Posted on 08/09/2017 4:01:32 PM PDT by ealgeone
Question: "I am a new Christian. What is the next step?"
Answer: Congratulations! If you are a new believer, you have just experienced the beginning of your new, eternal life (John 3:16; 10:10). Your sins have been forgiven and you have been given a fresh start (Romans 4:7). You have now been given inexpressible, glorious joy (1 Peter 1:8-9).
In addition to the wonderful blessings of knowing Christ, you are probably thinking, “Now what? What is the next step?” The Bible offers some important principles for those who have begun a relationship with God.
First, as a new Christian, begin reading the Bible. There are many translations and numerous places to start. While there is no perfect translation, we recommend you choose a Bible that is easy for you to understand and is faithful to the original text of the Bible. To sample some of today’s popular translations, you can go to websites such as BibleGateway.com or YouVersion.com. We recommend that you begin your reading with the Gospel of John or one of the other Gospels to read for yourself what Jesus taught and did during His time on earth. Other articles on GotQuestions.org will help you answer the practical questions you have about God and spiritual issues. The Bible teaches, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Second, as a new Christian, begin praying. Prayer is simply talking with God. Many believe prayer must include a formal set of words that can only take place during a church service. However, the Bible teaches us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We are instructed to praise God day and night. If we desire to know God more deeply, we must communicate with Him regularly.
Throughout each day, you can give thanks to God, ask Him to answer your daily needs, and pray on behalf of others. It’s also important to pray together with others who follow Christ, encouraging each other, praising God, and seeking answers to everyone’s requests. For ideas on how to pray, you can begin with the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13).
Third, as a new Christian, be baptized. Baptism symbolizes your new life in Christ and proclaims that you are now committed to Jesus. Even Jesus was baptized (Luke 3:1-22), and He calls His followers to also be baptized. Baptism was practiced by the very first followers of Jesus in Acts 2:41.
Usually, the leaders of a local church perform baptism. A local church pastor or church leader should be glad to speak with you about baptism if you express your interest.
Fourth, as a new Christian, build friendships with others Christians. The Christian life is designed to be enjoyed with others. Jesus invested much of His ministry with 12 disciples as His closest friends. He likewise calls us to live in community with one another. The New Testament has over 50 “one another” verses that refer to loving one another, serving one another, encouraging one another, and praying for one another. Each of these commands requires relationships with other Christians.
Fellowship with other believers is one of the purposes of a local church. If there’s a Bible-teaching church in your area, it’s a great place to get involved. If you live in a community without a church, you will need to pray for God to open opportunities for you to meet other Christians in your area.
Fifth, as a new Christian, help others. As you begin your new life as a Christian, you will find a new love inside you giving you a desire to help others. The Holy Spirit will lead you in ways to help. You might serve the poor in your community, assist a neighbor with yard work, or visit a sick friend in the hospital. The Spirit will clearly call you to show God’s love (1 John 3:17-18).
Sixth, as a new Christian, tell someone about your faith. Becoming a Christian is not a secret; it’s a celebration! Tell all who will listen about Christ’s work in your life. In some cases, other people will come to faith in Jesus through the example you share. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He commanded His disciples to make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:18-20). Today, Christians are still called to share the hope within us with others (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Finally, these are simply helpful tips on how to grow in your new faith; they are not a list of requirements to become a Christian or to stay a Christian. You have been saved by grace through faith, apart from any works of your own (Ephesians 2:8-9). God started the work in you, and He promises to finish it (Philippians 1:6). God bless you as you continue to mature in your faith!
Hear the Word
Believe the Word
Repent
Be Baptized
37Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” 38Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39“For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:37-41 NASB
I couldn’t agree more, ealgeone. However, your writer thought he was a Christian, saved, in fellowship with God before he was baptized. Were the ones who killed Christ in Acts 2 Christians, saved, in fellowship with God, before they repented and were baptized, before they had the remission of sins?
Thanks again for your response.
Oops, I misspoke, ealgeone. You said Ac. 2.27-28 was the process to become a believer. No, you (and Peter) gave the process to become a Christian. A person doesn’t have to repent to be a believer. Those who heard the first gospel sermon in Ac. 2 were already believers. Peter had convinced them that they had killed the Christ, and when they asked what they needed to do, Peter told them two things: repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins. They were believers before they repented and were baptized, but they didn’t have the remission of their sins, and they weren’t Christians yet, right?
Thanks again for reading, and considering
No. They were not already believers. There were two groups. The believers, Peter and the ones the Holy Spirit fell upon and the unbelieving Jews who were perplexed at what was happening.
Sounds like you understand what I was saying. Everyone that wants to understand God must make the same commitment that He shows them the truth, and then is willing to live by what is revealed to him. People misunderstand the meanings of the buildings or institutions that they call ‘churches’ roles - they are places where people can go to associate with like minded individuals. I believe mostly in Paul’s admonition: Be like the Bereans, in Acts 17:11. Trust no one with your salvation but God Himself and carefully weigh everything with the prism of the Word. Most denominations (including Mother Roman Church (Catholic and Eastern) have established themselves by relying on their ‘flocks’ tendency to be lazy. In other words, relying on teaching from others, and not do the learning by themselves. We must make that prayer for God to show us the truth, and live by what he shows us. I recently read:
One of the most famous Biblical questions asks, “What does the Lord want of you?”
The question has two versions. The better known one is in Micah 6:8. What does God want of you, asks Micah. His answer: “Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God”.
The other version of the question is in this week’s reading (Deut. 10:12).
The answer the Torah gives is to fear God, to walk in His ways, to love Him, to serve Him and keep His commandments.
They were unbelievers at the beginning of the sermon, but Peter taught four points that convinced them that they had really blundered. 1) Jesus was a man approved of God (proved by his miracles), 2) You killed him (no proof needed, they were proud of it!) 3) God raised him (proved by prophecy and witnesses), and 4) God exalted him to his own right hand (prophecy), THIS JESUS WHOM YOU CRUCIFIED.
Their reaction? v37 - when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said, men and brethren, what do we do?
They were convinced, weren’t they? No longer proud of killing him, but realized they had really blundered and killed the very messiah they were watching for. They were now believers.
Thus Peter didn’t tell them to hear and believe, they already had. He told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.
Nevertheless, back to my original point: your “new Christian” claimed to be such before he was baptized. Let me ask you, since you quoted Ac. 2.37-38: Do you believe this person became a Christian before he had the remission of sins? Before he was in Christ? Before he was in the body of Christ?
Thanks again for reading and considering.
Peter's message was what they heard.
They believed it. They were convicted but didn't know what to do. Peter told them.
They responded and were baptized.
I'll answer your question with this....when was Cornelius saved? Before or after being baptized?
I don’t think the physical act of immersion is what saves you, either.
Before, you said that Peter told them to believe, and used Ac. 2.37-38 as a proof text. You’re right now that you say they heard Peter’s message and believed. Thus, he didn’t tell them to hear or believe in Ac. 2.37-38, as you asserted.
Then Peter told them to be baptized for the remission of sins. You say they responded and were baptized.
Question: Were they baptized for the reason Peter said, for the remission of their sins? Or did they say, “physical immersion doesn’t save you, and what about Cornelius?”
Were they Christians before they had the remission of their sins, like the fellow in your original post?
Since baptism puts one into Christ (Gal. 3.27, Rom. 6.3-4), was he in Christ before he was baptized, and therefore saved outside of Christ?
Since baptism puts one into the body of Christ, I Cor. 12.13, was he in the body of Christ before he was baptized, and therefore saved outside the body of Christ?
Cornelius heard Peter tell him (Ac. 10.48) “and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
What was baptism in the name of Christ, ealgeone? Wasn’t that the baptism in Ac. 2.37-28 that you quoted? “What must we do? Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”
I don’t think Cornelius had the remission of his sins before his baptism, do you? The Holy Spirit falling on that group didn’t give them remission of sins, either, did it?
Then what are you saying?
You're all over the place so far.
Maybe he spent time with the Lord.
Nope, I’m still saying, just like Peter did, that baptism was for the remission of sins.
Peter said it. I believe it. Do you?
Are you saying someone is not forgiven of sins if they are not baptized?
The Book of James is a good place to start: easy to read and practical real world stuff.
I’m saying, like Peter did in the first gospel sermon, that baptism of a penitent believer, not a Christian, is for the remission of sins. I don’t think that means if he’s not baptized, he still has the remission of his sins.
What do you believe?
Since baptism puts one into Christ, I think that means if he’s not baptized, he’s not in Christ. Do you think that means he’s saved outside of Christ?
Please tell me what you believe.
People who interpret the Bible for you, and TRY to convince you that it does NOT mean what it says, ... are leading you astray !
Wear a hair-shirt, and flagellate yourself every evening.
We have to get our terminology down first.
A believer, baptized or not, is a Christian.
Regarding baptism putting us in Christ, I think you've read the verses out of context.
When we place our faith in Christ, that is we believe Him, we repent and our sins are forgiven at that moment. We receive the Holy Spirit. We are sealed by the Spirit.
Baptism is the outward sign of what has happened inside the believer.
Again, I go back to the example of the thief on the cross. He wasn't able to be baptized yet he professed his belief in Christ and He told him he would be with Him in Paradise. I understand that as the thief's sins were forgiven and he would be with Christ in Paradise.
I believe our first object would be to read what our lord himself said before we go on to read what some one else says about Baptism.
John 6:40
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Mathew 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Acts 1
¶“4 When they gathered, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to await the promise of the Father which ‘You heard from me’. 5 John indeed immersed with water, but you will be immersed in the Holy Spirit not many days from now ”
Jesus said nothing about being a church member to be saved.
Eighth: Go on Free Republic and claim to be a Catholic Priest before you will no longer answer the question of whether or not you’re still a Catholic Priest. Are you still a Catholic Priest? Were you ever a Catholic Priest? I ask because your dialog of late uses language that is not what I would expect from an ordained Catholic priest.
ealgone says: “A believer, baptized or not, is a Christian.”
Jas. 2.19 says that even the demons believe, ealgone. According to you, demons are Christians!
In Jn. 12.42-43, we read: “Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God.”
No problem tho, according to ealgone, they were believers, they were Christians!
ealgone then says, “Regarding baptism putting us in Christ, I think you’ve read the verses out of context.” Show us how, ealgone: Gal. 3.26-27 says, and I say: For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.” That’s all I said. What do you say?
Then ealgone says, “Again, I go back to the example of the thief on the cross. He wasn’t able to be baptized yet he professed his belief in Christ and He told him he would be with Him in Paradise. I understand that as the thief’s sins were forgiven and he would be with Christ in Paradise.”
ealgone, let me ask you a simple question: Was the thief on the cross ever commanded to be baptized in the name of Christ?
No, the believers in Ac. 2 were, for the first time in history. Were the believers with Cornelius? You know they were. But the thief on the cross wasn’t, was he?
In Acts 2.41 we see the reaction to Peter’s command to repent and be baptized. They didn’t say, “We don’t have to be baptized, a believer, baptized or not, is a Christian.”
They didn’t say, “Again, I go back to the example of the thief on the cross,” who wasn’t commanded to be baptized for the remission of sins.” Read what they did: “They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls”
When Peter preached the first gospel sermon, penitent believers who received his word were baptized. Today, penitent believers who receive those words still are.
Those who don’t receive his word stand around and argue about it, like ealgone and our Jehovah’s Witness friends, who say: Baptism Does Not Wash Away One’s Sins. (Make Sure of All Things, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, Brooklyn: Revised in 1957, p. 40.)
Also, “What, then does Christian baptism signify? It is not a washing away of one’s sins.” (The Truth that Leads to Everlasting Life, Brooklyn: Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1968, p. 183.)
Is that where you’re getting these teachings, ealgone? Good grief, those who killed Christ repented and were baptized for the remission of sins. You can’t even bring yourself to say the words!
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