Eternal Gospel Fellowship

God sent His Son to save us “from our sins” that “whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Matthew 1:21; John 3:16). Through faith in Jesus we receive (1) repentance for sin, (2) forgiveness for sin, and (3) power to overcome (or quit) sin. This work of grace (unmerited gift) is the beginning of a “new life,” which is called the “new birth” or “conversion.” In this lesson we will see how this new birth takes place in our life.

1. How many of us are naturally good?

      Romans 3:10, 23 (for further study: John 8:34; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah 64:6)

3:10   As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

3:23   For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

2.   What is necessary if we are going to receive the free gift of eternal life from Jesus?

      John 3:3, 5, 6 (Matthew 18:3)

3:3   Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

3:4   Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

3:5   Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

3:6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

18:3   And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

3.   Is it possible for us to change ourselves?

      Jeremiah 13:23 (Romans 7:18-24)



13:23   Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

4.   What is the first step to conversion?

      Acts 3:19 (2 Peter 3:9; Acts 2:38; 5:31; Romans 2:4; Psalms 34:18)

3:19   Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

      Repentance means to be so sorry for our sins and that we do not want to repeat them. Only God can give us that sorrow for sin, for we, by nature, love sin.

5.   What will true repentance lead us to do with our past, sinful way of life?

      Romans 6:6, 16 (Numbers 5:7; Ezekiel 33:15; Luke 19:8-9; Romans 8:13)

6:6   Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

6:16   Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

      By God’s help we will crucify (put to death) the sinful habits we once cherished. True repentance also will cause us to make restitution for our wrongs (such as paying back stolen goods) where we can.

6.   After we repent, what is our next step?

      1 John 1:9 (Proverbs 28:13; Psalms 32:5; 51:1-10)

1:8   If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1:9   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1:10   If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

      We must confess our sins to God, asking for forgiveness. After confessing our sins, we are not to keep on dwelling on them, but to have

faith that God HAS forgiven them. There may also be people from whom we should ask forgiveness.

7.   What is the last step of true conversion?

      Romans 6:4 (Ephesians 2:10; 1 John 2:6; 3:3)

6:4   Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

      We are to live a new life, a righteous (doing right) life, through the power of the Holy Spirit

8.   What will happen if we repent of our sins but do not replace our evil deeds with good deeds?

      Luke 11:24-26 (Matthew 6:24; Romans 12:21)

11:24   When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

11:25   And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

11:26   Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

      We must preoccupy the mind with good if we would not have it filled with evil.

9.   The end result of conversion is a new life. How can we live this new life in righteousness?

      Romans 8:2-4 (1 John 3:39; Hebrews 10:16; Ezekiel 36:25-28; Hebrews 7:25)

8:2   For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

8:3   For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

8:4   That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

      God has power to help even the worst sinner overcome his sins.



10. Who showed us the way to live this new life of righteousness?

      John 14:6 (Hebrews 2:10, 11, 16-18; 1 Peter 2:21; Matthew 16:24)

14:6   Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

2:21   For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

11. What is one thing Jesus did, and taught us to do, to live the victorious Christian life?

      Luke 21:34-36 (Luke 6:12; Matthew 26:41)

21:34   And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

21:35   For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

21:36   Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

6:12   And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

12. Something Jesus also did was to study the Bible and He resisted temptation by quoting scripture. What will consistent Bible study do for us?

      2 Peter 1:3-4 (Matthew 4:3-4, 7, 10; Psalm 119:11; John 6:53-57, 63; 17:17)

1:3   According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

1:4   Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

      When we study the Bible daily, the Holy Spirit fills us with holy thoughts and gives us strength to resist temptation. When Jesus was tempted, He quoted scripture that He had memorized. If we will fill our minds with texts of the Bible and Christian songs, our minds will not be so easily affected by sin. Then, when we are tempted, if we will quote scripture and pray for strength, we will obtain victory!

13. What should we do when tempted to sin?

      James 4:7-8 (Ephesians 6:12-13)

4:7   Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

4:8   Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.



      After receiving spiritual strength through prayer and Bible study, Jesus           mentally and consciously RESISTED satan and his temptations, and CHOSE to do right!

14. How can we have a growing experience in Christ?

      Colossians 2:6 (Luke 9:23; 1 Corinthians 15:31; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)

2:6   As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

      Three things— Prayer, Bible study, and exercising our will in refusing to sin and choosing to do good with the spiritual strength we have thus received— are the secrets for victorious Christian living. We must combine divine power with human effort and we must do this every day, even moment by moment.

15. If we are truly born again, what happens to us?

      2 Corinthians 5:17 (Philippians 1:6)

5:17   Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Is it your desire to be born again into a spiritual life of righteousness, with Jesus as your example?

Here is the Bible’s recipe for daily victory:

1.     Ask the Lord to awaken you. (Isaiah 50:4)

50:4   The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to [him that is] weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

2.     Give Consent (Proverbs 23:26, Joshua 24:15)

23:26   My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

24:15   And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

3.     Ask for the Holy Spirit, Grace, and the Bread of Life (John 14:26, 2 Cor. 12:9, John 6:35; Jer. 1:9)

14:26   But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

12:9   And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

6:35   And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

1:9   Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

4.     Ask for the help of Angels that excel in strength (Psalms 103:20, 21)

103:20   Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

103:21   Bless ye the LORD, all [ye] his hosts; [ye] ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

5.     Ask God to place His armor on you (Ephesians 6:10-18)

6:10   Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

6:11   Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

6:12   For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

6:13   Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

6:14   Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

6:15   And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

6:16   Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

6:17   And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

6:18   Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

6.     Claim the Scriptural promises as your weapons and be stedfast in your battle (2 Peter 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:58)

1:4   Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

15:58   Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

7.     Praise God for the victories He gave you during the day! (1 Corinthians 15:57)

15:57   But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.