What is our main purpose as human-beings?

To glorify God and enjoy him for ever.

Romans 11:36
“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

1 Corinthians 10:31
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

What is our duty as human-beings?

To be obedient to Gods will.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Micah 6:8
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

What is sin?

Sin is any lack of conformity to, or breaking of, God’s law.

1 John 3:4
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Where did sin come from?

The sin whereby our first parents, the first humans (Adam and Eve) fell from the perfect state they were created in by eating the fruit forbidden to them by God.

Adam, being a representative for all of his descendants (the human race), disobeyed the instruction to not eat the forbidden fruit- not just for himself but for all mankind. Therefore, we, generation by generation as descendants of Adam, have fallen with him (meaning we are all sinners from conception). The fall brought mankind into misery, sin and death.

Genesis 2:7, 16-17
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Genesis 3:6-8, 13, 17
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden… And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat… And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”

Romans 5:12, 19
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: […] as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners[…]

What is the consequence of sin?

By falling, the human race lost communion with God, and we can no longer have a relationship with him Him. We are now under his His wrath and curse, and are liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and deserve hell forever.

Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

What is the plan of Salvation?

God in His mercy, and in His good pleasure, from all eternity, has chosen a people for everlasting life. He established a way of salvation, to deliver His chosen people from misery, sin, death and hell, by sending a Redeemer, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:4
“[…] how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

1 Timothy 2:3-6
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Who is Jesus Christ, the Redeemer?

Jesus came to earth as a man, both fully God and man, born without sin. He came from the heights of glory in heaven, to be a lowly man and live amongst us. He was under the law of God, like all of mankind, and yet He, being perfect and being God, kept God’s law to perfection. Even so, for the sake of God’s chosen people, He endured the wrath of God on their behalf, died for them on the cross, taking the punishment of sin for them, and was buried, being under the power of death for a time.

Luke 2:7
“And she [the Virgin Mary] brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Galatians 4:4
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”

Philippians 2:7-8
“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Hebrews 12:2-3
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

What is the resurrection of Jesus?

On the third day, Christ rose from the grave, and after 40 days, ascended back into heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus will return at the end of time, the Day of Judgement, when He will judge the living and the dead. Until then, He has sent His Holy Spirit to be with God’s chosen people until the end of time.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Mark 16:19
“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.”

2 Peter 2:9
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”

John 14:26
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

What does Jesus do for His chosen people (known as Christians) now?

Jesus offered up Himself once as a sacrifice for His people, reconciling us to God; and now sits in heaven, continually interceding on our behalf to God- that God would have mercy on us. He reveals to His people the will of God for their salvation, through His Word by the revelation of the Holy Spirit. He calls people, creating a Church (the collective chosen people of God), ruling, blessing, defending and preserving it.

Hebrews 7:24-25
“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Romans 5:10
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

John 14:26
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Ephesians 4:11-12
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”

How do you become a Christian?

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Jeremiah 29:13
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

The message of Jesus Christ (the gospel) is to be preached to all people. God in His power and by his grace (through His Word and the Holy Spirit), reveals to them that they are miserable hell-deserving sinners and cannot save themselves. They acknowledge their sin and the consequences of those sins by confession and repentance. Repentance means sorrow for sin, asking forgiveness and turning away from sin. God further reveals to them the saving power of Jesus Christ, that by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross their sins are forgiven. God gives them new desires, persuading and enabling them to know more of Jesus Christ, and to know Him as their Saviour.

When God’s people come to Him in repentance for their sin, asking through faith, for Jesus Christ to be their Saviour, this means they have been called to Jesus by God the Father, and He accepts them as righteous in His sight, because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:38
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”

Acts 3:19
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,”

Acts 26:18
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

What happens after we become a Christian?

We are adopted into God’s family, and are renewed so that we are not like we once were. This adoption takes place as Jesus died for us, taking the punishment of our sin and thereby making us right in God’s sight. By God’s grace we are called the children of God, and as His children, we are renewed; we are made to be more and more a reflection of God’s image, and to live more according to God’s righteousness and be weaned from sin.

Romans 6:4-6
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

Romans 8:17
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Ephesians 4:23-24
“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Philippians 1:6
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

1 John 3:1
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Faith in Jesus Christ is saving grace whereby sinners rely upon Him alone for salvation as He is proclaimed in the gospel.

Ephesians 2:8-9
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Philippians 3:9
“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

Galatians 2:16
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

What is the Christian’s reward?

When believers (those who have faith in Jesus Christ as their Saviour) die, their soul (the eternal spirit created within us at conception), is made perfect and holy. All the sin and misery of this life is left behind. Their souls pass immediately into glory to be united with Christ; their bodies being left behind in this world until they are resurrected at the end of time, on the Day of Judgement.

On that Day, believers both alive at the time and the bodies of those whose souls have already passed into Heaven, will be united and admitted into heaven, and they will be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God for all eternity.

Philippians 3:21
“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

1 John 3:2
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

1 Peter 1:3-5
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

What will happen to those who aren’t Christians?

The Bible tells us that when they die the souls of all mankind deserves to be cast into Hell for ever. For those that are Christians, Jesus has taken the punishment of hell for them when He suffered and died on the cross, meaning they will be spared the torments of hell and be given the blessings of God in heaven (see 1 Peter 1:3-5).

For those that have no faith or belief in Jesus Christ as their Saviour when they die their souls will be cast into hell forever. In Hell there is no goodness or love, only torment and no way out or appeals process.

At the last day, the Day of Judgement, their bodies will be resurrected, the same as those who are Christians, but rather than their bodies going to heaven, their bodies will be re-united with their souls in hell.

Luke 16:22-25
“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham [in heaven] afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

Acts 24:15
“And have hope toward God…that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”

John 5:28-29
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”