Coming out the world and becoming a fruitful Christian is a process in which there are many steps. Occasionally, a method of evangelism is developed that centers on the steps of salvation and does not give proper consideration to the changes that must take place in the heart and mind of a person before he is ready to believe, repent and obey. Nor do some methods of salvation consider the things that must happen in order for a person to become a functioning part of the body of Christ so that he may produce fruit. This section will discuss the pre-conversion changes and the post-conversion changes of a new disciple of Christ.

Discipleship is an unending process whereby a believer submits to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and lives in such a way that this profession permeates every aspect of his life. One begins the process of discipleship at the time he decides to follow the Lord’s way. Salvation comes at the point of obedience to the gospel by submitting to baptism in water for the remission of sins. But God expects the disciple to be taught ‘to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19). The work of the evangelist is not done at the waters of baptism. The one completely safe and dependable manual on personal evangelism is the New Testament; yet the more one studies the New Testament, the less one can deduce from it a system of personal evangelistic methods. Jesus employed a different approach with different persons. He assessed their needs and spoke to them on the basis of their understanding. One might take for example Jesus’ approach to Nicodemus as being very different from his approach to the woman at the well. Paul made a much different appeal at Mars Hill than he did at Agrippa’s court or at Ephesus. Circumstances differ, and the evangelist must be prepared to approach his listeners in such a way as to speak to their understanding of God. It is hoped that this section will serve as a measuring stick for the evangelist to evaluate his students and to know where to begin to speak to their spiritual needs. The task of the evangelist is not merely to inform his students of the gospel story; it is also to persuade them to accept and obey the gospel. “Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men,” Paul says (2 Cor. 5:11). The evangelist must not only know the story, he must also know how to make the story pierce the hearts of those who are listening in the hope that they will respond. Knowing why one must respond is surely as important as knowing what one must do to be saved. With this in mind, let’s consider these steps or tasks that are part of the conversion process. Each step has a crucial place in the process. Soil must be prepared before one may plant the seed and expect a fruitful harvest. The planted seed must be watered and protected if it is to grow. The harvested fruit must be cared for and stored before it is ready to eat.

PRE-CONVERSION TASKS

Conversion is the change of the whole person: the intellect, the emotions and the will. These three inter-related aspects of the heart are important in knowing how one changes. It takes true change in all three areas for conversion to take place. Conversion is a change in what one believes; it is repentance; and it is a change in one’s love.

I. In Relation to God

1. The student must realize the existence of God. (Intellect)

God made His “eternal nature and divine power” known through the world that He has created (Rom.1:l8-21). Yet there are many hearts that have been darkened by not acknowledging or giving thanks to God. Evangelists need to know enough about Christian evidences to demonstrate that God exists beyond a reasonable doubt. The Christian evidences section of this book will be helpful. Further, the student must realize that the one true and living God is the God of the Bible. The apostle Paul at Mars Hill spoke to men who believed there were gods and worshiped idols but did not know the true God. It is not enough to believe there is a God if that God is some other than the God of the Bible. Evangelists may need to address the fact tat God is a Person, that He is Spirit, that He is Infinite in power, or that He is unique. The evangelist must respond to the modern tendency in our world toward a pluralistic theology (believing in any god, for one god is as good as another). He must be able to give a reason why Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven, and Mohammed or Confucius is not.

2. The student must have a favorable attitude toward God. (Emotions or Heart)

The problem of human suffering is a difficult hurdle for many people. One may believe that the God of the Bible is the one, true God; yet one might be angry at God or hold a low view of God because of the suffering one has experienced or observed. It is necessary for the evangelist to be able to help the student overcome this hurdle in order for the student to embrace God in submission and love. Furthermore, the student must come to understand how much God has love and blessed him throughout his life. We love, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). There is no greater love than that of God nor more powerful motivation than the message of the cross. The love of God must motive the student to want to change. God’s kindness should lead one to repent (Rom. 2:4).

3. The Student must Submit to the Authority of God and the Lordship of Christ. (Will) The call of Jesus for obedience abounds in the New Testament. Among them are Matt. 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven.” John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” Heb. 5:8,9 “although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered; and having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal life.”

Jesus taught that a personal commitment must be made to Him as Lord. On the last day all men will bow the knee and confess Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father (Phil. 2:5-11). The Lordship of Christ means that we belong to Him and that He has a right to make decisions affecting our lives. We are to deny ourselves, to take up our crosses daily, and to follow Him (Luke 9:23).

In Relation to Sin and Self:

1. The student must have an understanding of what sin is and the consequences of his own personal sin. (Intellect)

The message of the cross must not only show the love of God for mankind but also the Lord’s utter abomination for sin. The wages of sin has always been death (Rom. 6:23), an eternal damnation. Sin is the enemy of every man. Each student must understand that sin is the violation of God’s law (1 John 3:4), and that God takes that violation seriously. It is a momentous occasion in the life of any person when he comes to acknowledge that he has sinned against God and that God will hold him responsible. People will not change until they want to change, until that change is seen as beneficial in terms of their basic needs and desires. They need to understand that their sins have consequences in this life, and that no one escapes the consequences of his sin (Gal. 6:7,8). The life of the transgressor is indeed hard (Prov. 13:15). He must clearly see that by his own sin he has hurt God, hurt others and hurt himself. He must become sorry for his sins, that the sorrow might lead him to repentance (2 Con 7:8-10).

In a relativistic society, many people have no concept of an objective standard of sin. They too often consider themselves as ‘good people because they have not committed some horrible crime (murder, rape, adultery, treason, etc.). They tend to justify their small sins (white lies, petty thefts, etc.) as human mistakes but not worthy of eternal damnation. It should not surprise the evangelist to hear someone say, “I haven’t ever sinned,” since many people have such a limited view of what sin is. Some have dismissed the concept of sin altogether. There are those who cannot see any moral wrong in the Nazis’ killing of six million Jews. In some societies people do not see the wrong of sin. They believe that if they have not hurt anyone with their behavior, then they have not sinned. The concept of sin has been removed from some vocabularies. We hear of “victimless crime” and one’s right to do whatever one wishes as long as one doesn’t harm anyone else. This permissiveness is in reality lawlessness. There can be no sin where there is no breaking of the law (Rom. 4:15). If one does not like the law or agree that it should be a law, then one must take away its force as a law. This, some imagine, will justify one’s behavior. The deceitfulness of sin is in its effort to justify itself. The evangelist must be aware of this scheme of the devil to deceive men and so rob them of the truth. The gospel will make little sense if a person has no understanding of morality. The evangelist cannot assume that his student feels guilt for his sins.

2. The student must have a change of heart toward sin and have hope in God to overcome the sin problem. (Heart or Emotions)

Embracing Jesus Christ means that I must deal with my desire or love for sin. One cannot love God and Mammon. One cannot hold to sin and still love God. James asked, “do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (4:5). John said, “Do not love the world, nor the things of the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). The person who loves the Lord learns to love the things of God and to despise sin. Sin is an enemy to all mankind. Rom. 12:9 admonishes us to “Abhor what is evil; cleave to what is good.” Changing our attitudes toward sin may lead to a change in friends. A person who repents to follow Christ may find that impenitent and rebellious friends are no longer willing to associate with him. Peter observed, “For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carded out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you” (1 Pet. 4:3,4). Changing my moral life by admitting and repenting of my sins is not an easy thing to do. Many people would rather do anything than admit their guilt. The dynamic of guilt is a serious one for a person considering becoming a Christian. An individual’s realization that he is guilty of sin and lost disturbs, alarms and frightens. He knows that he has sinned and that he is weak to sin. He may wonder if he can overcome sin. There are some sins a person can forsake in a day and others that take years. The student has been told he must forsake his old way of life. He may have tried before on his own and failed. He may not think he can overcome the temptations to continue in sin. With some students the evangelist will have a hard time convincing them that sin exists, and with others he will struggle to convince them that God can help them overcome their sin traps. The evangelist must help the student realize that he does not act alone in repentance, but that God will be his helper. Passages such as I Cor. 6:9-11; 10:13 and 1 Tim. 1:12-16 are beneficial in giving hope. God is faithful and will help us overcome whatever temptations we face. One can do all things through Christ who strengthens him (Phil. 4:13).

3. The student must determine to leave sin and to embrace righteous living. (Will)

The call to repentance is twofold: (1) it is a determination to leave sin behind; and (2) it is a determination to embrace righteous, Christian living. His heart and will turns away from sin and toward Christ. He now loves the Lord and everything associated with the Lord, and sinful things have become disgusting and repugnant. He applies these feelings and determinations to the world and to himself. He seeks to become a new man “who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the One who created him” (Col. 3:10).

Repentance begins with a sorrow for sin against God (2 Cor. 7:10), for his sins against others (Matt. 18:6-9), for his sin which hurts himself (Psalm 32:1-5; 5 1:3-7), and for the false teachings he believed or taught (2 Tim. 2:17; 2 John 9-11). Repentance is not only a turning away from sin; it is also a turning toward God. The changed sinner wants a clean heart (Psalm 51:10). He leaves the far country and comes home to the Father (Lk. 15:11-24). A change of life and behavior complete repentance. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery to “go and sin no more (John 8:11). Paul told Agrippa that he taught the Gentiles that “they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance” (Acts 26:20). The penitent son of the vineyard owner changed his mind and went to work in the vineyard (Mt. 2 1:28-30). Christians do not merely talk the talk, they walk the walk. James urged Christians, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). No one is blessed who sees that there is a need to change but fails to make that change (James 1:25; 4:17).

III. In Relation to Christian Living and the Church

1. The student must form and change his beliefs and attitudes concerning Christ and the church. (Intellect)

Beliefs are the ideas that an individual holds to be true. Every person has basic beliefs, which influence the way in which he looks at life and how he behaves and relates to others. Secular values are different from sacred ones. One who embraces God will find that when God is added to the picture, every aspect of his life will change (2 Cor. 5:16,17). All things have indeed become new. Some examples of the attitudes within a secular belief system include these ideas:

God, if He exists at all, is just an impersonal, moral force.

There are no absolute moral values.

Man basically has the capacity within himself to improve morally and make the right choices.

Happiness consists of unlimited material acquisition.

There really is no objective basis for right and wrong.

The supernatural is just a figment of someone’s imagination.

If a person lives a “good life,” then eternal destiny is assured.

The Bible is nothing other than a book written by man.

The church is filled with weak people who need a crutch.

Modern, secular man is self-centered. He considers fulfilling his own needs and desires as his prime motive in life. He has little room for that which he considers as a limit to his personal freedoms or desires. He may or may not recognize this mindset. The devil has told these lies for so long that many people now regard them as the truth. The message of the gospel may make little sense to a student until such beliefs are challenged, changed and brought into accord with reality. The task of the evangelist is to help his student to come to a Christian mindset, to have the mind of Christ. He must awaken from the darkness (Eph. 4:17-24). We must insist that the student “no longer live as the Gentiles do.”

God is a personal, holy, loving Father who created and sustains the world.

Sin is transgression of Cod’s eternal law and brings about death.

Man, though a free moral agent can do nothing without Christ.

True joy consists in a faithful, loving relationship with Jesus Christ.

The supernatural is real and actively working in the world today.

Each one will be judged according to his deeds by the word of God. The blood of Jesus is necessary for salvation.

The Bible is inspired of God and is an authority for our lives.

The church is filled with struggling people who love the Lord and want to do right. Beliefs influence attitudes, and both matter because ideas have consequences. One becomes what he believes. A change in beliefs will see a change in attitude, which will cause a change in behavior. A student who sees the difference between his own actual life and the ideal life described in Scripture will desire change.

2. The student must have a positive attitude toward becoming a Christian and the church. (Emotions or Heart)

The evangelist must be a sensitive listener to his students. The devil, our enemy, has sowed an incredible number of deceitful seeds about Christianity and the church. One such lie is that a person can be a ‘good Christian and never be a member of the church (most people in America now believe this). Another is that the church is filled with hypocrites. It may be tat some students have been mistreated by Christians or had a bad experience at church. One new convert saw a fistfight between two officers of a church the first time she ever attended. Some congregations are spiritually cold and others are apathetic. Some congregations are cold toward outsiders and newcomers. Such attitudes throw ice water on the person whose heart is beaming with the love of Christ. A Christian who sets an ungodly example through the week can hardly make a positive impact on the new convert who knows him for what he is.

The evangelist today must realize that he must not only convert a sinner from the error of his ways but also prepare him for life in the church. While the church is divine in origin, it is filled with humans who do not live up to the ideal. Nearly all churches have a variety of people who live at different spiritual levels. Encourage the student to follow Jesus and to be patient with human weaknesses found in the church. Everyone deserves time to grow. Love for others means having to put up with their faults (1 Cor. 13:4-8; Eph. 4:1-6; 4:25-32; Phil. 2:1-8; Col. 3: 12-17; 1 Pet. 1:22,23; 4:8,9). The evangelist needs to be a friend to those whom he seeks to bring to Jesus. He must comfort, support and love them. Like a shepherd he needs to bind the wounds of, care for, protect, and feed struggling new lambs.

3. The student must recognize and submit to the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. (Will)

The evangelist must show Gods Word to be true and entirely trustworthy (Psa. 19:7-11). He must have absolute confidence that God’s Word is wiser than men and that He means what He says. The gospel is a personal message and is indeed good news. It is good news because of the terrible condition man is in because of his sin. When men do not want to deal with their sins, they often challenge the credibility of the Scriptures. It is here that the inspiration and authority of the Word of God comes into focus. Some presume to sit in judgment of the laws of God rather than to allow God to judge them through His word (John 12:48). Jesus wishes his disciples to obey “everything” he has commanded (Matt. 28:19), which means that disciples cannot pick and choose which commandments they will follow and ignore the rest. The student must recognize his amenability to God’s Word. Unless he is willing to recognize God’s authority and submit to Him, he can never be truly converted to the will of God. Like Jesus one must be willing to say, “Thy will be done.” Jesus ended the Sermon on the Mount with the parable of the wise man and the foolish man. The distinction between foolishness and wisdom is not one of hearing but in how one responds to what he hears (Matt. 7:24-27). This passage is an excellent one to help the student realize that his response matters.

At the appropriate time the student needs to be called to commit himself to Jesus Christ. When the student is ready, the evangelist should ask him to obey the gospel. When the people at Pentecost realized their sin and need for atonement, they asked, “what shall we do?” Peter replied, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you!” (Acts 2:37,38). Peter with many other words warned them and pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation” (2:40). There is urgency to the gospel message; those who accepted the message responded tat day in baptism (2:41). The Eunuch sought an opportunity to be baptized when he passed some water (Acts 8:36-39). The Philippian jailer and his household were baptized in the middle of night after Paul preached to them (16:30-33). There is a time to confront a student with his need to obey the Lord.

Becoming a Christian is an all-out commitment, and an evangelist who fails to stress this point has made a mistake. Christianity is for a lifetime; Christ demands one’s all (Matt. 22:37; Luke 9:23; 14:25-34; Rom. 12:1,2; etc.). Any evangelist who thinks his work is done at the waters of baptism needs to be taught himself. New converts are babes in Christ who need further training as long as they live.

POST-CONVERSION TASKS

1. Post-conversion Evaluation

It is a common experience for new converts to wonder just what has happened to them since they became Christians. They may experience doubts and confusion. They may be disillusioned, finding the church and their own Christian experience different from what they expected. They want desperately to be loved and accepted by their new brothers and sisters in Christ. This is why follow-up with the new Christian is so important. Evangelists cannot assume that their work is done at baptism. Repeating, reminding, and reassuring are essential for the new convert to grow. A red flag needs to go up the first time a new convert misses church or appears to be dropping out. An evangelist needs to find out why and encourage the new convert to remain faithful. Babes in Christ like babies at home need the attention of those who are mature. Usually a kind word of encouragement, the answering of a question or an act of love can help a new convert work through his doubts and confusion. Nearly half of all new converts fall away within the first year of their Christian life. Church leaders and workers need to be aware that this group needs special attention for their first year.

The new convert may test those who have taught him to see if the church really does care. If he has sensed that the church has forgotten him, he may drop out of attendance and wait to see if anyone has noticed. If no one cares enough to check on him, his suspicions will be confirmed in his mind. Most people give the church a window of opportunity to check on them. The longer the time goes by that the new convert remains unattended, the more difficult it will be to restore him.

2. Facing Moral Failure as a Christian

Every Christian will sin at some time, but a crucial time for a new convert is the first time he sins after he is baptized. At baptism he has had all his sins forgiven and was freed from slavery to sin. Now he finds himself doing the same old sins he did before he became a Christian. Consequently, he is asking himself if his conversion was real. He may wonder why he isn’t immediately able to handle every temptation. The evangelist has the challenge to teach the young Christian about growing in Christ, dealing with his sins as a Christian, and God’s second law of pardon. The new convert must come to understand that all Christians sin and must struggle continually to keep their lives pure. He needs reassurance that he really has been saved. The feeling of embarrassment that comes from moral failure may cause the new convert to shy away from his Christian brethren and the church, because he feels as if he cannot measure up. This is the time that spiritual brethren need to humbly go and restore such a person (Gal. 6:1).

3. Incorporation in the Congregation

New converts want to feel tat they belong in the church. They want to be accepted and feel that they have a function in the church. Wise leaders find ways to fellowship and to use new converts in the work of the church. It is important to assign some task to a new convert; this task will help him feel that he is needed and wanted.

4. Spiritual Growth

New converts need to know how they can develop their spiritual lives. They need to be taught not only the doctrines of the Bible but also how to study the Bible for themselves (1 Pet. 2:1,2; 2 Tim. 2:15). They need to be taught how to pray, to meditate, and to worship in private. They need to know the importance of giving their time and money in the service of the Lord. They need to understand their stewardship of what God has given to them. They need training in teaching others, in ministering to the sick, in developing their personal abilities for the Lord’s work. They need to know how to add to their faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Pet. 1:5-1 1). As they develop, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22.23) should be evident in their lives. New Christians must learn the importance of worshiping with the saints. They must be taught to “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another (Heb. 10:24). They need to know that they have an obligation to their fellow brothers and sisters in the congregation to help each one remain strong. They also have an obligation to respect and follow those men who have been charged with the leadership of the congregation (Heb. 13:17). Every Christian has the responsibility to ‘speak’ to his fellow Christians in songs and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in his heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). This means of worship not only praises God; it also edifies the brethren. Every Christian has the obligation to commune with his brethren in remembering the death of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, also called communion (1 Cor. 10:16,17). These matters of worship and fellowship help keep a new convert strong.

5. Christian Service

The Lord expects those who follow him to be more than mere hearers; they are to be doers of the word (James 1:22-25). Christians have been saved by the grace of God and created in Christ Jesus for good deeds (Eph. 2:8-10; cf. Tit. 2:11-14). Christians are to “always give themselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58). This service is to demonstrate the love of God for both those who are within the church and those who are without as well (Gal. 6:10). Every Christian has the responsibility of caring for his brother in Christ when there is a need (James 2:14-26). One who withholds kindness from a needy brother does not have the love of God (1 John 3:16). Older Christians have the responsibility of leading the way and of training new Christians in the work of love. Christians also have an obligation to those who are without. They are to do good when they have the opportunity (Gal. 6:10). But Christians also have an obligation to evangelize those who are lost. New converts may be short on experience and knowledge, but they often have many friends who are still in the world. New converts can be trained to teach others. The church grows when individuals teach others who teach others who teach others (2 Tim. 2:2). Those who evangelize have the responsibility to teach the new Christian everything that Jesus commanded, including the commission to take the gospel to the whole world (Matt. 28:18-20).

The work of evangelism is not done until every new convert is able to stand on his own and reproduce in the lives of others the things which he has been taught. May the Lord help us to see clearly the great work that needs to be done over the lifetime of a new convert and never cease our growth in His cause.

Upon the Rock Bible Study Series

Getting to Know the God of the Bible

What do you think?

The greatest questions of life:

· Where did we come from?

· Why are we here?

· What happens when we die?

· What is the purpose of life?

If there is a God,

· Then there is a Supreme Being to whom we must give an account.

· Then we need to learn whatever we can about the nature of God.

· Then we need to know what He requires of us and how to please Him.

· Then we have a reason for existence and a purpose in life.

If there is no God,

· Then there is no Supreme Being to whom we must give an account, i.e., no Judgment Day, no heaven, and no hell.

· Then this life is all there is.

· Then right and wrong, good and evil hardly matter.

· Then no one has any reason for existence or purpose in life.

Is there any evidence for the existence of God?

Hebrews 3:4

Can a house build itself?

T F

Does a house show intelligent design?

Y N

Psalm 19:1

Do the heavens declare the glory and intelligent handiwork of a Supreme Being?

Y N

Genesis 8:22

Do the seasons indicate order and intelligent design?

Y N

Isaiah 40:26

Does the universe display order and design?

Y N

Does the order in the universe point to an intelligent Being for that order and design?

Y N

Romans 1:20

Could ordinary matter without intelligence bring about the order and design seen in the universe?

Y N

Psalm 139:14

Does the human body show order and intelligent design?

Y N

If there is intelligent order and design in the universe and in a human body, does it make sense to believe that there is a designer.

Y N

Would this designer have to possess great intelligence?

Y N

Would this designer have to possess great power?

Y N

Is man intelligent enough to create the universe and the human body?

Y N

Is man powerful enough to create the universe and the human body?

Y N

How could inanimate matter so design and arrange itself to bring about the intricate workings of the human body?

Romans 2:14-15

How do you feel when someone does something to hurt you?

How do you feel when you do something to hurt or sin against someone else?

It is reasonable to believe that inanimate matter gave rise to the moral nature of rational man.

T F

The fact of God's existence gives the best reason why man has a moral nature.

T F

Man has a spiritual side, which cannot be explained by matter.

T F

Can We Trust the Bible?

2 Peter 1:16-21

Is it reasonable to believe that an intelligent God would communicate to all?

Y N

The Scriptures claim that men spoke from God being moved by the Holy Spirit.

T F

Isaiah 46:9,10

Can God reveal the end from the beginning and tell what will happen in the future?

Y N

Joshua 6:26; 1 Kings 16:34

Did what Joshua predict in 1400 BC come to pass in 870 BC?

Y N

How could Joshua have known the future?

Some Messianic Prophecies

Micah 5:2

Was Jesus born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1-10)?

Y N

How can a person decide where he is going to be born?

Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25 (cf. Gen. 3:15)

Was Jesus to be born of a virgin?

T F

How could Isaiah know this 750 years before the birth of Jesus?

How could they know these things about Jesus?

tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10)

seed of David (Psalm 132:11)

would teach in parables (Psalm 78:2)

Jewish rulers would reject him (Psalm 118:22)

Flesh would not decay (Psalm 16:8-10)

would enlist Gentiles (Isaiah 42:10)

would be scourged (Psalm 35:15)

casting lots for his garments (Psalm 22:18)

bones not broken (Ex. 12:46; Psalm 34:20)

given gall and vinegar (Psalm 69:21)

buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9)

Many prophecies Jesus fulfilled were totally beyond the power of human control, such as: (1) place of birth, (2) time of birth, (3) manner of birth of a virgin woman, (4) betrayal, (5) manner of death in crucifixion, (6) people’s reactions at his death, (7) piercing, and (8) his burial.

Concerning these eight prophecies, Peter Stoner in Science Speaks estimated the probability of anyone fulfilling all of them is 1 in 10¹⁷. That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. In order to help us comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing we take 10¹⁷ silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote them in their own wisdom.

If Jesus were not from God and the Scriptures were not true, how could these prophecies have been fulfilled?

PRE-CONVERSION TASKS

I. In Relation to God

III. In Relation to Christian Living and the Church

POST-CONVERSION TASKS

God Sin Christianity

Hebrews 3:4

Psalm 19:1

Genesis 8:22

Isaiah 40:26

Romans 1:20

Psalm 139:14

Romans 2:14-15

2 Peter 1:16-21

Isaiah 46:9,10

Joshua 6:26; 1 Kings 16:34

Some Messianic Prophecies

Micah 5:2

Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25 (cf. Gen. 3:15)

"THE SON OF GOD"

WHY DID HE COME?

WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE HIM?

Matthew 16:13-19

Covenants

The First Covenant

Deuteronomy 5:1-22

Exodus 34:27-28 (Deut. 4:13)

The Promise of a New Covenant

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Hebrews 8:6-13

Romans 7:4-7

Galatians 3:19-25