Christianity in reverse

I watched a Christian movie recently. In one of the scenes, a teenage girl receives Christ. The advice given to her is as good as anything I've ever heard. The woman who witnessed to the teenager advised her to read the first two chapters of Ephesians. She said to write down everything that the Word said that the teenager was now in Christ. If you struggle in your Christian life, I advise you to do the same.

Some Christians think it their duty to swamp new believers with finger wagging "thou shalt nots". Others leave the new believers to flounder on their own. After all, God is supposed to take care of us. Neither is correct. Behaviour as a Christian is important. I doubt the reality of the conversion of anyone who loves to sin. However, guilt tripping the new believer is not helpful either. Those who are more mature should be encouraging new believers to enter into what God has made us to be in Christ.

No Christian is immediately perfect in outward behaviour. However, those who know who they are in Christ have a great advantage over those who do not know the true meaning of being born again. There is a good reason why Paul started his letter to the Ephesians as he did. He tells us who we are in Christ first. Then he tells us how we should live that in experience. I can see no reason as to why we should not do likewise.