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When Paul was asked the question “What must I do?” by the jailer in Philippi (see Acts 16:25-34), his reply was “Believe in the Lord Jesus.” So now we must consider what that means. Such faith is certainly more than mental agreement with basic facts. James tells us that even devils have such faith, and they tremble rather than are saved! (James 2:19). So what kind of faith is it through which we can be saved?
1. Read John 1:12; 3:16-20; 20:30,31. What does John say is the key to having eternal life?
2. Read Galatians 3:1-29. The church in Galatia had slipped into a serious error. Many came from a Jewish background, and were trying to earn their salvation by obedience to the Old Testament Law. The Law is God’s absolute standard. But we have seen that everybody has fallen short of that standard. How does Paul describe those who try to earn their salvation by being perfectly obedient? (Galatians 3:1,3,10)
3. Rather than on human effort to keep the Law, where was their attention before they got sucked into this false teaching? (Galatians 3:1)
4. They were sincere in their desire to be right with God. They wanted to be justified (declared to be legally righteous in God’s sight). How does Scripture speak of that justification being possible? (Galatians 3:6-8)
5. Paul speaks of the “curse of the law.” He does not mean that the Old Testament is bad. Rather he means that the attempt to earn salvation by observing the law is a curse because it is futile. It becomes a curse because as soon as you break the law, the law condemns you to death. What is God’s alternative method of dealing with sin? (Galatians 3:10-14)
6. The purpose of the Law was not to save us. What was its purpose? (Galatians 3:24)
7 How then do we receive all the benefits promised to those who are in right relationship with God? (Galatians 3:21,22,29)
8. Read John 6:35-40. These words of Jesus follow the story of Jesus miraculously feeding 5000 people. Having fed the crowd, how does Jesus describe himself? (John 6:35)
9. Jesus is not speaking of physical hunger here, but of hunger for eternal life (see John 6:26,27). How will this hunger be satisfied? (John 6:35,40)
10. What other terms does Jesus use to describe what those who believe in him are to do? (John 6:35,37,40)
To believe in Jesus is to come to him, to look to him, in trust and confidence. Given our sinfulness, no human effort can bring us into relationship with God. But because of what Jesus has done to deal with our sin, there is a way to be restored to fellowship with God. It is the way of faith - believing in the Lord Jesus as God’s sacrifice for my sin. Trust him!
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