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The BodyThe body began to die and became susceptible to diseaseand weakness. A power called sin moved into man’s body.This power is Satan’s inroad into our mind and serves totempt man and pull him away from God and His will.Romans 7:20,23: “But if I am doing the very thing I do notwant, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwellsin me but I see a different law in the members of my body,waging war against the law of my mind and making me aprisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.”The results of sin are passed on to each newgeneration.In whose image were Adam’s descendants?Genesis 5:3: “When Adam had lived one hundred and thirtyyears, he became the father of a son in his own likeness,according to his image, and named him Seth.”What is the result of being in Adam?Romans 5:12: “Therefore, just as through one man sin enteredinto the world, and death throughsin, and so death spread to all men,All mankindbecause all sinned.”1 Corinthians 15:22a : “For as inAdam all die ”Themostdevastatingconsequence of sin is that man isno longer able to fulfill his purposefor existence—to glorify God andenjoy Him forever.was in Adamwhen he sinnedand received theconsequences ofthat sin.13

“Therefore it was also credited to him asrighteousness. Now not for his sake only was itwritten that it was credited to him, but for our sakealso, to whom it will be credited,as those who believe in Himwho raised Jesus ourLord from the dead.”Romans 4:22-2414

LESSON 2GOD’S SOLUTION TO MANKIND’SGREATEST PROBLEMThere is no human solution to man’s sin problem. InGenesis 3:7, we see the sad way that Adam and Eve tried tocover the shame of their sin.Genesis 3:7: “Then the eyes of both ofthem were opened, and they knew thatthey were naked; and they sewed figleaves together and made themselvesloin coverings.”Fig leaveshave no effectwith God!This attempt to cover themselves represents mankind’sfutile attempt to remedy sin’s devastation by human works.All human-works-based religion is only fig leaves. The figleaves had no effect with God.What can be done about this problem? Job put it this wayin Job 25:4, “How then can a man be just with God? Or howcan he be clean who is born of woman?”God’s answer comes echoing through the whole NewTestament—only through the cross of Jesus Christ!In Lesson 2, we will learn two important truths thatsummarize God’s solution to mankind’s greatest problem,which is sin.JUSTIFICATIONThe great reformer, Martin Luther, said, “I have preachedjustification by faith so often, and I feel sometimes that youare so slow to receive it, that I could almost take the Bible and15

bang it about your heads.” If we miss the biblical concept ofjustification, we miss salvation and heaven.The word justify or justification is used over sixty timesin Scripture. The word in Greek for justification (dikaiosis) isvery similar to the word for righteousness (dikaios). It is easyto see that these two words (justification and righteousness) arefrom the same root.The definition of justification—to be justified is to be declaredby God to be righteous (in right standing) before Him.At first glance, there seems to be a dilemma with thatdefinition of justification. How could God (who is perfectlyholy) declare a sinner to be righteous before Him withoutGod ceasing to be just and righteous Himself? The apparentdilemma is solved by the cross of Jesus Christ.Because Jesus shed His blood on the cross and paid the sindebt that we owed, we can be righteous before God becauseof the shed blood of Christ on our behalf. This is called thedoctrine of the penal substitutionary atonement. The word penalrefers to penalty. The word substitutionary refers to a substitutewho paid the penalty that we deserved.Romans 3:24-26: “being justifiedas a gift by His grace through theredemption which is in Christ Jesus;whom God displayed publicly as aJesus paid the propitiation in His blood throughfaith. This was to demonstratedebt we owed!His righteousness, because in theforbearance of God He passed overthe sins previously committed; forthe demonstration, I say, of Hisrighteousness at the present time, so that He would be justand the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”This is amazing! Because of what Christ accomplished onthe cross, it is now possible for God to “be just and the justifierof the one who has faith in Jesus.”16

In 2 Corinthians 5:21, we see again what God did tomake it possible for us to become righteous before Him (to bejustified).2 Corinthians 5:21: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sinon our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness ofGod in Him.”What was the price paid for our justification?Romans 5:9: “Much more then, having now been justified byHis blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God throughHim.”Romans 3:25a:“whom God displayed publicly as apropitiation in His blood through faith.”Propitiation means to provide a satisfying payment. Jesus’blood was a satisfying payment to the Father for our sins. Theshed blood made it possible for God to forgive us and declareus righteous and still be a holy, just, and righteous God.How is justification obtained?Romans 4:5: “But to the one whodoes not work, but believes inHim who justifies the ungodly, hisfaith is credited as righteousness.”Romans 5:1: “Therefore, havingbeen justified by faith, we havepeace with God through our LordJesus Christ.”Romans 3:28“For we maintainthat a man isjustified by faithapart fromworks of the Law.”Galatians 3:24: “Therefore the Law has become our tutor tolead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”17

According to Romans 3:28, 4:5, and 5:1, and Galatians 3:24,we are justified by .The word faith, as it is used in these verses, means to turnfrom every false hope for righteousness and to step out in total trustand reliance on Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross on ourbehalf. It is much more than intellectual assent.A. W. Tozer said, “The faith of Paul and Luther was arevolutionary thing. It upset the whole life of the individualand made him into a new person altogether. It laid hold onthe life and brought it under obedience to Christ. It took upthe cross and followed along after Jesus with no intention ofgoing back. It said ‘good-bye’ to its old friends as certainly asElijah when he stepped into the fiery chariot and went awayin the whirlwind. It had finality about it. It snapped shuton a man’s heart like a trap; it captured the man and madehim from that moment forward a happy love—servant of hisLord.” According to Romans 6:17,18, what is the effect of true,saving faith?“The faith of Pauland Luther wasa revolutionarything!”—A. W. TozerRomans 6:17,18: “But thanks beto God that though you were slavesof sin, you became obedient fromthe heart to that form of teachingto which you were committed, andhaving been freed from sin, youbecame slaves of righteousness.”In Romans 6:17,18, what parts of mankind’s soul areinvolved in saving faith? The Will (you became obedient) The Emotions (from the heart) The Mind (that form of teaching)18

2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV): “For this reason I also suffer thesethings; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom Ihave believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep whatI have committed to Him until that Day.”According to 2 Timothy 1:12, thisfaith involves a commitment of ourlife to Christ. The word translated(Saving) faithcommitted means to entrust with ainvolves adeposit.commitment ofWhen our faith is placed inChrist alone, our sins are paid for our life to Christ.by His blood shed on the cross andHe gives us His righteousness (rightstanding with God).In Romans 5:17-19 (NKJV), we see a contrast betweenAdam and Jesus. “For if by the one man’s offense deathreigned through the one, much more those who receiveabundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reignin life through the One, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as throughone man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting incondemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act thefree gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. Foras by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, soalso by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”ADAMJESUSRom. 5:17: reigned the gift ofRom. 5:18: cameresulting in condemnationRom. 5:19: many were madethe free resulting injustification of lifemany will be made19

What are the most common counterfeits for justification? Human Religion Self-righteousnessSUMMARYJesus took our sin on the cross and paid the satisfactoryprice (His blood). When we place our faith in Him, Hisrighteousness is credited to us (put on our account) so thatGod can declare us righteous before Him (justification).Romans 4:22-24: “Therefore it was also credited to him asrighteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written thatit was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it willbe credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesusour Lord from the dead.”UNION WITH CHRISTAt the moment of salvation we are not only justified, weare also placed in union with (also called identified with andbaptized into) Jesus Christ. This concept of our union withChrist is foreign to most Christians, but it is one of the mostimportant truths of Scripture.1 Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit we were all baptizedinto one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves orfree, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”20

From the context, we know that the one body in 1Corinthians 12:13 is the body of Christ. The word baptizedmeans to be immersed into or to be identified with. One of thecommon descriptions of Christians in the New Testament isthat they are in Christ. At the moment of salvation, the HolySpirit baptizes us into Christ. We truly are placed in unionwith Christ.The doctrine of our union with Christ is very practical. Itis one of the keys to the victorious Christian life.What does being in union with Christ mean? We are in union with or identified with Christ in Hisdeath.Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; andit is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; andthe life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith inthe Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself upfor me.”Romans 6:6 (HCSB): “For we know that our old selfwas crucified with Him in order that sin’s dominionover the body may be abolished, so that we may nolonger be enslaved to sin.” We are in union with or identified with Christ in Hislife.Colossians 3:4:revealed ”“When Christ, who is our life, isAnother name for His life iseternal life.1 John 5:20b: “ and we are in Himwho is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.This is the true God and eternal life.”Another namefor Christ’s lifeisEternal Life.21

At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit places us inunion with Christ. This act of putting us in union with Christis also called baptizing us into Christ or identifying us withChrist. The old person who was in Adam is now crucifiedwith Christ (Galatians 2:20).The power called sin that dwellsin us, held the old us in Adam inslavery to sin. Now that the old usRomans 6:7:“For he who has in Adam is crucified with Christ,we still must deal with the power ofdied is freedsin, but we are no longer enslavedfrom sin.”to sin.The result of no longerbeing enslaved to sin is given inRomans 6:11-14: “Even so consideryourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so thatyou obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the membersof your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; butpresent yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, andyour members as instruments of righteousness to God. Forsin shall not be master over you, for you are not under lawbut under grace.”Because we are in Christ, we now have a new identity.Lesson 3 will detail that new identity.22

IDENTITYNot what we doBut who we are;What we haveDoes not empower.Not where we areOr where we’ve been—What’s of self (Rom. 7:18)Is surely sin.Not what we gainBut what we lose— (Rom. 6:6)‘Twixt God and selfIs ours to choose. (Rom. 6:11)To live is Christ; (Phil. 1:21)Self is but loss.Identity in Him— (Col. 3:4a)Ours through the Cross.Our life lost (Gal. 2:20a)His life begun; (Gal. 2:20b)As in HimAll is done. (John 19:30)Ours to laborTo enter rest; (Heb. 4:11)Found in Him, (Col. 2:9,10)Lives truly blessed.Charles R. SolomonApril 12, 1997; August 6, 199923

Not only we we a partaker in Christ’sdeath, we are also a partakerin His resurrection life.24

LESSON 3THE DISCIPLE’S NEW IDENTITYSalvation isn’t an end—it’s a beginning! Once a personrepents of sin and turns to Christ in faith, that person beginsan exciting adventure of walking with Christ. One of the mostimportant parts of that walk with Christ is to understand andappropriate by faith our new identity in Christ.The Bible says in 2 Corinthians5:17: “Therefore if anyone is inWe are in union Christ, he is a new creature; the oldthings passed away; behold, newwith Christ—athings have come.” The phrasepartaker in His in Christ speaks of our union withresurrection life! Christ. In Lesson 2, we learned thatthis union with Christ is often calledthe baptism by the Holy Spirit.That baptism is described in 1 Corinthians 12:13: “For byone Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jewsor Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made todrink of one Spirit.” The phrases in Christ, in Him, or in theBeloved are referring to our union with Christ which is alsocalled the baptism by the Holy Spirit. Those phrases are used inthe New Testament 164 times!In Lesson 2, we learned that because we are in union withChrist, we are a partaker in His death.Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is nolonger I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life whichI now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, wholoved me and gave Himself up for me.”25

Romans 6:6 (HCSB): “For we know that our old self wascrucified with Him in order that sin’s dominion over the bodymay be abolished, so that we may no longer be enslaved tosin.”Not only were we a partaker in Christ’s death, we are alsoa partaker in His resurrection life.1 Corinthians 15:22: “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christall will be made alive.” Christ’s life is eternal life.1 John 5:20b (NIV): “And we are in him who is true by beingin his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”Eternal life is more than just living forever; it is Christ’slife that we have as a present possession.It isn’t enough to simply know with our intellect thateveryone saved is in union with Christ and has become anew creation. We must appropriate our new identity in orderfor it to be real in our experience. To appropriate means totake full possession by faith. Though we receive our identity inChrist at salvation, we must daily appropriate it by faith inour experience.The New Testament tellsus many things about this newEternal life isidentity.Perhaps the clearestmore than justdescription of this identity is inliving forever;Ephesians 1-3. Read these threeit is Christ’schapters and make a list of truthsabout you because you are in Christ.life—a presentWhat follows are a few of thepossession!many truths about all who are inChrist or in union with Christ.26

IDENTITY TRUTH #1:IN CHRIST, WE ARE LOVEDWhile it is true that “God so loved the world” (John 3:16),those who are in Christ are loved with a family love by God,our Father.Ephesians 1:4b,5 “In love He predestined us to adoption assons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kindintention of His will.”The word predestined should not scare us. To predestine isto mark out beforehand. Predestination flows out of God’s lovefor those in union with Christ. God’s love for those in Christmoved Him to adopt them as sons.Here are some facts about the kind of adoption referred toin Ephesians 1:5.1. The adopted person lost all ties with his old family.2. The adopted one became an heir of his new father anda joint heir with the other siblings.3. The adopted person’s past was forgotten, his legaldebts canceled, and he was given a new name.4. The adoption was a permanent transaction; it couldnever be reversed.In John 17:23, this love withwhich God loves those in Christ isdescribed as, “You loved them,even as You have loved Me.” Thismeans that God loves those inChrist with the same love withwhich He loves Christ!God’s love forthose in Christmoved Him toadopt them assons!27

In the Old Testament, Jeremiah describes the endurance ofGod’s love. Jeremiah 31:3: “I [God] have loved you with aneverlasting love.”IDENTITY TRUTH #2:IN CHRIST, WE ARE ACCEPTED BY GODEphesians 1:6 (NKJV): “to the praise of the glory of His grace,by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”All Christians have accepted Christ as the means ofsalvation, but most have not accepted their acceptance by theFather because they are in Christ, the Beloved. The worldbases acceptance upon looks, brains, and performance. Atone time or another, every person has experienced rejectionby those influenced by the world. We aren’t smart enough orattractive enough or good enough.When we appropriate our acceptance in Christ, threethings happen:1. We can now live with therejection of others.2. We have a consuming desireto please the One who hasaccepted us.3. We can now serve Godwith a correct motive. Ourmotive is no longer to gainsomething (acceptance); ourmotive is now gratitude forHis acceptance of us simplybecause we are in Christ.28The world basesacceptanceupon looks,brains, andperformance!

IDENTITY TRUTH #3:IN CHRIST, WE ARE REDEEMEDEphesians 1:7a: “In Him we have redemption through Hisblood ”The Greek word used in this text for redemption means topurchase from the slave market to set free. We were in slavery tosin. In Christ, the price was paid for us, and we have been setfree. Apart from Christ, we were all slaves to sin.John 8:34 (ESV): “everyone who practices sin is a slave tosin.”Notice the price paid for our redemption.Ephesians 1:7a: “In Him we have redemption through Hisblood (emphasis added) ”The price of our redemption was the blood(the poured out life) of Christ on the cross. InChrist, we are no longer slaves of sin; we areredeemed!1 Peter 1:18,19: “knowing that you were not redeemed withperishable things like silver or gold from your futile way oflife inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood(emphasis added), as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, theblood of Christ.”29

IDENTITY TRUTH #4:IN CHRIST, WE ARE FORGIVENEphesians 1:7b,8a: “ through His blood, the forgiveness ofour trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which Helavished on us.”The literal meaning of the word translated forgiveness isto send away. We get a clearer picture of what it means tobe forgiven by looki

Scripture quotations maked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version . Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from