Encouraging New Converts: Walking with Grace, Not Criticism
Building Up, Not Tearing Down
Encouraging New Converts: Walking with Grace, Not Criticism
Isn't it amazing when someone comes to Jesus? Watching their heart awaken to His love and their life start to reflect His transformation—there’s nothing like it! Maybe you remember when you first encountered Him, how things started changing in your heart, even if it wasn’t all at once. That’s the beauty of grace at work. But as much as we long to see a complete turnaround in behavior, we must remember that spiritual growth is a journey, not an instant overhaul. While some may experience a radical, immediate change, for many, the process is gradual. We must be a people who encourage, not criticize, as new believers learn to walk in their faith.
The Journey from Glory to Glory
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that we are being transformed "from glory to glory" by the Spirit of the Lord. This means that God is continually shaping us, refining us, and bringing us into deeper maturity in Christ. For some, this transformation may come quickly, but for others, it is a process of small steps, setbacks, and victories along the way.
Think about learning to ride a bike—you don’t just hop on and go perfectly straight. There are wobbles, corrections, maybe even a few falls, but over time, you find your balance. In the same way, a large ship doesn’t enter a harbor with one sharp turn, but with slow, intentional course corrections. The Holy Spirit does the same with us, gently adjusting our direction as we grow in faith. The Holy Spirit is the perfect navigator, gently guiding each believer in the direction they need to go. Our job is not to push or demand instant perfection but to walk alongside them, encouraging their growth and trusting God’s timing.
Encouragement, Not Condemnation
It can be tempting to expect new converts to immediately shed old habits, language, or ways of thinking. While the desire for holiness is good, we must remember that God works in individual hearts uniquely. When a believer stumbles, our response should not be one of judgment but of grace and encouragement.
Romans 15:1 reminds us, "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." This means that those who have been in the faith longer should be patient and uplifting, rather than critical. Instead of pointing out every mistake, we should celebrate every step forward, no matter how small.
Trusting the Holy Spirit’s Work
It is important to recognize that we are not the Holy Spirit. While we can offer guidance, teaching, and accountability, it is ultimately God who convicts and transforms hearts. We must trust that He is speaking to new believers in ways they can understand. Philippians 1:6 assures us that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." God is faithful to complete what He starts!
A Culture of Grace
It breaks my heart when I hear people say they walked away from their faith because they felt condemned by other Christians when they messed up. Instead of lifting them up, they were pushed down, and that’s not God’s heart at all. He’s a Father who restores, not rejects. Many Christians have stopped attending church because, unfortunately, the church is not mending hearts but breaking them. The church should be a place where new believers feel safe to grow, not afraid to fail. When they make mistakes (and they will), will they find a community that lifts them up or tears them down? Will they encounter a family that speaks life and encouragement or one that shames them for their struggles?
Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death." Our words matter. We can either use them to build up or to wound. Let’s choose to be a people who speak life—who see the potential in others and call it forth with love and patience.
Walking Together
Ultimately, discipleship is about walking with people, not just correcting them. Jesus Himself spent time with His disciples, teaching them, loving them, and patiently guiding them even when they failed. Peter denied Him, Thomas doubted Him, and yet Jesus continued to believe in them, knowing what they would become. In the same way, we must have faith in what God is doing in new believers, even when the change isn’t immediate.
Let’s be a church that cheers people on in their faith, not one that critiques every misstep. Remember how Jesus handled the woman caught in adultery? He didn’t condemn her—He lifted her up and told her to go and sin no more. That’s the kind of heart we need to have, always looking to restore, not reject. Let’s love people where they are while believing in where God is taking them. After all, we are all on this journey together—from glory to glory.
Are You Feeding Your True Hunger? 🍞✨
We often chase success, comfort, and validation—yet something deeper still aches within us. What if the hunger you feel isn’t for what you think?
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🔗 The Hunger You Didn’t Know You Had
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