Watch Right Now Media: Salvation

• We heard a lot of great things in the video. Let’s go back through some of that. Look at the quotes below and discuss the following questions

I tried really hard searching for my self-worth in other people and that left me feeling empty all year and hopeless and semi-depressed. In the midst of all that I started trying to read the Bible. I felt kind of more drawn towards God than I had been before. God really started, I think, tugging in my life and moving things around and pulling me closer to him throughout my whole junior year. I really just understood how I needed Jesus just as much as every other person.

-Andrew

I believe the two scariest lies on the earth right now that are so prevalent are (1) you are a good person, and (2) because God is a loving God he will not punish. I believe those are lies that are told every day all around our country.

– Francis Chan

I like pulled out my Bible and I started trying to read it. I got to this verse and it’s James 4:7-10. It was literally like God was saying to me, “Live out this verse and I will redeem you and I will renew you, I will completely turn your life around and I will get you back on your feet.” Once I began this new life, I just laid every burden down on God. Everything I had been struggling with. The reputation and the struggles I had at school and the depression, cutting, and burning myself with cigarettes and the temptation to drink. When I just gave all these to him it was like it was no longer a part of me.

– Macaulie

We changed our status before God. We used to be enemies and now he’s brought reconciliation, he brought the two of us together. . . . This needs to take place because all of us have sinned, we all fall short, we all were enemies of God, but thanks be to Jesus: Because of what he did on the cross, we can be one with him now.

– Francis Chan

I started trying to get my way back. I started coming back to church. I rededicated my life to Christ. I remember just crying for 30 minutes, just praying to God being like, “I give you my everything, I give you my life, I’ll give you everything in it because nothing is worth anything if you’re not there.”

– Eric

When we stop and consider everything that Jesus saved us from, everything he endured for us on the cross, what it should do is create this desire to say, “You know, I don’t want to offend him, I don’t want tosin against him,” so at the end of the day it’s about this love relationship with Jesus and focusing on him and dwelling on him. That’s what’s going to keep us from this sin that so easily can trap us.

– Francis Chan

Discuss

• Then what happened? What brought him to Jesus?
• He talks about searching for self-worth in other people. What does he mean by that? Have you ever done that?
• Why would that make you feel “empty and hopeless”?
• Look at the last sentence of Andrew’s quote. This is a good, church-going kid. Why would he need Jesus “just as much as every other person”? The other two examples in the video-Macaulie and Eric-sure, they needed conversion. But why Andrew?
• What do you think of the second quote, where Francis talks about the “two scariest lies”? Do you think he’s right?
• Do people really think these things? Are they wrong to think these things? What makes these lies especially scary?

Bible Journey:

• Read James 4:7-10. In these verses, what are we called to do, and what is God promising to do?
  – What’s all that “grieve, mourn, and wail” stuff? Does God want us to have bad attitudes?
  – Why do you think this Bible passage would register with Macaulie?
  – Do you remember from the video the tattoo Macaulie got and where she got it? What was that about? What do you think that meant to her?
  – In the fourth quote, Francis uses the word reconciliation. What does that mean? How are we “reconciled” to God?
  – Do you think it will “take” this time? Or will he drift away again?
  – Does Eric drifting away the first time mean that he wasn’t truly saved? Why or why not?
  – What’s the difference between initial saving faith (justification) and a faith that leads to daily obedience (sanctification)? Why does it take a while for some people to figure out what following Jesus really means?
  – Notice the last sentence in Eric’s quote. Does this give you hope that he’s finally surrendered to God?
  – According to Francis Chan in Quote #6, what’s to keep us from falling back into sin?
• Read John 3:16-17. How does God feel about the world?
  – When we say world, do we mean the planet earth, or the people of the world, or something else?
  – How do we get eternal life?
  – What does believe mean? Just believing that he existed?
  – As we Christians talk about our faith with others, how helpful is verse 17? Why?
• Read Romans 5:6-8. This passage explains how we should pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and live good enough lives to deserve the sacrifice of Christ, right?
  • What does it actually say about our condition when Christ dies for us?
• Romans 10:9. According to this verse, what do we have to do to become Christians?
  • Look ahead at Romans 10:13. What does that tell us to do?

Putting all of this together, how would you answer this friend who’s asking the question. What do I have to do to become a Christian?

• 2 Corinthians 5:17. What happens to those who are “in Christ”?
• There are a number of phrases that describe different people in their relationship with Christ below. Where do you see yourself in this list- Rebels, Playing the Game, Family Plan, Struggling with Doubts, Brand New, Growing Strong? Why?

Answer the following questions in the quiz

• Write 3 points that stood out to you about this doctrine.
• In your own words, summarise what the doctrine of Salvation is.