"yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (john 1:12-13).
the apostle john addresses three very great misconceptions as to how we become a christian. the first misconception is that if we were born and raised in a genuine, God-fearing christian home to godly parents that we are somehow christian "by default". certainly it is a great advantage to be born in such a home, but there are no guarantees whatsoever that we will become christian just because our parents are christian--"born NOT of natural descent".
the second misconception is that we ourselves decide at some point to become a christian. we pray "the sinner's prayer" at some retreat and, just like that, due to our act of praying, we "become" a christian. this is also a false notion. certainly decision and action are part of the process, but the human will is powerless in itself to produce regeneration. born "not of human decision".
the third misconception is that by the will and desire of someone else, that we can attain a saving faith in Jesus Christ. the most earnest desire and prayer of the most godly person in the world cannot save us. certainly the prayers and petitions of godly people help, but they cannot cause us to be born again. we become the children of God, but "not of a husband's (or anyone else's) will".
we must be born from above. it is from beginning to end a divine act of God. if we decide and if we act to "receive Him and to believe in His Name", it is only because God stirred our hearts to do so first. this "new birth" is as radical and miraculous a change as any we can imagine--as radical and as miraculous as, well, the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. that is the parallel. if you've ever been amazed that Jesus could be born of a virgin, be equally amazed that you and I, sinners that we are, could ever be born of God.
to be 'born of God" is a life-changing transformation as radical as being raised from death to life. the more we grow in the understanding that salvation is of God alone, how much more precious His grace appears! there was nothing good in us or lovable about us that God should save us, but He did, giving us the right to become His precious children and giving up the life of His own Son to make it happen.
we have much to celebrate this Christmas season.
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3 comments:
thanks for your reflection Smn :-)
i really hope for those that hear God in their hearts, choose to listen rather than ignore Him. may we not miss out on the most life changing experience of our lives..
Thanks for expounding on the true work of salvation that is done by the Holy Spirit alone. May we all come to know the full privilege of this right to be a child of God. I am amazed yet utterly humbled that as depraved as we are, God The Father did not deem it too costly to send His one and only Son to the cross that we may not perish. This is such a contrast to my own heart as I prepare to give out Christmas gifts and such. I know that there Is only so much I’m able to give or even willing to give. There are things that are simply too costly in my book or to put it in another way-just not worth the cost I have to pay. God the Father did not withhold His one and only Son from us. He knew the cost to save us and did not consider the cost to be too great! It warms my heart to wonder how vastly abundant, how generous and kind is the heart of God.
Thank smn for your reflection. I am so GRATEFUL for the God's grace that was and is being poured out on me...so undeserving is this generosity.
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