Thoughts from the Well
What does it mean to be born again?
Like so
many Christians, I have struggled for years with sin.
Sin that has, at times controlled me to the point of
living a defeated Christian life. And I was tired of
living that powerless life. When I looked at the early
church in the Book of Acts I was immediately struck by
the power that the first Christians demonstrated on a
daily basis. The transformation they went through was
beyond human explanation. Love was the ruling factor in
their life and their love was supernatural. They were
holy. Sin was not controlling their life any more. Not
like the Pharisees with their legalistic doctrine that
simply told them what was right and wrong. And if they
did all the right things they could hopefully take part
in the resurrection.
No,
this was like nothing the world had ever seen before. A
people totally committed to their God! They had an
excitement about themselves that was seen and felt by
their friends, their neighbors and even the Pharisees.
They were so filled with the love of their Lord that
only a few weeks after Jesus had died on the cross, they
went out into the streets and even into the temple
proclaiming a risen savior who loved them beyond
anything they could have ever possibly hoped for.
I want to experience that
transformation. I want to be so filled up with that love
that the world will notice. I pray for a day where the
Church of Christ is so filled with power of God that the
world will have to stand up and take notice that we
"have been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13).
So, what's the mystery? Why
do we all to often live a powerless, defeated Christian
life? I have found that when I ask God to change me, and
claim His promises, that He is faithful and will empower
me to grow and be more and more like Him. But I had to
realize something first. I have to ask. I have to ask
Him on a daily and even on a moment by moment basis to
change me.
Titus 3:5-7 says, "he saved us, not because of righteous
things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved
us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the
Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through
Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified
by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of
eternal life." (NIV)
Notice that the verse says that we experience a "renewal
by the Holy Spirit". We are born again and then God, the
Holy Spirit begins to renew our minds. Our part is to
continually ask God for that renewal. We have to enter
into our relationship with the Holy Spirit. He doesn't
simply wave a magic wand and we become sinless
perfectionists. We have to surrender our lives up to
Him.
Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and
approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and
perfect will." (NIV) We have a choice now that we didn't
have before coming to Christ. Before Christ, we were
controlled by our sinful nature. Powerless to overcome
our shortcomings. Now we can choose to "not conform any
longer" to this world but be "transformed by the
renewing" of our minds.
Ephesians 4:22-24 says, "You were taught, with regard to
your former way of life, to put off your old self, which
is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made
new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new
self, created to be like God in true righteousness and
holiness." (NIV) We have to "put off" our old self! We
have to believe that God will change our attitudes and
thoughts. We have to ask Him daily to transform us.
When
we surrender ourselves to Christ, our lives will be
empowered to change. The love and compassion that the
early Church demonstrated will be seen in our lives too.
says, " Colossians 3:9-15. . . since you have taken off
your old self with its practices and have put on the new
self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image
of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew,
circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave
or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as
God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and
forgive whatever grievances you may have against one
another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all
these virtues put on love, which binds them all together
in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, since as members of one body you were called to
peace. And be thankful." (NIV)
We
can have a transformed life today! We can put on a new
set of clothes, given to us from above. It is a gift
from God. When we come to Christ with the right attitude
we can claim His word and be renewed by His Holy Spirit.
Our part is to give up on ourselves and surrender our
lives to Christ's care. Matthew 16:25 says, "For whoever
wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses
his life for me will find it." (NIV)
God
is able, give Him a try!
In Him,
Bill Fritz
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list of other
Thoughts from the Well
