A thoughtful study of the Word results in a person realizing the need for baptism, and therefore performing that act. This process of letting the Word influence our actions and direct our lives should continue; baptism is but the first step in a lifetime of obedience to God's Word. There is a very real danger of familiarity with the Bible and the basic doctrines of the Gospel, leading us to a position in which the Word no longer influences us: we can read words and they have no practical effect upon us (see Appendix 2). For this reason it is wise to say a brief prayer before each reading of the Scriptures: "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Ps. 119:18).

To avoid the natural tendency to only read those parts of Scripture which naturally appeal to us, Christadelphians have devised a programme of reading called "The Bible Companion" (available from the publishers of this book). This gives a number of chapters to be read each day, resulting in the New Testament being read twice and the Old Testament once in the course of a year. As we read the chapters day by day, we can take courage from the thought that thousands of other believers are reading the same chapters. Whenever we meet, we therefore have an immediate bond; the chapters which we have recently been reading should form the basis of our conversation.