What Is Required of New Believers?

When we think of the Apostle Paul we most likely picture him in his 'glory.'  Paul the mature Christian who is traveling around the world fearlessly with the gospel of Jesus Christ, casting out demons, healing the sick, boldly preaching truth, enduring through suffering and writing the Bible.  What a list!  But there was a time when even this great apostle was a baby Christian; a new believer.

In Acts 9, right after the story of his conversion to Christ, we see a snapshot of Saul of Tarsus, the baby believer.  In those few verses there are a handful of lessons on discipleship.  It's not God's will for us to become converted and then....do nothing.  We are born and then we grow up.  We are born again, and then on to maturity in Christ.  Look at these lessons from baby Saul and measure yourself against God's word.  How's your discipleship/growth in Christian maturity going?

Discipleship Lesson 1: We need community! “For some days he was with the disciples in Damascus” (9:19b). Saul is seen as a new believer. He needed the body of Christ – the saints – brothers and sisters – the CHURCH. He was dependent on Ananias to pray for him to be healed of his blindness, receive the Holy Spirit, and to baptize him. Now he is “with the disciples in Damascus.” When he is persecuted he needs the saints to help him escape. Then at Jerusalem he “attempted to join the disciples.” When they were suspicious of him he needed Barnabus to come alongside him and help him find acceptance in the church. And when persecution came to him at Jerusalem, “the brothers…sent him off to Tarsus.” Here is Saul the new believer needing others! What an impact the ministry of these brothers and sisters to Saul had on the rest of the world!!! It is not God’s will for us to do life, ministry and mission alone, but in the realm of a committed connection to a local church.  ARE YOU CONNECTED TO A LOCAL CHURCH?

• And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

Discipleship Lesson 2: Get to work! “And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues…” (9:20). Don’t wait for maturity before you begin to serve. Serve inside the church (as we hear about Tabitha doing in v39) and outside the church. Minister! Serve!  HOW ARE YOU SERVING THE CHURCH?  THE LOST?

• As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11

Discipleship Lesson 3: Changed life! “all who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name?’” (9:21). A believer cannot continue in his old path! You cannot be born again and remain the same.   ARE YOU A NEW PERSON?

• Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Discipleship Lesson 4: Grow in grace! “But Saul increased all the more in strength…” (9:22). Maturity. This statement of Saul’s growth in strength is in the context of his preaching and handling of the word of God (imagine – the guy who wrote Romans is learning how to preach!). It is God’s will for all believers to grow up into maturity.  ARE YOU GROWING?

• But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18

• Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil… Colossians 1:28-29a

Discipleship Lesson 5: Study the word of God! “he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ …Saul…confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.” (9:20, 22) Saul had an advantage to many new believers – he already knew the word of God! He had studied the Old Testament and knew what it said. But now it is a new book, for he has seen the One all Scripture points to – Jesus Christ! Believers must grow up in the word of God.  ARE YOU READING AND OBEYING GOD'S WORD?

• Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Discipleship Lesson 6: Don’t be surprised when suffering comes! “…the Jews plotted to kill him. …But they were seeking to kill him.” (9:23, 29). The former persecutor is now persecuted. Suffering and persecution will come. The believer cannot be surprised at this, or give up when things get hard. Saul leaned on his brothers and sisters in these times (it was the church that rescued Saul twice in this text) – and on the Lord himself.

• Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12

Discipleship Lesson 7: Make disciples! “…but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall…” (25). During these 3 years in Damascus and Arabia (Gal 1:18) Saul had quickly matured and had become a teacher who had disciples. While this may be somewhat unique in Saul’s case due to his authority and calling as an Apostle of Christ, all believers are given the commission to make disciples and influence others for the gospel.  Saul's life was saved because he had disciples who let him out of the city in a basket through a hole in the wall.  Have we made any disciples?  Who would let us out of the city in a basket?!

• Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...  Matthew 18:19

Let us grow up in the grace of God!

Growing In Repentance and Faith

Repentance and Faith are not one-time events at conversion. We must continue and grow and be stretched through continual repentance of sin and faith in Christ as God shapes us to look like Christ (Romans 8:29).

I think it's easier for us to relate to the repentance part of this. We understand that we are continually being shown one layer of sin at a time by the Lord; we repent and are cleansed, and then another layer is revealed to us. 1 John 1:9 - we confess our sin, he is merciful and just to forgive us and cleanse us.

Perhaps it is more difficult to see that we also must grow in faith. Hebrews 10 shows us the difference between 'drawing near' to God in faith, and 'shrinking back' or drifting from God through lack of faith.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”                Hebrews 10:19-25

BECAUSE of Jesus and his work for us on the cross, the shedding of his blood for our sins, and his resurrection, exaltation and continued high priestly ministry for us in heaven - we should have CONFIDENCE (not self-confiedence but Christ-confidence), DRAWING NEAR to God through him, HOLDING FAST the confession (speak it) of our hope WITHOUT WAVERING. why? "for he who promised is faithful." As we ourselves stand firm in faith we stir up the brothers. This describes a life of drawing near in faith. GROWTH in faith. Stretching in faith.

Then Hebrews 10 takes this up again a few verses later:

“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” Hebrews 10:35-39

We are admonished not to throw away our confidence. We are reminded of the reward and told that we have need of endurance (of faith). Then the author quotes Habakkuk's call to live by faith (not a one-time action but a lifestyle that perseveres in believig God even in the midst of severe trials, according to the context of Habakkuk). This is all contrasted with shrinking back. God has no pleasure in those who shrink back (give up, do not persevere in faith), as Hebrews 11 also points out that without faith it is impossible to please God (v6).

Abraham is an example of one who grew in his faith rather than shrinking back. In Romans 4, Paul sets Abraham forth as THE example of faith. Here is the description:

“In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:18-21

Application

1. Is there an area in your life right now were God wants to grow your repentance?
2. Is there an area in your life where God wants to grow your faith? Step out, stretch, learn to trust God in new areas.

Grow in repentance and faith and give glory to God!

Diligence in the Means of Grace

God's will for Christians is that we grow up. Physically we're born and then we grow up. Spiritually we are born again and then we grow up. God's will is not comfort and ease for the believer. He'll send trials to test our faith. He's chipping away what doesn't look like Jesus. Our society, more and more it seems, produces wimps. God wants warriors.

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..." 2 Peter 3:18 (ESV)

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV)

We grow up the same way we were born: God miraculously working in us, through faith in Jesus. But God has chosen certain means through which he grows us up in Christ. Historically they've been known as the means of grace. This doesn't mean that these things save us, but that God has chosen to work through them in the life of the believer to bless and grow and strengthen us. We don't hear much about them these days. It's all about how to be happy and successful. God wants us holy.

God is sovereign in his use of the means of grace. But the Christian is responsible. What is our duty toward the means of grace? Our duty is to be DILIGENT in them, looking past the means of grace to Jesus Christ. JOYFUL DILIGENCE.

What are the means of grace? They are all found in the church, the assembly of the saints. Historically they've been identified as the preaching of the word of God and the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Others throughout the ages have added prayer to the list. Wayne Grudem has a longer list. He takes a more general view, calling all the things God uses in the church to bless his people the means of grace.

I take Grudem's viewpoint. My list has 10 means of grace:
1. Proclamation of the Word.
2. Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
3. Assembly of the Saints.
4. Prayer.
5. Evangelism and Good Works (acts of mercy).
6. Financial Giving.
7. Ministry in the Body (anointing w/oil, laying on hands, spiritual gifts, etc)
8. Submission to Authority.
9. Mortification (war on sin).
10. Suffering (not seeking it out, but receiving it when God sends it).

Our duty is to apply ourselves to these things with JOYFUL DILIGENCE, looking past the means of grace to Jesus Christ and him crucified. God will use these means to grow us up!

Because all the means of grace are found in the expression of the local church, to isolate yourself from the church is to commit spiritual suicide. It would be like someone refusing to breathe but saying they are trusting God to stay alive. God in his wisdom has appointed the means of air to keep us alive. Spiritually, God designed it so that we need committed connection to the saints!

How about you? Are you growing in grace? Are you applying these means of grace with all diligence and joy in Jesus?

I'll close with a few quotes on the means of grace.

To persevere in grace we must seek to use all the means of grace that can assist us—not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; not neglecting either private or public prayer; using what grace we have if we expect to get more; doing what we can for God, as we expect him to do all for us; in fine, working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God that worketh in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure. If these things be in you and abound, they shall be the means of preserving you, and you shall be among. the happy number that shall sing, " Now unto him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before his presence with exceeding joys unto him be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Charles Spurgeon, (http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/3504.htm)

“And in the mean time, the sure and general rule for all who groan for the salvation of God is this, — whenever opportunity serves, use all the means which God has ordained; for who knows in which God will meet thee with the grace that bringeth salvation?” John Wesley,
(Wesley, Means; 266)

I hate the devil, and the way he is killing some of you by persuading you it is legalistic to be as regular in your prayers as you are in your eating and sleeping and Internet use. Do you not see what a sucker he his making out of you? He is laughing up his sleeve at how easy it is to deceive Christians about the importance of prayer.
God has given us means of grace. ...If we don’t eat, we starve. If we don’t drink, we get dehydrated. If we don’t exercise a muscle, it atrophies. If we don’t breathe, we suffocate. And just as there are physical means of life, there spiritual are means of grace.
John Piper, (http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2008/3468/)