1. Faith

1a. What is Repentance?
Repentance is an act of faith necessary in order to receive forgiveness for your sins. Jesus said in Luke 13:3, "Unless you repent, you too will perish.". The moment you repent, you are released from guilt and true faith comes into your life. When you turn from your own selfish ways, God begins to make His ways more clear to you each day through His Word.
2 Peter 3:4-9	⁴For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; ⁵if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; ⁶if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; ⁷and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men ⁸(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)-- ⁹if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
Luke 3:3	³He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 1:15	¹⁵"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
Acts 2:38	³⁸Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 2:23-26	²³Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. ²⁴And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.


1b. How do you grow in faith?
When you were born again, you were given a new life. God gave you a new ability to trust in Him. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by Grace yopu have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift from God not by works, so that no on can boast." Faith is the gift opf God. God gave you faith the moment you invited him into your life. He will continue to strengthen your faith as you read His Word.
Matthew 4:4	⁴Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
John 17:17	¹⁷Sanctify^] them by the truth; your word is truth.
2 Timothy 3:15-17	¹⁵and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Psalm 119:11	¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
1 Peter 2:2-3	²Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.


1c. What about heaven?
Heaven will be yours either at death or at the second coming of Christ. We believe His return is very near at hand. When Christ returns, all believers-those who have died before and those who are alive at the time, will receive a new body.
John 3:3-8	³In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again^] " ⁴"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" ⁵Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ⁶Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' ⁸The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
1 Peter 1:3-5	³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Ephesians 1:13-14	¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
Matthew 5:11-12	¹¹"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1 Corinthians 15:58	⁵⁸Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Thes 5:2-8	²for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
Matthew 24:14	¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.