As the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus not only fulfilled prophecy but also made promises of his own. One of those promises was that he would establish a new community around himself. Built upon a solid foundation, this new community is sure to stand against all demonic attacks. And in this new community, the authority of heaven itself has broken in upon the earth.

What is a Christian? How does one become a Christian? In the story of Paul's "Damascus Road" experience, we find an answer to questions like these. Being a Christian involves encountering the resurrected Christ, treasuring him as our greatest hope, and being set free from the power of Satan as we are conformed to his resurrected power.

The resurrection of Jesus is not only essential to the Christian faith, it is also the essence of the Christian life. That's because what happened to Jesus on Easter Sunday is what Christians hope will happen to them. The power that brought Jesus back from the dead is the same power that is at work in us to sustain our faith in Jesus and what he has won for us by his resurrection.

Christians live under the pressure to conform to the standards of the world. So they cannot fellowship with church members who also refuse to live by the standards of God's kingdom. Though Christians may often find themselves in conflict with others, they can experience the peace of knowing that God is with them in all their good endeavors.

Christian conduct is just as important as Christian belief. The way we live as Christians ought to demonstrate that our lives are to lived for the glory of God alone. Consequently, we must pay attention not only to the apostolic teaching on faith but also to the apostolic example in how we behave.

Prayer is one of the primary tools of the Christian life. It depends upon the faithfulness of God both to his mission as well as to his people. Through prayer the Christian is empowered as he draws strength from the steadfast love of God and the unyielding endurance of Christ.

The promised return of Jesus and the arrival of the Day of the Lord will reveal the righteous judgment of God against those who have rebelled against him. But even now God's great love for his own is made manifest through the gospel that they believe. And it is this love that comforts and encourages the believers in their daily vocations.

Christians are told to anticipate the return of Jesus. In this way, they are empowered to live faithfully in the difficult days ahead of them. They can expect, however, that they will be tempted by speculation about the end times that deceives and distracts them from doing God's will and falling instead for the seduction of Satan.

The Apostle Paul begins his second letter to the Thessalonians by again rejoicing in the evidence of God's grace in them. He encourages them to find in the trials they face an evidence of God's righteous judgment on their behalf. And he prays that they will continue to see evidences of God's power in the fulfillment of the good works of faith they endeavor to do for God's glory.

If the Second Coming of Christ is the greatest day that awaits us in the future, it is natural to wonder when the day will come. But the Bible summons us instead to occupy our days by preparing for Christ's return. Those who do not prepare at all will find the day of Christ's return to be a terror. But Christians are called to live by the virtues of the salvation which is their ultimate destiny.