[Continued from the Previous Lesson]

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

Read Ephesians 2:8-9 and Ephesians 2:10 and answer True or False:

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 obey God's command right away (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:

1) God had given him a PROMISE:

Isaac will have children.

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).

2) God had given him a COMMAND:

Kill your son!!

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!

HOW CAN A DEAD SON HAVE CHILDREN?

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!"

                            --Joseph Grigg

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!

True or False:

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!!

"Now I’ve given to Jesus everything! Now I gladly own Him as my King!
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary!

                                -William R. Newell

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