Lesson 5   

#5 THE IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITUAL TRUTH & LIGHT

Important side note: Conviction is often a feeling of guilt and discomfort as God deals with people
about their spiritual need.   When people become uncomfortable the normal reaction is to discontinue
any pursuit of spiritual truth (or to find a wider path).   This would be the greatest mistake of a life
time!   The following lesson may make the reader feel uncomfortable, but is necessary to know
before finding God.   Great joy and peace will ultimately prevail if one continues to seek God in spite
of the conviction.   ...   Acts 2:37, "Now when they heard this [the gospel which made them aware of
their lost spiritual condition], they were pricked in their heart [conviction], and said unto Peter and
to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"   Notice that they felt guilty and
uncomfortable, but they soon found the remedy and ultimately they found joy.   Please read on...

Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to spiritual matters.   2 Peter 3:5, For this they
willingly are ignorant.   Hosea 4:6, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Also, most people are hanging on to the first thing they learned spiritually and have
never checked into Bible truth.   We tend to believe and embrace the first thing we
learned, even if it is wrong.   WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

God originally created man to love and to love in return.   1 John 4:19, "We love
him [God], because he first loved us."
Yet mankind turned out sinful ... (Jesus said). Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out
of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts,
covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,
foolishness.   (Add; selfishness, lying, stubbornness, anger, cursing, drunkenness, etc).
Romans 3:10, 23, There is none righteous, no, not one: For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God.   Our righteousness is like a filthy rag (Isa. 64:6)

Mankind is sinful because we are born spiritually dead ...(why?) ...Genesis 1:26-
27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness ...So God created
man in his own image, in the image of God created he him ...(man was originally a
three part being... body, soul & spirit, I Thes. 5:23 ... (elab. on this) ...but sin entered
the picture ...Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of
every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die.   ...   Did Adam and Eve eat of the tree?
(Adam & Eve ate of the tree and died like God had warned ...but they did not die
physically... only spiritually).   Afterwards, Adam's children were also born as two
part beings, now spiritually dead .. Genesis 5:3 Adam ...begat a son in his own
likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth ... that spiritual deadness trans-
ferred to all mankind.   Romans 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:   ...

(We were all born sinners.. Illus.: that is why a toddler will naturally lie, steal cookies,
sass back, fight with their siblings, be selfish, etc.)   Nobody needs to teach them how
to sin!) .. Psalms 51:5 (the Psalm writer said), Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and
in sin did my mother conceive me...   (We are sinners from our conception).

That is why the world is a sinful mess .. 1 John 5:19, The whole world lieth in
wickedness...Jesus said in John 3:19, Men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil... we must recognize our sinfulness before we can get saved ...
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Jesus said most people are going to Hell (even within [professing] Christianity!) ... Matthew
7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity....   Matthew 7:13-14 "wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction [Hell], and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait
is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life [Heaven], and few there be
that find it."
Isaiah 5:14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without
measure

Everything is not o.k. ... Ephesians 5:6, Let no man deceive you with vain words: for
because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Jesus said, Take heed that no man deceive you, (Matt. 24:4.)
Many will not go to Heaven.   1 Corinthians 6:9,10, The unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of
God.   God loves mankind, but His justice will not overlook man's sin.

People are sadly following their hearts ..(what they think is right)   Proverbs 14:12,
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death.   (Including false religion).   Illus.: 2^nd Commandment
You cannot trust your heart!   Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know [trust] it?"
Illus.: Peter really thought he would never deny the Lord (his best friend).   We can be
easily deceived.   Jiminy Cricket said "let your conscience be your guide."   The Bible
says the conscience is defiled, corrupted and seared.

1 Corinthians 8:7, Their conscience being weak is defiled.
1 Timothy 4:2, Having their conscience seared with a hot iron.
Hebrews 10:22, "an evil conscience"   Titus 1:15, Their mind and conscience is defiled.
We need the truth of God's Word!

Jesus said in Matthew 6:23, If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how
great is that darkness!   (Another reason we need the Word of God)

Satan has also blinded people from the truth ...(Satan is real ... Jesus encountered
the Devil personally in Mt. 4:1-11)
2 Corinthians 4:3-4, But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom
the god [Satan] of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not ...
John 12:40, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should
not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted ...(Jesus
called Satan a liar in Jn. 8:44)....Satan deceives with a false appearance, masquerades
as loving...2 Corinthians 11:14, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of
light...
So are his teachers and ministers) 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also
be transformed as the ministers of righteousness... Jesus said in Matthew 15:14, If
the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch... (Peter said).. 2 Peter 2:1, But
there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers
among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies ... be warned!.. 1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour.   Again ... everything is not o.k.!

The Bible speaks much about people being unknowingly deceived and deluded.
Ephesians 4:18, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of
God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart
John 1:5, "And the light [true gospel] shineth in darkness; and the darkness
comprehended it not."   ...   Also... (people do not want the truth because they do not want
to repent) John 3:19, And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil..
Romans 3:11, There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after
God... Jesus said He came to ... Open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins,
and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me (Acts 26:18)
(God has to reach out to us through saved & caring people).   Jesus said, No man can
come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.   (John 6:44)
   *The next lesson will deal with how to know for sure you are going to Heaven.

Go to Lesson #6