Part One: Cry and Feed
Greetings to you in the powerful and matchless name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To Him be all praise and honor, now and forever. Amen.
This is the first in a series of teachings specifically prepared for those who have recently come to faith in Christ. If you are a new believer—or if someone close to you has recently received Jesus as Lord and Savior—these teachings will be of great value and encouragement to you.
What Does It Mean to Be Saved?
When we talk about being “saved,” we are referring to being born again—a spiritual rebirth that Jesus spoke of in John 3:3:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (ESV)
This new birth involves several essential steps:
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Genuine repentance from sin and a wholehearted turning away from the ways of the world (Acts 3:19).
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Baptism by immersion in water as a public testimony of faith and obedience to Christ (John 3:23; Romans 6:4).
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Receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), who indwells and empowers the believer.
When these foundational steps are followed, a person has indeed experienced spiritual rebirth. But that is only the beginning of the journey.
Salvation Is the Beginning, Not the End
Unfortunately, many new believers assume that once they’ve repented and been baptized, their spiritual growth is complete. They stop there, not realizing that being born again makes them spiritual infants—alive, yes, but in need of nurture and growth.
You can be born again and still be spiritually immature—or worse, spiritually lifeless, if you do not begin to grow.
Just as a newborn baby enters the world fragile and dependent, so it is with those newly born in Christ. And just like physical babies, spiritual infants must demonstrate two vital signs of life:
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They must cry.
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They must feed.
Let’s explore these two signs.
1. Cry: The First Sign of Life
When a baby is born, it is common for the midwife or doctor to give the child a gentle stimulus so they let out a cry. That cry is crucial—it is evidence that the baby is alive and breathing. A silent baby is a concern; a crying baby is a sign of vitality.
The same is true spiritually. When someone is truly born again, there is an inward cry from the heart—a longing for God, a hunger to understand, a desire to know the One who saved them. It may not be fully understood by the new believer, but mature Christians will recognize it.
This “cry” manifests as:
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An eagerness to attend church.
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A restlessness until one learns how to pray.
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A burden to understand the Bible.
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A deep desire for fellowship and spiritual guidance.
As spiritual mothers and fathers in the faith, we must recognize this cry and respond, just as a mother does to her crying child.
2. Feed: The Need for Spiritual Nourishment
After the cry comes the feeding. A newborn instinctively knows how to suckle when brought to the mother’s breast. No one teaches the baby how to do it—it’s natural. Likewise, the new believer has a natural need to feed on the Word of God, which is referred to in Scripture as spiritual milk.
“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.”
—1 Peter 2:2 (ESV)
This feeding is essential. Without it, the believer cannot grow. A baby that doesn’t feed will become weak and vulnerable. So it is in the spiritual realm. Believers who neglect God’s Word and fellowship begin to regress, becoming easy targets for temptation, confusion, and spiritual deception.
Let’s look at a biblical example of this principle in action—the story of baby Moses.
Biblical Illustration: The Cry of Moses
In Exodus 2:6, we read about the birth of Moses and how he was hidden by his mother to protect him from Pharaoh’s decree. When she could hide him no longer, she placed him in a basket and set him afloat on the Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the basket and heard something that moved her heart:
“She opened it and saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’”
—Exodus 2:6 (ESV)
The baby was crying—and that cry saved his life. It stirred compassion in Pharaoh’s daughter, who then arranged for Moses’ own mother to nurse him. This act of divine providence led to Moses being raised in Pharaoh’s palace, and eventually, he became the great deliverer of Israel.
Had Moses remained silent, his life might have ended there. But because he cried, he was fed, nurtured, and prepared for God’s greater purpose.
A Word of Caution to the New Believer
If you claim to be born again, but you show no interest in the things of God, no desire for prayer, no hunger for the Word, and no longing for fellowship with believers—you may be spiritually dead or dangerously asleep.
Avoid isolation. Don’t disappear from your spiritual leaders or church family. Don’t let days or weeks pass without seeking spiritual nourishment or sharing your spiritual journey. Resist passivity with all your might.
You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)—begin to act like it. Crave the pure milk of God’s Word. Don’t wait for others to chase after you. Just as no one teaches a baby to cry or feed, your spiritual instincts should lead you to seek out nourishment and growth.
“Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.”
—Galatians 6:6 (ESV)
Final Encouragement
So, dear new believer, remember these two vital signs of spiritual life: Cry and Feed. Long for God. Seek His Word. Draw near to your spiritual family. These are the early steps toward a strong, fruitful, and mature Christian life.
May the Lord strengthen and guide you as you grow.
Shalom.
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