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Now What?

Beginning the Christian Life

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ...”

2 Corinthians 5:17-18  

Contents

• What is so special about the bible?

• What is a Christian?

• Sin and forgiveness

• Am I really a Christian?

• Why is being a Christian so hard?

• Introducing the Holy Spirit

• Prayer-talking to God

• Do I need “the church” in order to be a Christian?

• What am I suppose to do as a Christian?

Welcome to the 

Beginning your Christian 

Life

Series...  

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, then you are a Christian. According to the New Testament, you are also a new creation. You are beginning a whole new life! And just as a newborn baby needs certain things in order to be healthy and to grow up, so do you, as a new Christian, need certain things to grow spiritually.

First, you need to be in fellowship with other Christians. It is through fellowship that you will learn more about God and about how to live as a Christian. You should plan to attend church regularly and join a kinship group so that you can develop close friendships with other believers. Find a Church that is a solid Bible believing Church with a heart to worship, and preferably one that has home-group fellowship programs or kinship groups. Choose one that is convenient for you so that you can be encouraged in your new relationship with God!

Second, you need to pray, which is simply talking to God. Prayer is how you will grow in your relationship with God and how you can begin to allow Him to work in areas of your life.

And third, you need to read the Bible on a regular basis. It is through the Bible that God will speak to you about Himself and your life needs.

This study, Beginning the Christian Life Series, was developed by Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Columbus for new Christians. It is a series of Bible studies that are easy to follow and can help you as a new Christian start to learn the Scripture. Each study takes one passage from the Bible and goes through it in some depth. Many basic topics are covered in this series, which should give you a good start in both understanding the Bible and your new relationship with God.

These studies can be done in a group (print and use as handout) or done privately. To do these studies alone, you do not need to have any prior knowledge of the Bible. Each study can be completed by just reading over the passage being used and answering the questions. It is best to use a modern translation of the Bible, such as the New International Version (NIV), New American Standard Bible ( NASB ) or the Revised Standard Version ( RSV ). These are the most easily understood and most accurate translations of the Bible that are currently available. You should allow yourself about 30-40 minutes to do each study. (Some are longer and can be divided into two parts if you cannot complete them in one sitting.) Be sure to take enough time to think through your answers and actually write them down. You’ll be amazed at what you will discover as you begin to read and study the Bible.

I hope this series of studies will spark in you a hunger to know more of God’s Word and that you will begin a life-long habit of reading the Bible! Here is what the author of Psalm 1 says about a person who hungers after the word of God:

• Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

• But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

• He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.

• Whatever he does prospers!

God Bless You,

Marlene Nathan

Fred Raynaud , IACFC

What Is So Special About  The Bible?

There are hundreds of books on the market today that claim to be important-books that are written by “experts” who insist they have all the answers-books that promise to make our lives better. What makes the Bible so special? Why is it more valuable than some of these other books?

The bible is a totally unique book, different from every other book that was ever written. It is a book that is actually a collection of books, written by various people but inspired of God. The word “inspired” literally means “God-breathed.” This makes the bible a human book of divine origin. When you read the bible, you are reading communication from the Creator of the Universe delivered to you through the writings of men. It shouldn’t surprise you that God has a book out. After all, it’s His ability to speak that distinguishes Him from false gods and idols (see Ps.115:2-8; Is.46:5-7; Jer.10:5; Hab.2:18). The phrase “Thus saith the Lord” is found 359 times in the bible and could rightly be inserted in almost every verse.

In this study you will be learning about the bible itself and the role it should play in your life now that you are a Christian.

Note: For a thorough presentation of reasons why you can believe the bible is inspired by God, refer to Section I: The Bible-I Trust It, pages 13-74 of Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell (Thomas Nelson Publishers).

Facts About The Bible

The bible was written over a span of almost 1600 years. The first books (Genesis through Deuteronomy) were written around 1450 BC. The Old Testament books were formally compiled into a collection (or “canonized”) more than 400 years before the birth of Christ. The New Testament books were written from about 50 AD to 90 AD and were circulated throughout the Christian churches. They were soon accepted as authoritative but were not officially collected (or “canonized”) until the year 393 AD.

Over 40 authors from different walks of life wrote the 66 books that make up our bible. Many books in the bible are named after their authors. A few of the books have unknown authors, such as Joshua and Judges in the Old Testament and Hebrews in the New Testament. Some well-known authors of bible books are Moses (who wrote the first five books in the bible), King David (who wrote most of the psalms), King Solomon (who wrote most of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs), the apostle Paul (who wrote 13 letters or epistles in the New Testament) and the apostle John (who wrote the gospel of John, the three letters of John and Revelation).

The bible is divided into two parts, the Old and the New Testaments. Testament is another word for covenant, which is like a contract or an agreement between two people. In both the Old and New Testaments, God’s covenant with people was based on grace. In the Old Testament, God chose to show His grace to a particular people—the Jews. In the New Testament, God expanded His grace to include everyone. This “new” covenant requires a human response of faith in Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for sin.

Contrary to popular belief, the bible is not organized chronologically. Instead, the different books of the bible are grouped by genre (type of writing):

·         Historical Books. These books contain the history of God’s dealings with the Jewish people and the lives of Jesus and the apostles. They include Genesis through Esther in the Old Testament and Matthew through Acts in the New Testament.

·         Writings. These books are a variety of stories (which are not necessarily historical), songs, poetry and wise sayings. They include Job through Song of Songs in the Old Testament.

·         Prophetic Books. The prophets were people who were called by God to declare His eternal truth and His message concerning the future. These books include Isaiah through Malachi in the Old Testament and Revelation in the New Testament.

·         Epistles. These books are letters by apostles that were written to individuals or churches. Together they form the foundation for Christian doctrine (what to believe) and Christian practices (how to live). They include Romans through Jude in the New Testament.

All of the books of the bible are divided into chapters and verses to make it easier to read and to find references. These divisions and references were completed around the 13th century AD. Sections of the bible are identified first by book title, then by chapter and last by verse. So for example, Romans 3:22 refers to the book of Romans, the third chapter and the twenty-second verse. In your bible, the chapter number is larger and bolder than the text, and is found at the beginning of each chapter and perhaps on the top of each page. The verse numbers are placed throughout the text and are much smaller. There are common abbreviations for all of the books in the bible. It would be helpful for you to learn these. Until you become familiar with your bible, use the table of contents to locate the different books.

What Christians Believe About The Bible

Christians believe the bible is inspired by God. The origin of the bible is divine. The word “inspired” literally means “out-breathed” or “God-breathed.” Interestingly, both the Hebrew and the Greek words for “breath” can also mean “spirit.” Christians understand this to mean the Holy Spirit influenced the biblical writers to produce authoritative scriptures.

Christians believe the bible was written by men. Unlike the writers of other religious “scriptures” (angels or heavenly beings), the writers of the bible are real, historical people. This makes the bible a historical document that can be authenticated through archaeology, ancient writings and other disciplines. It is apparent that God did not just dictate His Word mechanically to the biblical authors, but that His Word was expressed through each of their unique personalities.

Christians believe the bible is revelation. This means that we could not have discovered many of the truths found in the bible on our own, through natural means, such as study, research or contemplation. Some things in the bible can be found out through natural means like historical research. For example, Jesus’ death on a cross is a fact of history that we can learn apart from the bible. But the meaning of His death—that it was for our sins—requires the revelation found in the bible. We need God to reveal these truths to us because they are hidden truths that would have remained hidden if God had not chosen to uncover them for us.

Christians believe the bible is authoritative. The bible is the standard for the doctrine (what to believe) and the practice (how to live) of every believer individually and the church corporately. It is the rule by which we distinguish truth from error regarding matters of the faith. During His earthly ministry, Jesus regularly appealed to the authority of the Old Testament scriptures. The bible has the right to claim this absolute authority in a Christian’s life because of its divine authorship. This means that over against other possible “authorities,” such as the Pope, pastors, prophetic words, Christian books, what is popular, etc., the bible should have the final say in your life as a Christian.

Christians believe the bible is infallible. Infallibility means to be without error and entirely truthful. This includes the very words of the bible and not merely the ideas or principles they communicate. The bible is infallible in its entirety as long as we correctly understand the intent of the original author. This will at times require careful study in order to arrive at the right interpretation. Things like cultural contexts, figures of speech or symbolism must be taken into account. For example, when the bible says that God hides us in the shadow of His wings (Ps.17:8) we must not conclude that God has wings like a chicken.

In what ways does the Bible seem different from some of these other books?

Lets read 2 Peter 1:16-21

2 Peter 1:16-21 (NRSV) ¹⁶For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.  ¹⁷For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”  ¹⁸We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.  ²⁰First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,  ²¹because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

2. How did Peter respond to the charge that the message he and the other apostles were preaching about Jesus (or what we know today as the four gospels) was just a made-up myth?

Imagine you were there, listening to Peter relate his personal experiences with Jesus.

How do you think you would have reacted?

How can these first century eyewitnesses help you today as a follower of Christ? 

3. Peter first argued that real flesh and blood eyewitnesses of Jesus support the truth of his message. What else did he appeal to as a “witness” to the truth of his message about Jesus?

What was special about the origin of the Old Testament scriptures?

What are some examples of Old Testament prophecies that bear witness to Jesus Christ?

Lets read Luke 1:1-4

Luke 1:1-4 (NRSV) ¹Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us,  ²just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,  ³I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,  ⁴so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.

4. Why did Luke say he wrote his two-volume work, the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles?

Luke was not an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ life.

What was he instead?

What made Luke’s account different from others?

Why do you think it is important to “know the certainty of the things you have been taught?”

Lets read 2 timothy 3:10-17

2 Timothy 3:10-17 (NRSV) ¹⁰Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, ¹¹my persecutions, and my suffering the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.  ¹²Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ¹³But wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived. ¹⁴But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it,  ¹⁵and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

5. Paul had just warned Timothy about false teachers with “depraved minds” who “oppose the truth” (3:1-9).

How was Paul different from these men?

Paul called these men “evil,” “imposters” and “deceivers.”

Why do you think it is important to not just know whether a message is true but also the integrity of the messenger? (see Matthew 7:15-20)

What Is A Christian?

To be a Christian means a lot of different things to different people. For many, being a Christian means you believe in God, attend a church, go through the rite of baptism and try to be a “good” person. But the Bible defines a Christian much differently. According to the Bible, a Christian is someone who has had a very significant, life-changing experience. The apostle John describes this dramatic experience as “passing from death to life.” (See 1 John 3:14 ). The apostle Paul says that we were once actually dead and that by becoming a Christian, we have been made alive. (See Eph. 2:1-5) Jesus refers to it as being “born-again” or “born from above.” It is like being born all over again! In chapter 3 of the gospel of John, Jesus had a very interesting conversation with a religious leader about what it means to be a Christian.

1.       Think of some things that are true about birth and new-born babies. If becoming a Christian is to be “born again,” what are some things you can learn from natural birth about being a Christian? (For example, birth is how we enter this world. Being born-again is how we enter the spiritual world and a relationship with God.)

Read john 2:23-3:2  

John 2:23-25 (NKJV) ²³Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. ²⁴But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, ²⁵and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

John 3:1-3 (NKJV) ¹There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ²This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” ³Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God .”

2.      Crowds of people were in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, an annual feast remembering the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt . (See Exodus 12)

How did these people in Jerusalem feel about Jesus? Why?

3.       How did Jesus feel about them? Why?

How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus knows everything about you? 

4.       What are some things you can learn about this man Nicodemus from verses 1-2?

The Pharisees were a Jewish sect who rigorously and meticulously followed Old Testament laws. They tried to remain separate (hence the meaning of their name: “separate ones”) from the common people (who did not obey all these laws) so as not to become ritually “unclean.” The Pharisees were regularly having conflicts with Jesus, who abhorred their behavior as hypocritical (see Matthew 23 ).

What do you think he thought of Jesus?

Read John 3:3-9

John 3:3-9 (NKJV) ³Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God .” ⁴Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God .  ⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  ⁷Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  ⁸The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” ⁹Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

5.       How did Jesus reply to Nicodemus’ comment? (V. 3)

His reply appears to have nothing at all to do with what Nicodemus had just said. Keeping in mind that Jesus knows all men (John 2:24-25), what do you think He knew about Nicodemus?

Do you think Jesus was impressed by all of Nicodemus’ credentials? Why or why not?

6.       Nicodemus was puzzled by Jesus’ response and said that what Jesus was saying was impossible. It was impossible to enter again your mother’s womb. But what did Jesus say was impossible in verse 5?

Think of some ways you may have thought you could enter the Kingdom of God. (For example, helping people, being good enough, going to church, etc.)

7.       Jesus told Nicodemus in verse 6 that “Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” What do you think this means?

According to Jesus, can you create spiritual life in yourself? Support your answer from the passage. 

8.       In verse 8, Jesus compared spiritual birth with the wind. Jesus used a play on words here, because both the Greek and the Hebrew words for “wind” can also be translated “spirit”. Think of some characteristics of the wind. How does the wind compare with your experience of spiritual birth?

Read john 3:9-15

John 3:9-15 (NKJV) ⁹Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? ¹¹Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. ¹²If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man  ¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in Him should  

9.       Nicodemus still did not understand what Jesus was talking about (verse 9). Jesus said that the reason he didn’t understand was that he has no personal experience of these things (verse 11). What had Jesus experienced that made Him qualified to discuss spiritual truths (verse 13)?

Since you have become a Christian, what things do you understand now that you did not before?  

10.   Jesus drew a comparison in verse 14 between a story from the Old Testament (that Nicodemus should have been familiar with) and His crucifixion. Read Numbers 21:4-9 and then list any similarities you find there with the crucifixion of Christ. What do you think Jesus meant by “believe?”

The late Paul Little described becoming a Christian this way: “There’s something to believe and Someone to receive.” What we are to believe as Christians is the message of the gospel (the “good news”). The good news is Christ paid the penalty for our sins with His death on the cross. We need to make sure, though, that we not only believe the message of salvation but that we also receive the Savior into our hearts. It is in the receiving of Christ that new life is injected into us by the Holy Spirit and we are “born-again”!

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