Believe Study Guide
Session 3: Salvation
Personal Study
Last week you took a look at your beliefs about how God is involved in your daily life. Perhaps
you were able to reflect on how God really does care about your daily activities. Maybe you
were able to see how God has been at work in your life, even in difficult times. This week
before your group meeting, read Believe, Chapter 3: Salvation. Then spend some time allowing
the Scripture to take root in your heart and considering what salvation through Jesus means to
you.
Read
Read Believe, Chapter 3: Salvation and answer the following questions.
1. Describe the common patterns found in this chapter.
2. As you read this chapter, what thoughts, ideas, or concerns came to mind?
3. What did you read that surprised you? Confronted you? Interested you? Confused you?
4. Throughout the Bible we see stories of lives being saved through the shed blood of a
substitutionary sacrifice (i.e., the ram in place of Isaac, the blood over the doorframes
in Egypt). How is what Jesus did on the cross similar? How is it different?
5. Although Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has the power to save all of mankind, why is it
that some will not receive the gift of salvation?
6. What must someone do to receive this gift?
Evaluate
Based on your reading from Believe, Chapter 3: Salvation, evaluate your level of confidence in
the statements below, using a 1–6 scale (1 = no confidence, 6 = complete certainty).
______ I believe I will inherit eternal life because of what Jesus has done for me.
______ I believe nothing I do or have done can earn my salvation.
______ I believe salvation comes only through Jesus.
______ I believe people are saved because of what Jesus did, not because of what they
do.
Take Action
Memorizing Scripture is a valuable discipline for all believers to exercise. Spend a few minutes
each day committing this week’s Key Verse to memory.
Key Verse: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
(Ephesians 2:8–9)
Recite this week’s Key Idea out loud. As you do, ask yourself, does my life reflect this statement?
Key Idea: I believe a person comes into a right relationship with God, by his grace,
through faith in Jesus Christ.
Answer the following questions to help you apply this week’s Key Idea to your own life.
1. How would this belief-in-action express itself in your life?
2. What visible attributes can be found in someone who has received the gift of salvation?
3. If you haven’t confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believed in your heart
that he has risen from the dead, what is keeping you from doing so?
4. Is there someone in your life who needs to know about salvation by grace through faith
in Jesus? What’s stopping you from having that conversation?
Journal
To help you keep all your Believe thoughts and materials in one place, note any verses or
insights God gives you as you spend time with Him this week. This is also a great place to attach
your sermon notes from the weekend messages.
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Group Meeting
Welcome!
Welcome to Session 3 of Believe. If this is your first time together as a group, take a moment to
introduce yourselves to each other before watching the video. Then, feel free to get started!
Video Teaching Notes
As you watch the video segment for Session 3, use the following outline to record some of the
main points.
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Getting Started
Begin your discussion by reciting the Key Verse and Key Idea together as a group. On your first
attempt, use your notes if you need help. On your second attempt, try to state them completely
from memory.
Key Verse: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
(Ephesians 2:8–9)
Key Idea: I believe a person comes into a right relationship with God, by his grace,
through faith in Jesus Christ.
Group Discussion
As a group, discuss your thoughts and feelings about the following declarations. Which
statements are easy to declare with certainty? Which are more challenging, and why?
I believe I will inherit eternal life because of what Jesus has done for me.
I believe nothing I do or have done can earn my salvation.
I believe salvation comes only through Jesus.
I believe people are saved because of what Jesus did, not because of what they do.
Based on your group’s dynamics and spiritual maturity, choose the 2–3 questions that will lead
to the best discussion about this week’s Key Idea.
1. How would you define the word “grace”? What is the opposite of grace?
2. What specifically would it look like for us to offer grace to people who don’t deserve it,
as God did for us?
3. Without naming names, who is someone in your life who doesn’t deserve your love and
kindness, but you offer it anyway?
4. Many people find it hard to receive something they didn’t earn. Discuss how this
behavior could hinder someone’s spiritual growth.
Read Genesis 3 and Romans 5:12–21 together and choose 1–2 questions that will lead to the
greatest discussion in your group.
1. How did Adam and Eve’s decision to disobey God affect all of mankind?
2. How did Jesus’ choices overturn the effect of Adam and Eve’s sin in our lives?
3. What do these Scriptures tell you about the character of God and his feelings toward
you and all of humanity?
Closing Prayer
Close your time together with prayer. Share your prayer requests with one another. Ask God to
help you put this week’s Key Idea into practice.