Lesson 6 - Faith and Repentance
The Message
Mark 1:14-15 "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
According to verse 15 Jesus came preaching what two things? ____________________________
Acts 20:21 "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
Two things were testified to the Jews and Greeks.
_____________________ toward God!
_______________ toward our Lord Jesus Christ!
The proper response to the gospel is repentance and faith!
Considering Repentance
Ezekiel 18:30-32 "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."
Repent and _________ ___________________ from all your ___________________.
In doing so iniquity will not be your ____________.
According to verse 31 what are you to do with your transgressions?
Because God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked he exhorts you to _____________ yourself, and __________.
Repentance is turning from sin to God. One cannot turn to God without turning from sin. It is the love of sin that keeps men from trusting Jesus.
Isaiah 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
The wicked should do what concerning his way? _____________________
The wicked should _____________ unto the LORD.
If a wicked man will do this what will the LORD have upon him? ____________
If a wicked man will return to God what will God do for him? ___________ _______________
Pardon - the excusing of an offense without exacting a penalty
Acts 17:30 "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:"
All men everywhere are commanded to do what? ______________
When we don’t repent we add to our sins and disobedience.
Considering Faith
Romans 3:21-22 "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:"
Is there righteousness available without the law?
God’s righteousness is available by the _____________ of Jesus Christ.
The righteousness is offered to ___ _____ ______ ___________.
The righteous is only upon those that ___________.
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Jesus said he was three things:
The ___________!
The __________________!
The __________________!
Jesus is not “a” way, “a” truth, and “a” life. He is “THE” way, “THE” truth, and “THE” life.
What can no man do but by Jesus Christ? ___________________
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Verse 10 tells us that the name being spoken of in verse 12 is the name of Jesus.
Is there salvation in any other name than Jesus? ____
Is there any other name under heaven given among men whereby you can be saved? ____
Acts 16:27-31 "And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
What question did the prison guard ask? _______________________________
What was the answer given him? ____________________________
What were they to believe about Jesus? (see previous lesson)
James 2:14-20 "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
If faith does not have works what kind of faith is it? ________
What is the evidence that we have faith? ____________
Do the devils believe in God? ____
Are the devils going to heaven? _____
When we turn to God and exercise biblical faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ works are produced. Our life is changed. Otherwise our belief is no different than that of devils and it is a dead faith that does not secure salvation!
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
If a man is in Christ (saved) he is a ____________ ________________.
What passes away? ____ _________
What becomes new? ____ ________
We don’t change to be saved, we change because we are saved!
Available To All
Romans 10:9-13 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Where do we believe? ___________
What do we believe? __________
If we believe that God raised him from the dead what other two things must we logically believe? ___________________________
If you believe these things in your heart and turn to God you shalt be ___________.
With the heart we believe unto what? ________________
Who can be saved by calling on the name of the Lord? _________________
Can you be saved by calling on the name of the Lord? ______
Please take some time now, to think back over your life!
Somewhere between your birthday and today, can you identify a time when you recognized that you were a sinner, separated from God and upon realizing your dreadful condition, repented of your sin, cast away your iniquity and put your complete confidence in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Have you had a turning point in your life when old things passed away and all things were made new?
If you cannot with confidence identify such a time in your life, today is the day you should repent and believe the gospel! Today is the day of salvation. It can be the day of your salvation if you will but humble yourself and give your life to Jesus!
Nothing is more important!
Proverbs 27:1 "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
You have no promise of tomorrow!
Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"
You do have a promise that death is coming. It is an appointment that you will keep. And then the judgment. Will you stand before God as a condemned sinner or a repentant, believing saint?
If you have never repented and believed the gospel, you can do that right now by simply turning from your sin and crying out to God for salvation; putting your complete confidence in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
If you have called upon the Lord for salvation we would love to hear about it. If not please continue to soberly consider the truths that we have considered.