Milk For New Christians Student Manual PDF

MILK FOR NEW CHRISTIANS Frank Hamrick & Jerry Dean MILK: FOR NEW CHRISTIANS written by Frank Hamrick and Jerry Dean Copyright 1972, 1993, 2005, 2008, 2013 by Positive Action for Christ, Inc., P.O. Box 700, 502 W. Pippen St., Whitakers, NC 27891. www.positiveaction.org All rights reserved. No pa...

MILK FOR NEW CHRISTIANS Frank Hamrick & Jerry Dean MILK: FOR NEW CHRISTIANS written by Frank Hamrick and Jerry Dean Copyright 1972, 1993, 2005, 2008, 2013 by Positive Action for Christ, Inc., P.O. Box 700, 502 W. Pippen St., Whitakers, NC 27891. www.positiveaction.org All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced in any manner without permission in writing from the publisher. Fifth edition 2013 First printing Printed in the United States of America ISBN 978-1-59557-169-4 Edited by C.J. Harris and Jim Lord Designed by Shannon Brown Published by  TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 How Did I Become a Christian?.............. 5 2 The Assurance of Salvation.................. 13 3 The Importance of God’s Word.............. 19 4 How to Study the Word..................... 25 5 Prayer.................................... 33 6 Sharing Our Faith.......................... 41 7 Baptism.................................. 51 8 The Believer and the Church................ 57 Examination Questions..................... 63  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. —1 Peter 2:2 As a new Christian, you might be wondering what to make of your young faith. What does God expect of you? What are you supposed to know? More importantly, who are you supposed to be? It might seem a little overwhelming, but God doesn’t expect you to figure out everything at once. He’s already changed you into someone new (2 Cor. 5:17), and He promises to continue His work in you (Phil. 1:6). So don’t trust your ability to learn or do or be. Trust God, and let Him teach you, guide you, and mold you. That’s not to say you don’t have some work ahead of you. This book offers you milk from God’s Word—that is, passages from Scripture which teach you basic doctrines about your faith and about God. You might not have studied the Bible before, so even these simple truths could be difficult to learn. So ask God to open your heart. Ask Him to help you understand His Word, so that you can grow stronger and wiser—and closer to your Savior.  1 HOW DID I BECOME A CHRISTIAN? The Bible talks a lot about salvation, but what does this word really mean? Normally, we might imagine a person getting “saved” from a burning house or a rushing river. But when the Bible uses the word salvation, it’s talking about something far more important than rescue from physical injury or death. Biblical salvation refers to two things—first, our rescue from hell and eternal separation from God, and second, our restoration and adoption as God’s children, in this world now and in heaven forever. Some Christians, therefore, call themselves “saved” to recognize that God has rescued them from their sin and to His family. But how does this salvation happen? GOOD WORKS DON’T SAVE Maybe you’re asking, “Don’t I have to do something to get saved? Aren’t good or noble actions necessary to get me into heaven?” Let’s see what God says through His Word, the Bible. Turn to Romans 3:9–12. Verse 9 teaches that Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) are the same in that they are both under __________________. What do you think this means? ___________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Verse 10 describes what we really are in God’s sight. How many are righteous—that is, right with God? ____________________________________________ According to verse 11, how many people really seek God?________________________________________ According to verse 12, how many people, from God’s perspective, do good?___________________________ 6  How can you say I don’t do good things? It’s a fair question. But what does the Bible mean by “good”? As far as making other people happy, any of us can do good. We can share, give, and even die helping others— all as sinners unredeemed by Christ. But so far as pleasing God, no person can do good on his own. Romans 8:8 says that those who are in the flesh—that is, those who haven’t trusted Christ for their salvation—_____________________ please God. Without Christ, we cannot please God at all, and we certainly couldn’t please God enough for Him to overlook our sin. Why can’t I earn my salvation? GOD IS HOLY Read Leviticus 11:44 and answer the following questions. What did God require of Israel?___________________ ____________________________________________ Why must they be holy?_________________________ ____________________________________________ Read Habakkuk 1:13. Here the prophet is talking to God, and we learn that God is so pure, so holy, that He cannot even __________________________________________________. God is perfectly holy, and He demands holiness from every individual. Romans 3:23 tells us that ___________ have sinned. Can people that have sinned—that are imperfect— please a perfectly holy God by their own works? Yes No. As we shall see, God is so holy that even our good works appear to Him as sinful. 7 Because God is holy, our sins separate us from Him. What does Romans 6:23 tell us is the wage, or reward, for our sin?______________________________________ SALVATION IS A GIFT According to Romans 6:23, how does a person gain eternal life?___________________________________ ____________________________________________ What do you have to do to get a gift?_______________ ____________________________________________ If a person offers you a gift, do you tell them, “Well, that’s great, but let me pay for it and earn it”? Yes No Is there any way you can work for a free gift? Yes No If you work for a gift, it is no longer a gift—it’s a wage. Read Romans 6:23 again. Death is the wage we deserve for our sin. Eternal life—that is, salvation—is the gift that God offers us through Jesus Christ. What can we do but accept it? OUR RIGHTEOUS DEEDS ARE WORTHLESS How does Isaiah 64:6 describe the so-called righteous things we try to do?_____________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ These filthy rags or garments refer to the kind of bandages someone might place over an open sore. Once removed from the wound, the bandages are disgusting, polluted garbage. This is how God views our works. Our intentions might be good, but our sinful nature corrupts even our best efforts. 8 WHEN DOES A PERSON BECOME A CHRISTIAN? The following four things happen as a person becomes a Christian. He Recognizes That He Is a Condemned Sinner Before a Holy God Throughout the Bible, we see people confronted with their sin. How did the following admit their sinfulness? David—2 Samuel 12:13__________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Isaiah 6:5_____________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ He Recognizes What Christ Has Done for Him In Acts 8:26–40, a royal treasurer from Ethiopia asked one of Christ’s disciples, Philip, to explain the meaning of Isaiah 53. Philip showed him how the passage prophesied that a Savior would come and die for our sins. Salvation would not be possible had Christ not paid for our sins on the cross (1 Pet. 1:17–19; Rom. 5:6). Without an understanding of Christ’s saving work on the cross, a person cannot be saved. God’s holiness and justice require death for our sins (Rom. 6:23). But the gospel—that is, the good news—is that Christ died in our place. He Repents of His Sin and Flees to Christ for Salvation According to 2 Corinthians 7:10, what does godly sorrow, or grief, produce? ______________________ And what does this lead to? _____________________ To repent is to turn around, to change your mind and therefore your direction. 9  How does a person gain repentance (2 Tim. 2:25)? ____________________________________________ God-given repentance is not just self-pity or guilt for having done wrong. Those attitudes don’t turn us to God for salvation. But how do we know that our repentance is the kind that leads us to salvation? Two signs accompany God-given repentance: 1. As mentioned before, we will have godly ___________ for our sin (2 Cor. 7:10). This is an actual hatred of our sin, a deep desire to be cleansed of it. 2. We will desire Christ. We will see Him as our precious cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:7). We will understand how dependent we are on Him. Read Matthew 13:44. When the man found treasure in the field, how did he respond? What was his attitude? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ That treasure represents Christ. When a person truly repents of his sin, he realizes that Christ is more valuable and desirable than all the treasures on Earth. He will do anything to gain that glorious treasure. He Believes on the Lord Jesus Christ with All His Heart Read John 3:16. According to this verse, who will be given eternal life?______________________________ ____________________________________________ Salvation is not a business transaction—the kind where God offers to save us if we will believe, and we just say, “Okay, I believe.” As with repentance, some so-called belief does not lead to salvation. James 2:19 tells us that the_______________________ also believe that God exists. But this kind of belief will not save them. The kind of belief Jesus spoke of to Nicodemus (John 3:16) leads to salvation. How is it different from the belief that the demons have? 10 True belief grows from a knowledge of... God’s holiness Our sinfulness Our utter helplessness to save ourselves We can then turn to our precious Savior, Christ, who alone can save us, trusting Him to save us from sin by His work on the cross. And when we come to Him, He redeems us, changes us, saves us. Complete This Section Without Looking Back at the Lesson 1. Who has sinned?_______________________________ 2. What is the reward for our sin?___________________ 3. Can people naturally do anything pleasing to God? Yes No 4. Can people do good deeds in the sight of other people? Yes No 5. According to Romans 6:23, can we earn eternal life—that is, salvation? Or is it a gift of God?_________________ ____________________________________________ 6. Before salvation, how do our attempts at good deeds appear to God?________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 7. What must a person do to be saved?_______________ ____________________________________________ 8. What four things take place when a person is truly saved? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 11 In Psalm 119, the psalmist writes of a love for God’s Word, which leads to a desire to hide, or keep, that Word in your heart (vs. 11). The best way to keep the Word in your heart and mind is to read and memorize it. Learn the following verses. They will remind you that salvation is a free gift, one available to all who believe on Christ and depend on Him alone to save them. Verses to Memorize Ephesians 2:8, 9 12  2 THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION Can a person know for sure whether he has received salvation? Some people teach that we can only hope to be saved, that we won’t know we’re going to heaven until we get there. But Scripture teaches us that we can have certainty now—not because of what we do, but because of Christ. In fact, God included a book in the Bible just to assure believers that they have eternal life in Him (1 John). God uses the following ways to help Christians know they are truly His children. CHRIST’S LIFE ASSURES When God saves a person, something happens to him on the inside. The Old Sinner Dies Read Galatians 2:20. In the first phrase of this verse, what did Paul say happened to him?____________________ ____________________________________________ Paul’s former identity as a sinner is gone. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, sin no longer defines or bounds us. God Places a New Life Within Us According to Galatians 2:20, a new life arises within the believer. Where did this life come from?____________ ____________________________________________ But someone must sustain this life. Look at Galatians 2:20 again. On what person do we place our faith? ____________________________________________ And what does this verse say He has done for us? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ To summarize: in Colossians 3:4, what does Paul call Christ?_______________________________________ 14 This New Life Cannot Die Christ died once to pay for our sins (Rom. 5:6), but He rose again three days later. According to Romans 6:9, what did Christ prove by His resurrection?__________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Can He ever die again?__________________________ Psalm 110 is a song about Christ, written 1000 years before He was born on Earth. It describes His power and authority, using several different pictures as examples. One picture, or type, of Christ is Melchizedek, an ancient King- Priest who lived during Abraham’s day, in a city that would later become Jerusalem. Hebrews 7 argues that Jesus became a priest for us in the same order, or tradition, as Melchizedek. Psalm 110:4 prophesies that Christ will be a priest like Melchizedek. How long will He keep this position? ____________________________________________ According to Revelation 11:15, how long will Christ reign, or rule?_________________________________ Jesus Christ, our very life, our eternal priest and connection to God, will forever keep us safe in Him. But couldn’t Christ leave me? Christ Will Never Leave Us Read Hebrews 13:5. What will Christ never do? ____________________________________________ We Who Have Christ Have Eternal Life Read 1 John 5:11–13 and answer the following questions. Who gives eternal life?__________________________ Does everyone possess eternal life? Yes No 15  Who has eternal life? Where does it come from?______ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Who does not have eternal life?___________________ ____________________________________________ To whom did John write these verses?______________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ According to these verses, can you know that you have eternal life? Yes No Since Christ—who will never die—lives in believers, and since He has promised to never leave us, then we can never go to hell. Christ’s life assures us of eternal salvation. GOD’S WORD ASSURES Read Acts 16:30, 31; Romans 10:9, 13; John 3:16. Now answer the following questions. In your own words, what must a person do to be saved? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Can God lie (Titus 1:2)? Yes No Did God say He would save you if you put your faith and trust in Him? Yes No Do you trust Him for salvation? Yes No Then according to God’s Word, are you saved? Yes No GOD’S HANDS ASSURE Read John 10:27–29. These verses show that we, as believers, are in Christ’s hand (vs. 28) and in God the Father’s hand (vs. 29). Can anyone take us out of God’s hands? Yes No 16  Study verse 28. Perish in this verse means to suffer in hell. If a person is God’s child, safe in His hands, will he ever perish? Yes No After reading these verses, do you think it is up to you to keep yourself saved? Yes No Look at 1 Peter 1:5. According to this verse, what protects or keeps us through faith to our salvation? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ God is all-mighty (Gen. 17:1). He can do whatever He decides to do. His power knows no limits, just as our trust in Him should know no limits. DEALING WITH DOUBTS Sometimes you may wonder whether you are saved. Our flesh, vulnerable to spiritual weakness and attack, can doubt God’s goodness and power. This is common, especially for new believers, or for believers who have just begun to think critically about their faith. But I just don’t feel saved. Read John 1:12. What does God give to those who receive Jesus Christ? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ According to this verse, what have you become by receiving Christ?_______________________________ Do you have to feel like you are the child of your parents to actually be their child? Yes No Some mornings you may get out of bed and not even feel alive. Does that mean you are not living? Yes No 17  You are now a child of God—is that a fact or a feeling? ____________________________________________ Complete This Section Without Looking Back at the Lesson 1. How does Christ’s life give us assurance that we are eternally saved?________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 2. Who possesses eternal life?_______________________ ____________________________________________ 3. Do you possess eternal life? Yes No 4. How do you know?_____________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 5. What verse of Scripture teaches that you can know you have eternal life?_______________________________ 6. In your own words, what does a person do to be saved? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 7. What verses teach that you’re in God’s hands? ____________________________________________ 8. According to 1 Peter 1:5, what protects, or keeps, us? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 9. List three things that assure us of our salvation. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Verses to Memorize 1 John 5:13 Romans 10:9 18