Living as a Christian
What changes when I become a Christian?
Some things change at once: you are forgiven, you become a child of God and his Spirit comes to live in you. Other things, such as your habits, priorities and character, change gradually over the rest of your life.
What changes straight away
- Your standing with God. You are forgiven and accepted, completely.
- Your relationship with God. He is now your Father, and you can talk to him as his child.
- Your inner life. God’s Holy Spirit has come to live in you.
- Your future. Death is no longer the end, and nothing can separate you from God’s love.
- Your family. You now belong to the worldwide church, with brothers and sisters in every country.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
What changes over time
Character does not change overnight. God works on it patiently, and the Bible compares the process to fruit ripening.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Your thinking will change too, as you read the Bible and see the world more and more as God sees it. That in turn affects what you value and how you spend your time and money.
Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
What stays the same
You are still you. Your personality, your sense of humour, your job, your family and your background all remain. God does not turn out identical Christians, and you do not need to adopt a religious manner or vocabulary.
Your problems do not vanish either. Christians get ill, lose jobs and have difficult relationships like everyone else. What is new is that you do not face them alone. Jesus was frank about this:
I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.
Will I have to give things up?
Honestly, yes. Following Jesus means leaving behind whatever is wrong, and letting him and not yourself be in charge. He said so plainly.
He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”
But he asks nothing of us that is not for our good, and Christians consistently find that what they gain far outweighs what they give up. In the same breath as his invitation to the weary, Jesus said this:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Will I feel different?
Some people feel a strong sense of joy, peace or relief. Others feel very little, especially at first. Neither tells you whether it is real. The changes that matter show up over months and years, and other people often notice them before you do.
New habits
The changes God makes usually come through ordinary means: praying, reading the Bible and belonging to a church. These are where a new Christian should start.