Now that one has become born again, that is, has experienced new birth, they begin their wonderful adventure as a a child of God, having been legally adopted into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ. When Jesus was about to leave His disciples and return to the Father, He promised that He would send the Holy Spirit into the world to become their Teacher, Guide, Helper and Comforter. (John 14:15-18, 15:26-27, 16:12-15) The Holy Spirit was going to have charge of the ministry and the work of the Church. He was going to guide the Church as a whole, as well as, guide the many members individually. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon certain people for a period of time to accomplish the work of God, but now He is to dwell with and in the heart, the spirit, of all who are born again.
Before we go any further, we need to understand that the Holy Spirit is not an "it" an "ism" nor is He some mystical force. The scriptures refer to Him as a person by using personal pronouns, such as, He, Him, etc. In the scriptures referenced above, Jesus gives the Holy Spirit the same place, the same personality, and the same honor that He gives to the Father and to Himself. The Apostle John reveals this fact this way, "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one." (1 John 5:7) Notice that John clearly reveals that the Holy Spirit co-exists, is co-equal, is co-eternal, that is, one with the Father and the Word (the Son). Although the Holy Spirit is one with the Father and the Son, scripture clearly reveals that He is also distinguished from the Father and Son. The Apostle Paul shows us this very thing, "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all." (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
The Holy Spirit has the guidance and the plans for the church. Paul shows us, "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) In doing these things, the Holy Spirit does not operate independently from the Father and Son. Jesus tells us, "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you." (John 16:13-15)
The Holy Spirit's place of activity today is on the earth. Some of the things He is doing are, convicting the world of sin, (John 16:8), holding back the powers of darkness, (1 John 4:4), recreating sinners, (2 Corinthians 5:17), indwelling the new believers body (John 14:17), empowering believers for ministry (Acts 1:8) and bringing them into the Family of God. (Romans 8:15-16). Since the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit's home is the body of those who are born again. "...do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God..." (1 Corinthians 6:19) However, He could not make His home in the human body until man had been recreated, born again. This could not take place until Christ had come and paid the penalty of sin, taken His seat as Mediator, and given eternal life to all who would confess Him as Lord and take Him as Savior.
Not only does the Holy Spirit indwell the believer at the very moment he is born again, but He also fills the believer. First and foremost, to enter the family of God, people need regeneration, new birth, being born again, but they also can receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which is subsequent to the regeneration experience. For the lack of space we will view a portion of scripture as evidence that shows the regeneration experience (indwelling of the Holy Spirit) and the pouring out and receiving of the Holy Spirit (infilling or being Baptized with the Holy Spirit) are two separate experiences. “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.” (Acts 8.5-6) We read further, “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.” (Acts 8.12)
The Samaritans heard the gospel and believed. They had experienced regeneration, but it is apparent by the following scripture that there was more than just believing and being water baptized. “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8.14-17) There is no doubt that these new converts were saved and had the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. However, the Holy Spirit had not fallen upon them (filled them as on the Day of Pentecost) until Peter and John laid their hands on them. (Also see Acts 19:1-7)
The Apostle Paul also tells us, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18) A literal translation of the verb would read "be being kept filled." The idea is one of keeping themselves constantly filled and being filled with the Holy Spirit, as you yield moment by moment to His leading. "Be filled" is actually in the passive voice and indicates that the action of the Holy Spirit is continuously filling the believer. It is simply another facet of being a child of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Holy Spirit allows the believer to have daily, moment-by-moment effectiveness and fulfillment in their Christian life as a child of God. Not just in the character of Christ, but also in the realm of the supernatural. "These signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no
means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will
recover.” (Mark 16:17-18) "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." (John 14:12) Isn't great to be a child of God?
Showing posts with label Child of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Child of God. Show all posts
Monday, October 26, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Child of God - Part 4
Due to the miraculous work of redemption through Jesus Christ, man has been restored to all that he was in God before the fall. The only way that a person can take advantage of such an incredible gift, he must confess Jesus as Lord and receive Him as Savior. This act of faith
transforms the sinner instantly by-means-of new birth an gives him the
right to become a child of God. New birth is the heart of Christianity. From the fall of man to Pentecost every plan and purpose of God to redeem man had centered in this. This is the reason for the sacrifice of Jesus as man's substitute. Man's interpretation of the new birth determines his whole Christian experience. What this means is, if the new birth is not supernatural, then Christianity is nothing more than one of the other religions of the world. If the new birth is simply a conversion to new concepts or a theory, then Christianity is purely a product of human endeavor. However, the fact is, the new birth is supernatural and Christianity has become the family of God, not a mere religion, or religious experience, but a completely restored relationship of man with the Father.
Jesus is the first one who speaks of the new birth, and in His conversation with Nicodemus He tells us what the new birth is and the need of it. (For the sake of space, please read John 3:1-8) The first thing that we see it that no one can see or understand the Kingdom of God except he is born again, that is, except the life of God come into his very being and recreate his spirit. Second, no one can enter the Kingdom of God except he is born of water and the spirit. However, Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel, cannot understand these things and asks, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus responds, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again." In this scripture, Jesus reveals the difference between the natural and the spiritual man. The importance of us grasping this is that Jesus shows us that man is spiritually dead, a child of the devil. (John 8:44) The Apostle Paul tells us, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:1-2)
However, the new birth is to be a complete change of the sinful, satanic nature of man to a new or restored relationship with the Father. The Apostle Paul continues, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-6) We were not sick with sin, we were dead in sin, but God made us alive together with Christ, new birth, born again. By one accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, he enters into a covenant, a legal contract so-to-speak, with the Father through Jesus Christ. Some of the numerous blessings that are legally and instantly bestowed upon believers from the Father, are...
The Apostle John tells us, "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13) The Apostle James tells us, "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18) The Apostle Peter tells us, "Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23) Man, once spiritually dead, hopeless, helpless and without God in the world, a child of Satan, now has the opportunity to become a part of the family of God, simply by confessing with the mouth and believing with the heart, the Lord Jesus Christ and taking Him as Savior. Think about these things and then consider, who would not want to be a true, legal, bought and paid for child of God? Really, no one. So take some time and let some people know that they can be a part of God's family and become a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the first one who speaks of the new birth, and in His conversation with Nicodemus He tells us what the new birth is and the need of it. (For the sake of space, please read John 3:1-8) The first thing that we see it that no one can see or understand the Kingdom of God except he is born again, that is, except the life of God come into his very being and recreate his spirit. Second, no one can enter the Kingdom of God except he is born of water and the spirit. However, Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel, cannot understand these things and asks, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus responds, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again." In this scripture, Jesus reveals the difference between the natural and the spiritual man. The importance of us grasping this is that Jesus shows us that man is spiritually dead, a child of the devil. (John 8:44) The Apostle Paul tells us, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:1-2)
However, the new birth is to be a complete change of the sinful, satanic nature of man to a new or restored relationship with the Father. The Apostle Paul continues, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-6) We were not sick with sin, we were dead in sin, but God made us alive together with Christ, new birth, born again. By one accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, he enters into a covenant, a legal contract so-to-speak, with the Father through Jesus Christ. Some of the numerous blessings that are legally and instantly bestowed upon believers from the Father, are...
- His sins are remitted, wiped out as though they had never been. (Isaiah 43:25)
- He is legally justified, made righteous or set right with God. (Romans 5:1-2)
- His name is written in the Book of Life. (Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3)
- He is legally adopted into the family of God. (Romans 8:15-16)
- Jesus publicly confesses him before the Father and the His angels. (Revelations 3:5)
- He is legally reconciled to the Father. (Romans 5:9-11)
- He is declared and made righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
- Satan no longer has authority over the believer, but the believer has authority over Satan. (Mark 16:17; Luke 10:19)
- He is blessed and given every spiritual blessing by the father in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
- He has the promise of eternal life. (1 John 2:25)
The Apostle John tells us, "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13) The Apostle James tells us, "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18) The Apostle Peter tells us, "Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23) Man, once spiritually dead, hopeless, helpless and without God in the world, a child of Satan, now has the opportunity to become a part of the family of God, simply by confessing with the mouth and believing with the heart, the Lord Jesus Christ and taking Him as Savior. Think about these things and then consider, who would not want to be a true, legal, bought and paid for child of God? Really, no one. So take some time and let some people know that they can be a part of God's family and become a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Child of God - Part 2
In part one we see that the children of creation betrayed their Father, the living God. In doing so they lost the legal right to approach God and are described by the Apostle Paul as "...without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants
of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:12) Notice first, "without Christ." Although Christ had not come to redeem man for several thousand years after the fall, the fact is, there is no life, no ability or right to approach God without Him. Although Paul is addressing Gentiles here, he goes on to address Jews also. Though Jews had God's law, His oracles, yet, without Christ, they were no different than Gentile unbelievers. So this applies to all people everywhere. We see this clearly as the Apostle Paul tells us, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5) and the Apostle Peter reveals, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Next, we see that man is a stranger from the covenants of the promise. In other words, man has no claims on God apart from His "Covenants" especially His "New Covenant" established through Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "But now He (Christ) has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6) Man had forfeited every right which God has conferred upon him at the fall. Before the fall, God had given man the lega1 right to approach Him and a stand before Him. We see this in the Garden. (Genesis 3:8) Although this was after the fall, it paints the picture of man's relationship with God the Father and His children. But now, do to man's betrayal, his treason, he forfeited his position and is described as "having no hope and without God in the world."
Hopeless and Godless, and in the world where Satan has completely corrupted everything through sin, who also has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14), shows us that man's position apart from Christ, is certainly desperate. But more than this, as we saw in part one, man had become a partaker of satanic nature. Satan was now his father. (John 8:44) He is not only a subject of Satan, but is also become spiritua1ly dead. Adam was no longer able to stand in God's presence after he sinned. Furthermore, he was driven from the Garden of Eden God, and then God placed a cherubim wielding a flaming sword to block the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24) God would not permit man to eat of the tree of life until the sin problem had been settled. Think how awful it would have been if man had eaten of tree of life while under the sway of sin. Man would live forever and yet the destructive nature of sin would still have been unleashed upon the earth. In other words, all of mankind would follow in their father's footsteps, the devil, that is, "steel, kill and destroy" but never physically die. It staggers the imagination to even try to think of something so horrific.
The Book of Job is seen as the oldest book of the Bible. Job recognized man's awful dilemma and need for a mediator, “For God is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both." (Job 9:32-33) In other words, there is no mediator between man and God who has a legal standing with God and at the same time can sympathize, understand and represent man before God. This is Job's cry for a mediator, but it is not the cry of Job alone. This is actually the cry of man throughout the ages. All through the ages man has created religions and every way possible to appease himself and hopefully be accepted by God. Yet the Bible tells us, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) This means exactly what it says, "for ALL have sinned!"
Today, man can no more approach God without a mediator than he could in the days of Job or Israel. The deceptions of Satan have brought most of man to believe if they live a good moral life, that this is al1 God requires of them. By living a "good" life, and if there is a Heaven they have as much right to it as those who have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. However, neither this kind of thinking, nor any amount of the finest education, nor the best of man's good works (feed the hungry, clothe the poor, etc.) will ever give him right standing with God. Proverbs tells us, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12) In all of mans efforts and so called good deeds, man needs a mediator.
Although these truths may not be encouraging, the reality of such thing should bring every believer to grips with just how privileged each one of us are, to be a child of God. To have a Father whose only desire is to give His best to all humanity, especially to believers, His family, should cause us to be just as caring and loving to others as our Father is to us. Jesus tells us, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11) The Apostle Paul tells us, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32) These are but a few promises that we have in Christ. As we look ahead to what it means to be a child of God, I pray that we will never forget who and what we were, according to Ephesians 2:12, before the Father drew us to Jesus, the "Mediator between God and men."
Next, we see that man is a stranger from the covenants of the promise. In other words, man has no claims on God apart from His "Covenants" especially His "New Covenant" established through Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "But now He (Christ) has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6) Man had forfeited every right which God has conferred upon him at the fall. Before the fall, God had given man the lega1 right to approach Him and a stand before Him. We see this in the Garden. (Genesis 3:8) Although this was after the fall, it paints the picture of man's relationship with God the Father and His children. But now, do to man's betrayal, his treason, he forfeited his position and is described as "having no hope and without God in the world."
Hopeless and Godless, and in the world where Satan has completely corrupted everything through sin, who also has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14), shows us that man's position apart from Christ, is certainly desperate. But more than this, as we saw in part one, man had become a partaker of satanic nature. Satan was now his father. (John 8:44) He is not only a subject of Satan, but is also become spiritua1ly dead. Adam was no longer able to stand in God's presence after he sinned. Furthermore, he was driven from the Garden of Eden God, and then God placed a cherubim wielding a flaming sword to block the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24) God would not permit man to eat of the tree of life until the sin problem had been settled. Think how awful it would have been if man had eaten of tree of life while under the sway of sin. Man would live forever and yet the destructive nature of sin would still have been unleashed upon the earth. In other words, all of mankind would follow in their father's footsteps, the devil, that is, "steel, kill and destroy" but never physically die. It staggers the imagination to even try to think of something so horrific.
The Book of Job is seen as the oldest book of the Bible. Job recognized man's awful dilemma and need for a mediator, “For God is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both." (Job 9:32-33) In other words, there is no mediator between man and God who has a legal standing with God and at the same time can sympathize, understand and represent man before God. This is Job's cry for a mediator, but it is not the cry of Job alone. This is actually the cry of man throughout the ages. All through the ages man has created religions and every way possible to appease himself and hopefully be accepted by God. Yet the Bible tells us, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) This means exactly what it says, "for ALL have sinned!"
Today, man can no more approach God without a mediator than he could in the days of Job or Israel. The deceptions of Satan have brought most of man to believe if they live a good moral life, that this is al1 God requires of them. By living a "good" life, and if there is a Heaven they have as much right to it as those who have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. However, neither this kind of thinking, nor any amount of the finest education, nor the best of man's good works (feed the hungry, clothe the poor, etc.) will ever give him right standing with God. Proverbs tells us, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12) In all of mans efforts and so called good deeds, man needs a mediator.
Although these truths may not be encouraging, the reality of such thing should bring every believer to grips with just how privileged each one of us are, to be a child of God. To have a Father whose only desire is to give His best to all humanity, especially to believers, His family, should cause us to be just as caring and loving to others as our Father is to us. Jesus tells us, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11) The Apostle Paul tells us, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32) These are but a few promises that we have in Christ. As we look ahead to what it means to be a child of God, I pray that we will never forget who and what we were, according to Ephesians 2:12, before the Father drew us to Jesus, the "Mediator between God and men."
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