Rebirth
The act of being born again of the Spirit furnishes the Christian with everything necessary to live a life obedient to Christ; through the indwelling Holy Spirit he is able to overcome Satan, sin and the world.
Immediately after a Christian acts in obedience to the leading of God’s Spirit, to invite Jesus as Lord and Christ (Mediator/Messiah/Savior) over his life; God takes aim through His Holy Spirit at the harmful habits and character faults present in a natural man. Most any one would “clean house” in expectation of an important guest. The Christian has invited God to occupy the “seat of control” (heart) of his entire being1 (I Corinthians 3: 16). There is none higher or greater!
He says in effect, “these are in direct opposition to your new spiritual life; they need to be changed or removed completely. If you will not; growth in the Spirit is stymied.” Progress in spiritual growth will cease. Quite frankly there are those that receive the word “with gladness” but spiritual growth stops (See Matthew 13: 3-9; 20: 22).
The Christian must volunteer at this juncture, i.e., deliberately exercise his will; God does not override his will or do it for him. A Christian should remove from his vocabulary barriers such as “I can not” or “I am not able” or “I will later;” these can be harmful if not deadly stumbling blocks that hinder spiritual growth.
A Christian must exercise his will to do all that God requires. It may be a habit that keeps him from honoring God or former friends who are a derogatory influence. In some instances it may be a loved one or relative. In other instances it may be a career, job or profession. The Christian must exercise the will to render the necessary changes.
The spiritual part of our being never says “I can’t;” the mind of man is such that it soaks up everything around it like a sponge. There is a empty place in the heart of man that only God is able to fill. Nature hates a vacuum and strives to fill it. Prior to the “comforter” (Holy Spirit) moving in the unbeliever’s heart it is in many instances already filled with habits, intents or thoughts to quiet his fears or fill his lusts.
The “spirit of man” hungers for more and more; God created us that way. If it is not filled with the “greatest good” from the Creator by His Spirit that which is “lesser good” or evil will eventually fill it.
Until a Christian learns this principle he will endure spiritual warfare until his will is subjected to God’s Word through the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The sooner it is addressed and given over the quicker God is able to continue conforming a Christian to the image of Christ. That is his ultimate goal.2
That is the work of the Spirit of God through intercession. God speaks to the heart of mankind through intercessors, He (God) searches the hearts (of mankind)knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he (the Holy Spirit) makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27). Without this intercession God would be forced by His sanctity (holiness) to destroy the sinner.
Both the Holy Spirit and His Son intercede for a Christian, for this reason when a Christian learns not to resist them and becomes obedient he can not fail. There are three witnesses in the heart of the Christian, the Spirit, the Son and the written Word (they are one and one with the Father).
God delivers us from sin—we have to deliver ourselves from individuality. We must become one with Jesus as He is one with the Father (Romans 12: 1-2). Then we are one with the Father.
God will not discipline a person; he must discipline himself through obedience. God will not allow “resistance to His requests … “and [bring] every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10: 5). In obedience the Christian must discipline himself to listen to the Spirit and heed the requirement being made known to him and render it at once.
God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. It must be moved out of His way by the Christian.
“If the Son makes you free … .” Savior and Son are not interchangeable here.
“I have been crucified with Christ … (Galatians 2: 20).” His individuality is destroyed, his spirit has been “joined with his Lord;” not simply “merged into Him,” they are ONE. “… you shall be free indeed” (John 8: 36)
Sometimes it might be well on a human level to wish God would use force or just would us alone; but, obedience on the part of one of His children brings “the peace of God that passes all understanding.” When a Christian sets his will to obey; God will search the entire length and breadth of the universe to supply that which is necessary to keep his Covenant with one single Child. That is a great expression of the depth of the Love of God.
“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
- Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Genesis 1: 26) This is that ability to think and reason which is limited to mankind alone of all flesh and blood creatures. This is that God-likeness philosophers, secularists and evolutionists have tried to search out; but, fail or refuse to recognize. That would demand or require a subjective response in acknowledgement to the Supreme Being. They have said, “we will not have this God rule over us!”
- “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
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