The first ting to understand is that all people sin and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The bible tells us that sin leads to death which is separation from God, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23). Romans 10:9-10 says: “ if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” This confession and belief in Jesus is what leads to our salvation. Christ is the free gift that we receive in faith, and by doing so we are no longer live in fear of judgement, but instead we live within God’s loving mercy and grace forever.  

Upon receiving salvation, you may notice that certain ways of living no longer have any appeal, but on the other side of the coin there is still a struggle against other sinful desires. Do not worry, this is totally normal! The Bible says: "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). Think about it like someone receiving citizenship in a new country. The citizenship is final, but that does not mean that the new citizen understands the customs, language barriers, and map directions within the new country. It will take time within the new country to assimilate to all of the above. It is the same thing being a new creation in Christ. He has brought us into the family through Christ, but it will take some time to shed off old habits and become accustomed to the new. Just because you are not a “perfect” citizen, this does not mean that you have lost your citizenship. So, you will sin, yes, but this does not mean that your salvation is gone. You have begun a new journey with Christ in which He empowers you to walk in the new customs, you need only to seek him through prayer, reading the word, fellowship, and serving to grow in your citizenship. 

A great place to start is The Gospel of Mark. This is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings while he was here on earth. We encourage you to seek out a study bible listed below that will help you understand the context of the scriptures. These study Bibles also provide verse by verse commentary that will better help you understand what is being communicated. Do not feel embarrassed that some of the content of the Bible doesn’t make sense––this is part of the process of growing in your citizenship. Overtime God’s word will become easier and easier to understand, and it will help you grow in you understanding of God and yourself.  

We are so excited for you, this is the most important decision you will make and we are here for you every step of the way!