A Person Reborn - Part One

The Significance Of Being A Christian
A Person Reborn - Part One
It is always exciting to see someone become a Christian. Even when an observer doesn’t understand all that is involved, they often sense something meaningful is going on. Especially as time goes on, and changes begin to occur in the person’s life. But often the significance of becoming a Christian appears to be lost. Sometimes even Christians fail to appreciate the significance of being a Christian. When this happens, Christians often fail to grow as they should. It never hurts for a Christian to reflect, and ask such questions as:
What did I do?
What have I received?
What are the implications and consequences of what I’ve done?
What has happened to me?
What have I become?
What is different about me?
To summarize these questions, what is the meaning, importance, and value of becoming a Christian? What am I now to do? Such are the questions we hope to answer in this series, "The Significance Of Being A Christian"

In this first lesson, we note that a Christian is "A Person Reborn". That is because in Christ one has become a new creation. A Christian rises out of the watery grave of baptism to newness of life - Ro 6:4-5 "When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father. If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him." Old things have passed away, and new things have come - 2 Co 5:17 "Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new."
A new creation made possible by virtue of a new birth. A new birth produced by responding to the Word of God - Ja 1:18 "He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth."; 1 Pe 1:22-23 "You obeyed the truth, and your souls were made pure. Now you sincerely love each other. But you must keep on loving with all your heart. Do this because God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever." A new birth produced by the working of the Spirit of God - Jn 3:3-5 "Jesus replied, "I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God's kingdom!" Nicodemus asked, "How can a grown man ever be born a second time?" Jesus answered: I tell you for certain that before you can get into God's kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit."; Ti 3:5-7 "He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life."
In this new creation we embark on a life of renewal. The inner man is to be renewed daily - 2 Co 4:16 "We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day." This renewal is ongoing, involving the renewal of one’s mind - Ro 12:2 "Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him."

Because of the new creation which has occurred, and the renewing which continues to take place, the Christian can be said to have a new life, having passed from death to life. As Jesus promised to those who hear His words - Jn 5:24-25 "I tell you for certain that everyone who hears my message and has faith in the one who sent me has eternal life and will never be condemned. They have already gone from death to life. I tell you for certain that the time will come, and it is already here, when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen to it will live!" Once dead in sin, we are now made alive to God - Ep 2:1-5 "In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn't obey God. Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else. But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God's wonderful kindness is what saves you."; Co 2:12-13 "And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death. You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God's people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins." We now have the promise and prospect of life eternal, given through God’s Son - 1 Jn 5:11-13 "God has also said that he gave us eternal life and that this life comes to us from his Son. And so, if we have God's Son, we have this life. But if we don't have the Son, we don't have this life. All of you have faith in the Son of God, and I have written to let you know that you have eternal life."

Because of the new creation which has occurred we pass from darkness into the light. Such is the objective of gospel preaching: to turn people from darkness to light. So Jesus told Paul - Ac 26:18 "I want you to open their eyes, so that they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins will be forgiven, and by faith in me they will become part of God's holy people."’ So Peter wrote to Christians - 1 Pe 2:9-10 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, "Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness." Though we once walked in darkness, we can now walk in the light. As children of light - Ep 5:8 "You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light"; 1 Th 5:5 "You belong to the light and live in the day. We don't live in the night or belong to the dark." ain The metaphor of light representing goodness, righteousness, and truth - Ep 5:9 "So act like people of the light and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful"

For which we should ever be thankful - Co 1:12-13 "I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light. God rescued us from the dark power of Satan and brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son,"

We will continue this lesson in a second part looking at what makes such a new creation and a new life a reality.