Basorge

Understanding New Birth - Part 10


James 1:21 “So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that He plants in your hearts, which is able to save your soul”. (Paraphrased) NKJV/GNT


Our calling comes with responsibilities. We, the first fruits of salvation, have been called to lead a holy life. The kingdom of God is alive in us and we must give expression to it. To live a holy life is to live a separated life. When you were born again, you became a new creation; and that in itself ought to let you know that there is a difference in your new life.

1 Corinth 6:9 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves (cheats, swindlers), nor covetous (greedy graspers), nor drunkards, nor revilers (foul mouthed slanderers), nor extortioners (robbers) will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God”. Paraphrased (NKJV/AMP)

This is one of my favourite scriptures. Please pay attention to “the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom”. That isn’t you if you are born again. Also turn your attention to verse 11 that says “such were some of you”.

All the sinful and shameful acts mentioned in those verses are contained in the “such”. Meaning, these titles can’t be identified with you any longer. Your new title in Christ is “the righteous”. Don’t let the Devil rob you of your new identity in Christ.

Ungodly acts will not leave one spontaneously at new birth because these conducts are embedded in your soul (emotions, will, thoughts). Remember, at new birth, nothing changed in your soul and body. This is why our opening verse (James 1:21) shows us how to get rid of every work of unrighteousness. God’s word is the deliverance to every work of the flesh. The implanted and in-grafted word of God in your spirit is what delivers your soul and body from excessive carnality.

There’s salvation in God’s word from the lifestyle of the world. The word of God has the power to transform our mind and make it conform to His kingdom way of life. I’m a testimony to God’s saving grace in His word. I know you are a testimony too.

When we, new creations, don’t conform to the Word of God, it only goes to show that we are yet to work the Word of God in that area of our life we are failing in. As an undergraduate I inculcated the habit of smoking ci******es. I was quite a user. I remember rushing to school on a particular day because I was late for examination. Upon settling down, a friend sitting beside me, told me that I smelled good and different. She said that she couldn’t recall the day I didn’t come to school not reeking of to***co smell. I knew she was right because I smoked before I left home for school virtually every day. And I smoked all day, especially after a meal and when I sat out with friends in the evenings.

The testimony is that I quit smoking shortly after graduating from the university. I was desirous of quitting after I became born again. I tried to by my will power; I succeeded a few times and failed a few times also. But after receiving the baptism of the Spirit, I received power to live victoriously.

You can argue that to***co smoking isn’t a sin against God and you are just right. But it is a sin against your body. We must honour our body and treat it with respect because it is the dwelling place of the Spirit of God. Will you desecrate God’s temple? So why would you treat His temple, your body, with levity. You don’t find new creations congregate and engage in to***co smoking. Such habit brings you in company with people who cannot edify your spirit.

Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live”. NKJV

Can you see that? What I couldn’t do by will power, I did by co-operating with the Spirit of God in me. He will show you how to successfully conquer controlling powers and ungodly addictions. I know what I’m talking about because I’m a witness to this. Any habit or lifestyle that you are not proud of can leave you. Sin cannot have dominion over you for you are not under the law but under grace (Rom 6:14).

The truth is that the Holy Spirit is a Helper and not a Controller. As a new creation, if you decide to continue in some sinful acts, you sure will and God will not stop you. The moment you decide that you need help, you can access His throne of mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:16).

We’ll have to stop here and continue on the subject of righteousness in part 11. Thank you for your time as always while you enjoy God’s blessings.

Understanding New Birth - Part 7

Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit”. NKJV

What exactly happened at new birth? What changed in us when we were born again? From our opening verse, there was a regeneration. We were recreated in Christ Jesus. This is why it is apt to say we were born again. There could be no better word to describe the new birth experience.

2 Corinth 5:17 “Therefore, if any [man] be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new”. (Paraphrased) KJV/NKJV

How were we recreated when we didn’t have to die physically? This change took place in the inner man i.e. our spirits. Our once dead spirit came alive through the work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

Eph 2:1 “And you He (Christ) made alive, who were [once] dead in trespasses and sins”. (Paraphrased)

This change all happens in Christ. When we accept His work of salvation, we are empowered by God’s Spirit to become like the Son of God in our spirits. We are now adopted into the family of God. We are joint heirs with Christ, alleluia.

Man is born unregenerate i.e. born with a sinful nature. As a result of one man’s act of disobedience, ALL (except the Son of Man) were made in likeness of the sinful nature of Adam. Also, because of one Man’s act of obedience, many will be made in likeness of the righteous nature of the Son of God.

Regeneration is different from repentance. Repentance can occur without regeneration and vice versa. For example, an unfaithful husband or wife can repent from his/her immoral ways for reasons other than obeying the gospel of Christ. Such a man can’t be said to be born again.

Another scenario – a regenerated (born again) husband or wife can also repent from his/her immoral ways because of the work of the word of God in his/her life. Such a person can be said to be conforming to the lifestyle of the Kingdom of God.

As a matter of fact, regeneration should come first before true repentance ensues. Romans 12:2 admonishes new creations not to conform to the world system, but rather, they should be transformed by renewing their minds with the word of God.

For example, a once stingy and parsimonious man can turn out to be very generous and liberal because of his/her fellowship with God’s word. In God’s kingdom, a liberal soul is made fat i.e. a man who gives voluntarily for the right causes and reasons will abound in blessings and riches but in the economy of the world, you save as much as you can to be rich.

In business schools, we are taught to be shrewd and frugal with money. You can’t carry such mentality into the kingdom and succeed. There must be a transformation in such a mind-set. The law of love must dominate our minds. In that law, giving is prominent. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. I hope you are getting this?

I have come in contact with some pamphlets on salvation. They explain that salvation is a process with steps like; believe, accept, repent, forsake etc. Salvation from sin is an instant experience. Once you believe and confess same (confess what you believe), you are immediately reborn by God’s Spirit. You are immediately in-grafted into the family of God.

It is expected that as a child of God, you will give yourself wholly to the laws of God, so that your profiting or transformation might appear to all and sundry. It is not the other way round. Repentance doesn’t precede regeneration. Regeneration precedes true repentance. It doesn’t matter how much we have used the word repentance in the place of regeneration, it doesn’t substitute its meaning.

The sixth thing of importance I want you to know is that at new birth, several changes occurred all at once. We were regenerated in the spirit by the Holy Spirit; reconciled back to God through the blood of Jesus Christ; justified before God by our faith in the gospel of Jesus; sanctified by God in our spirits by the presence of the Holy Spirit in us.

We would share on the gift of righteousness in part 8. Thank you for your time and enjoy God’s blessings.