Course Straight Paths Lesson 1
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WELCOME PAGE
Welcome to our Mailbox Bible Study Course. We are glad to be your
interest in them active. This particular Course has seven lessons, with
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Harold Smith
LESSON 1 STRAIGHT PATHS FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD
IN various countries these are to he found companies of Christians
assembling for worship and ministry who are professedly unconnected
with
any sect of society. Believing in the sufficiency and supremacy of
Scripture
in all matters pertaining to life and godliness, they refuse to be
bound
by human creeds, catechisms, or confessions and have 110 doctrinal
declaration
or theological "system" other than God's Holy Word Whilst holding the
fundamental
doctrines common to all Christians, they recognize the following
truths:-
-The Church of God is one body (Eph. 4. 4); all Christians are members
of it (I Cor. 12. 13); Sectarianism, which is "schism" in the body of
Christ,
is sin ( 1 Cor. 1, 10), Christ is the center of gathering; believers
ought
not to meet on the ground of any doctrine or truth, however precious,
nor
should they assemble in the name of any man, sect or party ( Matt. 1 8.
1 9, 20); liberty should be afforded for the exercise of the "gifts"
bestowed
by the risen and ascended Head of the Church (I Cor. 14. 31); the hope
of the Christian is the return of the Lord Jesus to take His people to
be with Himself (Titus 2.13).
A gifted evangelist, whilst preaching under the auspices of the
"Evangelization Society," in our hearing, publicly defended himself
from
the charge of being a "Plymouth Brother," and remarked that "whenever a
Christian begins to read the Word of God for himself, he is immediately
branded a 'Plymouth Brother.' " Those who decline to allow any man, Or
body of men, to interpret the Scriptures for them, know somewhat of the
truth of the evangelist's statement.
THE NEW BIRTH.
Nicodemus, the learned Jewish rabbi, was startled by Christ's
declaration"Verily,
verily, 1 say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the
Kingdom
of God" (John 3:3).Though educated, moral, and religious, the Cord
Jesus,
in answer to his enquiry, emphasized His statement in the words— I
Marvel
not that I said unto thee, ye MUST be born again" (v. 7) What is the
reason
of this necessity? Some look upon it as an arbitrary decree on the part
of God to hinder earnest, seeking souls from obtaining salvation. This
is a great mistake. There is a moral necessity for regeneration, "That
which is born of the flesh is flesh" (v. 6), and can never be anything
else. Cultivate it, improve it, religionize it, it is still "flesh." If
one were taken to Heaven without being "born of God" (1 John 5:1), he
would
be wretched and miserable. "The carnal mind"—or the mind of the
flesh—"is
enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither
indeed
can be; so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans
8:7,8).
All of us by nature are "children of wrath" (Eph.2:3). Some Imagine
that they were born into the world "Christians," but they are mistaken.
We were all born sinners to start with. "Through the one man's
disobedience,
the many were made sinners)' (Romans 5:19. R. V.) By the fall of Adam
the
many—that is all of us—were made, or constituted sinners. If we were to
ask a Sunday School class "What is a sinner?" most likely the reply
given
would be "one who sins." But the answer does not go deep enough. Men
are
constituted sinners by virtue of what they are, not on account of what
they do. Men sin because they are sinners. No one is guilty of Adam's
transgression,
though all suffer on account of it. An apple tree is an apple tree in
January
as much as it is in September when it is laden with golden fruit.
Because
it is an apple tree it bears apples. The new birth is Scriptures say
about
it. "Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by
the
Word of God" (1' Peter 1. 23). The Holy Spirit is the author of the new
birth, but it is through the word of the truth of the Gospel that
sinners
arc born anew. "As many as received Him, to them gave He the right to
become
children of God, even to them that believe on His Name: which were
born,
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but
of God" (John 1: 12-13,(R.V) It is by receiving Christ that one is born
of God, and to receive Him is to believe on Him. "Whosoever believeth
that
Jesus is the Christ, is born of God" (I John 5:1). By believing on the
Son of God Who loved him and gave Himself for him, the unconverted
reader
will be born again (John 3: 3), saved (Romans 10:9), forgiven s Acts
10:43),
obtain eternal life (John 6:47), peace with God (Romans 5:1), and be
"justified
from all things" (Acts 13:38,39).
"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 (John 3:16).
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.
Some declare that it is "presumption" for any one to say that he
knows he is saved. All we can do, it is confidently affirmed, is to
"hope"
for the "best" and wait until the "great day" to see where we are to
spend
eternity. But such teaching is not according to God's Word. Christians,
in apostolic days, had no doubts about their salvation from sin's
penalty.
For proof of this let us appeal to Scripture. "We know that if our
earthly
house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an
house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor.5:1) "We are
"always confident" (v. 6-8). 'In Whom we leave redemption through His
Blood
even the forgiveness of sins" ( Eph. 1: 7) . "Being justified by faith
we have peace with God" (Romans 5: 1). "We know that we have passed
from
death unto life" (1 John 3:14). "I write unto you little children
because
your sins are forgiven you, for His Name's sake" (1 John 2: 12). If God
tells me that by believing on Christ I am forgiven which is the greater
"presumption," to believe or doubt His testimony? Scripture declares
that
those who believe on Christ are forgiven. Whosoever believeth in Him
shall
receive remission of sins" (Acts 10: 43). I believe that Christ bled
and
suffered and died for me, and according to God's Word, my sins are
remitted
or pardoned. Am I "presumptuous" in taking Him at His Word and
believing
that I am forgiven? In Acts 13:38, 39, it is distinctly stated that
"All
that believe are justified from all things." I do believe on Christ,
and
God's Word says I am "justified from all things." Ought I to doubt my
justification
, or believe that I am justified because God says so? "Believe on the
Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16: 31). I do believe on
Him
Who died on Calvary for all my sins, and according to God's Word, I am
saved. Shall I "set to my seal that God is true" and thank Him for
salvation,
or shall I disbelieve Him and assert that "no one can know that he is
saved
until the great day" ? "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the
witness
(or testimony) in himself; he that believeth not God hath made Him a
liar,
because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son, 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" (1 John 5: 10, 11) Scripture says that those who
believe
on Christ have everlasting life (John 3: 16,, 6: 47 ). I do believe on
Him, and therefore I have everlasting life. If I did not believe that I
was the possessor of everlasting life what a horrid sin of making God a
liar, and I dare not commit such a heinous offence.
"Verily, verily I say unto you," says the Lord Jesus, "he that
heareth
My Word and believeth on Him that sent Me HATH everlasting li f e, and
SHALL come into condemnation ( judgment, R. V.), but is PASSED from
death
unto life" (John S 24). All who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are
privileged
to say "GOD LOVED, GOD GAVE. I BELIEVE, AND I HAVE EVERLASTING
LIFE."
Next Lesson LAW AND GRACE.
LESSON 1 TEST PAGE
Send this page only to: inchrist@nbnet.nb.ca (Write your answers
to CAPITAL LETTERS between the lines.
1. What are the guiding principles of denominations?
2. A body of local Christians gathered to the Lord, should
acknowledge
certain things? Could you name one of them?
3. Does God improved the "flesh" when a person is born again?
4. What makes a person a sinner?
5. How can we be so sure that we are saved?
6. Give one verse that proves we can know that we are saved now.
Write it below?
______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
7. How do we know that salvation is a "gift from God?"
8. Do you know "for sure" that you are saved or do you just think
or hope?
9. How can we make God a liar?
10. Give one verse that says a born again believer will never COME
INTO JUDGMENT?".
Name:
Address:
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Updated Nov.25th 2000 by Harold
Smith