Last week’s devotion, entitled ‘While We Were Still Sinners’, considered three different responses to a genuine encounter with God. We also marveled at the amazing love that God has for mankind. This week we look at three realities in the life of someone who has been reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I recommend reading/reviewing last week’s devotion before proceeding with this one.
When a person genuinely responds to God’s good news about the forgiveness, hope and love found only through faith in Jesus, several immediate, remarkable and lifechanging realities change that person’s life for all eternity. Three important examples of these changes include being:
Adopted into God’s Family
All people are part of God’s creation (a very special part – made in His image (Genesis 1:27)). However, only those having been justified before God through faith in Jesus are adopted into God’s family. To be a child of God is to be fully reconciled to Him.
- Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Indwelled with God’s Holy Spirit
Another critical truth that separates those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus from the rest of the world is that the Holy Spirit of God lives in them. The presence of the Holy Spirit not only guarantees that we belong to God forever, but He also guides, teaches, convicts and empowers us.
- John 14:16-17 I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Commissioned to Live a God-honoring Life
As a child of God, with the truth of God’s Word, and with His Holy Spirit living in us, we are called to live a life that brings glory to God. We honor Him out of love, appreciation, respect and obedience, not to earn a righteous standing before Him (Christ did that for us). One of our greatest responsibilities and privileges is to share the love and truth about Jesus with others.
- Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The reality of these (and other) changes in a person’s life as they surrender to and walk with Jesus are undeniable. These changes are one of the powerful ways we witness to the world about who we are in Christ. There are three broad categories of change that proclaim to the watching world the wonderful and ongoing transformation of a child of God.
Rejecting
Part of living a life that brings glory to God is to reject the ungodly ways of our flesh (our depraved human nature), the world (the global systems, powers, people and approaches that actively reject God and His truth), and Satan (the ‘adversary’, a powerful angel that rebelled against God and seeks the eternal damnation of all people in a real place called Hell). The role of the Church through Christians is not to change the world through condemnation or conflict, but to act as ambassadors for God by sharing His love and His truth.
- Galatians 5:19-25 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Renovating
Christians represent Jesus to all those who don’t know Him. But we can’t do this by living as hypocrites. Even though we stumble, we fall, and we fail along the way, God never lets us go. He is continually transforming our lives so that we become more and more like Jesus. The life of a faithful and obedient Christians is revolutionized by the power of God’s Word and the presence of God’s Spirit. The reality of this renovation is most clearly expressed in the sincere expression of love for God, for other Christians, and for everyone else (even those who hate us).
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Receiving
We could literally spend eternity talking about the things believers receive from Father God (specifically those things that begin at our spiritual rebirth in this life and continuing for all time in Heaven). So, rather than attempting to be comprehensive, I have chosen to point out just a few examples of the promises He keeps to us, the passions He births in us, and the persecutions He predicts for us. We receive from Him as children. We share Him with others as servants.
Promises - Eternal Life, The Holy Spirit, Spiritual Gifts, etc.
- 2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Passions - To Know God, To Honor God, To Share the Truth About God, etc.
- Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Persecutions - For Believing in Jesus, For Following Jesus, For Sharing Jesus, etc.
- 2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
The Word of God, The Holy Bible, has a very clear message for all Christians:
Faith in Jesus dramatically and permanently changes
the way a person thinks, talks and lives!
- Romans 6:20-22 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
- Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
- 1 Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
As Christians, we are Rejecters, Renovators and Receivers, and there is something we need to know about Father God. If we are truly His children, He will never let us go. We can’t lose the very special gift of salvation in Christ. Righteousness before God through Jesus is an eternal reality known as the assurance of the believer.
- John 10:27-29 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
- Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
- Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
- Jude 1:24-25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
The Sovereign Lord of the universe has declared you righteous, indwelled you, empowered you, and so much more. He didn’t do this because of any good works, sacrifice, learning, or anything else you could do to earn his favor. He did this because He loves you and because you trusted Christ as your Savior. Let your life show that you love Him! Live as Christ did – loving, ministering (serving), forgiving, sacrificing. Do all things for God’s glory.
- 1 Peter 4:7-11 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer
Father, may Your Word and Spirit guide, instruct, change, empower and convict those who have believed on Jesus. I pray that Your children represent You well in this world by loving and serving others well. Help us to show and share the truth about Jesus and what He has done for us. Draw many new believers to Yourself. I pray that what You desire in all things will be accomplished. I praise You and pray to You in the name above every name, Jesus. Amen.
