Lesson 4 in the Personal Bible Study Series
Helpful Hints
It is imperative that the initial review questions are answered before this study begins. Use additional open-ended questions to find out what the student’s understanding is of what he/she has done, has been taught, or has believed in the past. Make sure you and the student both write down these answers on your respective outlines. Otherwise, if there is (or has been) strong religious ties and the student has probably undergone some kind of baptism, there is a tendency to take the newly learned information in this study and apply it to past experiences. By determining beforehand what was previously done and believed, this problem can be avoided.
The student needs to become aware of any potential differences between what was done in the past and what has now been learned from the Bible so that he/she can see the need to comply with God’s directives.
Lesson 4 picks up where Lesson 3 left off — the necessity of being a member of Christ’s body. In addition to baptism, it also covers the prerequisites of belief and repentance. On question 6, if the student does not understand what repentance is, use the additional scripture references on the back page to help explain it.
Lesson 4: Forgiveness of Sin (PDF version)
Instructions: Read each passage of Scripture, then answer the questions underneath. For additional Scripture references, refer to the corresponding numbers at the end of the lesson.
REVIEW OF YOUR PAST OBEDIENCE:
- Have you tried to obey Jesus in the past?
- What specifically have you done in response to Jesus?
- Have you had your sins forgiven by God in the past?
- What specifically did you do to have your sins forgiven?
- Are you currently saved or have you been saved in the past?
- At what point in your response to God were you saved?
- Have you ever been baptized?
- If so, explain how and why you were baptized.
1. Ephesians 5:23
Must one be in the body to be saved?
2. 1 Corinthians 12:13
How does a person enter into the one body?
WHAT IS BAPTISM?
3. Colossians 2:12
How is baptism pictured here?
How would you describe a burial?
4. Acts 8:35-39
How is the action of baptism depicted here?
Baptism is a burial (& resurrection) in what?
WHO IS TO BE BAPTIZED?
5. Acts 8:12
What had these people done prior to baptism?
Would infants be excluded? If so, why?
6. Acts 2:37-38
What must precede baptism?
What does it mean to repent?
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF BAPTISM?
7. Acts 2:38
Baptism is for what purpose?
Is baptism necessary for salvation?
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IN ANY OTHER WAY OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON:
9. Acts 19:1-5
Had these disciples been immersed? (cf. John 3:23)
Had they believed and repented? (v. 4)
Is there any reason to think they were insincere?
Since they were initially baptized for the wrong reason, were they baptized again?
Is understanding what you are doing an important part of being baptized correctly?
10. John 14:15
Is it important to obey Christ exactly as He directs?
CONCLUSION
A. Must one be a member of Christ’s church (body) to be saved?
B. How does one enter Christ’s church (body)?
C. Do you believe in Jesus and are you willing to repent of your sins?
D. What do you now need to do to have your sins forgiven?
Additional Scripture References
- Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4-6; Col. 1:13-14, 18; Acts 2:47; cf. Heb. 5:8-9
- Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:22-23; 3:21; Acts 2:41, 47
- Rom. 6:3-5; Eph. 2:4-6; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Acts 8:35-39
- Matt. 3:13-16; John 3:23; Acts 10:47; 1 Peter 3:20-21
- John 8:24; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-41; 8:35-39
- 2 Cor. 7:9-10; Acts 3:19, 26; 26:18-20; cf. Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30
- Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4, 17-18; cf. Eph. 1:7; Matt. 26:28; Rev. 1:5
- Mark 16:15-16; John 3:5; Rom. 6:4; Gal. 3:26-27; Eph. 1:7
- Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 6:46; Rom. 6:3-4, 17-18; (cf. Matt. 13:13-23; Mark 12:30, 33; John 12:40; Eph. 5:17; 6:6).
- Matt. 28:18-20; Heb. 5:8-9; Acts 10:33, 48; 1 John 2:3-5
“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).