In this lesson we are going to look to the past, the present, and the future of Christianity and salvation. 

KJV Titus 2:11-14
 11.  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,    (PAST)
 12.  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (PRESENT)
 13.  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (FUTURE)
14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (BECAUSE OF CHRIST)
(Sub-titles in parenthesis added by B.Y.)
 

I. THE PAST

CHRIST GAVE HIS LIFE
KJV Titus 3:3-4
 3.  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
 4.  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

HE GAVE THE INVITATION FOR THOSE THAT WANTED TO NO LONGER THIRST
KJV John 7:37
37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS
KJV Acts 10:34
34. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

CHRIST DIED AND ROSE 
KJV 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
 3.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

II. PRESENT
 
 

WE OUGHT NOT LOVE THE WORLD
KJV 1 John 2:15-17
 15.  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
 16.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
 17.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

ABSTAIN FROM THE LUST OF THE FLESH
KJV 1 Peter 2:11
 11.  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

WE MUST CONTINUE IN THE LORD’S GRACE
KJV Acts 13:43
43. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

WE SHOULD NOT FAIL IN RECEIVING GOD’S GRACE
KJV Hebrews 12:5-15
5.  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
 6.  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
 7.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
 8.  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
 9.  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
 10.  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
 11.  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
 12.  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
 13.  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
 14.  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
 15.  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

III. FUTURE

THERE WILL BE A REST
KJV Hebrews 4:1-11
 1.  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
 2.  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
 3.  For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
 4.  For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
 5.  And in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest.
 6.  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
 7.  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
 8.  For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
 9.  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
 10.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

A LIFE EVERLASTING
KJV John 11:25-26
 25.  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
 26.  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

A PARADISE
KJV Revelation 21:1-7
1.  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
 2.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
 3.  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
 4.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
 5.  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
 6.  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
 7.  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

ACCORDING TO GOOD WORKS WE WILL RECEIVE
KJV Revelation 22:12
12. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

IV. BECAUSE OF CHRIST 

CHRIST WAS PUT TO DEATH FOR THE UNJUST
KJV 1 Peter 3:18
18.  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit:

THAT BY GRACE WE CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE
KJV Romans 5:21
 21.  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

TO OVERCOME SIN THAT KILLS
KJV Romans 6:23
 23.  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

WE SHOULD HAVE COMFORT IN CHRIST DEATH AND LEARN HUMILITY FROM IT
KJV Philippians 2:1-8
 1.  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
 2.  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
 3.  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
 4.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
 5.  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
 6.  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
 7.  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

HAVE YOU ACCEPTED WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST, TO LIVE IN THE PRESENT, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, AND KNOWING THAT CHRIST GAVE FOR YOU?   Hear, believe, repent, confess, and be baptized into his death (Rom 6:1-6)!
Then live that proper life!
 
 

Copyright 2000 by Brian Yeager may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.