THE STRUGGLES OF A NEW CHRISTIAN

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Becoming a Christian is the best thing a person could do in his/her life (Acts 8:39).

 

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more:  and he went on his way rejoicing.

 

1.    Salvation from sin

2.    A relationship with Jesus Christ

3.    The ability to be a new person

4.    New relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ

5.    A hope of heaven

 

B.   One would think that a new Christian would live a life of joy and faithful service to Jesus, at least for a time, because of the understanding that he/she has been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:18-19).

 

C.   It is not always as simple as that.  New Christians often face tremendous struggles as they leave the world and try to find their place in the body of Christ.

 

D.   In this lesson, let’s look at some of “The Struggles of A New Christian.”

 

I.             WEAK IN KNOWLEDGE

 

A.   The new Christian can be compared to a baby.

1.    A baby is innocent.

2.    A baby, however, does not have knowledge.

 

B.   Proverbs 19:2

 

Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good…

 

C.   Knowledge enables the Christian to live properly.

Knowledge enables the Christian to teach others the gospel.

Knowledge enables the Christian to resist sin.

Knowledge enables the Christian to stand against persecution.

Knowledge enables the Christian to discern falsehoods and deception.

 

D.   Without knowledge all of the things we listed can enter into the new Christian’s life.

 

E.   The prophet Hosea was correct when he wrote:  “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” (Hos. 4:6).

 

II.           WAYS OF THE WORLD

 

A.   When a person becomes a Christians, he is removed from the world and placed in the body of baptized believers known as the church or the kingdom (Col. 1:13; 1 Pet. 2:9).

 

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son…who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

B.   As a Christian, each of us is not to love the world (1 John 2:15).

 

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world…

 

C.   Many new converts, however, have lived in the world a long time.  The world uses things to entice the new convert to turn from his confession of faith and return to that old way of life (Matt. 13:22).

 

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

 

1.    Sin (Ex., Simon the sorcerer, Acts 8:18-19)

2.    Family and friends (Matt. 10:37)

3.    Misaligned priorities (Matt. 6:33)

a.    Responsibilities

b.    Recreation

 

III.         WITHHOLDING COMMITMENT

 

A.   Three verses:

1.    When a person becomes a Christian, he is purchased by God.  He relinquishes all rights to himself (1 Cor. 6:20).

 

For ye are bought with a price:  therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

2.    It is no longer the individual who lives, but Christ lives within him (Gal. 2:20).

 

I am crucified with Christ:  nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who love me, and gave himself for me.

 

3.    We are supposed to live our lives to the will of God (1 Pet. 4:2).

 

That he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

 

B.   The commitment is much bigger than many Christians, especially new Christians, realize.

1.    It is notthe commitment to an hour a week.

It is the commitment of one’s all for life.

2.    It is not the commitment of when I want to.

It is the commitment of when God needs me.

3.    It is not the commitment of things I like to do.

It is the commitment of doing everything I can do.

 

C.   Here’s how Jesus summarized the commitment (Mark 12:30).

 

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.

 

 

 

 

IV.         WARPED CONCEPT OF SALVATION

 

A.   The salvation that is in Christ offers a multitude of blessings to those who obey the gospel of Christ.

1.    Ephesians 1:3

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

 

2.    2 Peter 1:4

 

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises…

 

B.   Salvation, however, does not just involve blessings. 

1.    With blessings come responsibilities.

2.    God has expectations that He has placed upon His people.

a.    The Christian is to grow (1 Pet. 2:2)

b.    The Christian is to learn (Matt.  11:29).

c.    The Christian is to serve (Gal.5:13).

d.    The Christian is to fight (1 Tim. 6:12).

e.    The Christian is to bear fruit (John 15:8).

f.     The Christian is to use his talents (Matt. 25:14-23).

g.    The Christian is to be benevolent (Gal. 6:10).

h.    The Christian is to sow seed (Ps.126:5-6).

 

C.   Greg Brown:  “Many think salvation is just about heaven and it doesn’t affect life now. However, this is not true. Our salvation should affect us tremendously (Bible.org, “The Christian’s Duty in Response to Salvation”).

 

V.           WANTING IN RELATIONSHIPS

 

A.   When a person becomes a Christian, he is born into the family of God (John 3:3-5; 1 Tim.3:15).

 

B.   This means that the new convert, has many brothers and sisters in Christ who he is to love (1 Pet. 1:22).

 

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeign love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

 

C.   These relationships are vital for the Christian’s well-being.

1.    They strengthen us.

2.    They encourage us.

3.    They correct us.

4.    They protect us.

5.    They challenge us.

 

D.   However, to have a friend, the Bible teaches that a person must show himself friendly (Prov. 18:24).  In other words, a friendship starts with me.

 

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly…

 

1.    A desire to connect with others (being present with others)

2.    An effort to learn and understand another person

3.    Creating an atmosphere of acceptance, warmh, and care

4.    A willingness to give and sacrifice for others

5.    Manifesting traits such as kindness, longsuffering, self-sacrifice, and forgiveness.

 

VI.         WISHES GO UNFULFILLED

 

A.   New Christians come from all types of backgrounds:

1.    Extremely sinful

2.    Denominational

3.    No religion at all

4.    Rich and poor socio-economic statuses

5.    Different cultures

 

B.   These backgrounds often influence what they believe Christianity is supposed to offer them.

 

C.   When Christianity does not give them what they expect, they are disappointed and often they leave, searching for a religion that fulfills their expectations.

1.    They want to be entertained.

2.    They want all of their needs met.

3.    They want “feel good” sermons.

4.    They want the religious celebrations.

5.    They want to be pampered and catered to.

 

D.   Christianity was not designed for the outer man.  It is designed for the inner man.

1.    It was designed to fulfill God’s purposes and not man’s expectations.

2.    It was designed to give the inner man what is needs and not what the desires of the flesh expect.

 

E.   Examples:

1.    The rich man who asked Jesus about what he needed to do to inherit eternal life did not expect to be told to sell all that he had (Matt. 19:22).

 

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful:  for he had great possessions.

 

2.    When some of Jesus’ disciples heard His hard sayings, they refused to continue to follow Him (John 6:66).

 

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

 

3.    When the Jews heard Jesus proclaim that He was the Son of God and that His kingdom was not of this world, they rejected Him (John 1:11).

 

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We have looked at six struggles that many new Christians often face.

 

B.   They need to be aware of these struggles and take precautions against them. 

 

C.   If they do not, they will fail to mature, fail to be faithful, and will fall away.