Salvation Experience Honor

Missionary Activities - Bible Studies

Requirements

1. Know what it takes to receive the salvation that God offers to all human beings. (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-9)

   Answer: To receive God's salvation, you need to believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior and confess that He is Lord. It is a gift by grace, not by works. — The Bible teaches that salvation is a gift from God, available through faith in Jesus Christ, according to Acts 16:31 and Ephesians 2:8-9. Romans 10:9 adds that we must confess Jesus as Lord.

2. Understand why we should obey God even knowing that we are not saved by our good works. (John 14:15, 21, 23)

   Answer: Obedience is the natural fruit of love. Jesus said 'If you love me, keep my commandments' (John 14:15). We do not obey IN ORDER to be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9), but BECAUSE we are saved. Obedience demonstrates that salvation is genuine (James 2:14-26). — The doctrine of salvation by grace is central to Christianity (Ephesians 2:8-9). But works are evidence of true faith. James 2:17 says 'faith without works is dead'. Ellen White teaches that works never save, but they demonstrate salvation. Obeying the 10 commandments is not the path to heaven, but a response of love to God who has already saved us. Jesus is the perfect example of obedience. The Holy Spirit enables the believer to live out the divine commandments.

3. Know what Jesus did to secure the forgiveness and salvation of humanity. (Luke 23:46; Isaiah 53:5; Revelation 5:9)

   Answer: Jesus lived a sinless life, was crucified in my place bearing the sins of the world, shed His blood as a perfect sacrifice (Isaiah 53:5 'by his stripes we are healed'), died on the cross saying 'it is finished' (Luke 23:46 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit'), and rose again on the third day, conquering death. — Christ's redemptive work is the center of the Christian faith. His perfect life offered the sacrifice accepted by God (Hebrews 10:10). His substitutionary death paid the price of sin. His resurrection guarantees our resurrection (1 Cor 15). Without this work, no one could be saved. The blood of Christ cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7). It is the greatest demonstration of love (John 3:16). Adventists center their preaching on the cross as the foundation of humanity's hope.

4. Explain what we need to do to receive forgiveness for our sins. (1 John 1:9)

   Answer: 1 John 1:9 teaches: 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness'. We need to: 1) Acknowledge that we are sinners (humility); 2) Confess each sin specifically to God in sincere prayer; 3) Repent genuinely (change our mind and direction). — 1 John 1:9 is a key verse of salvation. Confession is the fruit of conviction by the Holy Spirit. It is not confessing to a priest, but to God directly (1 Tim 2:5). Repentance (metanoia) is a change of mind that leads to a change of life. Faith receives what Christ accomplished. God is faithful - He keeps His promise. He is just - because Christ paid the price. There is no sin so great that the blood of Christ cannot cleanse it (Isaiah 1:18). The simplicity of the formula reveals God's unconditional love.

5. Define what Jesus instructs us to do after we are forgiven. (John 5:14; 8:11)

   Answer: After healing the paralytic at Bethesda, Jesus said 'sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you' (John 5:14). To the woman caught in adultery: 'go and sin no more' (John 8:11). Jesus instructs: abandon the life of sin, do not continue in the same mistakes, live in holiness through the power of the Holy Spirit, demonstrate gratitude for grace through concrete transformation. — Grace is not a license to sin (Romans 6:1-2). Salvation includes transformation. 'Go and sin no more' is a Christian mission, not condemnation. Jesus accepts the sinner but does not accommodate them in sin. The Holy Spirit enables a different way of living. Small daily victories in problem areas show growth. It is not immediate perfection, but a growing direction. Sanctification is a lifelong process. Falling at times does not nullify salvation - you simply return to ask forgiveness and carry on.

6. Memorize and recite Mark 16:15-16.

   Answer: Mark 16:15-16 (NIV): 'He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned'. To memorize: break it into short phrases, repeat 5-10 times/day for 1 week, write it out by hand, recite it aloud with intonation, teach it to someone. — Mark 16:15-16 is the biblical basis of mission. Together with Matthew 28:19-20, it forms the Great Commission. The imperative 'go' indicates the believer's initiative. 'All the world' and 'all creation' are universal. 'Preach the gospel' is the duty of all Christians. 'Believe and be baptized' go together for complete salvation. Memorizing verses is an ancient spiritual practice (Psalm 119:11). Reciting strengthens faith, prepares for evangelism, and keeps the Word available in the mind.

7. Share with a friend what the greatest victory we can achieve is, according to the Bible. (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)

   Answer: 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 declares the victory over death in the resurrection: 'this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. And when this corruptible has put on incorruption, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory'. — For the Christian, the greatest victory is not earthly fame, riches, or power, but the hope of resurrection at the second coming of Jesus. Death is the last enemy (1 Cor 15:26), defeated by Christ's resurrection and completed in our transformation. Sharing this hope with friends is practical evangelism. Adventists live in expectation of Christ's return. Victory over death is central to the Christian faith and gives eternal meaning to temporal life here on earth.