We know from scripture (John 3:3) that Jesus told Nicodemus he must be “born again of the spirit”. That’s not a remodeling job, but rather a starting over. We are told by the apostle Paul in 2nd Corinthians 5:15 & 17, the following: “And He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. . .. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
Using the illustration of birth has been done for a specific reason; because when saved we are made completely new from the inside out. Your spirit has become alive, where prior to our conversion we were spiritually dead. Hence the phrase “dead man walking”.
Prior to receiving Christ, we essentially lived for ourselves. We were number one in our lives, and though we may have given our heart to another, at our core we were selfish, and self-centered. Our former self was dead in sin, but thru salvation we were brought back to life. We were like the proverbial dead men walking. We thought we were happy, but at some point, in the quiet of a lonely evening, didn’t we wonder if that was all there is to life.
There is a belief that every person has a “God shaped hole” inside them. “The concept of a "God-shaped hole"in every person is most commonly attributed to Blaise Pascal, a 17th-century French philosopher, mathematician, and theologian, who stated that there is a "God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man". This idea has been echoed and elaborated upon by various religious and philosophical figures throughout history. For instance, St. Augustine wrote in his Confessions that "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you". John Calvin, the Protestant reformer, referred to a "sense of divinity" as a natural instinct within humans. The idea has also been discussed by C.S. Lewis, Rick Warren, and even acknowledged by the atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell, who described a “deep, unfulfillable longing in human existence”. While Pascal is the most frequently cited originator, the concept reflects a broader philosophical and theological theme about the human search for meaning and transcendence.” [1]
Once you become a follower of Christ you are righteous, justified, & sanctified in God’s eyes. All that is because of what Christ did on the cross for all of mankind. You are to yield to the spirit within you and slowly become more like Christ. God changes our desires, outlook, and focus as we turn from self-worship to God-worship.
At salvation, the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts and inflates the spirit inside us so that we can now communicate with God. Whereas a person was formerly directed by the sin nature, he or she can now be directed by the Holy Spirit who works to transform us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).
We are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice and renew our minds so that we begin to think as God thinks (Romans 12:1–2). As we focus on knowing God, reading His Word, and surrendering ourselves daily to the control of the Holy Spirit, our choices change, along with our priorities. A person was formerly directed by the sin nature, but now can be directed by the Holy Spirit who works to transform us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).
Therefore, we are becoming a “new man”.
Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.
In His Name & for His Glory,
RL Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
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