When you made that decision and invited Jesus into your life, it is important to know, did God hear you? Yes. Jesus promised that He would enter our lives, if we ask Him.

In Revelation 3:20 Jesus makes this offer, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Did you open the door of your heart to God? If so, what did He say He would do? Would God mislead you?

First John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

In John 6:37, Jesus said, “All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out.” And in John 10:27-29 Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

Jesus died on the cross for our sins, so that we could be in relationship with Him. He’s not indifferent to the issue. He went to great lengths to bring us into relationship with Him. Jesus took our sins on Himself and covered us with His righteousness, making us fully forgiven and fully accepted by Him. We don’t have to first live good lives, or perform religious rituals, or spend years begging Him. God is the one who made it possible for us to have a relationship with Him. And we come to Him based on what He did for us, rather than what we can do. He paid for our sins, in order to forgive us and come into our lives. First Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

When a person asks Jesus into their life, it is exciting to know what God says is now true about your relationship with God:

• You are at peace with God —
  ” Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)
• You became a child of God —
  ” to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
• You are no longer living in darkness —
  ” for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8)” He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13,14)
• You are forgiven —
  ” To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)

  ” In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us.” (Ephesians 1:7,8)

  ” This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9,10)

• You have been given eternal life —
  ” Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)

  ” And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life. I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:11-13)

• You are sealed with the Holy Spirit —
  ” In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13)
• You can begin to know God’s love for you —
  ” If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:7-11)

To grow in your relationship with God:

To get to know God better, spend time in His word (the Bible) asking Him to reveal more of Himself to you and for Him to build your relationship with Him. The Gospel of John (fourth book in the New Testament) is a great place to start.

And talk to Him freely. We are encouraged to “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6,7)

How to know our relationship with God is secure.

There are many relationships in our lives that don’t last. We might see a divorce, friends we lose track of, or maybe even the death of someone we loved. So, maybe you are wondering about this new relationship with God…will this last?

God tells us, “I will never fail you, nor forsake you.” (Hebrews13:5). When we place our faith in Jesus, wanting Him in our lives, we become His child and forever can rest secure in His love. The following Scripture will help you see what is now true of your relationship with Him.

We did not earn a relationship with God, nor do we have to struggle to hold onto it. The Bible is clear about this. Once we placed our faith in Jesus Christ, we were accepted by God.

“We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous [in right standing, ok with him]. He did this through Christ Jesus when [on the cross] he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” (Romans 3:22-24)

The following Scripture will help you see what is now true of your relationship with Him.

Before we became Christians
You may not have been aware of the following. However, before becoming Christians, the Bible describes us as:

• enemies of God (Romans 5:10)
• helpless (Romans 5:6)
• ungodly (Romans 5:6)
• sinners (Romans 5:8)
• lost (Matthew 18:11)
• poor (Revelation 3:17)
• blind (2 Corinthians 4:4)
• under God’s judgment (John 3:36)
• dead through our sins (Ephesians 2:1)
• foolish, slaves to passions (Titus 3:3)
• doing evil deeds (Colossians 1:21)
• far from God (Ephesians 2:13)
• without hope (Ephesians 2:12)
• walking in darkness (John 8:12)

Now that we are Christians
From the moment we receive Christ into our lives, we have a new relationship with God, and a new life. Here is how the Bible describes us now that we have Christ in our life. We are:

• at peace with God (Romans 5:1)
• a child of God (John 1:12)
• completely forgiven (Colossians 1:14)
• brought near to God (Ephesians 2:13)
• sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13)
• no longer living in darkness (Ephesians 5:8)
• members of His kingdom (Colossians 1:13,14)
• loved by God (1John 4:9,10; John 15:9)
• given eternal life (John 3:16)
• secure in God’s love (Romans 8:38,39)
• saved by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8,9)
• Christ dwells in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17)
• chosen by God (Ephesians 1:4,5)
• crossed from death to life (John 5:24)
• alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:15)
• righteous in God’s eyes (2Corinthians 5:21)
• led by a caring Shepherd (John 10:27)

Jesus said, “…whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John6:37). He describes that further saying, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:28-30). He holds us securely.

Further we can be “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians1:6).

Jesus fully paid for our sins and once we thank Him for that, receive Him into our lives, desiring for our lives to be His, He makes us His child, giving us full forgiveness and acceptance with Him.

This relationship is protected, not by what we do, but because of God’s character and Jesus’ death on our behalf. Jesus purchased our relationship with Him, canceling the penalty of sin that stood between us and God. And so we become His child, forgiven, indwelt by Him, declared righteous in His eyes, because Jesus covers our sin. Unfortunately, we still will sin. We still will find ourselves choosing to do things our way instead of God’s way. But this does not change the security of our relationship with Christ. We stand secure in this relationship, because of what God says about it. “Therefore, since we have been right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1).

Salvation through Jesus is purely God’s gift, received once by faith. At that moment we have begun a relationship with God that lasts eternally. Our relationship with Christ does not hinge on personal holiness, or levels of faith, or sacrifices, or good works or religious acts. God doesn’t intend for our focus to be on our performance. He desires our focus to be on Jesus.

Unlike other relationships we have in this world, our relationship with God is secure because He brought us into this relationship in the first place,and He is faithful to keep us unto eternal life. 1 Corinthians 1:9 says “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Where does one get started in the Christian life?

By Barbara Francis

I became a Christian my freshman year at the University of Oregon. On a scale of 1 to 10 of what I knew about God and the Bible (1 being “not a darn thing” and 10 being “I was raised in a monastery”), I was a minus 30. I never attended church growing up and had lived a pretty wild life before I knew the Lord.

I had tried once to read the Bible, but, silly me, I began in the beginning (who knew there were two sections?) and got about 20 chapters into the Book of Genesis before giving up. Years later I discovered that there was also a New Testament and that’s where I could learn about Jesus…and boy, did I have a lot to learn.

So, where does one get started in the Christian life? How can we grow and get to know God better? These were some of the very first questions I asked myself as I began my relationship with God. Maybe they’re similar to the ones you’ve been deliberating. I knew so little about the things of God that I had a hard time even articulating some of my musings. But thankfully I had an older Christian in my life who introduced me to four simple ways to get on the growth path. I still remember them, still use them even though I’ve walked with Jesus for over 30 years. My prayer is that they would be a helpful boost as you discover what’s next in this life called Christian.

Listen to God

The Bible is the very word and will of God, preserved for us so we can get to know who He is and what He wants for our lives. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” That is why we need to spend time reading the Bible every day. If you don’t have a Bible that’s easy to understand, make the trip to a local Christian bookstore and purchase one. If that is not possible, many libraries have them available to be checked out. Some suggested translations are The New Living, The New International Version or The Message. Begin with the Gospel of John in the New Testament. (This Book, sometimes referred to simply as “John”, is the fourth book in the New Testament, near the beginning, not to be confused with 1 John, 2 John and 3 John, found at the end of the New Testament.) I like using a journal or pad of paper to write down inquiries and observations. Answer these two questions for each chapter: What do I learn about God or Jesus? Are there things discussed that I should begin practicing or avoid altogether? This will help you to see that the Bible is very practical to your life today. After you finish John, just keep going all the way to Revelation.

When we read the Bible we learn how loved we are by God. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). We learn that we are entirely new people because we’ve invited Jesus to be our Savior and Lord. Read Ephesians 1:3-14 and spend a moment listing all the things that are true of you as a Christian. Amazing, isn’t it?

Talk to God

Prayer is such a vital aspect to a healthy walk with God. It is perhaps my favorite part of my relationship with the Father. Think of it, we can talk with GOD! Anytime, anywhere, any mood, any season of temptation or joy. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God will never leave or forsake us. That’s good news for some of us who have never known that kind of love and commitment. Well, we do now…because God does not lie or change his mind (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). And because He is always with us we can always converse with Him. Prayer is simply talking to God. No religious tones or words necessary. Psalm 62:8 tells us to “pour out your hearts to God.”

There is an acronym, ACTS, which was most helpful as I began to pray. Now, remember I started at minus 30, so I knew NOTHING. In my home we did not pray, we wished – wished on birthday cakes before the candles were blown out or on the first star I saw at night. I’d never prayed, so it felt a bit awkward to begin, but using the ACTS process helped me greatly.

ACTS:

Adoration…is where we praise God for who He is: loving, good, kind, understanding, gracious, etc. As you read the Bible and write down the things you are learning about God, you will have more and more to praise Him for. Also, begin to read a Psalm a day – takes about 3 to 5 minutes – and praise God for how each Psalm reveals new dimensions of His character and ways.

Confession…is a key component to growth. Sin clogs up our fellowship with God. We’ll feel guilty and distant if we have attitudes and actions in our lives that the Bible says are wrong. That’s where confession comes in. Look up 1 John 1:9. Then read Psalm 32:3-5 about the consequences of unconfessed sin and how to deal with it.

Thanksgiving…is when we just say thanks to God for all He has done. Again, the Psalms are a great place to head to be reminded of all He has done for us. Use the psalmists’ words as your own. It’s a good way to learn to just talk with God.

Supplication…is where we pray both for ourselves and for others in our lives. I like keeping a prayer list with the date I started asking on my behalf or the behalf of another and the date the prayer was answered. Pray specifically, expectantly and faithfully. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us that if we pray according to God’s will, He will hear and answer. But, you ask, “How do I know God’s will?” That takes us back to where we began…to reading His word.

Talk to Others Who Know God

This is simply called fellowship, hanging out with other people who love Jesus. It can be at church, in a Bible study or in a small group. It is for purposes of growing together (Acts 2:46-47). Many of us will need to make new friendships and learn how to have fun in different sorts of ways. By spending time with believers, our behaviors begin to change and we learn what older believers look and act like.

Talk to Others About God

This is called witnessing. I like what the devoted apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” I just had to tell my friends about my new relationship with Christ! Because He’d changed my life, forgiven me and loved me in a way I never knew was possible, I wanted others to have what I did. Sure, not everyone was as excited about the whole thing as I was, but my desire was so strong. I made a list of the top ten people I wanted to talk to about the Lord and then just waited for Him to open up the opportunities to do so. Happily, many know Christ now, too. Cool, huh?

My sincere prayer is that these few thoughts will serve you as stepping stones toward a more intimate walk with our sweet Savior, Jesus.

Getting to know God is an exciting experience. There are students right on your campus who also have also asked Jesus into their lives and would like to help you grow. Click here to tell us you’d like someone from your campus to email you back.

Understanding the Spirit-filled life.

By Steven L. Pogue

Does living the Christian life seem impossible? Let me tell you a secret–it is impossible–on our own. Trying to live the Christian life by your own efforts is like a ship on dry land…just doesn’t work very well. For the ship to get anywhere, it needs to be resting on the water. And to enjoy the Christian life, one needs to learn on how rest in God. Paul knows this: “For I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me strength and power” (Philippians 4:13).

The Christian’s secret to a consistent life is for Christ to live His life through us: “I have been crucified with Christ: and I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the real life I now have within this body is a result of my trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

It was during Christ’s final evening with His disciples that He told them He would be leaving them, but they would not be left alone: “But the fact of the matter is that it is best for you that I go away, for if I don’t, the Comforter won’t come. If I do, he will – for I will send him to you” (John 16:7).

You have been given someone to enable you to live the Christian life bravely – the Holy Spirit. He isn’t just a guide at the information booth along the heavenly trail: He is the Spirit of Christ – come to live in you.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is God, as are the Son and the Father. Much of the confusion surrounding the Holy Spirit occurs when people fail to view Him as a person. He has a personality. He is a divine person with a will and emotions.

The Holy Spirit possesses all the attributes that the Son and the Father have. He is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), immutable (unchanging) and eternal. He is the third person of the trinity.

What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is a major part of your Christian life. Let’s look at some of His roles and see why He is so important.

The Holy Spirit convicted you of your sin and your need for Christ (John 16:8-11). The Bible explains that without the Holy Spirit’s help, people think Christianity is foolish (1 Corinthians 1:18). Those around you may think it’s crazy you’ve made such a commitment to Christ! You don’t see it that way at all because the Holy Spirit has revealed the wonder of a life in Christ to you.

The Holy Spirit gave you new life. Flesh gives birth only to flesh, Jesus said. It takes the Holy Spirit to give a spiritual birth (John 3:6). And it is through that Spirit that God’s love was poured into your heart (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit also provides an inner witness (an assurance) that you are a Christian (Romans 8:16).

The Holy Spirit is a teacher and enabler. He leads you to the truth of God’s Word. He illuminates the Bible so you are able to understand and apply its truth (John 16:13,14). He gives power and spiritual effectiveness in your witnessing (Acts 1:8). He intercedes for you before the Father when you feel like you don’t know what or how to pray (Romans 8:26,27).

The Holy Spirit was sent by Christ to enable you to live the Christian life! As Paul wrote, “…the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you” (Romans 8:11). The Christian life is possible only with the power of the Holy Spirit.

You may be thinking, I need the Holy Spirit in my life! If you are a Christian, He is already there: “You are controlled by your new nature if you have the Spirit of God living in you (Romans 8:9). The Holy Spirit resides in you, but you may not be yielding your life to His direction. He may be a resident – without being president.

Paul distinguished between two types of Christians: the spiritual Christian and the carnal Christian.

1. The Spiritual Christian “The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment…” (1 Corinthians 2:15).

The spiritual person has accepted Christ and lives a Christ-centered life. He is not sinless and he faces problems and temptations every day, just like everyone else. But as a way of life, he trusts Christ with each detail and problem that comes along. His greatest desire is to please Christ, and he doesn’t rely on the approval of others.

2. The Carnal Christian “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

Carnal means “fleshly.” The carnal Christian is a Christian (he has committed his life to Jesus Christ at some point), but his life is oriented around himself and his needs. He may show some evidence of being a Christian, but the work of the Holy Spirit is suppressed either through conscious disobedience or ignorance of the Spirit’s ministry.

What distinguishes the carnal Christian from the spiritual Christian? It isn’t that the carnal Christian lacks part of Christ or the Holy Spirit – he possesses the same spiritual resources as the spiritual Christian. But the spiritual man relies on Christ’s power to live his Christian life while the carnal man relies on his own power. Trying to live the Christian life on your own efforts is as futile as trying to get around town by pushing your car.

Being Led by the Spirit

The Bible talks about being “led” by the Spirit. That implies we obey what He says: He leads, we follow. Simple enough. But usually we don’t like anyone telling us what to do – even if it’s God! Yet the filling of the Holy Spirit means allowing the Spirit of God and the Word of God tell us what to do.

We have the choice each day: Will we let the Holy Spirit lead us, or will we be controlled by something else? Will fear about the future, or our desire to get what we want, become more important than obeying Christ? When the Holy Spirit fills you, He controls your thoughts and your actions. You can’t be filled with hatred, fear or worry while you are filled with the Spirit. There isn’t room.

“Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to. Don’t drink too much wine, for many evils lie along that path; be filled instead with the Holy Spirit, and controlled by Him.” (Ephesians 5:17). Unlike alcohol, the changes the Holy Spirit produces aren’t artificial. They don’t wear off with time. The Bible calls these lasting changes the fruit that is produced from a Christ-centered life: “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; and here there is no conflict with Jewish laws” (Galatians 5:22.23).

How Can I Be Filled with the Holy Spirit?

The control of the Holy Spirit is our choice. It’s voluntary, but it’s not by osmosis. People don’t become drunk by handling unopened cases of beer or working in a liquor store. It’s after drinking the liquor that things suddenly get fuzzy. As a Christian you can be surrounded by Bibles and Christians without being filled with the Holy Spirit. Or you can be alone, but Spirit-filled.

You can express your desire to follow the Holy Spirit’s control through prayer. Here is a prayer that has often been helpful to me:

“Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and that, as a result, I have sinned against You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I now thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit.”¹

If you prayed that prayer, desiring the Spirit’s control, then the Holy Spirit fills you now—even if you don’t feel like it. Remember when you committed your life to Christ? You may have had a very emotional experience, or you may have been like me—I felt nothing unusual after accepting Christ. Christ came in not because of a feeling, but because God’s Word is true. It’s the same with the filling of the Spirit.

Some people equate the filling of the Holy Spirit with a mystical religious experience. It’s not mystical. It is a decision of faith: a response to what God says in His Word. Being filled with the Holy Spirit isn’t dependent upon the feelings you receive, but upon the Bible you believe.

Three Questions

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is so vital to our Christian life! There may be several questions that remain unanswered in your mind.

1. Why aren’t more Christians filled with the Spirit?
That was really Mike’s question that day we lunched together. What is the reason more Christians aren’t filled with the Holy Spirit?

In a word, sin. We choose to disobey god. This can take the form of pride: wanting things our way. We don’t give God control of our finances; we’ve worked hard for our money and it’s ours now. We don’t give God control of our relationships; why forgive that person when it’s really their fault? We don’t give God control of our personal morality; that’s nobody’s business but our own—not even God’s. That’s pride talking. Scripture says, “He [God] mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble” (Proverbs 3:34).

Sin can take another form: fear. Proverbs states, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare…” (Proverbs 29:25). Is there something that God wants you to do, but you haven’t done it because you’re afraid of what people will think? I know it’s easy for me to think: I can’t do that. I would look foolish if I did that. God can’t possibly want me to do that. But often He does!

The last half of that verse in Proverbs teaches: “but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” It’s easy to put the approval of people above the approval of God, but isn’t pleasing God what we really want? Our lives will be different than other people. But it’s worth it.

2. Can I be filled with the Spirit and still struggle with sin?
I guess that depends on what you mean by “struggling with sin”! If you are consistently giving in to sin, then the Holy Spirit can’t be controlling or filling your life. But if you are asking, “Will I still commit sin after learning about the filling of the Holy Spirit?”—the answer is an emphatic yes.

You may find yourself committing sin and confessing it several times throughout the day. That’s not spiritual weakness; it is evidence that you’re living and breathing spiritually! Becoming aware of sin and dealing with it has been described as “spiritual breathing.”

Spiritual breathing involves “exhaling”—admitting your sin to the Lord as it occurs. You recognize that you have sinned and usurped the Lord’s place as head of your life. By “exhaling,” you are removing the impure, and you are claiming the forgiveness that is yours through Christ’s death on the cross.

Spiritual breathing also includes “inhaling”—asking God to again fill you with His Holy Spirit, to again be the head of your life. Remember that He doesn’t leave you when you sin. But you have ignored His leading, and now you are once again following His direction. You are learning to trust Him, which takes time. Don’t become discouraged when you fall into sin: Learn to get back up.

The youngest of our three children learned how to walk this past year. It took a while. She didn’t wake up on her first birthday, vault over the rails of her crib and jog to toddler aerobics class. Her first steps were tentative and wobbly. She fell into mud puddles, coffee tables and laundry baskets. But she never gave up. Eventually her steps turned into stronger, confident ones. She still falls down at times (and so do her parents!), but she gets back up.

We never become immune to sin; sinlessness is reserved for heaven. As we grow to know God better, we will grow in seeing life from His perspective, and in some areas sin less. We will also learn to battle temptation. But even then there will be occasions when we sin and need to breathe spiritually, whether we’re in the first year of our Christian life or in our seventieth.

3. What if my life hasn’t changed much yet?
Has it occurred to you that your level of spiritual growth may be exactly where God wants it? We’ve looked at two types of Christians, the carnal and the spiritual. But there is a third category of Christian: the new Christian. Remember what Paul told those Corinthians? “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ.”

Several years earlier, Paul had led many of those Corinthian believers to Christ. At that time he didn’t expect them to be mature, spiritual believers. But instead of following a normal growth pattern of spiritual maturity for a Christian, the believers at Corinth became carnal. If you’ve only been a believer for a few months, you’re still a “baby” Christian—not carnal, just young.

Each September when we lived in the Midwest our family would head for Stover’s Orchards in Three Rivers, Michigan. We knew we would be greeted by nearly labeled rows of apple trees. We filled bushel baskets with Mackintoshes, Winesaps and Romes.

Near the back of the orchard were rows of trees that were not laden with apples. In fact, they had no fruit at all. But they weren’t dead; they were just young. Some had not yet reached five feet in height. While the older trees had matured and were bent over with apples, these young trees were just busy growing.

If you are obeying Christ today and trusting His power to change you, then you are exactly where God wants you to be. Don’t agonize over the “fruit” you feel you lack. I never saw one of those young trees ever comparing itself with the older ones. Growth is a process, and each part of the process is vital.

I find that as I obey Christ and don’t worry about comparing myself to other Christians, I enjoy being a Christian.

¹A prayer taken from Bill Bright, “Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-filled Life?” (San Bernardino, CA: Campus Crusade for Christ, 1966), p. 12.

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by Steven L. Pogue

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, part of the main. –John Donne, Meditation XVII

Wouldn’t it be great to know older Christians who can help you grow in your faith? Christians who listen to your doubts, who understand your problems? Who model a life of faith and dependence on God?

The moment you began your relationship with Jesus Christ you also began a relationship with other Christians. Now you are part of God’s family, and in God’s family there are no orphans. God did not intend for His children to live as individual islands of faith, but rather as a community of believers, interrelated with each other and part of something much bigger than themselves. That “something” is the Church.

Our English word church comes from a Greek word meaning “belonging to the Lord.” The Bible explains that every Christian – every true believer in Jesus Christ – is a part of the Church even if they’ve never stepped inside a church building. God’s universal Church (usually spelled with a capital “C”) crosses denominational, cultural and national lines. The Bible refers to this union of believers as “the body of Christ.”

You are family with Christians everywhere…that is the universal aspect to the Church. You are also family with believers right where you live. They are waiting to meet you – in a Christian organization on your campus or local church.

The “Perfect” Church

As a new Christian I was very critical of churches. Why weren’t they doing a better job of teaching the Bible, of reaching the world for Christ? Why were there so many hypocrites? One Sunday the minister at my church spoke about the role of the church and one statement has stuck with me for years: “If you ever find a perfect church, don’t join it. You’ll ruin it, because you are an imperfect person.” I realized that I was putting my own church and every other church under terrific scrutiny. I’m not perfect – so why should I expect my church to be perfect?

The church is God’s institution. Christ established it as the earthly representative of Himself. It is inhabited by people who are still in the process of becoming mature in Christ. Some people in the churches you visit may not even be Christians, or if they are, they may have placed other priorities in life higher than Christ.

While you won’t be able to find a perfect church, you should be able to find one that is right for you. At this point you may be thinking, Great! But which church do I go to? How do I find the right church for me? Well, here is a link to churches and other Christian organizations, and here are some questions to consider as you visit…

What does the church believe?

They probably have a printed copy of their statement of faith. Read over it, and make sure you understand it and agree with it. If you have questions about their beliefs, ask a pastor.

Does the church demonstrate love?

Christians are to be known for their love. Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34,35) So how do you know if a church is demonstrating love?

Gene Getz, in The Measure of a Church, says that biblical love is like Christlikeness: “Biblical love involves demonstrating those attitudes and actions toward others that Christ demonstrated when He came into the world and lived among men.”¹

Such love is fleshed out in forgiveness and encouragement rather than bitterness and gossip; in patience and understanding with the unlovely person. When you see love demonstrated in a church, you are seeing Christ at work.

How does the church use the Bible?

Nearly every worship service will include a time when the minister reads a Bible passage and talks about it. As you listen to the message, keep a mental or written outline. Does he teach you what the passage is about, or does he use it as a spring board for his own arguments?

As you meet church members, find out ways in which they are being equipped for ministry. Some churches do a great job of teaching their members how to study the Bible, how to counsel friends, how to care for others in need, how to share their faith. Are the members being equipped to study God’s Word and live it out in service to others?

Who do the members talk about?

We all need time to talk about yesterday’s ball game or how our kids are doing. It’s not unspiritual to want to share a wide variety of topics with other Christians. Christians should enjoy life! But if the conversations in the church are no different than the conversations at work, something is missing. Jesus Christ is the most wonderful person in the universe. Do they honor and lift up Jesus Christ? Is there a spirit of worship, love, and devotion to Him in their gatherings? After attending a church just a few times, you can get a sense of who people are really meeting for: themselves, their pastor, an ear-tickling sermon, or a reputation. The ultimate purpose should be to glorify God.

Is the church open to partnerships with other Christian organizations?

A church which recognizes the spiritual unity of the universal Body of Christ should be willing to pray for and support other Christian ministries. Any extreme separatism or individualism is not the pattern we see among the churches in the New Testament.

Making your choice

After you’ve visited a number of churches and made your choice, begin to look for opportunities to get to know the other members as people. Some members may be reluctant to introduce themselves because they are fairly new to the church too. Take the initiative in getting to know people.

You will not mature in your relationship with Christ isolated in a cocoon of private Christianity. There is a vast group of people who really care for you and would like to help you make it through tough times. They form God’s own “miracle of deliverance.” They form the church.

To find a church or a Christian group near you, please see: Connecting

¹Gene Getz, The Measure of a Church (Glendale, CA: Regal Books, 1975), p.33.

by Steven L. Pogue

A relationship with God is like no other relationship you may have experienced. God has a unique kind of love for you. It is unconditional (not based upon meeting certain conditions). God loves you because He loves you.

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us…” (1John 4:9,10)

He does not love you based upon your performance. There is nothing you can do to cause God to love you any more than He already does—and there is nothing that will cause God to love you any less. He loves you, even more than you love yourself.

Until now you have probably only experienced conditional love. Conditional love is based upon what you do. Perform well on the job, on the team, or in the relationship, and you are “loved.”

In opening your life to Christ, you have found total love and acceptance. That may be hard to comprehend if you’ve never felt totally loved and accepted by anyone. But it’s true! Unfortunately, you won’t always feel that God loves you. There will be times when you find yourself doubting not only His love, but also His existence. You’ll feel like giving up. Don’t.

When God gave you a new life, it didn’t come trimmed in lace and smelling of perfume. Jesus began His earthly life in a smelly, damp stable. He tasted real life, and that will be the flavor of your journey with Christ—no magic, just the promise of His presence with you.

God says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).

There’s a Danish proverb: “The next mile is the only one a person really has to make.” The knowledge that God loves you will keep you going when the next mile seems intolerably long: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38,39)

Our faith rests in what God has revealed about Himself to us. He specifically wants us to believe and rely on His love for us:

“…the Lord delights in those who fear [reverence] him, who put their hope in his unfailing love” (Psalms 147:11).

“…the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.” (Psalms 33:18)

King David, whom God referred to “as a man after my own heart”¹ trusted God’s love: “…I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God” (Psalms 59:16,17).

Jesus describes the depth of His love for us, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:9-11). He loves us no matter what—even when we disobey. But we will live in His love, enjoy His love, as we obey Him.

To grow in your understanding of God’s love for you, take some time over the next few weeks and read Psalms 103, John 15, and 1 John 4, and note all the ways that God’s love is described.

¹Acts 13:22

See Jesus’ teaching about His identity, what He said about Himself…

By Steven L. Pogue

If you’ve committed your life to Christ, you have a relationship with Him. That’s a great beginning! Developing that relationship involves getting to know Him better.

The best way to learn about Jesus is to read His claims concerning His identity in the Gospels. The Gospels are the first four books in the New Testament and tell the “good news” (which is what the gospel means) of Jesus Christ. They were written in the first century A.D. and were based upon eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life.

Jesus was born about 4 or 5 B.C. (Our calendars are a little off.) The nation of Israel had been under foreign occupation almost continuously since the seventh century B.C., and the Jews fought to maintain national identity. Every faithful Jew kindled the hope that one day Messiah would appear and provide salvation for the nation by overthrowing Roman rule. Messiah is a Hebrew word meaning “the anointed one,” and Christ is a title, not Jesus’ last name.

The bulk of the Gospel accounts is devoted to the three years that Jesus spent ministering around the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. They tell us of the life and teachings of a unique person. Jesus, the Gospels explain, demonstrated his divine powers by healing the sick, blind and lame; by raising the dead; by walking on water and calming a storm at sea. Jesus’ teaching lacked the exacting legalism and piousness that characterized so much of contemporary Judaism. He became tremendously popular among the masses in Galilee.

Throughout his ministry Jesus kept pointing the people to Himself. The masses wanted a political liberator. The religious establishment wanted their positions of power and piety recognized. Jesus pandered to neither group.

Let’s examine four incidents in the Gospel of John to determine what Jesus claimed about Himself.

John 5: Jesus Teaching God is His Father

In the Gospel of John, chapter 5, Jesus was accosted by Jewish religious leaders for healing an invalid on the Sabbath (the Jewish “Day of Rest”). They considered any expenditure of effort on that day a violation of God’s command to maintain it as a day of rest. Over the centuries they had meticulously codified what was permissible, and Jesus’ action flaunted their strict rules.

Jesus defended his action of healing on the Sabbath by explaining that God, as the sustainer of the universe, never rests but continually keeps working. And God is always doing good in human history. Since God cannot stop his work: “My Father constantly does good, and I’m following his example.” Then the Jewish leaders were all the more eager to kill Him because in addition to disobeying their Sabbath laws, He had spoke of God as his Father, thereby making Himself equal with God (John 5:17,18).

The Jews saw Jesus’ claim to deity as a virulent blasphemy. During the centuries of occupation by foreign nations, many Jews had endured terrible sufferings to remain faithful to worship Jehovah, the one true God. How could Jesus, a good Jew, ever think of saying that He was equal with God?

John 8: Jesus Teaching that He Has Always Existed

Three chapters later in John’s Gospel, Jesus is conversing again with the Jewish leaders. He was in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Tabernacles, a celebration commemorating God’s direction to Moses and the nation of Israel during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.

In this conversation Jesus made several claims. He said that He was the light of the world, that He could free men from sin and that anyone who believed in Him would not die. The Jewish leaders were again incensed by his seemingly preposterous claims but apparently decided to humor Him, hoping to reveal his inconsistencies. Not even Abraham, venerated founder of Judaism, had claimed to be immortal, so how could Jesus claim this? Jesus replied: “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

“You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to Him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
At this, they picked up stones to stone Him… (John 8:56-59, NIV).

His remarks were even more inflammatory because of his use of the words, I am. In the Old Testament, Moses saw a burning bush as he was tending sheep in the desert. Approaching the bush, God suddenly spoke to Moses and told him to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of bondage. God assured Moses that he would be with him.

Moses asked God who he should say sent him. God replied: “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14, NIV). I AM was not so much a label for God as it was an indication of God’s complete ability to deliver the Israelites from bondage. Jesus ascribed this same name and power to Himself.

John 10: Jesus Teaching that He Is Equal To God

This third claim is recorded in the tenth chapter of John. It occurs at the Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah. Jesus is again in Jerusalem, and there is considerable speculation among the crowds and religious leaders: Will Jesus announce that He is the Messiah? Tradition had always taught that the Messiah would be revealed at one such feast.

The Jewish leaders gathered around Jesus and asked Him if He was the Messiah. It may have been genuine curiosity, but more likely they intended to set a trap for Jesus, forcing Him to say something that would warrant his arrest and execution. Instead of giving them a direct answer, Jesus said that He had already told them who He was and that they had not believed Him:

“My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me…my Father has given them to me…I and the Father are one.”
Then again, the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill Him.
Jesus said, “At God’s direction I have done many a miracle to help the people. For which one are you killing me?”
They replied, “Not for any good work, but for blasphemy; you, a mere man, have declared yourself to be God” (John 10:27-33).

John 11: Jesus Teaching that He Offers Life Eternal

Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, became ill. He lived in Bethany, less than two miles to the east of Jerusalem. Jesus at the time was many miles further to the east, ministering along the Jordan River. After He heard of Lazarus’ illness, Jesus waited two days before departing. By the time He arrived in Bethany, Lazarus was already dead and buried.

Martha, Lazarus’ sister, went out to meet Jesus and exclaimed that her brother would still be alive if Jesus had arrived sooner. Then follows this exchange:

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believe in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she told Him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world” (John 11:23-27, NIV).

Jesus moved near the cave-like tomb where Lazarus was buried. Praying aloud, He thanked his Father for hearing Him: “I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me: (John 11:42, NIV). His prayer finished, Jesus commanded Lazarus to leave the tomb, and the dead man came out, still wrapped in grave clothes.

What Jesus’ Claims to Deity Mean

Jesus made what seemed to be extravagant claims about Himself: equality and oneness with God, eternal pre-existence, and the source of everlasting life. These are not the statements of a mere mortal (at least a sane one). Jesus also declared that He had final authority over all the earth, that He would one day return and judge the earth, that He could forgive sin and that He was the only way to God. He said He could give life and fill man’s greatest hunger. He called Himself the Son of Man, an Old Testament prophetic term for the Messiah. He allowed others to worship Him even though Jews were to worship God alone.

During the trial preceding the crucifixion, the Jewish leaders said this to the Roman governor Pilate: “We have a law, and according to that law He must die, because He claimed to be the Son of God” (John 19:7, NIV). Jesus of Nazareth was killed not for what He did, but for who He claimed to be. C.S. Lewis, the Cambridge University literature professor who journeyed from skepticism to Christianity, once remarked: “I am trying to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice, either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.”¹

Jesus’ Life and Teaching Are Unique

Of all the founders of major world religions, Christ alone claimed to be God! Abraham, Mohammed, Confucius, Buddha—none claimed to be God. Buddha, for example, told his disciples near the end of his life not to worry about remembering Him, but to remember his teaching about the Way of enlightenment.

Each of these founders of world religions can be divorced from his teaching without a total and irreparable loss to that religion. But Christianity is built upon Christ: who He claimed to be and what He did. His teaching is almost embarrassingly self-centered. What else can be said of someone who declares: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, NIV)? But if Jesus’ claims are true, then his statements are full of hope. We can know God because Jesus is God.

Fully God and Fully Man

Jesus Christ is not only fully God, but He is also fully man. He experienced hunger and thirst, loneliness, and the pain of betrayal and rejection. He suffered the humiliation of hanging naked upon the cross. He experienced temptations. He at real food, cried real tears at the death of a friend and lost real blood during his crucifixion. Even his resurrection was physical. Jesus Christ was fully man.

What does it mean to us that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man?

1. Because Jesus is God, He is worthy of our worship. We should treat Him as God, with reverence and respect. Jesus is not our buddy; He is our Lord.

The Lordship of Jesus means allowing Him direction over every area of our life: not only our religious worship and our private devotions, but our career, our family, our finances, our attitudes. Knowing Christ should affect our relationship with others and what we watch on television. Giving Christ control of these areas isn’t what gets us into heaven; [giving Christ control] is a response to our eternal relationship with Him. He is your powerful Lord, Love Him, Worship Him.

2. Because Jesus is God, He is able to handle all of our problems. There is nothing we face that God cannot overcome. Jesus is the “I AM” who can do all things. Jesus claims that He is able to make all things work for good in our life (Romans 8:28). In fact, He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20, NIV). As you get to know Jesus better, I hope you will see that He has the power to do in your life what He promises.

3. Because Jesus is God, He was able to reconcile us to God. Jesus is more than a friend. He is our Savior.

4. Because Jesus is fully man, He is able to identify with all of our needs and problems. There is nothing we go through that He cannot understand: “Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18, NIV). By living among us, Jesus perfectly understood all that we feel.

5. Jesus’ identity as fully man affirms our humanity. We do not become more Christian by becoming less human. God created us in his image and wants us to enjoy life with all of its possibilities. He gave each of us talents and abilities that He wants us to develop.

This does not mean that following Christ will make you healthy and wealthy (though it will make you wise!).

There will be personal sacrifices. You may have to give up what is comfortable: an old lifestyle, private habits, a career path, financial success, even your life. But allow Jesus’ teaching in your life, learning from Him, leaning on Him. It’s what makes life great.

1. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan, 1952), pp55-56. Used by permission.