What a joy it is to see folks obey the gospel. I love to hear the good confession made (Acts 8:36,37). I rejoice in the fact that when the person who submits to the Lord is raised from the watery grave of baptism all of his sins are washed away (Acts 22:16). The words of one of my favorite hymns rings out so true, "O happy day, O happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away." Faith is the beginning of the new birth (Heb. 11:6), baptism is its culmination. Faith is like the starting line of a race, whereas baptism is like the finished line. Baptism may be the final action in regard to when a person becomes a child of God; however, it is not the end of the Christian life. It represents the end of the old and the beginning of the new (Rom. 6:3,4). Therefore, every individual who has obeyed the gospel needs to understand some things about this new life after baptism. For instance, Every Christian needs to understand…

1. I am now a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). I am no longer to live as I did before I was immersed into the Lord. I am to be different (Titus 2:11-14; 2 Cor. 6:9-11). My priorities will change (Col. 3:1-4). My outlook will change (Phil. 4:13; Rom. 8:31). No longer do I live for "Me" but for Christ (Gal. 2:20).
2. I am to be diligent as a servant of Christ (2 Tim. 2:15). I am to pray (Luke 18:1). I am to serve (Rom. 12:11). I am to mature in the faith (2 Peter 3:18). I am to worship (Jn. 4:24). I am glorify God in all things (1 Cor. 10:31; Mt. 5:16). I am always to be abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58).
3. I am to love God and my fellow man because of Christ (Mk. 12:30,31; John 13:34,35). If I am living the kind of life God would have me to live, I will be a daily demonstrator of love to all I meet (1 Cor. 16:14). I will demonstrate love through the use of proper speech (Eph. 4:29; 2 Tim. 4:2). I will demonstrate love through seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10). I will demonstrate an attitude of gentleness, meekness, long-suffering and kindness (Gal. 5:22,23; Eph. 4:1,2). What will my motivation for all of this? The love of God which is in Christ Jesus will compel me to possess such an attitude (Romans 8:39; 2 Cor. 5:14,15).

Every Christian needs to understand that as a soldier in the Lord’s army, he must be totally committed to the cause of Christ (2 Tim. 2:1-4). He must understand that his entire life must be tied up in Christ and in the will of God (Mt. 6:33). These are the things that every Christian needs to understand, for, without this understanding, we will never be what God desires us to be. Understand?