The Heartbeat of The “New Birth”

December 26, 2021

“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3. (NIV)

 We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.  And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. 1 John 4:19-21.  (NIV)

Reflecting on the new birth, I immediately reflect on the time when I delivered a baby while working the night shift in Texas. No, the doctor did not arrive in time for the delivery, and I found myself with a beautiful baby boy in my hands. I am not sure if my cousin Shirley Nash during her nursing career as a Registered Nurse had that experience. However, I will never forget the experience of holding that baby and praying, Lord, please let this baby start breathing. God does answer prayer!

Wherever he is today, he is all grown up and has changed.  When we first come to Christ, receiving Him as our Savior and Lord we are new babes in Christ.  As a result of our New Birth in Christ, there should be some obvious changes seen in our lives spiritually!

The Following Are Some Changes That Follow The New Birth: 

1. A Desire to Grow Spiritually. A new baby craves milk, and, without it, they won’t grow. Equally, new Believers in Christ crave the milk of the Word of God, biblical teaching or they won’t grow. 1 Peter 2:2 says, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” The new birth is only the beginning of the life God designed for us. It is also the only way we can enter the family of God and receive the privilege of calling Him “Father” (Matthew 6:9; Romans 8:15).
2. The “Fruit of the Spirit” Someone who has experienced the new birth will begin to display the character qualities that are more like Jesus. It is a process and over time just as a fruit tree grows and begins to produce fruit in season, we begin to produce godly character traits such as Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, and Self-control. These traits are the natural result of yielding to the Spirit of God and spending time with God in His Word. (Galatians 5:22–23).
3. Desire To Make Godly Choices. Sins that once fascinated us begin to diminish as we grow closer to Jesus. Our New Birth in Christ released the power that sin had over us and enables us to live in freedom as explained in Romans 6 noting that we have died to our old way of life and are free to live as we were designed to live. Colossians 3:5says, “Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.” This death to sin is an ongoing process as we grow in our faith and love for the Lord.
4. Love for Other Believers in Christ. One of the changes the New Birth produces is LOVE: 1 John 4:19–21, which clearly reminds us, “we love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” A person who has been born into the family of God desires fellowship with his brothers and sisters and denounces division and cliques. Those in the family of God, every family member is equally valued and loved. Anyone who confesses the New Birth in Christ, who does not LOVE OTHERS and does not want to FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS, need to check their SALVATION!
5. Spiritual gifts. Those who are “born again” God has given them at least one gift that they can use to serve Him and edify the Body of Christ. Spiritual gifts are special abilities that enable us to be more effective in the specific callings God places on our lives. As each member uses his or her gifts for the good of all, God’s family flourishes.

Rx: God’s Prescription for Life!

 A NEW  HEART:  2 Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (NIV) Yes, we are  New Creations in Christ, we have God’s Spirit; however No one reaches sinless perfection in this life, but the redeemed Christian is being sanctified (made holy) day by day, sinning less and hating it more each time we fail. Yes, we still sin, but unwillingly and less and less frequently as we mature in Christ. Our new self hates the sin that once had us in bondage, we are now free from as the Apostle Paul explains in Romans 6:6-7. Now we are empowered by God’s Spirit to live a righteous life. God is a gentleman, and we still have the choice to “let sin reign” or to count ourselves “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” as noted in Romans 6:11-12. Praise God for the Holy Spirit in us to make the choice to resist the Devil and live for God.

FATHER GOD: Thank You for making us “New Creations” in Christ by Your Spirit and now we can walk in freedom and glorify You, in the Precious, Powerful and Preeminent Name of Jesus Christ our Savior, and Lord, Amen!