Did you ever doubt your actions? Probably so. Most of us have. Did you ever make up your mind to do something and then afterward think to yourself, "I wonder if I have done the right thing?" Perhaps you have wondered this same thing about your becoming a Christian. Rest assured, you have done the only thing that a right thinking person could do! You became obedient to the God of Heaven who created you and loves you and wants you to live with Him forever.
It is natural for some doubts to come into our minds. Do not be afraid of them but know that the devil will do all he can to cause you to fall back and stop following Jesus as your Master. Peter tells us, "Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world" (1 Peter 5:8-9). Some people allow the devil to devour them. Perhaps you may know of one who became a Christian as you did but then fell away and stopped believing or worshipping with you. The case for them will be worse at the judgment than before they became a Christian. Hear the word of God: "For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first. For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them. It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire" (2 Peter 2:20-22).
The writer of Hebrews tells us, "For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame" (Hebrews 6:4-6).
This is why it is so important that we be careful not to fall away from the truth, for then, we will be lost! Rather, let us do as we learn from God's word: "Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord: looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God" (Hebrews 12:14-15).
We as Christians must be very careful how we live. The devil is lurking in all places waiting to catch us. He will use our weaknesses to convince others that the Christian life is not worth living. Paul said that the devil sets a snare and takes us captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26). We must not allow this to happen! Here is another way the devil will try to trap us in sin: "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:26-27).
Some of Satan's best devices are our old habits. They are sometimes very hard to break but it can be done. Many times we end up doing the same kinds of things that we did before we became Christians. This is not good. We must battle against such. Paul calls it "fighting the good fight of the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). Here, then, is good news: "Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). We have God's word that the devil can do nothing against us unless we allow it!
It is a matter of fact which we all must face. No person, not even a Christian, is perfect. We will still make mistakes and sin. We as Christians have something that the world around us does not—we have the blood of Christ ready to continue to cleanse us and make us whole in God's sight. This is the confidence the apostle John gives us. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). But what about when we sin? Hear John again, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Take warning, however. We cannot deceive God into thinking that we sinned by mistake if we planned to sin, and then ask His forgiveness! We are only fooling ourselves when we think that we can do as we please and then try to make up for it by asking God to forgive us. Paul said, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). We learn from the book of Hebrews, "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins" (Hebrews 10:26). Please do not give in to this backward pull. "But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
Finally, this backward pull is very strong especially in new Christians. They are yet babes. They have not yet gained much strength from God's word. "For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil" (Hebrews 5:13-14). Do not give up. You can make it with God's help, His word, encouragement from us, and your local brethren. Although it may be very difficult at times, Paul said, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
God will take care of us, but we must also do our part by "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). When bad thoughts come into our minds, take hold of them and get rid of them. We can take them captive to the obedience of Christ. This takes work and practice.
This is why we can know that we can endure. "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39).
Now, study the lesson sheet and answer the questions. God bless you as you continue to grow as a Christian, separate from worldly things. In the words of Paul, so we say to you: "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, act like men, be strong" (1 Corinthians 16:13).