WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO NEW CHRISTIANS? What has happened? says Paul, "Did someone cast a spell over you? Why have you forgotten what I told you? As new Christians, you should have gone on believing the simple and straightforward gospel." It often happens, even today, doesn't it? New Christians are eager to learn all they can. When they hear someone speaking in an authoritative way, supposedly from the Bible, they tend to accept what is said. Paul did what we need to do today to try to help believers who have been led astray. He never said they were no longer Christians. His questions were: 1. How were you saved? 2. How did you receive the Holy Spirit? 3. How do you think you were supposed to grow in Christ? 4. You were willing to be persecuted for Christ. What happened to your love and loyalty for Him? Those are all good relevant questions. They could be used today to try helping new believers who are being tempted by either a false cult, or by legalists or other extremists. Their answers may help you know exactly where they are at spiritually. Paul's final appeal is again to the truth of the Scriptures. He reminded them of Abraham - the man with the first "dual citizenship". He was a believing Gentile before he became a believing Jew. "He believed God, and it (that belief) was credited to him (by God) as righteousness." That was long before either circumcision or the law was given. He was saved by faith and by faith alone. We are the true children of Abraham when we follow in his footsteps of faith. There never has been any other way of salvation. REMEMBER: FAITH - THE ONLY CONDITION FOR SALVATION. CHRIST - THE ONLY GROUND OF SALVATION. |