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Of all the life changes and milestone events that we experience in life, the most significant one is our eternal salvation through faith in Christ, which ushers in an entirely new beginning in life. Jesus taught that “unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
The first step to salvation is recognizing our need of a Savior from our sins and believing that Jesus died on the cross for our eternal salvation. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This passage continues: “As the Scriptures say: ‘There is no one who always does what is right, not even one’” (Romans 3:10). By making an intentional decision to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, acknowledging His death on the cross for the forgiveness of your sin, you become a child of God and He is your heavenly Father. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
When we make the decision to receive Christ, we experience a spiritual rebirth, what Jesus referred to as being “born of the Spirit” or “born again” (John 3:3–8). The Apostle Paul spoke of this as the beginning of a whole new creation: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” where “old things have passed away and all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus’ entrance into your life not only renews and purifies and regenerates your spirit, but it also renews your mind, literally breaking old connections and reflexes, and gradually rebuilding it and rewiring it with a different outlook on life, a new way of looking at the world, and with new reactions to nearly everything around you (Romans 12:2).
The Bible also calls it “putting off the old self” and former way of life and “putting on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22–24). Once we invite Jesus into our hearts and lives, God’s Holy Spirit works to transform us, and will ultimately change our way of thinking and our outlook on life. It often results in such a remarkable transformation and personality change that God’s Word likens it to the death and burial of the old life and a resurrection to an entirely new life and way of living (Romans 6:3–11). “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4).
God’s Spirit works in this transformation process throughout our lives, as we grow in our faith and commit our lives and will to Him. As Jesus taught in “the Parable of the Sower,” receiving the truth of God’s Word is like the planting of a seed, and it takes time for that seed of truth in your heart to grow into a full, mature Christian life (Mark 4:3–20). Jesus explained that the seed which was received into good ground represents those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and bring forth fruit (good deeds and changes in their lives) by persevering (Luke 8:15).
Believers will still have problems and make mistakes, as we all do; no one is perfect. Not even the Apostle Paul counted himself to have become a sinless saint or to have reached his goal of knowing Christ fully and becoming like Him. He said, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected … but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12–14). Like the Apostle Paul, none of us are or can be perfect Christians, but “this one thing” we can do. We can be faithful to follow Him as best we can and keep persevering in the good fight of faith to continue advancing and making progress.
Growing in faith
God’s Word compares His children who delight in His Word and teachings to a tree planted by rivers of water (Psalm 1:1–3), and like any healthy tree, it takes time to grow strong and sturdy Christian roots. The deeper our roots are embedded in the rich soil of God’s Word, the stronger and more fruitful the tree will grow. To grow and strengthen our faith, it is important that we make it a priority to keep ourselves rooted and grounded in His Word, so that we can bring forth the fruit that God intends us to.
In Colossians 2:6–7 we are told, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Just as a tree draws its nutrients and very life from the soil, so we must draw life and spiritual strength from our times of communion with God in prayer and worship and through studying the Word of God. The way to grow strong in our faith and bear fruit is by sinking the roots of our lives deep into the truth of God’s Word and drawing our spiritual nourishment from it by prayerfully reading, studying, and absorbing it.
Jesus taught His disciples, “If you abide in My Word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32). And as we seek to place God at the center of our lives, we will bear the fruits of His Spirit more and more, which are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). As these fruits are manifested in our lives, God will work through us to share His love and truth with others around us, granting them the opportunity to receive His gift of salvation.
The Bible is God’s personal Word to each of us. In it we learn about who God is and what His will and purpose are for us as His creations, and the meaning of life and why truth matters. We find answers to the deep questions of life, and strength, guidance and hope for every problem we face. The Bible says that “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Faith is something that is built by faithful study of God’s Word. As you commit to reading the Bible daily, you will grow in your relationship with God and your understanding of His plan for humankind and His purposes for your life.
Holy Spirit power
Shortly before His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus promised His disciples that He would send them a helper and an advocate, the Holy Spirit, to strengthen, empower, lead and guide them in their walk with Him. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. … He will guide you into all truth” (John 14:26; 16:13).
We cannot do God’s work and live lives that please Him without God’s power. Jesus said, “You will receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8). This is an important purpose of this power: for witnessing (telling others about Jesus). In Acts 4, we read that the followers of Jesus “were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). When the first disciples received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, not only did they experience miraculous manifestations of gifts of the Holy Spirit, but these resulted in the salvation of 3,000 souls (Acts 2:36–41).
The Bible teaches us to not neglect the gifts of the Spirit God gives us (1 Timothy 4:14) but rather to “earnestly desire the greater gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:31). Many of these gifts are listed in Paul’s Epistles and include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving and leading (1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Romans 12:6–8). These are all gifts from a loving heavenly Father to His children to enable them to serve Him and others and to build up His church (1 Corinthians 14:12).
Changing the world with God’s love
God has called each of His children to share the good news of His love and truth with others, to sow the seed, and to be a faithful witness for Him. Jesus told His disciples to “preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15), and we are called to do the same. For “the harvest (of souls searching for eternal truth and salvation) truly is plenteous, but the laborers (those who will gather them in) are few” (Matthew 9:37). The Book of Acts in the Bible is full of accounts of how the early Christians shared their faith with others and led many to faith in Christ, which resulted in change in the world of their day.
Jesus said of His followers, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” He went on to issue the call to all who believe in Him to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16). Christians throughout time have changed the world of their day through their good works and through their witness, leading people to salvation and faith in Christ.
But perhaps you are tempted to think, “Who am I? What can I do to make a difference? It all seems so hopeless and impossible. It looks like there’s nothing that one person can do to change things for the better, so what’s the use of trying?” Although we may not be able to change the whole world, we can each do our part to change our part of the world. You will find that there are many people your path crosses with each day who are seeking for answers to the big questions of life, and for truth, purpose, and love.
Every life is bound to affect others. No man is an island, and every person influences someone else. “For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone” (Romans 14:7).
When you have committed your life to God on His altar of sacrifice and asked Him to take it, He will work in and through your life for His glory as much as you will let Him. (See Romans 12:1.) You are His beloved child, and He loves you, and His desire is to use you in His loving service for others. He promises to supply everything that we need to do so—strength, power, wisdom, life, and love (Philippians 4:19).
If you’re willing to become what God wants you to be, He can and will use you to make a difference in the world around you and to bring His message of love, truth, and salvation to others. “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). May God bless you in your new life in Christ!
Published on Anchor August 2026. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.
