“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

When you became a follower of Christ, you came alive in your spirit and this new life is yours! We want to encourage you to know more about this life as you learn to walk in your new connection with God himself, as made possible by Jesus Christ. 

As a way of marking this defining moment of your life, we invite you to follow the example of Jesus by being baptized in water. Baptism is an important step of obedience that shows others that we have personally accepted Jesus as our Savior and made him our Lord.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

There’s something different about you! Really, a lot has changed. Because you have been born again of the spirit, you have become new from the inside out. You have a new identity. And it is God’s goal for you to allow the truth of who you are in this new life to shape the way you live.

We want to introduce you to this new identity. Use the resource posted in the link below called “Who I am in Christ” as a starting place of discovery. You can read the statements about your new identity and then also read the passages of scripture that support the ideas as well. Reading God’s Word will help you to recognize the truth of who you are in Christ. And as a result, you can begin to live according to that reality.

“But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)

Welcome to your new relationship with God! As you have drawn near to God, He has drawn near to you, making his relational presence a reality. And from this place of relationship, he makes every effort to connect with us. God speaks to us and we can hear him! This ability is a gift from the Father, and as His child, you can become better at recognizing His voice as you spend time with Him more and more.

Here at the beginning of your relationship, we’d love to encourage you to intentionally listen for the Lord speaking as you read the Bible. We’ve included some great resources on our Bible Engagement Resources page to help you as you do so. It's our prayer that each day you would discover the relational presence of your loving Father, and that you would be empowered by His words as you hear Him speak to you.

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you...I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

In this new relationship with God, we have been given a new way of living. But this life requires a choice: choosing to abandon the old, independent, sinful nature that has long been our default, and instead choosing to live by the Spirit. To live this new way, without stumbling in our sin, we must let the Holy Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes. And we must learn to put on our new nature. It’s a daily choice.

A powerful way to overcome our habit of sin is to understand our new relationship with it. We are free from its power. Check out our resource titled “Living By the Spirit.” By thinking on the truth about your new life and believing it, you will become empowered to live it out. You can and will live by the Spirit.