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Letter To The New Christian Who Is Zealous for the Kingdom of God

By October 30, 2024Blog Posts
green and brown mountain under cumulus nimbus clouds
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Dear Young Disciple,

There is a certain joy in meeting someone who has newly stepped into the kingdom of God, as if watching a flame burst to life for the first time!

The Scriptures tell us that all of heaven rejoices over a single sinner who repents, and I must confess, my heart rejoices too. Your passion, your zeal for the truth, and your eagerness to follow Christ with simplicity and sincerity are a great encouragement to me and to those around you.

You are living in a season of fresh belief, a time where the words of Scripture seem to jump off the page with urgency and clarity, and that is a beautiful thing.

There is something precious about the simple and profound trust of a new believer — a trust that declares, “I just read the Bible and believe what it says!”

It is a faith that sees the promises of God and embraces them without hesitation.

And I have no doubt that this childlike trust is something God cherishes deeply in you.

After all, Jesus Himself told us that unless we become like little children, we will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

But let me offer you a word of counsel from one who has been walking this path for a while now.

You are, at this moment, experiencing a faith that is simple and clear — a faith that feels like sunlight breaking through the clouds. But as you journey further in your walk with Christ, you will inevitably encounter the complexities of this world and the weight of living in a broken creation.

The Christian life, as you will come to see, is not merely a steady ascent into clearer skies, but a journey through valleys as well as peaks.

You mentioned that you do not have many questions right now, and that is quite normal in this early stage of faith.

But there will come a time when the questions will find you.

The longer we follow Christ, the more we are faced with the reality of our brokenness, the wounds of others, and the mysteries of God’s ways.

There will be trials that shake your confidence, moments when other believers will let you down or even wound you deeply, and seasons when the light seems distant and the answers elusive.

This is not a failing of your faith; it is, in fact, part of the process of discipleship.

If you read through the four Gospels, you will notice that the disciples who walked closest with Jesus were constantly bombarding Him with questions.

The closer they came to the truth, the more they were exposed to the vastness and complexity of God’s kingdom, and the more their preconceived notions were challenged.

It was not a lack of faith that drove them to question; it was a hunger to understand!

You will find, over time, that faith is not so much a matter of having every answer neatly in place, but of holding tightly to the One who holds all things together.

And even when the path grows steep or the questions grow heavy, Jesus will be faithful to complete the work He began in you.

For God is not only the Author of our faith; He is the Finisher as well!

In this season, enjoy the childlikeness of your faith.

Delight in the joy of knowing that the God of all creation has called you His own and that you belong to Him.

Be open to the journey that lies ahead — a journey where your understanding will be stretched, your heart will be tested, and your trust will be deepened.

Do not fear the questions when they come, and do not be disheartened when the way seems less clear. For in those very moments of confusion or doubt, you will find that God is nearer than you ever imagined.

I say all of this to encourage you.

The road of faith is not just one of clear skies and open roads; it is also a path through dark forests and narrow passes. And yet, even in the shadows, God is guiding you. Even in the midst of doubt, He is building something within you — a faith that is profound and full of depth.

But let us also consider the wider horizon of your journey.

When a man begins to walk with Christ, he must soon leave behind the old things — not merely in action, but in spirit.

I sense you may carry the weight of your old life with you still, as if there were chains binding your hands even as you reach for heaven. I too have felt this struggle.

But the great paradox of Christianity is that in surrender, you find liberty!

The true man, the man who has looked into the eyes of Christ, is not bound by his past, but one who knows the joy of being continually made new.

Now, let me leave you with this gentle challenge: do not grow weary in the day of small things.

The Great War against sin is not a single battle, but a series of daily choices — a repeated turning of the heart toward heaven.

The Christians who went before us were not men and women without flaws, but they were flawed men and women who kept on climbing, who kept on reaching for their Saviour even when they stumbled.

And that, my dear friend, is the true mark of courage.

May your journey be filled with joy in the simple victories, and may you find in every defeat an opportunity to grasp tighter to your King’s hand.

For He is the greatest of all adventurers, the only Man who has ever faced the dragon of sin & death and emerged victorious!

His victory is ours to share.

Follow Him with all your heart, and you will find the road home.

Yours in the Great Adventure,
Aaron

Sermon On The Mount Meditation

After reading the letter, I want you to meditate on Matthew 5:6:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Your passion for truth and your dedication to living faithfully reflect a deep hunger for what is good and right.

But in your journey, remember that God does not merely ask us to seek righteousness as a duty; He promises that our longing will be met with satisfaction.

Reflect on what it means to not just pursue righteousness out of duty, but to seek it out of a deep desire for God Himself, trusting that He will fill that desire as you draw closer to Him.


Letter To The New Christian Who Is Zealous for the Kingdom of God was originally published in GoodLion Theology on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Aaron Salvato

I am an itinerant pastor, former long-time youth pastor, host of the GoodLion Podcast, and director of the GoodLion School of Discipleship. I love Jesus and I love helping others know Him.

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