Reminder connect with sister erlyn for

report about ijay groupings…

Tapno maisimpa nga usto…
One way
the savior
I’ve been wrong before
Take turns on your group to answer the question; Have you been wrong about something you felt and
believed was so right before? What was the wrong belief?

i.e. I used to think that sleeping with wet hair would cause blindness.

I used to think that santa claus was a real gift giver.

Have you ever had thoughts like these?

I. “God will save me after all I’m not so bad.”

Perhaps you have heard or even thought, “God wouldn’t send him to hell, he is basically a good
person.’ Or, ‘I may not be perfect, but I am a lot better than she is even if she goes to church all the
time.’

In both cases our standard for determining whether someone should be saved is how good they are
compared to other people we know. We think that someone who is relatively good by human
standards is a better candidate for heaven than someone who is not good. But this is not what the
Bible teaches.

ROMANS 3;10-12
10
As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one;

11
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
[Link] do these verses tell us about human goodness.

No one would disagree that some people are better than others. Yet when God judges us, He does
so by completely different standard.

James 2;10
0
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

[Link] to this verse what is the result of breaking God’s law even one more time?

These verses make it clear that being good compared to other people is insufficient to qualify one for
salvation. To be qualified for salvation through ones’ own effort, one would be holy as God Himself.

Many jews in the time of Christ had this perspective. Paul, befor his conversion to Christ, was one of
them. But, after coming to faith in Christ, his outlook changed dramatically.

Galatians 2;15-16
15
We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not [i]justified
by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we
might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no
flesh shall be justified.

Luke 18;9-14

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9
Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax
collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like
other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give
tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as
raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you,
this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will
be [d]humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

[Link] contrasts two people in this story. What was the pharisee like? What was the tax collector
like? Who was declared righteous [justified] befor God? Why?

II. “God will save me if I do enough good works.”

Many people think that God will judge us with the set of scales that compare our good deeds with
our bad deeds. But that is not the picture of the basis of our standing before God as it is found I the
Bible.

Ephesians 2;8-10
8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

4. According to verse 9, can we earn our salvation through good works –i.e. doing kind deeds, going
to church, ect.? How is person saved? Based on this, how would you define grace?

5. Salvation is a gift because Jesus paid it by His death on the cross. How do you receive a gift? Doyou
have to pay for a gift?

Based on the above verses, which is God’s formula for salvation?

A. Faith in Jesus + good works = SAVATION

Ex. Good works[charity, prayer, good deeds vs. sin]
B. Faith in Jesus = SALVATION which results in good work
ANSWER = the correct formula is [B]
It is clear in the Bible that salvation is not the result of our good deeds. We can never be good
enough to please God because He is righteous and Holy, and we are not. This realization aften
leads us to the next perspective concerning salvation: “I couldn’t possibly be saved beause I am
so bad.”

III, “God could never save me… I am too bad to be

saved.”
Perhaps this is how you fell today. This perspective is based on the very same assumption as the
perspective that “God can only save those who are somehow good enough to gain his favor.” But, as
we have seen above, is this true?

The thief on the cross

Luke 23;39-43

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, [j]“If You are the Christ, save
Yourself and us.”
40
But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under
the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but
this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said [k]to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come
into Your kingdom.”
43
And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
6. What were Jesus’ companions at the crucifixion like? Were they basically good people? what did
Jesus promise to the criminal that asked Him for mercy? Did he do anything to make himself worthy
of salvation? What did he demonstrate when he asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus goes to
paradise?

God’s perspective on salvation

Psalm 103;8-13

8The Lord is merciful and gracious,

Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13
As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.

7. What do these verses say about the forgiveness God offers?

Have you ever placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation?

If you have not done so, would you like to right now?

If you would like to do so, simply pray in faith asking him to come in to your life as your savior and
Lord as the prayer from the end of session 1 indicates.

If you have already done so, thank God that He has saved you, forgiven your sins and given you a
new life.

Experience
Which of the wrong perspectives about salvation have you believed in the past? Now that you know
how you can be saved, what will you do differently this week?
Ephesians 2;10
10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them.

says that one result of having faith in Christ is what we can do good works that He created us to do.
What good thing will you do this week that will show your Faith in Jesus?

Equip…
On-the-job-training [30 mins]

Practice the Pray Care Share principle in reaching the people around you with the Gospel of Christ.

Simple action plan:

Pray, care, share

Pray – pray for people, and pray with people. First make a list of 10 people that you will begin
praying for them to come to Christ. Then look for opportunities to pray with them. While some
people may not be immediately open to talking with you about spiritual things, many will be willing
to allow you to pray for them. Simply ask them “what can I pray for you?” When they tell you, pray
for them. Then check back and see how God has answered your prayer.

Care – show tangible concern for people. Look for ways that you can go out of your ways to do
something kind for them. There are many ways, treating them for coffee, bringing food when they
are sick, giving them a small gift or sending them an encouraging text. They may wonder why you are
doing it – if they ask, tell them that you just love them, and wanted to show your love in a tangible
way.

Share – share the Gospel with them when the Lord gives you the opportunity. There are many ways
to share. Here are two:

1. “what is the best decision you’ve made in your life?” CCF has developed a simple presentation in
a booklet form, which you can read through with a friend to explain the message of the Gospel,
and lead a person to faith in Christ.
 2. One by one. Now that you have gone through one by one, you can help others who don’t know
Christ yet by Going through it with them. The first two lessons explain the Gospel and how a
person can put their faith in Christ.

Make a list of ten people whom you will practice pray care share.

PRAY CARE SHARE

I WILL PRAY WHEN HOW WILL I WHEN WHAT WILL I WHEN
FOR… CARE USE TO SHARE
[Link] Wednesday Treat for March 20 My testimony April 10
8pm milktea
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