Introduction
When a baby is born, an absolute miracle occurs. No matter how much we might understand the biology of the event, it is still somehow beyond belief – especially to the parents. But for the baby, too, its new life is beyond belief.
At birth, babies understand nothing of what has happened, nor its implications. They know something has happened, for their environment has changed; but they understand nothing of what family is, what a privilege it is to have loving parents, what brothers and sisters are, what a home is. Only as they begin to grow up will these things become clear.
Becoming a Christian is pretty much the same. When we are born again into God’s family through our faith in Jesus, few of us understand the full implications of what has happened, or the privileges and responsibilities that are coming our way. All we know is: something new has started!
Paul, one of the main leaders in the early church, summed it up like this:
Read:
2 Corinthians 5 v17
What do you think Paul meant by “the old” and “the new”
If we have put our trust in Jesus, a completely new life has begun for us.
But, how can we be sure? How do I know that this is not just my imagination or wishful thinking? How do I know I will not lose my experience, or that God will not change his mind?
Well, the Bible tells us that we can be absolutely sure about our new relationship with God – after all, no good father would want his kids to live with uncertainty! The reason for this assurance, however, has absolutely nothing to do with us. It has everything to do with Jesus – and in particular with:
- who he was
- what he did
- what he promised
- whom he sent
It is these four aspects that we will be exploring more in this booklet. You will also need a Bible. But don’t worry if you are not familiar with the Bible, as you can use the index page at the front of it – or ask a friend to read with you, and help you find things.
© Oxfordshire Community Churches 1999