Beginning Your New Life in Christ

Praise the Lord! You have trusted in Jesus Christ.

Someone has shared the Good News of the Gospel with you. You recognized your need for a Savior, you humbled yourself and decided to renounce love of self to a love for God, and you accepted it by faith in Christ alone.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

In this article, you will learn what it means to follow Jesus and experience the life God has prepared for you before the foundation of the world. You are here in this moment today by His grace and mercy alone, sparing you for His glory and will. Therefore, you can begin your new life in Christ with confidence and joy!

Learning About Your New Relationship With Christ

The Bible

The Bible is — God’s love letter to you! It is the source of Truth about living a life in Christ. Reading and studying the Bible will help you know who God is and what He desires.

The Holy Spirit conforms us to the image and likeness of Christ, giving us new desires to seek after righteousness and live separately from the world. Jesus said we would suffer under many trials and hardships to grow in our sanctification process to purge us from all ungodliness.

James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Hebrews 12:11 says, “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Bible Basics

The Bible is one book containing a collection of 66 books revealing to us that:

1. In the Old Testament, He is predicted;
2. In the Gospels, He is revealed;
3. In the acts, He is preached;
4. In the epistles, He is explained; and
5. In the book of Revelation, He is expected.

The Old Testament tells the story of the beginning of the world and God’s promises given through the nation of Israel. It reveals how the people of Israel obeyed and disobeyed God over many, many years. All the stories and messages in the Old Testament point to the coming Messiah. The New Testament tells the story of Jesus Christ (God in the flesh), the early Christians, and God’s promises and provisions to all those who belong to Jesus.

Each book of the Bible is divided into chapters and verses within those chapters to make it easier to study. Bible references include the book name, chapter number, and verse number(s). As you read the Word of God, remember to open in prayer before you begin and ask God to prepare your heart and mind for what it is that He wants to reveal to you. There are many study plans out there, and we would recommend reading cover to cover; a recommended place to begin understanding who Jesus is would be to read the Gospel of John.

Establishing a consistent, daily Bible reading habit early in your new life in Christ is essential to growing in Him by building a solid foundation upon the Word of God.

The Scripture Is Our Standard

Some Questions To Consider: 

1. Can a Christian lose their salvation? John 6:39, This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day.; Hebrews 12:2, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2. Does this mean we can live however we want? Romans 6:15, What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!; 1 John 3:4-6, Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
3. Are we saved by works, or is it by faith alone? Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.; Philippians 1:29, For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 
4. Is humanity corrupted by sin? Psalm 14:3, They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.; Ephesians 2:1-3, And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
5. Is everyone saved? Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.; Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
6. What is grace? Unmerited favor, grace is getting a reward that we don’t deserve.
7. What is mercy? Mercy is not getting the punishment we deserve.
8. What role did grace play in establishing your relationship with God? You didn’t deserve this relationship, nor did you earn it by any good works. Instead, it is a free gift from God that you accepted when you received Christ through faith.
9. What must we need to be saved from? We need to be saved from God. It is God Himself who is inflicting His wrath upon the sinner. Matthew 10:28 says, And do not fear those who kill the body but can not kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can kill both soul and body in Hell. 

Renewing Your Mind with Truth Daily

As you move forward in your new life in Christ, it is essential that you build a habit of reading God’s Word daily, for it says in Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

It is natural to seek our understanding as human beings, so it isn’t easy for us to discern between good and evil. Our natural decisions are tainted by our own personal opinions, emotions, and experiences that go against God’s good and perfect will. But, God’s Word cuts through all of this; it separates all self-seeking in our lives and determines what truth and righteousness are.

“‘Is not My word like a fire?’ says the Lord, ‘And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?'” Jeremiah 23:29.

God’s Word is powerful; it is full of authority. It is a holy two-edged sword that divides between our will and the will of God, a fire that consumes impurity, and a hammer that has the power to demolish all innate sin! Don’t you desire to use His Word in your own life?

The Power of Prayer

Scripture tells us that God calls us to pray (Colossians 4:2). Being obedient to God means we will pray. We give thanks along with sharing our concerns. If we look at the life of Jesus, we see that He prayed—with others (Luke 9:28), for others (Matthew 19:13-14), and on His own (Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12). It was a fundamental part of how He approached each day and every decision, retreating faithfully to spend time with His Father. As you progress in your new life in Christ, you will find that it is no different for us as believers.

Prayer is the lifeline and connection to our Heavenly Father.

Prayer equips us with all things we are to face because it allows us to seek God for His counsel over our lives and our decisions. We are to put our faith and trust in Him, and by doing this, we are to seek Him, His will, and His timing in prayer. As we pray, we will become more like Jesus, finding that prayer changes us.

A life filled with Christ means we will go to Him in joyful moments and in times of sorrow. We will pray for others – family, friends, strangers, and enemies. Praying is an act of obedience, so make it a priority in your life.

Our model for prayer is to follow how Jesus prayed – to begin with praise and honor to God, thankfulness and gratitude for our life and the life He has blessed us with eternally. Asking Him for guidance to be led by Him in accordance with His will, to continue in the pursuit of righteousness, understanding and wisdom to know His Word. All of this while seeking to repent for all acts of unrighteous and ungodly actions; and for the ability to forgive others just as our Father has forgiven us. Lastly, to receive the given provisions needed for our daily walk with Him.

Start your day off in prayer and continue throughout your day. When you lay your head down at night, end in prayer. Although you may think it’s not possible for you, Luke 1:37 says, “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Find A Biblical Church & Community

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Genesis 2:18. It is vitally important that all believers, new in the faith or not, be surrounded by godly people. God didn’t create us to be independent but to be interdependent. In Genesis 2:18, God gave Adam Eve, for He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” You see also, in Acts 2:42-47, during the time of the early church, that coming together was very common. Having other believers in your life, new and mature, is paramount, and choosing a church home is one of the most significant decisions you will ever make–one that reaches into eternity. 

Searching for a local church can be difficult, frustrating, and overwhelming, but God helps us walk according to His will. Pray for wisdom and discernment to find a good match. Begin with discovering the churches in your area by doing a quick search online. After locating a few prospective churches, look to be sure their statement of faith is clear and biblical, and find out the church’s core commitments that make it distinct from others. What you should be looking for in a good church would be:

1. Sound Expository Teaching
2. High View of God
3. Love For One Another
4. Godly and Caring Leadership
5. Gospel Ministry & Evangelism

A good church teaches, believes, applies, and obeys the Bible. The role of the Bible in the life of the church may be the most significant factor to consider because it is our primary authority in matters of faith and practice. Therefore, preaching and teaching should promote understanding of the Bible, which encourages and builds personal holiness and a biblical worldview. If possible, listen to several sermons from the church online.

Questions to Consider

• Do they present the Gospel? What do they teach is necessary for a person to be saved?
• Does the church teach that the Bible is the WordGospeld without error in its original manuscripts?
• Does the church teach that the Bible is the final authority in our lives and is wholly adequate to speak to our faith and practice matters?
• What place does Scripture reading have in the church (1 Timothy 4:13)?
• Does the church’s music communicate sound doctrine?
• Does the church present a consistent view of the Bible’s history, including the creation account in Genesis?
• What curriculum do they use in Sunday school classes and home Bible studies? What is their approach to teaching the Bible?
• Are parents encouraged and equipped to teach the Bible in their own homes?

Because the Bible warns us of false teachers, we feel it would only be right if we gave you direction in leading you towards biblically sound expositors of the faith. Visit our resources page to find out more. 1 John 4:1, Beloved, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Once you find a good church, be involved and build relationships with others in the congregation. Take time to be thorough and avoid a continuous situation of being separate from a specific community of faith. Love, serve and meet needs as you’re able. Be present. Seek to know and be known by the church leaders. Pray for yourself and the whole church to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity” (2 Peter 3:18).

We Love You & Are Here For You

Our responsibility and desire are to help you as you walk in the faith given to you in your new life in Christ. If you have any questions, concerns, counseling, direction, or need prayer, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here for you.