THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE IS TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THE ONE WHO MADE US, AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IN GOD'S KINGDOM. LET'S SEE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS IT TAKES TO KNOW GOD AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. IT'S AS SIMPLE TO REMEMBER AS A-B-C.

ADMIT

ROMANS 3:23

WE MAY THINK WE ARE PRETTY GOOD COMPARED TO OTHERS, BUT COMPARED TO GOD'S HOLY AND PERFECT STANDARD, WE FALL WAY SHORT! BECAUSE OF SIN WE ARE ALL SEPARATED FROM GOD, AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO TO FIX IT.

Q: WHO HAS SINNED, ACCORDING TO ROMANS 3:23? (SIN = EVERY THOUGHT, WORD, OR ACTION THAT DISHONORS GOD). HOW WOULD THAT INCLUDE YOU? WHAT DOES IT SAY HAPPENS BECAUSE OF OUR SIN? (GLORY = GOD'S PERFECTION OR PRESENCE).

BELIEVE

ROMANS 5:8, 6:23

OUR PAYMENT FOR SIN IS DEATH AND ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD. YET GOD LOVES US AND SENT HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, JESUS CHRIST, TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR OUR SINS BY DYING ON A CROSS. JESUS OFFERS US ETERNAL LIFE AS A FREE GIFT.

Q: HOW DOES ROMANS 5:8 SAY GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE FOR US? (CHRIST = GOD'S SON, JESUS). WHAT WERE WE LIKE WHEN JESUS DID THIS? WHAT DOES ROMANS 6:23 SAY IS OUR PAYMENT FOR SIN? (DEATH = SEPARATION). WHAT GIFT DOES GOD OFFER INSTEAD?

CONFESS

ROMANS 10:9, 10:13

JESUS DIED AND WAS BURIED BUT ROSE AGAIN FROM DEATH ON THE THIRD DAY. HE IS NOW OUR RISEN LORD AND SAVIOR. IF YOU WILL CALL ON HIM TO SAVE YOU FROM YOUR SINS AND MAKE JESUS YOUR LORD (MASTER, OWNER), YOU WILL BE SAVED.

Q: WHAT DOES ROMANS 10:9 SAY THAT WE SHOULD BELIEVE WITH OUR HEARTS? WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO CONFESS JESUS AS YOUR LORD? (LORD = MASTER OR OWNER). WHAT DOES IT SAY WILL BE THE RESULT? WHAT DOES ROMANS 10:13 PROMISE US?

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW GOD AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE?

ADMIT THAT YOU ARE A SINNER SEPARATED FROM GOD.

BELIEVE JESUS DIED FOR YOU. ETERNAL LIFE IS A GIFT.

CONFESS JESUS NOW AS YOUR RISEN LORD AND SAVIOR. 

ONCE WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE, WE NEED TO GROW IN OUR FAITH AND LIVE FOR HIM. HERE ARE SOME NEXT STEPS TO FOLLOW. YOU CAN REMEMBER THEM BY THE LETTERS A-B-C-D-E: 

ASSURANCE

1 JOHN 5:11-13

JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO SALVATION. IF WE HAVE FULLY TRUSTED IN HIM, WE CAN KNOW FOR SURE THAT WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE NOW AND FOREVER.

Q: WHERE DOES THIS PASSAGE SAY THAT ETERNAL LIFE IS FOUND? WHO HAS ETERNAL LIFE, AND WHO DOESN'T? WHY WAS THIS PASSAGE WRITTEN FOR US?

BAPTISM

ROMANS 6:1-4

BAPTISM IS A PUBLIC SYMBOL THAT SHOWS WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR US. WE HAVE DIED WITH CHRIST TO OUR OLD LIFE AND BEEN RAISED TO NEW LIFE.

Q: WHY AREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO CONTINUE IN OUR OLD SINFUL LIFE? WHAT ARE WE BEING BAPTIZED INTO? WHAT DOES OUR BAPTISM REALLY SYMBOLIZE?

CHURCH

HEBREWS 10:24-25

WE ARE NOW MEMBERS OF GOD'S FAMILY IN THE CHURCH AND SHOULD REGULARLY MEET TOGETHER TO ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER IN THE FAITH.

Q: AS MEMBERS OF GOD'S FAMILY, WHAT DOES IT SAY WE SHOULD NOT DO? INSTEAD, WHAT TWO THINGS SHOULD WE BE DOING? WHY DOES IT SAY SO?

DISCIPLESHIP

COLOSSIANS 2:6-7

WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND BECOME MORE LIKE HIM AS WE BUILD OUR LIVES UPON HIS TEACHINGS AND WAY OF LIFE.

Q: WHAT DOES IT SAY WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO AFTER RECEIVING JESUS AS LORD? HOW DOES IT DESCRIBE THE GROWTH PROCESS? WHAT WILL THE RESULTS BE?

EVANGELISM

MATTHEW 28:18-20

JESUS HAS COMMANDED US TO GO AND SHARE THE GOSPEL, MAKING DISCIPLES OF JESUS, BAPTIZING THEM, AND TEACHING THEM TO FOLLOW HIM.

Q: WHAT AUTHORITY DOES JESUS SAY HE HAS TO COMMAND US? WHAT THREE THINGS DOES HE COMMAND US TO DO? WHAT DOES HE PROMISE?