A Starting Point

1. BASIC Principles of
Christianity
Lesson 3
A Starting Point

2. A Starting Point
 Everyone has to start the Christian life. We may
begin early in life or late in life. One may begin a
religious life, quit and then want to start again.
 This study considers a point of beginning as
demonstrated by those examples in the New
Testament. An individual cannot compare their
beliefs and responsibility with the experience of
others, but only with the word of God.

3.  The message to be preached and believed is that
Christ died on the cross and in so doing made it
possible for people to be saved from sin. Only those
who hear and understand the gospel can respond
and obey it. Romans 7:9-10
Romans 7:9-10
“ And I was alive apart from the law once: but when
the commandment came, sin revived, and I died;
and the commandment, which was unto life, this I
found to be unto death:”

4.  Those too young or incapable of
understanding are innocent in God’s sight.
 In the New Testament when one became a
Christian they were also added to the church
at the same time.

5. I. THE LAW OF PARDON IS
AFTER A PATTERN
 Romans 1:16
 Romans 5:1
 Romans 6:3-7
 Romans 6:17-18
 Acts 2:47
 I Corinthians 12:13

6. Romans 1:16
 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is
the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek.

7. Romans 5:1
 “Being therefore justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ”

8. Romans 6:3-7
 “Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We
were buried therefore with him through baptism
unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the
dead through the glory of the Father, so we also
might walk in newness of life. For if we have
become united with him in the likeness of his death,
we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection;
knowing this, that our old man was crucified with
him, that the body of sin might be done away, that
so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; for he
that hath died is justified from sin.”

9. Romans 6:17-18
 “But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were
servants of sin, ye became obedient from the
heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye
were delivered; and being made free from
sin, ye became servants of righteousness.”

10. Acts 2:47
 “praising God, and having favor with all the
people. And the Lord added to them day by
day those that were saved.”

11. I Corinthians 12:13
 “For in one Spirit were we all baptized into
one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether
bond or free; and were all made to drink of
one Spirit.”

12. II. NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES
OF BECOMING A CHRISTIAN
 The teachings of Jesus - Matthew 28:18-20
 The Jews on Pentecost - Acts 2:22-41
 The Samaritans - Acts 8:5, 12

13. Matthew 28:18-20
 “And Jesus came to them and spake unto
them, saying, All authority hath been given
unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye
therefore, and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them into the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:
teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am
with you always, even unto the end of the
world.”

14. Acts 2:22-41
 Turn to Acts 2:22-41 and read.

15. Acts 8:5, 12
 “And Philip went down to the city of
Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the
Christ.”
 “But when they believed Philip preaching
good tidings concerning the kingdom of God
and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptized, both men and women.”

16. MORE EXAMPLES :
 The Man of Ethiopia - Acts 8:26-39
 Saul of Tarsus – Acts 9:1-18; 22:15-16; 26:9-
19
 Cornelius – Acts 10:1-48

17.  Lydia – Acts 16:13-15
 The Philippian Jailer – Acts 16:25-34
 The Corinthians – Acts 18:1-8
 The Ephesians – Acts 19:1-5

18. Lydia –
 Acts 16:13-15
“And on the sabbath day we went forth without the
gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a
place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto
the women that were come together. And a certain
woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of
Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us:
whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the
things which were spoken by Paul. And when she
was baptized, and her household, she besought us,
saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the
Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she
constrained us. “

19. The Philippian Jailer –
 Acts 16:25-34
“But about midnight Paul and Silas were
praying and singing hymns unto God, and
the prisoners were listening to them; and
suddenly there was a great earthquake, so
that the foundations of the prison-house were
shaken: and immediately all the doors were
opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
…”

20. The Corinthians –
 Acts 18:1-8
“After these things he departed from Athens,
and came to Corinth. And he found a certain
Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race,
lately come from Italy, with his wife
Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded
all the Jews to depart from Rome: and he
came unto them; and because he was of the
same trade, he abode with them, and they
wrought, for by their trade they were
tentmakers.4And he reasoned in the
synagogue every sabbath….”

21. The Ephesians –
 Acts 19:1-5
“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at
Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper
country came to Ephesus, and found certain
disciples: and he said unto them, Did ye receive the
Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said unto
him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the
Holy Spirit was given. And he said, Into what then
were ye baptized? And they said, Into John's
baptism. And Paul said, John baptized with the
baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that
they should believe on him that should come after
him, that is, on Jesus. And when they heard this,
they were baptized into the name of the Lord
Jesus.”

22. More Examples ………
 The Romans –
Romans 6:1-4
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that
grace may abound? 2God forbid. We who died to sin, how
shall we any longer live therein? 3Or are ye ignorant that all
we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into
his death? 4We were buried therefore with him through
baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the
dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk
in newness of life.”

23. Romans 6:17-18
Romans 6:17-18
“But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were
servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart
to that form of teaching whereunto ye were
delivered; and being made free from sin, ye became
servants of righteousness.”

24. Corresponding Scriptures

25.  Galatians 3:26-27
“For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in
Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you as were
baptized into Christ did put on Christ”

26.  Colossians 2:11-12
”in whom ye were also circumcised with a
circumcision not made with hands, in the
putting off of the body of the flesh, in the
circumcision of Christ; having been buried
with him in baptism, wherein ye were also
raised with him through faith in the working
of God, who raised him from the dead.”

27.  I Peter 3:21
“which also after a true likeness doth now
save you, even baptism, not the putting away
of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation
of a good conscience toward God, through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ;”

28. YOU MAY NOW PROCEED
TO
LESSON 4
DYNAMIC CHRISTIAN LIVING
Or View Additional Slides On This
Subject
“A Closer Look At Saul”

29. A Closer Look At Saul
One of the most talked about examples of
conversion is recorded in three chapters of
the Book Of Acts – Chapters 9, 22 and 26.
Before the Paul’s conversion he was called
Saul. In Acts 22, Paul tells us about his own
“Starting Point”

30. Verses 3-5
 Paul’s description of his passion for the Law
of Moses and how he persecuted Christians –
even to death.

31. Verses 6-11
 With his one purpose of mind he travels
toward another city to do more persecution.
 About lunch time a great light from heaven
focused directly on him and a voice from
heaven was heard.
 Saul responds by asking two questions.
Who art thou Lord?
What shall I do?

32. The Answer to Saul’s Questions
 The voice from heaven instructed him to go
to the City of Damascus and there he shall be
told what to do.

33. Verse 16
 This verse contains the exact command from
God which was delivered to Saul by the man
Ananias.
“And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be
baptized and wash away thy sins calling on his
name.”
 Saul did not hesitate to obey. See Acts 9:18
 This is how Saul received forgiveness for the
sins he committed against God and man.

34. Verses 12-15
 These verses tell us about the vision and
instructions given to a man named Ananias by God.
 Ananias is told what he must do and what he must
say to Saul, even though it might have presented the
same fate for Ananias as it did for many of the
Christians that came in contact with Saul before he
was converted.
 Because of the obedience of Ananias to go and
instruct Saul in the “Way” and Saul’s willingness to
do all that God said, he (Paul) found answers to his
questions and a new PASSION for LIFE!

35. Thank You For Your Interest!!!
 If you found the Basic Principles of Christianity series
educational and informative …
 Feel free to drop us a note and let us know what you thought
of this lesson series – we will be glad to hear from you.
Kevin Wilson
kmwilson.hpcc@gmail.com
or
k.mark.wilson@gmail.com

36. YOU MAY NOW PROCEED
TO
LESSON 4
DYNAMIC CHRISTIAN LIVING