THE NEW MAN (Part 2)
Memory Verse: “The
Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
Rom.
8:16 (NIV).
LESSON OBJECTIVES AND FOCUS
Our aim is to be able to appreciate i). what it means to be justified; and
ii).
the essentials for bringing about our justification.
LESSON
INTRODUCTION
When a guilty man is condemned and
locked away in prison, he remains there to serve his time. (In hell, it is
“forever”.) He cannot be freed beforehand unless there is some way of
demonstrating his innocence, or proving that he should not be there to begin
with because his crime had already been paid for. Since we all are sinners
before God (Rom. 3:23), our hope of
being delivered from condemnation before Him lies in finding Someone Who can
pay for our sins with what is acceptable to God so God can declare us “Not
Guilty” and free us. This is what Justification is all about.
WE
NEED TO NOTE THAT
In Justification, those who were
previously condemned by reason of their sin, are “justified”, declared “not
guilty” but “just” or “righteous”. This position of right standing before God
is granted to every one who acknowledges his sins, confesses and turns away
from them onto God (=repentance) and trusts in Jesus as His Saviour (Rom. 5:1; Jn 3: 16), the One Who paid
the ransom for our lives (I Tim. 2:5-6).
What was the ransom He paid?
LESSON
OUTLINE 1: A JUSTIFIED LIFE
i).
What is offered to us when God Justifies us?
a).
He declares us to be righteous, Rom 5:1.
b).
He discharges us from the punishment/penalty due to us for
our sins, Micah 7: 18-19.
c).
Instead of dying for our sins, we receive forgiveness and pardon, Ezek.18:4; Col.1:13-14.
d).
The righteousness of Christ is credited to the justified
sinner, Rom 3: 21-24; II Cor. 5:21.
ii).
How do we obtain Justification?
a).
It is obtained by grace – not something we earn by our efforts or good life, Rom. 3:24a.
b).
The basis is the atoning work through the blood of Jesus, Rom. 3:24b; 5:9, by which He paid the penalty for our sins.
iii).
What proof is there of a Justified life?
a).
Peace with God. Rom. 5:1; 8:1; John
14:27.
b).
The justified man can approach God in prayer with confidence, Rom 5:1-2; Hebr.4:16.
LESSON
OUTLINE 2: ASSURANCE OF SALVATION FOLLOWS JUSTIFICATION
i).
What is the right basis for the assurance of salvation?
a).
The word of God concerning our lives, I Jn 5:13.
b). The inner witness of
the Holy Spirit, Rom 8:16.
c).
The change of attitude and life which are now directed at pleasing God, II Cor. 5:17.
d).
The peace with God, Rom. 5:1, and
the peace of God, Phil.4:7, which
follow.
ii).
What can be the wrong foundation on
which to base our assurance of salvation?
a).
Our personal feelings – whether we are optimists or pessimists, whether we tend
to be positive in outlook or full of doubts – are a wrong basis for judging
whether or not we are saved.
b).
People’s comments are not necessarily a good proof of our
salvation.
c).
Failure to spend time with God in prayer and Bible Study will clearly indicate
that we do not have a living relationship with God, and any claims we may have
to being saved as false.
d).
Being a stranger to the indwelling and leading of the Holy
Spirit proves that one is not genuinely saved. Rom. 8:14.
SUMMARY
God intends that you and I be assured
of our salvation here and now (I Jn.
5:13) because He wants to have a warm, living and loving relationship with
us here today & not just in heaven.