What does it mean to become a Christian? Why should I believe in Jesus? How can I know if I have died with Christ? This short presentation of the gospel explains what it means to die to sin... and to live in Christ

1. CREATED
DEATH
• Death, the universal nemesis of all men. Of all
• God created the first man and from the man, God
the things in this world, death is the one thing made a woman. These two, Adam and Eve are the
man has not ruled over, rather death has parents of all of humanity. Genesis 2:7; 2:21-22.
dominion over all men – eventually. Even when There are considerable implications to this truth,
when we acknowledge that we are created by God.
we resist mightily, it is only a matter of time Choose evolution and deny God. But, even in
before death has its way with each of us. Death this we deny ourselves, our heritage, we deny our
will conquer all... very nature. If you believe there is no God, then
how do you deal with the inevitability of your
• Are you afraid of death? Jesus came to set you death? What about your soul?
Have You Died With Christ? free from the fear of death - Hebrews 2:14-15.
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the entire In the same way that you may not believe that
Choose to believe in God
universe was subjected to corruption: Genesis God created the world, you may not believe in
and you open your heart to the
One who created you and has the
3:17-19, Romans 8:20-22. Whether one accepts God’s judgment – but, your unbelief will not
power to redeem you – God can the truth of this account or not, it will not change change the truth of what did happen, and what will
save you from the consequences the inevitability of the cycle of birth and death in
happen. In any event... you will die. When you
of your sins. which we find ourselves. Every baby that is born
is destined to die. You were a baby at one time. die, then you will KNOW. But, unless you make
When God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, Therefore, you are destined to die. Hebrews 9:27 preparations for eternity, it will be too late.
He did not engineer man to die. Man brought death upon And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to
himself. Death is a consequence of disobedience. The fact die, and after this cometh judgment;
that men die is the result of our sin. Genesis 2:15-17,
Romans 5:12. It should be noted that in both of these texts
the death that passed to all men is “spiritual death” – the
consequence of sin. PHYSICAL death is also a
consequence of man’s disobedience to God – but, that
came many years later for Adam (he lived a very long life
before he died).
It is true that Jesus died. It was in God’s plan
JESUS for our redemption that Jesus would die. Such Jesus’ death was different in that He willingly
was according to God’s foreordained counsel – laid down His life... for us - John 10:14-18.
that is, it was not a surprise to God when Jesus
was crucified - Acts 2:22-23. But, if Jesus dies, Jesus claimed to have the
power to take his life back
then would He not have the same problem that
It soon became clear that man could not save again... and history will show
all of mankind has – in that He would be that He did not remain in His
himself, not from sin – nor from the consequence of DEAD?
sin – death. Therefore, God sent to earth a Savior. grave, but that he was
Matthew 1:18-23, Luke 2:8-12. Ultimately Jesus resurrected and lived –
will save us from death. But, you may ask, “How AFTER he was killed. Jesus
can He do that? When will He do that?” Jesus lived appeared to many people after
two thousand years ago – and does not history His death – and they believed
record that He himself “died” – that Jesus was and were witnesses of His
crucified on a cross – and buried in a grave? resurrection - 1 Corinthians
15:1-8.

2. Some things to consider about the
What Does Your Heart Say? death and resurrection of Jesus:
Jesus did not die as
a consequence of
At his point you will Jesus surrendered all His sins; rather He
have to grapple with when He submitted to died for us...
your thoughts and this plan of God to TAKING OUR SINS
choose whether you save mankind from UPON HIMSELF
will believe this sin and death - to make a
message, or not - For Philippians 2:5-8, redemption for us:
it is indeed a choice Hebrews 5:7-9. Hebrews 4:14-16,
that each man will Hebrews 2:9-10,
make when he hears Isaiah 53:3-11.
this story.
The reason that death could NOT hold Jesus – and Fine. Live your life and
He was resurrected – is because He was sinless: SALVATION do what you want – but,
Acts 2:23-24, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Revelation you will still have to face
1:17-18 What must I do to be death. Living without
Our conclusion is saved? Many people God may not appear to
this – it is clear that
are not looking to be be a difficult choice. But
Jesus has the
power to save us saved – in that they to die without God on
from death – in that do not consider your side, that will have
He has overcome themselves to be eternal consequences.
death and now “lost”, I am alive. I’m You do not have to
controls the grave – doing ok (maybe). I believe this, but when
and can free you die – you will know;
don’t need “religion” we will all know the truth
anyone He wants
from death and to live my life. I don’t then. But, it will be too
Hades. need God to tell me late for so many.
what to do.
Jesus came to provide us Salvation from sin and death are through
It is only when a man
with a way of salvation faith in Jesus Christ - Ephesians 2:8-9
carefully considers
who he is – a man – • We can be saved from our sins through Do you believe that
created in the image forgiveness. Jesus is the Son of
of God and what he God, that he died on
has done – sinned – • We can be saved from death through a
a cross for you –
rebelled against God resurrection.
bearing your sins
and the fact that we • Recognize that we may still taste physical there – and that He
will all die – then death, but we are not afraid of it. was resurrected and
each of us will have to • Death will not conquer us, nor will it have has ascended into
decide what we are dominion over us in that we will be raised heaven to prepare a
going to believe and again to LIVE with Jesus place for us there?
do.

3. Only one thing remains – you must die with Christ in But, why must I die? Consider what it means to be • When I “die” to sin...
order to be saved. What? How did that become “dead” – all of your desires, all of your ambitions, then I will not respond
part of the deal. I thought all you had to do was everything dies with you. You cannot be tempted if to its enticement. When
“believe”. you are dead. my self dies, I am put
Many people have been deceived by a gospel that to death. Everything
Illustration – a dead that called to me,
fails to reveal the whole truth. Many preachers will man lies in a casket... everything that pulled
tell you that you are saved – when you believe – with what can you me away from God,
and never tell you the whole truth of God – that you tempt him? everything that had
must die with Jesus in order to be “born again” as • Will he rise up for money? such a hold on my life:
a child of God. • For a beautiful woman? IT CAN NO LONGER
Or they may tell you that you have to be “born again”, • For a gourmet dinner?
TEMPT ME, if I am
but they will not tell you HOW to be born again – truly dead to sin.
• To watch the Steelers play
HOW to die to sin and self. in the super bowl?
• Romans 6:1-2,
7-13,16-18.
Whom do you serve? Dying with Jesus Are you afraid of death now?
Colossians 3:5-10
• You cannot serve two masters. If you • we must surrender self Put to death therefore your members which are
are serving yourself, serving Satan, living • we must learn obedience upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness,
in sin – you cannot serve God. You must passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is
die to sin – in order to live for God. • we have to be baptized into Christ idolatry; 6. for which things' sake cometh the
wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: 7.
• How does this happen? Romans 6:3-5. It • Galatians 3:26-27 For ye are all sons of wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in
is in baptism that our old man is crucified God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. 27. these things; 8. but now do ye also put them all
and we are raised up to walk in newness away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful
For as many of you as were baptized into speaking out of your mouth: 9. lie not one to
of life – a life that is in Christ: Galatians Christ did put on Christ. another; seeing that ye have put off the old
2:20. man with his doings, 10. and have put on the
new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge
after the image of him that created him:
Colossians 3:1-4
If then ye were raised together with Christ,
seek the things that are above, where
Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
2. Set your mind on the things that are
above, not on the things that are upon the
earth. 3. For ye died, and your life is
hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ,
who is our life, shall be manifested, then
shall ye also with him be manifested in
glory.