LIVING THIS NEW LIFE God has not left us to fend for ourselves. Not only has God revived the good in us through Jesus the Messiah, but also he has more than adequately provided for us to live this new life. God has given us three very important elements to provide us with a full and meaningful new life: the Bible, his Holy Spirit, and a new community called the church. The Bible is our guideline for living. It will counter the lies of Satan. In it we find not only God’s law, which now is our delight and desire to follow, but also God’s perspective on life and this world. The Bible is the Word of God, and it guides us in understanding the will of God. Without it we will lose perspective. Since we are not neutral, we need God’s Word to influence our thoughts. The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit who lives in us when we receive new life from Jesus the Messiah. He tells the person who is alive in Christ what thoughts and actions are contrary to God’s way. It is God who lives in this person, so he doesn’t have to be afraid of Satan and his demons. When the person listens to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit, he will make right decisions and will be able to follow the will of God. The church is the community of God’s people. We belong to a new family, the family of God. This community of believers serves several purposes. The church models the new life in Christ. It also gives us examples of people who follow the Holy Spirit, even in situations where there might be a high price to pay for obedience. These examples are positive role models for the new person in Christ. The church provides encouragement and direction to live this new life as we struggle through life’s perilous path. If any of these three ingredients is missing, a person who is new in Christ may fall into traps laid by Satan. It will be impossible to resist the bad in this world without the help God has given us in the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and the church. Does new life in Christ prepare us for the judgment day?
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 01:28:47 +0000