I’m honored to have my friend Laurie Driesen sharing about new life in Christ.
by Laurie Driesen
She found the answer! After wondering and searching for years, she finally learned that the God she believed was out there somewhere is the God the Bible. Her faith is flourishing as she attends church, listens to Bible teaching podcasts and reads God’s Word. Now, her husband and kids regularly see her in the family room with a Bible open on her lap as she takes notes on what she is learning.
Sadly, her husband doesn’t agree with or understand the changes he has seen in her. A discussion about it caused her husband to ask, “Why do you have to do this? You were never into all of this before we were married!” She calmly replied, “This can’t be undone. This didn’t come by human effort and it won’t stop with any human convincing.”
Friend, when you and I became Christians, we entered into a new life that can’t be undone! This is a great spiritual truth that we can hold onto when we sin or stray or wonder if what we’ve done has disqualified us from salvation. We may feel like we have to earn it all over again or do something to atone for ourselves. But this is not what God’s Word teaches.
Jesus addresses the permanent nature of our new life in John 3:3-8. He explained that we need to be born spiritually. In fact, He said that unless we are born of the Spirit we won’t see the Kingdom of God.
Why Do We Need to be Born Spiritually?
Spiritual death was the result of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. Their pride and willful rejection of God’s command severed the intimacy they once shared with God. All descendants of Adam and Eve (including you and me) are also separated from God, born into sin and will eventually suffer physical death.
In the John passage, Jesus emphasizes that we need to be “born of the Spirit” in order to be reconciled to God and have eternal life with Him. When we place our faith in the Lord, He quickens us spiritually, fills us with His Holy Spirit and grants us the spiritual birth that gives us new life.
A Birth Can’t be Undone
A baby can’t control his or her birth. The baby can’t make it happen; it is done by a power greater than himself. Our spiritual birth also happens by a power much greater than ourselves. We can’t make it happen, but we can repent of our sins and believe in Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the one who makes us alive spiritually. This is a permanent new life! And just as a newborn baby can’t go back into the mother’s womb, those who have experienced true spiritual birth can’t undo what has taken place.
We Will Never Die!
Jesus went on to say in John 3:15-16, whoever believes in Him will never die. A child can never change who his biological parents are and we can never change who our Father is once we are born into the family of God. Whether we fail or make a mistake, we are still a child of God and we will spend eternity with our Lord and Savior!
This truth compels me to strive to love Christ and serve Him with my whole heart. How about you?
“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” ~ John 3:6
Laurie Driesen is a writer and entrepreneur. She is the author of Beyond Regret – Living Your Life Purpose in Spite of Past Choices. The book discusses missed opportunities, the “why” behind our mistakes, how regret can help us, and preventing future regret. Beyond Regret sheds light on God’s true will and purpose for us and how we can live it out no matter where we are today.
Through her writing, she seeks to share the truth of God’s Word and help others grow spiritually. Laurie’s blog can be found on her website: www.lauriedriesen.com