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With a Friend
Did a friend ask you to study this booklet with him or her?
Im glad you took time out to study the Bible together! This
review what you have covered or survey what you are going
to cover next by looking at the table of contents each time
you move on to the next lesson. That will help you to keep
current with the flow of the whole book even if it takes you a
Small Group
Perhaps you are part of a small group that is going through
this booklet lesson by lesson. Try to read and answer the
things that interest you as you read the text the first time.
In whatever way you use the booklet I pray that the Lord will
bring you to a deeper and more wonderful relationship with
Him. A close relationship with God is the most enjoyable
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Question 1 Who is God? (LESSON 1)
1-10
4-9
11-14
God is Good.
God is Love.
15-17
19-25
28-32
32-37
(LESSON 5)
40-48
Do You Know
God?
LESSON 1
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever purchased a new electronic gadget? Perhaps
you had no knowledge at all about some new technology
your first computer or cell phone, or your first television for
that matter. How do you learn to use it? Well, some just play
with it until, after making enough mistakes, they learn the
right way to use it. Others will take time to read the book that
was designed to help them learn the gadget.
Perhaps an
yourself.
God wrote you the Bible to help you understand Him and relate
to Him.
passages in the Bible where God will speak with you. If you
are just beginning to understand God or are still skeptical as
to whether the God of the Bible exists, then let me encourage
you to read these verses carefully.
Actually, we are
But
We
1.
2.
What are four truths that we derive from the fact that
God is Creator?
3.
10
Do You Know
God?
LESSON 2
God is Holy.
Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts. The whole earth is
full of His glory (Isaiah 6:3).
11
fundamental
attribute.
His
all-knowingness,
His
righteousness, etc.
12
God is Good.
Another character trait of God that we learn from Scripture is
that God is good. This is Gods perfection in morality.
Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore He instructs sinners in the way (Psalm 25:8).
O taste and see that the LORD is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him (Psalm
34:8)!
He is always good and will always act in goodness. We dont
need to be afraid that God is conducting some large hoax to
fool a bunch of people into following Him so that He can take
advantage of them. He is not like a bully at the park burning
ants with his magnifying glass. God will bring history to a
good end. In fact, He will even take the bad story of mans
sinfulness and gain the ultimate good of His own glory and His
creations gladness in delighting in Him.
Several truths flow from Gods goodness: God made all things
good (Genesis 1:31). Only God is always good and without
fault (Psalm 53:1-3). Every good gift comes from God (James
1:17). In one sense, God is our highest good and only delight
(Psalm 16:2).
God is Love.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have
eternal life (John 3:16).
13
teach how God has demonstrated His love. Biblical love is not
static. Your love is always demonstrated by doing. Part 2 in
this booklet outlines Gods Rescue Plan which will deal with
how Gods holiness, justice, and truth can be upheld
consistently with His goodness and love.
We have learned a little about Who God is and what He does.
Before we move to our next chapter, lets examine a perfect
picture of God:
14
climaxed. He saved His final and greatest revelation for last that was His Son, Jesus. "In these last days He has spoken to
us in His Son." Because this is the climax it is even more
important to listen to Him as God's Son (2:4).
So the revelation of Jesus is Gods final message to earth. God
sent Himself. We must take heed and listen to this message
of salvation through Jesus. Please consider taking a moment
to pray about this matter before you go to sleep tonight. If
you have never come to know Gods self-revelation through
Jesus Christ, then ask the Lord to lead you to this message and
give you the conviction in your heart of what is true relating to
God and His Son.
15
As you
16
17
1.
2.
God's
3.
18
Do You
Know God?
LESSON 3
QUESTION 2WHO AM I?
Weve already considered Who God is. Now we need to talk
about who we are as humans so we can understand the help
God brings. Lets look at two major truths the Bible teaches
about every individual.
19
We
have
unique
gift
in
relationships,
20
This is one
21
sinfulness:
22
23
Not only does Jesus internalize these laws, but He also teaches
that you have to obey them 100%. There are no good days
and bad days.
then
annuls
one
of
the
least
of
these
demands
The
Bible
(Romans
3:23).
Understanding
this
truth
and
YOU WANT TO BE
RECONCILED TO HIM
acknowledging this is
the first step to full and
eternal forgiveness. It is the beginning of the end of your
alienation from God. You must realize that you are estranged
24
25
1.
2.
Tax Collector
Actions
Attitude
View before
God
3.
What are ways that people today think that they are
righteous in and of themselves?
26
4.
5.
27
Do You
Know God?
LESSON 4
If you have taken the time to go through all of Part 1 of this
study, you have learned some major things about God and
about the way He views the world. God made all things to be
enjoyed and all people to enjoy Him. You also learned that
God is holytotally unique and separate from sin. Because
humans rebelled against Him, all people have become
alienated from Him and are not right with Him. Because each
of us sins and God cannot accept sin, God cannot accept us
into His presence.
So how can we be accepted before God? How can we get back
to the way God ordered things at the beginning in His garden?
He wants us to enjoy Him and delight in Him forevertrue
delight and eternal joy. But we failed His standard, and if we
are honest, we fail daily. Getting back to the garden is the
story of the Bible. We could not earn our way back to God, but
God sent us help. And this story unfolds in how God rescued
humankind through sending Himself as the lifeboat that
brings us back to Him.
The most important truth anyone should know is how to
receive Gods help. To look at that we will answer three basic
questions. Who needs rescuing? What is God's rescue plan?
How can I be rescued?
28
29
condemnationit
is
your
salvationyour
rescue.
However, you must come to the point that you believe you
need to be rescued. Do you believe this? Do you believe that
you are under Gods wrath and condemned in His court? If you
30
by
the
kayak
was
lost in
my
surroundings.
When I turned the kayak back around to look at the
shore, I realize that I was much further out than when
I first faced the open Atlantic. In fact, I had drifted
quite a distance from shore!
31
If that is you, be
32
first the first verse of the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of
Mark:
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God (Mark 1:1).
The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son
of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).
Now let's read what angels said at the birth announcement of
Jesus in Luke's Gospel.
But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the
people; for today in the city of David there has been born
for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11).
It is clear that right from the beginning of these accounts the
Good News is the Good News about Jesus. The same is true in
John's Gospel. Right from the start, he declares that Jesus is
God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). And at the end of his
Gospel account he tells us the purpose of writing:
Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the
presence of the disciples, which are not written in this
book; but these have been written so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing
you may have life in His name (John 20:30-31).
It is clear that the central Person in the Gospel is Jesus and that
through Him we can have life. Now lets review the reason why
Jesus' life is Good News by examining the content of the
Gospel.
33
After that He
34
preached
to
save
those
who
believe
(1
Corinthians 1:21).
Jesus lived a perfect life for your imperfect life. The Bible
teaches that Jesus obeyed every law of God. God demands
perfect obedience, and only Jesus could fulfill this demand.
We have already concluded that God demands holiness and
that none of us are perfect. So how can we go forward? We
have to accept Jesus life by faith. His perfect life must be
attributed to you. This is how the righteousness of God, the
perfect nature that God demands, is attributed to you.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so
that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2
Corinthians 5:21).
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has
been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets
testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith
in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:21-22 NIV).
Jesus died a sacrificial death for your sin. Jesus died on the
cross for your sin. He bore your sin on the cross, suffering
your penalty. When He was on the cross, His greatest agony
35
was separation from His Father. God the Father could not look
on Him. Why have You forsaken me? He cried. God had to
turn His eyes from His Son because He was bearing the sin of
the world. Jesus was the lightning rod that took Gods anger
for your sin. Because Jesus is God, He can bear an eternal
weight of sin. He paid for your eternal separation from God in
a moment of time.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ
died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous
man; though perhaps for the good man someone would
dare even to die.
toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us (Romans 5:6-8).
36
37
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
38
6.
39
Do You
Know God?
LESSON 5
QUESTION 5HOW CAN I BE RESCUED?
You may be wondering, How does this transaction take
place?
Believe
You must believe that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your
sin. This belief is more than just restating the facts. The Bible
says that demons believe the facts. Saving faith goes beyond
the facts and actually trusts God for eternal salvation. You
must not only believe that Jesus was a person Who died to pay
for sins, but you must also believe that His death was sufficient
to pay for your sin personally.
40
This kind of trust will cause you to ask for help. If you truly
believe that Jesus died for your sins then you will ask Him for
forgiveness. Do you believe Jesus died to take away your sins?
As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to
become children of God, even to those who believe in His
name (John 1:12).
If we were on a plane which had a failing engine, you could say
you trusted in a parachute to hold you if you needed to jump.
You might even believe that it could hold you. But in order for
this parachute to be of any help, you have to get out of your
seat and put the parachute on! So it is with Jesus. If you
believe His death was for you then call upon Him and ask for
the forgiveness that comes through His death on your behalf.
Place your trust in Him today!
Repent
The other condition of your heart that God demands is
repentance. Repentance is a change of mind about yourself
and your sin. You must go beyond just being sorry that you
have sinned; you must forsake that sin. You cannot choose
Gods way and your own way. Today, if you will receive Jesus
gift of salvation, you must be willing to go His wayyou must
be willing to give your life into His hand. He is a loving and
caring Master. God is now declaring to men that all people
everywhere should repent (Acts 17:30).
Of course, this does not mean that you must stop sinning in
order to receive Gods gift of salvation. Salvation is the free
gift of forgiveness for that sin. However, you cannot come to
God with half of your heart. You must present your life to Him.
Repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15).
41
Someone may say, Ill ask God for His forgiveness when I
clean up my life. This is the attitude of the Pharisee, someone
who is trying to earn his way to God by his own works. This is
not repentance but pride. As the Bible teaches, He saved us,
not on the basis of deeds which we have done in
righteousness, but according to His mercy (Titus 3:5).
Someone else may correctly say, I have no way to clean up my
sinful practices, but I am willing to give my sin and all of myself
to Him and plead for His forgiveness. This person has the
right attitude. They realize they have no way to earn Gods
forgiveness but they are not holding tight to their life or their
sin.
42
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of
works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have
eternal life (John 3:16).
That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes,
resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he
confesses, resulting in salvation (Romans 10:9-10).
And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal
life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the
life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have
the life (1 John 10:11-12).
God wants to give you lifeeternal life. That life is enjoying
the pleasures that are in His presence forever.
You will make known to me the path of life; In Your
presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are
pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11).
CONCLUSION
This is Gods story.
Sin has
43
His Son, Jesus Christ. Wont you believe the Gospel today?
Once you come to God through Jesus Christ, accepting Him
and Him alone, you will enjoy the communion that Adam and
Eve had in the cool of the daysweet harmony and fellowship
with the Father. And that enjoyment will last not just in this
lifetime.
44
1.
2. LESSON 4 QUESTION AND ANSWER
3.
4.
1.
True / False.
2.
What are the two conditions of the heart that must be met
before someone is saved?
3.
b)
c)
4.
45
46
Your life is a burning building. You cannot hang on to selfdestruction. The ladder of the Gospel has been placed at
the window of your heart. Your life is burning up. You
cannot trust in the burning building one moment more or
you will be swallowed up in eternal wrath.
You have
47
48
who
will
equip
each
EdificationIn
ministrythat
we
49
50