Trading the Old for the New

Scripture Reading: Romans 5:12-21.

Memory Verse: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

INTRODUCTION:  Salvation is not something you do, but something Jesus does when you receive Him. There is no way you can save yourself--any more than a drowning man can. Like the drowning man, you need the help of someone else--you are saved when you put your total trust in the life-saver.
  That's what Jesus has done for you. He has rescued you from a life that was overwhelmed by sin, under the control of Satan, and headed for the well-deserved judgment of God...and He's planted your feet on the firm ground of God's domain, taking you out of your old ways and giving you eternal life.
  The Bible says that God has "delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13,14). An eternal transaction was taking place as Jesus was dying on the Cross. He was representing you and me before His Father.
  God's righteous judgment had pronounced us guilty because we had sinned...but in His great love, He had sent His Son to take the punishment we deserved instead. When you received Jesus into your life this is the wonderful exchange that took place: God took the sinless Christ and poured into Him our sins. Then in exchange He poured God's goodness into us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
  Now, a whole new way of living spreads before you, and it all revolves around a special person--Jesus Christ. When you opened your life to Him, you started living under His control--you became a new creation, in Him. Life will no longer be the same. You will look at the circumstances of life through a new perspective--His perspective. You will see through His eyes. You will walk in His footsteps. You will learn from His example. You will love with His love. Like a newborn baby, there is a lot to learn, but you have His Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.

LESSON QUESTIONS:

1. Man was created pure and uncontaminated. What changed this? Genesis 3:22-24; Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22.

2. What was God's plan to reconcile man back to himself? Romans 5:19; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23,45.

3. How does this wonderful work of God become ours? 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 15:47-49.

4. How does the control of our life change, once we give our lives to God? Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20.

5. When we're born into the family of God, what are some of the new resources we have to meet life's challenges? Hebrews 4:16; Ephesians 1:19,20; Hebrews 1:14; Isaiah 6:13; 2 Corinthians 5:22.

6. What quality of relationship does Jesus promise? 1 John 10:10; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5.

7. How does the Bible describe the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives? 2 Corinthians 3:18.

8. What position do we now hold in God's kingdom? Ephesians 1:22,23; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.

9. What are some of the promises of our new life in Christ? Romans 5:1-5; Hebrews 9:15; 1 John 2:25.

10. Describe what our new focus in life should be. Philippians 4:4-9.