How does being "born again" influence our daily walk with Christ? The Foundational Verse: John 3:3 “Jesus replied, ‘Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’” New Heart, New Life • The moment we are born again, God replaces a heart of stone with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). • We move from spiritual death to life (Ephesians 2:4-5). • This inner change is permanent and foundational to everything that follows in our daily walk. New Identity, New Desires • “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) • Sin is no longer our master (Romans 6:6-14). • We now want what God wants—His Word, His presence, His righteousness (Psalm 42:1-2; 1 Peter 2:2). Spirit-Empowered Obedience • God places His Spirit within us “to cause you to walk in My statutes” (Ezekiel 36:27). • The Holy Spirit guides, convicts, and energizes us to say “no” to the flesh and “yes” to Christ (Galatians 5:16-18). • We are able to bear the “fruit of the Spirit” every day—love, joy, peace, and the rest (Galatians 5:22-23). Ongoing Transformation • Being born again is the starting line, not the finish line. • “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). • As we behold the Lord in Scripture, we are “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). • Growth is progressive, yet certain, because God Himself oversees it (Philippians 1:6). Daily Practices That Flow from the New Birth – Regular intake of the Word: it cleanses and equips (Psalm 119:9-11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). – Prayerful dependence: we keep in step with the Spirit (Jude 20; Ephesians 6:18). – Fellowship with believers: we stir one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24-25). – Confession and quick repentance: we guard unhindered fellowship with God (1 John 1:9). Impact on Relationships and Witness • Love becomes the family resemblance: “Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7). • Good works shine before others, leading them to glorify the Father (Matthew 5:14-16). • We speak of Christ naturally, because new life overflows (Acts 4:20). Hope-Filled Perseverance • We have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:3). • Trials refine rather than ruin us (1 Peter 1:6-7). • The Spirit within guarantees we will finish the race (Ephesians 1:13-14). A fresh birth in Christ is not merely a theological concept; it is the decisive event that reshapes every step of our everyday walk, empowering us to live, love, and persevere in a way that now makes eternal sense. |