The Subject of Salvation

Part 1: Coming to Know God and the Bible

Chapter 1: Who Jesus Is

Chapter 2: About the bible

Part 2: Understanding Biblical Salvation

Chapter 3: We need a savior

Chapter 4: Sin and salvation

Chapter 5: Belief and faith

Chapter 6: Repentance and forgiveness

Chapter 7: Baptism

Chapter 8: Receiving the Holy Spirit

Chapter 9: Abide in Him

Chapter 10: How to be saved

Part 3: Living as Believers Following Jesus

Chapter 11: Becoming a Christian

Chapter 12: What it means to be Christian

Chapter 13: Who you are in Christ

Chapter 14: About prayer

Chapter 15: Holiness and living righteously

Chapter 16: Choosing your beliefs wisely

Chapter 17: Dealing with doctrinal differences

Chapter 18: Sharing the faith

Chapter 19: Discipleship

Chapter 20: Teaching this topic

Sample chapter

Listen to chapter 1 on Who Jesus Is.

Read chapter 1 on Who Jesus Is.

Chapter 1: Who Jesus Is

Is any of this real?
That was my biggest question when I started feeling the tug to explore Christianity. As an atheist, I didn’t believe in things I couldn’t see. I am a logical person who likes science. I like things to make sense. The whole God thing was a foreign concept to me. I couldn’t grasp it. As I started to explore the depths of Christianity, I was surprised and impressed at the amount of evidence that Jesus of Nazareth was a historically documented person. I marveled at the timeline of the biblical writings, its survival, and the fulfilling of prophecy. It was all quite interesting, but I needed more. I needed tangible evidence right in front of me. I needed to experience this Jesus thing for myself. I invite you to do the same. Ultimately, the tugging at my heart came to be stronger than the doubt in my mind. I became a believer because I could feel God’s presence when I sought Him. The only way I know how to explain it is it reminds me of love. When you love someone or are deeply connected with someone, you have an undeniable connection that cannot be put on display in a box. It can’t be bottled up or tested in a lab. It is simply and powerfully a consuming presence. I couldn’t explain it in my typical fashion, but I could feel it. Thus was the birth of my faith. Having been a believer since 2005, I have continued to see God’s presence in my life and that of others. Seek him. You will find him.

How do we know who God is?
We read the bible. It is through the bible that we learn God’s identity, his characteristics, what he’s done, and is doing, and will do. Without reading the bible you can’t know God very well. The more you know about God the easier it is to follow him.

What does the bible say about who God is?
It’s quite magnificent to look through the bible and take note of everything the Word says about God’s identity. All of the following are traits taken from Scripture. God tells us in his word that he is the Lord of lords and King of kings. God is almighty. He is the Alpha and Omega, first and last, beginning and the end, the great I Am. The sovereign One, the mighty One, majestic, and reigning. God is holy and righteous. He is the righteous One. All his ways are just. He is a consuming fire. God is powerful. He is the preeminent One. He is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the Lord of hosts. He is the Lord of the Sabbath, the Lord of the harvest, the Lord of glory, and the Lord of heaven and earth. He is the Lord of all. He is the majesty in heaven. He is one God. He is the only true God. Jesus is the Savior. Only through Jesus can we be saved. He is a loving God. God is the creator of heaven and earth, man and woman, every creature, and all of nature. He is the originator and founder of life. He is an eternal God. He has always existed and always will. He is everlasting. God is he who is and who was and who is still to come. He is all-powerful. Jesus is the sovereign master, holy and true. He is the one who searches minds and hearts. He gives us his love faithfully. He is faithful to his people. He is gentle. It is impossible for him to lie. He is honest and true. He is a God who vindicates. He gives his people prosperity. He is the protector, deliverer, redeemer, provider, rescuer, and healer. He blesses people. The Lord is a God who does great and unsearchable things, marvelous things without number. Jesus is the majestic glory. He is great. He is glorious, gracious, merciful, compassionate, slow to anger, kind, patient, forgiving, & redeeming. His love is loyal. He is awesome. His name is glorious and awesome. God is magnificent. He is no respecter of persons which means he doesn’t show partiality. He has a plan. He has plans for this world and plans for every person. He is a God that keeps his promises. His work is perfect. He will not abandon his people. He is my rock, my fortress, my strong tower, a shield to those that take refuge in him, my mighty refuge. He gives you security. He fights for you. Jesus is victorious. He is attentive to you and to your needs. Jesus is the one who restores me. Jesus is my source of strength. He is strong. He is the God of hope. He encourages the downhearted. He gives and sustains life. Jesus is the bread of life. He gives favor to his people. He is a jealous God. He is the judge of the living and the dead. There are things that he hates. He does get angry at evil and corrupt behavior. He does get angry after continuous rebellion. He is a just God. He rebukes. He disciplines his children like a parent. He does not get tired or weary. He is a reliable God. You can depend on him. He will not forsake his people. He will not leave you. Jesus is my lamp. Jesus is the light of the world. He is wise. There is no limit to his wisdom. He knows what you need before you even ask. He is a God that teaches his people. His teachings are marvelous. He guides his people into truth. He counsels his people. He is amazing. He is exalted. Jesus is a God to glorify. Jesus is a God to magnify with thanksgiving. God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4, James 2:19). Jesus is the fullness of the deity that came and dwelt among us (John 1:14, Colossians 2:9). Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15-20). Jesus was manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). He is the eternal King, immortal, invisible, the only God (1 Timothy 1:17). The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his nature (Hebrews 1:3). He came to give salvation. He was rejected. He suffered for us. He was crucified. He died but he rose again. He is alive. He reigns. Jesus is the lamb who was slain. He is the Chief Shepherd. He is Savior. He is Master. God is present among you. He is a God to be revered (respected), to honor, and to obey. Jesus is a God to follow, a God to worship, a God to praise, and a God to serve. He is a God to be loyal to, a God to rejoice because of, and a God to love.

This is the God of the bible. This is who God is. He is a great God that loves you and wants a relationship with you. This is my Jesus. This is the God that created you, loves you, and wants fellowship with you as part of his family. This God is Jesus, and I want you to know him.