You say, “I have been resurrected to a new life in Christ Jesus, been baptized as a symbol and witness of death to sin and a new life within. Now what do I do?”

I have good news for you. Not only has our Lord left us an instruction manual, but He has sent us, each and every one, the Holy Spirit to both enable us to understand the instructions and to empower us to obey them. What a wonderful Lord we have.

In fact, one of the first things this manual tells us is, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that ye may grow by it” (I Peter 2:2)

However, we should note well the preface to this instruction found in the preceding verse, Herein we are commanded to showcase in our actions the death of the old man by purposefully laying aside all malice, and all guile and hypocrisies and envies, and all evil speaking (I Peter 2:1).

Have you experienced growth in your new life in Christ Jesus?

Some of you may say, “I have read and studied the Word, but do not believe I have grown much, if any.” If this is the case with you, then I urge you to ask the Holy Spirit to make known to you what you have failed to lay aside.

When He does, immediately confess your guilt and ask two things – “Father, forgive me my trespasses and grant me strength and discipline to never do that again.”

We who have been Christians for many years may experience times of stymied growth. When we do we need to get a spiritual checkup and find out what we may have picked back up of those things which we laid aside.

Now what? Lay it aside again.