From Death to Life

Ephe 2:1-2 “… you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.”

You and I are spiritual beings. We have a material body, but we are spirits. Before we were born again we were 'dead' spiritual beings. I don’t know about you but I was dead in sins and transgressions, I was dead to God. I thought I was alive as I responded to the pull of the world, the flesh and the devil. I was tuned in to the enemy’s voice, deceived by the father of lies. I listened to him as he urged me to be self-sufficient, to create my own destiny without bothering to consult with my Maker. Though I am neither omniscient nor omnipotent I was trying to be god to myself. That is the sin nature!

Where was God through all this?  He was there. I had tuned Him out, but He never let me go because He had chosen me, before the foundation of the world, to be conformed to the image of his Son. That is your incredibly glorious destiny as well, if you are a believer. We were not chosen to become rich and famous. We were chosen to be Holy!  That is the destiny God is calling us to, and it has already been accomplished in the heavenly realms by the power of the cross. When we were crucified with Christ the old version of self, controlled by the world the flesh and the devil died. When we were raised up with Christ we came to life spiritually for the first time. Christ’s Spirit is now united with ours and our true identity can emerge. The destiny for which we were created can be fulfilled because we are in union with our Creator. Though we still have a body, we are now living spiritual beings. A battle still rages between the flesh and the spirit 'in Christ,' but we can win that battle. The Apostle Paul tells us how, "The life I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." We win the battle by developing our 'faith muscle,' to use a picturesque expression of pastor Mike Plunket. We do not win by self-will or self-effort. We win by uniting with Christ and yielding to his Spirit within us. We win by Holy Spirit power!

Moved by the Unseen God

Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:9 NKJV).

Those who have been born again cannot sin? What is John saying here? When we are born again do we become incapable of sinning? John cannot be saying that because he also tells us what to do if we do sin! He says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). The NIV translation of 1 John 3:9 can help us here. According to the NIV, John is saying, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.” This makes it clear that John is not talking about individual sinful acts, but an ongoing condition of the believer. The born again Christian indwelt by “God’s seed” cannot go on sinning because God will not let him rest in his sins.

The unbeliever can rationalize, saying things like, “Really it's not wrong, everybody’s doing it.” He can go on sinning, thus determining his own destiny apart from the God of the universe.

 But God loves His children too much to allow us to take that route.  The apostle Paul put it this way,       “…Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (1 Cor. 5:14-15) When we consider ourselves crucified with Christ and raised to new life with him, the life we continue to live in the body we live by faith in Christ. The reason we cannot go on sinning is that Christ’s love compels us to pursue righteousness.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matt 5:6) That is why, if we do sin we suffer until we confess and get right with God. His love moves us; no it “compels” us.  We cannot be content in sin.

Following the Unseen God

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:5-7).

We were not designed to function independent of God, but we keep trying to do what cannot be done. We are not omniscient or omnipotent, but we still try to determine our own destiny.  There is only one infinite Creator, but we try to be God in our own lives. This desire to usurp the throne that rightly belongs to our Creator underlies all sin and is the reason we must be born again. 

When Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again He was preparing to fulfill a prophecy of the Prophet Ezekiel through whom God had said: “… I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws (Ezek 36:27). When God gave this prophecy through Ezekiel He was talking to the Israelites who were under the Mosaic Law. But Jesus gave the spirit of the Law when He said, "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Math. 22: 37-40).  At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came in power and now indwells every believer, fulfilling Ezekiel’s prophecy. God has put His Spirit in us and is moving and empowering us to follow Jesus in obedience to these two simple commandments.