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Great follow up tract for new decisions.

TRACT TEXT

If you are a new Christian, you may be puzzled and perhaps a little afraid of this new kind of life you have started.

This is only natural, for you are like a baby that has just been born into the world. It takes a baby many years to learn all about life, with its responsibilities and difficulties. So the step you have taken in receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior is not the end—it is a gateway to a whole new life.

Don’t worry if you cannot understand everything at once. God will be with you to guide you each step of the new way. Those who are the “sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26) have received “the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12). We have many privileges as God’s children.

A CHILD OF GOD GROWS

First, there is the privilege of growth. A baby is not born just to be a baby— the parents expect the baby to grow up. In the same way God expects you to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). God had a definite purpose in making you His child. His purpose for you is that you become “Christ-like” (Romans 8:29). Just as earthly parents look for the family likeness in a child, so God, having planted the seed of His own nature in you by the new birth, wants to see the likeness of Christ in you.

Spiritual growth in a Christian is not measured merely by how often you go to church, or how much money you give, or the amount of time you spend in prayer. All these are important, but real Christian growth is measured by how much you become like Jesus Christ.

You cannot become like Jesus Christ simply by trying to imitate Him. As you give God control of the various areas of your life, the Holy Spirit, who now lives within you, will produce Christ’s likeness in you.

A CHILD OF GOD READS GOD’S WORD

God has given us the privilege of Bible study and prayer. Through these two things the Holy Spirit guides and controls our lives. Be sure to take time every day to study the Bible. I suggest you begin with the Gospel of John, and read a chapter a day. It would be good to keep a notebook in which to write special thoughts or questions that come to you. You will also want to memorize some of the verses. “I have hidden Your word [God's Word] in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11).

A CHILD OF GOD PRAYS

Then you need conversation with your heavenly Father—this is prayer. As you read the Bible, God speaks to you. As you pray, you speak to God. I suggest that you give half your daily time with God to Bible reading and study, and half of it to prayer. In your prayer, ask God to make real in your life what you have read in His Word. Plan your day with the Lord, ask for His guidance, and share with Him your plans and the special difficulties or temptations which you may meet. Praise and thank God for Himself and for His blessings, and pray for the needs of others.

A CHILD OF GOD PARTICIPATES

You also have the privilege of belonging to God’s family. The New Testament speaks of “God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19). When you were born of God, you not only received a new heavenly Father, you also came into a new relationship with many earthly brothers and sisters—those who, like you, have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

You will find that one of the greatest privileges of the Christian life is that of having fellowship with other Christians. And you will discover the need of meeting regularly with them—your decision for Christ ought to lead to Christian fellowship.

As soon as possible, join a church where the Bible is clearly preached. Regularly attend the services. Find some work to do for God in the church. There you will experience the love and protection of the Christian family that you need. You have the privilege and responsibility of sharing with others what you now know about Christ. Each Christian is to be not only a receiver but also a sharer. You will find that Christ becomes even more precious to you as you tell others about Him.

The human race grows only as each pair of parents reproduce their life in their children. The Christian church grows only as each Christian wins others to Christ. A good motto is: “Each one reach one.”

You can witness for Christ by the way you live, and this is important. You can also witness by what you say. Look for opportunities to tell your friends what Christ means to you. And you can witness to others by giving them good Christian literature that tells them the way to find Christ.

So, welcome to the family of God! You have a wonderful position: “Now we are children of God” (1 John 3:2). You have a great hope for the future: “What we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He [Christ] appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

You have a work to do now: “Everyone who has this hope in [Christ] purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

Leighton Ford