From Death to Life
Born in Sin
Romans:3:23-For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
We were conceived in sin and born into this world with the sin nature. As children, we were trained to suppress the nature of sin and discipline our lives to exhibit good behaviors. We came into the world as a self-centered being demanding the attention of others. Although involuntary, our human and sinful nature is focused on survival of self.
Brought Up “Right”
Eph. 1:8,9-For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
As we grow and mature, we begin to make voluntary choices. If we are trained properly, the choices we make will be founded on Biblical principles of right and wrong. It would seem, that if we continue on this path of doing good, that God would be pleased with us and for such good living we should not be denied the reward of eternal life. It is this premise that many in the world have rooted themselves in the soil of self-righteousness. As long as I am a good person who treats all mankind with love and respect, I have no need for any kind of savior. Religion (Salvation through Christ) is for those who have made bad choices in life and have messed up. This was the mentality of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus and asked, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life”. He was raised in a good home that followed the moral standards of good behavior. What else did he need?
Born Again- A man name Nicodemus
John 3:7- Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Nicodemus also inquired about the kingdom of God and seemed to understand that there was more to eternal life than living a good moral life. Unless made clear from the pulpits of churches, many find security in going to church following the creed of religious rituals, and adhere to exhortation of good behavior to obtain the approbation of God.
Become a New Creature
2 Corinthians 5: 17-Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Eph. 2: 3- Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
The new life in Christ brings about many changes in the life of the believer. Some of these changes will occur instantly and others, like the metamorphosis of a butterfly will occur slowly over time. What kind of changes can a believer in Christ expect?
- A clean conscience- Guilt of sin is gone- Like Christian in PP- Load sin is gone
- Peace of mind- Anxiety of one’s eternal destiny is at rest
- Desire to talk with God- Sweet communion with the lover of your soul
- A need to be with God’s people- We have fellowship one with another
- Manifestation of the Fruit of the Spirit- often added to our faith/new life
- Lifestyle changes- With the help of the Holy Spirit and good Bible teaching, we begin to alter our conduct and behavior so as to be consistent with Biblical principles of godly living. Such changes are made willingly as individuals completely surrender their life to God is full consecration and abandonment to the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is given complete right away and control in all areas of a person's life. It is no longer my will, but the will of Him who gave His life for me that guides and directs life.
