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Next Steps
You've made the most important decision a human being can make:
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Now what?
According to the Bible, some basic things are needed to grow and
fully enjoy the Christian life.
Baptism
Baptism is the first step of obedience for a new Believer. It pictures
Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. It has no effect on a
person being saved, it is simply something that is commanded as
a way of identifying yourself with Jesus.
Bible
The Bible is what God has chosen to reveal to us at this time. It
is the way He communicates His commands, promises, and guidance
to us. It is often compared to food: without physical food, a person
does not grow. Without the Bible as spiritual food, a Christian
cannot grow. Bible study will strengthen you, allow you to serve
God, and give you the wisdom and knowledge to help others. (see
2 Timothy 2:15 and 3:16,17)
Prayer
Our communication to God. After salvation we have direct access
to God through prayer. We can thank and praise Him, make requests
to Him, and just talk with Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:17-19)
Church
Attending a church that teaches the Bible is critical. It is important
not only for the instruction you receive, but also for the support
and encouragement you give to and receive from other Christians
(Hebrews 10:24,25).
Witnessing
Others need to know how they can be saved from sin and eternal punishment.
By simply sharing how God saved you, you can show someone how to
be saved. (Mathew 28:19-20, 1 Peter 3:15)
Good Works
As mentioned in the section on Salvation, our good works can do
nothing to get us into Heaven. We simply can't earn Salvation. However,
we are commanded to do good works after we are saved. It's a natural
result of real faith in Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-10 - while good works
don't save us, we are saved unto good works; James 2:26 - real,
living faith will result in good works while empty, dead faith will
not result in those good works)
Surrender
When we think of how much God has done for us, it just makes sense
that we would live a life that is totally submitted to God. That
means we make ourselves completely available and obedient to what
He asks of us. It also means we resist the influence of the world
and are changed to be like Him (Romans 12:1-2).
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