Back to Previous Page

Back to Previous Page

Announcer (00:00:00): It's time to think about the Bible like you never have before. This is Christian Questions. Experience more episodes, videos, and Bible study resources at ChristianQuestions.com. Today's topic is, "I'm a New Christian. Now what?" Coming to Christ is life changing. There's relief, hope, joy, and we feel like our lives have been renewed and now have purpose. It's awesome, but is this all of what becoming a disciple of Jesus is about? What should every new Christian know about the costs and challenges of following Christ? Here's Rick, Jonathan and Julie.

Rick (00:00:37): Welcome everyone. I'm Rick. I'm joined by Jonathan, my co-host for over 25 years, and Julie, a longtime contributor is also with us. Jonathan, what's our theme scripture for this episode?

Julie (00:00:49): Galatians 3:26-27: "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ."

Rick (00:01:01): To claim the name of Christ and call ourselves Christians means we are claiming ourselves to be separate from the world. This sounds like a noble claim, and it is, though sometimes you'd never know it. Think about how many people make this claim and bear the Christian label but seem to be just like everyone else. This is a sad testimony to how, over time, Christian principles have been severely diluted. In many cases, this watering down is to the point of not even being able to recognize true Christian principles. For some who have just come to Christ, this can be a serious challenge. Are these new Christians being guided into the process of following Jesus' footsteps or to some other examples? What should any and every new Christian be focused on learning and growing towards?

Julie (00:01:56): Maybe you're looking around at the chaos of this world wondering if a better day really is coming - and not just the kind promised by the politicians that never come to pass. You might be thinking, being a Christian allegedly gives people peace, hope, and comfort. Why not try it?

Jonathan (00:02:12): Or maybe you were born and raised a Christian but are wondering exactly what you have to do in order to get all the benefits. We're going to tell you the scriptural reality you might not be hearing from the churches.

Julie (00:02:25): We're going to talk about Christianity's Fundamental Truths. The first truth is (and you may not want to hear this), Christianity is WORK. The work process begins with the fundamental work of listening, understanding and then responding. Why are we saying there's a fundamental work of listening? We aren't going to hear God's name calling us from the clouds. What are we listening for?

Rick (00:02:53): The fundamental work of listening is becoming a true Christian. It's not a feeling, it's a calling. Jesus made this calling plain when he taught things that were hard to accept. It's a calling, not a feeling. What we're about to show you in John 6 helps us understand it's not about how you feel, it's about something bigger than that. What we're going to read is something that's very hard, was very hard for the people following Jesus to swallow, if you will. John 6:41-44:

Julie (00:03:28): "Therefore the Jews were grumbling about him, because he said, I am the bread that came down out of heaven. They were saying, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, I have come down out of heaven? Jesus answered and said to them, Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day."

Julie (00:03:57): James 4:8 says, "Draw nigh unto God and He will draw nigh to you." The New Living Translation says, "Come close to God and God will come close to you." Sounds a little like a magnetic pull. How do we recognize if we're getting closer to each other - -us and God?

Rick (00:04:12): Well, here's the thing. What we need to recognize first and foremost is God is the one who does the drawing. It is not an emotional reaction. It is God doing the drawing. Without that drawing the way Jesus said it, "No one can come to me unless my Father who sent me draws him" - without that drawing, there is no path to true discipleship. There could be a path to happiness, there can be a path to loving Jesus, but not a path to true discipleship. Have I been drawn by God? Am I listening to grasp the direction that I'm directed to go? How do you know? Because it comes down to not a feeling, but a sense of, "There's a direction I need to go." That's what the drawing of God brings us to. It brings us to the sense of "Something's got to give, something's got to change. I've got to go, I've got to do. I've got to be." Not, "Oh, this is nice." "This is nice" can be part of it, but that's not the end result. Once we're drawn by God, the only way to access him as Father is through Jesus. Jonathan, let's go to John 14:6:

Julie (00:05:20): "Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me." But people in the Old Testament like Adam, Abraham and Moses all accessed God without Jesus. Modern-day Jews under the Law still access God.

Rick (00:05:39): They do. Look, there's nothing wrong with that. But the difference is, Jesus is saying to us, "I'm the way, the truth, and life. No one comes to the Father, but through me." He's talking about a different, higher, unique relationship. He's not just talking about praying to Almighty God. That's important and everybody can certainly do that. But this Father/child relationship is reserved just for Jesus and his true disciples. No one comes to that relationship, but by Jesus.

Julie (00:06:16): So we listen, and perhaps it's a thought that just keeps coming up again and again, that perhaps there's something more we should be seeking; a curiosity, we want to know more. This leads us to more work, specifically the fundamental work of understanding; understanding exactly what we're getting into.

Rick (00:06:35): It's really about work. To be drawn by God and to come to Christ is one thing. To comprehend the depth of the commitment that being a Christian, a true disciple of Jesus, well that's an entirely different thing. It's something built upon understanding the drawing. Now you've got to comprehend the depth of the commitment. Let's look at Luke 9:20-23:

Julie (00:07:02): "And he said to them, But who do you say that I am? And Peter answered and said, The Christ of God. But he warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, saying, The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day."

Rick (00:07:23): You see, Jesus is pouring out important events that are going to happen. He's telling them he's going to die. He's telling them he's going to be raised on the third day because it's in the context of Peter saying, "You are the Christ." Now, everybody's expecting the Christ to come and take over the world. And Jesus is saying, "It's not going to happen that way. I'm telling you here and now." Now he gets into this understanding because he's saying. "It's not going to be the way you think, but here's the way God has planned it." What about you? Jonathan. let's pick up with verse 23:

Julie (00:07:57): "And he was saying to them all, If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Rick (00:08:06): See, "take up his cross daily." He's saying, "You must be willing to do what I am showing you I am about to do." Jesus spoke of his death and then showed his followers their path. This is a path that led to sacrifice.

Julie (00:08:22): Getting excited because we're learning new things in the Bible is great, but there's a whole layer of sacrificing what we naturally want in order to go through a required transformation. Sacrifice, suffering, death - not a lot of churches emphasize the tough parts about being a Christian. It's not all just about privilege and reward.

Rick (00:08:43): That's such an important part of this. I'm a new Christian now what? It's not all about privilege and reward. This may be like a hard "come-to-Jesus" moment, if you will. But it's an important "come-to-Jesus" moment to realize it's a bigger picture than that. Such a calling needs to be thought about carefully. It is at this point that we begin to absorb the seriousness of following Jesus as his disciple. Again, another tough scripture, Luke 14:25-27:

Jonathan (00:09:15): "Now large crowds were going along with him; and he turned and said to them, If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." This sounds harsh. Hate your parents and siblings? That isn't in harmony with love. The Greek word for "hate" really means "to love less." Jesus is teaching us that there is an order of devotion. Being called to follow in his footsteps and doing his Father's will comes as our first priority every day of our lives. This is a serious commitment.

Rick (00:10:03): It is, it is. It needs to be taken with a seriousness that is life-altering. Diminishing our earthly connections and carrying our cross--and that's really what was described in this last scripture--are necessary discipleship qualifications.

Julie (00:10:20): Jesus tells us to count the costs. In other words, really decide if this is for you. In Luke 14, he gives two great analogies. One is, "what King goes to war without making sure his soldiers have a chance of winning." The other is in Luke 14:28,30:

Jonathan (00:10:37): "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish."

Rick (00:10:56): Jesus is showing us, think this through. This is not easy. This is very, very well worth it. Jesus is teaching us to invest thought and reason into our decision to follow him rather than mere reaction and emotion. He's saying to us that the investment of ourselves is what is required here, not the soothing of our emotions, not the making feel better. It's the investing of our lives into this following process. This is work.

Julie (00:11:29): Alright, let's say we have listened closely, we believe we are drawn to and by God, we are starting to increase our understanding of what this all involves, and we've counted the costs. Next, we have to begin the fundamental work of responding.

Rick (00:11:45): More work. Julie, every time you speak up, you're making more work.

Julie (00:11:48): It's definitely a walk.

Rick (00:11:52): It is. Look, after we've observed and after we've absorbed the magnitude of this call from God to Christ and counted the cost of the life change required, we can then do the work of responding; the work of actually answering the call.

Julie (00:12:13): We don't just announce that we love Jesus and now we get to go to heaven when we die. It's rather, "I love Jesus. I am compelled to serve God through Christ wherever that leads me, and whatever personal cost." What actually happens? Do we make this outward proclamation, "I'm a follower of Christ" and then we get baptized? What's the mechanics of this?

Rick (00:12:34): Okay, that's a really good question. Let's go through the next scripture and then we'll put this all together. Galatians 3, because baptism is a big part of this. Galatians 3:27-29:

Jonathan (00:12:45): "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to the promise." There are three things here. First, baptism is an outward proclamation that shows we are a follower of Christ. Second, "clothe ourselves with Christ;" we will cover that later. Third, "heirs according to the promise" is huge. This shows a blessing and a reward because if we belong to Christ, we are Abraham's seed and we get to help bless all the families of the earth in Christ's kingdom. What a privilege!

Julie (00:13:34): But it's okay if, after we count the costs, we decide it's better not to answer that call. We don't want to make a promise that we can't keep. We think of Jesus and that rich young ruler. This young man wasn't ready to live a higher, less materialistic kind of life. Yes, he lost the opportunity to be a disciple and receive the heavenly reward, but he will still have an opportunity to serve on earth after he's resurrected. The point is, even the casual reader of the Bible will receive excellent moral and intellectual benefit. Even if we just treat it just like literature, it's still inspiring and it's interesting.

Rick (00:14:10): What do we do to respond? We count the cost and we say, "Do I move forward or do I not move forward? If I move forward, this is saying I am giving my life over to God through Christ and will change everything about me." Boy, that's a tough thing. If you're a brand-new Christian, you're saying, "Wait a minute, did I sign up for this?" There's a lot here. Here's the thing. As difficult as the pathway of discipleship will be, we can see that there are overwhelming blessings. Not just work, blessings that follow. Let's just pause for a moment and look at some of those blessings. Matthew 11:27-30:

Jonathan (00:14:47): "All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the son, and anyone to whom the son wills to reveal Him. Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Julie (00:15:16): Well, which is it? Is following Jesus all about sacrifice, suffering and death? Or is it easy and restful? A yoke is a crosspiece that goes over the necks of two animals and attached to a plow or a cart they're going to pull. That's work, that's not rest!

Jonathan (00:15:30): Julie, that crosspiece, the yoke, reminds me of the Luke scripture we read that said, "Take up your cross and follow me." We can trust the support we are given by Jesus because we are yoked together with him.

Rick (00:15:42): There's where the rest comes. The rest comes because it's with Christ. Yes, it's work, but when you are working and there's a joyfulness because the context in which you are working is building something amazing and wonderful and you're just purely excited, you can wear yourself out and be happy. That's what Jesus is essentially telling us here; "I am with you in this work of development, in this work of proclaiming the gospel." Response to the call and the required sacrifice means we are reconciled with God. Folks, if you're a new Christian, understand the power of what it means to be reconciled with God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18:

Jonathan (00:16:24): "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."

Rick (00:16:39): If you are reconciled to God, you are living in a different category than the rest of the world. The ransom has been paid for you and now God can actually work with you as one of His children. That's different. That's higher, and that's a privilege. Understand this is a very big thing, being a Christian. It's not an emotional thing. Jonathan, let's take a look at Christianity's Fundamental Truths:

Jonathan (00:17:11): Christianity is work, but it's not work without blessing. It's not work without incredible promise. It's not work without inclusion and comfort. Engaging in this work can only happen when God calls and we listen, understand and respond.

Rick (00:17:30): God calls, then we have to do our part. It is so important to realize that being a new Christian is about an elevated new life that has God's blessings and Jesus' example guiding us.

Jonathan (00:17:47): Now that we have put the beginnings of our Christian lives in place, how do we go about accomplishing its mission?

Rick (00:17:54): This is the absolute key question that we all need to answer. Coming to Christ is designed to translate into living for Christ and dying for him as well. Just looking at such a prospect can be intimidating and it can bring anxiety. Hold on and don't panic. Let's look at this one step at a time so it becomes not only understandable, but it becomes attainable as well. There's a lot of moving parts here, but the scriptures give us answers to each one of these.

Julie (00:18:32): Let's look at another one of Christianity's Fundamental Truths: Yes, it's work, but it's also all about change. It's about coming to God through Christ as sinful human beings. In their quest to attract new members and hold onto the ones they have, many churches are advertising "come as you are," meaning "it makes no difference how you live. We're all sinners. God and Jesus can fit into your life. Church conforms to the culture and we wouldn't want to offend anyone." However, while Christianity absolutely is "come as you are," it's not "stay as you are."

Jonathan (00:19:09): God doesn't ignore or make excuses for sin. Should we be trying to fit God and Jesus into our lives or should they be the center of our lives and everything else lines up under them?

Rick (00:19:21): See, that's the key. Yeah, that's the key. We need to make sure that OUR LIVES are conforming, not Christianity is conforming. What does the conforming? Take your time and pick. Is it what God has declared or what I think? Just think about that. Put it in perspective. Let's move forward. Julie, do you have more work for us? I guess that's my question.

Julie (00:19:45): Well, in the beginning it was all about listening for that call. We grow in our understanding of what it involves. We respond to the call. Now we get to concentrate on the good stuff. Now we're going to look at prayer, because we can't move forward in Christ without it. Here's where we get supercharged. Over the rest of the episode, we're going to look at prayer from three different perspectives. We're going to start with the fundamental work of praying for strength.

Rick (00:20:08): All right, that's our first stop in looking at prayer. Prayer has to be understood in several ways. This fundamental work of praying for strength; the great challenges of a Christian life come equipped with first and foremost, the powerful guidance and assurance of prayer. We're not given a massive, massive challenge without a massive, massive way to deal with that challenge. Hebrews 4:14-16:

Jonathan (00:20:36): "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Rick (00:21:03): This is such an important aspect of being a Christian, brand new or old, old soldier of the cross; understanding we have "grace to help in time of need." This focus on prayer centers on our stepping up into God's mercy and grace as we face any and every challenge that our life brings to us. Our confidence comes from the human experiences and victory of Jesus. Not of me, not of you, but the human experiences and victory of Jesus.

Jonathan (00:21:40): We are weak. We need to rely on Jesus because he sympathizes, knowing we need strength.

Rick (00:21:47): He does.

Julie (00:21:48): With prayers for strength, we start at the beginning. We have to stand on something firm so we can now begin more work--the fundamental work of laying a solid foundation in Christ.

Rick (00:22:00): We've got prayer and now this solid foundation in Christ. As a new Christian, it's imperative to understand that we're just beginning. You're just starting. You're not supposed to know all the answers. You're at the beginning of the process. You're just laying a foundation. So don't over-pressurize yourself, but instead open yourself up to, what's the next lesson? What's the next step? How do I move forward? How do I move higher? Let's start with 1 Peter 2:1-5:

Jonathan (00:22:31): "Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And coming to him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Rick (00:23:08): There's two aspects of foundation here. There's the personal foundation that I have to build within myself. That's important. I've got to build a foundation of what it means to be a disciple of Christ. But there's the foundation of being part of something bigger that is built on Christ himself. That's what 1 Peter 2 is really, really talking about; this massive foundation of Christ himself. Christ Jesus must be the foundation of this spiritual house of which we are all called to be a part of. It's not just you, it's not just me. It is everyone who is called, everyone who answers that call is called to be part of this one house that is built upon Christ. This is where we begin, this is where we start. Jonathan, let's go to John 8:31-32:

Jonathan (00:23:54): "So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed him, If you continue in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Rick (00:24:06): No foundation in Christ, no foundation in Christ, no foundation in Christ (if you didn't hear me the first two times) can be solid without scriptural truth.

Julie (00:24:19): But the universal problem of course is, what is truth? If we're attending a church that is in any way contradictory to the original teachings of Christ in the scriptures, that's not truth, but that's kind of obvious. But it might be tradition, just that the way things were done because that's the way it's always been done. But tradition isn't necessarily truth. The problem again is all Christian denominations have reasons for why they interpret the scriptures as they do. It's going to take a lot of personal study to find truth.

Jonathan (00:24:50): Truth does make us free from Christian tradition. Taking tithing for an example, the truth is Christians are not required to tithe. Nowhere did Jesus or the apostles even mention it outside of the context of what Jews were already doing under the Law. Tithing in the Old Testament was never money, and even the priests receiving the tithes from the people had to, in turn, tithe themselves. Giving is great, but it is strictly voluntary.

Rick (00:25:22): It really comes down to, what is biblical truth? The answer comes from the full context of scripture. That's a big study all of itself. Again, for the new Christian, work at it one step at a time. Find those who can mentor you in scripture, not, as you guys said, not necessarily tradition, but in scripture. That's what we want to be focusing in on here. All right, Julie, are you going to talk about more work? Are you really?

Julie (00:25:52): You need more work? Because I have it.

Rick (00:25:54): Yeah. Yes, we agree.

Julie (00:25:54): Alright. This one's tough. This one's not my favorite. This is the fundamental work of labeling our fleshly lives as opposed to our spiritual lives. This is the part where we look at ourselves with self-examination and honesty and we might find a lot of "ick" that we don't like to admit even to ourselves.

Rick (00:26:15): Okay, you heard her say it. There's a lot of "ick," so just be aware. Okay, beginning our Christian journey actually requires a great awakening. Our lives are no longer our own and we need to grow into understanding the basic difference and our life's purpose from before Christ to after. There is a difference in what our life is fundamentally about and we need to understand that.

Jonathan (00:26:42): As we read this next scripture, I will read the bad things of humanity and Julie will read the good things of spirituality so we can focus on the contrast. This is Romans 8:5-10: "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,"

Julie (00:27:01): "but those who are according to the spirit, the things of the spirit."

Jonathan (00:27:04): "For the mind set on the flesh is death,"

Julie (00:27:07): "but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace,"

Jonathan (00:27:11): "because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

Julie (00:27:24): "However, you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you."

Jonathan (00:27:30): "But if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him."

Julie (00:27:36): "If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness."

Rick (00:27:43): This verse shows us the back and forth of what we need to look at and face. As a brand new Christian, this may be the first time in your entire life you've ever had to do this, but it's giving you guidance; earthly thinking, earthly responses, earthly emotion versus spiritual maturity. We want to understand and then act accordingly. Seeing such stark differences between our natural human desires and objectives, and our new spiritual focus and objectives helps us get ready for our next steps as we walk toward Christ.

Jonathan (00:28:18): Rick and Julie, I have a personal story about being called. For me to see God's call was obvious. I hit bottom in a very selfish life of drug addiction and alcohol abuse. I was living for pleasures that didn't satisfy. When my world came crashing down, I begged the Lord in prayer over and over again for help and direction. Several months later, the answer to my prayers came to me through the right person, at the right time, with the right words. I instantly started studying the Bible with my new friend and found my new purpose in life. Past party friends were perplexed at my change of lifestyle and were very concerned for me. My parents finally got their son back. The peace of my life is all by God's grace. I answered this call and now I can live a life for others to give of my time, talents, and resources like the disciples did. I am so blessed. What greater cause is there than to help the world come back into harmony with God, if I am faithful?

Rick (00:29:28): Jonathan, that shows the work. Now for you it almost seemed like, well, that it was like an instant. But understand folks, if you know Jonathan, that he had this heart for God from the time he was a small child. It just got buried in all of the mess of his life. When he hit bottom, it's like you broke the shell and it was able to come out and then God gave you the tools and the help to bring you to truth, to bring you to Christ and to bring you to a complete life-changing experience. That is an inspiring understanding of what being a new Christian requires. There's a lot of change involved and there's also a lot of work involved and Julie, she's not going to hesitate to tell us more about that.

Julie (00:30:15): Don't you just love how God can take the "ick" and turn it into something amazing? That's what our work is for.

Jonathan (00:30:22): Amen.

Julie (00:30:22): We're doing this work of taking this really hard look at ourselves. We're going to honestly label what's acceptable and what's not acceptable. We've laid it out in all its ugliness, even the secret things no one knows about. We can't change if we don't acknowledge it. Understanding is an important part of our battle for transformation. Now once we've labeled, we can begin the fundamental work of spiritual self-discipline over our fleshly lives. This feeds right into the story that you just told us, Jonathan.

Rick (00:30:56): Yeah, you see, it's one thing to acknowledge it. It's another thing to do something about it. Knowing what needs to be done, what needs attention, what needs changing, sets the stage for getting those things done. The only way anything of significance ever gets done-- this is me talking like a dad, okay? The only way anything of significance ever gets things done is through personal application and personal discipline. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27:

Jonathan (00:31:25): "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore, I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."

Rick (00:31:56): You hear the last words of those verses? "After I've preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." This is the Apostle Paul speaking. The Apostle Paul was a seasoned Christian when he wrote this, and yet he spoke of his own need for personal discipline being just as important as one who's only beginning. He did not make a difference. He didn't say, "Hey, I'm there. When you grow up and become like me, you can take it easy." He's saying, "I have to work hard at the discipline to make sure I am doing and thinking and following the right things."

Julie (00:32:31): This is one of the reasons why we know that common expression "once saved, always saved," as it relates to receiving a heavenly reward, isn't true. That's not a scripture by the way. It's just a saying. Even the great Apostle Paul stayed diligent so as not to be disqualified.

Jonathan (00:32:45): Paul's eye was always on a spiritual objective, looking towards Jesus as his role model.

Rick (00:32:52): Where else do you look? See, that's one of the keys here. That's one of the keys for a brand-new Christian. Where else should we be looking? The answer is "no place." We have our role model. Let's stay focused. This ongoing need for discipline is reflected in the fact that even seasoned Christians have times and circumstances where they need to reset themselves or they need somebody to come in and say, "Hey, wake up, get it straight, get it right and start over." Good example of this is 1 Corinthians 3:1-4:

Jonathan (00:33:22): "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I give you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are you not mere men?"

Julie (00:33:53): Paul and Apollos were both these strong personalities and some of the church at Corinth were causing divisions claiming Apollos as their spiritual leader. Paul corrects them saying that "Christ is not divided." Great commentary by David Guzik on "You are not able to receive it"--"It wasn't that God prevented them from receiving the solid food Paul gave. The real problem was the Corinthian attraction to spiritual junk food, based on man's wisdom and eloquence. They were so filled with this junk food that they were not able to receive the spiritual solid food Paul wanted to give them." If they understood the deeper meanings of what Paul was teaching, they wouldn't be acting like children.

Jonathan (00:34:34): It's important to reset ourselves when we make mistakes or when we lose our focus. This is how we grow and learn to lean on God. Praying and asking forgiveness brings us back on track.

Rick (00:34:47): Whether you're a new Christian or an old soldier of the cross, we always need to be brought back on track. The Apostle Paul was able to help us to see it in ourselves, help others. We need to do the same. We want to be focused in so we can be helpful to others as well as resetting ourselves. Jonathan, wrapping this piece up, Christianity's Fundamental Truths; what do we have?

Jonathan (00:35:13): Praying for strength, laying a solid foundation, labeling the battle between the flesh and the spirit and applying self-discipline are all sound principles that every new Christian needs to learn and apply. The harder we work on these God-honoring objectives, the more we will be able to see God's blessing and providences in our lives.

Rick (00:35:36): We have to put the work in. It's really that simple. There's no avoidance. You're a new Christian. There's work, but there's blessing with that work. Being a new Christian is an amazing introduction into a new way; living in a new way of life that was previously completely out of reach. What a privilege!

Jonathan (00:36:04): We have thus far focused on many foundational truths for every new Christian. What does building up that foundation look like?

Rick (00:36:13): Building on that foundation still requires lots of discipline (that doesn't ever go away), but it is now focused on one word. Okay, let's zero in on one word-- transformation. The one glaring truth every new Christian needs to thoroughly embrace is that what we are is not what God has called us to be. Let me say that again. What we are is not what God has called us to be. He didn't call us because we're great or special or outstanding in our field. God called us because we have a heart that can be molded to be eternally loyal to Him and His plans and purposes. He called us to be like Jesus.

Jonathan (00:36:59): We all need good role models to imitate. Jesus is our ultimate role model. But we also look to spiritual mentors for practical examples. To paraphrase the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Follow me as I follow Christ." This doesn't mean to follow Paul, the man; rather follow Paul who is following Jesus.

Rick (00:37:21): Right. We have to follow in the right place, in the right way, and in the right time.

Julie (00:37:26): Well, this leads us to another important Christianity's Fundamental Truths. Human beings are built to conform. Whatever we have conformed to in our past must be faced, challenged, and overcome so that we can instead conform to Christlikeness and thereby honor God. Again, it's come as you are, but don't stay as you are. With that truth comes what? Ready?

Rick (00:37:52): Yeah. Wait, wait. Yeah, it's work, right? It is work?

Julie (00:37:56): Okay. I knew you'd guess it. In this case, it's the fundamental work of, as you said, Rick, transformation.

Rick (00:38:01): That's a big word and we want to really dwell on that word from a scriptural perspective. To transform something is to remake what it was into something else. Our transformation into Christlikeness is a massive upgrade. Can anybody say caterpillar to butterfly? That's this massive upgrade that we're looking at here and we want to understand.

Julie (00:38:25): It's too big. We'll never be able to do it. Therefore, Christian transformation needs prayer. Remember we talked previously about praying for strength? Well, there's more.

Rick (00:38:35): Our first prayer text was about our praying in regard to our own needs. We now need to expand that as we observed the necessity to pray, but to pray for others as well. Colossians 4:2-4:

Jonathan (00:38:50): "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in a way I ought to speak." Paul is saying, "Please pray for me so I can be God's mouthpiece." Praying for others takes the focus off of us. When someone asks us for our prayers, do we earnestly take them to heart and follow through many times on their behalf? Praying for others is transforming.

Rick (00:39:30): That's such an important part of what prayer is. Folks, It's not just about me. It's not just about you. It's about us. It's about us including one another, and that building up, that transformational prayer. Transformation into Christlikeness is a life-long endeavor. You've said it a few times; come as you are, but don't stay as you are. Julie, what's next?

Julie (00:39:59): We talked about taking that honest look at all the, I called it the "ick" in our lives so we could relabel it correctly. Christian transformation needs a reality check.

Rick (00:40:08): It does. Sometimes we need to look at the hard facts of what our transformation requires. This next scripture is full of those hard facts. To quote a friend, this scripture has a lot of "ick" in it. Okay, so let's look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Jonathan. Let's stop midway through 11.

Jonathan (00:40:28): This is from the Weymouth translation: "Do you not know that unrighteous men will not inherit God's kingdom? Cherish no delusion here. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor any who are guilty of unnatural crime, nor thieves, nor avaricious people, nor any who are addicted to hard drinking, to abusive language, or to greed of gain, will inherit God's kingdom. And all this describes what some of you were..."

Julie (00:40:57): That's really important because we have many accounts where people Jesus spent time with were the lowest of society. We can feel so unworthy that we can't move forward. We might not even be able to hear the call if we're too busy telling ourselves "I'll never be good enough." Or that our sin is somehow so bad that it's in a special class, worse than everybody else's, so there's no hope. "Surely God can't work with me."

Jonathan (00:41:23): That's exactly why we need Jesus. Continuing with the rest of verse 11 in 1 Corinthians 6: "...but now you have had every stain washed off: now you have been set apart as holy: now you have been pronounced free from guilt; in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the spirit of our God." Come as you are, but don't stay as you are, and don't drag any of that mud with you that you worked so hard to wash off.

Rick (00:41:51): That's right. Get rid of the "ick." The idea here is to live forgiven. Too often we bring our sins before Christ, before God through Christ. We ask for forgiveness in great, great sincerity, and we have forgiveness. If we are working at transforming ourselves, we are forgiven, but we don't let it go. One of the messages here is, let go of the mud so you can continue to move forward. Transformation for a Christian has a lot of different pieces. Julie, what's next?

Julie (00:42:26): Well, it requires a full and free presentation of ourselves for God's service, no matter what that cost might entail. Here's the part where we become really committed.

Rick (00:42:37): Here's the part where we have to really decide, okay, this is what my life will be. Romans 12:1-2:

Jonathan (00:42:48): "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

Rick (00:42:59): I want to pause there just for a moment. What is this spiritual service of worship? It's really not the things that we do. We can go to church and do chores at church. That's nice, but that's not what this is. The spiritual service of worship is, you're presenting your body. This is who you are. You are the sacrifice. Not the things that you do, but how you think, how you process, what you stand for. That's what this spiritual service of worship is. This is all of what we are offering to God through Christ. Verse 2, Jonathan:

Jonathan (00:43:32): "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." So don't conform, be transformed. Am I willing to be what God wants me to become? Come as you are, but don't stay as you are.

Julie (00:43:55): Well, that makes me think of my story. I grew up in a Christian household where the lines of right and wrong were pretty clearly drawn. My grandfather was a minister, my great-grandfather was a minister. But teenagers and young adults like to test boundaries and find where they fit in. And I was definitely different from my peers, but not different enough. God was always a huge part of my life, but I could compartmentalize and I could rationalize thinking, saying and doing things that I knew wasn't compatible to what I knew was a better path. Now everything we've talked about so far, the sacrifice, transformation; I was taught these scriptures from birth and I did sit down and count the cost numerous times, but the cost was always too high because the world out there was too attractive. And then the world changed on 9/11. On 9/11 I lost many friends and coworkers in the World Trade Center. I was supposed to physically be at a meeting that was canceled there a week earlier. Suddenly the end of the world was a real possibility and people had no answers for this level of evil. I cried for months as the individual stories of these victims were told, and I wanted to just help them. I realized the best way to help everyone heal on a permanent basis in the kingdom would be for me to give my life to the Lord and let Him decide how to best use me. Being baptized, I'll never forget what it felt like to be raised from the water with a feeling of being clean, being new, no more "ick," starting fresh and realizing my life is not my own, but it was bought with a price. I never regretted it.

Rick (00:45:33): It's interesting to me, Julie, how your story is so different from Jonathan's. Jonathan's, the mess was within. Yours, the mess was without. In both cases was opportunity to hear the call. So it doesn't come in the same way for everybody. Your story had this very personal attachment to tragedy and loss on such a massive, massive scale. It made you think - I know you; I've heard you tell this story many times--it made you think about the fact that life is fleeting, but God's plan is eternal. Why would I spend my time on the fleeting aspects of life when I could serve the eternal plans and purposes, the restoration and reconciliation of mankind, of God's plan? What a wonderful contrast and yet similarity between the two of you and your transformation. Let's move on with transformation, Julie.

Julie (00:46:27): Well, transformation requires not only wisdom, but a recognition of our role with non-Christians.

Rick (00:46:34): This is important. We need to understand as Christians that those on the outside are different than those on the inside. Colossians 4:5-6:

Jonathan (00:46:44): "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person."

Rick (00:46:57): You know what this means? This means come as you are, but don't stay as you are. This means recognize that this is what you perhaps once were, but this is not what you are now. Now it requires you to have wisdom with those that you knew in a different way; godly wisdom so they can see Christ in you. That's transformation. Julie, what else?

Julie (00:47:23): Well, it requires forward and upward with a single-minded approach.

Rick (00:47:28): Got to look forward, got to look up. That's what's required of every Christian, brand new or old soldier. Philippians 3:12-14:

Jonathan (00:47:39): "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." The apostle Paul is saying he is still a work in progress. Oh, how we can relate. In other words, come as you are, but don't stay as you are.

Rick (00:48:16): It's so important for us to realize that. This is where the laws of physics come into play. Christianity has its own laws of physics. One of the basic laws of physics is two physical objects can't occupy the same space. Well, we can't have our old nature and our new nature occupying the same space. Something's got to give. If you're going to make space for your old, you take away from the new. You have to replace. It has to be pushed out. That's what transformation is. Caterpillar to butterfly. That's what we're talking about. Julie. What's next?

Julie (00:48:50): Christian transformation requires us to pause and consider what we've been called to.

Rick (00:48:55): This is important. With all of this work, we also need to have the work of stop, listen and meditate. 1 Peter 2:9-12:

Jonathan (00:49:07): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

Rick (00:49:31): This is important. You are different. You have all of these descriptions and you fit these descriptions. Even if you don't understand them yet you fit them. Part of your life is to mold yourself by God's grace into what these descriptions are all about.

Julie (00:49:48): This phrase of "people for God's own possession" is translated as "peculiar people" in the King James version. While this means "peculiar" as in "specifically belonging to God or special," I like that in English it also means odd or uncommon because a transformation like this by definition will make us recognizably different, odd and uncommon from those around us.

Julie (00:50:09): Continuing with 1 Peter 2:11-12: "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." Worldly people will see your good deeds in your life now, and they will give glory to God as they remember them in the future kingdom, which is the "day of visitation." Come as you are, but don't stay as you are. Why? So God can be glorified.

Rick (00:50:51): Absolutely. We must transform. It's that simple. Jonathan, Christianity's Fundamental Truths; what do we have?

Jonathan (00:51:00): Any new Christian must do the work of growing into realizing that without the transformation of our lives into lives lived in sacrifice for Christ, there is no real Christianity. This transformation is authentic, and it is intentional. Every true footstep follower of Jesus must undergo their own customized version of becoming a Christlike disciple.

Rick (00:51:25): It's intentional. We're all different. We will become different in our Christianity while we walk the same walk, following the same Lord, with the same principles. But it's the uniqueness of our characters that God wants to crystallize so that we can be like Christ. What a tremendous, tremendous pathway. As important as all of this is for new Christians, we who have followed Jesus for years absolutely need these reminders ourselves.

Jonathan (00:52:00): Whether we are new Christians just getting started or seasoned disciples with years of experience, what does all this lead to?

Rick (00:52:08): As we mentioned earlier, all of this leads us to a life that has been reconciled through Christ to God. This life is driven by God's spirit and is in fact called a "new creation." The destiny of this transformed new life is a heavenly reward. That's the destination. Not only that, it is also given the high and lofty privilege of being part of the body of Christ and reconciling the world back to God as well. We've hinted at that. Now we want to just move towards that just for a few minutes. Julie?

Julie (00:52:47): Here's another one of Christianity's undisputable Fundamental Truths. True Christians define their lives in a very specific and dynamic way. If we want to be like Jesus, we must live by the principles that he lived by.

Rick (00:53:01): There you go. You want to be like Jesus, then be like Jesus. No compromise. Be like Jesus to the best of your capacity. Let's pause and consider what we talked about with this reconciliation thing. A quick review of a prophecy that shows us part of the destiny of the true disciples of Christ:

Jonathan (00:53:21): The context of this prophecy comes after Jesus was baptized and tempted by Satan in the wilderness. He returned to Nazareth and went to a synagogue and read a prophecy, which providentially is all about him. Isaiah 61:1-4: "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord..." According to Luke 4:16-21, Jesus stopped reading here in the prophecy, even though there's more. He sat down and announced that this part of the prophecy has now been fulfilled by him.

Rick (00:54:05): He stopped there because the rest of the prophecy would be fulfilled later. He thoroughly understood what his role was at that time, and not only what his role would be later, but what the role of his true followers would be. That's what's described in the rest of this. Jonathan, let's pick up in verse 2 and go through verse 4:

Julie (00:54:27): "...and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So that we will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolation of many generations."

Rick (00:54:57): You're showing a prophetic look at the work that is being done in the future by true disciples of Christ. They will be called these "trees of righteousness." This is what we're called to. This gives us just a hint of what a truly faithful Christian life will lead to. Julie, what's next?

Julie (00:55:19): Back to work! The fundamental work of living for Christ. Having a role in this massive reconciliation work requires all true Christians, new and old, to live now in a manner worthy of the honor of being called Christian. That's really important because I've got a quote here from an Indian philosopher from the mid-1920s: "Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians, you're not like him." That's a lot of the feelings around the world. Now, a devoted Christian life is, again, always based on prayer. First we talked about praying for our own strength to move forward. Then we talked about needing to pray for others. What's next, Rick?

Rick (00:55:59): This time we look at prayer within the context of growing through our Christian life and appreciating God's providence. Now it's not necessarily about "I am dying in need here," but it's an appreciation as we grow. Philippians 4:4-7:

Jonathan (00:56:17): "Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." When we pray, the peace of God should be overwhelming, not the issue in front of us.

Rick (00:56:50): That's a huge, huge distinction. The peace of God should be overwhelming us, not the issue, because that's the promise that we're given if we are in Christ. Julie, what's next?

Julie (00:57:03): A devoted Christian life is lived by recognizing and keeping all earthly desires behind us.

Rick (00:57:10): This is harder than you might think because our earthly desires our natural. If we've got something natural, we've got to understand that spirituality. Again, the law of Christian physics must replace that which is natural with that which is spiritual. 1John 2:15-17:

Jonathan (00:57:31): "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." We aren't God-honoring if we are living lustfully and pridefully. That's not from the Father. We are to put those things behind us. We want to choose godly ways over our own selfish desires.

Julie (00:58:06): These scriptures bring out a really good point. For me, I was drawn to the permanency of "get on that train because that train's moving forward with or without you." The world and all its lust and pride is being dismantled. Satan is going to be bound, and he's eventually going to be destroyed in God's future kingdom. That's all passing away. It's transitory. So we want to be on the right side of history, as people say. When this is all over, everybody's going to have to choose righteousness. We are just trying to live for a higher purpose now, at this time.

Jonathan (00:58:36): Remember, come as you are, but don't stay as you are.

Rick (00:58:40): Keep all earthly desires behind us. What's next?

Julie (00:58:45): A devoted Christian life is lived by abandoning human reactions and practices. Again, you've said replacing; replacing them with spiritual responses and actions.

Rick (00:58:56): This is important. You can't get rid of something without the replacement theory. It has to have something in its place so the value can actually have a place to grow and develop. Galatians 5:19-24:

Jonathan (00:59:11): "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Rick (00:59:37): Okay. "Will not inherit the kingdom of God." Can anybody say "replacement," please? Let's move on and see where we go from there.

Jonathan (00:59:44): "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Leave those old desires behind and replace them with godly character. You can see how we are repeatedly told in many different ways; come as you are, but don't stay as you are.

Rick (01:00:12): That means replacing things that don't belong in a Christlike life. We can't hold onto them. If you're a new Christian, you're saying, "This is overwhelming." It's okay. It's okay to have that overwhelming feeling. As a matter of fact, that's good because that means that you're understanding that there's work to do. Take that work upon yourself, one step at a time. Small step by small step. Find somebody who is a mature Christian, who knows scriptural truth to help you and mentor you as you do this growing. What's next?

Julie (01:00:49): A devoted Christian life pours itself out in love and the upbuilding of those who surround it.

Rick (01:00:55): This is another way that we can overcome the overwhelmed feeling we have about ourselves. When you're overwhelmed about yourself, you know what's a great thing to do? Focus on others. Focus on building others up. Jonathan, let's go to Romans 12:9-16:

Jonathan (01:01:09): "Let (agape) love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation." Again, come as you are, but don't stay as you are. Why are we stressing this? Because this is not being taught at most churches. The Bible is our guide.

Julie (01:02:01): Jonathan, you keep reading these big lists that include all that we're not supposed to do, even though it's our natural tendencies, versus what we're supposed to replace it with. Being a faithful Christian is so much more than just making a deathbed confession moments before we die and expecting to go to heaven without actually making any real transformation day by day.

Rick (01:02:22): Yeah. Transformation has to happen and it has to start somewhere. My story, my personal experience in being called; now it happened for me when I was very young. I was about 14 years old. I grew up in a very, very strong, wonderful Christian household. I knew scripture, I was taught scripture. I went to Bible camps and seminars and Bible conventions. I understood. When I was 14, just a kid, I began to realize that knowing is one thing, but being is something entirely different. It just like cut me to the heart. I was at a Bible seminar and I remember in the evening just walking around and I was overcome. I was overcome with emotion, trying to stay away from everybody so nobody would see. But I realized that there was so much that could be given if I would just allow myself to follow. It was this moment that began a transformation for me. Now, it took me years to get to a point of saying, "Okay Lord, my life is yours." But after those years, that was the starting point. God gently, carefully guided me. When I put my life before God, I was still not very mature, but He was gentle. He was kind and He helped me grow step-by-step. So you see, it all works out wherever we're coming from. If you are called, you have to respond to the call. Let's move forward. Julie?

Julie (01:04:03): Okay. Well a devoted Christian life finds its joy, inspiration, and rest in things worthy of godly praise. I know we're going to look at one of my favorite scriptures.

Rick (01:04:14): That's right. That sets it up for that favorite scripture because a new Christian life or a seasoned Christian life has to be filled with godly praise. Philippians 4:8-9. This is our last text:

Jonathan (01:04:26): "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."

Julie (01:04:48): Come as you are, but don't stay as you are because you want to think differently, speak differently, act differently, and be different from who you were and from those around you. For practical ideas on how to do this, we recommend Episode 902. It's called, "So, Where Do We Start?" We asked many of our Christian Questions volunteers to give some really good day-to-day advice for new Christians on how to get started.

Rick (01:05:13): Getting started is important. Staying in the course is important. Staying with the principles is important. There's a lot here, and that's why the beauty of this is you can replay this and you can take notes and you can use the CQ show notes to help you put it in order. There's much to learn, but there's so much more to learn from. Jonathan, finally, Christianity's Fundamental Truths. Let's wrap this up:

Jonathan (01:05:38): To claim the title of true Christian requires work. It is to have heard God's call and counted the cost of discipleship. It is to live a brand of discipline that renounces our human will and direction and pronounces our focused intention and dedication to follow Jesus. It is to follow the leadings of God's spirit and to live daily in a manner that is recognizably different. To be a Christian is to be tested thoroughly and to be blessed incomprehensively.

Rick (01:06:13): Am I living in a way that is recognizably different? Am I walking a road that is saying God has called me and by His grace through Christ, I am working on changing my every day, my every moment to be in line with God's will, through the grace of God and the strength of Christ, through the reconciliation I was given through Christ? Being a new Christian is hard, but it is so, so worth it. Do the work. Think about it. Folks. We love hearing from our listeners. We welcome your feedback and questions on this episode and other episodes at ChristianQuestions.com. Coming up in our next episode, "Can We Be Content With Chaos?" Talk to you next week.

Final Notes (01:07:02): copyright @2023 Christian Questions. In addition to this transcript, we provide comprehensive CQ Rewind Show Notes for every episode. They include every scripture quoted during the podcast, as well as graphics, illustrations and bonus material. Click the "CQ Rewind Show Notes" button near the audio player or sign up to receive these weekly at ChristianQuestions.com. This transcript was created using artificial intelligence. While we believe it to be accurate, we apologize for any errors that may exist.