Watch the video above and talk about it with a friend or mentor.

The first foundational truth in a pursuit of God is that we can only find a relationship with God by trusting in Jesus as the sole remedy for our sin.

Key Points:

  • How can we know how to be united with our creator? The Bible makes it simple.
  • It begins with God. Our Creator is a God of love (1 John 4:8). It was out of his love that he decided to create human beings. He made us with the intention that we would know him and love him back.
  • Our problem is sin. Sin is not just breaking commandments. Sin is an inclination within every human being toward disobedience and evil (Romans 7:18-19). Sin is our nature (Titus 3:3).
  • Our solution is Jesus. We can be reconciled to God (Romans 5:10-11). God took the initiative to do what we cannot do for ourselves. He made a way for our broken condition to be reversed.
  • Our response is faith. Even though Jesus did everything anyone needs to be right with God, a relationship with him is not automatic. It takes a personal response. In the Bible, that response is two-fold: repentance and faith (Acts 20:21).
  • Good works are not the cause of salvation, but the result. They reflect our new identity in Christ (Ephesians 5:8-10). Out of our love for him, in gratitude for his grace, we want to follow him and serve him.

See Also: Salvation

Talk About It
  1. What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. What did you grow up believing about religion (Jesus, heaven, etc.)?
  3. Read Ephesians 2:1-3. What does the metaphor of death say about our spiritual condition apart from Christ?
  4. In Ephesians 2:1-3, make a list of all the features of human life apart from Christ. To whom does this list apply? What are some ways these features take shape in religious people?
  5. Read Ephesians 2:4-5. What did God do about the human condition? Why did he do it?
  6. Read Hebrews 10:11-14. How does the OT sacrificial system help us understand how Jesus is the answer to sin?
  7. Read Ephesians 2:8-9. What is God’s part in our salvation? What is our part?
  8. Read Romans 6:23. What is the result of sin? How is eternal life a gift? If a gift has conditions attached, is it still a gift? Why or why not?
  9. Why are “grace” and “works” two mutually exclusive approaches to salvation?
  10. Can a person know with confidence whether they are right with God and forgiven of their sins? Explain. Where do you stand in relation to God, as of today?
  11. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.

This is part 1 of the Foundations for Mormons series.