Your decision to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior is the most important decision you have ever made.  There is no single decision more important than accepting Jesus Christ’s work on the cross for your sins. But after that decision to trust Jesus, now what happens?  This is the beginning of a great adventure and Scripture has several important key principles for you to know.

            First, life is about Jesus.  Up until you trusted in Jesus Christ, most things revolved around you.  When you were a baby, everything revolved around you.  If something was not just right, you let your parents know quickly (you screamed!). But now as a Christian, you will need to learn that life is about the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31 NKJ) Even mundane things like eating and drinking are to be done with the Lord in mind and they are to honor Him! If eating and drinking are important to God, then what about things like relating with people, going to church, learning about God in Scripture, being diligent at work, and everything else! After salvation, everything is about God.

            Secondly, life is about growing in grace. Peter wrote, “…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Pet. 3:18 NKJ) God uniquely designed you (Ps. 139:13-17). He has a plan for you to grow by means of His Word and helpful people around you to learn that Word. Peter wrote, “…as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” (1 Pet. 2:2 NKJ) Join with other believers and you’ll experience the fellowship God intends for you to have.  Ask someone to help you learn where to read in the Bible and enjoy the great stories and wonderful truths.  The Bible is living and powerful! (Heb. 4:12) The more you learn Scripture, the better you’ll be prepared to face life.

            Thirdly, life is about growing together with other believers. You are now a part of God’s family and you are no longer a stranger to God’s family.  You are part of it.  Paul wrote, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” (Eph. 2:19 NKJ) As a non-Christian, you probably had many uncomfortable feelings when you were around Christians.  You did not understand their lingo, their Bible or why they spent time in church.  But now that you are a new Christian, now you have the opportunity to learn about all those things and a whole lot more.  Do not be concerned about learning about it all at once.  It will take many months to learn what some others know, but you are on the right track.

            Fourthly, life is about holiness. Holiness means “being set apart.”  It means a separation from what is common or of the world.  In other words, holiness refers to those things that are set aside for God alone. As a non-Christian, you did not think about God’s holiness or even His standards of right and wrong.  You were blessed if you had parents who tried to teach you the truth and the difference between right and wrong.  As a Christian, God wants you to be “set apart” for Him.  You do that through worship, learning from the Bible and renewing your mind so that you do not think like the world. Paul wrote,

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom. 12:1-2 NKJ)

God wants you to say, “Lord, here I am. I want to do what pleases You.  Help me be transformed in my thinking, so that I live out Your will.

            And fifthly, life is about telling others about your new life. The greatest thing that can happen to anyone is becoming a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). You do not have to know lots of doctrine, or teaching, or even have Scripture memorized (although all of that is important!).  God just wants you to tell others what happened to you.  Jesus said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me¹ in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NKJ) A witness tells only what he sees and hears. Just keep telling others what the Lord is teaching you and you will be a faithful witness for Him!

These are just a few life principles to get you started in your new life.  There is much to learn and much to experience by means of God’s Spirit and interaction with other believers.  Whenever you have questions, go to a trusted Christian, or send me a question and we will grow together in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.