Billy Graham once wrote, ‘If we don’t know who we are, we’ll never know how we ought to live’. This period following Easter is a very good time for us to consider who we are as a people who have accepted Christ as our personal savior.
Having accepted Jesus, a Risen Savior, as our Lord we have placed ourselves into a new relationship with him. As Jesus is our Lord, it is our responsibility, as followers of Christ, to emulate him and follow his teachings as revealed in the Bible. That is, to daily strive become more like Him in our hearts, thoughts and actions. We have much to reach for if we are to become more like Jesus every day.
Having accepted Jesus as our Risen Savior has changed us in other ways. As His followers we are now citizens of the Kingdom of God. While we remain on this earth we have dual citizenship, one in this fallen world and the other in the glorious eternal kingdom. Being good stewards of the latter we should strive to serve the former. One way of doing so is by serving our fellow man and woman on this earth as Jesus served mankind.
We have also become children of God by accepting Jesus as our savior. God is our Father, Jesus is our oldest brother and all other followers of Christ are our spiritual siblings. We have become members of the largest family you could ever imagine. As members of this large family, bear one another’s burdens while practicing loving patience.
Along with our relationship with Jesus comes a new purpose. We must each determine where the Holy Spirit is leading us and towards what goal the Holy Spirit directs us. It requires that every Christian willingly submit to the Holy Spirit’s guidance; guidance that often comes quietly and ever so, so gently. To that end we can be assured that the Holy Spirit will provide us with power to accomplish the purpose for which we are meant.
The word “conversion” means “change” and if we devote ourselves to following Jesus, living by Scripture and its teachings, a change will occur in everyone of us.
* The above is a synopsis of an online blog article, “7 Steps to a New Beginning”, found on the billygrahamlibrary.org.
* The entire article can be found at… https://billygrahamlibrary.org/7-steps-to-a-new-beginning/