Lesson 2. What to Do After Repentance. The “First Steps of a Christian” School is intended for new converts. Prepared by Pastor Dmitriy Leo for Father’s Blessing Church, 2022.
Having considered what you must fight against, let me briefly mention some principles you need to follow.
Always give God first place in your life. Jesus said: “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (the temporary necessities of life) will also be given to you” (Matthew 6:33).
Take the first three words of the Bible as your motto: “In the beginning God.” Seek to know and fulfill God’s will, and always remember that your main purpose in life is to glorify the Lord.
Read the Bible
By the power of the precious Holy Spirit, you have begun a new life, and you need nourishment to sustain it. The Bible—the Word of God—is this nourishment. Read and study it. Jesus said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Physical nourishment is necessary to sustain physical life, and spiritual nourishment is necessary for spiritual endurance.
As you go into battle against the forces of evil, arm yourself with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).
Moreover, the Bible teaches us how to live holy and victorious lives. “Your word,” says the psalmist, “is a lamp to my feet and a light that illuminates my path… The revelation of Your words gives light and understanding to the simple… I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:105, 130, 11).
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16).
Prayer—Thanksgiving—Praise
A Christian’s prayer life is vitally important. Jesus said, “People should always pray” (Luke 18:1). Elsewhere we read: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Yes, prayer is a Christian’s breath, their native air!
Nothing is too great or too small for the Lord to address in prayer. If you need a job—pray. If you need money to pay your bills—pray. If you need physical healing—pray. If trials oppress you and the burden of stress weighs on you—pray. If you want to gain the ability to win sinners for the Lord—pray. Whatever your need or necessity, bring everything to God in prayer.
“First of all, I urge you to offer prayers, petitions, intercession, and thanksgiving for all people—for kings and all those in authority—so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to know the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1–4).
You must never neglect your prayer life. But this does not mean that you always need to ask for something. Consider the apostle Paul’s advice: “In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).
Our loving Heavenly Father wants us to bring our many needs to Him, but at the same time He wants us to thank Him for what He has already done for us; for what He is doing right now; and for what He will do in the future. Thank the Lord for His mercy and grace and for all spiritual, physical, and material blessings. Be deeply grateful to God for His goodness in all its expressions.
“In every circumstance, give thanks to God, because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
“Always and for everything give thanks to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).
Yet our Heavenly Father deserves not only thanksgiving but also praise. Offer Him the worship and adoration of your heart. Give God glory and honor for His mercy, which endures forever, and for all His mighty deeds. He, and He alone, is worthy of glory!
“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will glorify You” (Psalm 63:3).
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name” (Hebrews 13:15). From this verse we learn that it is not enough to praise the Lord only in our hearts; praise must also be expressed audibly.
The psalmist also calls us to praise our God: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Someone aptly remarked that, according to this verse, the only justification for a person who does not praise God is that they are not breathing.
“In prayer, we are occupied with our needs; in thanksgiving, with our blessings; and in praise, with God Himself”!
Finally, let me suggest that after making requests, giving thanks, and praising the Lord—after worshiping and adoring the One who is beautiful—you should rest in His presence. In other words, while speaking with the Lord, sometimes become silent and remain quiet. Let Him speak to your heart, and you will undoubtedly discover that what He says to you is worth far more than everything you have said to Him. This will be true fellowship, strengthening you so that, while living in this world, you can live for Jesus. Set aside time to wait on God.
“But those who hope in the Lord (in the English version—those who wait for the Lord) will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
Confess Christ before others
Moreover, it is very important to testify about Jesus. We should do this without hesitation, both publicly and in private conversations, whenever the opportunity arises. Never be ashamed that you have dedicated your life to the Lord!
“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord (Isaiah 43:10).
For it is with the heart that a person believes and is justified, and with the mouth that one confesses and is saved (Romans 10:10).
“Whoever openly acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Heavenly Father. But whoever disowns Me before others, I will also disown before My Heavenly Father” (Matthew 10:32–33).
“If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11).
When testifying about Jesus, you should do so wisely, seeking the Lord’s help. He will show you the right words at the right time and make them a blessing to people. Always remember that you are testifying about Jesus and for Jesus, not about yourself or for yourself. Never put yourself in the spotlight; instead, let Jesus Christ be glorified in everything. We have nothing to boast about. We are who we are only by the grace of God.
Tell people how important Christ is to you and what He has done for you, as well as what He will do for those who come to Him and trust Him. Speak about this with the desire to win others for Jesus. “Whoever is wise wins souls” (Proverbs 11:30).
Water Baptism
You need to be baptized in water as soon as possible.
Jesus said to His disciples: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19).
“Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
From these passages, we see that water baptism is a requirement for Christians and should immediately follow repentance. It is an outward expression of the inward work of grace—the cleansing of the heart from sin. Baptism also testifies to our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
“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” (Romans 6:4).
Be filled with the Holy Spirit!
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
This glorious experience is an immense privilege for you, because without this inexhaustible power you could not become who you are in God or do what the Lord wants to do through you. Jesus Himself did not attempt to begin His earthly ministry until the Holy Spirit came upon Him, and you likewise need this divine empowerment to fulfill God’s will in your life and minister to others.
“When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power and will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Attend church services
Although nothing can replace personal time with God, it will be tremendously beneficial for you to visit God’s house. In fact, there is no satisfactory substitute for attending church. Both personal time with God and public worship have their special place in a Christian’s life. The Bible urges us not to forsake assembling together (Hebrews 10:25).
Now that you have become a son or daughter of God, you will delight in worshiping the Lord together with others who share “the same precious faith.” You will receive both pleasure and benefit from faithfully attending church services where the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached in all its fullness in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, messages inspired by God will become spiritual food for you, helping you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. And besides being encouraged through preaching, prayers, and songs, your soul will experience refreshment as you begin joining in public worship in the Spirit. I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1).
Furthermore, the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance for Christians that should be observed faithfully: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death. Do this until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Furthermore, it would be good for you to join a small group of believers so that you can participate directly in Christian activities, take responsibility, and spread the Gospel together with these people.
But before becoming a member of any church, I advise you to carefully investigate the particular congregation, asking for divine guidance in this matter, because, sadly, not all churches conform to God and the Bible.
Christian ministry
This brings us to the next step—serving our Lord and Teacher. We do not merely speak about God’s goodness; we allow Him to express His life through us in loving ministry to others. Christianity is not simply about avoiding what Scripture forbids, but first and foremost about fulfilling God’s will—actively serving the Teacher.
If possible, take on a specific responsibility, even if it requires your time, effort, and money or causes some inconvenience. Do it for Jesus! Let your life speak of Him. Dedicate yourself, with all your talents, to the One who gave Himself for you. Perhaps the Lord will even arrange for you to give Him your full working day, serving in some part of “His vineyard” in your country or abroad. If not, do everything you can wherever He opens doors of ministry for you.
Here are the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 5:16: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Heavenly Father.”
Remember that we should be men and women who eagerly seek to do good—not merely to get to heaven, but because we have been redeemed by the Blood of Christ and want to show our love for Him.
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of the least of these because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42).
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of My brothers, you did for Me” (Matthew 25:40).
Invest in the Kingdom of God
Now that you have received Christ and are enjoying wonderful fellowship with Him, you will surely want other people to know Him as well. Among the many ways this can be done, let me mention one very important factor in fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission—to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone.
Money is necessary for any undertaking. And since spreading the Gospel is the greatest work on earth, it also needs funding. Carrying out God’s commission entails expenses, and you have not only the glorious privilege but also the serious responsibility of participating in this work.
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9,10).
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20, 21).
“Give, and it will be given to you. A full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap” (Luke 6:38).
“Remembering the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).
If you give systematically, generously, and even sacrificially, God will richly reward you. Many Christians have learned through personal experience to regularly give the Lord a tithe (one-tenth of their income) to be used in serving God, and then to give offerings beyond that, as the Lord enables them. And this has brought God’s blessings into their lives—spiritual, emotional, and physical. Do not be afraid to give the Lord too much, for He gave all of Himself for you!
“To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power and authority, before all time, now and forevermore! Amen” (Jude 1:24, 25).
