As we begin Day 1, I want to help cultivate your understanding of your newfound faith. As new Christians, we all start off in different places of understanding or knowledge. So as we begin, we will break down some basic concepts that include sin, faith, salvation, and baptism. These four areas are essential for new believers to start with, so let's define and understand each of these areas and answer a few questions along the way.

The Bible clearly defines sin as lawlessness.

1 John 3:4 - Everyone who commits sin practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 

Specifically, sin is failing to live according to the holiness and standard of a perfect God. It includes both internal and external practices, actions, thoughts, and desires that violate His divine will or intention.

Scripture gives many examples; for instance, we can see the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:2-17.  We can also see in Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:27-28, where even looking at a woman lustfully is committing adultery. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, sin is consistently shown as an example of rebellion against God's original design.

Sin entered the world because of Adam and Eve's disobedience to what God commanded them to do. The serpent (devil or satan) tempted Eve and Adam, and this temptation led to the action of sin. We know this because Genesis 3 discusses the fall of man and sheds light on how sin entered the world. After this event, sin was infused into human nature, producing the sinful nature and leaving us broken in relationship and eternally separated from God.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ.

Isaiah 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Faith is defined as having complete trust or confidence in something or someone. Christian faith is a required element for anyone who has accepted Jesus as Savior. Apart from faith, it’s impossible to receive and experience the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Faith is also vital to any believer as they complete their spiritual journey on Earth. We will go deeper into this topic on Day 3, but these three verses are a good starting place to help build our understanding of faith.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

God really does love us John 3:16, and desires that all come to repentance, meaning a restored relationship with Him. God sent Jesus to fix and restore what was broken. God uses that longing within our hearts and the power of the Holy Spirit to draw us back to Him, but it is our choice at the end, God doesn't force us. God is patient, and He desires to see all saved and restored. He doesn't want any of His children to be separated from Him, and that is why it says this in 2 Peter...

2 Peter 3:9  "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

Salvation is the process by which Jesus delivers or rescues us from the condemnation of our sins. More than likely, when you accepted Jesus, you understood that Jesus had forgiven you for your sin, and if you accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you would be saved.

1) Sin has caused a separation between man and God. Romans 3:23 

2) The penalty for sin is death and separation from God, but Jesus died to make us right with God & to give us eternal life. Romans 6:23  

3) Jesus loves us and showed us by dying on the Cross while we had no hope of being made right by God. Romans 5:8 

4) If we confess and believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord and was raised from the dead, we will be saved. Romans 10:9-10 

5) Making Jesus Lord is more than acknowledging that you believe He exists. Surrender is the permanent offering of our lives to Him
    (Romans 12:1–2). This is what truly makes Jesus Lord of your life.

When sin first entered the world, its impact was felt throughout all humanity. The consequence of sin was death and separation from God. In God’s perfect understanding, He desired to restore what was broken, so He sent His very own son, Jesus, to Earth. Jesus, who was God, came to restore the broken relationship between God and man. Jesus took on our sins on the Cross as a perfect sacrifice and paid for the "debt" through His death, so we didn't have to.
 
When Jesus overcame death (which is called resurrection), He conquered the consequences of sin once and for all. Everything about our faith depends on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Salvation is only given to those who confess and believe that Jesus is Lord and that He was raised from the dead.
 
When we confess our sins and repent, we acknowledge our sins and choose to abandon them. By believing in our hearts, we are instantly restored to right standing with God. The process of being made right with God is called salvation. Christian author Bill Hull says it best when he states, "The point of salvation isn’t the finish line; instead, it’s the starting line for a lifelong journey." It’s important to note that this new life was given by God’s grace. We did nothing to earn it.

Our responsibility within this exchange for eternal life is that we confess, believe, and surrender ourselves to follow Jesus. It was a gift freely given to us by God because of His love for us. Jesus gives us new purpose, identity, and eternal destiny. Ultimately, everything about our lives changes once we are saved. If we have truly confessed and believed in Christ, there is also a commitment to surrendering our lives, made by the believer, to embrace and follow their newfound faith. I call this C.B.S.

C - Confess - your sin (repentance) and acknowledge Jesus as your Lord. (Mark 1:15, 1 John 1:9, Romans 10:9) 
B - Believe - that God raised Jesus from the dead. (John 1:12, John 3:16, Romans 10:11)
S - Surrender - is making Jesus Lord of your life permanently. (Romans 12:1-2, Luke 9:23-24, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 2:6)

Salvation occurs when we confess our sins, believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection, and surrender our lives fully to Him.
 
Colossians 1:21-22  Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

When should a person be baptized?
As soon as a person trusts Christ, he or she should be baptized. In the Scriptures, baptism is completed fairly quickly. I would encourage you to talk with your pastor or mentor this week about it–don't wait. This pattern of somewhat immediate baptism should be emulated. (Acts 22:16)

What does water baptism symbolize?

• The death & resurrection of Jesus. (Romans 6:3-5)
• The new life in which a Christ follower now walks. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• Cleansing and washing away of sin. (Acts 22:16)
• It’s a public step of obedience. (Acts 10:47-48)

Through Jesus's example, we see a few things.

• Jesus taught water baptism.(Matthew 28:19-20)
• Jesus was water baptized. (Matthew 3:5-15)

Additional Thoughts On Baptism...

1. Baptism is the first step of obedience to salvation, not a substitution for salvation.
Salvation comes through confession and belief in what Jesus Christ did for us (Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10). Once genuine confession and belief in Christ occur, that leads us to the next step of obedience, which is baptism (Matthew 28:19).

2. I was baptized as an infant or as a young child. Am I already saved?
Salvation can only occur when a person is able to acknowledge and understand their sins and recognize what Jesus did on the cross (Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). As you mature and grow in your understanding of right and wrong (sin), you will also come to understand who Christ is and what He has done. At that time, you must make a personal decision about sin and the person of Jesus. Therefore, being baptized as an infant or young child does not substitute for genuine salvation in your life. I think it is also important to note, for those with mental disabilities or for young children, the Lord knows their limited capacity for understanding. Because God is a just God (Deuteronomy 32:4), Christians believe that such individuals inherit the kingdom of God.

Baptism Explained:
Baptism is a public and symbolic gesture showing that you have accepted Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord & Savior (1 Peter 3:21). Going under the water represents you dying to your old life (Romans 6:3-4). Being raised out of the water represents a new birth (spiritual birth), and you are now raised to a new life with Christ. Not only does Jesus command us to baptize during the great commission in Matthew 28:19-20, but Jesus Himself was baptized as a model for us to follow.

Question: 
Have you been baptized?
If you haven't, I would encourage you to get with a pastor or spiritual mentor to discuss how.