Lesson 7   

#7 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING BORN AGAIN, Part 2 (God's plan for getting
to Heaven)

TEXT...Who will be in Heaven?   Revelation 21:24 And the nations of them which are
saved shall walk in the light of it [Heaven].   We must be saved from our sins in order to
go to Heaven.   Judgment Day is coming.   So then every one of us shall give account of
himself to God (Rom. 14:12).   We won't be judged by man's standard.   But we are
sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such
things (Rom. 2:2).   What is truth?   (Jesus said) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy
word is truth (John 17:17).   The Bible is the source of truth.   According to Jesus we will
be judged out of Bible (John 12:48).   Bible truth is all we are going to get.   Illus.: When
the rich man in Hell asked for God to send someone to warn his brothers, the reply was,
They have Moses and the prophets [i.e., the Bible]; let them hear them (Luke 16:29).

We will also be judged according to God's standard.   According to the 10
Commandments, we are covetous, liars, thieves, blasphemers, idolaters, and adulterers
(see last lesson).   James 2:10, For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend
in one point, he is guilty of all.   There are also other commands.   Do you really love
your neighbor as yourself?   Do you put his needs before your own?   Are you willing to
meet his needs no matter what the cost?   Do you devote more of you time to others than
yourself?   Are you ever: selfish, angry, impatient, harsh, wasteful, proud, gossipy,
stingy, insensitive, insincere, inappropriate, undependable, unforgiving, disloyal, etc?

We must realize we are serious sinners, and sin is serious.   Romans 6:23, "the wages
of sin is death [Hell.]"   I Cor. 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... they which
do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:21).
What do we need to be saved from?... Our sin!   Remember from Lesson One, our
sinful soul must be converted by the salvation taught in God's Word (The law of the
LORD is perfect, converting the soul...Ps. 19:7).

Being saved is not automatic.   Just because Jesus is the Saviour of the world does not
mean we are automatically saved.   Most people have never been converted/saved/born
again because they do not see how desperately they need to be.   Without being saved we
will one day face the wrath of God.   Romans 1:18 says, The wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness.   John 3:36, He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him.

We are born spiritually dead, condemned and alienated from God, (John 3:18) He that
believeth not is condemned already.   No one has "always been a Christian."

The first step is to recognize our sinfulness ... Illus.: The Pharisee and tax collector,
Lu. 18:10).   Romans 3:10 says, There is none righteous, no, not one.   Isaiah 64:6 says,
We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.   In Luke
19:10 Jesus said, The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Jesus is willing to save us, but we must see ourselves as lost.   This is the key!

We must be willing to repent of whatever God condemns.   Luke 13:3, (Jesus said)
Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.   Acts 3:19 says, Repent ye therefore, and
be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.   You must be willing to turn away from
(repent) of anything the Bible condemns.   I Thess. 1:9 says, Ye turned to God from idols
to serve the living and true God.   An idol is anything that comes before God (money,
materialism, booze, illicit sex, false church or religion, etc).   We must turn from it, in
order to turn to God.   Normally, there is one main thing that stands in our way of
getting saved.   Are you willing to repent of it?   Take a stand for Christ, and do not worry
about what others will say or think.   The fear of man has sent many to Hell.   Rev. 21:8
says, The fearful, and unbelieving ...shall have their part in the lake which burneth with
fire and brimstone.   You may get opposition from your friends and loved ones.   Jesus
said, A man's foes shall be they of his own household (Matt. 10:36).   Are you willing to
leave and forsake any false religion that does not truly teach and follow the Bible?
When we repent and get saved, all our sins are erased from God's record book.
Acts 3:19, Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.

Besides repentance, salvation requires faith.   Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews,
and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Many foolishly attempt to make themselves acceptable to God by their works.
In Rom. 10:1-3, Paul says, I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not
according to knowledge [Bible truth]. For they ...going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God [the
sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary].   Trying to work your way to Heaven is an insult to God.
Illus.: Tuxedo on hog.   Jesus said, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we
not ...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 (Matt. 7:22- 23).   Sadly they were
trusting in their own goodness and works instead of the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins.

Jesus is our substitute sacrifice for sin.   The Bible says, Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures (I Cor. 15:3).   Jesus paid for our sin (Hell) on the cross.

Getting to Heaven cannot be by both grace and works.   Rom. 11:6 says, And if by
grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of
works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.   Therefore we
conclude that a man is justified [saved] by faith without the deeds of the law (Rom. 3:28)

Any verses in the Bible eluding to doing good works are always addressed to an already
born again Christian, encouraging him to faithfully serve the Lord after being saved!
(Titus 3:8) They which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.

We cannot be born again by earning it.   Titus 3:5 says, Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.   Ephesians 2:8-9 says,
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.   All your faith must be in Jesus Christ 100%.

Baptism has nothing to do with getting us to Heaven.   In fact St. Paul said, Christ
sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, (I Cor. 1:17).   The thief on the cross
went to Heaven without ever being baptized.   However, after someone has been saved,
they should follow the example of Jesus by being baptized (immersed) in a true Bible
practicing [Baptist] church.   But remember, we are saved by the blood of Christ, not the water of
the baptistery.   Ephesians 1:7 says, We have redemption through his [Jesus] blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace [a favor from God].
Romans 5:9-10 says, Being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through him [Jesus]. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
of his Son.   Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore being justified by faith [in His blood], we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"

Salvation all boils down to being willing to make Christ the Lord of your life.
Romans 10:13 says, "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Are you willing to make Jesus Christ (and His Word) your guide and Master for life?
The verse above gives a promise.   It says, "whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved."   If you will simply pray unto the Lord in repentance and faith, and
ask Him to save you from your sins, God has promised to hear you and answer your
prayer.   God cannot lie.   Faith is simply a matter of taking God at His promises.
Titus 1:2 says, "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the
world began;"   If you mean business with God, and you are ready to give Him your life,
you can pray the following prayer from the heart.   Remember, God keeps His promises.
* "Dear Heavenly Father, I know that I am a condemned sinner unable to save myself,
but I am willing to turn from my sins and make Jesus my Lord, Saviour and Master.   I
want to be born again.   I now trust in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross to pay for my sins.
Please forgive me and save me.   Thank you ... amen."