Teaching
When we trust Jesus, something remarkable happens. He forgives our sins and brings us into a new life with God. We do not have to wait until heaven to begin knowing Him. God changes our relationship with Him, makes us His children, and gives us His Spirit to help us live with Him now.
This is what Christians mean by salvation: Jesus rescues us from sin and its judgment and brings us into a relationship with God. A believer is someone who trusts Jesus for forgiveness and this new life. This study explains what God gives us when we believe, how He helps us grow, and what He promises for our future.
These truths come from the Bible and are adapted and expanded from Thirty-Three Things: A Study of Positional Truth by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum. Some describe gifts we receive as soon as we trust Jesus. Others explain God’s plan, the changes He is making in us, or the future He has promised.
We can receive these gifts without yet understanding them well. Paul prayed that people who already believed would know God better and understand what He had given them (Ephesians 1:17–19). Learning these truths helps us trust His love, come to Him with confidence, and walk with Jesus in everyday life.
Being accepted by God does not mean we have finished growing. We still struggle, make mistakes, and need His help. Read each explanation and the Bible passages that follow it. Some Bible words may be unfamiliar; the explanations will help you understand them. Ask God to help you see what these truths mean for your own relationship with Him.
Made Right With God
Truths 1–6
Through Jesus, God forgives us and makes us right with Himself. We no longer have to wonder whether we can become good enough for Him to accept us.
1. God makes us right with Himself
We have all sinned: we have thought, wanted, said, or done things that go against God’s good ways. We cannot undo that guilt by trying harder. Jesus took the judgment our sins deserved, and God counts Jesus’ perfect obedience as ours. When we trust Jesus, God declares us right with Him. The Bible calls this justification. Our behavior is not yet perfect, but God accepts us because of Jesus, rather than because we have earned it.
When you fail, turn to Jesus. Your hope rests on what He has done for you.
Romans 3:21–24
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Romans 8:30
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Romans 5:19
19 For as through the one man’s [Adam] disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One [Jesus] the many will be made righteous.
2. God forgives our sins
Jesus’ sacrifice covers all the sins of those who trust Him—past, present, and future. We do not lose our salvation each time we sin, and Jesus does not need to die again. But forgiveness does not make sin harmless. We still need to admit our sins to God, turn from them, and receive His help. As a loving Father, He also corrects us so that we learn to live differently.
You can be honest with God about your sin. You do not have to hide from the One who forgives you and helps you change.
Ephesians 1:7
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Colossians 1:14
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 2:13
13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
More Bible passages 1 John 1:8–9; Hebrews 10:10–14; 12:5–11
3. We no longer face God’s condemnation
Condemnation is the guilty verdict and punishment our sins deserve. Jesus has taken that punishment for those who trust Him. God will still correct us as His children, but we no longer face the judgment from which Jesus has saved us. Jesus is also alive and continues to represent us before the Father. The Bible calls Him our advocate: the One who speaks on our behalf. He intercedes for us, bringing our needs before God. His sacrifice is complete, and His care for us continues.
God’s correction is a reason to turn toward Him. It does not mean you have to earn a place in His family again.
Romans 8:1
1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
John 3:18
18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Hebrews 7:25
25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
More Bible passages Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1–2
4. Jesus has paid for our freedom and we belong to Him
The Bible calls this redemption: being set free through the payment of a price. Jesus paid that price by giving His life for us. Sin no longer owns us; we belong to Jesus. He gave Himself to make us His own people and help us live lives that please Him.
You belong to the One who loved you enough to give His life for you. That gives your life both security and direction.
Ephesians 1:7
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Colossians 1:14
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Romans 3:24
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
1 Corinthians 1:30
30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
1 Corinthians 6:19–20
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
Titus 2:14
14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
5. We have peace with God
Jesus has made things right between us and God. We are no longer His enemies. This peace is more than a calm feeling: it is a changed relationship. It remains true even when we feel anxious or unsettled. As we get to know God, we can learn to bring our worries to Him and rest in His care.
An anxious day does not undo the peace Jesus has made between you and God.
Romans 5:1
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Colossians 1:20
20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
6. Jesus has taken the judgment our sins deserve
God’s wrath is His holy anger against sin. He does not ignore evil or pretend it does not matter. Out of love, He sent Jesus to take the judgment our sins deserve. Jesus’ sacrifice fully meets the demands of God’s justice. The Bible uses the word propitiation for this. Those who trust Jesus are saved from God’s wrath because Jesus has dealt with their sin.
You do not need another sacrifice or enough good deeds to make God willing to receive you. Jesus has done what you could not do.
Romans 3:23–25
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
1 John 2:2
2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
1 John 4:10
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
More Bible passages Romans 3:26; 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10
Given New Life and God’s Spirit
Truths 7–9
God gives us new life and His own Spirit to help us. We still need to grow, but we do not have to follow Jesus by relying on our own strength.
7. God gives us new life
Before trusting Jesus, we were spiritually dead—cut off from the life we were made to have with God. We could not give ourselves that life. God makes us alive with Jesus through His Spirit. The Bible calls this being born again, or regeneration. It is a new beginning God gives us, rather than a gradual effort to improve ourselves. Growing into this new life takes time, but the life itself is already ours.
Your need to grow does not mean nothing happened when you believed. God has given you new life, and you can depend on Him as you learn to live it.
Colossians 2:13
13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
Ephesians 2:5
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
John 3:3
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
1 Peter 1:3
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Peter 1:23
23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
Galatians 6:15
15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Titus 3:5
5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
Romans 8:10
10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
8. God’s Spirit lives in us and marks us as His own
Christians worship one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to live in everyone who belongs to Jesus. He lives in us, helps us understand what God has given us, and gives us strength to follow Jesus. The Bible calls our bodies His temple: a place where God lives. His presence makes our everyday lives and the way we use our bodies matter to Him. The Bible also says we are sealed with the Spirit: His presence marks us as belonging to God. He is God’s guarantee of the future He has promised. His presence does not depend on whether we feel Him there.
You are not following Jesus alone. Ask for the Spirit’s help and respond to His guidance through God’s Word.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
Ephesians 1:13–14
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Romans 5:5
5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 8:9
9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
1 Corinthians 3:16
16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
John 14:16–17
16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
Romans 8:11
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
1 Corinthians 2:12
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,
2 Timothy 1:14
14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
2 Corinthians 1:22
22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
Ephesians 4:30
30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
9. Sin is no longer our master
The Bible says our “old self”—the person we were under sin’s rule—was crucified with Jesus. Through Jesus, sin’s power over us has been broken. We still face temptation and can choose to sin, but sin is no longer our master. We need God’s help every day. We now belong to God and can learn to do what is right through the power of His Spirit.
When you are tempted, ask God for help and act on what He says. You do not have to assume that giving in is your only choice.
Galatians 2:20
20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Romans 6:6–14
6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is freed from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
More Bible passages Romans 6:18, 22; Galatians 5:16
Joined to Jesus
Truths 10–13
The Bible often calls believers people who are “in Christ.” This means God has joined us to Jesus. What Jesus has done changes our relationship with God and gives us a new future.
10. God joins us to Jesus and His people
The Holy Spirit joins every believer to Jesus and makes us part of His people, the church. Scripture describes this as being baptized by the Spirit into one body. This is God’s work within us when we are saved. Water baptism is the outward picture of belonging to Jesus and sharing in the new life His death and resurrection make possible. We belong to Him, and we also belong with others who trust Him.
Following Jesus is a shared life. You have a place among His people, where you can receive help and give it.
Romans 6:3–5
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
1 Corinthians 12:13
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Galatians 3:27
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Ephesians 4:4–6
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
Colossians 2:12
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
11. God sets us apart as His own
God makes us His own people, set apart to belong to Him and live for Him. The Bible calls this sanctification. Being set apart for God does not mean we already behave perfectly. It means we belong to Him now. He then works in us over time, helping our thoughts, desires, and actions become more like Jesus. We learn to live differently because we are already His.
You do not have to become perfect before you can belong to God. Because you belong to Him, you can trust Him to help you grow.
1 Corinthians 1:2
2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
Hebrews 10:10
10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
12. Our life is joined to Jesus
Being “in Christ” means God has joined us to Jesus. Because we belong to Him, we share in the blessings His death and resurrection secured for us: acceptance with God, new life, and a future with Him. The Bible says our life is hidden with Jesus in God and that we are complete in Him. We do not become God or stop needing to grow. We have what we need in Jesus, and we do not need to add anything to His work to make God accept us.
Your relationship with Jesus gives you a foundation that does not change every time your feelings or circumstances change.
Ephesians 1:3–14 (repeated phrase: “in Him” / “in Christ”)
1 Corinthians 1:30
30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
More Bible passages Colossians 2:9–10; 3:3–4
13. We share in Jesus’ risen life and place with God
Ephesians says God has made us alive with Jesus, raised us with Him, and seated us with Him in heaven. Our bodies are still here on earth; we are not physically in heaven yet. But God has joined us to the risen Jesus so completely that we already share in His life and belong with Him. Our future with Him rests on what God has already done.
Your present struggles do not tell the whole story. You belong to Jesus, who has defeated death and is with the Father.
Ephesians 2:4–7
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
More Bible passages Colossians 3:1–4
Brought Near to God
Truths 14–17
Jesus brings us into a relationship with God. We can know Him, approach Him freely, and share our everyday lives with Him.
14. We can know the Father and Jesus personally
God brings us into a real relationship with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit. Jesus speaks of us being in Him and of Him living in us. This does not mean we become God; it means we belong to Him and share life with Him. We can know His love, speak to Him in prayer, hear Him through His Word, and learn to trust Him in ordinary life.
When you pray or read the Bible, you are spending time with the God who has brought you near. You are not simply completing religious duties.
2 Corinthians 6:16
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
John 17:21
21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
John 14:23
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
John 14:20
20 “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
Colossians 1:27
27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
John 17:3
3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
More Bible passages 1 John 1:3
15. God has brought us from being His enemies into friendship
Sin made us enemies of God and separated us from Him. Through Jesus’ death, God has made peace and brought us back into relationship with Himself. The Bible calls this reconciliation. God took the first step: He acted in love to bring us near. We do not have to persuade Him to become willing to receive those who come through Jesus.
You can turn toward God knowing that He has already acted to bring you to Himself.
Romans 5:10
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
2 Corinthians 5:18
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
Colossians 1:21–22
21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—
16. We can come freely to God and share life with Him
Because of Jesus, we can approach God confidently and ask for mercy and help. We do not have to prove we are worthy before speaking to Him. The Bible calls our shared life with God fellowship. It includes bringing Him our needs, listening to His Word, thanking Him, admitting our sins, and learning to trust His love. Jesus gives us access to God; we grow in enjoying that relationship as we keep responding to Him.
You can pray today, even if it has been a difficult day or you have failed. Jesus is your reason for coming confidently.
Ephesians 3:12
12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
1 Corinthians 1:9
9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 John 1:3
3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:16
16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
More Bible passages Hebrews 4:14–16; 1 John 1:6–9
17. God welcomes us to worship and serve Him
God makes His people a “holy and royal priesthood.” This means all who trust Jesus are welcomed to approach God through Him and offer lives of worship and service. Our gifts to God include praise, doing good, sharing what we have, and giving ourselves to Him. These do not pay for sin. Jesus has already offered the one sacrifice that does that.
You do not have to be a religious leader for your worship and service to matter to God. Through Jesus, you are welcomed into His presence.
1 Peter 2:5
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Hebrews 13:15–16
15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
More Bible passages Revelation 1:6; Hebrews 10:10–14; Romans 12:1
Welcomed Into God’s Family
Truths 18–22
God makes us His children and gives us a place among His people. We belong to Him now, and we have a future with Him.
18. God adopts us into His family
God welcomes us as His own children, with a secure place in His family. We are not outsiders trying to earn our way in. Through Jesus, we have a Father who loves us, cares for us, listens to us, and corrects us for our good. We can turn to Him with the trust and dependence of a child. Scripture expresses this with the words “Abba! Father!”
Bring God your needs and weaknesses as His child. You do not have to perform your way into His family.
Romans 8:15
15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
Galatians 4:5
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Ephesians 1:4–5
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
More Bible passages Hebrews 12:5–11
19. We are God’s children
God created everyone, but the Bible describes a special family relationship for those who receive Jesus and trust Him. He makes us His children. His Spirit helps us know that we belong to Him and teaches us to turn to Him as Father. We are already His children, even while we are learning to think and act more like Him.
When you wonder where you belong, remember that God has made you His child. You can learn to live as His child by trusting His love and care for you.
John 1:12
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
Romans 8:16
16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
1 John 3:1–2
1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
Romans 8:14
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
2 Corinthians 6:18
18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.
Galatians 3:26
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 4:6
6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
John 8:44 (by way of contrast)
44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
20. We share in the future God promises His children
The Bible calls God’s children heirs: people who will receive what their Father has promised. Because we belong to Jesus, we will share life with Him and the glory of His coming kingdom. God has given His Spirit as a guarantee of what is ahead. This does not promise an easy life now. Scripture connects suffering with Jesus today with sharing His glory in the future.
The hardship you face now is not all there is. Your Father holds a future for you that reaches beyond it.
Romans 8:17
17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
Galatians 4:7
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Ephesians 1:11
In Him
11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
Ephesians 1:13–14
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Colossians 1:12
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Colossians 3:24
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
Titus 3:7
7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
1 Peter 1:4
4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
21. We have a home among God’s people
We are no longer outsiders. We have a place in God’s household and belong among His people. The Bible also says our citizenship is in heaven: we belong to the kingdom of Jesus, who is with the Father and will return. We still live and serve here, but Jesus shapes our deepest loyalties and our hope for the future.
Wherever you live and whatever your circumstances, you have a place with God and His people.
Philippians 3:20
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
Ephesians 2:19
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
22. God rescues us from darkness and brings us under Jesus’ rule
Before we trusted Jesus, we lived under the power of sin and spiritual darkness. God rescues us and brings us into the kingdom of His Son. That means we belong to a new King. We still face temptation, suffering, and opposition from evil, but we no longer belong to the power that once held us. We belong to Jesus and can learn to live under His good rule.
You can follow Jesus as someone He has already rescued and welcomed into His kingdom.
Acts 26:18
18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’
Ephesians 2:1–2
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Colossians 1:13
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
Hebrews 2:14–15
14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
2 Peter 1:10-11
10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
1 Thessalonians 2:12
12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
Given a New Purpose
Truths 23–26
God gives us a new way to live and helps us live it. We love and serve Him because He has saved us and made us His own.
23. God has chosen and called us in love
Our salvation is part of God’s loving purpose. It is not an afterthought or a reward for our achievements. Ephesians says He chose us in Christ before the world began. Romans connects His purpose and calling with His plan to make us like Jesus. These truths give us reasons for gratitude, humility, and trust in the God who saves us.
God’s love and purpose for you didn’t begin with your efforts to find Him. You can trust Him to continue the work He began in you.
Ephesians 1:4
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
Romans 8:29–30
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
24. We live by God’s grace and follow Jesus
God gave Israel the law through Moses as part of His covenant—His binding relationship with them. Those who belong to Jesus are no longer under that law as the agreement governing their relationship with God. Through Jesus, we live in a new covenant of grace: God’s undeserved kindness. This does not mean right and wrong have changed or that obedience no longer matters. Jesus teaches us how to live, and His Spirit helps us love God and others. We obey because God has accepted us through Jesus, rather than to earn His acceptance.
Ask God to help you live as Jesus teaches. You obey because He has loved and accepted you, not to earn His love or acceptance.
Romans 6:14
14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Romans 7:4
4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
More Bible passages Romans 7:6; 8:2; 10:4; 2 Corinthians 3:2–11; Galatians 3:19; 6:2; Ephesians 2:11–15; Hebrews 7:11–12; James 1:25; 2:12
25. God gives us gifts to help others
The Holy Spirit gives believers different gifts so that we can help one another and build up the church. He decides how to give them. These gifts are expressions of God’s kindness, rather than proof that one person matters more than another. We each have something to contribute, and we need what others have to give.
Look for ways to help the people God has placed around you. You can learn to use what He has given you as you serve.
1 Corinthians 12:7, 11
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
More Bible passages Romans 12:3–8
26. God makes us new for a life of doing good
God calls us His workmanship: people He has made new in Jesus. He has good things for us to do as we walk with Him. Those good works do not earn our salvation. Salvation is His gift, received by trusting Jesus. We love and serve others because He has saved us and is teaching us to reflect His goodness.
Your everyday choices to love, help, and serve have purpose. They are part of living the new life God has given you.
Ephesians 2:8–10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Growing Now and Looking Ahead
Truths 27–30
God is changing us now, and He has promised to finish what He began. We still face struggles, but we can look forward to life with Him, free from sin and death.
27. God is helping us become more like Jesus
Through His Spirit, God changes how we think, what we want, and how we live. We learn to know Jesus, trust His Word, and follow His ways. Christians sometimes call this progressive sanctification: growing over time into the life God has given us. We will not become sinless in this life. Growth can include struggles, setbacks, and correction, but God keeps working in us and calls us to keep responding to Him.
When you struggle, return to Jesus and take the next step of trusting Him. Needing His help is a reason to depend on Him, not to give up.
2 Corinthians 3:18
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Romans 8:29
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
Ephesians 4:22–24
22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Colossians 3:10
10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—
More Bible passages Galatians 5:16–25; Philippians 2:12–13
28. God will finish His work in us
When Jesus returns, God will make us like Him and give us resurrected, transformed bodies. Sin, weakness, and death will no longer spoil our lives. The Bible calls this glorification. Romans 8:30 speaks of it as accomplished in God’s plan, showing how certain His promise is. We still wait for it to happen. Our present suffering will not have the final word.
You can grieve what is painful now while trusting God’s promise of a future beyond it.
Romans 8:18
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:30
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Romans 9:23
23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
Colossians 3:4
4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
1 John 3:2
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
More Bible passages Romans 8:23; Philippians 3:20–21
29. We have eternal life with Jesus
Eternal life is God’s gift in Jesus. It begins now: those who trust Him have passed from death to life and can know the Father through His Son. This life continues forever with Him and will be fully enjoyed in the resurrection and the life to come. Jesus describes eternal life as knowing the Father and Himself. The heart of this gift is life with the God who loves us.
You do not have to wait until heaven to begin knowing Jesus. You can walk with Him now, knowing that life with Him continues beyond death.
1 John 5:11–12
11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 5:24
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
More Bible passages John 17:3
30. Nothing can separate us from God’s love in Jesus
God loved us before we believed, and His love does not depend on a perfect record of spiritual success. Nothing in creation can separate those who belong to Jesus from God’s love. This does not mean life will always be easy or that our Father will ignore our sin. He may correct us because He loves us. His love holds us through our present troubles and into the future He has promised.
When circumstances make you feel abandoned, you can still turn to God. His love is stronger than what makes you afraid.
Romans 8:38–39
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
More Bible passages Hebrews 12:5–11
Living With Jesus Each Day
These truths describe gifts God has given you because you belong to Jesus. Take time to understand them and thank Him for them. You can keep coming to Him, depending on Him, and learning to live with Him each day.
When you feel guilty, remember what Jesus has done and be honest with God about your sin. When you feel alone, turn to the Father whose child you are. When you are tempted to do wrong, ask His Spirit for help. When you face suffering or death, remember the future Jesus has promised. Keep speaking to Him in prayer, listening to His Word, and spending time with His people as you grow in knowing Him.
Scripture Attribution
Scripture quotations are from the NASB 1995 edition. Bracketed explanations are added for clarity.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org
Take time to consider what you have learned and how to put it into practice. You can return to this lesson whenever you need it.