The proof that your Christian commitment was genuine is that you still are a Christian. The commitment to Jesus wasn’t a passing phase or an emotional high, but something that colors your life, every day affecting your choices, attitudes and decisions.
Once, as Colossians 1:21 reminds is, we were ‘alienated’ from God .When we believe in and commit to Jesus, we become ‘reconciled’ to God. That reconciliation is brought about by the death of Jesus, 1 Peter 2:24. That single act of Jesus takes away our sin, takes away our guilt, takes away God’s wrath and gives us a new start. We can come before God ‘righteous’ because of what Jesus has done. We are blameless in God’s eyes.
We might often accuse ourselves, Satan might accuse us, but God doesn’t. However there is a proviso to this. It is conditional on the fact that we ‘continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast,’ Colossians 1:23.
Jesus puts it similarly. We are to, ‘abide’ in Him, John 15:4. We need to stay connected to Him, John 15:5. Romans 11:22 reminds us we need to ‘continue in His kindness,’ otherwise you will be ‘cut off.’
So we can’t afford to get complacent and think once we’ve made a decision, we’re right. We need to continue to work with God, to work at improving our attitude and behavior, 2 Peter 1:5-11.
How can we make sure we continue in the faith? We do it by making sure we are ‘steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,’ 1 Corinthians 15:58.
Five things will help us in this.
Develop good habits of prayer and bible reading
Find a church where you will be taught God’s Word faithfully and be encouraged in your Christian walk.
Develop friendships that will help you in your Christian walk, who will pray for and with you and keep you grounded in God’s word
Find a way to serve God in your church or community, whether it is teaching Sunday school or making morning tea or helping with some community project like Meals on Wheels.
Pray and ask God’s help to enable you to remain faithful, being confident that God who began the good work in you will bring it to completion, Philippians 1:6.
Bible verses from New American Standard Version
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