Is the Christian life a matter of personal choices, or does God set the pathway for us to follow? Too often we find that people subscribing to the Christian faith have a variety of ideas of how to become Christian and how to live as Christian. At times ideas could be mixed with the world’s view of religion and life. What we as Christians need to see is that the world and Christianity are not compatible. Just as you cannot mix water and oil (it is irreconcilable), so you cannot mix Christianity and the world … yet too many try to do this. They think they succeed, but all that is happening is they water down their Christian brand that eventually it is not Christianity at all resulting in them being Christianized but not Christian! Look at how the Bible says Christianity starts and continues.
The Bible Says You Must be Born Again
Jn 3:7 “You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
One of the great controversies that has faced the church for many years is that of how salvation is obtained. Some believe in Baptismal Regeneration … that is, when an infant is baptised, he or she becomes a Christian. Others says they were born into a Christian home and therefore are Christian. Some believe that when people become Church members they become Christians. However, the Lord Jesus blocks all such attempts of easy salvation by declaring … ‘You must be born again.’
This teaching ran counterclockwise in His day and still does today. You see, man wants either an easy way of salvation or a works-shaped salvation. Jesus says … no! He teaches that a person must be born of water (the umbilical fluid), that is, born human and then experience another birth through the Spirit.
Only a human being can be born again. It happens when you admit you need to be made right with God because you are lost and in a hopeless condition … a condition that you cannot appear before God in. You realise that it is only through the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that you can be made right with God, have sin pardoned and be made a Child of God. This is received through confession of sin, repentance … change of life and submission to Jesus’ Lordship. It does not just happen. It must be sought and once it happens the soul comes alive. This is called being born again. Have you honestly experienced this?
The Bible Says You Must be Blameless
Leading out of being born again is a desire to live to please God the Father, living under Jesus’ reign. An intentional Christian life seeks to live in such a way that no one is able to accuse the believer of any form of wrongdoing. There will be times when we are accused, but the accusation is false. Blameless means no accusation of substance can be made. Before becoming a Christian we were not blameless. We were guilty of many wrong things (sin), but now as Christians we strive to be like our Lord, blameless is both deed and morals. Our motivation is:
Phil 2:15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
We are to shine like stars (be light to the world) in this corrupt, wicked world by holding to (hold out) the Word of God (Word of Life), proving the Gospel and the effects of the Gospel real. Are you blameless?
The Bible Says You Must be Holy
To be holy is the twin of “blameless”, but they are not identical twins. The difference between them is that holiness implies sinlessness … or without sin! Blameless refers to whether people see sin and wrong in you and if they do, they accuse you. Holy represents our life and behaviour before God. Holiness means separated for God and from sin. Remember He alone sees the heart. He alone knows the inner thoughts and desires. You might say … “how do you know that?” Look at:
Ps 139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
When God chose a people for Himself before He created all things, He had a purpose in mind.
Eph 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
I have said that blameless is before the world and holiness in before God … but look at those last three words … “in His sight”. All shapes of sin in the mind (thought, desire, attitude, intention), in word (actual words and the way we express ourselves) and deeds (both in public and private) are seen by God. We live life in His presence and visions 24 hours of each day. He chose us out of the world and out of a sinful life to be holy in character, morality and deed. Are you holy?
The Bible Says You Shall be Like Jesus
When asking whether you are born again you must understand you cannot be blameless and holy without being born again. Are you trying, with the help of God the Spirit to be both blameless in public and holy in God’s sight? Yes, you do struggle in both areas. I do too … but we are called to persevere … to push forward. Saved we are in position and practice. Blameless and holy we are in position but not practice … but we will be!
1Jn 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Ron 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son
In the Land of Glory we shall be like Jesus … the likeness is that of holiness and blamelessness in position and practice.
Consider this … when you are born again, you strive to be blameless and holy because that is what God requires. We feel dirty (guilty) when we are not. We try and fail and try again … we push on spiritually towards heaven … because we know in glory we will be holy and blameless like the Lord Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!
O Lord my God, Your patience with me is so amazing and merciful. Graciously help me as I persevere in the faith. Cause me to drink heartily from the Fountain of Delight daily. Fill me continually with Your Spirit. Help me to trust and depend upon You to see me safely through this life all the way to Glory, to be like Jesus. Amen.