Abundant LIFE Lessons
Track 1 – Essentials to Christian Living
Lesson #3 – The Gift of Eternal Life
Objective – This lesson is designed to give the student a fundamental
understanding of the gospel and the gift of Eternal Life.
Format – The format is an individual daily exercise of reading and answering
questions concluding with a weekly discussion in a LIFEgroup setting. (There is
no reading or questions for Sunday.) The LIFEgroup leader will take role and
keep track of the disciple’s progress and faithfulness. Each disciple must recite
the scripture memory to the LIFEgroup leader at the LIFEgroup meeting. Those
who complete each track will receive a Certificate of Completion at an awards
ceremony on a weekend service.
Note – It may be a wise investment to hole-punch the left hand side of the
lessons and organize them in a three-ring binder. Write questions in the margins
during your devotional time to ask at LIFEgroup. Take notes during discussions
for future reference so you can use them when you disciple another new believer
in the future.
Scripture Memory
“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your
fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ” (Romans 6:22–23)
Day #1 Reading
Families are an important part of every society. As a matter of fact, the family
was the first institution ordained by God; it was His idea. A family gives a person
a sense of belonging and acceptance—a placed to be loved and nurtured. The
family further gives an individual a specific identity via his name and his genetics.
Even though not every person in the world would recognize they are part of a
family in the traditional sense, every person comes into the world through the
procreative plan of God designed around the principle of a family unit. Through
this plan an individual receives certain genetic traits. This is also true in the
spiritual realm. Just as each of us is born with a physical DNA makeup that
affects our physical appearance, each of us is also born with a spiritual DNA that
affects our spiritual condition. Romans 5:12 reminds us, “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: ” This verse explains that each of us has received
a sin nature from our ancient father, Adam. This is the truth we studied last
week. All mankind has the sinful characteristics of our earthly father. In other
words, it’s not necessarily our environment that causes us to sin; rather, the sin
nature in us is brought out by our environment. Like a tea bag placed in hot
water, what’s already inside is drawn out of us. When that happens and we sin,
we are simply demonstrating the spiritual heritage we were born with. It’s in our
DNA, so to speak, to sin. Look up and read John 8:38-44 to see the contrast of
family genetics. In order to escape the penalty and power our sin nature has
over us, we must have a new nature. We must change families. We must be
part of God’s family. We must have his DNA, possess his divine nature, to go to
Heaven when we die. Otherwise, we share the fate of Adam’s family—
condemnation. But how can it be possible to change natures? Salvation is how
that becomes possible. Look up and read John 1:12.
Day #1 Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Every person is born with a spiritual defect (True or False).
We inherited the spiritual defect (sin nature) from whom?
What does it mean when the text refers to “Adam’s family?”
In order to be saved from that condemnation we must belong to a new what?
According to John 1:12, how does that become possible?
Write out your Scripture Memory
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Day #2 Reading
Yesterday, we learned that it is possible to escape the penalty, power (and one
day the presence) of our sin by being born into God’s family. Paul put it this way:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new. ” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is called
being “born again.” The phrase “born again” is a Bible term coined by Jesus.
When Nicodemus came to him secretly by night and asked questions, Jesus told
Him he needed to be “born again.” Look up and read the account in John 3:1-17.
Mark this passage for future reference.
Being part of God’s family affords certain privileges and responsibilities. We will
spend the rest of this week discussing both. Today, let’s consider some basic
privileges that come with being a child of God. God deals with us as sons and
not sinners. This is probably one of the most important but overlooked truths in
the Scriptures. Look up and read Hebrews 12:5-8. Mark this passage for future
reference. The point of the passage is that God uses chastisement (trials in life)
as a means of training us, like a Father who instructs and corrects his son to help
him do right; but he will never punish us! All of our sins were judged at the cross
when God the Father, punished Jesus, God the Son, in our place. Consider this
statement written by the Apostle Paul: “For he (God the Father) hath made him
(God the Son) to be sin for us, who (God the Son) knew no sin; that we (the
sinner) might be made the righteousness of God in him (God the Son). ” (2
Corinthians 5:21). When we are born again, we are no longer the enemy of God
awaiting his judgment; we are His children abiding in his household. “Now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the
saints, and of the household of God; ” (Ephesians 2:19)
Day #2 Questions
1. Explain in your own words what it means to be born again.
2. When we experience trials in life, is that God’s punishment on his children for
being bad? Explain your answer.
Write out your Scripture Memory
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Day #3 Reading
When a person believes the gospel, that Jesus died on a cross and rose again
as payment for his or her sin debt, that person is born again into God’s family.
But there is much more that takes place. That person is also given eternal life. If
you have been born again, you also have eternal, or everlasting, life. Look up
and read John 3:14-17. It is important that you mark this passage for future
reference. Eternal life means that we will never die. We will live with God
forever. We will see our physical body die, but our spirit and soul will not. Peter
called his body a tabernacle, a tent or temporary dwelling place. “Knowing that
shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath
shewed me. ” (2 Peter 1:14). But, Paul told the church at Thessalonica that
although some slept (their bodies had died), they would all be with the Lord
forever. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
The importance of this truth is that salvation is eternal. It is life with God that will
never be taken away from us; not in the death of our bodies, nor in our failures
and shortcomings in this life. One question that often arises among new
Christians is whether or not a person can lose their eternal life if they were to sin.
While this is an understandable question, it is one that needs to be resolved
quickly because the Devil will use the doubts to prevent maturation in a
Christian’s life. Read Hebrews 5:12 - 6:6. The syntax of this passage is a little
complicated, but simply stated, our spiritual maturity will be hindered if we
continue to dwell in the arena of “first principles” because we continually question
God’s faithfulness about our salvation. We must move to the meat of the word
by trusting God’s grace is sufficient. Look up and read Romans 4:5-11 &
Romans 8:1,9, 28-39. This is a rather lengthy passage, but it is imperative that
we understand salvation is not dependant upon our ability to be good, but rather,
it is dependant upon God’s ability to save us and keep His Word. One final
verse: “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the
world began; ” (Titus 1:2). God is good and He will keep us saved.
Day #3 Questions
1. How long is eternal or everlasting life?
2. Can a person lose the gift of eternal life?
3. Whose ability and responsibility is it to keep us saved?
Write out your Scripture Memory
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Day #4 Reading
Once we receive the gift of eternal life the question naturally arises: “If I cannot
lose the gift of eternal life, what’s to keep me from sinning freely and abusing the
gift of salvation?” This one argument alone has led many to inadvertently deny
the work of regeneration and sanctification. What we have to understand is that
when a person gets saved—when she is born again—she gets a new “want to!”
In other words, her desires will begin to change almost immediately. That is not
to say the new Christian will be perfect or will never struggle with sinful desires,
but there will be another force—a new desire—contending with the old desires
that impedes the ability to sin, freely. Read Galatians 5:17. The reason for this
struggle is called regeneration. Regeneration is the work whereby God makes
us new creatures. Our old nature is replaced with a new nature. The flesh
(desires of the old nature) remains, but overall there is a naturally occurring
desire to please our Savior. Read Titus 3:5-7.
Another work that takes place in us at salvation is called sanctification. It is
defined by Easton’s Bible dictionary as “the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the
whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles
implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying
on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole
man.”1
1
Easton, M. (1996). Easton's Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research
Systems, Inc.
Sanctification is the work God does in us to make us holy. It has two parts:
Positional and practical. When we are saved we are made holy in God’s view.
He continues to work in us to bring the outside in line with the inside. That is
practical. In other words we are holy positionally; but he is growing us,
practically. Look up and read the following passages: Romans 6:13; 2
Corinthians 4:6; Colossians 3:10; 1 John 4:7.
Day #4 Questions
1. Why doesn’t a person want to sin freely even though they can’t lose eternal
life?
2. Explain the work of regeneration.
3. Explain the two parts of sanctification.
Write out your Scripture Memory
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Day #5 Reading
God’s work in salvation is a gracious act on His part that is made up of many
components. The following list of words and definitions, although not exhaustive,
is helpful in providing some perspective on all that goes into our salvation. We’ve
covered some of them already.
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Grace – The unmerited or undeserved favor and help of God.
Mercy – Compassion toward one in need or helpless distress.
Election – The act of choice whereby God picks an individual or group out of a
larger company for a purpose or destiny of his own appointment. 2 (God does not
owe us salvation. The fact that he would choose to save us is because of His
elective decree to save those who trust in Jesus Christ.)
Predestination – The predetermined plan of God that governs all events. For
example, God chose beforehand that all those who trusted Christ for salvation would
be conformed into his Son’s image. Romans 8:29
Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed.) (306).
Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
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Regeneration – The impartation of spiritual life to those who are by nature “dead in
trespasses and sins.”3 Read Ephesians 2:1.
Justification – It is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those
who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye
of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon of sin,
justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the
justified. Read Romans 4:25.
Adoption – The giving to any one the name and place and privileges of a son who is
not a son by birth. Read Romans 8:14-19
Sanctification – The work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and
more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in
regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work
begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man.” Read 1 Thessalonians
5:23.
Glorification – To make glorious, to show forth something’s splendor or majesty.
Read Romans 8:29 & 1 John 3:2.
Become familiar with the above terms and write out your Scripture Memory
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Day #6 Reading
Because we have been given this gracious and marvelous gift of salvation, we
must realize the great responsibility that comes with it. We are responsible to
understand it so we can share it with others and so we can commune with God,
properly. One important gift we have yet to discuss is the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit. He resides in out spirit the moment we are saved. We will discuss this in
more depth in a future lesson. Just beware that He is God and lives in us and we
can grieve him. Read Ephesians 2:1 & 4:30. Although our sins have already
been judged, our actions reflect our attitude toward God and his holiness. When
we sin, we are hindering our fellowship with Him. When the Holy Spirit convicts
3
Easton, M. (1996). Easton's Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research
Systems, Inc.
us of our grievous thoughts or actions, we need to confess our sins to God. Look
up and mark, 1 John 1:9 & 1 John 2:1. Confess means to agree with God that
we are wrong and He is right. We are acknowledging our need to repent (turn
away from sin). Proverbs 28:13 says, “He that covereth his sins shall not
prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. ” God
wants us to agree with his assessment of sin and put it out of our lives. This
glorifies God and strengthens our fellowship with Him.
The following is a descriptive statement that explains the gift of eternal life using
the various terms and concepts we have studied this week. Also read Jude1:2425.
God being gracious and merciful elected to save all that will put their trust
in Jesus Christ. Having predestined those who have called upon Jesus to
be conformed to His image, He, therefore, calls them through the gracious
preaching of the gospel. He regenerates the spirit that was dead in
trespasses and sins. He justifies the believer in the court of Heaven,
adopts her as an heir and sets her apart for His glorious purposes. The
sanctification process continues in the pilgrimage of this life until
ultimately, the believer is glorified at the return of Christ, where as a
glorious bride, she will dwell with Him forever in His kingdom. This is
eternal life.
Day #6 Question
As Christians, what do we do when we sin?
Write out your Scripture Memory
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