OUTLINE:

Futility
If you don’t have the correct apparatus to “make the leap”, and you’ve refused the omnipotent God’s help, you will surely crash and injure yourself. Trying to save oneself results in permanent, eternal injury (aka spiritual death in Hell).

Jesus’ Call
Why didn’t Jesus choose the Pharisees? Why the Apostles? The answer is simple - the Pharisees thought they could save themselves; whereas the apostles looked to Jesus to save them. (e.g., Mt 16:15-16)

Repentance Precedes Faith In Christ
Why did John the Baptist arrive with an entire ministry of repentance before Jesus did with the good news regarding Himself? Answer:  because the hearts (parable “soil”) of the Jews had to be conditioned to receive the Messiah/Savior.

Repentance Precedes Faith In Christ
Mt 3:2 [JtB] “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Mt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

John the Baptist's Ministry of Repentance
The arrogant hearts of men need to be readied before they will turn to the Lord. If one doesn't admit their sinfulness and repent, they will reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ, thinking they have no real need! Mat 3:1-12

John the Baptist's Ministry of Repentance
The message is clear: "if you really repent, then do the right thing (the righteous thing)... you can't fool God." Luk 3:7-14

Grace Revealed in Lk 5:8-11
Peter: "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"
The Lord: "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men."

2 Cor 5:19 NIV
that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

“do not suppose”
This wreaks of the contemporary plague in the churches, where people are convinced that they are saved just because they are “official” members of a church (or a group, lineage, etc.).

Jesus NEVER had a problem challenging a person's salvation.

The “Conversion Coin”

Spurious Faith
This “pseudo-believer” is the type of person who comes to Jesus, without any regard for their own sinfulness, looking for a handout…they are users looking for the keys to Heaven.

The “Conversion Coin”

Robbing Purpose
Satan hijacks the “Christian purpose”, getting folks to focus on laboring for crowns rather than simply spreading the Gospel. Even when Paul was chastising the churches, it was because whatever they were doing was detracting from their ultimate purpose, spreading the Gospel! (e.g., 1Co 2:1-2)

True Faith Obeys
True repentance and faith produces good fruit in one's life, often called out as and revealed in obedience, Joh 3:36, 2Th 1:8, 1Pe 4:17. Otherwise someone merely possesses pseudo faith. They hear His voice, but they don't listen, so they don't follow Him, Mat 13:13, Joh 10:27.

“By Grace, They Were Prepared”
Jesus taught His disciples to have their OWN convictions! He then gave them His Spirit to teach, encourage, and empower this. We all have the Word of- and the Spirit of Christ, by grace.

“By Grace, They Were Prepared”
We need to understand when/how the apostles' natural abilities were insufficient for the commission they were eventually given. It wasn't enough that Jesus simply called 12 "unexceptional" men. He made a point of training them up before sending them out.

“you lay aside”
aorist tense (one-time, once and for all) middle voice (subject does and receives the action) indicative mood (dogmatic fact) - means to lay off or aside, renounce, stow away; in context, refers to what a true believer does.

The Implications of “you lay aside”
Aorist Tense:  a believer lays aside the old self forever
Middle Voice:  a believer is changed and therefore forever able to do so
Indicative Mood: the above are dogmatic statements of fact

“put on the new self”
aorist-middle-infinitive (corresponds to "you lay aside" v22) - means to don, or put on (as clothing); in context, implies the "other side of the same coin", that is "you lay aside the old self", that occurs at salvation and forevermore.

Aorist Infinitive
- Does not indicate person or number
-Presents the action expressed by the verb as a completed unit with a beginning and end.
- In context, refers back to previous action of “you laying aside”

The Conversion Coin

Repentance/Faith
- Laying Aside the Old Self/Putting on the New Self
- Denying Self/Following Him

God's grace never fails!