Bible Class

Steps to Eternal Life

Lesson five

Needed, A New Heart

The great apostle Paul was at one time a great enemy of Christianity. He had been reared a very strict Jew, and in this new religion founded by Christ he saw a great enemy. He did everything he could to destroy it. On his way to Damascus to imprison some Christians, Paul was struck down and blinded by a bright light from heaven. Then he heard Christ's voice.

Paul had thought he was a good and moral man. He had been satisfied until he compared himself with Jesus Christ. Later he was to realize, as he says in 1 Timothy 1:15: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them. Paul was totally blind. Unable to look about, he could only look within. After three days, Ananias, a servant of God, came to Paul to help him know, accept, and follow Jesus Christ as his Saviour.

Paul accepted Christ as his Saviour and Lord. He became a great champion for Christianity. He found Jesus the only One who could save him, and he willingly accepted Him and followed Him the rest of his life. Paul then could confidently say at the end of his life: And now the prize of victory is waiting for me, the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day -- and not only to me, but to all those who wait with love for Him to appear. 2 Timothy 4:8.
Wouldn't you like to have the same confidence? You can today as you study this lesson.

THE BIBLE SAYS

55.What problem did Paul say he had in living as God desired? Romans 7:18-20 .
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56. What part of Paul caused this problem of doing wrong? Romans 7:5

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57.Why does Paul say that a man, in his human nature, cannot obey God? Romans 8:7,8.
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58.What will result if we are controlled by human nature? Romans 8:6.
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59.Who rescued Paul from this dilemma that he faced? Romans 7:24-25; 8:1, 3-4, 11.
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60.What did Jesus say would have to happen to man so that he would be ready to enter the kingdom of God? Matthew 18:3.
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61.As related by Christ, how only was it possible for Nicodemus to be changed? John 3:3.
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62.What did Nicodemus want to know? John 3:4 .

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63.Who only will enter the kingdom of God? John 3:5-7.

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NOTE: In the interview with this Jewish leader, Jesus gave the secret of the change that takes place at the time of conversion. When we fully surrender our will to Christ, the Holy Spirit creates a new heart within us. He gives us a new desire, a new hope and a new determination to follow God and do His will. This is what God promises to do for us. This is the new birth by which we become new creatures.

64.By what means is this rebirth accomplished? John 3:8 .

THE BIBLE SAYS

NOTE: This is another miracle of God's grace. He not only saves and forgives us; but now, through the working of the Holy Spirit, He gives us a new nature. This is what God promised in Ezekiel 36:26: “I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart.”

65.With what does the Spirit fill the new heart given by God? Romans 5:5.

THE BIBLE SAYS

66.What does God write in the new heart and mind by His Spirit? Hebrews 10:16-1.

THE BIBLE SAYS

NOTE: As God blots out our sins, He writes His laws in the mind, that we might know His will for our lives. He also writes His laws in our hearts, that we might be willing to do His will. The old nature has been changed by the new birth. The rebellious nature is dead, and we long to do that which pleases our God.

67.What kind of life will the new Christian live? Romans 6:1-4.

68.With God's nature in us, how will we live? 1 John 3:9-10.

69.How is the born-again individual described? 2 Corinthians 5:17.

NOTE: The change that takes place in the heart and life of the truly surrendered person cannot be explained by human means. The drunkard ceases to waste his life on drink. He now spends his time living for Christ. The dishonest person turns from his life of sin and becomes a person that loves honesty and disdains that which he has formerly loved. He is a new creature in Christ because God, through the Holy Spirit, has changed him. Before I became a Christian and yielded my life to Christ, I often felt as Paul did. I knew what God wanted me to do, and I wanted to live for Him, but the weakness of my will and human nature kept me from carrying out my good intentions. Then one night in a little old white church, during a revival, the Spirit of God brought strong conviction to my heart that the hour of decision had come. I found myself walking down the aisle in response to the invitation. That night I gave my worthless life to God. I sealed that decision that weekend by being baptized publicly and letting everyone know that I belonged to Christ.
That was the turning point of my life. From that time on I have had strength and determination that I never had before. The very night of my baptism the devil sent some of his temptations my way, but I am thankful to say that Christ gave me the power over these temptations. Since then the whole direction of my life has changed. That is not to say that everything has been easy or that I have never failed. There have been trials but God has given me strength to overcome. What a help He has been in my Christian life!
Several years ago I heard a lady beautifully express her determination to let God have His way in her life. She said, “I have run my life for the last thirty-eight years and have made a mess of it. Now I am going to turn it over to Christ and let Him take control of it. I know that He will do a better job of running it than I ever can.”

I want to be completely changed.
I will let Christ control my life. I will die daily to sin and by God's grace live for Him.

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