1. Whom did the animal that was sacrificed in Isaac’s place represent?
John 1:29. The next day John seeth __________ coming unto him, and saith, Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Answer : ____________________
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: The Bible is priceless because it tells how sin entered the world and how it will be removed. God cannot tolerate the ugly malignancy of sin. The penalty for sin is death. And worse, when Adam and Eve sinned, this disease of death passed to the entire human race. God’s law and the penalty for breaking it could not be changed, so all people were doomed. But God could not stand to be separated from His creatures. So, in an act of incredible love, He chose to send His Son into the world to die in your place and mine. Our sins and our death penalty were placed upon Him, and we were set free.
3. What is this great plan of salvation called?
Revelation 14:6. Having the everlasting ____________ to preach unto them that dwell on the earth.
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: God’s plan of salvation is called the “gospel,” which means “good news.” And it is indeed the most fabulous news ever delivered to people. Our death penalty was assumed by Jesus, and our guilt was removed.
4. Why did God make such a fantastic sacrifice for us?
John 3:16. For God so __________ the world, that he gavehis only begotten Son.
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: The strongest earthly tie is the love of a parent for a child. When God the Father was willing to allow His Son, Jesus, to suffer and die in our place, He demonstrated in the most powerful language how fervently He loves each of us.
5. What must I do to benefit from Jesus’ sacrificial death?
Acts 16:31. ______________ on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: Jesus’ offer of salvation is a gift (Romans 6:23). My part is to believe it is true and to receive the gift by faith.
6. How, then, am I forgiven and cleansed?
Acts 3:19. ____________ ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: Confession is the verbal side of repentance. True repentance includes a sorrow for–and turning away from–sin (Proverbs 28:13).
7. What is this wonderful conversion experience called?
John 3:7. Ye must be ________ again.
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: This glorious experience is referred to as a new birth because, as of that moment, we have no past. Instead, we begin a fresh new life, as does a newborn infant. It’s the fantastic experience of beginning life anew without one blot of guilt on our records.
8. Who enters the heart of each born-again Christian?
John 14:17. Even the ____________ of truth; … ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: Jesus Himself actually dwells in a Christian through His Holy Spirit.
9. When Jesus lives in my heart through the Holy Spirit, what will I do?
Philippians 2:13. Both to will and to ____ of his good pleasure.
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: I will want to do His will, and He gives me the power to actually perform it.
10. Why should I be confident that my new-birth experience will be successful?
Philippians 1:6. He which hath __________ a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: I am confident because Jesus promises to accomplish it for me by His great power. Salvation rests upon His ability, not mine.
11. Why do some people fail in their Christian experience?
Isaiah 53:6. We have turned every one to his own ______.
2 Peter 3:2 Be mindful of the words… and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: People often fail in Christian living because they accept Jesus as Saviour but not as Lord, or “ruler,” of their lives. Most of us want to have our own way and to run our own lives. When we accept Jesus as Lord, we turn over the running of our lives to Him. We keep our hands off the steering wheel of our lives and ask Him to direct us. (See supplement entitled “Once Saved, Always Saved?”)
12. How can I know that Jesus accepts me and that I am His child?
Titus 1:2. God, that cannot lie, _________.
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you.
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: We know that Jesus receives us when we ask Him, because He cannot tell a lie. He has promised to receive us, and He does receive us–not because we feel different, but because He promised.
13. How will true conversion change a life?
John 13:35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have ________ one to another.
2 Corinthians 5:17 If any man be in Christ, he is a newcreature.
1 John 3:22 We keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Romans 12:2 Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Acts 1:8 Ye shall be witnesses unto me.
Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.
Answer : ____________________
Answer : ____________________
NOTE: God gives His people the following eight precious promises:
-We can accomplish anything through Jesus.
-All our needs will be supplied.
-Nothing will be impossible for us.
-Our joy will be full.
-We will have more abundant living.
-God will never leave or forsake us.
-We need never fear what men may do to us.
-The Lord will give us His perfect peace.
Praise the Lord! How could anything be better than that?
15. Will you decide now to accept Jesus’ plan to save you?
Answer : ____________________
Supplemental Study
Once Saved, Always Saved?
Can a person be lost once he has accepted Christ as his Saviour?
Only in God’s Word can we find an answer to this question. The Bible speaks for itself: “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for he is faithful that promised) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. … For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”Hebrews 10:23, 24, 26.
Nowhere does the Bible teach that our responsibility ends when we become a Christian. God’s Word is clear: “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22.
Christianity is more than one single decision. Jesus said that our salvation is based on the condition that we continue to abide in Him (John 15:4). And the apostle Paul said, “I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31. This means that he chose on a daily basis to deny himself and follow Jesus. The Lord Himself said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23.
The Bible does not teach that we can turn our backs on truth and still be saved. Ezekiel 18:24says: “But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” Paul also reminds us, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12.
Some people think they can “talk the talk” without “walking the walk.” But Jesus said: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23.
Paul depicted the constant struggle of the true Christian when he said: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. … But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Corinthians 9:24, 25, 27.
To believe that once we are saved we cannot be lost is to believe that God takes away our greatest freedom – the freedom of choice. On the other hand, God does want us to have assurance that He will finish the work He has begun in our lives. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”Philippians 1:6.
We can be confident that if we continue to follow, He will continue to lead and will never let go of the hand placed willingly in His. “He that
shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”Matthew 24:13.
