Compiled by: Herman Abrahams (Pastor), Cornerstone Faith Ministries, P.O. Box 740, Westridge 7802, Rep. of South Africa.
E-Mail: Mentorship2003@yahoo.co.uk
Note to the reader:
If you have been blessed by this document, I would be honoured to receive an e-mail from you merely telling me where in the world you are based- I do not need any other information. This is just so that I can have the pleasure of giving thanks to Almighty God that somewhere on the globe the ministry which he has entrusted to me, is blessing the body of Christ and helping to extend the Kingdom of God. Thank you. Herman Abrahams, Cape Town, South Africa.
CORNERSTONE FAITH MINISTRIES - SCHOOL OF MINISTRY
FOUNDATION SERIES
LECTURE 1 - YOU SHOULD BE SURE OF YOUR SALVATION
(A) Four-fold Confirmation
How can you be sure that you are a Christian and that you have been born again in Jesus Christ? Is there some kind of confirmation that God gives to somebody who has sincerely received Christ into his/her life? There is, I believe, a four-fold confirmation that gives the Christian the assurance that he/she is a child of God.
1) TRUSTWORTHINESS OF GOD’S WORD
Assurance is based on the authority and trustworthiness of God’s Word.
1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (NIV)
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (or, KJV, ‘only begotten Son’), that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”. (NIV)
We know that we have eternal life because of the promise of God’s faithful Word.
2) THE WORK OF CHRIST IN HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS:
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated His own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV)
1 Corinthians 15:3 “I passed on to you right from the first what had been told to me, that Christ died for our sins just as the scriptures said He would. (Living Bible)
3) THE WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Romans 8:16 “For His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we really are God’s children.” (Living Bible)
1 Thess 1:5 “Our Gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.” (NIV)
4) CHANGED LIVES
1 Jn 2: 5-6 “This is the way to know whether or not you are a Christian: Anyone who says he is a Christian should live as Christ did.” (Living Bible)
1 Jn 3:10 “This is the way we know who the children of God are, anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love His brother.”
(B) Four important things happened to you when you became a Christian
1) CHRIST CAME INTO YOUR LIFE
Rev 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (NIV)
2) YOUR SINS WERE FORGIVEN
Col 1:13-14 “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
3) YOU BECAME A CHILD OF GOD
John 1:11-12 “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received
him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
4) YOU RECEIVED ETERNAL LIFE
1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (NIV) *
CORNERSTONE FAITH MINISTRIES
SCHOOL OF MINISTRY - FOUNDATION SERIES
LECTURE 1 (CONT.)- YOU SHOULD BE SURE OF YOUR SALVATION
Complete the crossword puzzle with the missing words.
ACROSS
1. Anyone who says he is a Christian should live as ...............did.
2. Christ died for our ................. .
3. The ............. …...…… speaks to us and tells us that we really are God’s children.
4. God has given us ......................life.
DOWN
1. Anyone who does not love his ......................is not a child of God.
2. While we were still ................. Christ died for us.
3. We ................that we have eternal life.
4. He who has the Son of God has ..................
5. He who does not have the Son of God does not have .......................
CLUES
1 John 5: 11-13; Romans 5:8; 1 Cor 15:13; Romans 8:16 (Living Bible); 1 John 2: 5-6 (Living Bible); 1 John 3:10
MEMORY VERSE
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated His own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
CORNERSTONE FAITH MINISTRIES
SCHOOL OF MINISTRY
FOUNDATION SERIES
REVISION EXERCISE - LECTURE 1:
YOU SHOULD BE SURE OF YOUR SALVATION
There is nothing vague about the Christian life. You may be certain that you have been born again to new life in Christ.” Assurance does not rest upon feelings, which change, but upon what God himself says in His Word.
1. What does Romans 3:23 teach us?
......................................................................................………………………………......…...
2. Can anything sinful enter heaven? (Revelation 21:27)
.................................................................................................………………………………..
3. What is the penalty for my sin? (Romans 6:23)
...............................................................................................………………………………....
4. Who has already paid the penalty for me? (Romans 5:8)
....................................................................................………………………………...............
5. Which four words in both Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 2:8 make it clear what salvation is
and that it cannot be earned?
.................................................................................................................................……….....
6. Write your first name in each of the blanks below:
God so loved............................. that He gave His only begotten Son, that if ................ believed in Him , ........................... shall not perish , but ......................... shall have everlasting life. (See John 3:16)
7. 1 John 5:13 states that I can have assurance of salvation because it says:
“I write these things to you who believe on the name of the Son of God so that you may HOPE / THINK / KNOW (cross out incorrect words) that you have eternal life”.
8. Do you have this assurance of salvation? (Mark the applicable space).
Yes.......... No..............
9. According to the Bible does this assurance arise from confidence in our own good deeds and
repentance? (Mark the applicable space). Yes .......... No ............ From where does it arise?
(i) Romans 8:15,16 ..........................................................……………...............................
(ii) 1 Peter 1:23-25; Romans 15:4 .......................................................……………............
10. Can you repeat John 3:16 off by heart? Yes........ No..…...
*************************
CORNERSTONE FAITH MINISTRIES
SCHOOL OF MINISTRY
FOUNDATION SERIES
TEST 1 - YOU SHOULD BE SURE OF YOUR SALVATION
Name ........................................…….……......... Date .............….......... Result .....................................
(A) PLEASE ENCIRCLE THE CORRECT ANSWER (T-TRUE/ F-
FALSE)
1. T F It is impossible for the Christian to be absolutely sure that he/she is a child of God.
2. T F Assurance is based on the authority of God’s faithful Word.
3. T F God has given us eternal life through His Son.
4. T F We can earn eternal life through our Good works.
5. T F Eternal life can only be found in Jesus, the Son of God.
6. T F While we were still sinners Christ died for us.
7. T F God demonstrated His love for us because we were good people.
8. T F The Holy Spirit speaks to us and tells us that we really are God’s children.
(B) ENCIRCLE THE CORRECT ANSWER/S
You know that you are a child of God because:
1. You now live as Christ did;
2. You love your brother; and
3. You are doing what is right
(C) WRITE OUT ROMANS 5:8 FROM MEMORY
..............................................................................................…….....................………….
...……….............................................................................................................................
.....….......................................................................................…….....................................
EXAMINER’S REMARKS:
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(13 MARKS)
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