3 Things Every New Christian Needs To Know
Shay Shaw
Maybe you came to church to pacify a co-worker or friend.
Maybe you came as a gift to your parents or a way to show interest in something that’s captivated your teen’s attention.
One way or another, you showed up to church and something in you changed. For the first time, you understood who Jesus is, what He did for you, and the life He wants for you. And when the pastor invited people to start a relationship with Jesus, you were in.
When you said yes to a relationship with Jesus, you said yes to eternity in heaven and a new life here on earth. It was all so exciting on Sunday, but then you wake up on Monday, and you face the same question new Christians have been wrestling with for ages: What happens now?
Three Things Every New Christian Needs to Know
1. You are different now.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
When we ask Jesus into our lives, we are made new. You are not the person you used to be.
The addict? That’s the old you. In Jesus, you can overcome.
The cheater? Not who you are anymore. In Jesus, your relationship can be restored.
The liar? Dead. In Jesus, you have the ability to understand God’s truth and share it with others.
As we follow Jesus, our actions and desires begin to change.
Jesus’ death paid the penalty for your past sin as well as all the sin you’ll commit today and in the future. He’s that powerful! And that same power is now in you. When you become a Christian, you receive the Holy Spirit. He is our guide and gives us the ability to overcome sin.
You may not feel instantly stripped of all of your imperfections and insecurities. Part of learning to follow Jesus step by step is learning to hear from Jesus and do what He says.
As we follow Jesus, our actions and desires begin to change. Instead of wanting the things our old selves would want and doing the things our old selves would do, we find ourselves wanting what Jesus wants and doing what Jesus would do.
2. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
So many of us, myself included, have believed the lie that seeking others’ help and guidance is a sign of weakness. This is pride. We can only grow so much on our own.
Hebrews 10: 24-25 tells us the opposite:
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up on meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Jesus had 12 close friends and followers, called disciples. He spent every day with these guys, teaching them and sharing meals with them. His relationship with the disciples is the perfect example of what community looks like. If we really want to follow Jesus we must begin to build authentic relationships with other Christians.
3. Keep coming to church.
Romans 10:17 says, “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”
The best way to know Jesus better is to learn more about who He is. Just as a teacher uses her teacher’s manual to instruct students, a pastor uses the Bible to teach Jesus’ followers about Him. As we grow in our understanding of who Jesus is and apply what we’re learning in everyday life, things start to change. We’ll find we have peace we didn’t know was possible and a more purposeful life than we ever dreamed.
Salvation is a starting point, not a destination. Just like relationships with other people grow over time, your relationship with Jesus grows over time as we follow Him. You don’t have to figure out how to be Christian all at once or all on your own. Keep coming to church, connect with other Christians, and trust that the Jesus who saved you will continue to guide you over time.