Spiritual Formation

Following Jesus | The Bible | What is Sin | Sanctification | Water Baptism | Communion | Prayer | Fasting

Following Jesus

Salvation

Salvation is a gift from God. You are saved from the eternal consequences of your sin and given eternal life. Salvation is about what God has already done for you – not what you can do for Him.

How am I saved?

Ephesians 2:8 says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."  You have been saved by the grace of Jesus through faith; not because of anything you have done but rather, because of what he did for you when he died on the cross and rose again.‍

What do I need to do to be saved?

Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Salvation is when you turn away from sin, repent, and believe and confess that Jesus is Lord. You don’t have to work for salvation, you can simply believe for salvation.‍ (References: Romans 3:20, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:13)‍

Why is following Jesus the most important decision I’ll ever make?

Surrendering your life to Jesus is the greatest decision you can ever make. Through Jesus, you are given a living hope (1 Peter 1:3-6). Your sin is forgiven and your relationship with God has been restored.

Salvation begins the process we call sanctification. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This means that your former way of life has ended and a new life with Jesus has begun. No longer are you bound to past mistakes and failures; you now live in the freedom that Jesus brings.

Finally, making Jesus Lord of your life gives you direct access to God the Father. According to John 14:6, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is, in fact, the only way to the Father and the only way to receive salvation. Accepting him gives you access to everything that God has for you.

As you start to understand what salvation is, you will ask more questions.‍

  • Why is there sin and what is it?

  • Why did Jesus need to die for my sins?

  • Why do I accept the gift rather than earn it?‍

In order to gain a deeper understanding of God’s plan, not just for your life, but for all of humanity, you have to become a student of His Word.‍

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3

The Bible is the living word of God. Every part of it is divinely inspired and written. It is how God speaks to us. It tells us His story – and our part within that story.

The Bible

The Bible is the word of God, written by faithful men chosen by God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. While humans were the vessels God used to write down the passages, the truth of the Bible did not come from human understanding or knowledge. Every part of the Bible is God-breathed. While various writers bring different perspectives, the Bible is inspired by God and reveals his identity, nature, and divine plan for all of humankind.‍

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” 2 Timothy 3:16‍

So let’s look at His word…‍

‍“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

All that you see and all that you can sense was created by God. The very first book of the Bible, Genesis, gives us an account of creation. God spoke all things into existence, including humans.

Scripture tells us that God then placed the first humans, Adam and Eve, into a garden called the Garden of Eden – to work it (Genesis 2:15). These humans were special, set apart from the rest of creation because God breathed his own breath into them and gave them dominion over all living things (Genesis 2:7).

God’s intention from the very beginning was for humans to share in his royal position and carry His authority in the world. But He gave us the choice to live according to His wisdom and share in His inheritance or to follow our own wisdom and live according to what we think is best. He gave us free will.

In the Garden of Eden, God placed a tree known as the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree, but rather to trust in His knowledge of good and evil. But, tempted by a serpent (Genesis 3), Adam and Eve took from the tree and ate the fruit, acting in disobedience to God and introducing sin into the world. They chose to go their own way rather than to walk in God’s way.

We are strengthened by reading the Word of God in community. Join us on the journey and dive into our (INSERT APPROVED BIBLE READING) plan.

What is Sin?

Sin, by definition, is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. Biblically, sin is when a person does anything that is out of line with the perfect character and direction of God.

Who is the serpent?

The serpent in Genesis 3 is the tempter. He convinced Eve to act in opposition to God. This character matches that of a being known as Satan, an opposer of God. Throughout scripture we see Satan and his followers deceive and destroy God’s creation. Jesus and his apostles warn us time and time again to resist Satan (also known as the Devil) as to not fall into the same trap as Eve. (References: 2 Corinthians 11:3 | 1 John 3:8 | John 8:44).

Sin separates us as humans from God. It is a divider. God is holy and perfect in every way. When we act out of line with His nature, we create a divide between us and our Creator. Because God so loved the world, He had a plan to save us from our sin.‍

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Throughout the entire Bible, we see this salvation plan in motion. Before Jesus ever entered the world, God made Himself known to people and time and time again revealed His desire to be close to us. He did this most often through the Israelites, known as His chosen people because it was through them that God intended to show the rest of the world what it looks like to be close to Him. Through them, He would send a savior into the world.

Because of Jesus, God’s one and only Son, we now have a way to be rid of our sins and draw close to God. Jesus gave his life once for all – taking our place and inviting us to live according to the way of his kingdom here on earth.

‍

Why did Jesus need to die for my sin?‍

Romans 6:23 teaches us that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Every one of us has sinned. The consequence or payment for that sin is death or eternal separation from God. Why? Because God and sin can’t coexist – sin goes against His very nature.

Since we have all sinned, we all deserve to be separated from God forever. The wage of death has to be paid. Jesus came to earth to pay that price. He took the punishment we deserve on himself. He was beaten, bruised, nailed to a cross and killed on our behalf. In doing this, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about the one who would suffer on behalf of humanity.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

Jesus paid it all so that we can have it all. Jesus died the death that we deserve so that we could receive eternal life.

How did Jesus overcome sin?‍

Jesus came into the world, faced all the same temptations that we do, yet never sinned. His innocence made him worthy to be the perfect sacrifice. If Jesus didn’t live a perfect, sinless life, there would be no sacrifice to pay the debt that separated us from God. Because of Jesus’ blood that was shed for us, all of our sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven.

But Jesus did not only die on the cross, he conquered death by coming back to life. After three days in the grave, he resurrected from the dead. Jesus defied all the power and logic of death, making a way for you to live eternally.

‍‍Why do I accept the gift rather than earn it?‍

The truth is, we are saved because of Jesus’ actions, not our own. In fact, there is nothing you could ever do to earn your salvation. Even on your best days, you still sin. We needed a perfect savior to die on our behalf and grant us salvation as a gift, because we could never have earned it on our own.‍

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.

No matter how often you attend church, how many days you read your Bible, or how nice you are to people, those things will never get you into Heaven. ‍Your salvation is secured because of Jesus and Jesus alone.

There is nothing that you could ever do that will make God love you more, and there is nothing that you have ever done that has made God love you any less.

Once you are saved you become a child of God, and when God the Father looks at you He doesn’t see your sin or mistakes, He sees Jesus. Because of God’s grace you have been saved, and there is no sin that is too much for God to forgive. He has already forgiven all sins because of Jesus.

Sanctification

Now that I have received salvation and understand what it means, what comes next?
Sanctification is the ongoing process of submitting to God’s Word and Spirit to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. Sanctification is not about perfection, it is about progression. It is the Holy Spirit’s continued work in us to become more like him.

God is the one who does the work of making us more like Christ. We participate in that work by continually turning away from sin and demonstrating our faith in Christ by obeying God’s commands.

Disciplines for Sanctification

  • Read The Bible

  • Pray To God

  • Connect To Your Local Church

Bible Tips

  • Schedule your Bible reading time

  • Choose a Bible reading plan

  • Have a reading goal

  • Find a quiet place and set aside distractions

  • Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the scripture

    “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Prayer Tips

  • Talk to God daily

  • Be open and honest

  • Pray for others as well as yourself

  • Find a quiet place

  • Be in silence and solitude

    “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13 ESV‍

Church Tips

  • Attend Next Steps

  • Join a Dinner Party

  • Join a Dream Team

  • Connect With Us

    “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.” Acts 20:20

Baptism

The Bible teaches that we should be baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We believe in water baptism because Jesus himself modeled it for us. In the book of Luke it says, "When all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized too. As he was praying, heaven was opened." Luke 3:21

  • Baptism is an outward confession of an inward decision.

  • Baptism is a command. Everyone who confesses Christ should be baptized.  

  • Baptism comes from the word “baptize” which means to immerse.  

  • Baptism represents a burial of the old way of life and mindset.  

  • Baptism is not a prerequisite to salvation.  

  • Baptism doesn’t get you to heaven... it announces to your friends you are headed to heaven.

‍

Matthew 28:19: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:4: We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Communion

Why We Remember

Mark 14:22-26
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Communion is a celebration that has been practiced by Christian churches since the very beginning of our faith. In fact, Jesus himself taught and instructed us on the practice of remembering in communion with one another.

In Mark 14, Jesus is sitting at a table with his disciples on the final night before his crucifixion, celebrating Passover. In a final attempt of many throughout his time with them, Jesus takes the opportunity to explain to his disciples the meaning of why he must die. He does so through the Passover meal.

Passover is a holiday still celebrated by the Jewish community today. It commemorates a time when the Israelites cried out to God for a deliverer from the oppression and enslavement of the Pharaoh of Egypt. God heard their cries, sent Moses to deliver His people, brought about acts of justice against their oppressors, and redeemed the Israelites to bring them to the Promise Land (a land He had chosen and promised to their ancestors).

Upon Egypt, God sent ten acts of justice or plagues. The final, and most devastating, was the plague of the first born. All throughout the land of Egypt the first born son and first born of every animal died in one night (an act of justice towards a people who years earlier had ordered all the baby boys of Israel to be thrown into the Nile and killed) – except among the Israelites, who had been instructed by Moses to slay a lamb and paint its blood over their doorposts. This would be a sign that would protect their home from the plague. God would pass over the home when He saw the blood of the lamb on the door frame, and the firstborn would be spared.

The elements of the Passover meal include:

  1. Unleavened bread

  2. Bitter herb

  3. Lamb

  4. Win

Jesus gave every part of the Passover celebration a new meaning. While Moses served as the deliverer of the Israelite people from their slavery in Egypt, Jesus had come to set all people free. While the blood of a slain lamb served as a sign to protect the Israelites from death, it would be the blood of Jesus that would atone for the sins of all mankind and save all who believe in him from eternal death. The wine and the bread – symbols of his sacrifice and willingness to be broken, to shed his own blood on our behalf.

Not only would Jesus go on to die in our place, but he even beat death itself when he rose to life again three days later. The bitter herb from the Passover meal can be connected to the herbs used in burying the dead. The lamb, once used as a sacrifice on behalf of the Israelite people and used to save them from the plague of death, is now Jesus. Jesus himself takes the place of the slain lamb and has not only given his life for us, but beat death as well.

In re-defining these elements of passover to be symbols of a new covenant, Jesus is inviting us to remember what he did for us. We are to remember that our freedom did not come without a cost. In fact, our freedom was bought by the blood of Jesus himself, the slain lamb. His death and resurrection has rescued us from death itself and given us the opportunity to experience new life in him.

We take communion together, just as Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples, to remind one another of this gift we don't deserve, but are grateful to receive. Rather than remembering the Exodus, we remember the new covenant through Jesus: that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.

May we always take the time to remember and never be too busy that remembering Christ’s sacrifice becomes mundane.

Prayer

Why We Pray

The power of prayer deepens our dependence on Him and sharpens our faith. When we pray we choose to put everything in God’s hands knowing that His hand will show up in every aspect of our lives and in those around us.

The act of prayer is what creates our intimacy with God. We can practice the spiritual habit of prayer knowing that our requests go to a God who hears us and who invites us to be intimately involved in His plan. For this reason, we pray in confidence knowing that our prayers are powerful and can bring about change in any circumstance.

There are no levels to this. We all can enter prayer with a posture of trust, openness, and faith, believing that God can do far more than we could even ask or imagine.  It’s not about our circumstances, it’s about our heart stance.

  1. Prayer sharpens our faith.

  2. Prayer creates deeper intimacy with God.

  3. Prayer is powerful and brings about change.

Fasting

Why We Fast

Fasting is the ancient practice of choosing to abstain from food for a certain period of time. It is a spiritual discipline, the purpose of which is training to become more like Jesus. The motivation of our fasting is to draw closer to the heart of God. Fasting is a Christian discipline to break the power of the flesh in our life – our desires, sins, and cravings – and to feed on the Holy Spirit.

In summary, fasting is not about getting from God but it is about getting to God. There are different types of fasting, and we recommend prayerfully considering which practice is best for you at this time. If you are pregnant, nursing or have a medical condition we recommend you speak with your physician before entering into a physical fast.

Liquid fast — Consuming only liquids for a specific period of time.

Partial fast — Abstaining from specific kinds of food. For example: Daniel Fast - vegetables and water only.

TV/Social Media — Choosing to abstain from certain technologies for a specific period of time

  1. Fasting is a Christian discipline to break the power of the flesh in our life.

  2. Fasting is not about getting from God, but rather getting to God.

  3. Although the motivation is the same, there are various methods to fasting.