guide

A Guide for New Christians

Content gathered from:Way of the Master Radio – www.wayofthemasterradio.com

Fish with Trish – www.fishwithtrish.comGrowing in God with Candace - www.candacecameronbure.net

Change Collegian Network – www.changeyourcampus.orgKirk Cameron’s autobiography Still Growing – www.kirkcameron.com

There is nothing more incredible than being born again. If you have been redeemed, Jesus Christ, the God-man, has purchased you with his own precious blood; your sin has been atoned for, and you have been adopted by God as his own child.

Assurance of Salvation

As a new professing Christian, the very first thing we want to do is make sure you have assurance of salvation.

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” - 2 Corinthians 13:5

The way to get “assurance” of salvation is to obey this scripture by examining yourself to be certain you are “in the faith.” To do this you start with the Holy Law of God—The Ten Commandments. Here are just a few:

9th – “You shall not lie.” But isn’t it true that over the course of our lives we’ve told hundreds, if not thousands of lies?

8th – “You shall not steal.”There again, who of us can say we’ve never taken something that belonged to someone else. We may not have robbed a bank, but even taking something small counts as theft.

3rd – “You shall not take the name of God in vain.”How many times have we blasphemed the name of God by tossing off, “Oh my G-d!” or using the name of “Jesus” as if it were a curse word?

6th – “You shall not murder.”Most of us think we’re safe with this one, however God’s standard of goodness is so much higher than ours. God’s word says that, “He who hates his brother is a murderer,” 1 John 3:15. To God, who knows the thoughts and intents of your heart, the sin of hatred is equal to the sin of murder.

7th – “You shall not commit adultery.”Jesus said, “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart,” Matthew 5:28. God is so Holy that He considers sexual fantasizing to be so sinful it is equal to physically committing adultery.

In the light of the Law of God we see ourselves the way God will see us on Judgment Day. This is important because the culture we live in teaches us to think of ourselves as good people who are probably good enough to make it into Heaven. This cultural teaching also makes it hard to understand the Biblical concept of Hell. People end up thinking, “Why would God send anyone to Hell? We’re all basically good people… it doesn’t make sense.”

But by looking at the Ten Commandments we begin to get an understanding of the depth of God’s Holiness, and the severity of our sins. All our secret sins stand open before Him. On the Day of Judgment we will stand before God as liars, thieves, blasphemers, murderers-at-heart and adulterers-at-heart. Most people living in our culture today don’t realize that God is actually angry about this. The Bible calls God’s anger “wrath.”

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.” (John 3:36)

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” (Romans 1:18)

“But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:5)

Jesus spent much of his time on earth warning people that the place where God’s wrath is poured out for all eternity is Hell. Hell isn’t an imaginary place, notice what Jesus says:

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

“And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of Hell.” (Matthew 18:9)

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All that bad news leads us up to the most incredible piece of good news: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) This is God’s amazing grace.

So how do you get Jesus’ death on the cross to pay for your sins? Repentance and faith. Repentance means that you admit your sins to God, feel sorrow for them, and turn away from them. Faith means you put your full trust in Jesus as your Savior (the one who saves you from Hell) and Lord (you make him the Master over your life).

When you do this God wipes out all record of your sin; Jesus’ sacrifice pays for it all. Then you appear before God as his adopted child, as sinless as if you were Christ—his righteousness applied to your account. God changes your inner being, giving you a new heart with new desires and sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in you (this is called being “born again”).

If you have any reason to doubt your salvation, repent now and place your faith in Jesus Christ alone. Assurance of salvation is a miracle of God and it is reserved for the child of God. For more information on this see Appendix D - Salvation.

Now we will embark on some simple principles that will get your new life as a Christian off to the right start.

1. Read the Bible everyday.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16).

The way God speaks to us is through the Bible. You get to know who God is, what He likes and dislikes, and what his goals for your life are by reading the Bible.

You should think of the Bible as food for your spiritual life. And just as you need to eat every day, you need to take in nourishment for your spirit every day. Don’t skip a day here and there—read every day.

We recommend that you start reading the Bible in the book called John. It may sound silly to mention, but there is a table of contents in the front of virtually every Bible, and many new believers don’t know that. Use that table to find the book of John and start reading there. After you’ve finished John, we suggest you read the book called Romans. In John, you will get to know God intimately… and in the book of Romans, you will learn more about the Christian life.

No doubt you will have questions about what you read, and the place to get those questions answered is in a Bible-based church. We will discuss this more in number five.

For more on the subject of Bibles, such as recommended Bibles, see: Appendix A. Bibles

2. Talk to God everyday.


To some people prayer comes quite naturally. Immediately after being saved they talk to God as if they were talking to an old friend. However, to others it can feel unnatural at first, talking to Someone who is not talking back to you—a little like a one-sided conversation on a cell phone that’s gone out of range. But regardless of how comfortable you feel, keep at it.

What should you say when you pray? Jesus’ disciples asked him this very question, and his answer to them has unfortunately become a memorized sing-song “prayer” when it should be understood as a set of principles.

“Our Father in Heaven” – In your prayers, address God as your Father. This is the great privilege you now have as an adopted child of God.

“Hallowed be your Name” – Hallowed means “Holy.” Give God praise for His Holiness.

“Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven” – Tell God that you want his will for your life, not your own will. Tell him you will submit to whatever he wants for you.

“Give us this day our daily bread” – Tell God about the things you need. Ask him to provide.

“Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us” – Ask God for forgiveness for specific sins you’ve committed. Then tell him about people who have sinned against you, and commit to him that you are forgiving them.

“Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil.” – Tell God about specific temptations you’re having problems with and ask him to protect you from falling into sin.

“For yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever, Amen.” – Give God praise.

In Save Yourself Some Pain, Ray Comfort gives the following guidelines on how you can make sure God is hearing your prayers:

1.) Pray with faith (Hebrews 11:6).2.) Pray with clean hands and a pure heart (Psalm 24:3-4).3.) Pray genuine heart-felt prayers, rather than vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7).4.) Make sure that you are praying to the God revealed in the Holy Scriptures (Exodus 20:3-6).

And be aware that if you are involved in impenitent sin, God will not hear your prayers (Psalm 66:18). So cultivate a tender conscience before God, and admit to him your failings.

3. Share Your Faith.

If you’ve truly been saved, this may be the easiest thing on this list. Your excitement and love for Christ is probably bubbling over so strongly that a harder task might be


to get you to stop sharing your faith! Charles Spurgeon said, "Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that."

And the reason for that is clear. We are like scientists who have discovered a cure for cancer. Jesus is the “cure” for the “cancer” of sin. The world is dying daily without knowing that cure, and most of these people will spend eternity under God’s just wrath in Hell. But we, as Christians, know the “cure”—Jesus! How can we sit idly by and not tell them.

Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).

So how should you share your faith? The simple answer is biblically. And the easiest way to illustrate how that is done, is to point you to Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron at the WayoftheMaster.com.

One final sobering remark regarding sharing your faith with your family and loved ones is copied here from Ray Comfort’s Save Yourself Some Pain:

You probably have a limited amount of time after your conversion to impact your unsaved friends and family with the Gospel. After the initial shock of your conversion, they will put you in a neat little ribbon-tied box, and keep you at arm's length. So it's important that you take advantage of the short time you have while you still have their ears.

Here's some advice that will save you a great deal of grief. As a new Christian, I did almost irreparable damage by acting like a wild bull in a crystal showroom. I bullied my mom, my dad, and many of my friends into making a "decision for Christ". I was sincere, zealous, loving, kind, and stupid. I didn't understand that salvation doesn't come through making a "decision," but through repentance, and repentance is God-given (see 2 Timothy 2:25). The Bible teaches that no one can come to the Son unless God "draws" him. If you are able to get a “decision” but they have no conviction of sin, you will almost certainly end up with a still-born on your hands.

In my "zeal without knowledge" I actually inoculated the very ones I was so desperately trying to reach. There is nothing more important to you than the salvation of your loved ones, and you don't want to blow it. If you do, you may find that you don't have a second chance. Fervently pray for them. Let them see your faith. Let them feel your kindness, your genuine love, and your gentleness. Buy gifts for no reason. Do chores when you are not asked to. Go the extra mile. Put yourself in their position. You know that you have found everlasting life. Death has lost its sting! Your joy is unspeakable -- but as far as they are concerned, you have been brain-washed. You have become part of a weird sect. So your loving actions will speak more loudly than ten thousand eloquent sermons.

It is because of these thoughts that you should hold back from verbal confrontation until you have knowledge that will guide your zeal. Pray for wisdom and for a sensitivity to God's timing. You may have only one shot, so make it count. Keep your cool. If you don't, you may end up with a lifetime of regret. Believe me. It is better to hear a loved one or a close friend say, "Tell


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me about your faith in Jesus Christ," rather than you saying, "Sit down. I want to talk to you."

4. Separate Yourself from the Sinful Things You Used to Do.

If you know God wouldn’t like it, take the quickest and most honest way out. God will provide you with a way out of sin. Since becoming a believer, your conscience is empowered by the Holy Spirit. This means it should be more sensitive to sin than ever before. Listen to your conscience and obey it.

Jesus cannot be your Savior unless he is also your Lord. This means that if your conversion is genuine, you will exhibit growth in holiness as evidence that you have indeed made Jesus the Master over your life.

“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)

5. Find a Bible-believing Church.

Next to reading the Bible, the church that you connect yourself with will have the greatest bearing on how much you grow in your spiritual walk with God. Those who think they can do just fine without becoming a part of a church are sadly mistaken.

Within a church several spiritual needs are met. In the book of Acts, chapter 2, verse 42 (usually abbreviated as “Acts 2:42”) it tells us at least four of those, “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

The first spiritual need that is met within a Bible-believing church, is that of “the apostles’ teaching,” that is to say, the teaching of God’s Word. A good church will teach God’s word faithfully, and there’s nothing more vital to your spiritual growth.

The second is that of “the fellowship.” Fellowship is the sharing of your Christian life with other believers. This means making friendships with people who share your new life goal of an ever deepening love for Jesus and obedience to his commands.

The third is the “breaking of bread.” This is partaking in “The Lord’s Supper” (sometimes called “Communion”). It is a symbolic meal by which we “proclaim the Lord's death until he comes,” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

And fourth is “prayer.” The Bible tells us to, “pray for each other” and that “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective,” (James 5:16). We have an incredible privilege in bringing our requests before the throne of God corporately.

Other things included under the umbrella of the church are baptism (which is a public ceremony by which you proclaim your new birth in Christ) and discipleship (which is making a student/teacher/accountability relationship with someone older in the faith whom you trust and who cares deeply about your spiritual growth).


So find and attend a good Bible-believing church regularly, and make friends with those who love the Lord. Read Hebrews 10:25 on the importance of being regularly in fellowship.

For more on the subject of Churches, such as how to choose a church, see: Appendix B. Churches


Appendix: A. Bibles

The most important book you will read for the rest of your life will be God’s word, the Bible. The Bible is our final authority for all faith and practice. The Bible is: (1.) is inspired—meaning it was written through the direct inspiration of God, (2.) is infallible—meaning that it makes no false or misleading statements, and (3.) inerrant—meaning that it is entirely without errors in it’s original manuscripts.

If you go to a Christian bookstore to find a Bible, you can quickly be overwhelmed by the number of choices. We hope to help simplify some things for you below.

TranslationsThe Bible was written primarily in Hebrew and Greek, and unless you speak those languages, you are going to need a Bible that has been translated for you into English. This is what is meant by “translation” or “version.” There are many translations available—however not all of them are created equal. Until you’re more established in your Christian walk, we suggest you choose from one of the translations listed below.

The King James Version (KJV) — Translated into English in 1611 by 47 translators. It has been the most reliable translation for over three centuries. It is written in an Elizabethan style Old English and is a good translation for those who can deal with the language.

The New American Standard Bible (NASB) — Translated into English in 1971 by 58 scholars of the Lockman Foundation. Although somewhat academic and a bit “wooden” in tone, it is said to be the best word-for-word English translation available. A very good version.

The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) — Translated into English in 2004 by a 90 member interdenominational translation team through the Southern Baptist publishing house Lifeway. The HCSB attempts to be more readable than the NASB but more literal than the NIV.


The New International Version (NIV) — Over 100 translators completed this work in 1978. Its English feels a little more natural than that of the NASB. It was translated with a thought-for-thought methodology. In general it is a good, easy to read version… but should probably be checked against others during deep Bible studies.

The New King James Version (NKJV) — 130 translators, commissioned by Thomas Nelson Publishers, produced this version in 1982. This is a revision of the King James version, updated to modern English with a retention of traditional phraseology. This is a very good version.

The Good News Translation (GNT) — Translated into English in 1966, this simplified version is good for those who may struggle with reading, or those for whom English is a second language. (This version has formerly gone by three other titles: The Good News Bible, Today’s English Version, and Good News for Modern Man.)

“Study” BiblesA “study” Bible includes helps in addition to the translated scriptures such as: textual study notes, a concordance, book outlines, book introductions, cross references, maps, illustrations and charts. Some study Bibles are available in only one translation, others are available in several translations. Here are a few that we recommend:

MacArthur Study Bible — (Available in NKJV and NASB) — With study notes written by Dr. John MacArthur, this one does a thorough job of explaining the historical context, unfolding the meaning of the text, and placing it within a theological framework. The research is thorough, well-informed and fully trustworthy. Kirk Cameron highly recommends this study Bible in the appendix of his autobiography, Still Growing.

Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible — (Available in KJV, NIV, NASB) — A unique reference system allows you to follow any subject, person, place or idea, from the beginning of your Bible to the end. These marginal references link Scriptures to over 4000 subjects. Also includes a fair sized concordance, archeological notes and other topical studies.

The Evidence Bible — (Available in KJV) — Filled with excellent apologetic tools and insights to help Christians reason with those who need to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. One of the best resources available in the Christian market to date.


Appendix B. Churches

You may be asking how you can find a Bible-believing church. Here are some guidelines adapted from Change Collegian Network at www.changeyourcampus.net.

Where NOT to go…DO NOT attend a Jehovah’s Witness gathering place (called a “Kingdom Hall”) or a Mormon gathering place (called “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”). Neither the Mormons nor the Jehovah’s Witnesses hold to the basic tenets of the Christian faith and are therefore considered “cults.”

ALSO DO NOT attend an International Church of Christ (sometimes called I.C.C. or the Boston church movement). They have an extreme discipleship structure which is so controlling they have become classified as a “cult.”

To learn more about what the basic tenets of the Christian faith are, as well as why some groups are classified as cults, visit www.carm.org.

How to find a good Church…1. Consider visiting the church of the individual who cared enough to tell you about Christ. If someone lead you to Christ, that means he/she cares about you. You want to attend a place where people truly care, and are not apathetic about their relationship with Christ or others. Consider joining him or her for fellowship one day.

2. Make sure the church teaches from the Bible and holds the Bible as the final authority. If the church holds any other literature, philosophy, or person as equal to, or above the Bible, then that is a sign the church is not a solid Christian church. The church you attend should highly esteem the Bible as the ultimate source of God’s Truth and believe what it says.

3. The church must believe the basic tenets of the Christian faith. The church should believe that Jesus was not only the Son of God, but also God manifested in the flesh, who died on the cross for our sins and rose again in the flesh. Entrance into Heaven is based on faith in those truths and repentance (turning away from sin). It is not


based on you doing “good deeds” to work your way to Heaven. It is the free gift of God.

4. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you. Remember that God wants to help you make the right decisions in life and He already has a place for you to attend, but you have to allow Him to lead you to it. This means you have to have to be prayerful and ask God to help you make the right choice.

Seven Questions You can Ask…These seven questions could be asked of a pastor over the phone to help you narrow down your church choices more quickly. (This was adapted from 25 questions in “How to find a Good Church” written by Todd Friel of www.wayofthemasterradio.com.)

Simply call up a promising church and ask to speak to the pastor. Once you have him on the phone, introduce yourself and tell him you’d like to ask a few questions. You could say something like this:

“Thank you for taking the time to talk to me for a few minutes. I am looking for a church in the area, and so I’m calling some churches up today and asking them all the same seven questions. Would that be alright?”

1. “What is man's biggest problem?”Seeker sensitive and felt-needs churches (the ones you want to stay away from) focus on man’s hurts, self-esteem and felt needs. The Bible says that man’s biggest problem is sin and the way it separates us from God and dooms us to Hell.

2. “What must a man do to inherit eternal life?” “Repent of sin and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation” is the Biblical answer. If the pastor never uses the word “repent” in his answer, or if he adds other things to this formula, that’s not the church for you.

3. “Do you believe the Bible contains no errors and no contradictions?”The answer should be quick and firm—absolutely no errors, and no contradictions. Allow for no equivocation here.

4. “Do you believe in a literal 6 day creation?”The answer should be “yes.” Jesus did (Matt.19:4).

5. “Do you believe in a literal hell and eternal punishment?”The answer should be “yes.” Jesus did (Matt.25).

6. “What is your mixture of topical vs. expository preaching?”Balance is key here. Topical preaching is fine, but if a pastor never or only rarely preaches expositionally (verse by verse), then you are going to be learning primarily from the pastor and not God’s Word.

7. “Do your sermons emphasize theology or are they relevant?”In a way this is a “trick” question, because every pastor should feel that their sermons are relevant. What you are looking for is a clear statement that they do emphasize theology from the pulpit. If they overemphasise the “relevant” side of this in their answer, and shy away from saying anything about theology, then this may be a sign that they are more interested in pleasing people than teaching hard truths.


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Appendix C. Recommended Books

These are the books recommended by Kirk Cameron in the back of his autobiography Still Growing.

Recommended Books on the Existence of GodComfort, Ray. God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists: Proof that the Atheist Does Not Exist.

D’Souza, Dinesh. What’s So Great About Christianity?

Geisler, Norman L., and Frank Turek. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist.

Strobel, Lee. The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence that Points Toward God.

Recommended Books on True ChristianityAlcorn, Randy. Heaven.

Alcorn, Randy. Money, Possessions and Eternity.

Alcorn, Randy. Safely Home.

Comfort, Ray. The Way of the Master.

MacArthur, John. Hard to Believe: The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus.

Mahaney, C.J. The Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing.

Meade, Matthew. The Almost Christian Discovered.


Recommended Classics Every Christian Should ReadBunyan, John. The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Foxe, John. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.

Spurgeon, Charles. Lectures to My Students.

Spurgeon, Charles. Morning and Evening.

Spurgeon, Charles. The Soul Winner.

Tozer, A.W. The Pursuit of God.


Appendix D. Salvation

How can I know whether or not I’ve been genuinely saved?By far the most terrifying passage in the Bible describes a group of “many” people on Judgment Day who will stand before the Son of God—calling him “Lord” and proclaiming their good deeds—only to have Jesus reply to them, “Depart from me, I never knew you,” (Matthew 7:21-23).

The clear teaching is that there are many people who consider themselves to be Christians right up to the moment they face Jesus in judgment.

How can we avoid such a horror? The Bible says that we need to examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).

One way to do that is to read the book of 1st John in the New Testament. That book was given to us with the express purpose of getting us to a point where we can “know” we have eternal life (1 John 5:13). If you’d like a little extra insight as you read it please listen online to an excellent sermon called “Are You Really a Christian?” by Todd Friel of the Way of the Master Radio (www.WayoftheMasterRADIO.com).

In the meantime, check yourself against these five evidences salvation. (These were adapted from “Proofs of a Genuine Work of Salvation” by Trisha Ramos, www.FishWithTrish.com.)

Do you presently believe in God and claim Jesus as your Master and Savior?Do not depend on something you did years ago (praying a prayer, signing a card, walking down an isle at church) as proof that you are saved. If you have genuinely been born again your belief will be currently present, not simply something you did at one time in the past.

Is there a habitual impenitent sin in your life?A true Christian will not habitually (over-and-over again) and impenitently (without remorse) practice a lifestyle of sin (1 John 1:5-10). This does not mean that true Christians are sinless, nor does it mean that if you struggle against sin that is


somehow a sign that you’re not a Christian—quite the opposite. Those who have been genuinely saved have an acute awareness of their own sin… and they hate it.

Do you actively pursue holiness and godliness?A genuine Christian desires to please God. Seeking to rid one’s self of carnal (worldly or fleshly) desires, rejecting one’s old lifestyle of sin, having a hunger to read God’s word and be the “good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) that is described in the Scriptures… these are all good signs that you have been given a new heart with new desires (Ezekiel 36:26).

Are you growing spiritually?The life of a believer should be evidenced by growth in what the Bible calls the “fruit” of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26). This means you should be more loving, grace-filled, patient, kind, gentle, and self-controlled than you were before you became a Christian (John 15:2; 2 Peter 3:18). Just as a living plant naturally grows and produces fruit, the natural growth in the life of someone who has been born again will produce Spiritual fruit. Fruit doesn’t save anyone, it is an evidence of life in Christ. If you have no observable growth, you may not be born again.

Do you have the REAL Jesus Christ?Martin Luther once said, “If you have the wrong god in the end you meet the Devil.” The point is simple: there is no salvation unless you are worshiping the real Jesus Christ of the Holy Spirit inspired Scriptures.

In contrast, the so-called “jesus” of Mormonism (whom they claim is the brother of Satan) cannot save even the most sincere Mormon—because that “jesus” is the figment of the imagination of Mormonism’s founder, Joseph Smith. Likewise, the so-called “jesus” of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (whom they claim is a creation of God similar to an angel) also does not exist. These imaginary “jesuses” cannot provide salvation any more than if one were to think up a “jesus” who is an alien… or a “jesus” who is farmer in eastern Iowa.

The real Jesus—the Jesus of the Bible—is both fully God and fully human, and the real God exists as a “trinity” of co-eternal persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). That understanding is essential to salvation.

For the Genuine ChristianWe have the blessed promise of assurance and that we can know for certain whether we are saved or not. I have found great comfort in these verses:

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5.13).

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without doubting, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10. 22-23).



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