A CHRISTIAN WORKER’S RESOURCE

This section includes:

Mining the Treasures of the Life Application Study Bible

How to Become a Christian

As a believer, you will have the opportunity to talk to others about your faith. At times you will find a person who wants to know how he or she can become a Christian. Following is a guide you can use to help a person understand what it means to begin a relationship with Christ.

FACT: You were created by a loving God. You have great value. God loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you.

SET-UP: Explain to the person that the world tells us that we are accidents of nature. We began as ooze in a pond, evolved into apes, and finally into humans. We live, we die, so we should grab for all we can get in this life—after all, that’s the only way to fulfillment. In contrast, the Bible tells us that we are not accidents. We were created by a loving God who knew about us before we were born. We are here for a purpose, and we can find ultimate fulfillment by finding a relationship with him.

Read the following verses and make the following points:

God created you.

Psalm 139:13-16. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

God knew you before you were born—even while you were in your mother’s womb. He knew all about your family and your life until now. [Be sensitive that some people have had difficult circumstances in their lives. Explain that God has not been absent, but has been drawing this person to himself.] He wants to give you a brand new start and a new way of living. He can do that when you give him your life. Why would you do that? Because . . .

God wants to have a personal relationship with you.

John 17:3. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

God is not some “force,” an unspeaking or unseeing idol, or merely another name for your own self-esteem. Instead, God is a person, your Creator, who created you to be in relationship with him. Why? Because . . .

God loves you.

John 3:16. For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

You can turn your life over to God’s control because he loves you and wants the very best for you. In fact, he loves you so much that he gave his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for you. I’ll explain more about that in a minute. I just want you to realize that when you trust God, you are actually trusting the One who created you. When you turn your life over to him, you are giving your life to the One who knows you inside out. Don’t you think that’s a good place to put your trust?

FACT: Your sin keeps you from having a personal relationship with God.

SET-UP: Most people don’t understand the concept of sin. We live in a fairly amoral world that believes each person can decide what is right, what is true, and what is “moral”—whatever that might mean. Television and movies don’t help with their portrayals of happy people blatantly living sinful lives. You will probably need to explain that God has set some standards about right and wrong, and that there is such a thing as “sin.”

What is sin?

James 4:17. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

1 John 3:4. Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.

God is holy and perfect; people are sinful. You probably know that for yourself—if you tried to be perfect for a day, you’d quickly discover that you couldn’t do it. [Here, you can draw a picture of a chasm, with a stick figure on one side and the word “God” on the other. Put the word “sin” in the chasm and explain further.] Sin means not understanding or even caring about what is “right.” You defy God when you know what is right and then refuse to do it.

Who has sinned?

Romans 3:23. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 5:17. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.

The Bible says “everyone has sinned.” We simply cannot help it—we’re human. When Adam sinned (way back in the Garden of Eden in the book of Genesis), sin entered the human race and sinfulness is part of our natures. You might be asking, “So what?”

What’s so bad about sin?

Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death.

Isaiah 59:2. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.

Sin leads to death. That’s a big problem! Because God is perfect, he cannot have anything to do with us because we are sinners. He wants to have a personal relationship with us but he can’t because of sin! So what did God do?

FACT: Only through Jesus Christ can you have a personal relationship with God.

SET-UP: Sometimes people don’t understand the concept of having a “relationship” with a being they cannot see or touch. Yet it is a reality. That’s why Jesus Christ came. He was a human being who lived on this earth so that we could understand what God is like. At this point you may discover that the person has lots of questions (for example, “How can God be God and also Jesus?”), the details of which can send you off the point. If that happens, explain that you don’t have all of the answers to some of those kinds of questions—in fact, some questions are simply unanswerable because we humans cannot completely understand God and how he works. Explain that having a relationship with Christ is a spiritual reality that must be experienced, and that doing so will answer a lot of questions. The key questions to deal with at this point in the discussion include:

Why Jesus Christ?

John 14:6—Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Remember how God can’t have anything to do with us because of sin? Well, he decided to deal with our sin. Problem was, he had made it clear throughout the Old Testament that sin leads to death. In the Old Testament, people sacrificed animals as a way to show how sorry they were for their sins. And that was only temporary. God’s plan all along was to send his Son, Jesus—a perfect human being—to be the final and ultimate sacrifice.

Why did Jesus have to die?

1 Peter 3:18. Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

Jesus died to take the penalty our sins deserved. In essence, he took our punishment so that we wouldn’t have to! Now, because of Jesus, the way is prepared for us to be able to have a personal relationship with a holy God. [At this point, you can draw a cross in the chasm, connecting the two sides. On the cross, write the word “Jesus.” This visually shows that Jesus is the only way to God. Also add that Jesus did not stay dead. He rose from the dead, which is a promise to us that we will also rise from the dead and go to heaven to be with him.] So what do you need to do next?

FACT: You must personally respond by trusting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

SET-UP: The fact of salvation means nothing unless a person accepts it for himself or herself. Emphasize that even if the person grew up in church, he or she still needs to accept Jesus personally. Also emphasize that even if the person has led a terrible life, no one is too bad for God—a person does not have to “clean up his act” before coming to Christ. In fact, Jesus died to take away all that sin and to help the person start anew. So emphasize that being good is not good enough, yet no one is too bad to be able to be forgiven—God wants all people to come to him. All people need to trust in Jesus in order to be saved. So what kind of response should a person have? Talk about the following:

You respond with belief in Christ.

Romans 10:9-10. 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. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

You simply need to believe. That doesn’t mean that you don’t have any questions or that you understand everything. It simply means recognizing that you are indeed a sinner in need of a Savior. You recognize that you cannot be good enough for a perfect God on your own. And you understand that God loved you so much that he sent Jesus to save you. If you believe that, say so.

You respond by receiving Christ.

John 1:12. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

“Receiving Christ” means acknowledging your belief in Christ, inviting him to come into your life, turning to God from your present way of living (repentance), and then beginning the adventure of letting God direct your life! And the moment you ask, it’s done. Jesus has come in!

QUESTION: Would you like to accept Jesus as your Savior?

SET-UP: If the person is ready, explain that he or she can express belief and trust in Christ through prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God. He knows what a person means even when it is difficult to express. Tell the person that he or she may use their own words, or they can repeat the following prayer after you:

Dear God, I know that my sin has separated me from you. Thank you that Jesus Christ died in my place. I ask Jesus to forgive my sin and to come into my life. Please begin to direct my life. Thank you for giving me eternal life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

That’s it! You can officially welcome this person into God’s family—your new brother or sister in Christ!

Just as a baby is not born and then left to fend for himself, so a newborn believer in God’s family needs some guidance. As the one who introduced him or her to Christ, you should attempt to help this new believer grow. The following pages will show you how.

How to Follow Up with a New Believer

Helping a New Believer Take the Next Steps in the Christian Life

If you have had the privilege of helping someone make the step of faith and accept Jesus as Savior, you want to continue that relationship if possible by offering some help to that new believer about the basics of the Christian faith. Your friend may wonder: “What does ‘being a Christian’ mean? How does it make a difference in my life? What should I be doing differently from now on?” This section gives you fourteen discussion points to use with a new believer. You don’t need to (and shouldn’t) cover all of these points in one sitting. These are designed to be discussion points that you can use over the course of several weeks as part of discipling someone in understanding the basic tenets of the Christian faith and ways they can keep growing.

Tell your friend that you would like to get together regularly (in person, by phone, by e-mail, by instant messaging, whatever works) over the next few weeks to talk about the next steps in his or her walk with God. After you’ve worked out a schedule, give the person a first assignment—to get a Bible (if he or she doesn’t already have one—or doesn’t have one in an easy-to-read translation). You might offer to go with the person, as the first trip to a Christian bookstore and its wide array of Bibles can be a bit daunting. Or even better—purchase a Bible yourself and give it as a gift. Also ask the person to get a journal in which to record some of the material you will be sharing as well as some of his or her own thoughts.

You can use each numbered point below as a basis for each meeting, or divide up the material as you wish. Read the Bible verses. As you meet together, help your friend find the verses in the Bible and underline them. Encourage him or her to ask whatever questions come to mind. You may not know all the answers. If you don’t, be honest and say, “I don’t know the answer to that question, but I’ll do some research and see what I can find out.” Then do what you can to try to answer that question to the best of your ability.

Also realize that God will do his work in his timing. Don’t expect a new believer to suddenly get rid of all vices (not swear anymore, quit smoking, and change his or her wardrobe the very next day after accepting Christ). Part of your discipleship process will be to help him or her learn how to be sensitive to God’s leading. You will need to be sensitive as well—to know what to say and when to say it, and what not to say until the time is right. Commit yourself to praying daily for this new believer!

Here are the points to discuss:

1. You can be assured of your salvation.

You recently became a Christian, but you may have experienced doubts about what really happened to you. So I want to share with you some assurances that God gives in the Bible.

God assures you that Jesus Christ has come into your life.

John 14:20. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

God assures you that your sins have been forgiven.

Colossians 2:13-14. God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

God assures you that you have eternal life.

1 John 5:13. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

ASSIGNMENT: In your journal, write a description of when, where, and how you became a Christian. Make a note of the assurances that God has given you today.

2. You can know that you are loved unconditionally.

No matter what else may be going on in your life, no matter what acceptance or rejection you may be facing from others, you can know that God has completely accepted you and loves you unconditionally.

God loves you, chose you, and adopts you into his own family.

Ephesians 1:4-5. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

ASSIGNMENT: Write about what it means to you to be a part of God’s family and to be loved unconditionally.

3. You have a new life in Christ.

What’s next? God has given you a new life, but don’t expect to be different all at once. Just as a new baby has to grow and learn, so God is going to work in you and help you to grow.

You have begun a relationship that will continue the rest of your life.

Colossians 2:6-7. And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

ASSIGNMENT: Write how it feels to know that God has given you a new life. What does that mean to you personally?

4. You have the privilege of prayer.

Just as good friends can talk to each other, so God, your heavenly Father, wants you to talk to him. And, while you may not understand it right now, you’ll find that he “talks” to you as well.

You can pray to God about anything and everything. He wants to hear from you.

Philippians 4:6. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

ASSIGNMENT: Commit yourself to getting used to talking to God. Start out with about three minutes a day of focused time talking to God. Talk to him as you would to a friend. In your journal, begin a list of the things you’re talking to God about and the concerns that you’re bringing to him.

5. You have the treasure of God’s Word.

When you buy a new gadget, you usually get an instruction manual. With your new life in Christ, you need God’s instruction manual, the Bible. In fact, the communication you “hear” from God will often come as you read his Word.

You can trust God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:16. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

ASSIGNMENT: Commit yourself to spending five minutes a day reading the Bible. Begin in the book of Mark (in the New Testament) and read about Jesus. As a result of something you read, write in your journal something you learned or something you need to do.

6. You have a great friend in Jesus, so get to know him!

As you’re reading in the book of Mark, you’ve been learning more about Jesus. In essence, Jesus is God put into focus for human eyes. Jesus came in order to show us God and then to take the punishment for our sins.

Only because of Jesus do you have a personal relationship with God.

Colossians 1:19-20. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

ASSIGNMENT: Write a prayer to Jesus, thanking him for all he did for you.

7. You have a new lifestyle.

A good foundation is essential for a house to stand strong. Jesus wants you to know that obeying God will give your life a solid foundation.

You show your love for Jesus by doing as he says.

John 14:15. If you love me, obey my commandments.

Philippians 2:13. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

ASSIGNMENT: In your journal, write one area of your life where you are obeying God and one where you think you are not. Ask God to show you what he wants you to do, and then to give you the strength to do it.

8. God will help you to follow and obey him.

As a Christian, you have been given the Holy Spirit. He will give you insight into what God is like and what he wants you to do.

God gives you his Holy Spirit to enable you to live the Christian life.

John 14:26. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

ASSIGNMENT: Write down one question that you’d like the Holy Spirit to help you with. Now take a couple of minutes and just talk to God about it.

9. You can resist temptation.

Becoming a Christian is like switching sides in a battle. You used to be on Satan’s side and now you’re on God’s side—and Satan isn’t happy about it! He wants to try to trip you up and tempt you to disobey God.

You’re not alone in temptation. God promises to show the way out.

1 Corinthians 10:13. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

ASSIGNMENT: List three temptations that Satan often uses on you. Now thank God ahead of time that he will show you how not to give in next time.

10. You can continue to receive forgiveness.

As a child in God’s family, you’ll still mess up. But God’s love for you is so great that he will continue to forgive you.

When you mess up, go to God and ask him to forgive you.

1 John 1:9. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

ASSIGNMENT: Write down ways that you have disobeyed God recently. Look at each one and confess it through prayer. Then cross out each sin. Let this remind you of God’s loving forgiveness. Commit to obey him in the future.

11. You have the privilege of worship.

When you became a Christian, you joined a family—sometimes called “the body of Christ,” which means you’re now “related” to Christians all over the world! You need to join a portion of that family by beginning to attend a local church.

You need the church to help you continue to grow.

Hebrews 10:25. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

ASSIGNMENT: Go with some friends or family to church this week. List two ways you worshiped God.

12. You can let others know about what Christ has done for you.

If you found a really great doctor, or a helpful mechanic, or even a terrific diet, you probably would tell your closest friend about it. Since you’ve found the One who forgives sin and gives you a new life, don’t you think that’s something you ought to share?

The news you have to share is the best news anyone could hear!

Romans 1:16. For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

ASSIGNMENT: Write down the name of one person who needs to know Jesus Christ. Start praying for that person to become a Christian. Ask a Christian friend to pray with you for the person and to help you learn how to share your faith with him or her.

13. Take time to memorize Scripture.

To fight a battle you need powerful equipment. The Holy Spirit will use the power of God’s Word like a sword to defeat Satan. A great strategy is to memorize Scripture so you always have it with you.

Memorized verses will give you comfort and help you in temptation.

Ephesians 6:17. Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

ASSIGNMENT: Review the verses you’ve underlined in your Bible. Choose one or two favorites and begin to memorize them.

14. Realize your long-term goal—to be like Christ.

You’ve been a Christian for a short time now, and you’re learning that you have a lifelong relationship with Christ. So what’s your long-range goal? Becoming like Christ!

Fortunately, you don’t do this alone. God works in you to help you become more like his Son.

Philippians 1:6. And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Psalm 119:105. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

ASSIGNMENT: Make a list of at least five ways you want to become more like Jesus. Spend time asking God to help you. Remind yourself to read this part of your journal in one month to check on your spiritual growth.

Mining the Treasures of the Life Application Study Bible

As a believer in Christ, you will often be asked questions about your faith—sometimes these are from honest seekers with tough questions that have bothered them; sometimes they’re questions used by the questioners in hopes of tripping you up. In either case, it helps to be prepared with answers, or at least to know where to find the answers. The Life Application Study Bible notes were written not only to help explain the contents of the Bible and to get people started in thinking about application, but also to answer some of these key questions.

The treasures are here, and so we have mined them for you by guiding you to the notes that best answer questions in the following twenty-five categories. The references noted after each question are for the note(s) that will best help you to answer that question. (A number in parentheses indicates that there is more than one note on that particular Scripture.)

BELIEF

Why should I believe? See notes on Genesis 15:6; Exodus 9:12.

What does it mean to “believe” in Jesus? See note on John 3:16 (3).

BIBLE

Why should I read the Bible? See notes on 2 Chronicles 17:7-9; 34:31; Psalm 119:19.

Why should I trust the Bible? See notes on Psalm 33:4; Proverbs 16:22; 2 Peter 1:16-21.

Why do you call the Bible God’s Word? See note on 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

How is the Bible different from other religious literature? See note on 2 Timothy 3:16.

CHURCH

How should I choose a church? See notes on 1 Corinthians 3:10-11; 1 Peter 5:8-9.

If eternal life is free, what’s this 10 percent I keep hearing about? See notes on Deuteronomy 14:22-23; 2 Corinthians 8:10-15; 8:12 (1 and 2).

Isn’t participation in church optional? See note on Luke 4:16.

DEATH

What happens when people die? See notes on Hebrews 2:14-15 (1 and 2); 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.

How can I be ready to die? See notes on Genesis 50:24; Psalm 23:4.

DEVIL

Is the devil real? See notes on Job 1:6-12; Matthew 4:1 (2).

What does the devil do? See notes on Genesis 3:5; 3:6.

How powerful is the devil? See note on Joshua 6:2-5.

FAITH

How strong does my faith have to be? See notes on Matthew 17:17-20; Luke 17:6; Romans 14:1ff.

Is faith enough? That seems too easy. See notes on 2 Kings 5:12; Matthew 3:9-10; Philippians 3:2-3 (2); James 2:1ff.

How can I tell others about my faith? See notes on Exodus 3:16-17; Revelation 1:5-6.

FORGIVENESS

How can I know that God forgives me? See notes on Psalm 32:1-2; Isaiah 1:18; Hebrews 10:17; 1 John 1:9 (1).

FUTURE

What can God tell me about the future? See notes on Job 19:25-27; Matthew 24:3ff; John 14:19-21; Revelation 21:7-8; 22:20.

How is the world going to end? See notes on Mark 13:5-7; Luke 12:40; 1 John 2:18-23.

GOD

What is God really like? See notes on Genesis 1:1; 18:14; Numbers 14:17-20; Deuteronomy 27:15-26; Psalm 34:9-10; 36:5-8; 99:5; John 14:5-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.

What are idols and what’s wrong with them? See notes on Exodus 20:1-6; 32:4-5; 1 Kings 18:29.

Isn’t God only all about rules? See note on Isaiah 5:11-13.

GOSPEL

What is the gospel? See notes on Matthew 4:23-24; John 3:16 (1); Romans 1:3-5; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

GRACE

What is grace? See note on Ephesians 1:7-8.

How important it is to have God’s grace? See note on Nehemiah 9:28-31.

HEAVEN/HELL

What does the Bible really say about heaven? See notes on Mark 12:24; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 1 Peter 2:11.

What does the Bible really say about hell? See notes on Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Jude 1:7; Revelation 20:14.

HOLY SPIRIT

Who is the Holy Spirit? See notes on Psalm 48:14; John 14:15-16; 14:17ff; Acts 1:5.

JESUS

How do we know Jesus wasn’t just a really great teacher? See notes on Matthew 17:5; Luke 24:6-7 (2); John 5:31ff; Philippians 2:5-11 (1).

What do you mean when you say Jesus is God? See notes on Hebrews 1:1-2; 1:3 (1).

What did Jesus do for me? See notes on Mark 15:31; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:12-14; Hebrews 9:22.

LIFE

What does God really want from me? See notes on Numbers 9:23; Judges 21:25; Proverbs 13:6; Ecclesiastes 1:8-11; 1 John 4:20-21.

Doesn’t God want me to be perfect? How can I do that? See notes on Matthew 5:48; Romans 5:20; Hebrews 10:14.

How can I “commit” my life to God? See notes on Proverbs 16:3; 1 Peter 1:14-16 (2).

If I am a Christian, how am I supposed to live? See notes on Exodus 23:24-25; Joshua 1:5; John 17:18; Romans 13:1ff; 1 Peter 1:8-9.

OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament seems so—old. How much of it really applies to me today? See notes on Deuteronomy 4:8; Matthew 5:17-20; Acts 21:23-24 (2).

How do the Old and New Testaments relate? See notes on Leviticus 1:2 (2); Matthew 13:52; Hebrews 3:5.

ONLY ONE WAY

How can Christians insist that Jesus is the only way to God? See notes on John 6:67-68; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 2 Timothy 4:3-5; Hebrews 10:26.

Why isn’t just being “good” good enough? See note on Colossians 1:21-22; Hebrews 7:28; 9:14.

OTHER RELIGIONS

How can you say that devout people who follow other religions are wrong? See notes on Colossians 2:20-23 (2); 2:22-23; 2 John 1:1-2; 1:3-4.

What makes Christianity any different from the rest of religions? See notes on Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 5:12; 5:13.

PRAYER

What good does prayer do? See notes on 2 Chronicles 6:19-42; Psalm 4:3; Mark 9:29.

If God knows everything, why pray? See notes on Isaiah 38:1-5; Acts 1:12-13.

How should I pray? See notes on Jonah 2:1ff; Mark 11:22-23; Hebrews 4:16; 1 John 5:14-15.

REPENTANCE/CONFESSION

Why are confession and repentance necessary? See notes on Leviticus 5:5; 2 Samuel 12:14 (1); Matthew 3:1-2 (1); 1 John 1:9 (1 and 2).

SIN

What is sin? See note on James 4:17.

Why is sin dangerous? What’s the big deal? See notes on 2 Samuel 11:1ff; 1 Kings 11:9-10; 1 Chronicles 21:13-14; 21:14; 1 Corinthians 6:12-13 (1); 1 Thessalonians 4:4-5; Revelation 9:20-21.

Why should I call myself a sinner when I can think of a lot of people who are really bad? See note on Romans 3:23.

How could a loving God send sincere people to hell? See notes on Deuteronomy 7:2; Romans 1:18-20 (1 and 2).

Can someone be too sinful to be saved? See notes on 2 Chronicles 33:12-13; Psalm 51:1ff; 51:1-7.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

What are spiritual gifts? Does everyone have one? See notes on Romans 12:6 (1); 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-12.

SUFFERING

Why do bad things happen to good people? See notes on Job 1:1ff; 2:10; Acts 12:2-11; Romans 8:28.

How does God help me deal with the problems in my life? See notes on Exodus 5:22-23; Job 5:17-26; Psalm 106:40-42; Philippians 1:29; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3; Hebrews 11:35-39.

TEMPTATION

How does the devil tempt me? See notes on Luke 4:3 (1 and 2).

Why does the devil tempt me? See note on Genesis 3:1-6.

At what point does temptation become sin? See note on Matthew 4:1ff (1).

How do I handle temptation? See notes on Matthew 26:40-41; Luke 4:1-13; 1 Corinthians 10:13.

TRINITY

Why isn’t the Trinity like believing in three gods? See notes on Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; Acts 1:4-5.

So You’ve Been Asked to Speak . . .

Chances are you’re going to find yourself faced with the task of leading a Bible study, giving a devotional, offering a short talk, or teaching a Sunday school class. Or perhaps you will be given the responsibility for leading a small group study and you won’t know where to begin.

The Life Application Study Bible is an inexhaustible resource of information. If you follow some of the steps and hints below, you’ll be able to put together a talk that is both informative and challenging—to any audience, at any time.

Ways to Use the Life Application Study Bible as a Research Tool

Using the Master Index

If you need to cover a topic, take a quick trip to the Master Index and look up the topic. There you will find notes on that topic (with a phrase that gives you an idea of the content of the note) as well as any charts or personality profiles on that topic. (See the Sample Lesson on the next page to get an idea how this would work.)

Focusing on a Book of the Bible

For studying a Bible book, the Life Application Study Bible has plenty of overview material to help. Simply start at the beginning of the book you’re studying. For example, if you’re working through Jonah with your Bible study group or preparing to speak about that book, use the introductory material to get a sense of the time frame, the author and reason for writing, and an introduction that places the book into a contemporary setting. Study the Blueprint to understand how the book is laid out. Read the Megathemes and discover the main themes of that book and their importance. Many books also include overview maps with key events noted to give you the geographical context and flow.

Focusing on a Particular Passage

If you have been assigned a verse or passage of Scripture to discuss, use the life application notes, cross-references, and section headings to help you put the passage into context. If you don’t find a note on that particular verse, consider the topic that you want to discuss and go to the index to look up the topic and other notes that will give further insight.

Using the Cross-References

The cross-references are an often-missed resource. For example, if you’re studying the life of David or of Solomon, you can use the cross-references in the inside column beside the text to send you to the same account recorded in 2 Samuel or in 1 Chronicles.

Studying the Personality Profiles

The Personality Profiles are a nearly inexhaustible resource of study ideas. For instance, in a women’s Bible study, you could work your way through the profiles of women. Or you could study the profiles ahead of time and do a topical study based on the life lessons for various women (using them like case studies). You can study all the people in a particular book, compare various kings or apostles, or even study the Bible characters by age (for example, choosing some of the more elderly faithful followers, such as Simeon and Anna, for an older group).

Employing the Charts as Visual Aids

The charts are designed to be simple and to summarize Bible data and teachings. They will give you an overview of a topic either from a specific book or the Bible as a whole. You could do an entire study from one chart or series of charts. For example, the charts in Proverbs pull together scattered verses on similar topics. These would be helpful in discussing key topics covered in Proverbs. In addition, the Bible includes several large charts that give sweeping overviews on various topics.

Seeing the Big Picture of Jesus by Using the Harmony of the Gospels

In studying a Gospel or the life of Christ, the Harmony of the Gospels presents his story in chronological order (the events are numbered, and the numbers also appear in the text) and will show you where the same stories appear in other Gospels. (The Harmony of the Gospels is located after the Gospel of John.) In addition, none of the footnotes have been repeated—so the notes you read in Matthew on the feeding of the five thousand will be different from the notes you read about that same story elsewhere. Use the Harmony to help you get a full picture of an event by seeing it from the different perspectives of all who wrote about the same event. Read the same accounts in different Gospels. Notice the differing details. Consider the point of view of the authors.

Getting a Wider Perspective by Using the Harmony of Kings and Chronicles

In a study of the books of Kings or Chronicles, the Harmony of the Kings and Chronicles (located between the books of 1 and 2 Kings) will give you a visual timeline for when the various kings ruled, tell whether accounts of their reigns are recorded in other books, and show the prophet who was preaching at the time. Similarly, if you’re studying any of the prophetic books, you can use the Harmony to learn about what was going on in the kingdom to which the prophet had been called to speak. This will give you great insight into why the prophet spoke as he did.

Sampling the Maps

If your group is interested in maps, use the maps in the Gospels (in conjunction with the Harmony) to trace Jesus’ steps throughout his ministry. Use the maps of Paul’s journeys and follow his footsteps across Asia Minor and on to Rome. Use the maps in Genesis to help your readers visualize the whereabouts of the people they are studying.

Those are just a few suggestions for using the resources in the Life Application Study Bible. The following section takes you through steps for planning a topical talk using the Master Index.

A Sample Lesson in Six Easy Steps

You’ve been given the assignment to give a talk to a group about the importance of prayer in a Christian’s life.

STEP ONE: Pray.

Begin by asking God to guide you as you put together your talk. Ask him to give you insight and wisdom. Ask him to guide the process and give you the right words to say.

STEP TWO: Anticipate questions.

List questions your group might have about this topic, focusing on particular issues that may be important to them at this time. (For example, if a family is facing a difficult illness and God doesn’t seem to be answering their request, you will need to be prepared to discuss the issue of unanswered prayer.)

STEP THREE: Prepare an outline.

Keeping in mind the questions from step two, begin an outline. Three points are usually good. Give an introduction (an anecdote, a question, an example). List the three points you want to make about prayer. Give an application-oriented conclusion (see the article, “Taking the Step to Application” on the following pages).

STEP FOUR: Go to the Master Index.

Look up “Prayer” in the Master Index. You’ll find a long list of notes on various verses. Whittle it down by looking at the topic sentence for each note; then jot down the locations of notes you think might fit into your outline. Also notice that the Master Index lists three charts that focus on prayer and three Personality Profiles that include life lessons on the topic of prayer. Make a note of the page numbers for these.

STEP FIVE: Read the passages, notes, and other helpful materials.

Now refer to your jotted list and read the notes, charts, and profiles. When you find Bible verses and significant points in the notes that you want to use, write them on your three-point outline.

STEP SIX: Put it all together.

Now make your points flow together. Write transition sentences between points. Finally, add a conclusion that challenges your listeners to take the message to heart and let it make a difference in their lives.

Taking the Step to Application

Whether you are studying the Bible for yourself or teaching it to others, moving toward application is the most important part of the studying and teaching process. You see, just having information about what is in the Bible is not enough (even Satan knew enough of the Bible to be able to quote it—Matthew 4:1–11). Understanding the context or the concepts is not enough. Even being able to see that it is relevant to today’s world is not enough. For the Bible to really make a difference in our lives, we need to (1) receive the message personally, (2) reflect on our lives and identify what needs to change as a result of God’s Word, and (3) lay out a plan to make that change. Taking the step to application means that we finish our Bible study or go away from a lesson asking:

Now that I know what God wants me to do, how am I going to start doing it?

Application is the step between knowing what the Bible says and doing what it says. While the truths of the Bible never change, people’s life situations are different and are constantly changing. You must continue to study the Bible and learn the new things God wants you to learn. And when you teach, you may be able to tell your listeners how you are applying certain principles from God’s Word, but at the same time you need to give them the tools and the opportunity to apply the Bible to their own life situations. So how do you do that? We have developed a Bible study system called the Pyramid. Using the nine sets of questions in the Pyramid, you will be able to study the Bible and then apply its principles more practically and thoroughly to your personal life situations.

Each step is described in detail below, followed by the questions you should ask yourself as you work your way over the Pyramid toward application. After point 5, at the top of the Pyramid, we offer an example of how your study might look. Then follow points 6 to 9 down the other side of the Pyramid. We have provided an example here as well although these points will vary greatly for each individual.

1. People

Begin by identifying the people in the passage, the characters who are actively involved. Sometimes no specific individuals or groups will be named (such as when you’re reading Proverbs or Romans). But don’t forget the author and the original audience. Note the people and learn something about them. (For example, if you’re reading Isaiah’s message to Moab, look up the “Moabites” in the Master Index and read the notes to better understand the people in this passage.) So you should ask,

• Who are all the people in this passage?

• How are these people like people in my world?

• What characteristics of these people do I see in myself?

2. Place

Next, consider Place. This step puts the passage in its original setting, the historical and cultural context. You can learn about Place by again using the Master Index and looking up the notes (and often the maps). The more you know about the culture, history, and problems of the people in the passage, the more you will be able to find parallels to your life today. Ask,

• What is the setting of this passage?

• What are the significant details in the history, culture, and geography?

• What are the similarities to my world?

3. Plot

This step answers “What’s happening?” Usually you can discover this by the context of the passage and book. The notes in the section you’re reading will also help you to unravel the plot of a particular passage. Ask,

• What is happening in this passage?

• What is the conflict or tension?

• What would I have done in this situation?

• How is this similar to what is happening in my life or in the world today?

4. Point

Before you can determine what something in the Bible means for you today, you must first ascertain the meaning for the original audience. The events recorded in the Bible happened to real people at specific times in history. Real audiences heard the parables, and real churches received the epistles. Therefore, carefully consider the cultural context (what you learned in the first three steps) to find the particular lessons that God wanted to teach these people. A clear understanding of the Point can prevent damaging misapplication and is invaluable for determining the timeless truths in the passage. To determine the Point, ask,

• What was the intended message for the original audience?

• What did the people in the passage learn?

• What did God want them to do?

• What was God’s solution to the problem?

5. Principles

The next step is to determine what transferable principles are embedded in the passage. The Point and Principles may be exactly the same—or may be indirectly related. The Principles are the distilled essence of a passage. You should ask,

• What is the message for all of humankind?

• What are the timeless truths?

• What is the moral of the story?

Here are possible answers for Acts 27:27–44 for the first five steps up the Bible study Pyramid.

PEOPLE: Luke (the author, included in the “we” passage), Paul, the sailors, other prisoners, soldiers guarding the other prisoners, the army officer guarding Paul (Julius, see 27:1), God.

PLACE: on ship, sailing across the Adriatic Sea (27:27), near the island of Malta (28:1), during a terrible storm, as Paul and other Roman prisoners were being taken to Rome for trial; the journey was undertaken “late in the fall” (Acts 27:9), so it may have been October, a time when dangerous storms could arise suddenly.

PLOT: Paul had warned that the trip would be disastrous (27:9-10), but the pilot and officer didn’t listen and determined to sail anyway. When the terrible storm arose, Paul encouraged everyone (27:22) and told them what to do; this time the Roman crew listened (27:31-38). Paul also thanked God in front of everyone (27:35). When the ship began to break up, the soldiers were about to kill their prisoners (so they wouldn’t escape), but the officer guarding Paul stopped them (27:43).

POINT: Paul was confident of God’s protection and care, even during a life-threatening storm. This confidence freed Paul to encourage others, even his captors, and to give a clear testimony of his faith in Christ.

PRINCIPLES: God is present and in control of all our “storms”; we can take courage and have hope because we know that God is with us and he cares for us. Even when we are going through difficult times, we should encourage and help others and give clear evidence of our faith.

Now you’ve made it up one side of the Pyramid. The path to the top of the Pyramid narrows to a single point and a few principles, but the paths going down the other side are diverse and varied for each person and for each situation. Points 6 to 9 are as follows:

6. Present

This step expands the areas of application for the Point and Principles that you have extracted so far. A different kind of thinking is required because you are expanding possibilities and adding your life to the Principles. Here you describe the significant implications of these timeless truths for life at home, school, job, and in your neighborhood. This step brings the truth into your context, into today’s world, here and now. The meaning for the original audience may be clear, but the implications for the Present may be rich and varied. Ask,

• What do these Principles mean for my society and culture?

• How is this relevant?

• What back then is similar to today?

• How can I make the timeless truth timely?

7. Parallels

This step is similar to Present, except that it is very personal, addressing specific life situations, fears, hopes, and relationships. This is the time to explore all the areas of life where the truth might apply. Thus, you should ask,

• What does this truth mean for me?

• Where are my areas of need, conviction, and opportunity?

• Where in my life might this truth possibly apply?

8. Priorities

After surfacing application areas, select one that you consider to be most important—one that God is nudging you about. This is one of the more difficult steps—it can be easy to start rationalizing or to make excuses. But to truly get God’s Word into your life and grow as a believer, you need to listen when God speaks. In taking this step, you are answering the question, “So what?”; that is, what does this passage say about how I should change? This involves asking these tough questions:

• How should I adjust my Priorities?

• What should I change about my values, beliefs, attitudes, or character?

• What about my thoughts and motives should change?

• What kind of person does God want me to become?

9. Plan

After pinpointing what needs to change, you need to take action. You need to answer the question, “Now what?” and put truth into practice by determining to change and then making plans to live differently. Planning involves selecting a goal, breaking it down into bite-size pieces, and getting moving! These questions will help:

• What does God want me to do about what I have learned?

• What steps will get me to that goal?

• What should be my first step? How should I get started?

Here are possible answers for Acts 27:27–44 for the last four steps down the Bible study Pyramid. While the answers in Steps 1 through 5 are pretty straightforward, the answers in Steps 6 through 9 will vary greatly from person to person, so these are merely suggestions:

PRESENT: I’m not a prisoner of a foreign government being taken to trial by ship in a terrible storm, but I do have rough seas in my life. I have a conflict with my daughter’s teacher, a problem with one of my company’s clients, and other difficult situations.

PARALLELS: The main parallel to my life is Paul’s attitude in the middle of the crisis—he remained calm, gave instructions, encouraged everyone, and was a positive example of a follower of Christ. In both the problem at school and the one at work, I need to explain my case calmly and confidently. But in doing this, I should be positive and helpful, not negative, hateful, or divisive.

PRIORITIES: My natural tendency is to get angry and tell someone off when I think he or she is wrong, or to shout orders without being sensitive to the feelings of others. I think that God wants me to be more patient and understanding. Perhaps through the way I communicate, I can be a positive witness for Christ.

PLAN: With the conflict at school, I need to speak directly to the teacher (not write a letter) and explain my position carefully, calmly, and with concern for the feelings of the teacher. I will make an appointment, write out my points beforehand so I won’t get off on tangents and get upset, and carefully explain my position while letting the teacher know that I respect him.

Remember, a big difference stands between knowing and doing, and another big difference between teaching and doing. So as you begin taking the steps to application in both your personal study and in your teaching, ask yourself:

Am I doing what God wants me to do?

Am I obeying him?

Be honest in your self-evaluation. Applying the Bible begins now, with you. James wrote:

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it (James 1:22–25).

This article is adapted from Dave Veerman, How to Apply the Bible (Carol Stream, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 1993). Books are available at www.lifeapplicationbible.com.