03 11 08 Life or Death

“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death,
that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
(Romans 6:4 NKJV)

Once dedicated to follow the Lord and accepting of the fact that we are doomed to hell without His saving grace, we receive new LIFE in Him. It is a complete rebirth; a true sense of being born-again. It is a LIFE real and genuine, a LIFE active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed by the One who designed us to be in fellowship with Him. But we must sincerely commit to follow Him, which requires DEATH; DEATH to the old desires and practices. We must die to our sin just as Christ died for our sins.

“In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth,
no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
(John 3:3 NIV)

Jesus explained it to Nicodemus, the teacher of Jewish law and a Pharisee. It took him a while to understand how an old man could be born again, but I believe He finally got it. But do we get it? No one who has truly accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior can continue in the same lifestyle as before they met Him. To really be born-again, there must be repentance (turning away, DEATH) from sin and a renewal of LIFE by the Holy Spirit.

Just as a dead man can’t breathe, walk, or talk, a dead man can’t sin either! If we are dying to sin day by day, than we are therefore sinning less and less. Not sin-less, but sinning less and less by the power of the Spirit within the born again believer. The sanctification of the believer by the Holy Spirit is a process and the evidence will be obvious.

True LIFE requires DEATH; DEATH to the old desires and the old choices we made. However, the sacrifices we make here in this LIFE to follow our Savior will bring eternal joy with Him. It’s a choice we all will make for ourselves: heaven or hell; LIFE OR DEATH. Choose today while there is still time!