Changed By A New Spirit Birth.htm

CHANGED BY A NEW SPIRIT BIRTH.

For years I failed to find the One True God,
While under the despoiling tyrant's rod.
I did not have the means to break away,
Until knowledge of a spirit birth began one day.

It was simply the exchange that was so clear,
To do God's Will     not mine I'd held so dear.

Then spirit freedom soon was flooding in,
Divesting worldly "darkness" and inherited sin.

My fleshly "veil" of ignorance God took away,
Revealing the delusion of satan's evil way.

The sacrifice of The Christ was by the Will of God,
Mosaic rules made obsolete through The Word.

I now accept The Christ, his love and discipline too,
Through my faith, spiritual knowledge I pursue.

After thirty years of obedience to His Word,
I am happier now in spiritual things preferred.

Though Adamic sin in me shows now and then,
It visits less, for I'm learning how and when.

It is written God forgives most sins, but not all,
Careful am I not to honour dishonour and fall.

Soundness of mind I'm learning to protect,
Bearing in mind, flesh is not made perfect.

Being overly-righteous is a strain upon the nerves,
Destroys the good in those it wrongfully serves.

But wisdom is fine and so it should be sought.
Not abandoned like Solomon with false gods was caught.

So faith, the narrow path in life I choose to walk,
Meaningless to those whose 'faith' is merely talk.

                                                                12/9/98.

Why It Is Important To Follow
The "Way" Of The Christ.

The free gift of human life was given to us for the sole purpose that we might acquire spiritual understanding and spirit growth, and for no other reason.

Sadly, the great majority of reasoning adults have other ideas, and live according to their Godless notions. Through their experience of life, they firmly believe they have acquired sufficient knowledge of how to live, and so reject the opportunity offered to them by the "Way" * of The Christ when explained to them; even though they concede it originates from the Lifegiver Almighty God. (* John 14:6).

When one offers wise direction as to how they might begin to fulfil their spiritual need, their immediate response is a definite: No!

The main reason for their reaction is their fear of being shown up by the Spirit of Truth, and possibly that past sins might become public. (John 4:23,24). But in saving themselves from being humbled rather than show a genuine self-sacrificing love for God, they deny the purpose of their lives and will lose their very soul! God does not forgive our sinfulness, unless by our appeal to Him for His forgiveness through the ransom sacrifice of His Son, we seek to be forgiven of inherited Adamic sin and go forward to inherit the promises of God. (Colossians 1:13-23).

Those who put on the righteous "garment" of active faith in Christ, offer up a vow to serve the Will of their Creator, and symbolize this by water baptism. (1 Peter 3:18-21). They then begin to be renewed from day to day, not in the flesh, but growing from their spirit birth towards the inheritance of everlasting life in the heavenly realm of God. We realize that our first birth, our imperfect flesh, is significant only that it might assist us in our spiritual development toward the all-important everlasting portion: one's spirit. And this takes place when we overcome the constraints and troubles of our sinful fleshly lives     much of which was inherited from the first unforgiven sinner Adam, who never began to share in the creation of his spirit.

As an unexpected example of the "Way" of The Christ's love, were the measures he took to turn around an extremely stubborn sinner, that that one might inherit salvation and become the apostle to the nations. The Christ began bringing this man to his proper senses first by blinding him. Up until that time, he had devoted himself to the pursuit and persecution of followers of The Christ. This man, of course, was the apostle Paul. His misguided zeal corrected, he was chosen to serve the Gentiles with the "good news" of salvation through The Christ. Paul's sight restored, he was given spiritual insight, as was made manifest in his letters, his preaching, and his sufferings for the faith.

15/3/04.