CWM Ministries

So you’ve been saved?! Let me stop right here and say that you have made the most critical, as well as the most wonderful decision of your life. Your eternity is settled henceforth, and forever more. Hallelujah! There is no greater joy than knowing that we are headed somewhere wonderful, and we’re going to be with someone great, and we’re going to do something empirically significant. I thank God for your salvation in Jesus Christ.
Now what?

So many people have the idea that we’re all “just trying to get to the same place.” That’s not true. I’m not trying to get anywhere and neither are you. In Christ Jesus alone, we’re already there. Salvation is not the end of the journey it is the beginning. In fact anyone who is not saved isn’t on a journey, the Bible says that they are condemned already. But now that you’re saved, and the journey begins, what is the next step for new believers?

There is no clearer of a picture in all of the scriptures than what is found in Acts 2:41-42. God’s plan for every man is to be in full fellowship and relationship with Him at all times. Within that plan, God has given us some steps He wants us to take after we’re saved in order for us to have His fullest blessings on our lives. Let’s look briefly at this text.

2:41 – “Then they that gladly received His Word” – this is a reference to salvation. When you were saved, you “received His Word.” In essence, when you confessed your sins, and asked Christ Jesus to forgive you and save you, and then you trusted Him to do that, you were taking Him at His Word that He would do as He has promised.

Now notice what is next; they “were baptized.” Now baptism does not redeem, but it does proclaim. There is no such thing as the Secret Service within the King’s Kingdom. Believers are to become Baptized Believers, publicly identifying themselves with Christ. Baptism is an outward picture of the inward change, and what God does on the inside He wants you to admit on the outside through the waters of baptism. Now don’t get the idea that anyone can baptize you. Other believers no more have the right to baptize you than other citizens have the right to hand out driver’s licenses. God gave the authority to do the baptizing to His New Testament Church. Now that being said, what is the first thing that you ought to do now that you’re saved? You ought to find a New Testament church, introduce yourself to the pastor, and ask to publicly proclaim your faith in Christ, and request water Baptism.

Then notice what was next, they were “added” to the church. They became a member of the church at Jerusalem. Now notice verse 42 – “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” After they were saved, they were baptized into the church, where they could flourish in their new found faith.

The Lord Jesus Christ established the local church body as the “pillar and ground of truth” as a place for those who are born again to come together with other believers and carry out His Great Commission on earth.

I hope and pray that you will follow the Lord’s simple plan for every man now that you’re saved. The local new testament church is the House of God, and there is no better, or greater place on this earth for you to have intimate fellowship with Him, than at His house.