By Mark A. Hinman

Third Edition

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"ETERNAL LIFE" DEFINED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

THE GOSPEL IN A CAPSULE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

USING THE KEY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

THE THREE-FOLD ASSURANCE THAT

YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

FORMULA FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH. . . . . . . . . . 21

HOW TO DEAL WITH YOUR ARCH
ENEMY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

A BRIEF REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

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Jesus said, "And this is Eternal Life: (It means) to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with and understand) You, the only true and real God and likewise to know Him, Jesus (as the) Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, Whom You have sent" (John 17:3).⁽⁴⁾

When we receive the gift of Eternal Life, it is but the beginning of a new and wonderful life-style. Jesus said, "I am come that you may have life, and that you might have it more abundantly," (John 10:10). He was speaking of Eternal Life. To experience Eternal Life is to experience God’s life in you. It is not simply life in unending quantity, but also life in un-surpassed quality. It is the very nature of God; it is life as God has it; it is the God quality of life. It is nothing less than the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit of the Eternal God. It is the equivalent of being "born again" or "saved". One’s experience of Eternal Life is both immediate and progressive. That is, it is initially experienced here in this life and continues to grow, uninterrupted by death, through eternity in heaven. Its benefits are both present and future.

To put it another way, Eternal Life has two dimensions. In this present life, God actually comes to live in our hearts. He forgives our sin and by His indwelling presence, gives us peace of mind and the full assurance of a right relationship with Him. He leads us into His will and gives us the ability to live a truly fulfilled life. Indeed, He works on our behalf con-

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tinually. The Bible says, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

But Eternal Life will also be experienced in a future dimension. When this life is over, all those who have received the gift of Eternal Life here, are destined to live forever with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. Jesus said, "Do not let your heart be troubled, trust in God, trust also in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house; otherwise, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you also may be where I am" (John 14:1-3).

In heaven, everything will be perfect. There will be no sin, no suffering, no death and no disappointment. We will even have perfect bodies similar to that of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "Dear friends, now we are the children of God. What we will be has not been known, but we know that when He (Jesus Christ) appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:1).

In this booklet, Mark Hinman has shared some of the more important and basic truths which will help you to more fully understand what takes place when you receive Eternal Life.

William Nelken

Executive Vice President

Discipleship Dynamics

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Eternal Life is received by the simple act of commit-ting yourself in loving trust to the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Bible, Jesus said, "Whosoever puts his trust in the Son has Eternal Life. But, whosoever rejects the Son will not see life" (John 3:36).

In John 3:3, this experience is described as being "born again." Through the miracle of a spiritual birth, you are "born" into the Family of God. This is the most important experience of your entire life. It is a completely "new beginning" for you. When a per-son accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, the Bible says he becomes a "new creation; the old is gone, the new has come" (II Corinthians 5:17).

It is essential for you to understand the basis for receiving Eternal Life. In the Bible there are five great concepts which deal with this subject.

1. Eternal Life is a free gift; it is not earned or deserved.

The Bible says, "The gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).⁽⁴⁾

Because it is a free gift, Eternal Life cannot be earned, merited, deserved or worked for. The Bible says, "He saved us, not because of righteous things we have done, but because of His mercy" (Titus 3:5).

If we could work for it, Eternal Life would be wages; if we could buy it. Eternal Life would be

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ours by right of purchase; if we deserved it. Eternal Life would be an award. But instead, Eternal Life is a free gift.

To understand why this is the only way it can be, we need to see what the Bible says about man:

2. Man is a sinner, and cannot save himself.

The Bible clearly teaches that all of us are sinful. In Romans 3:23 we are told, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." The word "sinned" in this verse was an archery term. It meant "missing the mark." We've all done that. In our thoughts, our words, and our deeds, we've missed the mark—we have sinned . . . we have fallen short of God's demands. So, it is not the quantity or quality of sin . . . but the fact of sin that is our problem.

And the problem of sin becomes even more complicated when we recognize that man cannot save himself. If we were to try to be good enough to get into heaven, we would have to be perfect. Jesus said, "Be perfect . . . as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).

That's God's standard—perfection! We might call it the passing grade, and God doesn't "grade on a curve." Many people believe they must be good enough to deserve entrance into Heaven. But, that won't do. The Bible says, "Not by works, so that no man can boast" (Ephesians 2:9).

The seriousness of man's problem is more clearly understood when we see what the Bible says about God:

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3. God is both merciful and just

He is loving and merciful, therefore does not want to punish us. The Bible says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3), and "His mercy endures forever" (Psalms 136:1). You see, He does love us, not because of what we are, but because of who He is.

But, God is holy, righteous, and just, and must punish us for our sin. The Bible teaches that God will judge the entire world. The sentence is clearly stated in Ezekiel 18:4: "The soul that sins shall surely die."

The problem of sin poses a great dilemma: God loves us and does not want to punish us, but He must deal with our sinfulness. The problem can be compared to that of a physician who discovers that a beloved patient has terminal cancer. The doctor does not hate the patient because he has terminal cancer. He loves the patient but hates the disease and will do anything he can to effect a cure. God loves us, but hates our sin because sin separates us from Him. He solved that dilemma by coming into the world in human form, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the answer.

To understand this we need to know who He is and what He did. Jesus is the Infinite God/man. The Bible speaks of Him as "the Word," and says, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God . . . . and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1,14). Jesus is God in human form.

 

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He was also unique in another way. He lived a perfect life. The Bible says, "He committed no sin and no deceit was found in His mouth" (I Peter 2:22). Because He was perfect, holy and righteous, He was called, "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). And, this is what he did:

He came into the world to pay the penalty for our sin. That is why He suffered as He did and died upon the cross. The Bible vividly describes what happened in Isaiah 53:6: "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all." All our sins were laid on Him. His suffering and death were God's judgment on Him for our sins. After His death, He was buried, but rose from the grave on the third day and then ascended back to heaven. By this great "transaction" Jesus purchased Eternal Life for us—both for this life and forever. He offers Eternal Life to us as a free gift, and we receive it by "saving faith."

5. Saving Faith is the key.

Saving faith is the key to receiving Eternal Life. The Bible says, "It is by grace that we have been saved through faith, and this is not from your-selves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

Since we can only receive this gift through "saving faith," it is necessary to understand its meaning. We can best define it by first looking at what saving faith is not. It is not mere intellectual assent to the historical facts about the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither is it temporal faith. That is, having

 

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faith for our material needs.

"Saving faith" is spoken of in Acts 16:31, where we are told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."

To understand the meaning of saving faith, it is necessary to define both believe and saved as used in this Bible reference. The word, believe, means to fully commit yourself in loving trust to the very person of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The word, saved, means to be made whole, and also refers to the divine act by which God, through the death and resurrection of His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, brings us into a perfect relationship with Himself and by which we receive the free gift of Eternal Life and complete forgiveness for our sins. Summing it up in a sentence, saving faith means, "trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for the gift of Eternal Life."

When you sincerely do this, that is, when you commit yourself in loving trust to Jesus as Lord, as Savior, and as the resurrected, living Christ, you receive the gift of Eternal Life and become a member of God's Family.

That's the Good News in a capsule!

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While it is necessary to understand the basis for receiving Eternal Life, it is also necessary to apply this understanding. How do you put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone? That is a vitally important question. According to the Bible five steps are involved. When you "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" you are literally transferring your trust from yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ and to what He has done for you. Let's look at these five steps for clarification:

1. Transferring your trust includes repentance. Repentance is a necessary response to God's offer of the free gift of Eternal Life. The Bible clearly says, "The goodness of God leads you to repentance" (Romans 2:4). Indeed, Jesus said, "Repent and believe the Gospel'' (Mark 1:15).

The word repentance means to turn from your own way and sinfulness to God. In other words to turn from what you have been doing that is not pleasing to Him and to follow Him as He reveals His will through the Bible.

2. Transferring your trust also includes acknowledging and commitment to Jesus Christ as your Lord.

The Bible says, "If you will confess (acknowledge) Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God

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has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." The word "Lord" is Jesus' title of deity. He is God in human form and His rightful place is on the throne of your heart and life.

He died for us—in our place, paying the penalty for our sins on the cross. He knows that we cannot receive Eternal Life and go to heaven on our own, so He has done for us what we cannot do for our-selves. When we put our trust in Him we are surrendering ourselves to Him as Lord and Master of our lives.

 

3. Transferring your trust includes accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

Jesus is called Savior many times in the New Testament. The word means "deliverer" or the one who delivers from sin. The Bible says, "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification" (Romans 4:25). As Savior, He forgives and cleanses those who trust in Him from the guilt and power of sin. This is the only way it can be! Indeed, the Bible also says, "There is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven, given among man by and in which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).⁽⁴⁾

 

4. Transferring your trust also includes receiving the Lord Jesus as the resurrected living Christ. Jesus Christ not only died for our sins. He was also raised from the dead and is alive today. When you put your trust in Him you are also inviting

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Him to come into your heart to take charge of your life. The Bible described Him as standing outside the door of your heart, saying, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with Him and he with Me" (Rev. 3:20). To receive Eternal Life is to receive the AUTHOR of Eternal Life Himself. Jesus said, "I am the way—and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Jesus offers himself as Lord, Savior and as the resurrected living Christ. He wants to have fellowship with you—and you with Him. Indeed, He wants you to be a member of His eternal family.

 

5. Transferring your trust is accomplished through a prayer of faith.

The Bible says, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). The transfer of trust is accomplished through the means of prayer. Prayer is simply expressing your thoughts to God. As an example, here is a simple format which can serve as your prayer of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ:

"Lord Jesus Christ, I put my trust in You and in You alone today for the gift of Eternal Life. In repentance and love I accept you as my Lord and as my personal Savior. Forgive and cleanse me from my sin and take charge of my life. I receive you into my heart as the resurrected, living Christ. Help me to forsake my own ways and to follow You, and to become a responsible

 

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member of your eternal family. I thank you for the gift of Eternal Life. Amen. "

If this is your sincere prayer, you have, according to the Bible, received the gift of Eternal Life. Jesus said, "I assure you, he who believes in Me—(who adheres to, trusts in, relies on and has faith) in me—has (now possesses) Eternal Life." (John 6:47).⁽⁴⁾

In the next chapter I have explained how you can be assured of the reality of your experience.

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There are at least three great truths which confirm the reality of receiving Eternal Life. The first is "The Assurance of God's Word." The second is "The Assurance of the Holy Spirit." The third is "The Assurance of a changed life."

1. "The Assurance of God's Word."

The first proof of having received Eternal Life is the "assurance of God's Word." The Bible says, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my Word and believes Him that sent me has Eternal Life and will not come into condemnation; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). In Acts 13:39, we read, "Through Him (Jesus Christ) everyone who believes is justified from everything." The word "justified" means to be exonerated—freed from guilt, or to paraphrase it: "just-as-if-I'd never sinned." Thus everyone who has put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone will know for certain that he has received Eternal Life and is justified in the sight of God.

This experience is not based on how we feel, but on God's Word.

Unfortunately, many Christians evaluate their experience of Eternal Life and their relationship with God by how they "feel" at any given moment. Since their "feelings" fluctuate from day to day, so does their assurance. But Eternal Life is

 

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never based on our personal feelings. Possession of Eternal Life is founded on God’s Word. Now that you have believed the promise of God’s Word and have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, that is sufficient! The Bible says that you have received the free gift of Eternal Life.

There are many verses of scripture that confirm this. Here are a few references.

Ephesians 1:7: "In whom (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace which He lavished on us."

Acts 2:21: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

John 6:47: "I tell you the truth, He that believes (in me) has Eternal Life."

Romans 8:1,2: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in (have put their faith in) Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of Life set me free from the law of sin and death."

You have the right to trust in God’s Word, and His Word is sufficient! Billy Graham puts it this way:

"God said it-in His Word. I believe it-in my heart. That settles it-forever.’’⁽¹⁾

2. "The Assurance of the Holy Spirit"

Although God’s Word is sufficient, there is a second proof of receiving the free gift of Eternal

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Life. It is the witness of the Holy Spirit in our heart. The Bible says, "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children" (Romans 8:16). )

This testimony (or witness) is Divine in its origin. It does not come as a result of a "mental exercise." It is actually God’s witness to us and comes through His taking up His residence in our hearts. Some people think they should experience some-thing like a "spiritual explosion" when they receive Eternal Life. They are surprised if nothing dramatic takes place. They may not "hear angels singing, or see lights flashing, or hear bells ringing" and become a little disappointed.

What actually happens is that God touches our "inner consciousness" and gives us the calm assurance that the miracle of receiving Eternal Life has taken place. Although we don’t hear His voice audibly, that is, with our natural ears, He does communicate His message to us; a message of assurance in response to putting our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. The "emotional responses" will vary in different people, but it is the "Spirit Himself who testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children."

3 "The Assurance of a Changed Life"

The third proof is the assurance which results from the change that takes place when we receive Eternal Life. It is a change which is both instantaneous and progressive.

It is instantaneous because a believer has just been born again. Just as a newborn baby has received

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new, natural life, so a new born Christian, has received new. Eternal Life. This is what Jesus meant when He said, "You must be born again." The profound effect is more clearly described in II Corinthians 5:17, "If any man be in Christ he is a new creation. The old is gone and the new has come." The instantaneous result of receiving Eternal Life is that God sees you as a brand new person. He has forgiven your sins and in His eyes your past is as if it had never happened. The Bible says, "I will forgive their iniquities and will re-member their sins no more." (Jer. 31:34)⁽³⁾ In still another place the Bible says, "There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

Furthermore, just as a newborn baby is instantly a member of its natural family, so you, by virtue of being born again and receiving the free gift of Eternal Life, became a member of God's spiritual family. The Bible says, "To all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to believe He would save them. All those who believed this were reborn!— not a physical rebirth, resulting from human passion or plan, but from the will of God" (John 1:12-13).⁽²⁾

But this is just the beginning of God's work in your life because the change is also progressive. The pattern of change will develop into a new dimension of life as you grow toward spiritual maturity through daily experience and fellowship with the Lord and with His great family. The Bible says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through our

 

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knowledge of Him who has called us by His glory and goodness; He has given us great and precious promises so that through them we participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption of the world" (II Peter 1:3-4).

This change is effected as a result of God's work in our lives. He creates within us the very nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "For those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brothers" (Rom. 8:29). It is clearly evident: A person who has received Eternal Life will not want to remain in his old ways of life, but will desire and seek to forsake his sinful ways and obey, that is, follow Christ as his Lord and Master. Indeed, the word "Christian" gives evidence of this for the word literally means, "a follower of Jesus Christ."

People who do not experience this genuine change in their life style, should never think that they have received Eternal Life. The Bible clearly states, "No one who lives in Him (Jesus Christ) keeps on (deliberately) sinning. No one who continues to (deliberately) sin has either seen Him or known Him" (I John 3:9).

Everyone who has sincerely trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for the gift of Eternal Life and has experienced the miracle of the new birth will also experience a continuing change in their life as they grow spiritually. I am not suggesting that you will be transformed, overnight, into a perfect individual. None of us can lay claim to being perfect. Indeed, the Bible says, "If we claim to be

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without sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, (but) if we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:8-9). The be-ginning of this relationship with God occurs when you put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone and you become a member of His family. But the continuing change depends upon your spiritual growth.

Your spiritual growth is so important that I have devoted the next chapter to this vital subject.

 

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When you receive the free gift of Eternal Life, you are, according to the Bible, "born again" (John 3:3-7). Just as you were born by natural birth into a natural family, you are "born again" into God's spiritual family by means of a spiritual birth. In the Bible, born again believers are identified as members of His family. We are told in John 1:12-13 that ". . . all who received 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."

Children of God are obviously members of His family. This family is made up of congregations of believers in local churches who are trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for Eternal Life. Wherever true believers gather, they are there as members of God's family. It does not matter what their race, nationality, social, economic, cultural background or geographical location is. Everyone who has experienced Eternal Life is included in His family.

But, being "born again" into the Family of God is not an end in itself. Rather, it is the beginning of a new and wonderful life style that is meaningful and fulfilling. Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life . . . abundantly" (John 10:10).⁽³⁾

Spiritual birth must be followed by spiritual growth. Indeed, spiritual growth is an evidence that we have received Eternal Life. To merely claim to have

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trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ is not sufficient. Just as a healthy newborn baby will grow, so a healthy newborn Christian will grow. As I have indicated before, people who make "professions" of faith in the Lord Christ Jesus, but show no desire for growth in their spiritual life through the means which God has provided, should not deceive themselves into thinking that they have received Eternal Life. Indeed, they have not.

We grow spiritually by the proper use of the vital means which God has provided. These include:

1. THE BIBLE

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. We are told in II Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work!"

Another reference that helps us to understand the importance of the Bible in the believer's life is found in I Peter 2:2: "As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby."⁽³⁾

You see, the Bible not only tells us how to receive the free gift of Eternal Life, but it is also the "text book" of every facet of true Christian living. The Word of God applies to every detail of our lives: our personal needs, personal growth toward maturity and the interpersonal relationships with family, friends and with the world in general. At the very start of our Christian experience, we are to develop a healthy appetite for God's Word. 

 

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Just as you are saved through believing in God's Word, so knowledge of His Word is essential to your spiritual growth. This is accomplished by:

(a) Personal Study of the Bible:

You can do this best by forming the habit of reading the Bible every day. For a start, you should begin reading the Gospel of John. Read at least one chapter each day. As you read you will find some verses that stand out to you. We suggest that you underline them. You will also find some words or even verses that you do not fully understand. Why not put a question mark on the margin near the verse so you can discuss it with a mature Christian friend at a later time? I suggest that you continue reading the Bible in the following sequence:

The Gospel of Mark

The Letter to the Ephesians

The Letter to the Philippians

The Gospel of Luke

The Book of Acts

The Letter to the Romans

Then, to help you in reading the entire Bible, I suggest you use a "through the Bible each year" chart that may be obtained from a Bible bookstore or your church.

(b) By Attending Church Worship Services:

I will examine the importance of worship services, per se, at greater length later in this chapter. However, it is important here to call

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attention to the fact that one of the major sources of instruction in the Bible is through the ministry of the preaching of God's Word. The Pastor of the local church is especially skilled in this ministry. Indeed, he is commissioned in the Bible to feed the Family of God. You will receive important spiritual food through his unique ministry that cannot be found elsewhere.

(c) By Attending A Bible Study Group:

To help you understand the teaching of the Bible further, you should become involved in a Bible Study Group for new believers. I urge you to begin attending a "New Life Bible Class" either at your church or in a nearby home if one is available. The Bible Study les-sons in this class are taught and discussed in small groups on a "round-robin" basis. This simply means you can start participating at any lesson. The subjects are carefully selected to help those who are unfamiliar with many of the Bible truths, and are especially valuable for those who have just recently put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. I suggest that you give your permission for the New Life Bible Class teacher to contact you to explain the details about the class, its location, day and time.

(d) Through The Counseling Ministry Of The Church:

Receiving Eternal Life does not immediately solve all of life's problems. No doubt, you will be able to handle most of your problems, but

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perhaps, like many new Christians, there are some things for which you can find no solution by yourself. There is hope and help for you. This can be obtained through the counseling ministry of the church. Unlike most psychiatrists and psychologists, the ministers of our church are "Bible Counselors." They are skilled in the application of God's Word and have the God-given ability to offer positive help and hope with love and understanding. The counseling ministry is offered free of charge. If you have problems that you find difficult to cope with, I suggest you contact the church and make an appointment with one of the counseling ministers.

2. PRAYER

Prayer is our life-line to God. Through the means of prayer we are able to communicate with Him. Prayer is simply talking to Him. We do not need to know a special or religious language. Prayer is speaking to Him in your own words. It is important to remember that God fully understands you. He knows every one of your thoughts and motives. It is not necessary to be gifted in speaking in order to pray effectively. The Bible says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Philippians 4:6-7).

At first, you may not feel comfortable in praying out loud, but as you learn to verbalize your

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prayers, you will find a very meaningful relationship developing between you and God. I suggest that you form the habit of starting every day with prayer. Learn to pray during the day and then, before you retire at night, close the day with prayer.

Additional help in your prayer life can be obtained by praying with your Christian friends. The Bible says, "I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in Heaven" (Matthew 18:19-20). Join the various prayer groups at the church in their seasons of prayer. Many Christians even find help in prayer by calling another Christian and praying together by telephone.

It is important for you to remember that your spiritual growth will be enhanced through the means of prayer, but will be hindered by the lack of prayer. Prayer is not merely a duty, it is a great privilege and an "indispensable means of growth."

3. WORSHIP

Worship is also essential for our spiritual growth. Worshipping God is a normal expression of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants, indeed, expects us to worship Him. The Bible says, "the time is coming and now has come, when true worshippers must worship Him in Spirit and Truth" (John 4:23-24).

The Lord meets with His people in a unique way when they are gathered together to worship Him. Jesus said that where even two or three are gath-

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ered in His Name, He is in their midst. We are also warned in the Bible to "not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as some do, but we are to encourage one another." Worship services are planned so that the members of the Family of God may get together and worship Him.

A heart specialist once told me that in his opinion, "True spiritual group worship has tremendous therapeutic value for the body, the mind, and the soul. " The Bible puts it this way: "The Lord in-habits the praises of His people" (Psalms 22:3). One of the most important things for you as a member of God’s Family is to attend worship ser-vices regularly. Your rate of spiritual growth will be largely determined by this. Do not neglect it.

4. FELLOWSHIP

Since we are born into the Family of God, it follows that fellowship with other believers is the normal result of that experience. The Bible says, "If we walk in the light as He (God) is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from every sin" (I John 1:7).

Fellowship with other believers is vital. Through this close association we are able to encourage and to strengthen each other in the Lord. We learn a great deal from other Christians as we share our experiences, our hopes, our problems, and our burdens. The Bible says, "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). Cultivate the friendship of other Christians, especially those with whom you have common interests.

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You can meet and get acquainted with other members of the "Family" at Bible Study Groups, Worship Services, Social Events, and the various other ministries of the church where other Christians are already involved.

For more information, I suggest that you contact the church office, or indicate your interests in a ‘‘message to the Pastor."

5. WITNESS

Witnessing simply means to "tell others about your experience in Eternal Life so they might share it also." God has chosen witnessing as the method for personally sharing His Gospel with our family, our friends, and with the entire world. The Bible says, "In your hearts acknowledge Christ as the Holy Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to every man that asks a reason for the hope that lies within. Do this with gentleness and respect" (I Peter 3:15).

Witnessing will also have the effect of strengthening your own faith and increasing your knowledge of God’s Word. We suggest you start sharing this wonderful experience with your relatives and friends. Perhaps you would like to have members of an Evangelism Team call on them to share their experience. Better still, perhaps you can arrange to have a team meet them in your home, or for you to accompany a team on a visit to their homes.

Later, you may want to enroll in the witnessing training classes of the church. This program is de-signed to help Christians learn to share their faith in Christ effectively and without fear.

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Receiving Eternal Life does not mean that all of your problems will dissolve or disappear. The Bible does not teach that a Christian’s life is trouble-free, with no problems or perplexing situations to mar the horizon of their lives. It does promise that God will help us in all circumstances. And, through Him, we are able to cope with all situations of life. The Apostle Paul describes our position beautifully in I Corinthians 15:56: "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" God has not promised freedom from trial, temptation and struggles, but He has assured us of victory over all the forces of our enemy.

Our arch enemy is Satan. In the Bible, he is also called: the Devil, Beelzebub, the Adversary, the Prince of the powers of the air, the Accuser of the brethren, and the Thief. Satan is dedicated to doing everything he can to defeat the work of God in your life and to make you doubt your experience of Eternal Life. The Lord Jesus Christ said, "The Thief’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy."

The Bible also warns us to "be alert-your adversary, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (I Peter 5:8).

How can Satan be defeated? Although he will try to bring doubts to your mind about your relationship with God and will try to defeat the work of Christ in

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your life, he can be defeated through the effective use of God’s Word. When Satan tempted Jesus, the Lord defeated him with the Word. You can read the details in Matthew 4:1-1l. Notice that each time the Tempter came to Him, Jesus quoted a specific statement from the Scriptures.

Special instructions are also given in Ephesians 6:10-18. Here we are told: "Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. Put on the whole armour of God so that you can take your stand against the Devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armour of God so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled about your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace as a firm footing. In addition to this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests."

Through the application and use of God’s Word and the other "means of spiritual growth," the Devil, your arch enemy will be defeated. The Bible says, "You, dear children, are from God and have over-come them (the forces of Satan) because the One (Holy Spirit) who is in you is greater than the one (Satan) who is in the world" (I John 4:4).

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1. Gospel in a capsule

Eternal Life is a free gift; it is not earned or deserved.

Man is a sinner and cannot save himself.

God is both merciful and just.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the answer.

Saving Faith is the key.

2. Transferring your trust to the Lord Jesus Christ includes:

Repentance.

Acknowledging Him as Lord of your life.

Accepting Him as your personal Savior.

Receiving Him as the resurrected, living Christ

Vocalizing the Prayer of Faith in Him.

3. The assurance of our salvation is witnessed to us in three ways:

By the Word of God.

By the Holy Spirit.

By a changed life.

4. Spiritual birth is always followed by spiritual growth. God has provided the formula for spiritual growth. It includes:

Bible study.

Prayer.

Worship.

Fellowship.

Witness.

 

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5. Your arch enemy is Satan, but he is defeated by the authority of God’s Word.

By the time you have completed reading this booklet, I hope you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, and have received the Gift of Eternal Life. I suggest you fill in the Profession of Birth Certificate as a reminder of the occasion of your new (spiritual) birth. It will also be very wise to keep in contact with the person who gave you this booklet, and to enroll in a Bible Class for new Christians. If you have not already begun attending worship ser-vices, I suggest that you start attending the church of your choice this coming Sunday.

I want to close this booklet with the prayer which the Apostle Paul offered for the Christians in the Philippian church. You will find it in Philippians 1:3-6. "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the very first day until now, being confident of this, that He (God) who has begun a good work in you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Amen.

--Mark A. Hinman

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Unless otherwise indicated, all New Testament verses in this booklet are quoted from The New International New Testament, copyright © 1973 by The New York Bible Society International. Used by per-mission of the publishers Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

1From Knowing Christ. Used by permission of the Bills Graham Evangelistic Association.

2From The Living Bible. Used by permission of the publishers, Tyndale House Publishers. Wheaten, Ill. Copyright by Tyndale House, 1966.

3King James Version.

4Amplified Bible used by permission of the Lockman Foundation. Copyright by the Lockman Foundation 1958.

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