Christian Message Boards: when are you no longer a new christian?

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Posted by wonderful_sky (Member # 1808) on :

I have been visiting a lot of the Christian websites and seeing all these "If you are a new Christian" click here.... My question is, at what point are you a no longer a new Christian? I accepted my Savior 21 years ago, but I still consider myself a learning and growing Christian, and think that I always will. I feel that I am still new to my Lord, still a baby, still growing. Any insight?

Posted by Gary (Member # 523) on :

Wonderful Sky,

I think it may be somewhat in one's attitude.

But as for you, are you still in the delivery room after 21 years?

I came to know Him 33 years ago, and the last 20 years I have been growing, maturing. After a childhood following my new birth, I began to mature in the Lord, and I would say, while I am physically 50 years old, I am 33 years old in the Lord. I'm not a baby any more.

Too many people "get saved", and then they don't grow. They just sit there in the delivery room, going nowhere.

And how does one grow? Get into the Word. Immerse yourself in it, and the Lord will immerse you in Christ. THEN you grow!

Gary

Posted by wonderful_sky (Member # 1808) on :

Thanks for your insight Gary. I study the Word, pray and am growing, but still feel somewhat of a, ok, maybe not a baby, but a child in Christ. I am growing, God has showed me that. But the thought came to me as I have came across each of the web sites that maybe I should click here, like there might have been something that I had missed. Ya Know? Not that I feel like I am missing something with my relationship with Christ....oh boy! This is confusing me! Maybe the Lord is telling me something.

Posted by Caretaker (Member # 36) on :

Heb. 6:
1: Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2: Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3: And this will we do, if God permit.

Posted by Gary (Member # 523) on :

Sky,

We all grow at different rates. Maybe you still ARE a child. Nothing to be ashamed of in that. Just be faithful to the Lord who has called you.

When I feel like what you have told me, I do two things. First of all is PRAY. God loves it when His children talk with Him. Praying is a discipline that even the most grwon-up and faithful Christians will say they don't do enough of. I don't think we ever can pray too much.

The second thing is to get into the Word. God's complete message to us lies there. Do a disciplined study, or let your Bible fall open where it will. Either way, dig in and dig deep. And pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance when you read the Word. That's His job.

In Christ,
Gary

Posted by wonderful_sky (Member # 1808) on :

Today, probably more than ever I really questioned the Lord on this and a lot of things. While I had put a prayer request in this morning, I found tougher challenges ahead. While about an hour away from my house today, the rear end went out of my van, our other van is in the shop being repaired. So, this happening today seemed to be the tip top of the cake, I blew it, I have spent a lot of time in prayer this week over various things ...that "help" prayer. And then this today, no car, no job, oh boy... God revealed to me just how baby-like my Christianity is. He used many things to show me this week. A friend of ours that is a Christian but has issues of his own with religion told me that I needed to pray about all of this and depend on the Lord. My husband reminds me of Job and all the trials that he faced and how he too depended on the Lord. Gary, maybe I have been sitting in the delivery room for far to long. I don't know where to go from here, I feel let down, and then again I feel like I am letting God down....(gonna end it here.. not sure what else to say)
Sky

Posted by helpforhomeschoolers (Member # 15) on :

Sky:

I hope that you will remember that it is HE who works in us.

I was an baby in Christ for more than 30 years. I could regret the years that I did not give to him because I was such a baby,and no doubt the enemy would have me do just that.

But not God! I know that God allowed me that time and much of it hard and painful,and not very victorious, but none the less necessary for HIS will to be perfected in my life.

God sent Moses to live in Pharoah's court for 40 years and then another 40 years to shepherd in the desert. All preparation for the way that God would use him.

Yes, we are supposed to be in a process of being conformed into the image of the percious SON. But this is NOT our work! It is HIS work in us.

Yes, we cannot remain infants, and must progress, but some of us are born again and are fed milk and thrive and grow quickly moving to meat as we grow and mature, while others of us milk may be scarce, and we are in need of much more nurturing, and carrying.

But He is faithful and HE is Sovergn and HE will provide all we need. We must only be humble and contrite in spirit. He will supply all our needs in HIS time and according to HIS will and for HIS purpose.

If it is time to come out of the delivery room and you know it, then it is because HE has ordained it so.

HE is well able to take you from the delivery room to the grown up table in 3 years or six months if HE so desires, if it meets with HIS purpose for your life.

The clay doesnt become a useful pot of its own accord. It is the skilled hand of the potter that makes a lump to be a useful and beautiful thing. Some clay is too stiff and dry and needs to be reconstituted, some clays needs a little addition of this or that to make it more pliable or stronger, sometimes it is too wet and needs to rest a bit; but even the clay that is perfect cannot mold itself. The potter is the artisan, the potter is the one that makes it into the vessel of HIS intent.

Posted by Gary (Member # 523) on :

Thank you, Linda, you put that very well.

Sky, you didn't ask, but I will remember you in my prayers, and I'm sure our sister Linda will, too. This is a very important resource we can all draw on, a major part of our Christian faith, the praying of the saints for each other. Always remember, you're not in a vacuum. We're all in this life together. And even more important, the Lord is here with us, too.

In Christ,
Gary

Posted by wonderful_sky (Member # 1808) on :

Thank you all so much for your words and prayers. I think that maybe I should have spent more time with Jesus last week and less time worrying. Satan played me like a fiddle! I learned that during my whole "growing problem" that my problems lie elsewhere and that Satan found a way to make me discouraged! I muddled and sought refuge in my own understandings, knowing full well that Jesus was waiting on me to give it entirely to Him. So I did! Instead of controlling the situation I gave it to God and went on with my demanding life. I am a growing Christian, a Child of Christ. I learned though, to let go and let God.
In Christian Love,
Sky

Posted by wonderful_sky (Member # 1808) on :

opps! Wanted to share this poem with everyone, I found it as I was dealing with things myself!

LET GO AND LET GOD
As children bring their broken toys,
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God,
Because He is my friend.
But instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help,
with ways that were my own.
At last, I snatched them back again
and cried, "How can you be so slow?"
"My child" He said, "What could I do?
You never did let go."

-unknown