Light & Darkness

First Principles: Light & Darkness – A thorough study of what it means to go from from the darkness of sin into the light of salvation through the grace of God.

Purpose: To understand how to be saved.

 

1 Peter 2:9-10 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  – NIVUK

  • Every person is either in the darkness or the light. There is no twilight zone. Where are you?

JOHN 3:1-7

  • We must be born again of water and the spirit.
  • This is a personal decision as an adult.

ACTS 2:22-24

  • What message must one believe to be saved?
    • That Jesus is from God. (v. 22)
    • That Jesus was physically raised from the dead. (v. 24)
    • Everyone is responsible for the crucifixion of Christ, (v. 23) because all have sinned.

ACTS 2:37

  • What does it mean to be “cut to the heart?” (Definition: deep emotional sorrow)
  • The people recognized their responsibility for the death of Jesus.
  • Their response reflected godly sorrow: “What should we do?”

ACTS 2:38-42

  • Once the people believed, what did they do?
  • Repent (turn to God).
  • Be baptized (be immersed in water).
    • Their sins were forgiven. This is the point in time when a person is saved.
    • The Holy Spirit is given to those who are baptized.

ROMANS 6:1-8

  • Baptism is the participation in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ — it is more than just a symbol.
  • This is the point in time when we are freed from sin and united with Christ. The wall of sin is broken down — we are forgiven of our sins!
  • Explain diagram below:
Diagram of burial through baptism
DARKNESS
Sin
Separates from God
LIGHT
Acts 2:38
Sin is Forgiven
Born Again
Of Water and Spirit
John 3:5
Acts 2:38
Water = Baptism
Spirit = Received at Baptism
Romans 3:25
Faith in the Blood of Jesus Saves Us
Jesus shed his blood when he died. In baptism we share by faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Thus our sins are covered through the blood of Jesus and we are forgiven and SAVED!

COLOSSIANS 2:11-12

  • What activates the power of God at baptism? It is our faith!
  • We are saved by faith at the moment of baptism — not by the water itself.

MATTHEW 15:6-9

  • False doctrines often arise from religious tradition.
  • Examples of false doctrine:
    • Infant baptism (refuted by Ezekiel 18:20; 28:15)
      1. Began approximately second century AD.
      2. Became church doctrine in 549 AD.
    • Praying Jesus into your heart
      (misinterpretation of Revelation 3:20)
      1. This passage was addressed to baptized disciples.
      2. It originated in early 1800s America.

1 PETER 3:18-22

  • What does the water represent in this passage? Noah’s flood.
  • In the same way, the flood washed away the sinful people in Noah’s time, baptism cleanses us of sin through Christ!
  • Baptism “now saves you” — this confirms again that baptism is not merely symbolic, but the moment our sins are forgiven.
  • REVIEW YOUR TIMELINE — does it align with the Biblical process of salvation? If not, now is the time to repent and be baptized!

Challenge: Respond urgently: be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins so you can be united with Jesus!