Our world has changed, and everyone is wondering “now what do I do?” I wanted to give you a quick start guide that will provide honest answers and eternal hope for your future.
God has shaken the whole world and I want to help you know exactly what to do next from a spiritual perspective. What I mean by that is you must get to know who God is, and how to have an eternal relationship with him. Please trust me, this is the answer for which you’re searching.
Step 1: Discover God
The bible says that the evidence of God is all around us. The heavens, the planets, the Earth, mankind – all are proof of “his invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature.”1 If you’ve never really allowed yourself to consider that a single higher power exists and that there is a Creator, I would suggest that today, you have all the proof you need.
That higher power is the God of the bible. The bible I refer to are the accepted holy scriptures of the sixty-six books which we collectively call “The Holy Bible.” The nature of holiness is described below a bit more and it’s critical to the authority of the bible. That’s because the key to the scriptures is understanding that they are holy because they are the inspired word of God himself.
Being the actual word of God, the bible is authoritative for all spiritual issues and is to be revered, believed and obeyed. It is set apart from all other literature, religions and beliefs because only God’s word, as found in the bible, are holy.
How can God be Described?
There are many superlatives to describe who God is. When God introduced himself to Moses, he first described himself as holy. At its core, holy means “exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.”2 God’s very nature is one of moral perfection and purity, being righteous in every way. God’s code for right thinking and behavior is pure because it reflects his nature. He is the only one worthy of our worship and complete devotion and he is superior to our will and thinking.
Being God, his nature and qualities are infinite. The bible tells us a great deal about his love and his purposes. For a more in-depth study on God’s nature please see my study guide called On the Rock We Stand.3
God is Revealed Fully in the Person of Jesus Christ
God has chosen to reveal himself to us through what are described as the Persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God clearly describes himself as one God, but to help us understand him, he has revealed himself to us in three distinct “Persons” who are co-equal and fully God. The bible speaks extensively about God’s revelation of himself in this way. It is most definitely a mystery, but only God is capable of such revelation.
When God chose to leave the glory and holiness of heaven to visit Earth as fully God and fully man, he did so in the sinless Person of Jesus Christ. The question is why? Why leave perfection to enter into this fallen world? The answer is the key to our faith.
Being Holy, God is without sin. All of mankind, on the other hand, is born sinful and eternally separated from God.4 The bible is very clear on this distinction. Because of our sinful nature, we can never enter the presence of a Holy God neither in this life nor in eternity.5 This is the worst possible news for mankind.
Step 2: What is Jesus’ Purpose?
Jesus’ purpose is to rescue mankind from our hopeless sin condition. We, as humans, are totally and completely unable to save ourselves, earn our way to heaven or be “good enough” to enter heaven. We are doomed to spend eternity in a place Jesus calls Hell. Jesus describes Hell as a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”6 It is a place of eternal torment. God, being Holy, must judge sin and evil. Hell is a real place to which Jesus refers many times in the bible.
Now the Great News!
The bible says that God, who loves his creation, was willing to take the punishment for sin that we deserve. From the beginning, God determined that the penalty for sin would be death of the sinner. Being Holy, he could not nullify his own law, so he took our penalty and served our sentence of death for us. Jesus did this through his voluntary sacrifice on a cross almost 2,000 years ago.
This act is the single greatest act of love ever known. Before any of us knew God, we were living in and enjoying sin. But Jesus loved us enough to prove his unspeakable love and provide the only solution that would rescue us from Hell.7 One of the most well-known verses in the bible is found in John chapter 3, verse 16 and it says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
What Must I Do to Have Eternal Life?
God says that we all are sinners and are not worthy of heaven in our sinful condition. The first step to having a relationship with Jesus and gaining entry into his paradise is to admit your sinful nature. If you were standing before the Holy and Righteous God, would you tell him that you are not a sinner? Your answer will determine your eternal future. Once you have come to the point of agreeing with God, he promises he will forgive you of every sin, past, present and future.8
Then Jesus says we must turn from our sinful ways and repent. To repent means to completely and totally turn from our old ways and now follow him in total surrender. And something amazing happens when we honestly ask for Jesus’ forgiveness. He promises to send the Holy Spirit to live in us and empower us to overcome sin.9
Seeking Jesus’ forgiveness is not just a transaction. It is the beginning of an eternal relationship where Jesus must become Lord of your life. But think of this: now you have the Holy and Perfect One leading you in truth and love for the rest of your days. And he guarantees eternal life only to those trusting in him as Savior and Lord.
What Happens if I Reject Jesus?
You may choose not to enter into a relationship with Jesus and reject his free gift of salvation, and that is your choice. It is also to your peril. Clearly, God will judge those that reject him. Rebellion in your heart against God is what the bible calls unbelief. This is the one unforgivable sin that dooms you to eternal separation from God in Hell.10
You may be thinking, but I haven’t done anything really bad. I haven’t committed a crime or anything that serious. Here’s the challenge: God knows every heart and he knows we are all born sinners. In our sinful nature, we are separated from God. To “cross the chasm” from spiritual death to spiritual life, we all must make an individual leap of faith. That faith requires we evaluate Jesus for who he really is. The evidence is abundant and clear that Jesus is Lord of all. You, in your heart of hearts, must make your own decision.
Step 3: As a New Disciple, What Should I Do Next?
Believer’s Baptism
As a new disciple, or follower of Jesus, he asks that we immediately be baptized by immersion in water. The act of baptism does not save anyone. But it is a visible sign and a testimony to the world that an inner transformation has occurred in your life.11 Jesus wants us to be his representatives in the world, and your baptism is your inauguration into that new life. And personally, your baptism will serve as a powerful reminder of your new spiritual birth in Christ. It’s a special time you’ll never forget. You literally have walked out of eternal darkness into eternal light.12
Feed on God’s Word
Next, you must develop the habit of meditating on God’s word, the bible. Most people find the best time to do this is first thing in the morning. Jesus said his word is so important, it will feed us spiritually like food feeds our bodies. Jesus is saying without his word in our daily life, the disciple cannot live properly. 13
Spend Time with God in Prayer
Along with knowing God’s word, Jesus invites us into his actual presence through prayer. Prayer is taught extensively in the bible and Jesus personally prayed frequently. Prayer is a very special time of worshipping God, confessing our sins and asking forgiveness, offering thanks for his grace and taking him our requests. There’s nothing we can’t take before our loving God. He eagerly waits on our prayers.
Be Active in a Small Group of Disciples
Growing as a disciple is described in the bible as walking with Jesus every day. As we move through our days, weeks and years he wants to be with you, and he wants to work through you. He has called you into this special relationship because he has a purpose for you.14 I believe one of the best ways to do this is to participate in a committed small group of like-minded disciples of Jesus. I’ve written a study guide called Walking With Jesus that can ideally be used in a small group environment for mutual growth and support. It’s a great place to start your discipleship journey.
Worship and Serve in a Local Church
Finally, please find a bible believing church that preaches the word of God and Jesus as the resurrected Lord. Look at their statement of faith. It must align perfectly with the word of God. If it does not (there are many organizations like this) keep searching, because this group has developed their own religion and are not true to the scriptures of God.
Be very careful of organizations that “add to” or “take away” from the word of God with other books, leadership decrees that claim to be from God, or revelations from God not found in the bible. Run, don’t walk, away from these organizations. We cannot add to scripture, and we cannot ignore the parts we don’t like or understand. God wrote them all and they are Truth and are to be obeyed.
Be Wise in Who You Follow
There are many “religions” like this with names you would immediately recognize. The enemy works through deception like this every day, as he is the master deceiver. And yes, the enemy is good at trying to infiltrate churches, or organizations that appear to be religious. Be very aware of his schemes to distract you from Truth at every turn, even through so-called “churches.”
One last warning. Be aware of following personalities just because they are popular, have a large following or appear to be somebody because they run a large church. The disciple of Jesus only follows Jesus, not any man.15 You have the same access to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit as any other disciple or leader. Mature, authentic church leaders abound, but please be careful and use your discretion carefully so you learn from genuine Christ followers.
Step 4: Live a Joyful Life by Walking with Jesus Every Day!
Now that you’re a disciple of Jesus, he asks that you grow in maturity in the faith.16 God chose you because he has a plan and a purpose for you. But we all start as baby Christians. Our responsibility is to commit to growing up in Christ and attaining to maturity so that he receives all the glory we can bring him. And Jesus promises our highest joy when we mature and follow him completely:
When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!17
1 Romans 1:20
2 Merriam-Webster Dictionary, merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy
3 https://www.friscooutreach.org/on-the-rock-we-stand/
4 Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:23, Romans 7:18
5 Romans 6:23
6 Matthew 13:42
7 Romans 5:8, Acts 4:12
8 1 John 1:8-10
9 Acts 2:38, John 14:16-17, John 15:26
10 Hebrews 3:18-19
11 Colossians 2:12, Romans 6:3-4
12 John 8:12
13 Matthew 4:4
14 Ephesians 2:10
15 Hebrews 12:1-2
16 Ephesians 4:11-13
17 John 15:10-11