Integrity- People of God

We now understand that the true meaning of “born again” is dying to the old self, the old way of living and then being raised into a new life and a new culture.  Being born again is not done by our own natural efforts and hard work, but it is a decision of the heart and the will that chooses to accept the Holy Spirit of God into our lives and allow Him to transform us into a new creation.   It is not us trying hard not to do wrong or pulling ourselves up by the bootstrap. Some people did not have boots or straps. Born again is receiving the Holy Spirit through faith, which is our belief in the truth of God’s word and His love for us. 

Born again, allows us to see things as God would have us see and that is to see others and ourselves as His Beloved. Even when we miss the mark and do not get it right every time, God’s love for us is eternally rooted in the redemptive blood of Jesus. We are saved by God’s grace through our faith in His word and His love. When we by faith choose to believe the word of God, then the Grace of God comes to meet our faith and transform our lives and begin to destroy the lies we have been told and believed. TheHoly Spirit comes in and we learn a different way to think and a different way to act by renewing our minds to the word of God. It is God who will perform this great work in us, but it is our will and decision to believe God that will allow Him to perform that which He has promised.

Ephesians 2:4-10 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it isthe gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. NKJV

It was God’s love that sent Jesus to bring us back into the family of God as His sons and daughters by placing us back in right standing with God. Jesus did not come because we were worthless sinners.  Jesus came because we were precious children who became unrecognizable, disfigured and had fallen from the purpose of reflecting God’s glory.  Mankind failed because they believed the lie of Satan rather than the truth of God’s word.  God loved us too much to leave us in a depraved fallen state without any recourse, remedy or alternative. He would not leave us in this distorted state, marred by rebellion, therefore He sent Jesus to redeem that which was lost, our identity in Him and our positions as children of the Most High King. 

God said the wages of sin is death and all have sinned therefore all owe this debt. We all came from Adam and all humanity was in seed form in Adam’s body when he sinned, therefore, his blood line was passed down from generation to generation and we all took on this fallen nature.  Jesuscame through humanity with a body of man but through the seed of the Holy Spirit and He lived a righteous life. Though He was righteous, Jesustook upon Himself the sin of the world and He made payment for the wages of sin, which is death. The debt that all humanity owed was paid so that whosoever receives Jesus as Lord could be made righteous and that is in right standing with God. 

We all have sinned and everyone owes the debt of eternal death, which is the total separation from God who is light and life.  The question is who will pay this debt? Jesus came to set us free from being enslaved to sin and offered His life as a ransom for many, but not everyone will accept His payment for their redemption. Many people try to earn their right standing with God and work hard to look good and do the right thing, but their best efforts are an insult to God’s gift, Jesus Christ. 

1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, NKJV

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.NKJV

We all have the same choice as Adam, to believe and obey God or believe the lies of Satan, the enemy of God, and this fallen world system.  We will stand before God based on our own efforts, works and sin or we will stand before Him based on the completed work of Christ, His Salvation and payment for our sin.  The debt will be paid, and again the question is, who will pay? God has given all humanity a will and the ability to choose their destiny and to choose whom they will serve.

We have a High Priest who understands weaknesses and we are told to come boldly to the throne of Grace to receive help in the time of need. We need help when we have missed the mark or fallen short and God tells us to come boldly to Him, because of Christ. When we have faith in God’s love for us no matter how bad things may seem or how low we have fallen, we can trust in God’s love and His grace comes and meets us where we are and restores us back into fellowship with Him.

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are,yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, thatwe may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Again, it is not our effort that saves or makes us righteous, but it is a gift from God, the power of the Holy Spirit and our faith in the love of our Father, who will never leave us or forsake us.