Dr. Mickey P. Carter - Things That Are Different Are Not The Same

SPECIAL NOTE:

Throughout this book, the reader will notice that when the word Bible is used in reference to the King James Version, it is capitalized to distinguish it as the true, preserved Word of God in the English language, as opposed to the word bible when referring to any of the versions that are not the preserved Word of God in the English language.

Part V: Its Power

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Vocabulary: An understanding of the following vocabulary words will improve your understanding of the following chapter content.

destiny - what will necessarily happen to any person

grace - the unmerited love and favor of God toward man

A fifth reason we can know the Bible is the Word of God is because of its power. It has a message that changes destinies. No other book has that. Romans 1:16 reads, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. The Bible has the power of God on it. The Bible bothers people because it has the power of God on it.

It makes the difference. Gods power changes lives; the Bible changes people. That power proves the Bible is the Word of God. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) The commandments in it are for our good. God never takes something away from us without giving us something better in its place. God knows what is best for us. He loves us and will not keep good things from us, but He wants to keep us from a lot of things that we do not need and that would bring harm. Gods message is the power that will change. It is a message of grace that changes the worst to the best. No book but the Bible transforms a person into a new man. (John 1:12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: That is the proof: the power is there. It has a power that one can know about, test, and experience for himself. If there is no power in the Book, we have no hope.

Review Questions

1. What is the fifth reason we know the Bible is the Word of God?

2. Gods power changes____________; the Bible

changes_____________.

3. What does God want to keep us from?

4. What kind of person does the Bible transform a man into?

5. If the Bible had no power, what would we not have?

Special Project

Project Instructions

The Word of God has the power to change people: Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to convict a man of his sin and bring him to the point of salvation. Yet, many people do not know how to show another person how they may accept Christ as their personal Savior. Here you will learn a simple method of winning someone to the Lord, and then you will have the opportunity to put that to practical use as you attempt to win others to the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are many different methods (plans), many different Scriptures that can be used to show someone how to be saved. We are not attempting to say one plan or method is better than another, but we have chosen a popular method called The Romans Road, because all of the Scripture verses are found in the first ten chapters of Romans.

Memorize the steps and references . If you are good at memorizing, it is best to memorize the actual verses, also. Sometimes, you may be faced with someone wanting to know how to be saved, and you may not have your Bible with you.

One note to remember is no matter what plan one uses, the Holy Spirit sometimes will lay a different verse on the soul winner's heart to use in dealing with a certain lost person. It is important to always follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in winning a person to the Lord. He knows the need and heart of that individual.

Once you have memorized the references to use and the order in which to use them and have become familiar with the explanations, practice The Romans Road. Actually, it is wise to practice it several times.

THE ROMANS ROAD

Step One

To get the persons attention on eternal matters, a good opening question is, If you were to die right now, do you know for sure you would go to Heaven? Many times a person will say, No, or I dont know. If they say, Yes, I know I am going to Heaven, it is good to ask them to share their testimony about when they accepted Christ as their Savior. If they answer, No, or I dont know, you may ask their permission or express your desire to take a few minutes of their time to show them how they can know for sure they are going to Heaven when they die.

Step Two

It is many times good to explain you will show them from the Bible how they can know they are going to Heaven and that the Bible is the Word of God, not some mans opinions or ideas about salvation; it is from God, so that man may know the Truth. The lost person should follow as you read the Scriptures from the Word of God. Remember, it is Gods Word that has the power to change a person, not your explanations.

Step Three

Show that every person is a sinner:

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

It is wise to ask the person if he understands what sin is, and have him give you a definition. Sin is actually doing anything that displeases God or that does not match the sinlessness of Jesus Christ, such as lying, stealing, adultery, cheating, etc. You may be surprised what people think sin means. A person must understand what sin is before he can decide if he is a sinner.

Once you know the person understands what sin is, ask the person if he is a sinner. If the person does not first view himself as a sinner, he is not ready to be saved.

Step Four

Show the person that Christ died for our sins:

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:12 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:

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

Explain that sin came into the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Sin carries the penalty of eternal separation from God (death, Hell), and this is passed on to all men, because all have sinned. But verse 12 shows that, despite our sin which God hates, He loved us, the sinner, so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice to die in our place. Eternal life or salvation is a gift, not something we can earn or work for, and it is through Jesus Christ, not through good works, church attendance, church membership, charity, baptism, the sacraments, or anything other than through Jesus Christ. Death is earned as a result of sin; eternal life is a gift through Jesus Christ.

Step Five

Show the sinner how to be saved:

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.