What should you do after making the decision? And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. [Gal. 6:9-10] Following acceptance of Christ as your Savior and Lord, you should join a church, read the Bible, seek water baptism, and seek the filling with the Holy Spirit. Joining a church will help you become a stronger Christian. Bible reading is strongly encouraged in many scriptures. Water baptism is a command if you have the opportunity to fulfill it. The gift of the Holy Spirit is provided as a help and an empowering tool for witnessing and leading others to Christ. [2 Tim. 3:15-17; Ps. 119]. They are not requirements for salvation, but your new life in Christ will be stronger if they are all done or sought. Remember that the penitent thief who died beside Jesus had no time for any of these other things. Luke still records Jesus words at their moment of death: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. [Luke 23:43] Remember that Satan wants you back God wants every human being to accept His plan of salvation for their life. Satan is going around as a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. He will put many stumbling blocks in the way of a new Christian to try to trip them up. Your salvation is not complete until you are standing before the Father. Until the day you die, you must walk in repentance of your sins, and not go back to your previous ways. God will always help you fight Satan. I truly believe that of all the prayers offered up, prayers for help in resisting evil and to aid in doing right are always in Gods will and are always responded to. It may not be in the way we think or in the way we would prefer, but God will always help His children resist Satan and evil if they ask. You may lose your life for Christ. You may lose your possessions. You may lose your friends. But you wont lose God and your eternal life if you press to the end and run the race set before you. [1 Cor. 10:12-13]. How do you combat the tendency toward fulfilling your own desire toward evil, to say nothing of Satans promptings? Seek the power that accepting Christ gives But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: [John 1:12] Once acceptance of Christ as your Savior is done, God will lead you and train you through the Holy Spirits promptings in how to lead a life that is more pleasing to Him. Buy a Bible and start reading it On-line versions of the Bible have their place, and can make many topical studies easier and more effective, but they are hard to make notes in. If you dont have a Bible, pick a good commonly used version that is easy for you to read, and start reading it. There is no substitute in any commentary, contemporary or out of print, which matches what the Word itself says. Start with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) Try to finish the New Testament - at least to Revelation Sprinkle in some Psalms and Proverbs for variety Tackle the Old Testament. If you feel like you are getting bogged down in a section, go back and reread a Gospel. Learn what the Bible says and be sure that what you hear from your church teaching lines up with what you read. If you have questions, dont be afraid to ask God and the Christian believers you know for explanations or more information. Your Bible, Gods word, should be your primary reference work. Find a local church Support of fellow Christians is critical for new believers. Look for a church that preaches the Bible and Christ. There are many denominations and independent churches out there. Generally, they only differ on minor doctrinal issues. Our Statement of Beliefs / Doctrinal Statement is general, and can be used as a comparison to the doctrine of any local church you are considering. We have included scripture references for every doctrinal statement we make. Dont be afraid to ask for a statement of doctrine for any church you are considering. [Doctrines] Christ should be the churchs focus. Everything else should be focused on Him. This includes special programs, music, outreach ministries, and other activities. Size, demographics, location, and other issues are not material. Some of the biggest, richest, and most popular churches are spiritually dead. Some of them are excellent. The same can be said for any other single criteria you select. Try out a few services. Make sure that they preach the Trinity - God in Three Persons - God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Make sure that the blood of Christ is the only method they teach for attaining Heaven. See if you can find friendly people to get to know. But dont let friendship lure you someplace where you dont feel the work of the Holy Spirit or where false teaching prevails. If you are confused about where to go, pray about it. God will lead you to where He wants you to be. When visiting a new church, let the Holy Spirit lead you. If you feel the Spirits prompting that it isnt the right place for you, go someplace else. There may be nothing wrong with the church. God may simply have a place prepared where you will fit in better or receive more support as a new believer. Be baptized in water He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. [Mark 16:16] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [Acts 2:38] Water baptism is a sign to show your acceptance of Christ as your Savior and is symbolic of the time Christs physical body was buried before resurrection [Romans 6:3-11]. Seek the filling of the Holy Spirit God wants to have complete control over what you do, how you act, what you say, all details of your life. He wants to comfort you and train you up in His ways. He wants to give you power to lead a Christian life and to be His servant. He wants you to carry on the work Christ started 2,000 odd years ago - leading others to God. Reading Gods Word is one way this is accomplished. Another is being filled with the Holy Spirit. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. [John 14:26] But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. [Acts 1:8-9] Finding a Pentecostal church is a good thing. You can hear what God is telling His church today. It is even better to have the Holy Spirit living within you.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 13:04:22 +0000
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