
Step 1 - Believe
What does it mean to be a Christian?
While everyone is welcome to attend worship services and participate in the small group Bible studies and community outreach activities of the CCW, only those who have been saved and baptized are eligible for church membership. This lesson will discuss the essential elements of salvation, the meaning of the church ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper and will give you the opportunity to examine your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Salvation
Realizing my guilt before God, I have confessed my sin to Him, and have received the Lord Jesus Christ, who bore my sins on the cross, as my personal Savior. (COM #1)
Since nobody is perfect, why is it such a big deal that I’m a sinner? I’ve never done anything really bad. Do I really need to be saved?
Romans 3:10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;”
Isaiah 64:6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Romans 3:19-23 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
I’ve done things I’m terribly ashamed of, things that are terrible sins. How can God forgive me?
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
What about the sins I commit, after I am saved, will God punish me? Will I lose my salvation?
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
CCW provides a simple Life or Death track that explains the steps of salvation. Examine it now and the Bible verses on the back. Do you have any questions about this?
Baptism
I have been baptized by immersion, in obedience to my Lord’s command, thus signifying my union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. (COM #8)
*What does the word “baptize” mean? And why do we do it? *
The Greek word, “baptizo”, means to make whelmed, fully wet, to immerse, to place into, to dip, as when cloth is dyed. We are baptized
Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
How should I be baptized? Do I have to go under the water or is sprinkling okay? The
Matthew 3:16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
Is baptism necessary to salvation?
When should I be baptized? I was baptized as a baby, does that count?
Acts 8:36, 38 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Acts 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
I was baptized as a child, but had a conversion experience as an adult, do I need to be baptized again? Since baptism is a symbol of your union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection,
Acts 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Acts 19:3-5 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Lord’s Supper
We believe that communion is only for believers, is to be preceded by faithful self-examination, and is in remembrance of the Lord’s death until He comes. (AOF #7)
1 Corinthians 11:23-29 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
What if I’m not worthy to take the Lord’s supper?
Sanctification
I acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord of all my life, and seek to confess Him as such before others by the testimony both of life and lip. (COM #2)
What does the word “Lord” mean? ”
Romans 10:9 because, 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.
Matthew 10:32-33 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
How do I please God? What does He want?
1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 5:9, 14-15 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him… For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Matthew 5:13-14 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
I trust in the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives in my heart, to keep me, guide me, and lead me in the way of purity and holiness. (COM #3)
How can I live the Spirit-filled life? How do I know that the Holy Spirit is living inside me? The evidence of the Holy Spirit is the inner witness that you
Why is the Holy Spirit so important to living the Christian life? He is our comforter, protector, provider, power, teacher, convictor, and guide.
Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Ephesians 5:17-21 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Galatians 5:14-16 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Personal Testimony
Jesus often told people to “go and tell” after they had an encounter with Him. When you tell what has happened to you, you are being a “witness”, you are “testifying” or giving a “testimony”. It is important to share with others what God has done for you. It is not unusual for you to feel so full with joy so that you can’t keep quiet about the good things happening to you! It is also common for people to struggle with the words to describe this very new relationship with Jesus Christ.
The woman at the well gives us an example of sharing our testimony.
John 4:28-29 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”
If you have been forgiven by Jesus, then you have a story to tell, a witness to give. In three simple steps, you can share your testimony.
Step 1: Think about what your life was like without Christ. Before I met Christ,
Step 2: Think about how you came to know and trust in Christ. What people and circumstances were involved? I came to know Christ when
Step 3: And lastly, think about how your life has been changed and the difference you’ve experienced after Christ. Since I’ve had my sins forgiven by asking Jesus to be my Savior,
Take a minute and briefly share your testimony with the person sitting next to you.
The CCW operates according to its Church Constitution and Bylaws which include the Articles of Faith (AOF) and the Covenant of Church Membership (COM). As we give you a copy, please take it home with you and please read it carefully over the course of this class. We want you to become familiar with the AOF and COM. Please feel free to ask any questions regarding these documents at the end of each lesson.