Page 8 - Personal Spiritual Life Syllabus w videos

Study Section 2: What Happens the Moment you Believe?

2.1 Connect.

Do you remember the day you received Christ as your personal Savior? I do! I was a
young man, but desperately needed Christ, and I knew it. I was under deep conviction as
a result of my sin and was miserable. A few days previous to my spiritual birthday, I had
stolen a baseball from a store. My mom did not know that I had swiped the ball, but she
read me a verse in Scripture that went something like this: “If your right hand offends
you, cut it off, for it is better to lose your hand than to burn in hell.” I had used my right hand to steal
the baseball! Just a few days later I surrendered my heart to Christ, but at that age I had no idea so
many things happened to me all at one time. All I knew then was that I was forgiven, and I was rejoicing.

When I accepted Christ, a lot of things happened in heaven that I was unaware of. Today let’s examine
all the special events that occur when a person believes…..

2.2 Objectives:

1. The student should be able to describe the 13 amazing events that happen to a person
who believes.

2. The student should be able to discuss that some of these things happen in heaven and
some happen in your body.

2.3 What happens the moment you believe?

The Bible says several things happen the second you put your faith in the finished work of
Jesus Christ on your behalf. Some of these transactions take place in you and some in
heaven. Let’s look at some of the amazing results of faith:

1. Your name is written in the Book of Life.

Revelation 20:15 declares, “If anyone’s name was not found written in
the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” The Book of Life, in
this context, is the set of names of those who will live with God forever in
heaven. It is the roll of those who are saved. This Book of Life is also
mentioned in Revelation 3:5; 20:12; and Philippians 4:3. The same book is
also called the Lamb’s Book of Life because it contains the names of those who have been redeemed by
the blood of the Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God (Revelation 13:8; 21:27).

Once your name is written in the Book of Life, it is never erased (Revelation 3:5; Romans 8:37-39). No
true believer should doubt his eternal security in Christ (John 10:28-30).

2. You are declared righteous.

A Christian is justified at the moment of belief. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). To justify is to declare righteous.

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