New Birth
The initial stage of human development outside of the womb is infancy. If you have ever had an opportunity to spend any length of time around infants, you will have noticed how amazed they are at the things that we so often take for granted. This is because everything is new to them. There is a curiosity with which infants look at the world that is unmistakeable. They welcome every new color and texture and sound and smell. Life for an infant is a ceaseless adventure of learning and growing. Is there any wonder why Jesus refers to the Christian experience as being born again.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3
There are very similar parallels between natural birth and spiritual birth. The spiritual birth of the believer also brings him or her into a newness of life. As we walk with the Lord, He opens our eyes to a new way of thinking, a new way of speaking, a new way of responding to undesirable circumstances. As we embrace the newness of life that is to be found in the Christian experience, the more God purifies our hearts allowing us to then see and understand more about God and His purpose for our lives.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8
So why does Jesus instruct us to be born again? Why can’t He just accept me the way that I am? The answer to this question can be found in the following passage:
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalm 51:5
Good deeds are not enough to erase the sin nature of mankind. Think of it like this, just because a rattlesnake may live its life and never bite anything or anyone, doesn’t change the fact that it goes to it’s grave just as poisonous as the day it was born. Such is the case with mankind, the gospel is the good news that we do not have to die with the poison of sinful lives that eternally separate us from a sinless God.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. St. John 3:16
When Jesus died for our sins, he provided a way for our sins to be washed away and for us to experiences the blessing of being in right relationship with God. This is the new birth for:
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. II Corinthians 5:17
Q. Is there anything that an unbeliever could do to exclude him from new birth in Christ?
The Struggle Within
How wonderful would it be to grow in our knowledge of God and experience the blessings of walking in His ways without having to face any opposition in the process. However, such is not the case. When we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, He forgives us for all of our past offenses and empowers us to live a life dedicated to His will and His way. This results in regenerated spirits in unregenerated bodies that reside in an unregenerated world. Though our spirits are eternal, our bodies are temporal and corruptible. Our bodies age and weaken with time and continue to have the same cravings and desires that they have always had. So from this, we can conclude that residing in the believer are two natures; a nature to move in the God-direction for his or her life and a desire to move in the me-direction for his or her life. This is not a new concept. Paul, one of the authors of the New Testament wrote:
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. Romans 7:18
There are a few things we can observe about this struggle. First and perhaps most encouraging is that the struggle is temporary. The hope of the people of God is that we will one day be delivered from the presence of evil. We will see our savior in peace in a place where sickness, sorrow, pain, addiction, abuse, and all manner of evil will have no place.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. I Corinthians 15:53
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Another thing to observe about this struggle is that the struggle demonstrates the supremacy of the power of God in our lives. It is one thing to say you believe in the power of God to break the chains of sickness and addiction in your life. It is entirely different to witness this power firsthand.
Still another observation that can be made with regard to the struggle within the believer, is that the struggle allows the believer to experience the satisfaction, fulfillment, and appreciation of overcoming that which you thought you could never overcome. It can be compared to payday on the job. All the struggle, sweat, and attitudes you had to put up with throughout the week, results in a payday that rewards you for all your efforts. This was not a hand out or charity offering to you. This was something that you worked hard to obtain.
Q. Which of the observations about the struggle within the believer sticks out the most to you? Why?
The Heart of a Champion
In the previous essay it was mentioned that Paul identified the struggle within between right and wrong. Interestingly enough he does not stop there. As we continue to read he makes the following statement. I Thessalonians 4:16-17
Now thanks be unto God who always causes us to triumph… II Corinthians 2:14
One of the greatest sources of encouragement for the people of God is the assurance that we are on the winning side. The outcome of the difficulties that we face in this life is not an uncertain outcome. The fact of the matter is that the work Jesus carried out on our behalf sealed our victory over any challenge that life can bring. All we really need to do is walk in the victory that already belongs to us. This is the heart of a champion; one who walks by faith and not by sight.
Regardless how things presently appear, by giving our life to Jesus Christ, we have given Him the license to our life knowing that through it all, He will ultimately bring us to the destination He has predetermined for our lives. This doesn’t mean the road won’t get rough and the going get tough. However, even in the rough, tough, tiring, lonely, and frustrating parts of the trip, because we are riding with Jesus, He supplies everything we need to restore us, recharge our spiritual batteries, and renew our commitment to persevere. This is the heart of a champion; one who remains focused on the reward and the prize that awaits him for all he has to endure.
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Philippians 3:14
God’s rewards are far superior to anything this world could ever offer us. No matter how good it may feel, how smooth it is to the tough, how delightful it is to the taste, all worldly gratification has one thing in common; it is all temporary. Temporary happiness, temporary high, temporary riches. On the contrary all of the benefits, the rewards, gratification, and fulfillment to be found in walking with the Lord are eternal. Eternal joy, eternal peace, eternal rest, eternal riches. This is what the heart of champion remains focused on. This is the heart of Christ, for even as He faced pain and death, He did so because He realized the joy that it would bring, to reign with you and I for eternity, for exceeded what He had to face.
Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
Q. What has kept you from experiencing the heart of a champion? How did you or how can you overcome these challenges?