HOPE 101
“I’m new! I need God in my life! Where do I start?” You’ve come to the right place! We look forward to meeting you. Until then, please check out the helpful information on this page! Getting started with God is as simple as 1-2-3-4:
You can join us in this miracle of new birth, not by signing a card, but rather by being born into the Lord’s Church by responding in faith to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In short, the gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-4) is that:
“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39).
- Have faith in God! Turn to Him, believing in His word. Accept His trustworthy promise to save you and help you!
- Turn away from sin. (The Bible’s word for this is “repent.”) When your old sinful ways end that’s the “old you” dying off.
- Bury the “old you” in a watery grave through baptism in Jesus name, thus fulfilling Mat. 28:19 by obeying Acts 2:38.
- Become the “new you” by God’s help, through the baptism of His Holy Spirit (see Acts 2, 8, 10, 19). You’re in His church!
You can join us in this miracle of new birth, not by signing a card, but rather by being born into the Lord’s Church by responding in faith to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In short, the gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-4) is that:
- Jesus died for all (as a substitution for our punishment, paying the price for our sin);
- He was buried (signifying the death was not feigned but real, and the purchase complete);
- He was resurrected on the third day (signifying victory over death, hell, and the grave, not for Himself only, but also for all who follow Him in faith).
- By faith we respond to His death by repenting (through repentance our old, sinful lifestyle dies) (see Acts 2:38, Matthew 4:17 and 9:13, Mark 1:15, 2:17, and 6:12, Luke 5:32, 13:3-5, 15:7, and 24:47);
- By faith we respond to His burial by being water baptized in Jesus name (see Acts 2:38, Acts 4:12, and Acts chapters 8, 10, 19 & 22, as well as Colossians 2:12, Ephesians 4:5, and I Peter 3:21). We become identified with Jesus Christ by taking His name upon us. “We are buried with by baptism” (Romans 6:4).
- By faith we respond to His resurrection by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (see Acts 2:1-4, Acts 2:36-39, and Acts chapters 8, 10, & 19). Just as Christ received power to live anew, so also we are endued with power to live a “new life” (a life of purity and spiritual power) after we are filled with the Holy Spirit. “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). “…Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39).