1. We are saved by Faith alone--Your salvation is based purely upon your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and not any good works you have performed in the past, present or in the future. In other words, salvation is not something that can be "earned" by how good you try to be or some religious act that you perform. Salvation is a free gift from God, and is purely a result of you repenting putting your faith in Jesus, His death and resurrection, and trusting him to forgive all your sins and become your Savior and Lord. The scripture says "For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no one should boast. " (Ephesians 2:8-9).
2. Our feelings may or may not be a sign of salvation--Good feelings are nice to have, but feelings do not prove whether you're saved or not. There may be times when you "feel" like your filled with joy and close to God, and other times you may not. Remember, God has promised to always be with you and never leave you, regardless of feelings (Hebrews 13:5). Always remember that the Christian lives by faith, not by sight or the feelings of our natural senses. The Bible says "For we walk by faith, not by sight. " (2 Corinthians 5:7).
3. We may experience doubts -- It is not uncommon for a new believer to not except God's forgiveness and experience thoughts of doubts: Yes, you are really saved if you repented of your sins and place your faith in Christ alone for your salvation. Don't let the devil or others deceive you. The Bible is very clear, if you placed your faith in Jesus Christ, then you are saved and on your way to heaven. God's Word promises, "If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
4. We are Forgiven of all our sins -- The Bible teaches that all mankind has a sinful nature which keeps him separated from God's presence and will result in eternal separation from God unless we repent. But Jesus came to suffer and die as a payment for our sins. When we place our faith in Him we do not receive payment for only some of our sin, his substitutional death pays for all our sins past, present and future. He forgave every sin you've ever committed, regardless of how awful or evil they may have been. God forgives and forgets, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(1 John 1:9).
5. We need to accept our past and present failures -- Being a Christian doesn't mean that we won't sin, but it means that we have forgiveness when we do sin. Our goal is to live like Christ and not live in our old sinful ways. However, when you sin according to the word of God, don't ever let the Devil or other people condemn you. Remember, Gods love is greater than your sins, tell him your sorry and ask Him to forgive you (1 John 1:9). Part of growing in the Christian life is making mistakes. God wants you to get back on your feet and keep on living for Him. God loves you and will correct you, but He will not condemn you. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." (Romans 8:1).
6. The Holy Spirit in dwells us -- At the moment you accepted Jesus as Savior, He gives you the Holy Spirit who comes and dwells within you "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19). You did not merely become a better person, you were "born again" spiritually and God has made you a brand new person! Now, He wants us to live our life according to the scripture and in order to help us He has given us the Holy Spirit (the third member of the trinity), "And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may remain with you forever; "(John 14:16).
7. We have the promise of Eternal Life -- God's Word says that when we place our faith in Christ, we are given eternal life. That is, someday when your physical body wears out and dies, your soul will go to be in the Lord's presence to spend eternity with Him! "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). In the future the bible says we will receive a new perfect body that will never were out. "For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subject all things to Himself. " Philippians 3:20-21.
8. We need to go to Church -- We should attend church regularly so that our faith can be strengthened by the preaching of God's Word, and so we can grow spiritually and be encouraged by the fellowship of other Christians. Church is where you can go to express your love, faithfulness, and worship to God. Church is where we can learn how to be a Christian, and where the pastor and spiritual leaders (only men should be in leadership in the church) can help you and encourage your faith. The Bible warns us not to absent ourselves from church attendance, because we need the strength and encouragement it brings. GCBCU is a church where we seek live and impalement everything we do according the word of God. "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting; and so much the more as you see the day drawing near. " (Hebrews 10:24-25).
9. We need to Pray every day -- Prayer is vital to our spiritual growth. God is your Heavenly Father, and He wants to hear from you and have daily fellowship with you. Not only does He promise to answer our prayers, but as we pray He will also provide guidance and spiritual strength. The Bible tells us to "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; " Philippians 4:6). We need to be faithful in prayer everyday.
10. We need to read the Bible daily -- The Bible is God's Word, and as you read from it every day, it will cause you to grow spiritually, "as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, (1 Peter 2:2). As you study His written word (start with the Gospel of John), He will strengthen your faith, speak to your heart, and give you guidance and direction for every need and decision in your life. "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."(Psalms 119:105).
11. You need to be baptized in Water -- At your first opportunity, you should obey the Lord's command to be baptized in water as a sign of your repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19). Water baptism in itself, (not to be confused with baptism in Holy Spirit) does not save you or wash away your sins, but is an act of your obedience in God's Word. It is a public testimony the world what God has done in your life. It symbolically shows that you have died to the old sinful life, and have risen in the newness of the Life of Christ. "Then Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, it is lawful. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he immersed him. "Acts 8:37-38
12. We need to live a Holy life -- As I have mentioned, Christians are not perfect. However, God wants you to "aim" toward perfection. That is, your goal must be to grow in submitting yourself to the new nature of His Spirit in you, follow the example of Jesus, and live a godly and wholesome life (Hebrews 12:14). You repented and asked Him to forgive your sins, and now you need to grow closer to Him each day, by making these steps a part of your life and by attending a Spirit led church like GCBCU. This will enable you to have victory over sinful thoughts and behavior which are not pleasing to God. "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." John 2:6
We should not continue to live in an unrestrained, sinful lifestyle, this would lead you away from God and back into the old ways which lead to death. But as we grow in our relationship with God, His strength in our life will increase to overcome sinful behavior and habits. "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilements of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. " 2 Corinthians 7:1
13. We need to be Filled with the Holy Spirit -- When we recieve Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit comes and indwells us. The Bible also says that the Holy Spirit can "immerse" you with power for service, to enable you to live a powerful Christian life, and to be bold in your Christian witness. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). To receive God power, all we have to do is ask Him. Ask God the Holy Spirit today for His power to help you live a life that brings God glory.
14. We need to tell others about Christ -- It is important for you to openly declare Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord to others, it is important to establish a public testimony of your faith. Once you have accepted Jesus Christ, tell others. Don't keep it a secret.
