We often believe that Bible reading is reserved for times of tragedy, or for old folks, who are getting ready to die.

I. The first consideration is which Bible.

A. Satan has filled the world with so called Bibles in order to confuse.

1. Satan knows that if you don’t know which Bible to read, you will never find out the truth.

2. Satan knows that if you are confused about which Bible is true, you won’t trust any of them.

B. Another consideration is to follow only the Bible.

1. Men write many books, but none of them are as true as the Bible.

2. Men write many books explaining the Bible, which is not bad, but none of these books are as helpful as the Bible.

a. Writing books, however, is necessary to explain our position.

b. It is no good to say, "I believe the Bible."

c. What do you believe about the Bible?

d. This is explained when we write books.

e. The Bible is still the final guide.

3. Ecclesiastes 12:12 "And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh."

II. Total depravity. (The answer to why there is so much misery in this world: why men are so selfish, so intolerant, why wars must come, why children suffer, why people do not understand.)

A. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

1. Go back to Genesis, where God created man completely whole and without any sin at all.

2. Because Adam disobeyed God and followed his wife instead of God, the entire human race was cast into sin and death.

B. Romans 5:12-19 - speaks more about how sin came into the world and men died because of sin.

1. Read the entire passage and comment on each verse.

2. Especially verse 19 – The first Adam brought sin into the world, and the last Adam (Christ) has brought salvation into the world.

III. The way of salvation.

A. Eph. 2:5 - Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

B. Matt. 18:11 - For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

1. If a person would save themselves, Christ wouldn’t have needed to come and save them.

2. Our hope is in Christ, not in ourselves, or the things we do.

3. It is "natural" for man to think they must "do" something in order to receive grace from God so they can be saved.

4. But Christ can to save sinners, not "reformed" sinners.

C. Acts 15:11 - But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

1. When the issue of whether a work of the flesh could help or aid in salvation, the apostles and the first church rejected the theory, relying instead on grace alone.

2. They concluded that Old Testament saints were saved exactly the same way as New Testament saints.

D. I Cor. 3:5-7 - Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

1. We should never worship men, but always worship God.

2. Men may lead you to God, but God should always be the focus of our lives.

E. I 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.

IV. Where does works fit in? (Proverbs explains how to live right.)

A. Eph. 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

1. James 2:17,18 - Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

2. Matt. 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

3. Philippians 2:12-13 - Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear in trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

V. Which church is the right church. (How to serve God in this present world.)

A. Every church cannot be the right church because they all teach a different thing.

B. Compare what the Bible says with what the particular local church teaches.

1. Should teach that the Bible is the Word of God and it ought to be followed, not follow the teachings or traditions of men.

2. Man is a total sinner and completely unable to save himself or come to God in any measure at all.

3. The way of salvation is by grace through faith, not of works on the part of man.

C. We are not saying that all these other denominations do not teach some of the truth.

1. Other denominations teach some of the truth.

2. Only the people commonly called "Baptist" teach local church truth.

D. The church commonly called "Baptist" today is the church that has held the body of the truth.

1. This kind of church has been called many different names, but their doctrine are all one and the same.

2. This is Bible doctrine – and if it isn’t Bible doctrine, it isn’t God’s doctrine.

VI. Where will you go when you die?