Introduction

• Acts 15:19

• Romans 10:1

Learn the truth about Jesus!

• Matthew 28:18-20

• Acts 2; 8:35; 9:22

• Romans 10:9-10

Do what He wants!

• James 2:17

• Luke 6:46

• Repent: Luke 24:45-47; Acts 17:30-31

• Get baptized: Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4; I Peter 3:21

• Walk in newness of life: Ephesians 3; Romans 6; Colossians 3

• Join a local church: Acts 9:26-28; I Corinthians 5:2; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter 5:1-2; Hebrews 13:17

Where are you in this process of conversion?

• Do you need to learn more before you can fully believe and confess Jesus?

• Are you ready to repent of your sins?

• Are you not sure what your status is about baptism?

• Maybe you’ve done those things, but then didn’t walk in newness of life. Repent!

• Do you need to join a church?

• Spiritual importance, continued:

  • “If you really believe the Bible, then I suppose you believe in slavery and stoning rebellious children as the Bible teaches.”

  • “What about my dear Grandmother who died without being baptized? Are you really saying that baptism is necessary for salvation?”

    • Romans 6:3-4; Luke 16:30-31

  • “Since the inerrancy of Scripture is a divisive doctrine, we should reject it.”

  • “Most scientists believe in evolution.”

  • “I know what Matthew 19:3-9 says, but don’t you think God wants us to be happy? You don’t think He wants His people to be stuck in miserable marriages, do you?”

  • “Which would you rather believe in – God or evolution?”

  • “Which would you rather believe in – a God who saves everyone or just some?”

• What is it?

  • “A person commits the fallacy of bifurcation when he or she claims that there are only two mutually exclusive possibilities – which, in fact, there is a third option (or more).”

  • See John 9:1-3. “The key to avoiding the dilemma is simply to find the third alternative.”

  • If there truly is no third option, then no fallacy is committed.

    • For example, Matthew 12:30 commits no fallacy.

    • Matthew 21:25

Proverbs 18:22 – Marriage is good!

The controversy around marriage roles

• I Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:22-24; I Peter 3:1-6

The benefits of marriage roles

• God-designed companionship

  • Genesis 2:18; Malachi 2:14

  • If we try to change what God designed, the only way it can go is down!

• Your companion is instructed to love and sacrifice themselves for you.

  • Ephesians 5:25-30; I Peter 3:7; Colossians 3:18

  • When the husband fulfills his role correctly, the wife gets a wonderful thing.

  • Ephesians 5:33

  • When the wife fulfills her role, the husband benefits as well.

What is my spouse isn’t on board?

• Work on yourself first.
  • Matthew 7:5
• Get the Bible into your lives.
  • Psalms 119:97-100
• Hang around Christians that are doing it well.
  • Titus 2:2-8

I John 2:17

Courage

• John 16:32

• Acts 4:13 – Peter and John showed confidence, but it was not through their own knowledge or training. It was from being with Jesus!

• Acts 18:9-11 – God gave Paul some encouragement by settling him in a safe place for a while.

• I Corinthians 16:13

Cost

• Philippians 3:7-8 – Paul gave up many physical things, including a career as a Jewish official, to serve God.

• Whatever the cost, we must stand with Christ.

• Matthew 16:24-26

Christ

• I John 2:3-6

• I Peter 2:21-24 – Jesus did not die so that we could sin like anybody else!

• We should not stoop to the level of the enemy. We must be like Christ!

• Galatians 2:20

• Matthew 10:16