Lesson 01
“Greater Love Hath No Man Than This!”
1. How does the Bible describe the Creator of our world?
1 John 4:16: “.. God is love; he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
[Further Study]
1 John 4:8 ” He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
2. Is God completely trustworthy, or will He let us down as others do?
Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Hebrews 13:5: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
[Further Study]
Psalms 92:15 “To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”
Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”
3. Is our salvation secure as long as we maintain our union with Christ?
John 10:28-29: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
[Further Study]
Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
4. What was God’s ultimate demonstration of His love for us?
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
[Further Study]
1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
5. Why did God send His Son to this earth in human form?
Matthew 1:21: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
[Further Study]
John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
6. What is the greatest expression of love?
John 15:13: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
7. How did Jesus demonstrate His love for us?
Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 John 3:16: “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
[Further Study]
Isaiah 53:5-6 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
8. Why do we need a Saviour?
Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Romans 5:19: “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made righteous.”
[Further Study]
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
9. How does Christ’s sacrifice on the cross save us from the death penalty?
1 Corinthians 15:21-22: “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
[Further Study]
Romans 5:17 “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”
Hebrews 9:28 “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
10. How do we know that the sacrifice of Christ was acceptable and will assure us eternal life?
Luke 24:5-6: “. . . Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: . . .”
[Further Study]
1 Corinthians 15:17 “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”
11. As important as Jesus’ sacrifice is, what He is doing for us today is equally important; what is it?
Hebrews 9:24: “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”
This subject will be discussed in more detail in another lesson.
12. What is our part in accepting God’s gift of eternal life?
1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Isaiah 55:7: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
[Further Study]
Matthew 6:14 “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:”
13. Once we have acknowledged our guilt, what has God promised to do?
1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
[Further Study]
Isaiah 44:22 “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.”
Jeremiah 33:8 “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.”
14. Will Jesus accept me just as I am?
John 6:37: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
“Arise and go to your Father. He will meet you a great way off. If you take even one step toward Him in repentance, He will hasten to enfold you in His arms of infinite love. His ear is open to the cry of the contrite soul. The very first reaching out of the heart after God is known to Him. Never a prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however secret, never a sincere desire after God is cherished, however feeble, but the Spirit of God goes forth to meet it. Even before the prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart made known, grace from Christ goes forth to meet the grace that is working upon the human soul.” Christ’s Object Lessons, page 206.
15. How can I know He has answered my prayer and forgiven me?
2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
16. How can I begin to live the kind of life that is pleasing in God’s sight?
2 Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:2: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; . . .”
The answer to this question is by doing just what you are doing right now, spending time getting to know God through studying His Word. Look to Christ, behold the attractive loveliness of His character, and by beholding you will become changed into His likeness.
“Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, ‘Take me, 0 Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.’ This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ.” Steps to Christ, page 70.