I want to encourage you to take a bit of time to prayerfully read through
this short Study. Because you are a New Believer I have purposed to keep
this quite basic for you in hopes that you will easily understand it.
Jesus purchased full salvation with His precious life's blood and one of the major corner stones of this salvation is new life. When Jesus said to Nicodemus, the Jewish theologian, that people must be "born again" it really through a wrench into his religious thinking. He questioned Jesus on how this was possible. How could people re-entire their mothers physical womb to be rebirthed? Clearly he was unable, at the time, to see the spiritual birth that would be provided through Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. Jesus did, however, make it very clear that without being "Born Again", spiritually birthed by the Holy Spirit, that no one can either see or entire the eternal kingdom of God. (Jn.3:3,5)
Too often New Covenant Christianity is viewed as a slightly modified Old Covenant religion simply with a few more rules and regulations. The law was introduced by God to show people their need of a Savior. People are born with the sin nature which is totally void of the power needed to live for God. Rom 8:7,8 - For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. 8 That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. The Old Covenant Law is good and God given. It shows divine standard but it lacks the ability to empower people to obey it. Demand does not give power! Sinners do not need more righteous demands. They need the power to obey God's Word. This is why the "new creation" is so vital to experience and understand! In this new life is the power to live free from sinning.
Rom 8:9-15 - But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to Him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. 12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, "Abba, Father."
God's demand for holiness among His people is often viewed as over barring demands by an unrealistic God. After all we're only human, they say. People who say this about the Christianity they profess fail to see that God's demands for holiness are not being put on the old Adamic sin nature but rather on the Spirit of Christ which is resident within the heart (spirit) of every "Born Again" Believer.
To be a New Covenant Christian is to be a new creation 2Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! (Amplified) It is important to understand what happened during your initial salvation experience. If you were truly "Born Again" then the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ entered your person and you experienced a spiritual birth and became a new creation, anew creature, a new person, a part of God's spiritual family here on earth. With the new creation comes a new power, power to obey the written Word of God, power do the things that please the Lord, power to do what is otherwise humanly impossible, power to live free from habitual sinning. Rom 6:22 - But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.
As a new believer it is very important for you to see that you have not only been saved from the penalty of sin but also the power of sin. 1Pe 1:14-16 - So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then.15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy." As you read these verses do you seem to sense any demands being place upon you. It's quite normal if you do. The whole idea of New Covenant holiness (living in obedience to God's Word, free from sinning) hinges on Jesus' power not human power. God is not wanting or expecting you to live pleasing to Him through the power of the old sin nature. His power is available! We look to the Lord for the power do that which pleases Him.
Philippians chapter two verse 13 has some awesome truth to reveal to us. It reveals God's heart towards His people today! It reveals His heart towards you.
Ph. 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire AND the power to do what pleases Him. What is it to be a "New Creation" in the eternal family of God? It's about God's power enabling us to do the things that please Him. It's not about trying harder! It's about trusting more! God hasn't purposed that we live a holy life by trying harder though the power of our old nature but to trust God for His power to live pleasing to Him. Gal 2:20 - My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. These are the words of the Apostle Paul, who, like us, experienced life as a person empowered only by the sin nature prior to His salvation experience. He was "Born Again" by the power of God and lived a transformed life by that same awesome power.
1Jn 3:4-9 - Everyone who sins is breaking God's law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in Him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in Him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know Him or understand who He is. 7 Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God.
As a new Believer and after having read this short Bible Study I would like to ask you
a few questions if I may.
1) As a Child of God do you see yourself as a New Creation of God?
2) Do you see yourself as having God's power within you to empower you to
live a holy (sin free) life?
3) Whose power does God expect you to use to live a holy life?
4) Are you determined to trust the Lord Jesus Christ to give you the victory
over sin?
God bless you as you purpose to honor and glorify Jesus by offering your life to Him as a thank offering for all He has done for you. My prayer for you is that not one drop of Jesus blood would have been shed in vain on your behalf but that you would move forward in your relationship with Christ and enjoy continual fellowship with Him..
If you have any questions at all that you feel we might be able to help you with please don't hesitate to email us at jpwassell@canada.com
SOME BASICS FOR UNDERSTANDING
1) Your New Position In Christ
To be "Born Again" by the power of God can be illustrated by using the natural. Physical birth happens at a particular moment and it's marked from that time on by what we call a "birth day". It's very likely that you will remember your spiritual birth day as well. It happens very immediately. Prior to repentance of sin and the personal acceptance of Jesus as your Savior you are unsaved, a child of darkness, but after being "born again' you are a child of light, a child of God. 1Jn 3:1,2 - See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because they don't know Him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God's children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. What I'm wanting you to see here is, that the moment you are "Born Again" you're spiritually birthed into the family of God. God becomes your spiritual Father and you come His child. It's done! This is known as your new position in Christ.
2) The Spiritual Growth Process
The reason it's important at this time to understand your position as child of God is because you might not "feel" saved or too much like a child of God at times. God often uses the natural things that we've grown up with and understand to illustrate spiritual things that we know little or nothing about. As we look at natural birth and the growth process we can understand the spiritual. Physically we're born into this natural world as a baby. That baby has a natural growth process to experience! No one is born into the Kingdom of God as an adult. We grow into spiritual maturity. There's a spiritual growth process. We don't expect a two month old baby to be walking and talking. We do, however, expect a two year old to be doing both those things. God is not expecting you to run spiritually before you can walk.
Concern comes in when we should be walking but we're still crawling. It's very interesting to watch babies learn to walk. There's a built in determination. This process differs from child to child. Some are walking at nine months others can be as late as twelve or fourteen months. The common factor is they want to walk. It's natural! It's healthy! It' expected. Never doubt for a moment that God is in any way lacking in expectation regarding your spiritual growth and development. He has the blueprint of your life before Him at all times. At this point I think it's sufficient to say that "Christlikeness" is His goal for you. Don't baulk at the concept! Refuse to think or say, "it will never happen". Remember whose idea this is and whose power will accomplish this for you. For now this is all I'm going to mention The "hows" will come into play as you purpose to daily seek the Lord.
3) The Old and New Natures
I feel from my own experience that it's very important to understand what is going on inside of you as a "New Believer". Prior to your initial salvation experience of being "Born Again" the only power or force resident within you was the old Adamic sin nature or "human nature". This nature is only capable of sinning. Rom 7:5 - When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.
People without "new life" simply do what comes natural to them they sin. However when we are genuinely "Born Again" the Spirit of God comes into our heart (our spirit, our inner most being) and creates a whole new person. A new nature is birthed within every child of God. When this happens within the Believer this 'new life", this "new nature" is like a baby being born in the deepest recesses of our person. There's new life in the engine room of our being and that new live needs to be permitted to grow and mature. It needs to be permitted to control our actions.
What can be some what confusing to a New Believer is the spiritual battle that they begin to experience. The old nature, which has been controlled by the powers of darkness, does not want to give up it's place of authority. If we choose to listen to it then not too much is going to change in our actions. On the other hand, if we choose to obey God's Word and live in close fellowship with the Lord through consistent prayer and Bible reading the new life, new nature will grow stronger gaining a greater dominance over our whole person. 2Cor. 3:18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord-who is the Spirit-makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.
The thing that I want to bring to your awareness at this time is that you will be experience an inner struggle to live for God. Don't be afraid and don't be dismayed. This is common to all the truly Born Again. If you don't experience this battle then the chances are you've never been Born Again. Prior to the initial salvation experience the devil was lord of our life and now that you've chosen to make Jesus your Lord the devil doesn't like it. He doesn't want to loose what was his. You will be victorious! You will experience the Lord giving you victories over temptations to sin, temptation to live the way you used to, to do the things that dishonor God. 1Jn 5:4 - For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. It's as we look to the Lord, believing and anticipating His help and power, that we will experience victory over our old sin nature.
4) Renewed Thinking
As I mentioned earlier when we're "Born Again" it's an immediate thing. Maturity and Christlikeness are not. There's a progressive growth process. One area that caused me a lot of difficulty, frustration and serious confusion was in the battle field of the mind. Our mind has conditioned and programmed throughout our growing up years. All the years spent without Christ are years when the mind is pretty much under the direct or indirect influence of the powers of darkness. Col.1:21 This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.
To use computer language our mind is like a hard drive that's been programmed throughout the years in away that dishonors God. Unlike spiritual rebirth the renewing of the mind takes time and disciple. I still recall the first sermon I heard after my initial salvation experience with the Lord. I can still see the preacher putting his fingers up to his temples and saying, with such authority, "The battles of life are fought and won right between our ears". Over the years I have found this to be true.
Our mind needs to be reprogrammed with the right data. This is not something that is done over night. You're not going to wake up tomorrow morning with a completely renewed mind! This is something that takes time. We must get into God's Word and stay in it as much as possible. It's quite possible that this will require strict discipline to begin with. The devil will try and see to it that you just can't seem to find the time. No, you must determine to make time for God. Make time for reading and studying the Word of God. This how our mind is reprogrammed. Rom 8:5 - Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
Well I hope what I've shared with you will help you get off to a good start. You've started on a spiritual journey with Jesus and as you purpose to keep Him as Lord in every area of your live the pathway will only get brighter and the fellowship with Christ more glorious. God richly bless you in Jesus name. If Carol and I can be of any help to you please don't hesitate to email us at jpwassell@canada.com
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
To have "New Life" is to have a new future! As a result of spiritual rebirth eternal
life has begun. With a new future come new focus, new purpose and new priorities. You're already well aware of the fact that even though you're now a child of God with new life in the engine room of your person, you're still here on earth. Why doesn't God just take us straight to heaven when we give our heart to Jesus? Because He's started the process of preparing us for the future.
It's helpful to understand right off the start line that there's a future involvement you'll have in the age to come, when Jesus returns to earth to fulfill God's former promises. God's Kingdom with Jesus as the King will be establish on this earth. The as we know it will undergo a major make over. It'll be new and it will be the place were the redeemed of the earth live in love and peace.
Rev 21:1-3 - Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven
and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I
saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud
shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among His
people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself
will be with them.
In the not too distant future our present world as with know along with all those who refuse God's love through Jesus Christ will experience the judgment fires of God. The earth will be purged of sin and made new. This "made new earth" will be the home of the redeemed of the Lord. Until then, however God's people find them selves living in a world very much under the influence of the powers of darkness. During our present pilgrimage we are strongly encouraged and exhorted to avoid earthly pursuits. Our focus must be on the eternal. Everything we see, at present will be destroyed in God's fiery judgment. If we make the pursuit of earthly things our goal then we will loose in the end. Now is the time to store up spiritual treasures that will go on with us into eternity.Heb 13:14 - For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.
I want to strongly encourage you to invest heavily into spiritual things. Make the future with Christ on the new earth your goal and don't become bogged down with life on this earth as we presently know it. There's a whole eternity ahead of you build towards that regardless of what others are doing. Rev 22:12-15 - "Look, I am coming soon, bringing My reward with Me to repay all people according to their deeds. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. 15 Outside the city are the dogs-the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.
Just one more final word. You have started a spiritual race and I encourage you to apply the disciples needed to win. Any serious racer races to win and this is the attitude you should seek to cultivate as you run your race for Jesus. 1Cor. 9:24,25 - Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
