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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN

The year of 2000 came, I made the move out of my hometown and picked up a label that read Christian. Although, that’s not saying a lot. Across the bridge is roughly 10 miles and being a Christian didn’t mean what I thought I was gonna. More on that later. A bad relationship sent me spiraling into a world of broken-heart ache. So, I decided one tear-filled night to stop at a church and go in. Besides, I couldn’t see through my blurry eyes anyway. At the time, I knew nothing of church except they were suppose to help people. Funny enough, that was enough for me to trust them with my pain. Being born again was foreign to me I knew I wanted to not hurt anymore.

It didn’t take long after a meeting with the pastors wife to get me in the front pew. From there, I was lead to say the sinners prayer and “saved”. That’s to say, I wasn’t born-again until 8 years later. Conseqently, I tend to classify that first interaction as the time I “Met Jesus”.

The question is after all, what was the difference between then and now. What does it mean to be born again and saved. Hang out for a bit while I explain this very important life event.

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Romans 6:17-18

MORE ABOUT THAT FIRST MEETING

To start, as a young woman not raised in the faith, I had no idea what to expect from a church. Essentially, I use this experience now to make sure I deliver a proper and full understanding of the gospel message.

The first meet I had with Jesus was nothing short of a way to get more church fund supporters. The church never preached from the bible. There was singing a chaos most of the hours worth of church time. It was exhausting more than anything.

Though embarrassing and inappropriate, I was in a fornicating relationship with a man 16 years my senior. May as well have been my dad. Yet, these people wanted to know the gossip, not figure out why I was choosing that path. Here I was, all I wanted was love from a man and I was seeking it in all the wrong places.

Not one person told me that by being born again Jesus expected me to change my life.

No one even told me real appropriate love was an option. The whole thing was a sham. Sure, I said the sinner’s prayer but that is worth nothing. A broken heart is like a constant fire in the center of your chest.

HOW IT SHOULD’VE HAPPENED

When you walk into a church building or midst of believers looking for help, there should be Truth. This isn’t a time to concern yourself with offense. Either you want a life filled with joy or you want to help someone get a life filled with joy. Or you don’t. Simple. Jesus says, he is the Rock of offense so, there’s that.

In fact, if they aren’t offended they may not be ready to be born again anyway. Don’t hold back, this is a good time to tell them that Jesus loves them and desires them to be born again. In addition, sharing what being born again requires is a good idea. Being born again isn’t just fire insurance used as a way to avoid Hell.

Jesus is serious commitment. Don’t believe me, see Isaiah chapter 55. Then shoot headlong for 1 John, all of it. God has expectations. Know what you’re signing up for.

Okay, okay, fire insurance is part of the package. But, the most important aspect, is the privilege of being apart of the Kingdom family as a Child of God.

Ehh, I didn’t watch the Royal Wedding shenanigans. I won’t get up early for that. But I’ve seen blogs and magazines highlighting the prep Megan went through while “learning how to be” apart of the royal family. Funny, that’s here on earth. Imagine how much grander the royal heavenly kingdom is.

God requires some changes.

In order to see success from someone being born again and saved they should know what God requires. Fair right?

First order of business, God requires repentance. Don’t jump. Repentance is powerful but not scary. The essence of repentance is deciding to agree with God. Easy enough right. I’ll share what you are agreeing with so that you have a sure understanding here.

1. Agree with God that you’re in desperate need of a Savior. Also, agree that no one or no thing is capable of saving you but HIM!

2. IN effect you’re agreeing that you have sin in your life. Otherwise, why would you need saving. Right?!

3. You agree that moving forward, you’re willing to leave your old way of life and behaviors behind. This one may hurt, but only for a moment. There’s no comparison to life with Jesus! Rip that band-aid off and forsake your old life!

Second, yet most important, you’re committing to a life of faith. Faith that Jesus is the Son of God manifest in a body of flesh. He lived without sin and died on the cross as payment to redeem sinners to eternal life. He conquered death by resurrecting from being dead and lives now in heaven at the right hand of God. To read more, see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

WHAT DOES FAITH HAVE TO DO WITH BEING BORN AGAIN

In short, being born again is a way of life, not a single event that takes place. We’re not talkin’ Rotisserie cooking here. There’s no “set it and forget it” option. Living a life of faith as a born again Christian means, living the biblical standard on purpose.

I assure you, walking after the spirit doesn’t happen on accident.

Faith means you believe the Holy Spirit dwells within you and he gives you the power to “go and sin no more”. As Jesus put it. It’s common to hear the script quoted…

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Yea okay, but for some reason, people don’t believe that means they can go through life not always sinning. Instead, they make excuses for why sin is necessary. Listen, I’m gonna be brutally honest here. Sinning is an option. You can and should choose not to sin by the power of grace.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

To clarify, you can choose to lie or not. Drink or not. Smoke or not. Be prideful or not. Fornicate or not. Adultery or not. You can choose to gossip or not, act out in anger or not. Again, this is a lifestyle.

Being born again mean things SHOULD change.

Let’s say, you once lived to smoke on a daily basis but now, you’re walking in faith. You’d take action in faith by giving Jesus the power. For instance, you feel the urge to smoke. That glorious, slender stick of rancid toxins, waiting to fill your lungs with black tar beckons you. Except this time, you’ll give that urge over to God and say, NO.

You’ll declare, I made a commitment to walk after the spirit. That commitment doesn’t include smoking chemicals into my body, because your temple holds the HOLY Spirit.

It is written that those born again have the mind of Christ.

You can choose to do the right thing even if you don’t feel like it!

In John 5 Jesus said, Behold, thou are made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. In John 8, Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS, but have the light of life.”

So many individuals diminish the power of God into a worldly sized box!

IS BEING SAVED DIFFERENT

No. Being saved is another way of saying you are born again. Both born again and saved mean that you have accepted to agree with God in repentance. While living a life of faith and holiness as Jesus outlines through the Bible.

As a born again believer and follower of Jesus you…

Die with Christ and resurrected a new creature. Live accordingly.

Are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, which is sent to be your Helper.

You have inherited the kingdom of heaven through adoption and are called a Child of God.

You have the mind of Christ.

You have the power of Grace to live according to Gods standard. Be set apart from those who are not born again believers who follow after Christ.

Live a life of repentance and holiness as stated in 1 John 1,2 and 3.

DOES THIS ALL REALLY MATTER

In truth, absolutely! Because, if you want freedom, you’ll be born again and live a life according to the Will of God. Jesus says, be hot or be cold but the lukewarm I will vomit out of my mouth.

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. Revelation3:16 CSB

Ouch! Can we blame him? I mean, let’s be real, who likes lukewarm coffee that’s been sitting around waiting to be enjoyed. Or that delicious stack of Oreos and milk that’s gone from cold to lukewarm. Yuck!

As a born again Christian, you have the mind of Christ who overcame sin and death so that you could have freedom! There are so many rich scriptures that tell the Truth of true freedom in Christ.

RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD
A NEW MAN
DEAD TO SIN
CLEANSED OF ALL SIN AND UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jesus says we will know them by their fruit. Make your fruit delicious by living a life after the spirit as a born again follower of Christ.

It matters!

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

¹⁷For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

¹⁸But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

²⁴And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

²⁵If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

²⁶Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:16-26

Make Jesus Your First Love

Receive the Truth; Accept His invitation to Holiness through Salvation. He wants you to live a born again life in abundance!

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1 17:20

Share how you were born again down in the comments. I’d love to hear your testimony.

Come find me on Facebook, that's where I hang out when I'm not writing. Talk soon!

ttfn,Jamee

Heeey,

Words are always more fun when you hold that vowel for an extra beat. Am I right? Anyhoo, thanks for stopping by. I'm committed to helping women crush the belief that being loved is possible for everyone but herself while learning to cultivate life with courage!!

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