If you recently trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, either in church, or at home, or perhaps through reading the gospel presentation on a church tract or website, you might be wondering, “Now what do I do? What does the Bible say about my new relationship with Christ?”
First, salvation is the beginning, not the end. When a person gets saved, they are “born again.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” God did a very special work in you when you trusted Jesus as your Saviour.
- He forgave all of your sins.
- You were indwelt by the Holy Spirit, Who now lives within your body, making it His temple.
- Your name was written in heaven.
- Your spirit was made alive again.
- Heaven became your eternal destiny.
All this and much more took place simply because you received Jesus Christ as your Saviour!
Now begins the Christian life. God’s desire is for us to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). There are three baby steps that every new believer should begin taking immediately:
The first thing God would have you to do is to begin attending a Bible-believing, Bible preaching local church.
In Acts 2, when 3000 people got saved, they immediately began to fellowship together in the local church (see Acts 2:41-47). It can be scary to visit a church for the first time, but every Christian needs to have a church home. Because of the doctrinal differences in many churches, we suggest strongly that you find a Baptist church to attend. If you live in this area, our church will do everything it can to make you feel welcome.
The second thing God would have you to do is submit to believer’s baptism.
Baptism is an act of obedience to the Lord following salvation. Baptism has no part in our salvation; it does not wash away our sins. It is symbolic of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Biblical baptism is never performed on an unsaved person or a baby. It is only for those who have confessed their personal faith in Christ. Biblical baptism is never by sprinkling or pouring. It is always by immersion – like a burial, because Jesus was buried. You should get baptized as soon as possible after you are saved. In Acts 2:41, 3000 people were saved and they were all baptized the “same day.” The sooner you take this step, the better! (For more information, see Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41).
The third thing that God would have you to do is to begin reading and studying the Bible.
The Bible is God’s Word. It is given to us by divine inspiration and preserved for us (See 2 Timothy 3:16-17). We believe that the King James Bible is God’s preserved Word in English. If you do not have a Bible, our church would be happy to give you one when you visit. By reading the Bible, you will learn about God and His plan for your life. Faithfully attending church and Sunday School will also help you to learn the Scriptures. Of course, these are just first steps, but they are important steps for every new believer. It is a wonderful thing to be a Christian! We have a past that is forgiven, a present life worth living, and a future that is out of this world! We would love to have you come and join with us here at GLBC Forney as we strive to grow in grace and in the service of the Lord.
Please fill out the form below, or use the chat function at the bottom right of your screen to contact us and schedule a visit.
