My husband and I love studying the Bible with whoever might be willing to do so. Recently we have conducted bible studies at different times with two different people.
As usual, we begin with establishing the fact that the Bible is our one and only authority in religious matters. We go over scriptures such as John 12:48, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him-the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day,” 2 Peter 1:3, “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him…,” and Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…”
We also discuss how the implanted word is able to save our souls (James 1:21).
Next, we discuss rightly dividing the word (2 Tim. 2:15), and how the New Testament is the law now binding for Christians today (Heb. 8-10; Gal. 3:19, 24-25; 5:4). We show that God nailed the old law to the cross (Col. 2:14).
We teach about the church that Jesus said He would build in Matt. 16:18 and how we are to speak the same thing and have no divisions among us (I Cor. 1:10-13). We reiterate the fact that Jesus prayed for all to be one so the world would believe (Jn. 17:20-21). We share the words of the apostle Paul in Eph. 4:4-6 about one body and one faith.
Finally, we give the numerous examples in the Bible of those who became Christians and were added to the church (Acts 2:38, 41, 47). We share the account of the eunuch (Acts 8:26-39), Saul (Acts 9, 22, 26), Lydia (Acts 16), and several others.
When, at the end of the study with the young man, the question was asked, “Are you ready to obey God and become a Christian,” he replied, “Yes, I want to be baptized right now!” This man believed in Christ, he knew he was not pleasing to God (thus repentance), and he wanted to succumb to the final step that would put him into Christ (Gal. 3:27).
We shared this same study with a lady a couple of weeks later. But, we were so saddened when we heard her reply to the same question, “Are you ready to obey God and become a Christian?” Her answer was, “I will never change. I know I am saved.” (She said she had been saved when she saw a golden light above someone’s head). “I love my church family and I would never leave them.”
Our conclusion was that this lady had no regard for the words of the Bible. She had seen and read all of the above mentioned scriptures, but to no avail.
For those who deny that one must obey, please consider this: “He (Jesus) became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Heb. 5:9).
–Becky Honeycutt