4. What I Become Through Faith in Jesus
People have many needs. Here are some common problems. Which ones do
you think are most common to the people you know?
Fear of death
Loneliness
Bad habits
Low view of self-worth
No power to do right
Feel far from God
Guilt
In order to help us solve these problems, God gives certain gifts
instantly to those who trust in Jesus. They are written in the Bible
verses below. First read the Bible verse, then write the main point on the
first line. Then, on the next line, write one of the problems from the
list above.
1. Read 1 John 3:1. Because of Jesus, a person becomes a (1)_________
… and so there is no reason to have a (2)______ .
2. A. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-18. Because of Jesus, a person becomes a
(3) _____
… and so there is hope that the person can change any (4)_________________ .
- Read 1 Peter1:3. This verse explains that I have new life because
God caused me to (5) ___________ .
Read Colossians 3:9-10. Now I have a new (6)__________ which wants to
obey Jesus.
C. About Satan. Read Revelation 12:9. Satan was created as a good
angel, but he rebelled against God and became God's opponent (the word
"satan" means"opponent".) The angels who rebelled with Satan are called
"evil spirits" or "demons" in the Bible. Satan lives
for self, not for God. When we live for self, we are thinking the same way as (7)_____. Satan makes suggestions to do
bad to our thought life. This is what is meant by "temptation". Our
selfish nature (the "old (8)____") finds these suggestions to be
reasonable, and likes to do them. God has provided an answer to
this problem by giving us a "new self" which finds it natural
to follow Jesus, not Satan.
- Read 1 Corinthians 12:27. The person who believes in Jesus becomes a
member of the (9)_____
… which is also called (see first part of verse 28) the (10)_______________ ,
… so, the person knows others will care when the person feels (11)_________ .
- Read 1 Corinthians 12:7. God has given the (12)_______
… who can help when the person has (13)____________ .
- Read 1 John 5:13. The believer knows that after death there is
(14)__________
… so there is no need to have (15)_____________________________ .
- Read Acts 10:43. Because the person believes in Jesus, the person
has (16)___________________
… so the person can turn to God when feeling (17)__________ .
- Read Colossians 1:27. From the time the person trusted Jesus,
there was a special connection: Jesus is (18)___ me
… so the person knows God is near, even when feeling (19)___________________ .
These gifts are given to a person instantly upon trusting Jesus. There
is nothing additional the person needs to do in order to have them. The
term for this reality is "Position in Christ". When a person
does not feel these gifts, there is a basis for hope, because the person
knows God has already provided these gifts.
Below is the third part of the Apostles Creed. After you read it,
circle the words that are the same as the things you wrote in the gift
boxes:
THE APOSTLES CREED, THIRD PART
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion
of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the
life everlasting. Amen.
"Saints" means "believers," (and
"communion" means "togetherness"), so "communion
of saints" means that we have an eternal relationship with all other
Christians. "Amen" means we agree with what was just said.
HELP FOR DAILY LIVING. Write words from the Creed that help when one
feels:
Lonely (20)_________________
Powerless (21)_______________________
Guilty (22)__________________
Sad because life is short (23)____________