Week 8
III. Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension
18. Did the Saviour remain in the tomb?
No. He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures.
Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:4, Psalm 16:10, Matthew 12:40
19. What does his resurrection ensure us?
That we are justified through his blood; for he was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Romans 4:25
20. Where was the Lord Jesus after his resurrection?
He presented himself alive to his disciples for forty days speaking about the kingdom of God.
Acts 1:3
- 21. What took place after the forty days?
Jesus led his disciples as far as Bethany on Mount Olivet, and there parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:9-11
22. What did the Lord Jesus obtain for us by his ascension?
By his own blood he entered once for all into the holy places, thus securing an eternal redemption.
Hebrews 9:12, 1 John 2:1
IV. The Redeemer’s Threefold Office
23. In what way are we to regard the Lord Jesus after having accomplished our redemption?
As our prophet, high priest and king.
Matthew 21:11, Hebrews 4:15, Luke 23:38
24. What is his prophetic office?
He revealed to us the way of salvation, prophesies coming events, and strengthened this with miracles; for such were the functions of the Old Testament prophet.
Deuteronomy 18:15, Matthew 5:18-19, Matthew 20:18-19
- 25. What did the Saviour do as a high priest?
Christ, as our High Priest has offered himself up, once for all, a sacrifice; he intercedes for us continuously and blesses us as God’s children.
Ephesians 5:2, Hebrews 9:26, John 17, Romans 8:34, Luke 24:50, Ephesians 1:3
26. What is Christ’s office as King?
He gives commandments and subdues people to his power, he rules and defends them, he restrains and conquers his enemies, and protects and rewards his own.
John 13:34, Jeremiah 23:5, 1 Corinthians 15:25, Matthew 25:34
27. What is the nature of Christ’s kingdom?
His kingdom is not of this world. It is a spiritual kingdom of grace in his believers. He has a heavenly kingdom of glory, into which he will, finally lead his believers.
John 18:36, Luke 1:33, Luke 17:21, 2 Timothy 4:18
V. The Sending of the Holy Spirit and Universal Grace
28. What gift did the Lord Jesus bestow upon his own, after his ascension?
He gave them the Holy Spirit, according to his promise.
John 14:16
- 29. When did this occur?
On the day of the first Pentecost of the New Testament.
Acts 2:1-4
30. Was the Holy Spirit given to the apostles only?
No. Peter said: “The promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” God will give the Holy Spirit to those who will pray for it.
Acts 2:39, Luke 11:13
31. What is the work of the Holy Spirit in the believers?
He testifies of Jesus; he comforts and sanctifies them, leads them into all truth, and through him, the love of God is shed abroad into their hearts.
John 15:26, John 16:7-14, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Romans 5:5
32. What did the Holy Spirit particularly enable the apostles to do?
He enabled them to preach the gospel to all people, and to strengthen their preaching with miracles.
Acts 2:4, Luke 24:49, 1 Corinthians 12
33. Was God’s message of salvation only for the people of Israel?
No. The Word of God was first to be spoken to the Jews; but afterwards to the Gentiles.
Acts 13:46
34. Is it the will of God that all men should be saved?
Yes. God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9
- 35. Has redemption been provided for all?
Yes. Christ gave himself a ransom for all.
1 Timothy 2:6, Galatians 1:4
- 36. Do all accept this redemption?
No. Not all are obedient to the gospel.
Romans 10:3, Romans 10:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:8
CHAPTER 3: Faith in Christ
- 1. What is the true way to salvation?
Faith in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and his shed blood.
John 20:31, Matthew 16:16-17, Romans 3:25, John 1:12
2. Do we earn salvation by faith?
No. Faith embraces the finished work of Christ, whereby we obtain salvation and eternal life.
2 Corinthians 5:21, John 3:36, Ephesians 2:8-9
3. What is true faith?
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
- 4. What does true faith imply?
Real repentance and change of mind; that we become convinced of our sinfulness and repent of it.
Mark 1:15, Romans 7:24
- 5. What change is brought about in a believer’s heart?
He is converted from the error of his way to Christ the Shepherd and bishop of our souls.
James 5:20, 1 Peter 2:25, Luke 15:17-19
I. Regeneration and Good Works
6. What is this change of heart called in the New Testament?
It is called regeneration; a new creation.
John 3:3, Galatians 6:15, Titus 3:5
- 7. Who brings about regeneration in us?
God himself brings about regeneration in us by his Word and Spirit, to the obedience of Christ.
1 Peter 1:3, James 1:18, John 3:5
8. Is it necessary, then to be born again to be a true Christian?
Yes. For without regeneration, no one can see the kingdom of God.
John 3:3-5, 1 Corinthians 15:50
9. Does regeneration produce a godly life?
Yes. Whoever is born of God, does not make a practice of sinning.
1 John 3:9
- 10. Can we not, through our own strength avoid sin and do good?
No. For Christ says, “Without me, you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
- 11. Is holy living possible only through Christ and his grace?
Yes. For from God, Christ became to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
1 Corinthians 1:30
II. Justification
- 12. What is justification?
When the repentant sinner through faith is declared righteous in Christ.
Romans 4:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21
13. Is a sinner justified by grace?
Yes. We are justified freely without any merit of our own, by God’s grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:24
- 14. In what way does justification benefit us?
To have peace with God as his children, to have been freed from the bondage of sin, and to be aided in perfecting holiness.
Romans 5:1, Romans 8:16, John 8:36
III. Sanctification
15. What is sanctification?
To be sanctified is to be freed from the dominion of sin and to persevere in welldoing.
Romans 6:22, 2 Corinthians 7:1
- 16. Must a Christian become holy?
Yes. For as he who called you is holy, so must we be holy in all manner of living.
1 Peter 1:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 12:14
- 17. Who produces sanctification in us?
We are sanctified and justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 4:25-32, Philippians 3:13-14
IV. The Church of God
- 18. What is the collective body of believers called?
The church of God
1 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:13
- 19. How does Christ regard his church?
As his body. He is the head of the body, the church.
Colossians 1:18
20. Are all who profess to belong to the church of God true members of the body of Christ?
No. They only are true members, who by faith in Christ have become the children of God.
Galatians 3:26, Ephesians 2:13
21. Are there to be teachers and ministers in the church?
Yes. The teachers are to preach the Word diligently and exhort; but the church is to hear and obey.
2 Timothy 4:2, Titus 1:5, Hebrews 13:17, Ephesians 4:11-12
Lesson 8 Notes
The following is what every person is looking for at the core of their being.
The following does not and cannot apply to unbelievers but can only apply to those who have put their faith in Jesus.
Believers, the following is going to be the hardest thing for you to believe especially on your hardest day.
The following has nothing to do with what you feel about yourself because what I’m about to tell you is based on fact.
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Not you or your circumstances can change the following.
The following is what God thinks of you on your worst day.
1. You Are Accepted
John 1:12-13
“12 To all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.”
1 John 3:1
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God; and so we are.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am God’s child.
John 15:15
“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am God’s friend.
Romans 10:9-10
“9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart on believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am justified.
Romans 5:1
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am united with Him and we are one in Spirit.
John 17:20-23
“20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
Who am I in Christ?
I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
1 Corinthians 12:27
“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am a member of His body.
Romans 12:4-5
“4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am a saint.
Romans 8:27
“And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
Colossians 1:3-5
“3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel”
Who am I in Christ?
I am complete.
Colossians 2:9-10
“9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”
2. You Are Secure
Who am I in Christ?
I am forever free from condemnation.
Romans 8:1-2
“1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am looked after in all circumstances.
Romans 8:28
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am fused to Him by His love.
Romans 8:35, 38-39
“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Who am I in Christ?
I have been established, anointed and sealed by Him.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
“21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
1 Corinthians 1:8-9
“8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord”
Who am I in Christ?
I am hidden with Him in God.
Colossians 3:3
“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am born of God and untouchable by the evil one.
1 John 5:18
“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am being made perfect.
Philippians 1:6
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am a citizen of heaven.
Philippians 3:20-21
“20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
3. You Are Significant
Who am I in Christ?
I am a branch of the true vine.
John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am His personal witness.
Luke 24:45-49
“45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.””
1 John 5:9-12
“9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am God’s temple.
1 Corinthians 3:16
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
1 Peter 2:5
“you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Who am I in Christ?
I am God’s workmanship.
Ephesians 2:10
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Psalm 139:13-16
“13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
“The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behaviour will begin to reflect your true identity.”
– Neil T. Anderson
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Romans 12:2-3
If you want to see change in your life, you have to act out in accordance with who God says you are in Christ. You will see no growth and experience no victory if merely confess with your mouth that you believe. For it is with the heart you believe and if you believe in your heart, you are guaranteed it’s real because the heart always produces what it believes.