What if the Lord were to come right now? Would you know for sure, nothing doubting, that you would go to heaven?

We can know how to have eternal life!

1 John 5:13 - I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

Then, what has been written? Isn't this a life-and-death statement?

John 8:24 - I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.

Then, who is Jesus? Whose Son is He?

Matthew 16:13-17 - Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

Is His being the Son of God all we must believe concerning His identity?

John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Jesus being the Son of God . . . is God. Notice here:

John 1:14 - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

When Jesus came to earth, did He leave His Godhead in Heaven? Notice that Jesus is 100% man and 100% God.

Colossians 2:9 - For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.

God the Father calls His own Son God:

Hebrews 1:8 - But of the Son He says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever."

Who does Jesus Himself claim to be? Jesus Himself claims to be the great "I am"

John 8:58 - Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am".

So, we must believe Jesus is God or we will die in our sins. There are three "persons" in the Godhead.

Matthew 3:16-17 - And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased".

And Jesus is one of them. What is Jesus called here?

1 Timothy 2:5 - For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

Why do we need a mediator? What has separated us from God?

Isaiah 59:2 - But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

What can save us? What is the power of God to save us?

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

What is the gospel of Christ? The bible interprets itself:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 - Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you . . . by which you are being saved . . . For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

Here is the gospel in picture form:

Why did Jesus have to do each of these things to save us? In His death we reach His blood.

Ephesians 1:7 - In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.

How wonderful is the forgiveness? He can present us how?

Jude 24 - Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.

Jesus takes care of our sin problem with His death. Now why was He raised for us? Watch how Jesus takes care of our grave problem.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 - But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

In a nutshell, what two things does the gospel bring us?

2 Timothy 1:10 - And which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Paul says it another way. What can we be through Jesus' death? What can we be through His life?

Romans 5:10 - For if . . . we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Must we confess Christ and believe the gospel to be saved? Is this a life-and-death statement?

Romans 10:9 - Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Must we change our lifestyles? Also see Ephesians 4:17 - 5:7 and Galatians 5:19-26.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

What if we do not change? Are these life-and-death statements?

Luke 13:3 - . . . but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Luke 13:5 - . . . but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

To get in on the saving gospel what must we do? What must we do to escape God's vengeance and everlasting destruction?

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 - . . . when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance of those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.

How do we humans "obey the gospel?" Do you see the gospel here? How do we get "into His death?"

Romans 6:3-6 - Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death life his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Romans 6:17-18 - But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Why would God want us to get "into His death?" (Ephesians 1:7)

Here is the gospel re-enacted in baptism and obeyed in picture form (Romans 6:3-6).

Where does one actually become a Christian?

Galatians 3:26-27 - For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

If one becomes a Christian, will he face persecution?

John 15:20 - Remember the word that I said to you, "A servant is not greater than his master." If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

What is the worst kind of persecution?

Luke 14:26 & 28 - If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

To count the cost, Jesus demands commitment:

2 Peter 2:20-21 - For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, that last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Please read these words and give God your answer:

Acts 22:16 - And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.

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