Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Regenerated

John 3:3-6; Col 1: 21-22, 2:9-10; 2 Cor: 5:21; Heb. 7:26-28, 10:4,10; Eph. 1:4, 2:6; 1 John 1:7; 1 Cor. 6:11;

I wanted to give you several verses today about regeneration. The state of right standing with God that takes place when you become a Christian. By that I mean, if you have had that moment with God, the moment when you personally come to Him, confess your sin and ask Him into your life as Savior and Lord, you are now a Christian. That one moment began a good work in your heart that changed you forever, placed you into the family of God and regenerated you for all eternity.

When you read the scriptures note that you are referred to as the Righteous, a Saint. Now don't panic, especially if your background is Catholic. The word Saint does not refer to someone who has sacrificed their life or did some huge holy thing to be holy. Though those actions are commendable when directed by Christ, they do not clean the heart or make us holy. Christ is the only person who can do that for us, and He did that at the cross. I am referring to the titles given to us when we invite Christ into our lives. Granted we do not deserve these titles for most of us do not live without sin. But God through forgiveness and grace gave us this honor because of what Christ did for us at Calvary.

Even though we sin and often live self centered lives, we are called righteous. Christ is perfect and He lives inside us. His righteousness becomes a permanent part of who we are now and forever. Thus iniquity, wickedness and evil no longer exists in us. Why? Because a supernatural moment took place, when we invited Christ to be in our lives. This moment is called regeneration, born again, circumcision. We became new creations. The old sinful nature, iniquity, died when the old way of thinking was cut out of the heart. God placed Himself, His nature, His life into us. We are new, changed, alive. We are Righteous, Saints.( Read Bob George, Steve McVey or Victorious Christian Living books.)

The reason I bring this to you today is because of Psalms 37. Please read it sometime. The passage refers to the wicked and iniquity often. It also refers to the Righteous. Remember you are the Righteous if Christ lives in you. 1 John 5:12-13.

The Kings Child

The kings child, stolen by thieves, was raised as a slave and forced to live in poverty. The child had no memory of his heritage. One day, he left to fend for himself. After a haircut, the seal on his forehead revealed who he was to all. Everyone bowed before him.
"Why do you bow before me, I am but a peasant."
"But sir, you bear the Kings seal."

Tell me. Do you think this Child of the King ate from the garbage can again? Do you think he continued to steal and live a peasants life? No, he lived like a child of the King.

We are Children of the King. We bear His seal. If the King says we are Righteous, Saints, then we are Righteous and Saints. Do you think we will want to continue eating garbage and living in iniquity? Of course not we will want to live like Children of the King.

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