In belonging to and serving God, there is no substitute for faith. Faith in God is not to be assumed. People come to God because they place confidence in God. Their confidence in God is not placed in a procedure, or in a religious system, or in human acts. The man or woman's confidence is placed in the God who acted in Jesus' death and resurrection. In any obedient act a person performs, the act has meaning because (and only because) God acted in Jesus' death and resurrection. Any religious system or religious movement is significant to the degree that the person places his or her confidence (trust, faith) in the God Who sacrificed Jesus' human life and raised him to eternal life to function right now as our Lord (see 1 Corinthians 15:25-28).
Too often it is assumed that a person who places membership in a congregation or who is willing to convert does so because he or she believes in Jesus Christ. Such is not necessarily the case. Some may do either because he or she seeks (a) material opportunity, (b) benefits offered, or (c) wishes to be part of a group he or she admires. This is not the suggestion that Christians should seek to evaluate people's motives. It is the encouragement to be faith-based in our commitment to God. It is the encouragement to be obviously led by faith in God in all we do.
Regardless of what attracts people to Christianity, never forget it must be faith in God that builds a relationship with God through Jesus.
Two things are basic to that confidence in God. (1) First is the understanding that God intended to send Jesus to be the Savior of humanity before sin became a reality in human existence. Read the last part of God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 and couple that statement with Paul's declaration in Galatians 3:23-29 [especially take note of verse 29]. Add that to Paul's statement to the Ephesians in Ephesians 1:3,4 and to the Philippians in Philippians 1:6. Also carefully consider Peter's statement in 1 Peter 1:17-21 [especially note verses 20, 21).
This is an in-depth discussion that can involve questions that lie beyond human understanding. From the biblical record it is obvious that God worked on rescuing humanity from the consequences of sin after sin became a reality. It is also obvious that sin (rebellion against God and His will) had a profound, detrimental effect on humanity (Genesis 6:5, 6). It might be that God intended (before sin) for Jesus to be a response if sin occurred. That divine plan also might involve factors beyond human comprehension.
(2) Second is the realization God patiently worked to rescue you (and all others) from evil's destructiveness for thousands of years. Consider Romans 3:21-30. Note that sin [rebellion against God and His holy nature] is a problem for all adult humans. What God did for us in Jesus' death and resurrection allowed God to freely express the ultimate divine kindness in His grace. It is through God's gift of grace every person (a) has access to the redemption available in Jesus Christ, and (b) Jesus' blood can be a substitute for our punishment [the concept of propitiation]. It is what God did in Jesus' death and resurrection that demonstrates God's righteousness and patience. God's action in Jesus permitted God to be both just and justifier.
The continued failure of humanity did not prevent God from keeping His promise and achieving His intent. Consider Exodus 32:9, 10 and Numbers 14:11, 12; add to that God's work in the period of the judges, and consider God's work in the period of the divided Israelite kingdom. Read John 1:9-13. God was incredibly patient with a wicked humanity to achieve human salvation.
To fail to make salvation a reality in our lives is a rejection of God's patience. Do we not realize God will do as much to preserve our salvation as He did to make our salvation a reality? To quickly reject people is to quickly reject the objective He so patiently sought. Consider Hebrews 6:10 in the context of the situation. Consider Hebrews 8:12. God willingly forgets forgiven sin, but remembers the influence for good He has on our lives.
What God did for us in Jesus' death and resurrection does not eliminate our need for obedience. It transforms the motive for obedience. (1) We obey God because (a) we have confidence in what He did in Jesus, and (b) we show our deep appreciation for what He did in Jesus. (2) We do not obey to demonstrate that we deserve God's grace. (a) No man or woman can ever deserve God's grace; we only can appreciate God's grace. (b) We serve God's purposes/ways in the genuine gratitude of love; not in the foolish arrogance that we deserve His forgiveness.
Stress the motive for obedience. Help your students see the difference between obedience motivated by appreciation and obedience that seeks (impossibly) to earn something from God.
We will do more for God in loving appreciation than we would ever do out of any sense of obligation. We do not repay God; we appreciate God.
Love is the most powerful form of motivation known in human commitments. Illustrate the power of a love commitment.
Consider the statements made in some of today's texts:
John 3:16-21. (1) The speaker is Jesus. (2) He likely is speaking to Nicodemus. (3) God sent Jesus as an enormous expression of His love for sinful people. (4) God sent Jesus to save people from their faults, not to judge their faults. (5) The means of escaping divine judgment is to place confidence in God's work in Jesus. (6) There are some who value and are devoted to rebellion to God. Such people will not redirect their lives. The result of a love of evil is a rejection of God's revealing Himself in Jesus Christ. (7) The person who comes to God (a) must want to see self for "who I am" and (b) learn from God "who I can be" by the power of His transformation in Christ.
Stress two things: (1) the incredible love of God; (2) not everyone will be moved to respond to God's love. There are people who love and value the experience of sin.
John 6:35-40. (1) Jesus is the speaker. (2) He spoke to Jewish people who placed their confidence in their religious system. (3) "You must place your confidence in what God is doing in me. I am God's objective in the origins of your religious system. (4) Just as manna sustained your forefathers physically as they crossed their desert, I sustain you spiritually now as you cross your dessert. (5) Confidence in me is the difference between life and death.
Stress the fact that our commitment is not to a system but to God. We are God's people because we are committed to God. God through Christ saves. God's church exists in its human expression because people accept God's salvation. We do not save; we respond to God Who saves. The God Who saves through Jesus Christ is also the God Who uses Jesus Christ to lead us through our dessert.
John 11:17-27. (1) Jesus is the speaker. (2) The occasion is Lazarus' death. Jesus is speaking to Martha, the dead man's sister. (3) Lazarus was in the tomb [unenbalmed] for four days. (4) Martha had confidence in Jesus as effective in the final resurrection. (5) Jesus' power to resurrect was current. (6) Here, the key was Martha's confidence in Jesus and his current power.
The issue is not will Jesus eventually have power in me after I am dead. The issue is does Jesus have power in my life right now.
Hebrews 11:6. Confidence in God is essential to belonging to God. To come to God a person must (a) believe God exists and (b) God rewards those who seek Him.
A "faithless" Christianity does not exist. One must believe in God to come to God.
The issues for each of us, regardless of our backgrounds and pasts, are these: (1) Do I have confidence in God's commitment to deliver me? (2) Do I trust Jesus to sustain me as I cross my dessert? (3) Do I see Jesus as larger than death? (4) Do I earnestly seek God in the conviction that He will reward me even if I die?
Most of the "faith issues" we face in our lives are "now" issues that concern God's role in our lives right now. The struggles of a person from a disadvantaged background and past may be more obvious to some, but the struggles of a person from an ideal background and past are just as real. It always has taken courage to exist as a person of faith.
Remember, no one can come to God without placing his or her confidence in God.
For Thought and Discussion
There is no substitute for faith in God.
Stress that what God did in Jesus enabled God to use His grace to grant us all our spiritual blessings that expressed themselves in our forgiveness.
Stress that obedience is the only way we can respond to God's promises and show our gratitude for all He has done and continues to do for us.
Stress God's design for salvation was to be a means of escaping the judgment of condemnation. Note that not all wish to respond to God's salvation. Responding involves knowing and admitting our need for redirection.
Note in the discussion that faith must be in God, not the religious system.
Note in the discussion that the issue is confidence in Jesus' power "now" as well as eventually.
Note the basis of belonging to God requires we have confidence in God.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 1