Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” Matthew 16:18.

Today we think about the importance, the fundamental subject of the Lord's church. We began with just a several questions related to the church. Think about this with me. Why are there so many religious groups today? Why are there so many churches in the world's view today? Where’d they all come from? How do they all get here? Do all of them belong to Christ? Do any of them belong to Christ? Or does it even matter? Does it matter what church one goes to? Friend these are subjects that throughout the lesson, we’re going to let God's word address. Again, they’re questions that a lot of people have. There's a lot of confusion, and there is not the unity that Christ wants within his church. What's the reason for that? And how do we solve that problem?

Let’s begin by realizing that man's standard is not God’s standard. Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25 says this, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death.” It's not what man thinks or man's standard or man's ideas that's going to be the final word. God’s standard is what we must look to. Remember Jesus’ words, John 12:48 “He who rejects me,” Jesus said, “does not receive my word has that which judges him.” Well what is it? “The word that I've spoken,” Jesus said, “will judge him in the last day.” Let's consider, if we were thinking about something’s nature, something’s identity, how is identity, we’re talking about the identity, the nature of the church in the Bible, how is identity determined? I want you to think about John 20:25. Thomas is here wondering about the Lord, and is this the risen Savior, is this really Jesus? And Jesus says, ‘See the nail prints in my hand, feel the piercing in my side, I am He,’ in essence. What did Jesus do to express to Thomas that his identity really was the Savior? He said, ‘Look, see, touch, and feel identify me and you'll know.’ You identify things by their traits or characteristics. The nail print in his hand, the piercing in his side, definite, definitive answer that Jesus was the Lord and Christ. Well what about with the church? Friend, the church that you read about in the Bible has qualities and characteristics; its nature is clearly laid forth in the Bible. I can come to the Bible. I can see what the nature, unique identity, of the church is. I can know based off of Scripture, if a religious group that claims to be that church really is the church you read about in the New Testament.

Let’s look at the nature of the church and determine if it is truly the church you read about in the Bible. We begin by thinking about who started, who founded, who is the beginner of the New Testament church you read about in the Bible? Of course the natural answer from Scripture is Jesus Christ. Jesus started, founded, and began his church. Do you remember, 1 Corinthians 3:11? Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that was dealing with a great amount of confusion. He said, “No other foundation can any man lay, except that which is laid which is Jesus Christ.” Who is the foundation, the founder of the Lord's church? Jesus is. Matthew 16:18, Jesus promised, “I will build my church the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He’s said to be the founder. He promised to build it. Mark chapter 9:1 Jesus said to his disciples, “Assuredly I say to you that there are some standing here today who will not taste death until you see the kingdom present with power.” The kingdom and the church are the same thing; Matthew 16:18-19. And thus, Jesus promised it would start. He's the foundation stone it’s built on. He began his church. Acts 4:11-12 says this, “Nor is there salvation in any other name for there's no other name given among Heaven given under Heaven among men by which we must be saved.”

Now let's be practical as we asked this question. Who founded the New Testament church? The Bible’s answer is Jesus Christ. Now friend, we wouldn't do ourselves any favors if we didn't asked this question, who founded most modern religious groups that exist today? Whether be John Wesley, whether be Martin Luther, whether be John Calvin, John Smith, men founded and are notably identified with in these groups themselves, as being the founders of them. The only founder of the Lord's church is Jesus Christ himself.

Let's then think about a second and unique identifying trait about the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's asked this question, when does the Bible say the church you read about in the New Testament, when was it founded? Well according to Daniel 2:44, Daniel prophesied that during the time of the reign of four kingdoms, God would set up an eternal kingdom, which would never be destroyed. Now we from history know what those kingdoms are. You’ve got the Babylonian, you’ve got the Medo Persian, you’ve got the Greek kingdom, and the Roman kingdom. During the Babylonians, the meads, and the Greek kingdom, the God is still reigning through Israel. No new kingdom has been set up yet. And then Jesus comes on the scene during that fourth kingdom, promises his kingdom reestablished, Mark 9:1, and identifies the church as the kingdom. The words of Acts 2:47 say this, “And the Lord,” for the very first time, “added to the church daily those who are being saved.” When did the New Testament church begin? When was it founded? In that fourth kingdom, as prophesied, during the Roman era. Colossians 1:13 Paul said to the Christians in Colossae, in the first century, “God had translated them out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his beloved son.” Did the kingdom exist in the first century? Absolutely it did. People were in it, according to Colossians 1:13 and Paul was preaching it as a reality Acts chapter 28:30-31.

Again, another practical question begs our asking. When did most religious groups today have their start? Most of them started just in the last 200- 300 years; some of them maybe go back as far as 500- 600 years. But you know what? The Bible, the church of the Bible, started in the first century. It started during that Roman time period. And friend, a religious group did not start, according to the blueprint of the Bible, was not founded in the first century just as Scripture prophesied and reveals. Can it be identified as the church of the New Testament?

Then a third unique characteristic about the church, we ask where did the Bible say, where does the Bible say that the Lord's church would start at? And of course Scripture reveals to us. Isaiah 2:2-3, God prophesied that his house would be established in Zion and that all peoples would go to it. God already had a house during the time of Isaiah, so we know is looking forward to a future event that's going to come. Not all people, only the Jews went to that. What kind of house is this? Well we learn a little more about it as we open our Bible to 1 Timothy 3:15. Paul said, “These things I write to you though I hope to come to you shortly, but if I'm delayed I write so that you may know how to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth, prophecy, Scripture prophesied, the church would be founded in Jerusalem, that’s where Zion was, according Isaiah 2:2-3 and Micah 4:1-2. Paul mentions the church as that house of God, and when you open to Acts 2 exactly what was prophesied prophesied is what occurs. They have killed the Messiah. Peter now stands up with the 11 and proclaims, ‘This Jesus whom you crucified, God has made both Lord and Christ.’ The Bible says they’re the heart. Why? They realized they'd killed their Messiah. They cried out, ‘Men and brethren what shall we do?’ Peter responds by saying, ‘Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins,’ verse 38, ‘those who gladly received his word were baptized,’ verse 42 following. And then listen to verse 47, ‘In Jerusalem just as was prophesied, for the first time the Lord added to the church daily those are being saved.’

Where did most religious groups begin at? Most of them began in England or America thousands of miles from the place the New Testament identifies as a trade of the church. If a religious group started in Springfield, Missouri, or Brooklyn, New York, when the Bible says the New Testament church would begin in Jerusalem, can it be the church you read about in the New Testament? Friend, those are clear identifying traits that we learn about the church. Now let's address some other ideas that relate to this very fundamental subject about the church. Who does the church belong to? Well we naturally realize the church belongs to Jesus Christ. He's the owner, and He is the founder of His church, right? I want you look in your Bible in Matthew chapter 16:18 with me. We’ve mentioned this several to several times, but I want you to see the clarity with which Jesus spoke about his church. Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Who does the church belong to? Jesus did not say I’ll build John's church. Jesus did not say I'll build John the Baptist Church. He did say I'll build Martin Luther's church. He didn’t say I'll build John Wesley or John Calvin or anybody else's

church. Jesus said, ‘I will build my church.’ That is so essential to understanding the unique nature of the church. The church only belongs to Jesus Christ.

Now let's make that practical. If the Scripture reveals that the church does belong to Christ, whose name should it wear? Well just take an everyday illustration; let's say that you buy a home. You’ve been in the bank, you make a loan, buy a home, you paid that off, and the deed is signed over; it’s yours. Whose home is that? Are you going to put your neighbor's name on the deed? Are you going to put your best friend’s name on the deed? Who does that house belong to? You! You paid the note. You paid the price. It was your sweat and tears of blood the purchased that house. It belongs to you. Why is it different then, for the Lord's church? It’s not. Acts 20:28 the Scripture says, “Christ purchased the church with his own blood.” He shed His blood on Calvary for the church. It belongs to Him.

Let's make it practical. If the church belongs to Christ, whose name ought to be on the deed? The church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not some man, not some religious act, not some newfangled idea that people may have today, the church of the Bible belongs to Christ. If Christ said, “I will build my church,” and you replace ‘the my’ for whose church it is, whose would it be? ‘I will build Christ church,’ it is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 16:16 Paul said, “Greet one another with a holy kiss the churches of Christ, greet you.”

As we think then about Christ’s church, there's another very important principle and unique identifying trait that we want to look at from Scripture. Today you go out into the world, you go into the community or town, and you're going to see a multiplicity of denominational groups. How many churches does the Bible say God has? I hope you listen very carefully, we’re saying it in love, with all kindness, we want people to go to heaven, but the Bible plainly declares Christ has one church. Let me illustrate it to you. Look in Ephesians 1:22-23. Does the Bible teach Christ just has one church? It absolutely does, and I want you to see from Ephesians 1:22-23. The Bible says, “And he, God, put all things under His feet, Christ’s feet, and gave Him be head over all things to the church, which is His body the fullness of him who fills all in all.” Now from Ephesians 1:22-23, we notice Christ is head of the church, and we notice the church is also called His body. Body and the church are used synonymously, for that same group of believers who obeyed the gospel and are now part of God's family. That’s equated together body and the church.

I want you look at Ephesians 4:4. The Bible records, “There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all.” How many God's are there here? One. Does one mean one? Absolutely. How many Lords? One. Does one mean one? You bet it does. How many Holy Spirits? How many just means one. Now look at Ephesians 4:40, “There is but one body.” Now remember, if the body is the Church, according to Ephesians 1:22 and 23, and there is ‘one body’ Ephesians 4:4, how many churches are there? God only ever built one. Jesus did not

say in Matthew 16:18, ‘Upon these rocks I'll build my churches,’ not what he said. “Upon this rock,” singular, “I'll build my church,” singular. The church of the New Testament is singular in its identity. It belongs to Christ. He, himself is the head of the church, and it is unique in that way.

We also want to illustrate from the Scripture that the confusion, the division, and the denominationalism that exists today, it was never a part of God's plan. Denominationalism is contrary to the will of God. I want to direct your attention to 1 Corinthians 1. I want you to look in verses 10 through 13 with me, as we think about denominationalism being against what God wants. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:10, “I plead with you brethren,” Paul is speaking, “by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you all be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it is been declared to me concerning you my brethren, by those of close household that there are contentions among you. Now I say this each of you says ‘I am of Paul or I'm of Apollos or I'm of Cephas or I'm of Christ’ is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” Does God from this context want division? “I plead with you brethren by the name of Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing,” listen now, “let there be no divisions among you.”

What is it that that God is trying to get across here? The seeds of denominationalism had some of the beginning right here. What do I mean by that? Some were saying, ‘Yes I'm a part of that a part of the body we just like Paul and so we're followers of Paul. We like Peter, or Cephas, we can relate to him, I’m of Cephas or Apollos was eloquent man, you know we’re not part of the big body, we’re just followers of Apollos, we’re Apollos Christians, we’re Cephas Christians, we’re Paul Iike Christians.’ What’d the Bible say about that? “Let there be no divisions among you.” Now friend I want you listen real carefully, think practically with me, if in the first century it was wrong to be a follower of Paul or Cephas or Apollos, how can we call ourselves by men's names today and think that's right? Martin Luther wasn’t trying to make Lutherans. When we think about John Smith, he didn't want his people calling themselves Baptist. Where do all these names come from? John Wesley, was he trying to make Methodist? That is not the idea. Are men's names, to follow those, to name the religious group, is that approved by God? “Let there be no divisions among you.” Friend denominationalism was wrong in the first century. It is at the heart and core, and part the problem in Corinth, and it’s just as wrong and creates division today.

Let me ask you think about this, what church would the Bible alone produce? Think about that for a moment. If we just took the Bible, we don't know anything about Reformation history, we don't know the restoration history, and that's not important, because this is our judge. If I just took this book and this book alone, and I went to it and I said I want to be a part of the church you find in this book and this book only. What church would come out of this book? Could you just take the Bible and get a Catholic, or a Baptist, or a Presbyterian, or a Methodist, or a Lutheran, or a Mormon church? Not in there. Could you take this book alone and get the Lord's church? Jesus said, “I'll build

my church,” Matthew 16:18. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is the church that you find within the pages of the New Testament.

Now let's then think about this as it relates to the church, what with these people inside the body, what would they call themselves? Would they call themselves by denominational names? In the New Testament it was called the church, Acts 8:1. In the New Testament it was called the church of God at Corinth, 1 Corinthians 1:2. It is called the church of the Lord, Acts 20:28. It's called the churches of Christ, congregations, churches of Christ in Rome. Notice the thing that binds all these together, Church of God, church the Lord, church of Christ, all those names, who do they honor? Who do they bring glory to? God, the Lord Christ. That's who the church belongs to. And so, that's what the church was called in the New Testament.

Let's think about even more practically. What would the members inside that body called themselves? How would they be identified according to Scripture? They were simply called ‘Christians’ Acts 11:26. They were called Christians first at Antioch. Who does that name honor? You can’t say Christian without saying Christ. It brings honor to Him. They were disciples of Christ, Acts 20:7. Disciples came together the first day of the week to break bread. Disciples who? Learners, disciples of Christ. They're called children of God. 1 John 3:1, the Bible identifies us as children of God. We’re God's children. We’re servants of God and Christ. Romans 6:16, we’re servants of Christ. We’re called brethren, 1 Corinthians 15:6. The family of God, Ephesians 2:14-16. Again, you don't find these denominational names attached in the Bible. All you find: Christians, disciples, servants, members the body of Christ, those are names that bring honor to God and to Christ and leave men out of the picture. God's the one who purchased the price; he's the one who paid the ultimate debt. He's the one deserving of our honor and our glory.

Now as we think about this idea, there's another very important question that uniquely ties to the nature of the church. It's this: what doctrine would people who followed the New Testament church follow? You can turn to the Bible and clearly see they follow biblical doctrine. Acts 2:42 it is said of the New Testament church, “They continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and in prayers.” How do we know God's church is the church of the New Testament? Are they following what the Bible says? Let’s just say somebody has a name on it that says church of God, can I be 100% sure that they're doing what’s right in that group? If when we go, we find their following the apostle's doctrine, are they staying true to the teaching of Christ? Are they worshiping God in spirit and in truth? John 4:24. Are their lives being lived to the honor of God every day? Are they living like they ought to live? When they pray, do they pray to God? Do they not bring things inside God's house that are not right and approved in his sight?

We encourage you today to think practically about the identity of the church. Can one look in the pages of this book and find out what the church is? Absolutely! Jesus said He built it, Matthew 16:18. It belongs to Him, 1 Corinthians 3:11. It is not a denominational organization. And friend the church Lord Jesus Christ brings honor to God in what it says and does.

We ask you today are you a member? Are you a member of the Lord's church, just simply the church that you read about this Bible? I understand that some of these things may not be popular. I understand that some of these things are maybe different than what someone may have heard before. Please listen carefully, we’re saying these things because we love you, we want you to go to Heaven, we want men and women everywhere to go to Heaven. Our motive of speaking about the church and against denominationalism is so that people can go to Heaven.

If Christ is coming back to take his church home with him, and he is, 1 Corinthians 15:24, it's essential that men and women be a part of that. If you've never obeyed the gospel, we encourage you today to become a Christian. If you'd like to learn more about God's plan of salvation, please write to us. We'd love to study the Bible with you and may we always do everything possible to glorify God and His church.

Study Questions for: “Fundamentals of the Faith: Church”

1. According to Matthew 16:18, what will not prevail against the church?

2. In Acts 2:47, who were added to the church?

3. How did Christ purchase the church, according to Acts 20:28?

4. According to Ephesians 1:22-23, who is the head of the church?

5. How many bodies are there according to Ephesians 4:4?

6. What did Paul plead to them in 1 Corinthians 1:10?

7. What did they continue steadfastly in according to Acts 2:42?

8. In Ephesians 1:22-23, his church is also called his what?

9. In Acts 11:26 what were members of the body called?

10. What does 1 John 3:1 identify us as?

The Scripture says, “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,” Titus 2:11.

As we think about things that are fundamental to faith, we realize that God's grace is such a fundamental part of salvation that without it, there'd be no hope whatsoever. The Bible says in John 1:17 that ‘the law came through Moses but grace and truth are given in Christ Jesus.’ It is that grace that is epitomized in the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior. 2 Corinthians 8:9, Paul said, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ though, He was rich yet for your sakes He became poor that we through His poverty might be made rich.” Grace is one of those truly rich and encouraging subjects that we think about in Scripture. But as we also think about the idea of grace, let's realize that a lot of false doctrines have been spawned about grace. For a few moments let's deal with some of those ideas, so that we can get the negative things about grace that are out there out of the way.

Some of the false teachings that exist concerning grace are as follows. Some would say that grace is a license to sin. That is, that if we've got God's grace, we don't have to be as concerned about sin, because grace is going to cover all sin no matter what. You know there was a doctrine like that in the New Testament day, and Paul specifically addressed that. Romans 6:1 Paul said, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” And in context the argument is, God's grace was given to deal with the sin problem. Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. Thus, some walked away saying more sin, more grace. Therefore, we can keep sinning and keep living it up, and God's just going to keep dumping His grace on us. Well was that the idea in Scripture? Paul said, “God forbid certainly not.” Here's the answer. ‘How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?’ The Bible clearly teaches that grace is not a license to sin. Just because God's grace has been freely given to mankind, doesn't mean we can run out and sin and live it up and live an immoral

ungodly lifestyle, and just take it easy and say well God's grace will take care of that. There's no doubt grace is available, but grace doesn't give free reign to sin in our lives. In fact, grace teaches us to, ‘Deny ungodliness, worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously, and Godly in this present age,’ Titus 2:12.

As we think about another false doctrine relative to grace, let's realize that grace alone will not save us. There's some who say that faith alone saves. There's the idea that the grace alone is all we need, when in reality we need grace and faith combined, Ephesians 2:8-10. Grace doesn't factor out my need to submit and obey the will of God. Do you remember Jesus' words in Matthew 7:21? Jesus said, “It's not everybody that looks up into heaven and says Lord Lord that's going there but he who does the will of my Father in Heaven.” Ephesians 2:8 clearly says, “By grace are you saved,” now if the verse ended right there it'd be all different, but then he continues, “by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works.” You have got God's grace, and you've got faith, obedient trust in God. Those two are not diametrically opposed. They go hand-in-hand. So grace alone is not going to save us in and of itself. Yes, we're thankful for grace, but it must be combined with faith.

Then let's deal with another false idea relative to grace, and that is a lot of people will say once you've been saved, and once you obeyed the gospel, that a person can never fall from grace. We often hear termed that way, you can't fall from grace. Another way of saying it is ‘once saved always saved.’ Is it true that once I become a child of God I can never fall from God's grace? Well, you know that language is used, and we now are going to see from Scripture that God does not teach you can't fall from grace. In fact the Bible says you can fall from grace in that exact language. Look to Galatians 5, and notice what the Scripture says in verse number 4. The Bible says, to Christians who are now trying to go back to the old law, Paul is writing to the church in Galatia, the church is made up of the saved, Christians. In Galatians 5:4, Paul says, “You those of you who are trying to go back to the old law, you've become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law,” listen now, “you have fallen from grace.” Isn't that amazing? There is the old whole idea that says you can't fall from grace, and yet when we turn and open up our Bible, Paul is writing to Christians and Paul says to Christians, ‘you have,’ already has happen, ‘you have fallen from,’ and the literal Greek word there is 'ek' or out of, ‘you've fallen out of grace.’ You've become estranged or cut off from Christ.

Maybe you've heard the idea that you can't fall from grace. Friend, that's just not taught in Scripture. Let me give you a couple of clear examples. Acts 8:20-22, Simon the sorcerer, has just obeyed the gospel. In his former life, he was into a trickery and magic and things like unto that, and now he sees bona fide miracles by the Holy Spirit. He says ‘I'll give you money for that gift.’ Peter looks at him and says, ‘you've got neither part nor portion in this matter your heart's not right in the sight of God.’ And then he says in Acts 8:20, these words, ‘your money perish with you.’ Question: Was Simon in a lost state where he was going to perish at that point? “Your money perish with you.” Simon, who had just obeyed the gospel, fell out of God's grace. He was in a lost state.

Writing to the church in Revelation 3:4-5, Jesus encourages them to ‘be faithful.’ He says of those who remain faithful, ‘I will not blot your names out of the book of life.’ Now the fact remains though, if they did not remain faithful, Jesus would blot their names out of the book of life. According to Revelation 20:12-15 ‘anyone whose name is not written in the book of life, will be cast in the lake of fire.’

If their names can be taken out of the book of life, and they can be lost in the lake of fire, friend let's not buy into the idea that you cannot fall from grace and you cannot ever be lost. 2 Peter 1:10 really places the emphasis. I understand God's going to do His part there's no doubt, but I also have to do mine. 2 Peter 1:10, we're told to make, ‘be even more diligent, to make our calling and election sure for if you do these things you'll never stumble.’ If I can't fall from grace, why do I need to be more diligent to make my calling and election sure? Again, the idea is, I've got to remain faithful. Grace and faith are combined. What part then does grace play? The fundamental idea of grace that we find the New Testament is it's God's grace that makes salvation a reality and a possibility for mankind. That salvation, and that grace originated with God Himself, in the fact that He was willing to send His son. You know, when you think of grace, we think of, how can we define it, best describe grace? I doubt you could find more beautiful words than John 3:16 to show the Father’s part in making salvation possible. The Bible says in John 3:16, “God so loved the world he gave,” Gave what? “His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

You know, in the New Testament there is a direct connection between the word grace and the word giving. In fact in 2 Corinthians chapters 7 through 9, the idea of grace and their giving are used interchangeably. It's interesting that in John 3:16, “God so loved the world he gave,” Gave what? His only begotten son. Salvation is a possibility because of what God, the father, did in making salvation available.

As we think about grace, and it's part in salvation, that grace came through Jesus Christ, let me mention to you 2 Corinthians 8:9. If I had a top 10 list of verses that I would say are probably the most beautiful ones in all of Scripture, this would be real close to the top. The Bible says, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,” listen to it now “though He was rich yet for your sakes He became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich.” Grace makes salvation a reality, because it came through Jesus Christ, the selfless one. Do you remember the words of John 1:17? “The law came through Moses, but grace and truth are in Christ Jesus.” When God set the plan in motion to send his son, Jesus, in Hebrews 10 willingly said, “Here my Lord,” in essence, “send me.” Who will go for us? “Here am I, send me.” He came to this earth, left heaven, the very place I'm trying to go, came to this earth, lived as a pauper, we might say, ultimately so that I can have the riches of heaven.

You know when I think of the words of John 14, “I go to prepare a place for you if I go to prepare a place for you I'll come again and receive you to myself in my father's house are many mansions.” How is that all possible? That grace is made possible by the selfless life and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And as I think about

this grace, it's revealed to us. God's grace is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit in the Scripture. What do we mean? I want you to think of the words of Titus 2:11-12. The Bible says, “The grace of God that brings salvation, has been revealed to all, has been made known, revealed to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age.” The grace of God has been revealed to us. How? In the Scriptures, God's word teaches us about grace. I've got the father playing the role, the one who enacted the grace of God. I've got Jesus Christ who came to this earth as the greatest expression of grace. You've got the Holy Spirit revealing God's grace to us on the pages of Scripture. Grace is such a fundamental idea and all the Godhead play a huge role in bringing that grace to mankind.

As we think about grace let's also realize, while it is grace that makes salvation a possibility, makes it something we can all have, the grace of God brings salvation to all mankind, our faith also plays a big part in receiving that grace that God has given. I want you to listen to the words of Ephesians 2:8-10 again. The Bible says beginning in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast, for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” By grace you have been saved through faith. Faith makes God's grace a reality, a possibility that exists now in our life. You know, Hebrews 11:1 teaches us that, “faith is the substance things hoped for the evidence of things not yet seen.” The Bible, just as essential as grace is, my friend faith is also equally essential. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, “without faith it's impossible to please God, for he that comes to him must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.” Think about it in these terms, God makes His grace available. He makes it a possibility that is God has brought salvation to all men. The Bible says, “Let whoever will come and drink freely of the water of life,” Revelation 21 and 22. God wants all men to be saved, 1 Timothy 2:4. God's grace makes it a reality. God desires for every man to be saved. Is God going to force mankind to be saved? Of course not. It's available. It's here. Anybody who wants to take of God's grace can do it. God's not going to force them. God's not going to make them. God gives them the choice. My faith is when I look at the evidence, when I see what God has done, and I combine my faith with God's grace. Which my friend, makes salvation a reality for the child of God.

It's been said that grace is God's part in salvation, and faith is man's part in salvation. Faith picks up where the Holy Spirit left off, in revealing the word of God. Can I can I know God exist? You bet! How? By faith. Romans 10:17, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” And so, as we think about this idea, and as we think about God's grace and faith, let's realize that faith has some essential parts as well. For example, our faith must trust God's word as it is. Remember Romans 10:14, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they've not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” When we hear the word of God, when we look at the evidence, when we search the Scriptures, 2 Timothy 2:15 and Acts 17:11, then we have the faith to trust God's word and take God at His word. But trust, in and of itself, is not all that's needed. You also

have to act upon that trust. Do you remember Romans 10:13? “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord.” The Bible teaches at we must act upon; we must call upon God's name. And of course calling upon the name of the Lord in Scripture, requires that we get up and do what God says. Acts 22:16, Saul came, or Ananias came to Saul and said, Saul why, ‘Saul Saul why are you waiting arise be baptized, wash away your sins,” listen to this now, “calling on the name of the Lord.” And so faith is also a big part of man's side. God's made salvation available. Man must access that by his faith, and when you put the two together that's what pleases the Father.

Please understand, when faith and action are combined, you'll have a real live faith. But just as grace alone won't save, please realize the Bible teaches faith alone won't save. I hear a lot of people say all you got a do to be saved is believe in Jesus. Faith and faith only is all you need. You know, there's a whole doctrine that says faith alone will save. You know what's amazing about good honest Bible study? When I take my Bible and I compare doctrines like, ‘can't fall from grace’ or ‘faith alone’, and I read my Bible, I can see in the exact language of false teaching those ideas are not true. Let me share this one with you. Did you know that the only time the words faith alone or faith only occur in Scripture, God again says that it will not save? Look in your Bible in James 2. I want you to notice what the Scripture says toward the end of James chapter 2:24. The Bible says, “You see then that a man is justified by works,” and here's it's the only occurrence in the Bible, “and not by faith only.” What? The only time God uses the words faith and only, God says you're not saved by faith only. Just as we're not saved by grace only, we're not saved by faith only. Each has its part. God's done his part; man must be willing to obey the will of God.

The Bible clearly teaches even when I obey God, I'm still dependent upon His grace. Are we going to give an unequal part to faith or grace? Surely not. Is grace important? Absolutely! Is faith important? Sure it is! Can I be saved by my own works? No. But does that negate the fact that I've got to do something? It does not at all. The Bible says in Luke 6:46, Jesus said to the religious elite of His day who thought that they were really it spiritually, Jesus said, “Why do you call me Lord Lord and do not do the things which I say?” Must I obey Christ? Do you remember John 14:15? Jesus said, “If you say you love me,” in essence, “you have got to keep my commandments.” Do you remember the words of Hebrews 5:8-9? “Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” Must I obey Christ and respond in faith to the grace of God? Absolutely! There's no doubt throughout all of history man has always had to follow and obey the will of Almighty God.

Friend as we've emphasized in this lesson, we want to drive home the idea, because it's so fundamental to grace, let's drive home the idea that that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the grace of God. This is seen so vividly in Scripture. You know, one of the things that you don't see a lot of in the Old Testament is grace. There are some glimpses of it. But grace didn't come through Moses, grace came through Christ. James 2:13, along with John 1:17, ‘the law came through Moses but grace and truth are found in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’ He's the epitome and the example of that. When He left heaven, when He came to this earth, when He lived a selfless life, as He was

willing to give up and sacrifice, and ultimately when Jesus hung on the cross and died in agony. You cannot find a deeper more beautiful expression of God's grace in Scripture. He's the epitome of that grace. Philippians 2:5 says, “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be made equal with God, but He humbled Himself, became a, took upon himself the form of a bondservant, became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.” All those ideas are the beautiful expression of God's grace in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As we think about the idea that leads to salvation, both grace and man's faith, there's a sense in which we realize the selflessness involved in God's offering of salvation and our need to have that that sense of humility, and selflessness in obeying the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let's realize that the way to salvation does not exist within man himself. Man didn't originate it; it's not his ideas. We've got to have dependence and the humility to submit to God. Do you remember Jeremiah 10:23? Jeremiah said, “Oh Lord I know the way of man is not in himself, it's not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” Both Proverbs chapter 14 and Proverbs chapter 16 clearly teaches, “There is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is the way of death.” It's not what I think; it's not my opinion. It's not your opinion that matters; what matters is God's plan of salvation as taught in the New Testament. And friend, when we submit, listen carefully, when we submit to God's grace through faith, we're not saying, we can't walk away and say, ‘look what I've accomplished within myself’ or ‘look what I've done,’ or boast or brag about ourselves. When grace and faith are combined, what's the best we can say? What was said in Luke 17:10. Jesus said, “And you, when you've done all those things commanded you say, I'm an unprofitable servant, I've only done that which is my duty to do.” It's not our own merit. It's not our own accomplishes. We can't boast and brag about salvation. But we do desperately need to obey the gospel, and become a child of Almighty God.

As you think today about God's grace and faith being combined, listen carefully, this is God's message of love for you. God so loved His creation, and He so desperately wants all of them to be saved, 1 Timothy 2:4 that ‘He gave His only begotten son so that we can have eternal life.’ The father let His son come to this earth, suffer, be mocked, to be laughed at, be spit upon, and watched Him hang on a cruel Roman cross, so that I can have the hope of salvation. That's God's grace, making salvation available.

My faith is when I step up, and I realize that's what God has done for me, and therefore, I need to submit to and obey the will of God, and respond in faith as God has taught me to do in the Scriptures. Not just saying ‘Lord Lord,’ that's not what we're talking about. That's not what the Bible's talking about, that's not God's plan there, Matthew 7:2. But actually doing the will of the Father, Hebrews 5:8-9.

We ask you today, as you think about this fundamental idea of grace, and as we think about man's faith, have you responded in faith to the grace of God? Have you obeyed the gospel? Have you heard the message contained within the pages of this

book, that Jesus is the Savior of the world? Do you believe that message? Are you willing, based on belief in that message, to change your life and repent? Luke 13:3, Would you confess your faith in Christ, as the son of God, and to have your sins washed away, and become a child of God? Would you be immersed in water for the forgiveness of your sins, Acts 2:38? If you've done that friend, then the grace of God encourages each of us to keep living faithful for Jesus every day of our lives.

Study Questions for: “Fundamentals of the Faith: Grace”

1. According to John 1:17, where does grace come from?

2. What does Titus 2:12 tell us to deny?

3. According to Galatians 5:4, can Christians fall from grace?

4. Who will be cast into the lake of fire according to Revelation 20:12-15?

5. According to John 3:16, how did God show his love?

6. What does 2 Corinthians 8:9 tell us that Jesus did so that we could have salvation?

7. Who has grace been revealed to according to Titus 2:11-12?

8. According to Ephesians 2:8, are we saved by the works of man?

9. How does faith come according to Romans 10:17?

10. What does John 14:15 tell us to do if we love Jesus?

In Acts chapter 19:1 the apostle Paul found certain disciples, and he asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” In response to that question in Acts 19:2 they said, “We have not even heard so much as whether there is a Holy Spirit.” There was a lot of confusion in the first century among some disciples about the Holy Spirit, just as there is today.

We welcome you to our study of the fundamentals of the faith. Today we address the subject, fundamental subject, of the Holy Spirit: His work, His function, and what about His work today among Christians.

When we think about the Holy Spirit, there is a lot of mass confusion, there is ignorance, and there are a lot of areas where emotionalism and sometimes where feelings take over, as it relates to the Holy Spirit. We simply want to examine, from the Scripture, some basic facts about the Holy Spirit that will equip us to better know about that person of the Godhead, and to help us in defending and standing up for the truth.

What do we know about the Holy Spirit's nature? Like the father and like the Son, the Holy Spirit is identified as a person of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit has certain qualities that are unique to His function. For example, the Holy Spirit speaks. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 the Bible says, “The Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith.” We know, as relating to the nature of the Holy Spirit, He speaks, that is, He had the ability to give His Revelation to men and women in the first century. The Holy Spirit has the ability to feel in some ways. Ephesians 4:30 and James 4:5, Christians are taught ‘not to grieve or vex the Holy Spirit,’ has some way of grieving, some way being vex, some way of being brought to a righteous jealousy, over God's people concerning his love for them. The Holy Spirit in the New Testament is not identified as some in animate ‘it.’ Rather in Scripture, He is identified as masculine in person. Listen to the language here, John 16:13 Jesus said, “When He, the spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” Hebrews 10:15 the Holy Spirit is again identified as He, and so masculine in person is the way the Scripture identifies the Holy Spirit. And we

know as well, the Holy Spirit is a part of the Godhead. Let me illustrate this to you from 2 Corinthians chapter 13. Here's a passage where we have all three persons of the Godhead identified. Listen to the words of 2 Corinthians 13:14, at the close of the letter Paul says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.” Grace of Christ, love of God, communion of the Holy Spirit, father, son, Holy Spirit are all mentioned as part of the Godhead. Genesis 1, we see much of the same the spirit of God hovered upon the face of the deep, Genesis 1:2. Even at the beginning, the Holy Spirit Himself was there.

One of the most pressing questions, as it relates to the Holy Spirit is how does the Holy Spirit communicate with people? How did he do it in the Bible? Is he still doing that today? Many people believe the Holy Spirit communicates through a hunches or intuitions or some enter leading, this is such a highly subjective and feeling based idea. It is not just biblical, it's just not biblical. In the New Testament it wasn't a nudge or a hunch, or some feeling based intuition. The Holy Spirit communicates in the medium of communication that people use today: language, voices, and the voice that spoke. God's means of communication in the Bible is through words and language.

Now let me give you a couple of passages that teach this in Scripture. 2 Samuel 23:2, “The spirit spoke by me,” David said now watch this, “his word was on my tongue.” How did the spirit communicate to David? He spoke by David. How did he do that? His word was on David's tongue. The spirit has always communicated in the medium of words through language. 1 Timothy 4:1, again the Scripture clearly says, the Spirit expressly says He uses language to do that. Revelation 2:11, ‘the spirit speaks,’ or says again is the idea. When we think about how does the Holy Spirit communicate, am I receiving some kind of a nudge, or how did he do that in the Bible? He uses the medium of language and words to do that in Scripture. That has always been the method that He chose. As we think about the Holy Spirit, let's also realize the spirit had a function in man's salvation. I understand God's part. He put the plan into action. I understand Christ's part. He came to this earth and sacrificed Himself for the salvation of mankind. But what's the function of the Holy Spirit in man's salvation? The function of the Holy Spirit and man, in man's salvation, is to get the message about the Father and about the son into the hands and hearts and lives of men and women today through God's word.

Think about these words, I want you think about the words of Revelation 1. I think they so beautifully describe the work of the spirit in getting God's message of salvation to us. Look to these passages in Revelation. Revelation 1:11 the Scripture records saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last,” now watch this here's what the spirit said to John, “what you see, write in the book and send to the seven churches which are in Asia to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” The spirit had a function here in getting His message out. He used John as a tool. Here's what He said to John, “What you see, draw a picture of, not what he said. Make a movie about, do a play on, no, write in a book. God's message of salvation has been written in a book. That book is the Bible. Listen again to Revelation chapter 2 and notice what Christ says to the church. Revelation 2:11, “He who has an ear, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches, he who overcomes

shall not be hurt by the spec in the second death.” We use our ears to hear the message of God, and that's how God spoke to His churches in the first century. So here's the process God used, the Lord dictated to John, Holy Spirit dictated John. John wrote down what was dictated. The Lord said that was what the Holy Spirit says, and thus the Holy Spirit's work was putting the message in a form, a book form, that men and women could have throughout the centuries. That's always been the plan of God. I'll give you another passage to think about, John 16:13. Jesus said this of the spirit, “When He, the spirit of truth, has come, He'll guide you into all truth, you don't have to speak on your own authority, whatever He says and what He hears from the Father that'll be what you speak.” In essence when the Holy Spirit comes, Jesus said, ‘He's going to guide you.’ Who? The immediate apostles right there. He's going to guide you into all truth. Friend did that day come? You bet it did! Acts 2, they're to assemble together, there the Holy Spirit comes upon them, they began to speak in unknown languages, Peter stands up with the 11, and they began to preach the message of Jesus Christ. Men and women heard that message, the message spoken in words. We have that message revealed to us in the pages of the Bible.

Does the spirit have a function in salvation? Sure He does! He got the message revealed, written in a form that can be written down, revealed to men and women, and that message has been written down for all centuries. The Bible is the product of God through the Holy Spirit giving us the message of salvation. We want to address this also. Does the Spirit play a part in the Revelation of the message? There's no doubt. We've already seen He does, but exactly what part did He play? This is so important, because you know I hear a lot of people today say, well the spirit is speaking Holy Spirit told me to do this. Wait a minute now, is that the way God's working and is that the way God worked in the first century?

I want to direct your attention to a passage in the book of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 2:9 following, Paul indicates how the spirit got God's revelation to people then, and how the spirit worked in the first century. Look at 1 Corinthians 2:9, the Bible says, “As it is written eye has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered in the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him,” but now watch this, what about those things God wants us to know? “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes the deep things of God for what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him, even so no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit the world with the spirit of him was from God, that we might know the things which have been freely given to us by God,” now watch this, “these things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.” Watch these things that are to be identified. The Scripture teaches us from this passage; it takes a revelation to know God. How can I know the things about God and the things He's prepared for His creation? I can know it, because God has revealed them to us. It takes a revelation to know God. That Revelation must be made in words, not in words which human wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches. That Revelation was spoken through the mouths of the men directed by the Holy Spirit. And so to know God, I've got to have a revelation that

Revelation has been written in words. Those words came through the men in the first century. We have that Revelation right here in our hands today in the form of the Bible. What about the spirit and Revelation? God used the spirit in the first century to reveal His message and His plan of salvation. We have that preserved in the form of the word of God today. Do I, listen carefully, do I need more than what was revealed in the first century? I want you to listen again to John 16:13. Jesus said, “When He, the spirit of truth, has come He will guide you into all truth.” Now consider He's writing to that amid talking to that immediate group of people, who would become the apostles, consider that that happened in the first century to those men, and as promised when He came, and He did come, He would guide them into all truth.

Can you have more than all truth? If the Holy Spirit came, and He did, and if He revealed His message to the apostles, and He did, do we have all truth today? Listen to 2 Peter 1:3. The Bible says, “According to His divine knowledge, God has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through Him who called us.” Am I looking for another revelation today? No! Is the book of Mormon another Revelation of Jesus Christ? No. Why not? Because, in the first century God revealed all truth. Jude verse 3, “It was once for all delivered to the saints.” If God once for all delivered the message that we must contend earnestly for, we’re not looking for something new, something different. We've got everything we need to know God, know about His plan, and to go to heaven in the pages of the Bible.

Now we've mentioned it, and we know that is directly related to these ideas, but it's worth bearing out again. We ask the question, where exactly does the Scripture say the Holy Spirit's words are located at? ‘Inspired men of God, to whom this promise, He would guide them into all truth.’ They're not with us today. This is a simple fact that any person can notice. God promised to the disciples, ‘I'll guide you into all truth.’ But hey, those disciples have long perished. Where is that message and that Revelation? Friend we know well their words, which are inspired by God, are still alive today. “The word of God is living, powerful, sharper than any two edged sword.” How's that word alive? Friend we find the revelation of the Holy Spirit deposited in the pages of the New Testament. Listen to Hebrews 1:1, “God who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers, has in these last days spoken to us by his son.” “John, what you see write in a book.” Revelation 1:7, ‘if any man thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge,’ Paul said, ‘the things which we've commanded you things we've written you these are the commandments of God.’ Where are the commands of God? The things Paul wrote. The things John wrote. The things the apostles wrote down. The Holy Spirit's word, my friend, it's recorded in the pages of the Bible. It's living and powerful. It is God's power unto salvation, Romans 1:16.

Now sometimes I'll hear people say, as relates to the Holy Spirit, as it relates to the Bible, ‘well we need something more, we need something fresher, we need something newer, we may need more than what's in the Bible, we need another revelation.’ Let's ask this question, do these words, which we've identified as the words of the Holy Spirit, do they meet our needs today? Friend the Bible clearly teaches, it alone makes us complete before God. Do you remember 2 Timothy 3:16-17? The

Scripture says, “The Holy Spirit's word says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable,” profitable for what? “Doctrine, correction, reproof, instruction, in righteousness,” listen now don't miss this, “that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Does the Bible, does the Holy Spirit's word, claim it makes us complete for every good work? You bet it does! If this book makes me complete, it meets our needs. John 16:13, “When the spirit comes, He will guide you into all truth.” You can't have more than all. If the spirit came, this book meets our needs. Again 2 Peter 13, we've got everything we need for two items: life and godliness. I've got everything I need in the Bible, according to the divine knowledge of God, to know how to live the best life, John 10:10, and to be a godly person. I want you to listen real carefully, and we say these things in love and kindness and because we love God and His word, if the Bible makes us complete before God, and if it gives us everything we need to live the best life and to be a godly person, why then do we need God's Spirit to do more than that today? Do we need more than everything and can you have more than being complete? Of course not! God in His work and purpose, in the Holy Spirit and its function, perfectly did His job, revealed the will of God to us, got that message of salvation, and today I have everything I need to get to heaven and to be a godly person.

Which leads us directly to another question that is so prevalent and popular today, is the Holy Spirit nudging me? Is he giving me some kind of intuition? Am I am I you know, I hear people say the Holy Spirit's leading me to do this. Really? How do you know the Holy Spirit is doing that? How do you know it's not some other type of feeling or emotion guiding you? This thinking, my friends, about the Holy Spirit nudging us or leading us to make some decision or do something, there's no doubt we can be led by the words of God in the Bible, and it let it guide and direct our lives. But is the Holy Spirit especially doing that for me or for you? Friend this kind of thinking is contrary to Scriptures. I wouldn't want to hold a doctrine that is contrary to Scripture and this kind of thinking causes a person to teach things that are just not found within the pages of the Bible. It leads to further spiritual departure, and is not based on Scripture today. Where is the passage that teaches that the Holy Spirit is nudging or guiding or giving us some kind of intuition today? You read the pages of the Bible, and I don't find that the Holy Spirit is nudging me.

Is God guiding me? Is the spirit of God working in Christians today? Absolutely! How? In the pages of the word of God, through the truth that God has revealed. But to say ‘you know the spirit is leading me to make this decision,’ let’s consider that line of thinking for a moment. Someone says, ‘okay the spirit is leading me to make this decision,’ that decision ends up being a decision that leads to sin, ungodliness or immorality. I've heard it said, and you've heard people say that, and then you watch and that decision wasn't by the Holy Spirit. It's evident. Are we then going to turn around say, well maybe that wasn't by the Holy Spirit? Here's the real thing to consider. One person says the Holy Spirit is nudging me, another person says the Holy Spirit's nudging me, and a whole bunch of people are saying Holy Spirit is leading me to do this. And then, we how do we know? Some turned out not to be, evidently. They weren't. So how do we know either way? Can you be sure in those scenarios? I can be sure, I'm being led by God's spirit, as I let the Bible guide and lead me. This is how God

guides and leads us today through His Spirit. There's no doubt the Bible says, ‘The father dwells in me,’ 1 John 4:15. The Bible says that Christ is in us, Colossians 1:27. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit, Christians do have the Holy Spirit. But how do they have the Holy Spirit? As the words of God in the Bible live in our lives, that's how the Holy Spirit leads Christians today.

Now friend, we don't want to say, and we don't want to leave the impression, that the Holy Spirit is dead and that He is not at work today. But we do want to note the way in which He is alive and working. We ask the question, is the Holy Spirit still at work today? Is he still doing things today? Yes, but only through the message He revealed, and only in the medium in which He chose to do that, 1 Corinthians 14:37. Does that does the spirit's message, the message revealed by the Holy Spirit, still work on men and women's hearts today? You bet it does. The Bible says in Psalm 119:130 that that God's word it had entrance into their heart. Did the word of God given by the Holy Spirit work on the heart of men and women? It did in the first century, when Peter stood up and preached the gospel that which was directly given by the Holy Spirit. The Bible says in Acts 2:37, ‘they were cut to the heart.’ Did the Spirit's word work on their heart? It absolutely did! Does that same word work on people's heart today, to change it? You bet it does! ‘The word of God is living and powerful sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to division of soul and spirit joints and marrow it's the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’

There's no doubt this message is alive and that it's working and that the Holy Spirit is working through God's word. Friend I hope you listen real carefully we’re not living today in the day and age of the miraculous, in the sense that you're going to go out to the cemetery, you not going to go out to the cemetery today, people are not going to go out to the cemetery today, like they did in the first century, like Jesus did at the tomb of Lazarus, you're not going to go out and raise somebody who's in a cemetery. We’re not going to see the type of miracles, not going to see anybody walking on water today, like Jesus did. The miracles of the first century, a man's got up a withered hand, you're not going to see somebody make that whole again. That's not happening; those miracles the Bible said were going to end in the first century. Now, let me show you that from the Scriptures. Look in your Bible in 1 Corinthians 13. I want you to see this for yourself. 1 Corinthians 13, I want you to look at what the Scripture says beginning in verse number 8. That beautiful passage about love teaches us that love is supreme, even supreme over the miraculous. 1 Corinthians 13:8 the Scripture records, “Love never fails but whether there prophecies, they will fail, whether there is are tongues they will cease, whether there is knowledge it will vanish away, for we know in part and we prophesy in part but when that which is perfect has come that which is in part, will be done away with.” The partial is the miraculous, tongue speaking, miraculous knowledge of all those things that are mentioned there, prophesying, all that's going to be done away with, when that which is perfect has come. Now Jesus has already come and has already gone back by the time of the writing of this book. What's He talking about here? There's only one other thing identified in Scripture as complete or perfect and that is the word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16, it makes us complete. James 1:25, it is the perfect law of liberty.

Miracles were partial. They were in part until that perfect came, which is the full will of God. In fact did you know miracles were given in the first century to confirm this word? Mark 16:20, Hebrews 2:3-4, they were given to confirm the word of God. You've got two people both say I've got a message from God. One man speaks and it’s different. Another man speaks and it’s different. How do I know who's telling the truth? This man just did a miracle; God's sign of approval is on him. This man we don't know about. I've been confirmed. His messages been confirmed by God.

Today we have the full revealed will of God. Our hope and our encouragement is that we'll let God's message and God's power through the Holy Spirit work in men and women's lives today, as they read and study the Bible, obey its message, and put it to use in their lives, and live for Christ each and every day.

Study Questions for: “Fundamentals of the Faith: Holy Spirit”

1. What will the Holy Spirit do according to John 16:13?

2. In 2 Samuel 2:23, how did the Holy Spirit speak to David?

3. According to Revelation 2:11, who spoke to the churches?

4. How did God reveal things to us according to 1 Corinthians 2:9?

5. According to 2 Peter 1:3, has God revealed all we need to us?

6. The Holy Spirit is profitable for what according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17?

7. In Acts 2:37 how did the people respond?

8. The word of God is what according to James 1:25?

9. According to 2 Timothy 3:16 what does the word of God make us?

10. According to Mark 12:20 and Hebrews 2:3-4, why were miracles used in the first century?