Whether you’ve just trusted in Jesus Christ, or have known him for a while but are looking to learn more, here are some suggestions and resources to aid you.
What Jesus Did
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a wonderful thing. Jesus is God the Son, who came down to earth and was born as a man. He grew up being tempted in every way that we are, but never sinned. He preached the word of God his Father, but was put to death on the cross. But after three days, Jesus rose to life again, and was seen of hundreds of witnesses before ascending back to his Father in heaven. The Bible tells us that when Jesus died, he was the perfect, sinless sacrifice that was necessary to take away our sins. We can now receive the free gift of God’s righteousness when we believe on Jesus and what he did for us. God is just, and one day he will have to judge each one of us, giving us either eternal damnation or eternal glory. All of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but Jesus his Son took our sin upon himself, so that we could have his righteousness. He took the penalty that we deserved, so that we could partake of the reward that he deserves!
The Bible calls us to believe this, and come to God trusting in the work of Christ to save us, and not any work that we have done. When we do, God sends his Spirit into us and we are spiritually born again. That means that we are re-made from the inside out, and become new creatures in Christ. We are made members of Christ and his body, partakers of his righteousness and reward, freed from the guilt and punishment for our sin. The Bible tells us that because we are in Christ, we are even freed from the power of sin to control us. When we are tempted, we can now say that just as Christ died and rose again, we, as partakers with him, are dead to sin but made alive unto God by his power, to walk in newness of life.
What Jesus Said
By far the most important thing you can do to learn more about Jesus and what he did for us is to read God’s word, the Bible. In the Bible, God speaks to mankind telling us about who we are, who he is, and how he sent Jesus Christ his Son to save us. There are many translations of the Bible into English, but most of them have been changed by men who didn’t like what God said. If you want to read God’s unaltered words, then read the King James Version (KJV). You can find it in print just about anywhere, and there are also many Bible apps you can use to read or listen to it on your smartphone. The gospel of John is a great place to begin reading.
This comic book version of the Bible available online is also a great way for all ages to learn about who God is and what he has done.
Teaching and Fellowship
The Bible encourages those who know the scriptures to teach others. Find other believers in your area to meet with so that you can be taught in the word, receive encouragement, and study the scriptures together with others. But be wary of those who call themselves by the name of Christ, but don’t believe that he is the Son of God whose death fully saves us—Jesus warned us that not all who call themselves Christians are truly believers. Look for others who believe the true gospel, and rest on the Bible alone as the foundation of their faith.
You can also find some good Bible teaching online. This YouTube channel is one example. The series of videos teaching through the book of Romans is a great one to start with.
If you have questions you can also contact me anytime. I’d love to hear from you!