N. It
does not matter what denomination you belong to as long as you believe in Jesus
1. The
church is the body of Christ; there is only one body (Eph 1:23; 4:4).
2. The
church is the bride of Jesus; there is only one bride (Rev 21:2; Mt 19:4, 5).
3. The
church is the ark of the end time; there is only one ark (1 Pet 3:20-21).
4. Prerequisites
of the church:
a.
Truth (1 Tim 3:15)
b.
Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9; Eph 1:13)
c.
Miracles (Mk 16:20)
O. I
cannot forsake my former friends
1. If
you sincerely believe in the Lord, your “good” friends will not leave you.
2. Having
fools as companions will bring you harm (Pr 13:20).
3. Do
not desire to be with evil company (Prov 24:1, 2).
4. “Bad
company corrupts good habits” (1 Cor 15:33).
5. “The
fear of man brings a snare” (Prov 29:25).
6. “Friendship
with the world is enmity with God” (Jas 4:4).
P. I
want to believe in Jesus but my family and friends will oppose and persecute my
faith. The price I have to pay is too much. I dare not believe.
1. One
treasures what one fights hard for.
2. We
should have the determination to suffer for the Lord (1 Pet 4:1-6; 2 Tim 3:12).
3. The
Lord will surely look after you (Mt 10:28-33; 1 Pet 5:7-10).
4. There
will be blessings for those who suffer (1 Pet 2:20; Mt 5:10-12; 2 Cor 4:17-18; Rom 8:18; 2 Tim 2:12).
Q. I
am still young; I will believe in Jesus later
1. Do
not boast about tomorrow (Prov 27:1; Jas 4:13-14).
2. The
foolish landlord (Lk 12:19-20).
3. Seize
the opportunity (2 Cor 3:2; Eccl 12:1).
R. I
am too busy; I have no time for Jesus
1. Why
are you busy? (Ps 39:4-9; Eccl 1:2, 3).
2. “All
is vanity” (Eccl 1:2, 3; Ps 90:10).
3. Faith
in Jesus brings satisfaction (Ps 17:14, 15).
S. I
will lose my freedom if I believe in Jesus
1. Believe
in Jesus to receive true freedom (Jn 8:36).
2. Those
who sin become slaves of sin (Jn 8:34).
3. “The
truth will make you free” (Jn 8:31, 32).
T. I
cannot believe in Jesus if I have to restrain from worshipping my ancestors
a.
The purpose of ancestor worship is to respect
the elderly and to remember our sources
1. Respect
for the elderly: We should show filial piety when our parents are at the old
age so that they can enjoy their old-age.
a.
Those who believe in Jesus should show filial
piety because it is a commandment with a promise of blessing (Eph 6:1-3)
2. Remembrance
of our source: To search our roots is to not forget our origin.
a.
Those who believe in Jesus worship the source of
mankind—the true God (Lk 3:38; Eccl 12:13)
U. Is
the Bible reliable?
1. Inspired
by the True God (2 Tim 3:16).
2. Attested
by Jesus (Mt 22:31, 32).
3. Fulfillment
of prophecies (Is 44:9, 10).
a.
The birth of Jesus (Isa 7:14; Mt 1:18-25)
b.
The descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5,
2:1-4)
4. Experiences
in faith (Lk 1:37; Jn
5:39).
V. Will
I have the guarantee of salvation if I believe in Jesus?
1. Bible's
promise (1 Jn 5:13).
2. Receiving
of the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13, 14).
3. Experiences
from daily life (2 Tim 1:12).
W. If
I believe in Jesus and go to heaven while my spouse suffers in hell because of
his/her unbelief, how will I be happy in the heavenly kingdom?
1. Life
is like a play. The world represents the big stage where each of us plays a
different role (Heb 11:33). Therefore, those who are spouses on stage do not
have the same relationship off-stage.
2. Human
relationships are limited to this lifetime only. In the life after death, there
will be no distinction between male and female, old and young. “They neither
marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Mt 22:29, 30).
3. If
there is not any human relation in heaven, then we will not need to cry
sorrowfully for our unbelieving friends and relatives (Rev 2:3-4).
4. Nevertheless,
while we remain on the stage of life, we should be a successful actor/actress.
We should fear God and love men so that we shall receive honor, glory,
blessings, and joy in the heavenly kingdom (2 Tim 4:7, 8)
X. What
are the benefits of believing in Jesus?
1. Receive
peace (Job 22:21).
a.
Peace of the body (Mt 8:17)
b.
Peace of the mind/spirit (Mt 11:28)
c.
Eternal peace (Jn
16:33; Heb 4:9, 10)
2. Receive
eternal life (Jn 10:10).
a.
People of the world die in sin (Eph 2:1).
3. Receive
freedom.
a.
Bondage of sin gives no freedom (Rom 7:14, 17-24;
Heb 2:15).
b.
True peace comes only from faith in the Lord who
forgives sins and gives Holy Spirit (Rom 8:1, 2; Jn
8:36).
4. Receive
hope.
a.
There is not hope for those who do not believe
in the Lord (Eph 2:12) because they will receive eternal punishment (Rev 21:8).
b.
Faith in the Lord brings living hope (1 Pet 1:3,
4).
Y. Some
skeptics say, “All religions are the same because there are good and bad
followers in each religion. It is sincere faith that counts.”
1. There
will always be some bad fruits in any big tree. One should not generalize.
2. The
parable of casting the net (Mt 13:47, 50) tells us that evil believers will be
abandoned in the end.
3. One
ought to pursue and understand the object of his belief (2 Tim 1:12; Mt 5:48).
Man changes but God does not. Therefore, one should have faith in God and not
in man.
Z. Questions
pertaining to baptism
1. Q1.
Why should one receive baptism?
A:
a.
“For the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38)
b.
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved”
(Mk 16:16)
c.
“Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom
of God” (Jn 3:5)
2. Q2.
What is the mode of baptism?
A:
a.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38)
b.
Head bowed (Rom 6:4, 5; Jn
19:30)
c.
Full immersion in water (Col 2:12; Jn 3:23)
3. Q3.
Who can receive baptism?
A: Anyone who believes, repents,
and determines to live a new life for Christ can receive baptism (Mk 16:16;
Acts 2:38; Lk 14:25-33).
4. Q4.
What are the basis for infant baptism?
A:
a.
Infants are born with sin (Ps 51:5)
b.
Hebrew male children receive circumcision on the
eighth day (Gen 17:9-14; Col
2:11-12)
c.
Israelite babies also crossed the Red Sea (Ex 10:9; 1 Cor 10:1-2)
5.
Q5. How should one behave after baptism?
A: He/she
should “live a new life” (Rom 6:4)
AA.
Questions pertaining the baptism of the Holy
Spirit
1. Q1.
What is “baptism of the Holy Spirit”?
A: It is
the descent of the Holy Spirit upon one’s body, filling within his/her heart
(Acts 1:4, 8; Ezek 36:26, 27).
2. Q2.
What is the Holy Spirit?
A: It is
also called “God's Spirit” or the “Spirit of Christ” because the Father and Son
are one. Holy Spirit is the True God’s own Spirit (Rom 8:9; Jn
4:24).
3. Q3.
What is the importance of receiving the Holy Spirit?
A:
a.
The Lord said: “...unless one is born of water and
the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom
of God” (Jn 3:5)
b.
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our
spirit that we are children of God” (Rom 8:16)
c.
“[The Holy Spirit] is the guarantee of our
inheritance” (Eph 1:14)
d.
“If any one does not have the Spirit of Christ,
he is not His” (Rom 8:9)
e.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8)
4. Q4.
What is it like to receive the Holy Spirit?
A: When
the Holy Spirit comes upon a person, his tongue will be moved to speak a tongue
and his body will move. An observer can witness the movement and hear it (Acts
10:44-46; 2:33).
5. Q5.
How may one receive the baptism of the Spirit?
A: One
must believe the Lord, receive the correct water baptism, and pray earnestly
for the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7; Lk 11:5-13).