LET THE BIBLE SPEAK
TO THE NEW CHRISTIAN

Congratulations! By the grace of God--and upon your obedience to the gospel by being immersed into Christ--you have become a member of the body, or church, belonging to Christ. (Romans 6.3-9; Colossians 1.24; 1 Corinthians 12.27.) We welcome you to the family of God. (2 Corinthians 6.17-18.)

As you follow God's will many beautiful things will happen as God blesses you abundantly. Among the blessings faithful Christians may expect are: Joy beyond measure (1 Peter 1.8); peace beyond all understanding (Philippians 4.7); an escape way from every temptation (1 Corinthians 10.13); grace sufficient for every situation (1 Corinthians 12.7-9); all material needs of life (Matthew 6.25-34); answer to prayer (1 John 3.22); all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1.3), including redemption and forgiveness (Ephesians 1.7); cleansing from all unrighteousness (1 John 1.8-10); salvation (Titus 22.11-14) and heaven as your eternal home. (Matthew 6.20; John 14.2; 2 Corinthians 5.1.) We have already seen 1 John 3.22; now add Revelation 2.10b: "...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Both passages indicate God's blessings are for those who are faithful to God in their lives.

Faithful in What?

         1. Thought. "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he..." (Proverbs 23.7a.) Fill your heart with pure and holy thoughts and there will be no room for evil thoughts. Rich is the man whose thoughts are as those mentioned in Psalm 1.2, "But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night." This man is thinking with God, and he is determined to keep it that way. He will be blessed!

         2. Prayer. Of utmost importance is the Christian's prayer life. At James 5.16b we learn that "...the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." No wonder we are told at 1 Thessalonians 5.17 that we should "pray without ceasing." We should be in the attitude of prayer continually and we should verbalize our prayers frequently. 1 Thessalonians 5.18 says, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Pray fervently, frequently and from the heart, thanking God for everything (Colossians 3.17) and expressing your every care and need. (Luke 11.9; John 15.7.) Be grateful that "all things work together for good" (Romans 8.28) as you serve Him and know for sure you are dependent upon Him for everything. (John 15.5.) Pray also with love in your heart for others and for God's work.

         3. Attendance at all services and activities of the church. Worship services and Bible classes are sources of fellowship with other Christians in worship and learning of God's Word. Ardent participation in both of these and other activities and efforts of the church will add strength to your spiritual life. I am sure that in the strictest sense Hebrews 10.24,25 refers to the worship services of the church. The passage reads: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching." In a more general sense, however, great strength is absorbed, not only from worship services and Bible classes, but also at places and times when the church gets together for fellowship or working in various ways for the Lord and His church. Don't miss these good opportunities to gain great spiritual strength!

         4. Spiritual growth. ";As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby." (1 Peter 2.2.) Fill your heart and your life with the Word of God. Those who continually exercise themselves in serious study and learning of the Bible and using the same always in their lives, will grow in Christ. Those who do not grow will die. Along this line, it in this writer's hope that as you read this tract, you will carefully study every Bible passage referred to or quoted herein.

         5. Ministering to others. Matthew 25.31-46 shows that those who minister to the needs of others are rewarded graciously and abundantly by the Judge of all mankind, while those who fail to do so are banished into everlasting punishment. The service needed may sometimes be the sharing of material needs, but there is always a need for sharing the Word of God with someone.

         6. Giving. God's rules for giving are that it be regular and that it be planned. 1 Corinthians 16.2 speaks of the regularity and the planning of acceptable giving when it says: "Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him..." Perhaps one cannot go into mission areas to preach, but all can give liberally so that others may go. The first few verses of 2 Corinthians chapter 8 speak of great liberality out of deep poverty on the part of the Macedonians. Verse 5 explains how it was possible. The verse says: "...but first gave themselves to the Lord."

        7. Living a clean moral life. 2 Corinthians 6.17,18: "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." At 2 Corinthians 4.7, Christians are described as "earthen vessels" which must, according to 2 Timothy 2.21, be "purged" to be suitable "for the Master's use and prepared unto every good work." At 2 Corinthians 6.16, Christians are referred to as "the temple of the living God." Just as God will not dwell in unclean temples, He cannot fully use dirty vessels, nor can the unclean (impure or immoral) person exert the Christian influence on those around him or her. Only the clean, pure, moral life according to Bible principles can serve God acceptably and win heaven as the eternal home, having received many rich blessings before going home.

Summary

Learn all you possibly can of the Bible. Live as God teaches you should live. Reap great blessings now and in eternity. Be assured there are Christians who love you, pray for you and care about you!