Study #3

Light & Darkness

The third study is typically "Light and Darkness" or "Sin and Repentance". This is the study where the person is told that they are not saved and an attempt is made to get the person to confess their sins to whoever they are studying with.

Regular text is as printed
[Bracketed text is additional notes or commentary]

Introduction: Need to know person's background. Ask the following
A. When did you become a Christian?
B. When were you saved?
[these responses are put on a timeline along with any other significant spiritual events from their life. This timeline is brought out later to illusrate how they could not have been saved by any previous spiritual works]

I Peter 2:9-10

[Typical drawing to go with this scripture is as follows

		Darkness	|	Light
		Not of God	|	Of God
		No Mercy	|	Mercy
		================================
		Lost		|	Saved
		Not Christian	|	Christian

]

A. Everyone is either in the darkness or the light, there is no grey area or twilight zone.
B. Where are you at?

[At his point, the study begins in earnest, occassionally referring to the above to continue to prove that the potential convert is not saved.]

Part One: Darkness

(1) Isaiah 59:1-2
A. Sin separates us from God
[Another typical drawing is as follows:

	=====================================
	Light		|WALL|       Darkness
 	God		|SIN    |	 Man
	=====================================

]
B. In order for man to have a relationship with God, the wall of sin
must be broken down.
C. The point sin is forgiven is the point you are saved

(2) Romans 3:23-25
A. Who has sinned? Everybody!
[Again, another drawing:

				X
			X	X
		X	X	X     X=Sin
	=============================
		A	B	C

]
B. Who is further away from God (out of A, B and C)? All have sinned so all are lost. A good moral life does not save you.
[An analogy is typically made here where 3 people try swimming from California to Hawaii. The first dies soon off shore, the seconds dies halfway and the third dies within sight of Hawaii. Then the question is asked "Who made it the furthest?" "Who is most dead?" This is to illustrate the diagram above]
C. Faith in the blood of Jesus saves us.

(3) What is sin?
A. Galations 5:19-21 (sins of commission)
[This is one of the most controversial parts of the studies. The person is read the list of sins and a description of each one. Then the studier asks the studiee "This is immorality.. did you ever do this?" Often details are asked for. The person leading the study continues to press the other person until he feels they have been "open enough" with their sin. This continues for each sin on the list.]
B. James 4:17 (Sins of omission)
[Mention here is made about the failure to evangelise daily, tithe, attend all church meetings, fast..etc, etc]

(4) What are the wages of sin? Romans 6:23

	Wages of Sin  |  Gift of God
        ==========================
	Death         |  Eternal Life
	Hell          |  Heaven
	Darkness      |  Light

Just 2 alternatives

Part Two: Light

(1) John 3:1-7
A. Born again of Water and Spirit [i.e. must be baptised in water]
B. Personal decision to be made as an adult [i.e. no infant baptism]

(2) Acts 2:22-42
A. Must believe Jesus was the son of God, died and was raised from the dead.
B. Response of the people
a. Cut to the heart
b. What shall we do? [This scripture is commonly used as a prelude to 'are you ready to be baptised?']
C. Once they belived what did they do?
a. Repent (Greek = to turn away)
b. Baptized (Greek = to immerse)
[A strong point is made here about baptism. The church makes clear that it must come after personal repentace for sins and must involve the full immersion of the body into water.]
D. Purpose: Sin is forgiven and it is at THIS point that the person is saved.

(3) Romans 6:1-4
A. Baptism is the sharing of the life, death and ressurection
of Jesus. More than just a symbol.

Jesus _|_	Died			Ressurected
       |	     \                 /
==============================================
		     \____Buried____/

	
Old Life _|_	Died to Sin	Raised to a new life
          |        \                       /
=====================~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~================
                     \Buried in Christ/

[Above is to show that your going under the water in baptism is symbolic of the burial of Christ. Excuse my ASCII drawing, please]

B. Romans 3:25 - The blood of Christ saves us, so when are we forgiven? At baptism when we participate in the death of Christ.

[Conclusion:
1. What do I need to do to become saved?
2. When are you willing to get baptised? ]