|
. Living
Hope Fellowship Church
Basic Bible Study Course
SALVATION
(LESSON
#18), PART #7
SALVATION
OF THE FAMILY
OUTLINE:
1.
YOUR WITNESS
2. WITNESSING TO LOVED ONES
3. REVIVAL
4. FAMILIES
5. CHILDREN
6. FAMILY OF SINNERS
7. THE FAMILY OF GOD
1. YOUR
WITNESS
Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 55:16.
Do not
expect your children to be saved if you are living a hypocritical
life! Jesus admonished the people not to do like the hypocrites.
Your works are manifest (1 Timothy 5:25). It is known if you
are teaching right and living wrong.
(1) Then
spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, (2) Saying,
The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: (3) All
therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and
do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do
not."
Your
obedience to God is important if you want your family saved.
You have a natural family, and when you are "born again" you
become part of the family of God (Ephesians 2:1 & Galatians
3:26). God is our heavenly Father and Jesus calls us brethren
(Hebrews 2:17). Other Christians are joint heirs and fellow
labourers in Christ (Romans 8:16-17 & 1 Corinthians 3:6-9).
Walking obedient to God keeps you saved, but also affects
other people. If we remain faithful to God, that example is
strength to others. Read Acts 27:31.
Take
heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:
for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that
hear thee. 1 Timothy 4:16.
God wants
every one to be saved, but they must call upon him. He sent
his Son to die for this purpose (Acts 2:21, Romans 10:9-10,
2 Peter 3:9, Rev. 22:18). Read Romans 8:24-28.
Who will
have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of
the truth. 1 Timothy 2:4.
For the
time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God:
and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them
that obey not the gospel of God? (18) And if the righteous
scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner
appear? 1 Peter 4:17-18.
2. WITNESSING
TO LOVED ONES
Do you
realize what 1 Timothy 4:16 said? "Take heed unto thyself,
and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this
thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." That
includes your loved ones, family, and all who hear and see
your witness.
(10)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body, according
to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (11) Knowing
therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we
are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest
in your consciences. 2 Corinthians 5:10-11.
Sometimes,
because we know some intimate things about the family, we
doubt that God can save them. Sometimes it is easier to love
and pray for someone we don't know, because they have never
hurt us like our loved ones. If you regard a loved one, family
member, relative, or any one as an enemy, the scripture still
must be obeyed. If we don't forgive, we also will not be forgiven
by God! (Matthew 6:15)
But I
say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44.
If a
man say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:
for he that loveth not his brother whom hath seen, how can
he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4:20.
Behold,
I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore
wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16.
Know
that God can save in his timing. It takes a breaking of the
will to humble yourself and come to God. Pray without ceasing,
and don't get in God's way. Witness when the Lord deals with
you to, and STOP when he tells you to. The apostles were told
not to go to Asia to preach at a certain time. God knows all.
A merry
heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the
heart the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13. Read Psalm 51:17.
WHAT
ABOUT THE REBELLIOUS? - those who refuse to come to God when
he calls them time after time?
To deliver
such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that
the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1 Corinthians
5:1. Read 1 Corinthians 5:1-5.
3. REVIVAL
Revival
came when the Holy Ghost was poured out (recorded in the book
of Acts) and many people were saved because of it. We need
Holy Ghost revival in our own hearts and in God's people every
where. That revival will overflow as rivers of living water.
God will send conviction of sin and deliverance to mind, body,
soul, and whole being. Souls will be saved! We want our households
and other loved ones saved, but look beyond your four walls
and relatives. God wants all to come to repentance and be
saved (Luke 9:56 & 2 Peter 3:9). Peter preached right after
receiving the Holy Ghost and the same day about 3,000 souls
got saved, but that wasn't the end of it. Revival went on.
Praising
God, and having favour with all the people, And the Lord added
to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts 2:47.
Above
all, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness
(Matthew 6:33). Perhaps the one you win to God will, in turn,
be the very one who will win your household to God! Our families
are precious to us, but our love for God must be above all
other desires in our hearts.
(37)
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is
not worthy of me. (38) And he that taketh not his cross, and
followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:37-38.
4. FAMILIES
The soul
that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity
of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity
of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon
him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Ezekiel
18:20.
Every
person is responsible for his or her own salvation. If you
go to hell it is for your own sin. No one goes to hell for
your sin. These things are true, yet our lives and decisions
may be affected by others' sin, and others can have an affect
on us. Let's live in such a way that no one's blood will be
upon our hands. Read Acts 20:27-28.
In the
Old Testament, God provided a way of atonement for whole families
at a time, yet we read in Ezekiel 18:20 that each one has
to come to God and be saved. Read Exodus 12:4 and Leviticus
16:17. God blessed Rahab and her father's household, and all
that she had because she hid the messengers which Joshua sent
to spy out Jericho (Joshua 6:25). They told her to bind a
line of scarlet thread in the window and to bring her kinfolk
to her house. Whoever would go out of the doors of that house
into the street after a certain time, if they were destroyed,
it was their own fault (Joshua 2:18-19). The red blood of
Jesus will save you from destruction and hell. Bring your
household in to the safety of the household of God. Rahab
did not force them to come in. They had to make their own
decision, but they listened and came. The harlot Rahab was
a sinner, and we all have sinned. She denied her people and
believed these Israelites were sent by God. She and her family
were saved by her faith. If they will come in to the household
of faith and stay there, your family will be saved, as hers
was. Pray without ceasing, as the Bible has commanded.
DIVIDED
HOUSEHOLDS
Households
are divided when one or more of the family is saved but another
or others of that family are not saved. Jesus desires us to
prosper, and be in health, even as our soul prospers (3 John
2), but he will not send his peace to a sinner. How can we
have peace in a divided household?
(34)
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not
to send peace, but a sword. (35) For I am come to set a man
at variance against his father, and the daughter against her
mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
(36) And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
(37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is
not worthy of me. (38) And he that taketh not his cross, and
followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:34-38.
We have
to conquer fear of our family going to hell just as we conquer
the fear that we will go to hell. We must live by faith. Faith
overcomes fear, and without it we cannot please God. If we
do not please God, we cannot expect God to hear and answer
our prayers that our family be saved. He said if we repent
and obey him fully we will obtain eternal life.
Peace
I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither
let it be afraid. John 14:27.
SPOUSES:
(12)
But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath
a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with
him, let him not put her away. (13) And the woman which hath
an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell
with her, let her not leave him. (14) For the unbelieving
husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife
is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean;
but now are they holy. (15) But if the unbelieving depart,
let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage
in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. (16) For what
knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband?
or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
1 Corinthians 7:12-16.
(1) Likewise,
ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if
any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won
by the conversation of the wives; (2) While they behold your
chaste conversation coupled with fear. 1 Peter 3:1-2.
5. CHILDREN
Children
are from the Lord, and are precious. Read these scriptures:
Genesis 4:1, Psalm 127:3-5, and Proverbs 17:6. If we want
our children to be saved we should submit ourselves to God,
showing a godly example.
(1) At
the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? (2) And Jesus called
a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them.
(3) And said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted,
and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the
kingdom of heaven. (4) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself
as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven. (5) And whoso shall receive one such little child
in my name receiveth me. (6) But whoso shall offend one of
these little ones which believe in me, it were better for
him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that
he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (7) Woe unto the
world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences
come: but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! (8)
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off,
and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into
life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet
to be cast into everlasting fire. (9) And if thine eye offend
thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for
thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two
eyes to be cast into hell fire. (10) Take heed that ye despise
not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, That in
heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father
which is in heaven. (11) For the Son of man is come to save
that which was lost. (12) How think ye? if a man have an hundred
sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the
ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh
that which is gone astray? (13) And if so be that he find
it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep,
than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. (14) Even
so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that
one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:1-14. Read
Mark 9:33-42.
But Jesus
said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come
unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:14.
Read Mark 10:13-14 and Luke 18:16.
Read
Deuteronomy Chapter 28 about blessings and cursings. Verse
4 & 18 are about the fruit of your body (children). Read Deuteronomy
30:1-20. Read Deu. 30:6 & 29 in particular about your "seed."
That is your children. If we serve God, He will help us with
our children.
But thus
saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken
away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for
I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will
save thy children. Isaiah 49:25.
TEACH
THE CHILDREN ABOUT GOD
Teach
your children about God so they will learn to love and serve
him, and be saved. Read 2 Timothy 3:15.
(5) And
thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6) And these words,
which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7)
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and
shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when
thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when
thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon
thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
(9) And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house,
and on thy gates. Deuteronomy 6:7. Read Verse 20-25.
6. FAMILY
OF SINNERS
We are
not supposed to separate ourselves from the world to the point
we are of no good to get them saved, yet we must walk holy
before the Lord as he has commanded (Leviticus 20:7). Just
as Christians have fellowship with Jesus and each other (1
John 1:3), sinners have fellowship with sinner friends. Second
Corinthians 6:14 asks what communion light has with darkness.
Read Ephesians 5:11.
Be not
deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians
15:33.
Remember
what Deuteronomy 28:4 & 18 say about your children. The wicked
people vexed Lot's righteous soul (2 Peter 2:7-9). After the
righteous were taken out, the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon
Gomorrah brimstone and fire and All those inhabitants died
(Genesis 19:24-25). Do you love your children enough to teach
them according to the Bible, even if it is hard? Remember
that God saved the just persons out of Sodom before the fire
and brimstone fell, but everyone else perished! Read Psalm
9:17. Whole families serve the devil.
(17)
Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in
the streets of Jerusalem? (18) The children gather wood, and
the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough,
to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink
offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
Jeremiah 7:17-18.
Thus
saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for
the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and
ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will
not walk therein. Jeremiah 6:16. Therefore thus saith the
LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people,
and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them;
the neighbour and his friend shall perish. Jeremiah 6:21.
Read Jeremiah 8:3.
Not only
individuals, but families, cities, and nations that forget
God will go to hell. You can intercede to God for your family,
but they still must repent for themselves. Moses and Daniel
are examples of intercession for nations of people. Jesus
intercedes to God for us. Hebrews 7:25. Who will pray for
your family?
(30)
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the
hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I
should not destroy it: but I found none. (31) Therefore have
I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them
with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed
upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 22:30-31.
7. THE
FAMILY OF GOD
We as
Christians are of the household of God. There are generations
of Christians in the same family (2 Timothy 1:5). Whole households
were baptized (Acts 16:15). Galatians 6:10 talks about the
household of faith.
(14)
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, (15) Of whom the whole family in heaven and
earth is named, Ephesians 3:14-15.
Now therefore
ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens
with the saints, and of the household of God; Ephesians 2:19.
I have
been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous
forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Psalm 37:25.
When
one member of a natural family suffers, usually the rest of
the family suffers as a result of it. It is the same in the
family of God.
In the
Bible some households got saved all at the same time. Each
person has to get saved individually, but it is wonderful
when all in a family get saved at one time. Examples in the
Bible are: Acts 18:8, Acts 16:30-34, and Acts Chapter 11.
Though
hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but
the seed of the righteous shall be delivered." Proverbs 11:21.
Memorize:
Proverbs 11:30 and Daniel 12:3 about winning souls.
CLICK
HERE to go to Lesson 18 Part 7 Exam.
©
Living Hope Fellowship, Inc.
E-mail
livinghopefellowship@lazernetwireless.net
Phone 618-634-2541
|
