Dedicated To The Men of God
Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are
"Preach The Word"
THE LIFE THAT WINS
(A Study for New Believers and Christians Young in the Faith)
--As given in his pastorates by Dr. R. L. Matthews--
I. SALVATION (Key verse, John 20:31)
A. All men are sinners
1. By nature (Rom. 3:10, 23; Ps. 51:5)
2. By transgression (Eph. 2:1)
B. Sin has its penalty (Rom. 6:23)
C. Christ alone is a sufficient Savior (John 3:16; 3:18; 3:36; 5:24; Rom. 5:8)
D. Our Need (John 3:5, 7)
E. What the sinner does to have salvation
1. Call on the Lord (Isa. 55:6; Matt. 11:28; Rom. 10:13)
2. Receive Christ by faith (John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Rev. 3:20)
3. Confession of sin (Isa. 55:7; Acts 2:38; Believers--l John 1:9)
II. ASSURANCE OF SALVATION (Key verse, 1 John 5:13)
A. The believer is part of the church against which Satan cannot prevail. (Matt. 16:18)
B. The believer is part of the body of Christ which cannot be broken. (1 Cor. 12:13)
C. The believer is the recipient of a promise of Christ which cannot fail. (John 5:24)
D. The believer is in the hands of a God whose power cannot be questioned. (John 10:26-29)
E. The believer has had a work begun within which God has promised to complete. (Rom. 8:28, 29; Phil. 1:6)
F. The believer is preserved for the inheritance which is reserved(1 Pet. 1:1-5)
G. The believer stands upon the authority of God's Word which is expressly written that we might have the assurance we are saved forever. (1 John 5:13)
III. BAPTISM
A. Jesus was baptized. His baptism, however, pointed to the purpose of His ministry in death, burial and resurrection. (Matt. 3:16)
B. John baptized where there was much water. (John 3:23)
C. Christ, the Risen Lord, commanded baptism. (Matt. 28:19, 20)
D. Peter commanded baptism. (Acts 2:38)
E. Philip baptized those in Samaria as well as the one from Ethiopia. (Acts 9:18)
F. Paul was baptized. (Acts 9:18)
G. Paul baptized others. (1 Cor. 1:16)
H. Others were baptized. (Acts 10:48)
I. The usage of "baptism" which means "overwhelm" or "fully submerge" is made plain by the context of Matthew 3 and Acts 8, and placed beyond all question in Romans 6:1-4. It is the outward testimony to the effect that the believer now being a member of the body of Christ has trusted Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, for his own salvation and reckons the old life as dead and by grace a new life to be lived by the power of God.
IV. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
A. The Christian life is to be differentiated from salvation. Salva- tion is the immediate possession of the believer; while the Christian life is continuous and progressive.
B. The following can be said about the Christian life:
1. It is following Christ. (John 21:22)
2. It is a walk. (Eph. 4:1)
3. It is a growth. (2 Pet. 3:18)
4. It is identification with Christ. (Col. 3:1)
5. It is Christ indwelling. (Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 3:16)
6. It is characterized by prayer, the Word, faithfulness in doctrine and fellowship and in matters of obedience. (Acts 2:42)
C. As the secret of salvation is "BELIEVE" so the secret of the Christian life is "YIELD." (Rom. 6)
V. CHRIST IN THE LIFE THAT WINS (A study of Romans 6-8)
When a doctor comes to a home, he gives the remedy and then takes time to explain details later. So Paul prescribes the remedy for all problems in the believer's life in chapter 6 in the word "yield"; he describes the defeated life in chapter 7; and he shows how the Christian life should be in chapter 8.
A. The Cure (Rom. 6)
1. God declares the believer to have died when Christ died. (Rom. 6:6)
2. The believer is to now so reckon. (Rom. 6:11)
3. The believer is to "yield" himself to God. . believe. . reckon. yield. (Rom. 6:13)
B. The Defeated Life (Rom. 7)
1. Attempted under the law, which fails. (Rom. 7:1-14)
2. Attempted' in self-strength, which fails. (Rom. 7:15-24)
3. Christ alone the secret of Christian living (Rom. 7:25)
(To live as we should we must daily trust Him in whom we trusted for our salvation in the first place.)
C. The Normal Christian Life Pleasing to God (Rom. 8)
1. No condemnation. (Rom. 8:1)
2. Free from the law of sin and death. (Rom. 8:2)
3. Indwelt by the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 8:9)
4. Guided by the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 8:14)
5. The witness of the Spirit. (Rom. 8:16)
6. Sealed by the Spirit. (Rom. 8:23)
7. Praying in the Spirit. (Rom. 8:26, 27)
VI. THE BELIEVER AND THE WORD OF GOD
It is deplorable that so many Christians live in defeat. Inevitably where there is defeat in a matter, it may be traced to lack of daily Bible reading and prayer. In a Bible presented to a young lady, her father inscribed these words: "Sin will keep you from this Book or this Book will keep you from sin."
A. Joshua and the Word
1. Joshua 1:8
2. Absorb--Observe
B. David and the Word
1. Cleansing (Ps. 119:9)
2. Power (Ps. 119:11)
3. Instruction (Ps. 119:18
4. Reviving (Ps. 119:25)
5. Strength (Ps. 119:28)
6. Comfort (Ps. 119:50)
7. Relied upon (Ps. 119:89)
8. Desired (Ps. 119:97)
9. Guide (Ps. 119:105)
C. Peter and the Word
1. Born again (1 Pet. 1:23)
2. Desire for (1 Pet. 2:2)
3. Supernatural (2 Pet. 1:19-21)
D. Paul and the Word
1. Stong meat--study
2. Heb. 5:13, 14; 2 Tim. 2:15; Phil. 2:16; Col. 3:16; Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; 1 Tim. 4:6
E. Christ and the Word
1. Matt. 4:1-11
2. John 5:39--The Scriptures testify of Him.
VII. THE BELIEVER AND PRAYER
A. Model of praying (Matt. 6:9-13)
B. Christ prayed (Luke 11:1)
C. Prayer prevents faint-heartedness (Luke 18:1)
D. Prayer wards off temptation (Luke 22:46)
E. Prayer is the evidence of salvation (Acts 9:11)
F. Deliverance through prayer (Acts 12:5)
C. Pray always (1 Thess. 5:17)
H. Conditions:
1. In Jesus name (John 14:14)
2. In faith (James 1:6)
3. Sin confessed (Ps. 66:18)
4. Asking amiss (James 4:3)
VIII. THE BELIEVER AND THE LOCAL CHURCH
A. Believers were added to the church. (Acts 2:41)
B. Most references to church in the New Testament is to the local church. (See opening verse of each epistle and Galatians and Revelation 2-3)
C. God has given pastors and deacons to the church. (Timothy and Titus).
D. The church is a company of called-out believers, baptized, keeping the ordinances, worshipping the Lord and witnessing to the end of the earth, (Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19-20). To the church God has given the global responsibility of evangelism through witnessing and missions for that generation. Therefore, every believer should seek out a church true to the Word, unite, and in dedication of self to God (Rom. 12:1-2) fit into God's plan for service through the church in this age.
E. Every Christian should be faithful at church (Heb. 10:25); should witness to others about Jesus Christ (Matt. 4:19; Acts 1:8); and should give liberally to God of his substance (Mal. 3:10; 2 Cor. 16:1).
Your church has an active program of outside services such as jail services, infirmary meetings, mission meetings, etc. It has an active growing Sunday School. On Sunday nights young people meet; a real time of fellowship and blessing is afforded. The more you are able to take advantage of all phases of Christian service, the stronger Christian you will become. "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; Only what's done for Christ will last."
If you have any special talent, we would like to know about it so that YOUR life and talent may be used to the glory of God somewhere in connection with the testimony for Christ.
We urge every member to take a clear-cut stand of separation unto Christ from habits, pleasures and all forms of sin which would hinder your Christian testimony; to be faithful to all services, including prayer meeting; and to begin early in Christian experience the blessed privilege of proving God by regular tithing as seen in Malachi 3:10.
We stand ever ready to assist anyone in need. May the Lord make your life a strong asset to the testimony of the church.
FROM THE LATE DR. R.L. MATTHEWS
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