110.

1 CHRISTIAN ESSENTIALS

Knowing God
and
Abiding in Christ

HANDOUTS
Prepared By
Melvin ANG

Compiled : November 2012

Revised : October 2022
(Not for duplication or for commercial purpose. For teaching by permission only)

Participant’s Name:_________________

Date of Program: ___________________

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 FOREWORD
Having made a decision to be a Christian, it is
important for a believer to begin his/her salvation
journey on the right track and grow as a true disciple
of Jesus Christ. This is essential so that he/she will
know what the Christian faith is all about. In so
doing, he/she learns to abide in Christ and continues
to remain in the path of Christian growth in the grace
and knowledge of God towards maturity.

In this Course, believers are taught on the full

salvation plan of God, repentance, faith and
assurances to comprehend the full gospel of the
Kingdom of God. These remain basic fundamentals
on Christian beliefs and practices across the believer's
years of growth and ministry service. Believers will be
challenged for water baptism once they have
understood the basic tenets of Christian faith and
beliefs taught in this Course.

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 CONTENTS PAGE

Page

1 God’s Plan of Salvation 4

2 Repentance 10

3 Christian Faith and Assurances 19

4 Water Baptism 39

Acknowledgements
Personal Basic Discipling, Benny Ho, Arrows School, WA
Christian Basics 1-3, Benny Ho, Arrows School, WA
Foundation Class Notes, New Life Church, Victoria
Life Trax 1-2, City Life Church, Victoria
Self-Study Bible Course, Derek Prince Ministries International
Getting Started, City Harvest Church, Singapore
Christian Lifestyle, City Harvest Church, Singapore
Laying Foundation, City harvest Church, Singapore

With permission from Benny Ho, Arrows School, WA Australia

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 110.1 CHRISTIAN ESSENTIALS

SESSION 1: GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION

1 INTRODUCTION:

Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Revelation 4:11 - “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and
power: for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were
created.”

Three Things that we are to give to God:

 G_____________
 H_____________
 P______________

Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…”

Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray, each of us going his own
separate ways…”

Sin is an inward attitude of r__________ towards God that is expressed

through outward acts of disobedience.

Ephesians 4:18 – “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from
the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their
hearts…”

As a result:
 Our minds become i________________.
 Our hearts become h________________.

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 1 John 1:8,10 - “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is
not in us…If we claimed we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his
word has no place in our lives…”

Jeremiah 17:9 - “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who
can understand it? I, the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a
man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds require…”

Don't be deceived. Due to his sinful nature, man ends up committing sins.

James 4:17 – “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do but doesn’t do it,
sins…”

 Sins of c______________ - The bad deeds we do.

 Sins of o______________ - The good deeds we fail to do.

Romans 6:23a – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord…”

“Death”

 P____________ – Sicknesses, Infirmities & ultimately Death

 S____________ – Inward Separation from God

 E____________ – Finally banished from the Presence of God

So what’s the solution?

Romans 6:23b “...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord...”

1 Timothy 1:15 – “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst…”

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 1 Peter 3:18 – “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive
by the Spirit…”

Jesus came as a man, flesh and blood, was tempted like anyone else but did
not sin. Then on the Cross, the Sinless One bore our sins upon Himself and
paid the penalty on our behalf. Now the way has been opened for us to come
back to God and to be reconciled to the One who created us. Today, if we
put our faith in what Jesus had done on the Cross, we can be assured of
salvation. The choice is ours!

Titus 3:5 – “…he saved us, not because of righteous things we have done but
because of His mercy…”

Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and
this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can
boast…”

We are saved by God’s grace but we must exercise faith. This faith is not
blind faith. It is based on facts:

 Death - Jesus died for our sins.

 Burial - He was buried.
 Resurrection - He rose again from the dead.

2 WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO IN FAITH?

Acts 3:19-20 – “Repent, then, and turn to the Lord, so that your sins may be
wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send
Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus, He must remain in heaven
until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through
his holy prophets…”

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 Four Key Steps:

 R___________ - When we acknowledge our sin and need for

forgiveness and surrender our mind and heart.

 R___________ - When we turn away from sin and recognize

our need for God & His finished work on the
Cross.

 R___________ - When we receive the benefits of the Cross.

 R___________ - When we come back to our destiny in

God.

3 HOW CAN WE BEGIN THIS PROCESS?

Romans 10:9-10 – “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it
is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that
you confess and are saved…”

 B________________________ that Jesus died on the Cross, was

buried and was raised on the 3rd day.

 C________________________ that Jesus is Lord.

4 HOW CAN I BE ASSURED OF MY SALVATION?

 “Assurance” - To put beyond all doubts

 “Salvation” - Saved from the penalty, power and

presence of sin.
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 “salvation” is “sozo” meaning “full salvation”.

We are saved from Salvation Past Doctrine of

the penalty of sin. through the finished J______________
work of Christ
We are being saved Salvation Present Doctrine of
from the power of through the work of S______________
sin. the Holy Spirit
We will be saved Salvation Future Doctrine of
from the presence of when Jesus Christ G______________
sin. comes again

We are furthered assured of our salvation based on the following verses:

John 1:12 – “Yet to all who receives Him, to those who believed in His name, He
gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor
of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God…”

1 John 5:11-12 – “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and
this life is in His Son. he who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of
God does not have life.”

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our
sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

5 CONCLUSION:

We have not just an assurance of our s______________ but also an assurance

of our v______________.

1 John 5: 4, 5 – “…for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the
victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the
world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God…”

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6 REFLECTION FOR PRAYER: Y/N
 Do you have this new awareness of sin? ________
 Do you have a new love for God? ________
 Do you have this inner peace? (fear of the future?) ________
 Do you have a desire to read the Bible? ________
 Have you experienced changes in your heart/attitude? ________
 Have you experienced this victory personally? ________
 Have you found a new concern for others? ________
 Do you have joy? (not the same as happiness) ________

Memory Verse:

1 John 5:11-12 – “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and
this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; He who does not have the Son
of God does not have life…”

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 110.1 CHRISTIAN ESSENTIALS
SESSION 2: REPENTANCE
Recall Session 1

1. WHAT IS REPENTANCE?

In the Old Testament “to repent” is the Hebrew verb “shuwb” which literally
means _________________or ________________.

In the New Testament, the phrase “to repent” is the Greek verb “metanoeo”
which means _________________________.

Old Testament Emphasis: Outward change in a_________

New Testament Emphasis: Inward change of m_________

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 “Repentance is an inner change of mind that results in an outward total
change in direction towards God followed by action.”
Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32

 Vs 17 - “When he came to his senses…” He realized he was wrong.

 Vs 18 - “I have sinned against heaven…” He confessed to God.
 Vs 18 - “…and before you…” He confessed to the hurt.
 Vs 18 - “I will arise and go to father…” He made inward decision.
 Vs 20 - “And he arose and came…” He took outward action.
 Vs 19 - “Make me…your hired servant…” He made restitution.

That is a picture of true repentance!

We commit sin every now and then.

Isaiah 53:6 – “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his
own way…”

2 WHAT REPENTANCE IS NOT

2.1 Repentance is not r_________

Matthew 27:3-4 – “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that
he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver
to the chief priests and elders, saying I have sinned in that I have betrayed
innocent blood. And they said, what is that to us? …”
The word translated here as “repented himself” is not “metanoein” but
“metamelein” which is better translated as “remorse” or “anguish”.
So does that mean that repentance must be a cold, calculated and totally
un-emotional part of our Christian experience? Certainly No!
Matthew 26:75 – “Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken:
“Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times. And he went outside
and wept bitterly…”
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 2 Corinthians 7:10 – “G____ sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation
and leaves no regret, but w_______ sorrow brings death…”

The Difference between Repentance and Remorse

Condition Result Example
Repentance Conviction of Sin Release from Guilt Luke 15: 11 – 32
Godly Sorrow Forgiveness 2 Samuel 12: 9,13
Salvation Psalm 51
Matthew 26: 75
Remorse Worldly Sorrow Regret 1 Samuel 15:3,9
1 Samuel 15: 20
Torturing Guilt Matthew 27: 3,4
Hebrews 12; 16,17

2.2 Repentance is not just saying a prayer of c_______________.

It is not an i____________ or m_______ health exercise nor assent to

a set of creeds or doctrines. (Read James 2:19-20)

2.3 Repentance is not being r_____________

Like the Pharisees, John the Baptist and Jesus called them h_________
(read Isaiah 64:6)

2.4 Repentance is not just for “b___-t_____ sinners.

Who needs to repent?

(a) A______________
Acts 17:30 – “In the past, God overlooked such ignorance but now He
commands all people everywhere to repent…”
Romans 6:23 – “…for all have sinned and come short of the glory of
God…”

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 (b) Even C___________

2 Corinthians 7:9 – “…yet now I am happy, not because you were made
sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance…”

3 WHY IS REPENTANCE SO IMPORTANT?

3.1 Repentance comes before b___________

Mark 1:14-15 – “After John was put into prison, Jesus went into Galilee,
proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” He said. “The kingdom
of God is near. Repent and believe the good news…”

3.2 Repentance comes before f____________

Acts 2:37-38 – “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to
Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent
and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of
your sins…”

3.3 Repentance comes before f________

Acts 20:21 – “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to
God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus…”
first response confess & forgiven
S___ R________ B_________
Turn away Faith toward God
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4 WHAT DOES ONE REPENT FROM?

Hebrews 6:1 – “…repentance from dead works…”

Acts 20:21 – “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to
God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus…”

What Are “Dead Works”?

 Works that are not based on r___________ and f______ (Acts 20:21).

 Works that do not come out of o____________ to God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,

rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work…”

1 Corinthians 3:12 – “If any man builds on this foundation (Jesus Christ, The
Word of God) using gold, silver and precious stones, wood, hay or straw, his work
will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed
with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work…”

5 REPENTANCE IS ON-GOING AND A LIFE-LONG

JOURNEY EXPERIENCE

Each time we repent, we c________ of our sins and God is faithful and just
to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness based on
Jesus’ finished work on the Cross (1 John 1:9). In doing so, we open
ourselves to God to be cleansed and to c__________ our lives (set apart to
make right with God), allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify our cleansed life to
walk in faith and holiness for God’s purpose (Read Romans 12:1-2;
1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

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 The OT pattern and the NT understanding make sense of what it is to be holy.
OT Unclean - Clean/Common - Holy, Sacred
NT Sin - Confession (does not stop here) - Consecration
(cleansed by the blood of Jesus) (sanctified by the Holy Spirit)

6 HOW DO WE KNOW IF TRUE REPENTANCE HAS

TAKEN PLACE?

Four things manifest as a result of true repentance:

6.1 C_______________

It comes from:

 Pricked Conscience
1 Samuel 24:5 – “Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off
a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such
a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed…”
2 Samuel 24:10 – “David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the
fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have
done. Now, O Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done
a very foolish thing.”
1 Timothy 4:2 – “Such teachings come from hypocritical liars, whose
consciences have been seared as with a hot iron…”

 Hearing the Word of God

Acts 2:37 – “When the people heard this, they were cut to their heart
(conviction) and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we
do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized…”

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  Meeting the Holy Spirit
John 16:8 – “When He comes (Holy Spirit), He will convict the world of guilt
in regards to sin and righteousness and judgment…”

6.2 C__________________________

When we truly repent, there will be deep godly sorrow and humiliation
of heart because of the sins we have committed.

6.3 C__________________________

“Holding on to un-confessed sins in the soul is like keeping a bullet in

your body.”

Proverbs 28:13 – “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever
confesses and renounces them finds mercy…”

Four levels of sin engagement and the right responses:

 Level 1 – Sinful I_____________

“What we think about all day long, we become.”

Remedy: 1 John 1:7 – “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us
from all sin…”

 Level 2 – Sinful A_________

This is where the intention becomes an action.

Remedy: 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will
forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

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  Level 3 - R____________ Sins

The third level of sin is when the sin involves others.

Remedy: Matthew 5:23–24 - “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the
altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your
gift there in front of the altar. First go and get reconciled to your brother; then
come and offer your gift…”

 Level 4 - I________ Sins

Many times, our struggles with un-confessed inner sins result in

physical sicknesses, commonly known as psychosomatic illnesses.

 “psycho” – “mind”
 “soma” – “body”
It is sickness in the mind that results in sickness in the body. It is
inner sin that results in outward sickness.
Remedy: James 5:13–16 – “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.
Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is anyone of you sick? He
should call the elders of the church to pray over him with oil in the name of the
Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord
will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your
sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer
of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

6.4 C_____________ / T_______________

When there is “Conviction + Contrition + Confession" what we

normally understand as Consecration of life toward God, we can now
have Conversion/Transformation. What comes with transformation?

 F_____________
If you have repented and are converted, you will forsake, leave
behind, turn away from your old ways of life and old value system.

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  R_____________
Luke 19:8 – “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look Lord!
Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated
anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

 R______________
Matthew 5:23-24 makes that very clear – “Therefore if you bring your gift
to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you;
leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

 G_______________

Matthew 3:8 – “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance…”

James 2:14–18 -“What good is it my brothers when a man claims to have
faith but has no deeds…Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you
my faith by what I do…”

 S________________

Acts 9:5-6 – “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus whom you are
persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told
what you must do…”

7 CONCLUSION:
True Repentance =

C_____________+ C_____________ + C______________

(C____________ of life toward God)

C___________ /________________!

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 110.1 CHRISTIAN ESSENTIALS

SESSION 3: CHRISTIAN FAITH AND ASSURANCES

Recall Session 2

God's plan of salvation ≠ "life insurance" plan

God's plan of salvation = "life assurance" plan.

1 INTRODUCTION

There are basically two kinds of faith which we must distinguish at the start of
this lesson:

 W________ faith, which says: “Seeing is believing.”

 B_________ faith which says: “Believing is seeing.”

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 John 11:40 – “Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you
would see the glory of God?”

2 Corinthians 5:7 – “We live by faith, not by sight.”

Hebrews 6 tells us that after repentance, the next foundational doctrine we

need to lay in our lives is the doctrine of faith.

Hebrews 6:1-2 – “Therefore, having left the discourse of the beginning of Christ,
let us go on to full growth, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead
works, and of faith toward God.....”

2 WHY IS FAITH SO IMPORTANT?

Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith, it is impossible to please God,

because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that
He rewards those who earnestly seek Him…”
 If the absence of faith displeases God, then the presence of faith
would please Him.
Hebrews 4:2 – “For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as
they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those
who heard did not combine it with faith.”
 If the Word you hear today is not combined with faith, it will be
unprofitable.

Romans 14:23 – “But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because
his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin…”

Whatever is not of faith is s___! All blessings from God can only be received
by faith.

Romans 5:1,2 – “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access
by faith into this grace in which we now stand…”

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 Ephesians 2:8 – “For it is by grace you have being saved, through faith – and
this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…”

Without faith, we cannot even be saved. Faith is indispensable! It is a

fundamental part of the Christian life that the presence or absence of faith
determines the success or failure of our Christian walk.

Hebrews 10:38 – “The just shall live by faith...”

When Jesus comes back the second time, He is going to look for people of
faith.

Luke 18:8 – “I say to you that He will avenge them speedily. Yet when the Son of
Man comes, shall He find faith on the earth? ”

3 WHAT FAITH IS NOT

3.1 Faith Is Not H______ Like How Worldly Faith Sees It

Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.”

1 Corinthians 13:13 – “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but
the greatest of these is love…”

Faith is differentiated from hope.

 Hope is directed toward the future

Romans 8:24 describes hope – “For in this hope, we were saved. But
hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what we already have?
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently…”

There is nothing demeaning about hope. It is granted by God, for

the future.
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  Faith is established in the present, in the now.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is…”

Faith is always in the present tense, hope is always in the future tense.

3.2 Faith Is Not Seeded In Your Head but in Your H_______

1 Thessalonians 5:8 – “But since we belong to the day, let us be self-

controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of
salvation as a helmet…”

Faith is pictured as a breastplate that is meant for the heart but hope is
pictured as a helmet that is meant for the head.

Romans 10:9,10 – “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be
saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified,
and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Romans 2:28,29 – “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor

is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one
inwardly; and circumcision is a circumcision of the heart, by the
Spirit, not by the written code…”

1 Peter 3:4 – “Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading
beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s
sight…”

What does it mean to “believe with our heart”? This means that the “heart”
is referring to our “inner man”. What is this “inner man”? The spirit. So
to believe with your heart is to believe in your spirit! Many people claim
to have faith in Jesus and the Bible, but their faith is only in the realm of
the mind – we call that head-faith.

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 John 20:25 – “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my
finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe
it…”

Thomas will only believe if his physical senses can rationalize it. He
was using head-faith instead of heart-faith. Contrast this with the faith
of Abraham.

Romans 4:18–21 – “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so

became the father of many nations, just as it had been said of him, “so shall
your offspring be”. “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that
his body was as good as dead – since he was about 100 years old and that
Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief
regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory
to God being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had
promised…”

That’s heart-faith! “God said it. I believe it. So be it.”

 Head-faith is just an intellectual acceptance of certain facts and

doctrines.

 Heart-faith takes you beyond acceptance into action. That is why

heart-faith allows the Holy Spirit to bring definite change in people
irrespective of the situation!

3.3 Faith Is Not P______________

We put words into God’s mouth and promise things to others that God
Himself did not say.

 Faith is acting according to what God says but presumption is acting

according to what we want.

 Faith is a response to God’s initiative but presumption is taking our

own initiative.

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Presumptuous sins are described in the Bible in two ways:

o We Claim That God Has Spoken When He Has Not.

Deuteronomy 18:20,22 – “But a prophet who presumes to speak in
my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who
speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death…If what a
prophet proclaims in the Name of the Lord does not take place or come
true, that is a message that the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has
spoken presumptuously…”

o We Go Beyond What The Word of The Lord Has Said.

1 Samuel 13:8–14 – “King Saul could not wait for Samuel any
longer. He went ahead presumptuously to offer sacrifices when he was not
a priest.”

Differences between Faith and Presumption

Faith Presumption

Recognises and yields to God’s Asserts Self-will

sovereign will
Totally dependent on God and Dependent on own
His rhema-Word interpretation of the Word
Will bear fruits that glorify God Contains an element of
human arrogance and self-
glorification
Sincere and truthful Covered up in super-
spiritual attitudes and
religious language
Received from God Demands, compels, forces
grabs, insists, push and
shove.
Usually impatient.

Psalms 19:13 – “Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let
them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be
innocent of great transgression…”

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4 WHAT THEN IS FAITH?

4.1 Faith Is A R________ Toward God

All of the Trinity is involved in the giving of faith.

From the Father in Ephesians 2:8 – “For it is by grace you have

been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of
GOD not by works so that no one can boast…”

From the Son in Hebrews 12:2 – “Let us fix our eyes on JESUS,
the author and perfector of our faith…”

From the Holy Spirit in Jude 20 – “But you, dear friends, build
yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the HOLY SPIRIT…”

God has given each one of us a measure of faith already. What we need
to do is to develop and release this faith.

Romans 12:3 – “For by the grace given me I say to everyone of you: Do

not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself
with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given
you…”

John 5:2–9 tells the story of a man who stayed beside the Pool of
Bethesda for 38 long years, waiting for someone to help him get his
miracle. At the end of the day, God wants you to exercise faith in Him
for yourself!

You think you do not have enough faith? In fact, you have more than
enough faith to go on in life.

Matthew 17:20 – “Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith like a
mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it
will move. Nothing will be impossible for you…”

The problem is not the quantity of faith but rather, “Do you use the faith
that God has already given you?”
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4.2 Faith Is Believing and Trusting on God’s W____ To Live By

True biblical faith is ultimately based upon the Word of God.

Romans 10:17 – “Consequently faith comes from hearing the message and
the message is heard through the Word of Christ…”

Romans 4:18–19 – “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so

became the father of many nations, just as it had been said of him, “so shall
your offspring be”. “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that
his body was as good as dead – since he was about 100 years old and that
Sarah’s womb was also dead.”

Three steps to live in faith by God’s Word:

 Accept what God has said - Abraham accepted God’s
promise as true from the moment it was uttered.
 Agree with what God said – Abraham refused to listen to
what his senses told him as long as they did not agree with
what God had said.
 Align with what God said - Because Abraham held on to
what was said, eventually his physical experience aligned
with what God had said.

4.3 Faith Is Demonstrated By F_______ (through Works)

James 2:14,20,26 – “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to

have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?…Show me your faith
without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do…You foolish man,
do you want evidence that faith without works is dead? Was not our ancestor
Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac
on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together,
and his faith was made complete by what he did…”

If you have faith, you will act on it. It is the thing with faith.

You don’t know that you really have it until you act on it!

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 Three steps that we can take:
 Know the promise
 Fulfill the conditions and act on it
 Expect the result

4.4 Faith Is The Channel For God’s P______ To Operate

Matthew 17:20 - “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if
you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there’ and it will be move. Nothing will be impossible
with you…”

Jesus said it again in Matthew 19:26 – “With man this is impossible but with
God all things are possible…” Faith is what God responds to. Faith
moves God’s Hand.

Matthew 15:28 – “Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith!
Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed that very hour…”
Faith brings God’s healing!

Luke 7:50 – “Jesus said to that woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in
peace.”
Faith brings God’s salvation!

Luke 8:48 – “Then he said to her “Daughter, your faith has healed you.
Go in peace.”
Faith brings God’s healing and peace!

Luke 17:19 – “That He said to him, “Rise and go, your faith has made
you well…”
Faith brings God’s wholeness!

Luke 18:42 – “Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed
you.”
Faith brings God’s miracle!

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 “God is not only moved by needs. He is moved by faith.”

“Faith moves God, then God moves mountains!”

5 HOW CAN FAITH BE DEVELOPED?

1 John 2:12–14 - “I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven
you for His name's sake. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him
who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome
the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I
write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I
have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God
abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

 Children
 Adolescent (second mention of little children)
 Young Men
 Fathers

That’s growth! From children to young men, then to fathers. God

wants us to grow in our faith.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 – “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers,
and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every
one of you has for each other is increasing…”

The Bible actually talks about different levels of faith:

5.1 W______ or little faith

Romans 4:19 - “Without weakening in his faith…”

Matthew 8:26 – “And He said to them, Why are you afraid, little faiths?”

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5.2 S_______ Faith/Rich in Faith/Full of Faith/Sincere Faith

Romans 4:20 – “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise
of God, but was strengthened in his faith”

James 2:5 – “Has God not chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world
to be rich in faith.”

Acts 6:5 – “…They chose Stephen, a man full of faith…”

1 Timothy 1:5 – “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure
heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith…”

5.3 G______ Faith/Overcoming Faith

Matthew 8:10 – “When Jesus heard this, He was astonished and said to
those following Him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with
such great faith.”

1 John 5:4 – “…for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the
victory that overcomes the world, even our faith…”

5.4 G________ Faith/Made Perfect Faith – a process

2 Thessalonians 1:3 – “…your faith is growing more and more…”

James 2:22 – “You see that his faith and action were working together, and
his faith was made perfect by what he did…”

Faith is like human muscles. It grows by taking the right food which is
the Word of God. The right workout is maintaining our Spiritual
Disciplines.

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6 THREE STEPS TO DEVELOP AND LIVE BY FAITH

6.1 A________ what God has said

 H______ the word of God and sensitize to what God is saying

Rom 10:17 – “Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Matthew 14:27-28 – “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of

good cheer, I AM! Do not fear. And Peter answered Him and said, Lord,
if it is You, tell me to come to You on the water..”

Matthew 4:4 – “But He answered and said, It is written, "Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

Luke 5:5 – “And answering, Simon said to Him, Master, we have toiled
all the night and have taken nothing. Yet at Your word I will let down the
net.”

 A____ and R________ the word

Matthew 7:7-8 – “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall
find; knock and it shall be opened to you. For each one who asks receives;
and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened.”

Matthew 21:22 - “And all things, whatever you shall ask in prayer,
believing, you shall receive.”

 B______ and T_______ what God says

Matthew 8:13 – “And Jesus said to the centurion, Go. And as you have
believed, so let it be to you. And his boy was healed in that hour.”

Mark 16:16-18 – “He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he
who does not believe will be condemned. And miraculous signs will follow to
those believing these things: in My name they will cast out demons; they will
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 speak new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly
thing, it will not hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will be
well.”

James 1:6-8 – “But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing. For he who
doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. For do not
let that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord; he is a
double-minded man, not dependable in all his ways.”

6.2 A_____ with what God said

 C________ and P___________ the word

2 Corinthians 4:13 – “For we, having the same spirit of faith (according
as it is written, "I believed, and therefore I have spoken"); we also believed
and therefore speak.”

6.3 A_____ with what God said

 A_________ on the word

Luke 17:14 – “And seeing them (lepers), He said to them, Go show

yourselves to the priests. And it happened, as they went, that they were
cleansed.”

Mark 10:49-50 – “And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.
And they called the blind man, saying to him, Be of good comfort; rise up, He
is calling you. And casting away his garment, he rose up and came to
Jesus.”

Mark 5:27-29 – “having heard about Jesus, she came in the press behind
and touched His garment. For she said, If I may but touch only His
clothes, I will be cured. And instantly the fountain of her blood dried up.
And she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”

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  L____________ the word

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

7 ASSURANCES IN OUR JOURNEY OF FAITH

One of Satan’s first attacks on new Christians is to raise doubts/unbelief

about their salvation. Too many people make the mistake of measuring
certainty of their salvation by their feelings. Don’t make this tragic mistake.
Believe God. Take Him at His W_______.

7.1 Assurance of S______________

John 1:12-13 – “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to
become children of God, to those who believe in his name: who were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Jesus said in John 3:7 that “you must be b_____ a_____”. It is not a
physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan, but from the will
of God.

7.2 Assurance of E__________ L_____

Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

1 John 5:11-13 – “And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal
life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that has
not the Son of God has not life. These things have I written unto you that
believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal
life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

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 God alone is the author of eternal life.

John 5:24 – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and
believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

The two verses that we read say that those who believe in the Son and choose to
follow Him have:

 E__________ life.
 No c_______________
 C__________ from death to life

7.3 Assurance of F_________________

Sometimes we miss God’s ‘way of escape’ and sin against Him. Does
failure mean that you are no longer a child of God? No, because as
parents, we still love our children even though they disobey us.

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

He forgives us because He has already done so at the Cross for us.

7.4 Assurance of A_______________

John 6:37 – “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who
comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”
This verse tells us that we will not be rejected by God. Rather we will be
accepted and can come boldly to Him for forgiveness and for prayer.

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7.5 Assurance of F_____________ with God

Revelation 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears
My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with me.”

John was writing to a professing church at Laodicea and applying it to

C__________. But in spite of their profession, Jesus Himself was left
standing outside, seeking to gain admission.

His promise is made to i_________ and the decision to receive Him is

also an individual matter.

7.6 Assurance of F_________

Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,

but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

The entire Christian life is a life of faith! You c_______ the same way
you started out.
 You receive Christ by faith
 Now you live your Christian life by faith.

7.7 Assurance of G_____________

You may have questions about the future. You may wonder how this
new life of yours is all going to work out.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on
your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall
make your paths straight.”

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 Three things you must do:
 F_________ God with a whole heart
 Do not rely on your own understanding
 A____________ Him in all our ways

In doing so, He will direct our paths. In the actual meaning, it also
means that he shall make our paths straight.

7.8 Assurance of A____________ P___________

As Christians, we can speak to our Heavenly Father through Jesus

Christ. We can confidently enter into His presence any time of the day
and talk to Him about e_________ that affects our life.

John 16:24 – “Until now you have not asked anything in My name: ask, and
you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

Jesus Himself said that we need to a_____ in His name. When we ask
for things in His will according to His word and His ways, we receive
them and find joy.

7.9 Assurance of A______________

John 1:12 – “But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to

become the children of God, to those who believe on His name.”

Power and authority go hand in hand. In some translations, the word

used here to reflect the meaning is “the right” or “authority”.

Luke 9:1 – “Then He called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power
and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.”

Luke 19:17 – “And he said to him, Well done, good servant, because you have
been faithful in a least thing, have authority over ten cities.”

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 Luke 10:19 – “Behold, I give to you authority to tread on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the authority of the enemy. And nothing shall by any
means hurt you.”

7.10 Assurance of V____________

At times Satan attacks the believer when he is weak, vulnerable or has

trouble standing against the devil in some areas of his life.
T__________ is something that lures us to sin. However, salvation
gives us the power as children of God to overcome the world and the
devil.

1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has seized you that is not common to
man: but God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you
can bear; but will with the temptation also make a way out, so that you are able
to bear it.”

Again the weapon that God has provided for us to use against Satan’s
temptation is the W_______ of God.

1 John 4:4 – “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because
greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

With Jesus in us in His spirit, we can live a victorious life.

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

1 John 5:4-5 – “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this
is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes
the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

As a born-again believer, with faith in Jesus, we can o________ the

world and it is important that we do so to remain in the faith.

Romans 12:21 - “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

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 Revelation 21:7 – “He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be
his God, and he shall be my son.”

Two things come with assurances of the promises of God:

 security and safety
 a responsibility for us to appropriate them

When we appropriate these TEN assurances in our lives, it helps us to live the
life of faith and abundant, fruitful living that God intends for you and me.

Isaiah 32:17 – “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of
righteousness quietness and assurance forever.”

Acts 17:31 – “Because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in
righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given
assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

Colossians 2:2 – “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in
love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the
acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;”

1 Thessalonians 1:5 – “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also
in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what
manner of men we were among you for your sake.”

Hebrews 6:11 – “And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence
to the full assurance of hope unto the end.”

Hebrews 10:22 – “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of
faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed
with pure water.”

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8 CONCLUSION

At the end of the day, faith is not meant to be understood, it is meant to be

exercised.

Hebrews 11:1 – “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen.”

Faith was never intended for us in its essence but in its operation! We don’t
just understand faith, we move in faith!

F.A.I.T.H. = Forsaking All I Trust Him

And we say “AMEN” to all.

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 110.1 CHRISTIAN ESSENTIALS

SESSION 4: WATER BAPTISM

Recall Session 3

1 THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER BAPTISM

Water baptism ought to be taken seriously in a believer’s life. It can be an

empty ritual or it can be a power-packed initiation in a believer’s life. To
make it filled with meaning and power, we need to understand the Bible’s
teaching on this subject.

The word “baptism, baptise or baptised” is mentioned throughout the New

Testament.

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In context of water baptism, it was mentioned:

 9 times in the four Gospels.

 19 times in the Book of Acts.
 14 times in the Epistles.

2 THE DEFINITION AND USAGE OF THE TERM

“BAPTISM”

The word “baptism” in the classical Greek is “baptizo” which means “to
immerse” or “to plunge under”. It comes from the root word “bapto”.

“Bapto” is used 3X in the New Testament meaning to dip something into a

fluid and then take it out again.
Luke 16:24 – “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he
may ‘dip’ (“bapto”) the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue…”

John 13:26 – “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have ‘dipped’
(“bapto”) it…”

Revelations 19:13 – “He was clothed with a robe ‘dipped’ (“bapto”) in

blood…”

Another New Testament derivative of this word added the prefix “em” to it,
giving us “embapto” where the meaning is the same.

Matthew 26:23 – “Jesus replied, “The one who has ‘dipped’ (“embapto”) his
hand into the bowl with me will betray me…”

Mark 14:20 –“It is one of the 12,” he replied, “one who ‘dips’ (“embapto”) bread
into the bowl with us…”

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From here, we derive the active verb, which is “baptizo” whose meaning
remains consistent – “to dip, immerse, wash, submerged, to make fully wet”.

In short, the word ‘baptism’ means:

“Immersion, Submersion and then Emergence.

Dip in fluid and taken out again.”

The act of water baptism involves full i___________. It is not just

s____________ or e_____________ as some churches practice.
Acts 8:38 – “And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they both went
down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch. And he baptized him.”
Matthew 3:16a – “And Jesus, when He had been baptized, went up immediately
out of the water.”

3 HISTORICAL RECORDS OF WATER BAPTISM

Water baptism has been emphasised throughout church history. One of the
clearest teachings on water baptism in the Early Church was found in the
document called The Teachings of the Apostles around the 2 nd Century.

“Now about baptism, this is how to baptise. Give public instruction of all these
points and then baptise in running water, in the Name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit”.
“You must not let anyone eat or drink of your Eucharist (Holy Communion) except
those who have been baptised in the Lord’s name.”

All these historical records are important and relevant because they show us
the vital part that water baptism played in the Church.

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4 BIBLICAL SURVEY OF WATER BAPTISM

This is a pattern in the Bible:

 The G___________ commanded it.

 The Book of A______ practices it.
 The E__________ explain it.

4.1 In The G________

i. C___________________ of the Law

In some parts of the New Testament, baptism is used to describe

the ceremonial washings of the Jews. This includes the washing
of cups and pans, hands and feet.

John 2:6 – “Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the
Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty
gallons…”

ii. J________ Baptism

Similarities

John’s Baptism Christian Baptism

Repentance Involved Repentance Involved
Confession & Remittance of Sin Confession & Remittance of Sin
Through Faith In Coming Messiah Through Faith In Jesus
By Immersion By Immersion

John’s baptism had no abiding inward change. It was only a

preparation for the real thing.

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 Why did Jesus go through it as recorded in the Gospels. The only
reason why Jesus did it was to “fulfil all righteousness”.

Matthew 3:15-16 – “And answering Jesus said to him, ‘Let it be so

now, for it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness’. Then he
allowed Him. And Jesus, when He had been baptized, went up
immediately out of the water. And lo, the heavens were opened to Him,
and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon
Him.”

 “Let it be so now”– from now on a manner or pattern to

be established
 “it is proper for us to do this” – a precedent set to follow
 “to fulfil all righteousness” –to complete the outward
expression of something inward.

iii. Baptism in the name of J______ C_______

It was the disciples and not Jesus who was doing the baptising.

John 4:1-2 -“The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptising
more disciples than John, although in fact, it was not Jesus who baptised
but his disciples…”

iv. The P_________________ Command of Christ

Matthew 28:19 – “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age…”

43
 Just before Christ ascended to heaven, He instituted a new
baptism for ‘all nations’ without exception in the Great
Commission that made obsolete the baptism of John the Baptist.

Acts 19:3-5 -“So Paul asked, ‘Then what baptism did you receive?’
‘John’s baptism,’ they replied. Paul said, ‘John baptism was a baptism of
repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that
is, in Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptised into the Name of the
Lord Jesus…’

Paul considers John’s baptism as incomplete. Christian Baptism

or the New Testament Baptism was needed.

4.2 In The Book Of A_____

The four conditions for baptism are described in the following:

Acts 2:38,41 - “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in
the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…Those who accepted
his message were baptised and about 3,000 were added to their number that
day…”
Mark 16:16 - “The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the
one who doesn't believe will be condemned.
1 Peter 3:21 – “which figure now also saves us, baptism; not a putting
away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

Matthew 28:19 – “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age…”

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 R______________

 Faith in God through Christ by b__________

 A G______ C____________ toward God

 Being t________ to obey the commands of Jesus

This pattern was found through the Book of Acts

i. J__________

Acts 2:38 – “Repent & be baptised, every one of you in the Name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…”

ii. S_____________

Acts 8:12-13 – “But when they believed Philip as he preached the good
news of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptised, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was
baptised…”

iii. G_____________

Acts 8:36 – “As they travelled along the road, they came to some water
and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be
baptised?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and
the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him…”

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iv. D____________

Acts 9:18 – “Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes,
and he could see again. He got up and was baptised…”

v. C___________

Acts 10:47-48 – “Can anyone keep these people from being baptised
with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. So they
ordered that they be baptised in the Name of Jesus Christ..."

vi. P__________

Acts 16:31 – “They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be
saved – you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord
to him and to all others in his house. At that hour of the night, the
jailers took them and wash their wounds, then immediately he and all his
family were baptised…”

vii C_________

Acts 18:8 – “Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household
believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him
believed and were baptised…”

viii. E__________

Acts 19:5 – “On hearing this, they were baptised into the name of the
Lord Jesus…”

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4.3 In The E___________

Thus far, we have seen water baptism commanded in the Gospels. We

have examined its practice in the Book of Acts. Now we must expound
its spiritual significance from the Epistles.

5 WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF WATER

BAPTISM EXPOUNDED IN THE EPISTLES?

5.1 W__________ Away Of Our Sins

Acts 22:16 – “And now what do you intend? Arise and be baptized and
wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

5.2 To Be Identified In Union With J______ C________

Romans 6:3-4 – “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into
Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? We were therefore buried with Him
through baptism unto death in order that, just as Christ was raised form the
dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Colossians 2:12 – “buried with Him in baptism, in whom also you were
raised through the faith of the working of God, raising Him from the dead”

Three things:
 D________________
 B________________
 R________________

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5.3 Freedom From The P______

1 Corinthians 10:2 – “They were all baptised into Moses in the cloud and in
the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual
drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them and that
rock was Christ…”

What the crossing of the Red Sea was to the Jews, the water baptism is
to the Christian.

 Waters of the Red Sea - Waters of Baptism

 Moses - Jesus Christ
 Pharoah - Satan
 Israelites - Church
 Pharoah’s Army - Demonic forces
 Egypt - Kingdom of Darkness
 Canaan - Kingdom of Light

Water baptism is not just a ceremony. It is a prophetic act that declares

your freedom from the powers of darkness into a newness of life.

Romans 6:4-5 – “Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death,
so that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so
we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been joined together in the
likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection”

5.4 To Be Initiated Into The N_____ C___________ Relationship

by Undergoing Circumcision Of the Heart

Genesis 17:9–12 – “Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must
keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to
come….You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be a sign of the covenant
between me and you…”

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 Colossians 2:11-13 – “In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off
of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with
the circumcision done by Christ, having being buried with him in baptism and
raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the
dead…”

As the rite of circumcision brings the Israelites into a covenant

relationship of blessings with God, so the rite of water baptism is our
physical seal that brings the Christian into the new covenant
relationship with the Father.

Galatians 3:26-28 – “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus. For as many as were baptized into Christ, you put on Christ. There
cannot be Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is no male nor
female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

5.5 The L_________ Of Christ

Galatians 3:27 – “For as many as were baptized into Christ, you put on
Christ.”
Colossians 3:1-3 – “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Be mindful of
things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life has been
hidden with Christ in God.”

It is an act that identifies a believer with Christ as his Lord with a new
life: new direction, new management and new authority.

5.6 To Be Placed Into The E________ G__________

What it means to be baptised into the Name of the Godhead?

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  The Sonship of the Father
 Becoming Joint-Heirs with the Son
 The Fellowship with the Spirit.

Lord Jesus Christ is the fullness of the Godhead bodily according to:

Colossians 1:19 – “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in
Him and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things on earth and in heaven,
by making peace through His blood, shed on the Cross…”

Colossians 2:9 – “For in Christ, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily
form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is head over every power
and authority…”

6 CONCLUSION

What is water baptism all about? Simply put, it’s:

 The b_____ for dirty (sinful) people – washing away of sins

 The b______ for dead people – the old is gone

 The b______ of new life for redeemed people – the new has come

Definition:

“An outward, symbolic act of obedience by which the believer fulfils or

completes the inward righteousness he already enjoys spiritually in his
heart through faith in Christ’s atoning death, burial and resurrection.”

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When it comes to water baptism:

 O______ the commands of Jesus in the Gospels.

 F________ the practice of the Apostles in the Book of Acts.

 A__________ the six spiritual significance of the act unfolded in

the Epistles. That is to claim all of them upon you!

Acts 8:37-38 – “Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, it is
lawful.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God.’ And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they both went down
into the water, both Philip and the eunuch. And he baptized him.”

You validate your faith when you obey the command to be baptised. Water
baptism is not an option. To not be baptised is therefore an act of
disobedience to the revealed will of God.

James 2:17-18 – “Even so, if it does not have works, faith is dead, being by itself.
But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith
without your works, and I will show you my faith from my works.”

It is not a matter of salvation but a matter of essential obedience.

Some proper perspective on infant baptism.

i. Water baptism on infants does not save a child.
ii. Infant baptism was never mentioned in the Scriptures
iii. Jesus Himself was not baptised as a baby.
iv. Water baptism comes only after teaching, repentance, faith and a
good conscience. Infant baptism does not meet this requirement.

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General Idea of Water Baptism Initiation Ceremony.

 You or several candidates together with invited guests and church

members will attend the ceremony

 You may be asked to share a short testimony

 Two persons are assigned to lead you into a tank of water, river or the
sea

 The lead person will ask some simple questions for you to answer

o [Name]. Have you repented of your sins and received Jesus as

your Lord and Saviour? Do you believe that He came to die for
your sins, was buried and on the third day resurrected from the
dead and has ascended into heaven?
o Do you do this all with a good conscience and desire to be
continually taught to obey God's commandments?

 Upon your clear answers, the lead person will then say:

“Upon the confession of your faith, I baptize you into the

name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit;
into the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; that as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the father, even so you
also shall rise to walk in newness of life.”

 The lead person will lower you into the water with the help of the
second person until you are completely submerged and then lift you up
from the water. A third person will receive you with a towel to dry
yourself when you come out of the tank, river or sea.

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 Recall Session 4

Philippians 1:6 - “And I pray that as you share your faith with others it
will grip their lives too, as they see the wealth of good things (fruits) in you that
comes from Jesus Christ.”

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