Welcome Group - BHBC Friday 2pm

Key verses:

Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

2 Cor 12:9, ‘And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”’

Related verses:

Proverbs 3:34 He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.

Isaiah 26:10 Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD.

Jonah 2:8 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication

Luke 2:40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Acts 4:33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.

Acts 6:8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

Acts 11:23 When he [Barnabas] arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God [in Antioch], he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

Acts 14:3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

Acts 14:26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

Acts 15:11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Acts 15:40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

Acts 18:27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.

Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

Acts 20:32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Romans 1:5 Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Ro 3:24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 4:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

Romans 5:2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Ro 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

Romans 5:15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.

Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 3:10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

2 Corinthians 1:12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace.

2 Corinthians 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 6:1 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Ephesians 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

2 Thessalonians 2:16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

2 Timothy 1:9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

2 Timothy 2:1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

Titus 3:7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Hebrews 13:9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them.

1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1Pe 4:11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

2 John 1:3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

Jude 1:4 For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23

3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Mark 4:14–20

14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Luke 8:4–8, 11-15

5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Verses related to:

The path

2 Corinthians 4:3–4, “3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Hebrews 3:13, 15, “13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness”, “5 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Rocky ground

Colossians 2:6–7, “6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

James 1:2–4, “2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Thorny Soil

1 John 2:15–16, “15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”

1 Timothy 6:9–10, “9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Good Soil

Galatians 5:22–23, “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Link to song:

The Sower and the Seed by Aneel Aranha

Key verses:

1 Corinthians 11:23-26, ‘The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’

Directly Related verses:

Matthew 26:26–29, ‘And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Mark 14:22–24, ‘And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.”’

Luke 22:19–20, ‘And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”’

1 Corinthians 10:16–17, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.”

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

John 6:47–63
47 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Other verses about eating and drinking

1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Mark 10:37-39 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,”

Luke 22:30, “so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

John 4:14, “but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 4:32-34, ‘But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”

John 7:37-39, ‘On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.’

John 18:11, ‘Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”’

Romans 14:17, ‘For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,’

1 Corinthians 10:2-4, ‘They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.’

1 Corinthians 10:20-21, ‘No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.’

Rev 21:6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.

Discourse in Hebrews on the Old and New Covenants, and the Blood of Christ

Hebrews 9:7-26

7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.
9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.
10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation.
12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.
14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it,
17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.
18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.
19 When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.
20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”
21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies.
22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.
25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Hebrews 10:19-22

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Verses related to the Old Covenant and its celebration of the Passover

Exodus 12:5-7, '5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. 7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.'

Exodus 12:12-13, '12 ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. 13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.'

Exodus 12:8, 'Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.'

Exodus 12:14, 'So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.'

John 1:29, 'The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"'

1 Corinthians 5:7, 'Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.'

Romans 6:17–18, 'But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.'

Exodus 24:8, 'And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.”'

Hyssop

Exodus 12:22, 'And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin.'

John 19:29, 'Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.'

No broken bones

Exodus 12:46, 'In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.'

Numbers 9:12, 'They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.'

John 19:33, 'But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.'

John 19:36, 'For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.”'

Non-biblical references:

Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift 1726.

Jonathan Swift was a clergyman in the Church of England (Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin), and his satire of the Big-Endians and Little-Endians in Gulliver’s Travels was a parody of the fierce religious conflicts in Britain and Europe for generations over what he saw as non-essential doctrinal differences.

Key verse:

Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Related verses:

Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Key verse:

Acts 26:20 (NKJV) – (I declared) “that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

Note the NIV version has a subtle but marked difference –  “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.”

Deeds:

Luke 11:48, In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.

Luke 23:41, And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

John 3:19-21, 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

John 8:41,42 41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

Acts 7:22,24   22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian

Acts 9:36, At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.

Acts 19:18, And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.

Romans 2:5-6, the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:

Romans 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:28, Therefore we conclude that a man is [a]justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Romans 8:13, For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Romans 12:9-13, Behave Like a Christian: 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given[b] to hospitality.

Colossians 3:9, Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

2 Peter 2:8, (for that righteous man (Lot), dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)—

2 John 1:11, for he who greets him (who transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ) shares in his evil deeds.

3 John 1:10, Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words.

Jude 1:15, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Rev 2:6, But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Rev 2:22, Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of [a]their deeds.

Rev 16:11, They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

Works

Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 7:22, Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’

Matthew 11:2-6, 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he [a]sent two of his disciples … 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Matthew 13:54, When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

Matthew 16:27, For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Matthew 23:5, But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.

John 6:28-29, Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

John 7:7, The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

John 8:39, They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.

John 10:25, 37, 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me., 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;

John14:11-12, 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. 12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Acts 7:41, And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

Acts 26:20, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.

Romans 4:2, 6, 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God…. 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

Romans 9:32, Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

Romans 11:6, And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

Romans 13:12, The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

2 Cor 11:15, Therefore it is no great thing if his (Satan) ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Galatians 2:16, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Galatians 3:2, 5, 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? …  5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—

Galatians 3:10-11, 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”

Galatians 5:19, Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

Eph 2:8-10, 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Eph 5:11, And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Col 1:21, And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled

1 Tim 2:10, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.

1 Tim 5:25, Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.

1 Tim 6:18, Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,

2 Tim 1:9, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

2 Tim 3:16-17, 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Titus 1:16, They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being [a]abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

Titus 2:7, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility

Titus 2:14,  who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Titus 3:5, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Titus 3:8, … those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Titus 3:14, And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Heb 9:14, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 10:24, And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

James 2:14-26, [Faith Without Works Is Dead] 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [c]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James 3:13, Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

1 Peter 2:12, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 John 3:8, He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Rev 2:2, “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil

Rev 2:5, Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works,

Rev 20:12-13, 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

Key verse:

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Old Testament

1 Kings 8:47-48;
"and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;"

2Chronicles 32:26; "Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD'S wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah."

Job 34:31-33;
“Suppose a man says to God, ‘I am guilty but will offend no more. Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’ Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know."

Psalm 51:17; "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

Isaiah 30:15; "This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it."

Isaiah 59:20; “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD."

Jeremiah 8:6; "I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues his own course like a horse charging into battle."

Ezekiel 14:6; “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!"

Ezekiel 18:30; “Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall."

Ezekiel 18:32; "For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!"

New Testament

Matthew

3:2; 'and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”'

3:8; "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."

4:17; 'From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”'

11:20; "Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent."

12:41; "The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here."

21:32; "For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."

Mark 1:15; “The time has come,“ he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Mark 6:12; "They went out and preached that people should repent."

Luke

5:32; "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

13:3; "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

15:10; "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

17:3-4; "So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

18:13-14; “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

24:47; "repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

Acts

3:19; "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"

5:31; "God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel."

8:22; "Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart."

11:18; 'When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”'

17:30; "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent."

20:21; "I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus."

26:20; "First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds."

Romans 2:4-5; "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath , when his righteous judgment will be revealed."

2 Corinthians 7:9-10; "yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."

2 Corinthians 12:21; "I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged."

2 Timothy 2:25; "Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,"

Hebrews 6:1; "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,"

2 Peter 3:9; "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

Revelation

2:5; "Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."

3:3; "Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you."

3:19; "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent."

9:20; "The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk."

9:21; "Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts."

16:9; "They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him."

Key verse:

Acts 2:38 ‘Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’

Old Testament — water as a symbol for the Holy Spirit and removal of sin

Psalm 51:2, "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."

Psalm 51:7, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

Isaiah 1:16, "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil."

Ezekiel 36:25-26, "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you..."

Zechariah 13:1, "In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness."

1 Peter 3:20-21, “to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

1 Corinthians 10:1-2, “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.”

2 Kings 5:14, "So he (Naaman the Syrian ) went down and dipped (Hebrew: taval = immerse) seven times in the Jordan according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."

Baptism by John the Baptist

Matthew 3:6 “Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him (John the Baptist) in the Jordan River.”

Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Mark 1:4 “And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Mark 1:8 “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 3:3 “He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Luke 3:16 ‘John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Response of people following baptism by John

Luke 7:29 “(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)”

John 1:31 “I myself (John the Baptist) did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Jesus gave the reason for his baptism

Matthew 3:15 ‘Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.’

Jesus commanded baptism, and people obeyed

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Acts 1:5 “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:38 ‘Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”’

Acts 2:41 “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”

Acts 8:12 “But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”

Acts 8:36 ‘As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?”’

Acts 9:18 “Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.”

Acts 10:47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.”

Acts 16:15 “When she (Lydia) and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home.”

Acts 16:33 “At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.”

Acts 18:8 “Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.”

Acts 22:16 “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”

Jesus referred to his death as baptism

Mark 10:38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with”

Luke 12:50 “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!”

Significance of baptism

Romans 6:3-4 “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

1 Corinthians 12:13 “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

Galatians 3:26-27 “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

Ephesians 4:4-5 “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism;”

Colossians 2:12 “having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”

Hebrews 6:2 “instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”

1 Peter 3:21 “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

Other verses referring to washing

John 3:5 'Jesus answered, “I tell you (Nicodemus) the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”'

Titus 3:5 “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit”

Ephesians 5:26 “to make her (the church) holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word”

Hebrews 10:22 “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Galatians 5:24 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Notes from Sunday service and sermon

• Public declaration
• Giving glory to God
• Act of obedience
• Initiation into the life of the church
• Identification with Christ
• A telling of the Easter story, a symbol of resurrection, of death to our old life and rising to the new. Signifies we have died with Christ, been raised with Him, and now belong to Christ.
• Owning their faith and declaring it.
• Response to command of Jesus
• Identify with Christ and the church, no longer living for ourselves but living for Christ.
• We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body
• A symbol or statement – outward sign of inward reality
• Believer’s baptism: faith leads to baptism
• Full immersion symbolises burial
• Any leader can do
• Questions to qualify:
  o Trust in Christ as your Saviour and Lord?
  o Personal relation with Christ?
  o Prepared to obey God’s commands?

Key verse:

2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

The Awesome Day of the Lord

Joel 2:31, “The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.”

Zechariah 14:1, “Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst.”

Even the dead will be judged

Daniel 12:2, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

2 Timothy 4:1, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:”

The Timing and Nature of the Day

Matthew 24:30, “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

Matthew 25:10, “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.”

Mark 13:32-33, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.”

Luke 17:22-24, “Then He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ Do not go after them or follow them. For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.”

Luke 21:34-36, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Acts 1:11, ‘who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”’

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

1 Thessalonians 5:2, “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”

1 Thessalonians 5:6, “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”

2 Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”

Revelation 1:7, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”

Judgement belongs to Jesus

John 5:22, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son”

Acts 17:31, “because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Romans 14:9-13, “For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”

1 Corinthians 4:5, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”

2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

James 5:9, “Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!”

Judgement for Believers

Malachi 4:1-2, ““For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven,… But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings;”

Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

John 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

John 11:25-26, ‘Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”’

John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Romans 5:9, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

1 Thessalonians 5:8-10, “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”

2 Timothy 4:18, “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”

Titus 2:13, “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”

Revelation 2:10, “… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Revelation 21:1-4, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 22:17, “… And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

Final Judgement and Justice

Psalm 9:7-9, “But the Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness. The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.”

Psalm 96:13, “for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.”

Ecclesiastes 12:14, “For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”

Isaiah 11:4, “But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.”

Matthew 25:31-32, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.”

Matthew 25:46, “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Mark 9:43-44, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched — where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’”

Romans 2:5-6, ‘But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”’

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, “since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.”

Revelation 6:10, “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Revelation 14:11, “And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Revelation 21:8, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Revelation 22:12, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

Key verse:

Romans 8:11, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Related verses:

Isaiah 26:19: “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.”

Daniel 12:2: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

John 5:28-29, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation”

John 6:40: “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

John 6:47, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”

John 6:54: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

John 10:28: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

John 11:25-26: “Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.'”

John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

Acts 24:15, “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.”

Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:11: “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

1 Thessalonians 4:14: “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

1 John 2:25: “And this is what he promised us—eternal life.”

1 John 5:11-12: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Revelation 20:13, “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.”

1 Corinthians 15

“20-22 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”

“12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?”

“16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”

“20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”

“32 … If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

“35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” 36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.”

“42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”

“47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.”

“51 … We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Key verse:

Hebrews 13:2 "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."

Related verses:

The Old Testament — Angels actively intervened in events to do God’s will, and to speak to people for God

Genesis 16:7, The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert;

Genesis 19:1, The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening

Genesis 21:17, God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven

Genesis 22:11, But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 22:12, “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Genesis 24:6, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” Abraham said. 24:7, “The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.

Genesis 28:12, He (Jacob) had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

Genesis 31:11, The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’

Genesis 32:1, Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

Exodus 3:2, There the angel of the LORD appeared to him (Moses) in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.

Exodus 14:19, Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 14:20, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

Exodus 23:20, “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.

Exodus 32:34, Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 33:2, I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

Numbers 22:22, But God was very angry when he (Balaam) went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. 22:34, Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”

Judges 2:4, When the angel of the LORD had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud,

Judges 6:12, When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”

Judges 13:3, The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, “You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son. (Samson)

2 Samuel 24:16, When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

1 Kings 19:5, Then (Elijah) he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 1:3, But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite,

2 Kings 19:35, That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!

1 Chronicles 21:30, But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Job 1:6, One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.

Psalm 34:7, The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

Psalm 78:49, He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility—a band of destroying angels.

Isaiah 37:36, Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!

Daniel 3:28, Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

Daniel 6:22, My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.”

Zechariah 1:9, I (Zechariah) asked, “What are these, my lord?” The angel who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.” — (there are many references in Zechariah)

The New Testament — Angels continued to be active and speak God’s will

Matthew 1:20, But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 2:13, When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

Matthew 2:19, After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt

Luke 1:13, But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

Luke 1:19, The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

Luke 1:26, In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, Lk 1:28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Luke 2:9, An angel of the Lord appeared to them (shepherds), and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

Even the Devil acknowledges the existence and activity of angels

Matthew 4:6, “If you are the Son of God,” he (the Devil) said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’’”

Angels attended to Jesus

Matthew 4:11, Then the devil left him (Jesus), and angels came and attended him.

Luke 22:43, An angel from heaven appeared to him (Jesus) and strengthened him. (in the garden of Gethsemane)

Jesus spoke of angels

Matthew 13:39, (Jesus said) "and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels."

Matthew 16:27, (Jesus said) "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done."

Luke 15:10, "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 20:36, "and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection."

John 1:51, "He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Little children have angels in heaven

Matthew 18:10, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."

Following the resurrection, people will be like the angels in heaven

Matthew 22:30, At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

At the (second) coming of Jesus, all the angels will be with him

Matthew 25:31, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory."

Matthew 25:41, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

2 Thessalonians 1:7, "and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels."

An angel rolled back the stone of Jesus’ tomb, and gave news to the women

Matthew 28:2, "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it."

Matthew 28:5, "The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified."

John 20:12, "and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot."

Angels continued to be active in the lives of the apostles and Paul

Acts 5:19, "But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out."

Acts 7:53, (Stephen before stoning) "you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.”

Acts 8:26, "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

Acts 10:3, "One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

Acts 12:6, "The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 12:7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists."

Acts 12:23, "Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died."

Acts 27:23, "Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I (Paul) serve stood beside me"

Revelation 1:1, "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John"  (there are many references to angels in John’s visions in the book of Revelation)

Satan imitates an angel of light

2 Corinthians 11:14, "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."

2 Peter 2:4, "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;"

Angels are not to be worshipped

Colossians 2:18, "Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions."

Angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation

Hebrews 1:14, "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"

Key verse:

Ephesians 2:19, 22, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, … And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Related verses:

Romans 12:5, "so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another."

1 Corinthians 12:27, "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."

Matthew 16:15-18, "He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

Matthew 7:15, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves."

2 John 10:11, "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him."

1 John 4:1, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

2 Timothy 2:16-17, "shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer."

Romans 16:17, "note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them."

Ephesians 4:3-5, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;"

Key verse:

Romans 7:6:, “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

Related verses:

Freedom:

Romans 6:14: "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."

Romans 8:2: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Galatians 2:19: "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God."

Galatians 5:18, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Colossians 2:14 (NIV): "having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross."

Obedience:

Luke 16:17 (NIV), "It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law."

Romans 7:12, "Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good."

2 Thessalonians 2:15, "stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle."

1 Timothy 4:16, "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you."

2 Timothy 4:3, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;"

Psalm 119:165: "Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble."

Psalm 19:7-8: "The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart."

Psalm 1:1-2: "Blessed is the one... whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night."

Key verse:

John 14:26, "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

John

John 3:5-8

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 6:63

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

John 7:38-39

38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive;

John 14:16-17

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

John 15:26

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

John 16:7-8

 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

John 16:13-14

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

Matthew, Mark, Luke

Matthew 10:19-20

19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Matthew 28:19

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Mark 13:11

But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Luke 12:11-12

11 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Acts

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Acts 2:4

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:17-18

17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.

Note: The word "prophet" comes from the Greek prophetes, which means "to speak on behalf of" or "to speak forth." A prophet speaks the word of God, or acts as a spokesman/woman for God. Their goal isn't to tell people what will happen in 500 years, but to tell them what is wrong with their society right now, which may come with a warning of what may happen in future. The popular interpretation of prophecy as “foretelling” the future is incorrect.

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 4:8

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel ..."

Acts 4:31

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Acts 10:44

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. (Gentiles)

Romans

Romans 2:29

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Romans 5:5

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 7:6

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Romans 8:2

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death

Romans 8:5

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:9-11

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:26-27

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 15:13

... so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:16

... that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Corinthians

1 Corinthians 2:10-14

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 6:11

But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 — Gifts of the Spirit

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

2 Corinthians 1:22

who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Galatians & Other

Galatians 3:5

He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Galatians 5:18

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 5:22-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Titus 3:5

not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit

2 Peter 1:21

for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Unforgiveable Sin

Matthew 12:31-32

31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

Mark 3:29

29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”

Luke 12:10

10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

Acts 7:51

51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

Key verse:

John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Related verses:

Heb 2:14, '¹⁴ Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,'

4:15, '¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.'

1 Tim 3:16, '

¹⁶ And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

Col 2:9, '⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;'

Key verse:

John 3:16 (NIV), “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Related verses:

Matthew 17:20, ^'So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.'

John 1:12, 'But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name'

John 6:28-29, 'Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”'

John 20:29, 'Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”'

John 20:31, 'but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.'

Romans 1:17, 'For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”'

Romans 5:8, 'But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'

Romans 10:9, 'that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.'

Romans 10:17, 'So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.'

1 Corinthians 12:8-9, 'for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit'

2 Corinthians 5:7, 'For we walk by faith, not by sight.'

Ephesians 2:8-9, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.'

Hebrews 11:1, 'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'

Hebrews 11:6, 'But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him'

Hebrews 12:2, ' looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.'

James 2:17, 'Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.'

Key verse:

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV), '“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”'

Related verses:

Isaiah 53:5

'But He <i>was</i> wounded for our transgressions,
He was</i> bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace <i>was</i> upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.'

Isaiah 53:12,

Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.

Mark 10:45, 'For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Luke 19:10, 'for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.'

John 10:10, 'The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.'

John 12:46, 'I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.'

John 18:37, 'Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Key verse:

Matthew 3:16-17 (NIV), 'As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”'

Related verses:

Matt 28:19, '¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,'

2 Cor 13:14, '¹⁴ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.'

Gen 1:1-2, '1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.'

John 1:1-3, '1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.'

Key verses:

Genesis 6:5-6 (NIV): 'The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.'

Romans 3:10: 'As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;”'

Related verses:

Gen 2:16-17, '¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Gen 3:1-19

'1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” ² And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; ³ but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” ⁴ Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

⁸ And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

⁹ Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

¹⁰ So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

¹¹ And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

¹² Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

¹³ And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent:

¹⁶ To the woman He said:

¹⁷ Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:

Lev 19:2, '² “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.'

Key verses:

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV), "20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV), "16 All Scripture is God-breathed …"

Key verse:

Romans 1:19-20 (NIV), “19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”