Sign of Life

In the previous lesson we studied 13 reasons why the true believer is eternally safe and secure in Christ forever! Does the Bible teach that a true believer can lose his salvation and be lost (John 6:37-40)? ______ If you are a true believer in Christ, are you really safe and secure in Christ forever (John 10:28)? _____________

It is vitally important not only to KNOW that I am saved, but also to SHOW that I am saved. If I really have God’s LIFE then that LIFE ought to be manifested and demonstrated. I need to remember that there is something that every true believer possesses:

"He that believeth on Me hath (has) eternal ___________" (John 6:47)
"He is passed from death unto ____________" (John 5:24)
"He that hath (has) the Son hath (has) _____________" (1 John 5:12)

Therefore, every true believer possesses L____________. The person who is not a true believer does not have ___________ (1 John 5:12 and compare Eph. 2:1). He is dead. He breathes and exists and walks and eats, but he does not have the ___________ of _______ (Ephesians 4:18).

Let’s think about physical life for a moment. We know that the body without the spirit is _____________ (James 2:26). How did Martha know that her brother Lazarus was truly dead (John 11:39)? ____________________________________________ (decomposition is a sure sign of death!) What did Lazarus do that indicated that he had truly come back to life (John 11:44)? _______________________________________________ If you were to see a person walking, talking, eating and laughing, you would certainly conclude that this person must have physical ___________.

Suppose you had a young child who was only a year old. Suddenly one day you hear your child falling down the stairs. As you rush to help your child, would you rather hear your child crying or would you rather hear no sound at all? _______________________________Why?___________________________________________
If you were to hear your baby crying, then that would be a sure sign that your child is ____________.

As children of God and as possessors of God’s LIFE, there ought to be signs of LIFE. There ought to be certain signs in our life that clearly show that we have been born of God. We want to study what these signs are and we want to test ourselves to see if these signs are really present in our lives. The Bible says, "__________________ [test] yourselves, whether ye be in the _____________" (2 Cor. 13:5). Are you really in the ______________ (2 Cor.13:5)? Have you really ______________________ on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31)? _______ Have you really passed from _____________ unto __________ (John 5:24)? Have you really been S____________ by G_____________ through F____________ (Eph. 2:8)? Have you really C___________ to Christ as a poor, helpless, hopeless, lost sinner (John 6:37)? Have you truly R___________________ Him (John 1:12)?

We are now going to go to the Bible and look at certain signs of life or characteristics that ought to be true of every believer. If these things do not characterize your life, then this means one of two things: 1) You are spiritually sick. That is, you are a true believer who is very carnal and in a backslidden state (1 Cor. 3:1-4). You need to get right with God. 2) You are spiritually dead. That is, you are not a true believer and you don’t have God’s life. You may have professed salvation but you may never have possessed salvation. You need to receive Christ as your personal Saviour and trust in Him and Him alone (John 1:12; 6:47).

Sign of Life

1. A true believer BELIEVES the Word of God (1 John 5:9-12).

It sounds so very obvious! A true believer believes! If you don’t believe, you are not a true believer! Read 1 John 5:9. This verse compares the witness (testimony) of _________ with the witness (testimony) of ________. We usually receive the testimony of men. We usually believe what men tell us. Do men usually lie or do men usually tell the truth? ______________________________________ Do liars usually lie or do they usually tell the truth (think carefully before answering)? _____________________________________________ When a person tells you something, do you usually say, "I don’t believe you. You’re a liar!"? ______ If you heard on the radio that the President was shot, would you believe it? ______ Suppose that your doctor told you that you had cancer. Would you believe him? _______ If your neighbor told you that your car had a flat tire, would you believe him enough to check it out? ______ Do we usually receive the testimony of men (1 John 5:9)? _______

Whose testimony is even greater than that of men (1 John 5:9)? ________ Most of the time men tell the truth, but do they always? _____ According to Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18, why is the testimony of God greater? ________________________________________________________________. If we normally believe what men tell us, how much more should we believe _______________________________________. If we take men at their word, how much more should we ______________________________________.

When a person does not believe the testimony of God, what does he make God (1 John 5:10)? ___________________ But the person who is a true believer is able to say, "Lord, You are a God of _______________ (Deut. 32:4) and the Bible is ______________ (John 17:17) and therefore I know that everything You say in Your Word must be ___________." The record (testimony, witness) that God gave concerning His Son is found in 1 John 5:11-12. What did God give to us (1 John 5:11)? ___________________________________ Is eternal life a free gift or is it something we must work for (compare Rom. 6:23)?_____________________________ Where is this gift found (1 John 5:11)? _____________________________ According to 1 John 5:12, the person who has the _________ has _________ and the person who does not have __________________ does not have _________. The person who believes God’s testimony concerning His Son is able to say, "Lord, I believe that eternal life is a free G_________ and this life is found only in Your S________ , and because I have R___________________ Christ (John 1:12) as my personal Saviour, I now K______________(1 John 5:13) that I have eternal _________________."

Some people claim to believe in Jesus, but they have problems believing the Word of God. Their real problem is that of UNBELIEF (read Luke 24:25-27; Matt. 22:29). Let’s examine some of their problems:

But Jesus said that God’s Word is___________________ (John 17:17) and the Scriptures cannot be _______________ (John 10:35) and all things that are written in the Scriptures must be ___________________ (Luke 24:44) including every jot and every______________ (Matt. 5:18)! Did Jesus believe the Bible? ____________ What these people are really saying is this: "I believe in Jesus but I believe that Jesus was wrong when He said that the Bible is truth." Is it possible for the Son of God to be wrong? _________ Therefore this is what the believer should say, "I believe in Jesus and because I believe in Jesus I also believe ________________________________."

2) Some might say, "I believe in Jesus but I don’t believe what Paul wrote."

But Paul said, "For this we say unto you by ______ _____________ ____ _________ ____________" (1 Thess. 4:15; compare John 16:12-13). "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the ______________________________ ______ _________ __________________" (1 Cor. 14:37).

"Now we command you, brethren, in the _______________ _____ _________ _____________ ______________ __________________" (2 Thess. 3:6). Did Peter recognize Paul’s letters as being "scripture" (2 Peter 3:15-16)?_______ Therefore, the believer should say, "I believe in Jesus and I also believe what ____________ wrote because Paul was an ____________________ of ______________ ________________ (Galatians 1:1) and his writings are God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16) just as all the rest of the Bible."

3) Some might say, "I believe in Jesus but I don’t believe in Adam and Eve."

But Jesus said, "Have ye not read that He who made them at the ______________________ made them ____________ and ________________" (Matt.19:4; compare Gen. 1:27). Did Jesus believe in the Genesis account of creation?___________ Was Jesus an evolutionist or a creationist? ______________________ What these people are really saying is this: "I believe in Jesus but I believe that Jesus was wrong when He taught that Adam and Eve were created in the beginning." Should we believe in a God who can be wrong? ______ Our answer is this: "Because I believe in Jesus I also believe ____________________________________."

4) Some might say, "I believe in Jesus but I don’t believe in Moses and I don’t believe what Moses wrote, in fact, I don’t even believe Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible."

But Jesus said, "For had ye believed _____________________, ye would have believed _____; for he (Moses) wrote of _______. But if ye do not believe his writings, how shall ye believe _____ ___________ (John 5:46-47)?" Did the Lord Jesus believe that Moses wrote the book of Exodus (compare Mark 12:26 with Exodus 3:6)? ___________ Read Matthew 4:4,7,10 and compare this with Deuteronomy 8:3; 6:16; 6:13. To defeat Satan the Lord Jesus quoted three times from what Old Testament book (Deut. 1:1)? ________________________ Did the Lord consider the books of Moses important and worthy of belief (Luke 24:25-27)? _________ Did the Lord consider the books of Moses as part of the Scriptures (Luke 24: 44-45)? _______ Even the psalmist said, "Thy word is ___________ from ______ _____________________ (Psalm 119:160). Therefore the believer should say, "Because I believe in Jesus, I also believe what __________ wrote."

5) Some might say, "I believe in Jesus but I don’t believe in a universal flood that covered the whole world in the days of Noah."

But Jesus said, "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that __________ entered into the _______ and the _____________ came, and ________________ them all" (Luke 17:27). Did Jesus believe in Noah and the ark and the flood?__________

What these people are really saying is this: "I believe in Jesus, but I believe that Jesus was mistaken when He taught about Noah. Jesus didn’t realize that Noah and the flood is just a story and never really happened." Should we put our faith in a God who can make mistakes?_______ Therefore the believer should say, "Because I believe in Jesus I also believe in a world-wide ________________ that destroyed the world in the days of _____________."

6) Some might say, "I believe in Jesus but I don’t believe Daniel really wrote the book of Daniel."

But Jesus said, "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27) spoken of by _______________ the _____________________" (Matthew 24:15). Did Jesus believe that we should read and understand the book of Daniel (Matt. 24:15)? ________ Did Jesus believe that Daniel wrote the book of Daniel? ______ Therefore, the believer should say, "Because I believe in Jesus I also believe that _______________wrote the book of ________________."

7) Some might say, "I believe in Jesus but I cannot believe that Jonah was really swallowed by a great fish."

But Jesus said, "Jonah was three days and three nights in the _____________ _________" (Matthew 12:40; compare Jonah 1:17). Therefore, the believer should say, "Because I believe in Jesus I also believe that ___________________ was really in the belly of a great fish. Jesus said it! That settles it! And I believe it!"

A person who is truly saved believes the testimony of God! He believes all of God’s Word including the letters of Paul, the books of Moses, the prophecy of Daniel and the book of Jonah. Are you a Bible believer? Do you believe the Word of God? Do you believe the testimony that God has given concerning His Son (1 John 5:9-12)? "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith."

2. A true believer has a hunger for the Word of God (1 Peter 2:2).

In 1 Peter 1:23 we learn that a person is _____________ _______________ by the __________ _____ ________. In 1 Peter 2:2 we find that the person who has been born-again is likened to a _________________ _______________. What is the one thing that babies yearn for, long for, earnestly desire, and fuss over if they don’t get it? _____________ If a baby has no desire for ______________ then something must be wrong! Healthy babies have a real hunger for____________. Likewise, what should the born-again believer yearn for and desire (1 Pet. 2:2)? ______________________________

If a believer has no desire for_________________________ then something must be terribly wrong! A healthy believer therefore should have a real hunger for __________________. Is there something wrong with a Christian who never wants to read his Bible?________ If a believer truly has a hunger for God’s Word, then should he desire to faithfully attend a Bible-teaching church where he can learn more of God’s Word? ________

The Bible is God’s personal love-letter to me and I should read it with that attitude! I should set aside time each day to meet with my God and with my Bible! If I really love the Lord, then I will love to hear Him speak to me! God speaks to me as I read His precious Word! Do I really love God’s Word? Do I really desire God’s Word more than riches and material things? Do I enjoy reading the Bible and learning truth from the living God? Do I really hunger for the Word of God? Do I really love to go to a good Bible believing and Bible teaching church to learn more of the Bible? Is Psalm 19:7-11 really true for me?

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith."

Note: If a person meditates on one verse from Psalm 119 each day, then he will be able to go through this precious psalm (the longest chapter in the Bible) twice in a year’s time!

3. A true believer prays to his Heavenly Father (Romans 8:15-l6).

One of the ways a baby expresses life is by crying. The baby cries when he is hungry, when he is hurt, when he is wet, when he is uncomfortable, etc., but the very fact that he cries proves that the baby must be _____________! Do dead babies cry? ______ Likewise, when a person is born into God’s family (Galatians 3:26), he enjoys a new relationship that he never had before! He now can cry out, "_____________, __________________" (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6; compare Mark 14:36)! He now has a personal knowledge and relationship with the only __________ _________ (John 17:3) and he is able to call Him his _________________ ______________ (Matthew 6:32). He is now able to ___________ _____________ always for ______ _________________ (Eph. 5:20). Because the child of God has had all of his sins completely cleansed and forgiven (Heb. 10:17), he can ___________ _________________ to God (Hebrews 10:22) and he can ______________boldly to the _____________ _____ _______________, to obtain ______________ and to find ______________ to help in time of______________ (Hebrews 4:16). When the believer draws near to God, what does God promise to do (James 4:8; compare Zechariah 1:3)? __________________________________________

Prayer is simply talking to the living God! Just as a baby must learn how to talk, so the believer must learn how to ___________ to God! We ought to pray as the disciples prayed in Luke 11:1: "Lord,_______________ me _____ _______________." A baby learns to talk by talking (even though it may not make much sense at first)! A believer learns how to pray by __________________! The more a believer prays, the easier it will become! Would something be wrong with a child who grew up and never learned how to talk? ____________ If a person claims to be a child of God and never talks with the Lord, would you think that something was wrong? __________

The early church was a healthy church because the believers continued steadfastly in the teaching of the Apostles, in fellowship, in breaking of bread and ______ __________________ (Acts 2:42). How do we know that Daniel was a man of God (Daniel 6:10)? __________________________________________________________________ How do we know that David was a man of God (Psalm 55:17)? __________________________________________________________________________ How do we know that Paul and Silas were men of God (Acts 16:25)? _____________________________________

Do you enjoy talking to the Lord throughout the day? Do you spend time in prayer every day? Is the prayer meeting service at the church very important to you? Have you learned to give thanks to God for all things? Do you come to His throne of grace and cast all your care upon Him?

4. A true believer loves his brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 3:14).

The Lord Jesus has told us that the person who is a true believer has passed from ____________ unto ___________ (John 5:24). How can I know whether or not I have truly passed from _____________ unto ________? God’s answer is found in 1 John 3:14---We ____________ that we have passed from ____________ unto _________because _____________________________________________. The person who does not __________ his brother has not passed from ____________ unto __________ because he still abides _____ _____________ (1 John 3:14).

There are two things that are true in the life of a person who is a child of the devil (1 John 3:10):

What message has God given to the believer (1 John 3:11)? _________________________________________ In 1 John 3:12 we learn that Cain (see Genesis 4:1-11) was a child of _____________________ because two things were true in Cain�s life (1 John 3:12):

1. We know that Cain did not live a righteous life because his own works _____________ _____________.

2. We know that Cain did not love his brother because
__________________________________________.

Did Cain hate Abel? ______ This sin of _______________ finally led to the horrible sin of murder! Compare Matthew 5:21-22. Everyone who hates his brother is ____________________________ (1 John 3:15). What do we know about a murderer (1 John 3:15)? ______________________________________________ Why should we lay down our life for the brethren (1 John 3:16)? ___________________________________________

________ This verse is talking about a person who sees a real need in his brother’s life.

How does God want us to love (1 John 3:18)? _____________________ As believers in Christ, what should we be doing (1 John 4:7)? ______________________________________ Why should we be doing this? ___________________________________________________

There are two things that are true about the person who really loves (1 John 4:7):

What can we say about the person who does not love (1 John 4:8)? __________________________________ Is God a God of love (1 John 4:8)? _______ Therefore, if we are to imitate God as beloved children (see Ephesians 5:1), then what will be true of our lives? __________________________________________ How do we know that God loved us (1 John 4:9-10)? __________________________________________________ Did God "so love" us (1 John 4:11; compare John 3:16)? _______ According to 1 John 4:11 why should we love one another? __________________________________________ Why do we love (1 John 4:19)? _______________________________________________ If a man says that he loves God but hates his brother, what is he (1 John 4:20)? ______________________ If a person hates his visible brother, does he really love the invisible God (1 John 4:20)? _________ The person who truly loves God should also _________________________________ (1 John 4:21). Please read 1 John 2:9-11 also.

In John 13:34 the Lord Jesus, on the night before He died on the cross, gave His disciples a new commandment: "That ye ____________ one another; __________________________________, that ye also love one another." This means that we should love ________ _____________________ in the same way that _________________ loved us! Ephesians 4:32 teaches us that we are to forgive _______ ________________ in the same way that ________________ forgave us! If Christ could love a rotten sinner like you (see Romans 5:6-8), then can you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? _________ If Christ could forgive you of all ________________________ (Col. 2:13), then can you forgive those who wrong you? _________

How is the world going to know that we are true disciples of Christ (John 13:35)? ______________________________________________

If a person truly loves his brothers and sisters in Christ, will he desire to assemble together with them in a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church (compare Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42)? ______ Did the early church care for one another in love (Acts 2:44-45)? ________

Do you really love the saints? Do you lay down your life for other believers? Do you give of yourself for others? Do you love them in deed and in truth? Do you pray for them? Do you seek to help them in every way possible? Do you assemble together with God’s people as often as possible? Do you love them because Christ loved you?

"EXAMINE YOURSELVES WHETHER YE BE IN THE FAITH."

5. A true believer obeys the Word of God (1 John 2:3).

The person who has eternal life is the person who ___________ the only true God and _________________________ whom He has sent (John 17:3). How can we know whether or not we really know Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord? According to 1 John 2:3, if a person truly knows Christ what will he do? ______________________________________ Consider a person who says, "I’m so glad that I know the Lord Jesus as my Savior" but as you observe his life you notice that he does not seem to live according to the Word of God. What are two things that are probably true about this person (1 John 2:4)?
1. __________________________________________
2. __________________________________________
The person who keeps and obeys God’s Word is truly the person in whom the ___________ ____ __________ is perfected (brought to maturity) and the obedient believer can know that he is _____ Christ (1 John 2:5). If a person is truly abiding in the Lord Jesus, then how should he walk and live (1 John 2:6)? _____________________________________________ To see how our Lord Jesus walked, read carefully the following verses and match them to the proper statements:

According to 1 John 5:1-2 a person becomes a child of God (circle the correct answer):

What is the love of God (1 John 5:3)? ___________________________________________We know that God’s commandments are not _____________________________ (heavy, burdensome). Is it a heavy burden for us to do what God tells us to do? ______ Does God give us commandments so that He can make life miserable for us? ________Is it true that we are usually most miserable when we fail to obey the Lord? ______ Did David feel that the commandments of the Lord were grievous (Psalm 19:7-11)? ______ In Deuteronomy 6:24 we learn that God has commanded us to do certain things "for our ______________ _________________" (compare Deut. 10:13; Jer.32:39). God wants the very best for us!!

If a person loves Christ, what will he do (John 14:15)? _______________________________________________________ The person who truly loves Christ is the person who 1) has His _________________________________ and 2) ________________ (obeys) His commandments (John 14:21). If a person really loves the Lord Jesus then he will ______________(obey) Christ’s _____________ (John 14:23). The person who does not love Christ does not ______________________________________ (John 14:24). Therefore, how can the believer show that he really loves the Saviour? _____________________________________________

Should children obey their parents (Col. 3:20)? ______ Should slaves obey their masters (Col. 3:22)? ________ Should wives obey their husbands (1 Peter 3:5-6)? __________ Therefore as children of God we should walk as ____________ _____________________ (1 Pet. 1:14). As love-slaves of God (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) we should glorify God and _____________ Him in things (compare Colossians 3:22). And because the church is the bride of Christ (see Eph. 5:22-23) we should obey ________________ who is the _____________ of the ____________ (Eph. 5:23).

According to Galatians 3:1 what is it that we should obey? ___________________ What is "the truth" according to Ephesians 1:13 and John 17:17? ___________________________ According to Deuteronomy 11:27; 13:4; 27:10; 28:62; 30:2,8,20 what should we obey? ____________________ According to Jeremiah 7:23; 11:4,7; 26:13; 38:20; 42:6 what should we obey? ____________________________ In what way did the nation of Israel fail (Jeremiah 3:13,25; 9:13; 11:8; 17:23; 32:23; 40:3; 42:21; 43:4,7; 44:23)? ____________________________________________________________________

Read 1 Samuel 15:1-23. What commandment did the Lord give to Saul (1 Sam. 15:3)? _______________________________________________________________________________
Why would the Lord give such a commandment (read Deut. 7:1-6, especially v.4)? __________________________________________________________________ In what way did Saul disobey this commandment (1 Sam. 15:8-9)? _________________________________________________________________________

In what way did Saul obey this commandment (1 Sam. 15:8-9)?________________________________________________________________________________

Did Saul think that he was obedient to the Lord (v.13)? _______ Why did Saul spare the sheep and oxen (v.15)? __________________________________________________
Did Samuel think that Saul obeyed the Lord (v.19)? ______ What does the Lord desire above everything else (v.22)? ______________________ Is disobedience a serious sin (v.23)? ______________ Is it as horrible in the eyes of God as the sins of witchcraft and idolatry? _________ What was it that Saul rejected? _______________________________ Whom did God reject (v.23)? _______________________________

In Matthew 8:27 what was it that obeyed the voice of Christ? ___________________________________________Who else obeyed His voice (Mark 1:27)? _______________________ Do dead men obey His voice (John 11:43-44; 1 Thess. 4:16)? _______ Therefore, is God asking too much when He expects His children to serve Him in loving obedience? _______ Do you really love the Lord Jesus? Do you listen to His voice by reading the Bible every day? Do you love to obey His voice? Do you seek to live your life according to the Word of God? Are you willing to do whatever the Lord tells you to do? Do you really believe that God�s commandments are for your good? Are you walking as an obedient child of God?

6. A true believer will not continue in sin but will live a righteous life (1 John 3:7-8).

The person who is truly born-again will do (practice) ______________________ (1 John 2:29). What are two things that we know about the person who sins (1 John 3:6; the word "sinneth" is in the present tense and means "keeps on sinning, continues in sin")? 1) _____________________________________
2) ________________________________ The person who truly has been justified (declared to be just as righteous as Christ) does (practices) ________________________ (1 John 3:7). What do we know about the person who keeps on committing sin (1 John 3:8)? ________________________________________ Whoever is truly ____________ of God does not keep on committing _________; . . . and he cannot _________ (present tense: "he cannot keep on sinning, he cannot continuously sin") because he is __________ _____ ___________" (1 John 3:9). An unsaved person not only hates his brother, but he does not do (practice) _____________________ (1 John 3:10). The born-again person does not ____________ (1 John 5:18; present tense, "he does not keep on sinning").

a. "You must stop living continuously in sin!" (compare Genesis 19:7)
b. "You need to start living a righteous life!"
c. "You must be born again!" (John 3:7)

If a person truly belongs to the Lord (see 2 Timothy 2:19) he will not only name the name of _______________ but he will also __________________ ___________ ____________________ (unrighteousness). What do we know about people who keep on doing the things listed in Galatians 5:19-21? _________________________________________________________

What do we know about the person whose life is characterized by unrighteousness (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)? _________________________________________________________________________

What is Paul's answer to this question: "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" (Romans 6:1-2) ________ _________________ (literally this means: "let it not be so!"). Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:15)? _______ _______________ The natural man (1 Cor. 2:14) thinks this way in his heart: "A saved person should continue living in sin so that everyone will see how gracious and longsuffering God can be towards His wicked children." Is this the attitude a true believer should have? _______ The spiritual man (1 Cor. 2:15-16) realizes that the grace of God teaches him to deny two things (Titus 2:11-12):

Is your life characterized by right thinking, right acting, right speaking and right living? Have you departed from iniquity (unrighteousness)? Are you enjoying freedom from the power of sin in your daily life?

"EXAMINE YOURSELVES, WHETHER YE BE IN THE FAITH!"

7. A true believer will not enjoy living in sin (2 Peter 2:7-8).

If we are to be____________________ of ________ as His beloved __________________ (Eph. 5:1), then we must _____________ the things that God loves and we must _____________the things that God hates! What does the Lord Jesus love (Heb. 1:8-9)? ________________________ What does He hate (Heb.l:9)? ________________________ Therefore we are to____________ the _____________, and ___________ the ______________ (Amos 5:15). What are believers to abhor and hate (Rom. 12:9)? ______________________ Those who truly love the Lord will do what (Psalm 97:10)? ________________________Those who truly fear the Lord will do what (Proverbs 8:13)? _____________________ If we truly love God’s Word then what are three things that we will hate (Psalm 119:104,113,128,163)?
1. __________________________________ 2. __________________________________
3. ___________________________________

When Lot separated himself from Abraham, what city did he pitch his tent towards (Gen. 13:11-12)?___________________ How are the men of this city described (Gen. 13:13)? _____________________________ What kind of a man was Lot (2 Pet. 2:7-8)? _____________________________What is the one thing that the Lord hated about Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen.18:20)? ________________________ Would God destroy the city if there were found 50 righteous people (Gen. 18:23-26)?________ Can the righteous Judge ever be unfair (Gen. 18:25)?_______ Would God destroy the city if there were only 10 righteous (Gen.18:27-32)?______ Did the Lord destroy the city (2 Pet. 2:6; Jude 7)?________ How did He destroy it (Gen. 19:24-25)? ____________________________________________ Since we know that God destroyed the city, what does that tell us (compare Gen. 18:32)? ________________________________________________ What did the Lord do for Lot (2 Pet. 2:7; Gen. 19:15-16)? ______________________________________________ Did Lot enjoy living in Sodom (2 Pet. 2:7-8)? ________ What were 2 things that disturbed him and caused him to be troubled within as he lived in that city?
1. (1 Pet. 2:7)___________________________________
2. (1 Pet. 2:8) ___________________________________
What advice did Lot give to the men of Sodom (Gen. 19:7)? _____________________________________ Did this help the situation?________

When God’s child sins the Holy Spirit is ______________ (Eph. 4:30) and God must ___________________ His child (Heb.12:5-11) and that child must C________________ his _______ (1 John 1:9). What was Peter’s great sin (Luke 22:57)? ____________________________ What did Peter do, following his sin, that indicated that he was a true believer (Luke 22:62)? _________________________________What is your attitude towards sin in your life?

8. A true believer is a person who performs good works (3 John 11).

What 2 verses in Ephesians chapter 2 teach the same truth as Titus 3:5? Verses ______ and ______. What verse in Ephesians chapter 2 teaches the same truth as Titus 3:1,8,14? Verse ______.

What is true about the person who truly belongs to God? (3 John 11) ___________________________What do we know about the person who keeps on (present tense) doing evil (3 John 11)? ______________________________ According to 1 John 3:6, the person who has not seen God is the person who has not ________________ God. Is this person saved? ______

Our Lord Jesus warned His disciples about what group of men (Matthew 7:15)? ____________________________ What are these men like according to their outward appearance (Matthew 7:15)? ______________________ What are they really like on the inside (Matthew 7:15)? ____________________ Find the verse in Acts 20 where Paul warns about this same danger: Verse _____ How can these men be known and recognized for what they really are (Mt. 7:16,20)? _________________________ Will a thorn bush bring forth grapes? ______ Will a grape-vine bring forth thorns? ______ What should we expect from a grape-vine? ________________ What should we expect from an apple tree? __________________ What should we expect from a good tree (Mt. 7:17)? _________________________ What should we expect from a bad tree? ___________________ What will a corrupt tree produce (Mt. 7:17)? _______________________ It’s impossible for a good tree to produce _______________________ and it’s impossible for a ________________ to produce _____________________ (Matthew 7:18). What kind of tree does not bring forth good fruit (Mt. 7:18-19)? ____________________________ What will happen to every corrupt tree (Mt. 7:19)?____________________________________________________ Therefore what will happen to such false teachers and false prophets (compare 2 Pet. 2:1)? _________________________________________________________________________

Are all true believers fruitful (Matthew 13:8,23)? _______ Are some believers more fruitful than others (Mt.13:8,23)? __________ God desires that His children might bring forth ____________ fruit (John 15:2) and that they might bear _____________ fruit (John 15:8, also v.5). What is this fruit that the Lord was speaking about? In Galatians 5:22 we are told that the ________________ of the ________________ is 1)_____________ 2) __________ 3) ______________ (Just give the first 3). Let’s find out if this is the same fruit that the Lord Jesus was speaking of in John chapters 14-16. In John 15:9-10 what fruit is being considered? _______________ In John 14:27; 16:33 what fruit is being considered? __________________ In John 15:11; 16:20,22 what fruit is being considered? _________________ Is this the same fruit as in Galatians 5:22? _______

Faith without works is _____________(James 2:17,20,26). Please match the following:

James teaches that a man is justified (declared righteous) by _______________ (James 2:21,24) and Paul teaches that a man is justified by ______________(Romans 5:1). James teaches that Abraham was justified by _______________ (James 2:21) and Paul teaches that Abraham was justified not by _____________ but by ________________ (Romans 4:1-5 and compare Rom.3:26-28). Does the Bible have any contradictions or mistakes (John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16; Psalm 119:89,160; etc.)? _______ If we really understand what Paul was teaching and what James was teaching, we will find that there was no contradiction at all.

How was Abraham saved? What does the Bible teach (Romans 4:3)? _______________________________________________________________ Therefore, was Abraham saved by faith or by works? _______________________ Find the verse in Genesis 15 that teaches us that Abraham was justified (declared righteous) by faith: Verse ______. Do Paul and James both quote this verse (Romans 4:3 and James 2:23)? _________When was Abraham justified by works (James 2:21)?__________________________________________________Did this event take place before or after Abraham was justified by faith (compare Genesis 15:6 with Gen. 22)? ______________________ Answer True or False:

If it were true that Abraham earned his salvation by works, then what would it be possible for him to do (Eph. 2:9; Rom. 4:2)? ____________________________________________________

Did the Lord know that Abraham was a true believer (Gen. 15:5-6)? _________ Does the Lord know whether or not you are a true believer (2 Tim. 2:19; John 6:64)? _________ Who is the only person who really knows our hearts and is able to see if we really have faith in Christ (Jeremiah 17:10)? _________________ The question we must answer is this: How did men know that Abraham was a man of faith? Was there anything in Abraham’s life that showed that he had genuine faith in the Lord? How did Abraham demonstrate that he had living and vital faith in his God? We will now seek to answer these questions.

In Genesis 12:2 God promised that out of Abraham would come a ______________ ______________. What problem did Abraham have which made the promise seem as if it would not be fulfilled (Gen. 15:2-3)? ___________________________________________What great promise did the Lord give Abraham in Genesis 15:5?_______________________________________ Did Abraham believe this promise (15:6)? ________ Was he justified (15:6)? ________ Was he justified by works or by faith? ________________________ What problem do we find in Genesis 16:1? ______________________________ What did God promise to make Abraham (Gen. 17:5)? ________________________________________ Did the Lord promise to give Abraham seed (descendants, children)--see Gen. 17:6-8? __________ What did the Lord promise to give to Abraham in Genesis 17:15-16? ______________ True-False ______________ When Abraham heard this promise, did he believe God or did he disbelieve God (see Gen. 17:17)? ___________________________________ In Genesis 17:19 God again promises to give Abraham a ____________ and his name would be _______________. Did the Lord promise to give Isaac seed (17:19)? _________ Therefore Abraham knew that Isaac must have children! How was it possible for Sarah to have a son in her old age (Gen. l8:14)? _____________________________________ (compare Luke 1:34-37). Did the Lord keep His promise (Gen. 21:1-2)?_________ Read Romans 4:16-22.

In whom would Abraham’s descendants be called, in Ishmael (Hagar’s son) or in Isaac (Sarah’s son)?--see Genesis 21:10-12 and Romans 9:7 __________________ This means that the seed of Abraham promised in Genesis 15:5 would be the descendants of Isaac and not Ishmael. Who served as slaves in Egypt for 400 years, the seed of Ishmael or the seed of Isaac (Gen. 15:13)? ________________________________ True or False______________ : Because of God’s promises in Genesis 17:19 and 21:12, Abraham knew that Isaac must have children.

In Genesis 22 God put Abraham’s faith to the test (see verse 1) and He gave Abraham an opportunity to prove to everyone that he was indeed a man of faith. James says that this was when Abraham was ____________________ by ____________ (James 2:21). Here in Genesis 22 Abraham showed the world that his faith was not a dead faith, but his was a faith that worked!

What command did God give to Abraham (Gen. 22:2)? ____________________________________________________________ (In other words, God told him to sacrifice and put to death His only son, which would involve slaying him with a knife and burning him with fire). When God gives a command, how does the man of faith respond Hebrews 11: 8)? _____________________________ Did Abraham hasten to obey the command (Gen. 22:3)? ______ We know that God prevented Abraham from killing his son (Gen. 22:10-13), but did Abraham know that God was going to do this? ______ What did Abraham intend to do when he came to the place where God had told him of (Gen. 22:9-10)? ____________________________________________________ Did he actually intend to slay his son upon the altar? _______ THUS, ABRAHAM FACED AN IMPOSSIBLE PROBLEM:

The man of faith must believe the promise. Abraham did believe the promise and Abraham knew that Isaac would have children because he was "fully persuaded that, what God had __________________He was __________ also to ____________________" (Romans 4:21).

The man of faith must obey the command. Abraham did start to obey the command and as far as he was concerned he was going to put the knife to his son. Abraham knew that his son would soon be dead!

Such a thing is unthinkable! It is impossible! But God had given Abraham experience with the impossible! What else was impossible (Gen. 18:11-13)? _______________________________________________________________Was God able to bring forth life out of death (Romans 4:18-19)? ________ Abraham knew that it was impossible for dead Isaac to have children, but what else did he know (Genesis 18:14)? __________________________________________________________________________________

(To avoid confusion, please use a King James Bible or Scofield Bible (King James Version) as you do these worksheets. Thank You! !)

Abraham knew that Isaac must die and he also knew that Isaac must have children! How can this be? By FAITH Abraham saw the solution!! He believed that God was ___________ to _______________ ________ _____ even from the ____________ (Hebrews 11:19, read also verses 17-18). Look carefully at Genesis 22:5. Abraham told these men to wait behind because he and Isaac were going to go and worship (to Abraham "WORSHIP" meant that he would go and do exactly what God said, namely, sacrifice his son). Abraham was saying, "I and the lad will go yonder. I will then sacrifice my son, and (we) will_____________ ________________ to you" (Genesis 22:25). "I’m going to put my son to death, but we are going to return to you alive!" Abraham believed God would raise him up and bring him back to life! What tremendous faith this man had! God tested his faith and Abraham gloriously passed the test!

This account in Genesis 22 is only a mere F___________________ (Heb.11:19) of a much greater sacrifice and a much greater resurrection. God prevented Abraham from delivering up his only Son whom he loved (Genesis 22:12). But what did God eventually do many hundreds of years later (Rom.8:32)? ________________________________________________________________________ But the Lord Jesus could not stay dead (see Acts 2:24) because He must have SEED (Isaiah 53:10) and He must bring __________ _________ unto glory (Heb. 2:10). So what did God do (Acts 4:10)? ___________________________________

Let us now return again to James 2. Is James 2:14 talking about a person who has faith or about a person who says he has faith? ____________________________________________________ Is it possible to actually see a person’s faith? _____ If you were to meet a total stranger, could you tell whether or not he was a believer just by looking at him? _____ In order for a person to prove that he has faith, he must perform the good works which accompany genuine saving faith (see Ephesians 2:10 and Titus 3:8).

Did the person described in James 2:16 demonstrate that he had a living faith? _______ What did he really prove (1 John 3:14)? _______________________________________________ Even though he claimed to have faith, what kind of faith did he really have (James 2:17)? ____________________________ Verse 18 teaches us that a person shows his faith by whether or not he performs good works! Saving faith is a faith that works! John Calvin once said, "Faith alone saves, but the faith that save is not alone." Works are the fruit of justification! The world is sick and tired of Christians shouting about grace and living like the devil!

Did the Apostle Paul teach that faith and works should go together (Ephesians 2:8-10 and Titus 3:8)? _______ Did Paul and James both agree that Abraham was justified by faith (Rom. 4:2-3 and James 2:23)? ________ Did the writer of Hebrews and James both agree that Abraham was justified by works when he offered his son (Heb.11:17-19 and James 2:21)? ________. Do the Scriptures contradict or do they harmonize perfectly? _____________________________________

A person with dead faith can easily believe there is one God, but who else believes this (James 2:19)? ____________________________Where are they going to end up (Matthew 25:41)? ____________________________________________________

Consider James 2:26. To tell if a body has life in it, you must look for signs of life! What are some signs of physical life? 1___________________________ 2._________________________________ 3.__________________________________To tell if a person really has saving faith, you must look for signs of life also! What are some signs of spiritual life? 1. (1 John 3:14)___________________________________ 2. (1 John 2:3) ________________________________ 3. (1 John 3:9) __________________________________________ Is your life fruitful or is it barren (see 2 Pet.1:8)? Are you careful to maintain good works? Do you prove by your works that you are a man of faith?

EXAMINE YOURSELVES, WHETHER YE BE IN THE FAITH! ! !

9. A true believer confesses Christ (Romans 10:9-11).

The word confess comes from the Greek word homologeo (homo=same; logeo from a verb lego=to say) and therefore it means "to say the same thing as another, to agree with another person." The believer in Christ is to C________________ the Lord Jesus with his M______________ (Romans 10:9-10) and thus he is to vocally and publicly agree with what God has said concerning His Son (1 John 5:9-12).

Just as a label on a can is there to confess its contents, so a believer ought to confess their Lord and Saviour clearly, without being ashamed: "For the scripture saith, Whosoever __________________ on Him ____________ _______ _____ ____________________________" (Romans 10:11). Every true believer should be able to say with Paul, "For I am _______ ______________________ of the _________________ (good news) of Christ; for it is the _______________of God unto _____________________________to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). Was Christ ashamed to die for us openly and publicly (Matthew 27:39,54-55, etc.)?___________

"Jesus, and shall it ever be, a mortal man ashamed of Thee?
Ashamed of Thee, whom angels praise, whose glories shine through endless days?

Ashamed of Jesus! sooner far let evening blush to own a star;
He sheds the beams of light divine, o’er this benighted soul of mine.

Ashamed of Jesus! that dear Friend, on whom my hopes of heaven depend!
No; when I blush, be this my shame, That I no more revere His name.

Till then, nor is my boasting vain, Till then I boast a Saviour slain;
And O, may this my glory be, That Christ is not ashamed of me!"

What word means the opposite of "confess" (see John 1:20;1 John 2:22-23)? _______________To confess is to say "YES"; to deny is to say "NO." In Luke 22:57-60 Peter should have said,"_________,I know Him (v.57)!" "_______, I am one of them (v.58)!" "_________, I was with Him (vs. 59-60)!" But Peter _______________ Him (v.57). Even though Peter had a serious lapse of faith, what indication is there that Peter was a true believer (verse 62)? _________________________________________________ Did Peter later CONFESS the Lord publicly before thousands of men (Acts 2:14, 22-24, 29, 36, 41)? _________ If someone were to ask you this question, "Do you claim the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour and Lord?", how would you respond? _____________________________________________________________________________

The confession of our mouth must agree with the conduct of our life. Titus 1:16 describes a group of PROFESSORS (confessors, people who profess to know God). Please match:

Their walk is in conflict with their talk and this is an abomination to the Lord! Though they claim to know God, they are_______________ and the _______________ is not in them (1 John 2:3-4). May the world see that the Christ we name with our lips is the God we serve with our lives!

What promise did the Lord give to those who would confess Him before men in Matthew 10:32? _________________________________________________________________ In Luke 12:8? __________________________________________________________________ In Rev.3: 5? __________________________________________________________________Who is the overcomer of Revelation 3:5 according to 1 John 5:5? ____________________________________________________ _____________________________

Note: There is a cost involved in confessing that Jesus is the Messiah (John 9:22) and because of this cost many fail to confess Him (John 12:42). During the great Christian persecutions of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, those believers who would not deny the Lord even at the risk of great suffering, were known as CONFESSORS! They were not ashamed to identify themselves with Jesus Christ even if it meant their own death.

Do you publicly confess Christ before your family, friends, loved ones and neighbors? Do you gladly embrace Him and own Him as your Lord and as your God (John 20:28)? Are you unashamed to speak of Him and to tell others what He has done and what He has said?

EXAMINE YOURSELVES, WHETHER YE BE IN THE FAITH!!

We have been studying nine signs of spiritual life. If a person is really saved, then he should know that he is saved and he should show that he is saved. His life should point clearly to his wonderful Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. His life, as a child of God, should be distinctively different from those who do not know the Lord (see 1 Thess. 4:5). If I really have God’s LIFE, then that LIFE should be manifested. "If any man be in _______________ he is a ________ ________________________ [or new creation], old things are passed away, behold all things are become __________" (2 Cor. 5:17). The following matching problem will help you to remember what we have been studying:

A TRUE BELIEVER.....

1. ______ ...believes the Word of God.

2. ______ ...has a hunger for God’s Word.

3. ______ ...prays to his Heavenly Father.

4. ______ ...loves the brethren.

5. _______ ...obeys the Lord (keeps His Word).

6. ______ ...does not continue in sin but lives a righteous life.

7. ______ ...does not enjoy living in sin.

8. ______ ...performs good works.

9. ______ ...confesses Christ before men

1 John 3:14

1 Peter 2:2

2 Peter 2:7-8

1 John 3:7-8

1 John 5:9-10

1 John 2:3-4

Romans 8:15-16

Romans 10:9-10
Matthew 10:32-33
James 2:14-26

These things ought to characterize the life of a true believer. If you are a true child of God, then you ought to SHOW IT and LIVE IT. You ought to bear the family image (1 John 3:9-10). As someone has asked, If you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you? Could a worn and well-used Bible be brought forth? Could witnesses be summoned who could testify that you told them about your Saviour? Is there a Pastor who could testify that you have been an active, healthy, faithful, serving member of a Bible-believing, Christ-honoring local assembly of believers?

If these things do not characterize your life, then this means that there is a serious spiritual problem. Two possibilities exist (as we discussed earlier): 1) You are spiritually sick. That is, you are a true believer who is very carnal and in a backslidden state (1 Cor. 3:1-4). You need to get right with God. 2) You are spiritually dead. That is, you are not a true believer and you don’t have God’s life. You may have professed salvation but you may never have possessed salvation. We would urge you to get spiritual help from your Pastor or from another strong, God-fearing believer who would be able to offer sound spiritual counsel and help. Remember, nothing is more important than your relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, and you need to do whatever is necessary so that you can have a real and right, healthy and happy relationship with the only true God.

10. A true believer CONTINUES IN THE FAITH to the end (Hebrews 3:6,14).

We are now ready to consider one more sign of life which has to do with a believer�s continuance in the faith. A true believer will struggle with sin and may fail in many ways. Sadly, he can be out of fellowship with the Lord even for prolonged periods of time (though we should confess our sins to God immediately�1 John 1:9). However, a true believer cannot stop believing in Christ. He will not depart from the faith and become a total apostate. He may fall very hard on the deck of the �ship of faith� but he will not fall overboard, nor will he abandon ship. He may have a serious lapse of faith, as did Peter when he denied the Lord three times, but in the end his faith will not totally fail (see Luke 22:32). He will not stop being a believer! This final sign of life is discussed in the next chapter: Sign of Life #10�A true believer CONTINUES IN THE FAITH to the end (Heb. 3:6,14).

1. ________ John 5:30; 6:38	A. The Lord Jesus always kept His Father's Word.
2. ________ John 8:29	B. The Lord Jesus always did those things that pleased His Father.
3. ________ John 8:54-55	C. The Lord Jesus always did His Father's will.

	1.__________________________	Have you been looking up all the verses that are listed on these worksheets? If not, you are only cheating yourself! Let us saturate our minds in God's truth so that our lives will be changed!
	2.__________________________
And God's grace teaches him to live three ways:
	1.__________________________
(Titus 2:12)	2.__________________________
	3.__________________________

1._______	Good works are necessary for salvation.
2._______	If salvation were of works, then it would be possible for a man to boast before God.
3._______	Some people will someday be able to glory and boast in the presence of God (1 Cor. 1:29-31; Rom. 3:27).
4._______	Good works are the fruit of salvation because God will work in the life of the true believer to produce good works.
5._______	Only true believers can perform good works that are pleasing to God (compare Romans 8:8-9).
6._______	God’s perfect plan for the believer is that he might walk in good works and live a fruitful life (compare John 15:16).

1._______Dead Faith	A. Faith and works
2. ______ Living Faith	B. Body only (body without the spirit)
3. ______Dead Body (v.26)	C. Body and spirit
4.______ Living Body (v.26)	D. Faith only (faith without works)

1. ____________The message of their lips.	A. "We do not know God!!"
2. ____________ The message of their life.	B. "They are an ABOMINATION!!"
3. ____________ God’s feeling towards them.	C. "We know God!!"

____________	It is impossible for an unbeliever to confess (profess) Christ. Only believers claim that they belong to Christ (Tit. 1:16; 2 Tim. 2:19; 1 John 2:4,6,9).
____________	Every true believer will confess Christ and claim Him as his very own Saviour and Lord (Rom. 10:9-11; 1 John 4:15).
____________	It is possible for a true believer to have a momentary lapse of faith and even deny the Lord (Luke 22:57-60).

Evidences Which Point to the Fact that We Have New Life in Christ

Sign of Life

1. A true believer BELIEVES the Word of God (1 John 5:9-12).

2. A true believer has a hunger for the Word of God (1 Peter 2:2).

3. A true believer prays to his Heavenly Father (Romans 8:15-l6).

4. A true believer loves his brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 3:14).

5. A true believer obeys the Word of God (1 John 2:3).

6. A true believer will not continue in sin but will live a righteous life (1 John 3:7-8).

7. A true believer will not enjoy living in sin (2 Peter 2:7-8).

8. A true believer is a person who performs good works (3 John 11).

9. A true believer confesses Christ (Romans 10:9-11).

10. A true believer CONTINUES IN THE FAITH to the end (Hebrews 3:6,14).