THE NEW BELIEVER'S
TRAINING MANUAL
(Southern Baptist Perspective)

by
Ed Wrather



LESSON ONE
SALVATION

In learning about salvation there are different terms involved which basically mean the same thing. To avoid confusion let us briefly consider some of those terms.

1. SAVED. To be saved means to be saved from some thing. If a person is drowning and the lifeguard jumps in and saves them from drowning we know what they have been saved from. Spiritually many people are also drowning. They may or may not realize the danger of their situation.

Spiritually there is also something to be saved from. That something we need to be saved from is a terrible punishment and place called “hell.” The story Jesus tells about the rich man (Often referred to as Dives because Dives in Latin means rich man.) and Lazarus. This story is found in Luke 16:19-31. Please read this passage of Scripture and look for these insights about hell:

May those in Heaven and hell visit with each other?

The rich man died and woke up where?

Is the rich man having fun in hell?

Is the rich man aware of having lost his opportunity of being saved?

Is the rich man aware of having lost blessings?

Is the rich man’s confinement to hell permanent?

Note: In verse 31 of this passage Jesus says, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.” Moses and the prophets is a reference to the Scriptures.

Obviously there is something to be saved from, a real place where those without salvation go when they die to suffer eternal torment forever. They are forever separated from God and from the saved. They know they have missed out on the blessings of God.

2. BORN AGAIN. “Born again” means essentially the same thing as being “saved.” However the phrase carries additional meaning and information about what happens when you are saved. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be “born again” in the third chapter of the Gospel of John. Let us examine this passage of Scripture about being “born again.” The passage is found in John 3:1-21. Please read this passage of Scripture and answer these questions:

Who will be in the Kingdom of God?

Is Jesus talking about being born physically a second time or being born for a first time spiritually?

How is someone “born again?”

At what point do you have eternal life?

Once you have been “born again” and have eternal life can you lose that eternal life and become unborn?

How do we condemn ourselves?

Being saved is like a birth. We are birthed into the Kingdom of God by the Holy Spirit. Only those who have experienced this spiritual birth will be in Heaven.

We receive eternal life at the moment that we believe on Jesus as our Savior. Once we have eternal life how can it be taken away? If it could be taken away it would not be eternal life. Eternal life cannot become uneternal life.

If you have never received Jesus as your Savior, why not take a moment now and do so. If you sincerely desire to turn from your sins (repentance) you can be saved. Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Why not open the door of your heart and pray a prayer like the one following or put it in your own words: “DEAR LORD JESUS, PLEASE COME INTO MY HEART AND LIFE AND FORGIVE ME OF MY SINS. I WANT TO CHANGE AND LIVE MY LIFE FOR YOU, PLEASE HELP ME TO DO SO. IN YOUR NAME JESUS I PRAY. THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME. AMEN.” (Please know that words alone will not save you it is the attitude of the heart that saves. If you truly meant those words in your heart and truly want to stop sinning and have Jesus as your Lord then you will be saved.)

For assurance of your salvation, that eternal life cannot become uneternal life and that even you cannot discard eternal life by your actions or nonactions please look at John 6:37-40. Please answer these questions:

What is the Father’s will?

Will Jesus lose any that come to Him?

Who will have everlasting life?

If you believed on Jesus it is not the Father’s will that you should be lost and Jesus will not lose any that believes on Him. Did you believe on Jesus for your salvation? If so it cannot be lost, you have eternal life and it cannot become uneternal life no matter what you or anyone else may do.

Paul describes the new life of a born again believer in 2 Corinthians 5:17 when he says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” According to Paul things are changed at the moment that we are born again. Let us consider what this new life is like and how it has changed.

1. The Bible will have new meaning for us as it is studied and as we listen to the Word of God being preached. Find 1 Corinthians 2:12-16. Study this passage and find the answers to these questions:

Have we received the spirit of the world or the Spirit of God?

What is one thing in this passage that clearly is freely given to us?

Does the natural man (the lost) understand the things of God?

Those who are saved can understand the things of God because of what?

Obviously if we are saved we received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God and because of that some things have been freely given to us that makes us different than we were before salvation was received. Before we were saved, according to this passage, we could not understand the things of God. This is why there are so many interpretations of the Bible. It is why some read and read and study and study the Bible but never seem to get anything out of it. It is also why it is many times pointless to argue with the lost because for the most part they will only be able to understand clearly the Holy Spirit calling them to salvation.

A little ten year old girl was saved at a summer camp and she shared with my wife that it was just different now when she heard someone preaching. When I was saved the Word of God changed for me and a hunger for God’s Word suddenly seemed to have been implanted into my heart that had never been there before.

2. We will have a desire to be around other Christians. Find 1 John 3:11-14 and study this passage concentrating on verse 14. Find the answers to these questions:

We will know that we have “passed from death unto life” because we do what?

If you do not have love for other Christians and don’t want to be around them what most likely is the cause of that?

If we have been saved we will have a supernatural love implanted in us causing us to love other Christians. This love will cause us to want to be around other Christians and to have fellowship with them. We will have a desire to be in church, for that is where God’s power is most focused. Matthew 18:20 says what? Also, consider Hebrews 10:24-25. It has been said that if our religion is not strong enough to take us to church most likely it will not be enough to take us to Heaven. I believe there is an element of truth in that statement. It does not, however, mean that just because you are not in church that you are not saved or have lost your salvation. It is though a definite indicator of spiritual problems when we have no desire to be in church with other believers to worship our God.

3. We will have a desire not to sin. We have a new nature but we still live in a fleshly body in a corrupt world. The apostle Paul describes the situation the Christian faces in Romans 7:13-25. Please examine this passage and answer the following questions:

Does the apostle Paul live a life without struggle with the old nature?

Is the apostle bothered by his failure to do good when he knows to do it?

Is there something hindering the apostle from doing good?

The apostle Paul did battle every day with the old nature just as do other Christians. Sin is not just what we do but as Paul reveals in verse 19 it is also the failure to do good when we know to do good.

Since we have two natures which nature wins the battle? I once read an illustration about an American Indian who was describing this battle to some non-Christians in his tribe. This Indian described the battle as a fight between two dogs, a white dog and a black dog. His friends asked him which dog won and the Indian said, “Which ever one I say sic’em to.” How very true! If we give attention to our good nature, that nature comes out on top. However, if we give our attention to the bad things, then the bad nature will come out ahead. Consider the following questions:

What are some ways that you can give attention to the good nature?

What are some ways that you can give attention to the old/bad nature?

Here are some verses that can give you clues to answer the above questions:

Luke 6:45

Romans 12:1

Romans 12:2

Romans 13:14

Psalm 119:9, 11

Psalm 37:1

1 Peter 2:11

Matthew 5:28

1 Thessalonians 4:3

You might want to write out beside each verse how God spoke to you as you meditate upon it. These are excellent verses to memorize.

It is important to know that it is impossible to live the Christian life in your own strength. Only by abiding in Christ can we succeed in living the Christian life. Only through supernatural empowerment can a supernatural life be lived.