New birth is necessary for salvation
Greeting in the name of Jesus:
All through our churches today there seems to be a push toward the use of our relationship with God as a sanctuary; a place of refuge where the Christian can go on hide. While it is true that we do have a hiding place and a protection through the power of God's Spirit there is something more that we as Christians need, and that is an awakening.
The Scriptures tell us over and over again in various ways that we must go through a change as creatures in order to fit into God's kingdom. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says"therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new". This indicates to me that it's not just a decision that we make to change our ally's that is necessary but it becomes a complete transformation of who we are at that point into a brand new creature created through the power of God's Spirit. The word of God tells us in so many different ways that we must be born again, we must be transformed, we must change our mind and our hearts. In the book of Titus 3:5 we read "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit". 1 Peter 1:3 tells us "Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hole by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." This new birth that the word keeps talking about is absolutely necessary for our salvation. If you speak to someone who professes to know God and you aren't certain of their salvation, simply asked them if they have been born again. If you find that they are not sure this is one sign that they haven't. Tell them that the difference between believing in God and being born again is like the difference between believing in a parachute and putting it on. There's a big difference when you jump from the plane. Then say do you know what convinced me that I had been born again? It was the 10 Commandments. Then take them to the spiritual nature of the law which brings the knowledge of sin according to Romans 7:7.
My point here is simple if we have a new birth, we shall also have a new life. That new life will be seen by the people who live all around us, we will not be able to hide it. 2 Corinthians 6:17 says "wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean things; and I will receive you and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters says the Lord Almighty." We talk so much today about our desire to trying to change our lives, but God calls us to experience the exchanged life. Christianity is not self improvement as a program, it isn't a Reformation project. It is resurrection! It is new life! And it is expressed in terms of total exchange of our identity. Jesus Christ identified himself with us in our death in order that we might be identified with him in his resurrection. Within our churches today we need to begin to live that new life by reaching out to our brothers and sisters in Christ not only with in the body of believers we worship with, but also the body of believers that make up the bride of Christ throughout our community. If we truly give Christ all that we are we become spiritually dead, guilty sinners and then Christ gives us all that he is, which is a resurrected life, and forgiveness, righteousness, and acceptance. Today is a beginning for all Christians to be able to unite and to re-awaken the Bride of Christ in this age. Through the power of God's Spirit I'm going to be talking to you more about this awakening of God's spiritual Bride throughout this community. I almost feel that I am being driven by God's spirit to do so at this point of my life. Pray for me my friends as I speak forth the truth to the church of today. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
All through our churches today there seems to be a push toward the use of our relationship with God as a sanctuary; a place of refuge where the Christian can go on hide. While it is true that we do have a hiding place and a protection through the power of God's Spirit there is something more that we as Christians need, and that is an awakening.
The Scriptures tell us over and over again in various ways that we must go through a change as creatures in order to fit into God's kingdom. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says"therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new". This indicates to me that it's not just a decision that we make to change our ally's that is necessary but it becomes a complete transformation of who we are at that point into a brand new creature created through the power of God's Spirit. The word of God tells us in so many different ways that we must be born again, we must be transformed, we must change our mind and our hearts. In the book of Titus 3:5 we read "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit". 1 Peter 1:3 tells us "Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hole by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." This new birth that the word keeps talking about is absolutely necessary for our salvation. If you speak to someone who professes to know God and you aren't certain of their salvation, simply asked them if they have been born again. If you find that they are not sure this is one sign that they haven't. Tell them that the difference between believing in God and being born again is like the difference between believing in a parachute and putting it on. There's a big difference when you jump from the plane. Then say do you know what convinced me that I had been born again? It was the 10 Commandments. Then take them to the spiritual nature of the law which brings the knowledge of sin according to Romans 7:7.
My point here is simple if we have a new birth, we shall also have a new life. That new life will be seen by the people who live all around us, we will not be able to hide it. 2 Corinthians 6:17 says "wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean things; and I will receive you and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters says the Lord Almighty." We talk so much today about our desire to trying to change our lives, but God calls us to experience the exchanged life. Christianity is not self improvement as a program, it isn't a Reformation project. It is resurrection! It is new life! And it is expressed in terms of total exchange of our identity. Jesus Christ identified himself with us in our death in order that we might be identified with him in his resurrection. Within our churches today we need to begin to live that new life by reaching out to our brothers and sisters in Christ not only with in the body of believers we worship with, but also the body of believers that make up the bride of Christ throughout our community. If we truly give Christ all that we are we become spiritually dead, guilty sinners and then Christ gives us all that he is, which is a resurrected life, and forgiveness, righteousness, and acceptance. Today is a beginning for all Christians to be able to unite and to re-awaken the Bride of Christ in this age. Through the power of God's Spirit I'm going to be talking to you more about this awakening of God's spiritual Bride throughout this community. I almost feel that I am being driven by God's spirit to do so at this point of my life. Pray for me my friends as I speak forth the truth to the church of today. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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