RCCG YAYA SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER’S MANUAL 13 OCTOBER 2024

LESSON SEVEN (07)
TOPIC: THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN
1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

OPENING PRAYER: Father, give me a full understanding of the ideology of the Christian faith in the name of Jesus.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Isaiah 1:18-20.
[18]“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
[19]If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;
[20]But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. The Degenerate City

MEMORY VERSE: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NKJV).

INTRODUCTION: There are diverse views, both within and without, about the Christian faith. Some call it a religion, while others say it is a way of life. In some quarters, it is believed that it is a personal relationship with God. What exactly is the tenet of our faith as Christians and how does it compare with other faiths? Is it a religion or a relationship?

LESSON AIM: To teach the student the ideology of the Christian faith.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
a. Know what the Christian faith entails.
b. Distinguish between the Christian faith and other faith.
c. Mention the benefits of having a relationship with Jesus.

TEXT REVIEW: Isaiah 1:18-20.
[18]“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
[19]If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;
[20]But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. The Degenerate City

A. The above text captures God’s relational model with his children. Talking through the prophet Isaiah He asks His children:
i. To come for dialogue
ii. That even though their sins are bright red, ………………………..V18.

B. On the condition that:
i. ……………………………………. V19.
ii. Their refusal and rebellion ……………..V20.

OUTLINES:
1. More Than A Religion
2. A Call To A Relationship

1. MORE THAN A RELIGION
A. Teachers should ask the following questions:
i. Question: What is religion?
Answer: Simply put, Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman – with controlling power, especially a personal God or gods (Exodus 34:14).
ii. Question: Is Christianity a religion?
Answer: Concerning the definition of religion above, Christianity can be classified as a religion. But it is more than religion
iii. Question: So how is Christianity more than a religion?
Answer: Practically speaking, Christianity has a key difference that separates it from other belief systems that are considered religions. Most religions are man-centred. They are built upon the concept that man can reach a higher power – God, through his efforts – good works, sacrifices, rituals, etc. In that regard, Christianity is not a religion.

B. Question: Do men make a religion out of Christianity in any way?
Answer: Just as the Jewish leaders made a religion out of a relationship with God, many people do the same with Christianity:
i. They follow the way of the Pharisees in creating rules not found in Scripture (Mark 7:8).
ii. Some who profess to follow Christ are merely following man-made religion in the name of Jesus (Colossians 2:8).
iii. While claiming to believe Scripture, they are often plagued with fear and doubt that they may not be good enough to earn salvation or that God will not accept them if they do not carry out some ritualistic activities or perform to a certain standard (Ephesians 2:8-9).
iv. The leaders of religious sects add many of their own rules to make it even more cumbersome (Matthew 15:9).
v. They pride themselves on their ability to keep the Law – at least outwardly. This is religion masquerading as Christianity: it is one of Satan’s favourite tricks (Matthew 23:1-7).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Students should discuss other reasons the Christian faith is more than a religion.

2. A CALL TO A RELATIONSHIP
The Christian faith is a relationship that God has established with His children because:
1. Question: What are the proofs that the Christian faith is a call to relationship?
Answer:
i. The Bible states clearly that there is nothing man can do to make himself right with God (Isaiah 64:6).
ii. God did for us what we cannot do for ourselves (Colossians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
iii. Our sin separates us from His presence, and sin must be punished (Romans 6:23).
iv. God loves us; He took our punishment upon Himself (Isaiah 53:5).
v. All we must do is to accept God’s gift of salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

2. Question: Are there other reasons to substantiate that Christianity is a call to a relationship?
Answer: The grace-based relationship between God and man is the foundation of Christianity and the opposite of religion (Titus 2:11-14):
i. We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
ii. Holiness and obedience to Scripture are important, but they are pieces of evidence of a transformed heart, not a means to attain it.
iii. God desires that we be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16).
iv. He wants us to grow in grace and the knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:18).
v. We do these things because we are His children and want to be like Him.
vi. God wants us to know Him, draw near to Him, pray to Him, and love Him above everything. That is not religion; that is a relationship.

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Mention the encounter(s) you’ve had in your Christian faith that shows you clearly that you are in a relationship with God.

CONCLUSION: Christianity is not about signing up for a religion. Christianity is about being born into the family of God (John 3:3).

EVALUATION: Students should mention two things that show Christianity is more than a religion.

CLOSING PRAYER: Father, let my relationship with You wax stronger in Jesus’ name.

ASSIGNMENT: Write five (5) differences between the Christian faith and other faiths. (2X5=10 Marks).