The New Birth.

Many of my former pupils expect it; other friends like it; some don't really understand it; only one has ever criticised it (to me!)! It's my normal greeting when one celebrates the number of years that they have been on planet Earth! For those who, to the best of my knowledge, are not disciples of Jesus, the greeting is simple: "Congratulations on reaching another anniversary of the day of your birth."  For those whom I believe to be disciples of Jesus, there is a slight change: "Congratulations on reaching another anniversary of the day of your physical birth."

Why should this be so? Well, it's really quite simple! My biological mother gave physical birth to me on a specific date, at a specific time. That day was my 'birth day'. Every year since, on that same date, I have celebrated my birth day. What I have not done is climb back into my mother's womb, to be re-birthed! When I was one year old, I (or at least, my parents!) celebrated not my "1st birth day" - that had already taken place a year earlier - but the first anniversary of my birth day. When I reached 21 years of age, I wasn't physically birthed for the 21st time! To give an analogy, I was also married on a specific day, at a specific time. One year later, my wife and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. We did not celebrate our first wedding! That, too, had taken place a year earlier. On the following year, we celebrated our second wedding anniversary - not our second wedding! If we are both spared until September of this current year, we will not be celebrating our fiftieth wedding - that would make the average bigamist seem like an amateur by comparison - but the fiftieth anniversary of the day on which we were married to one another!

So, I celebrate, annually, both the anniversary of my wedding day, and the anniversary of my birth day!

However, I do happen to have a "second birth day"! Just a few days before I reached 15 years of age, I committed my young life to the Lord Jesus, the Christ. I recognised that I was a sinner in the sight of Almighty God; that nothing I could ever do could deal with my sins, or wipe away my sinful nature. However, I also recognised that, in the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, God the Son, my sin had already been dealt with! John, the "beloved disciple" writes that "... if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (I John 1:7; emphasis added). What wonder; what relief. What I could never do, He has already done! 

It has been beautifully put like this: "He paid a debt He did not owe; because I owed a debt I could not pay."!

Here is a (confessedly, long!) quotation from my first book: "Great Words of the Faith" -

"... the life of the disciple of Jesus is exciting and exhilarating.  It’s not some boring routine of church attendance, prayer, and Bible reading – although many could do with a lot more of all of those!  But there’s a new dynamic; a new power; in life.  There is the

“... fruit of the Spirit – love: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Gal.5:22-23),

the means by which life may be enjoyed!  True disciples of Jesus are joyful people; and anyone who calls him/herself a Christian and doesn’t have this deep, unquenchable, joy – regardless of situation or circumstances – is only a caricature of the real thing.  The true believer is irrepressibly happy, because his joy isn’t dependent on external conditions, but is the result of a cataclysmic change within.

Have you been converted?  Are you changed?  Have you turned from self to the Saviour?  You may not be able to put a date on when it happened; on when you received new life in Christ; but that doesn’t matter.  The important thing is that you have it.

If I stand at the edge of the deep end of my local swimming pool and dive, or jump, in then the precise moment at which I enter the water may be easily determined.  If I go to the seaside and walk bare-footed along the beach, perhaps in conversation with a companion, I may suddenly become aware that the water is lapping around my ankles – but I will have no idea of the precise moment at which I entered it!  However, what is important is that I be found in the water – however I may have arrived at that state.  It’s the same with conversion.  Some are able to pinpoint the precise moment and place; others are unable to do that, but are no less certain of their standing before God.   They have “entered the water”.  And if you have – you’ll know!  Emotion does sometimes have a part to play – but it’s not essential.  All you have to do is to ask Him to take over, and start living your life for Him.  It’s the greatest, the only worthwhile, way to live.  And conversion, according to Jesus, is an absolute necessity. 

“Except ye be converted … ye shall not enter.” (Matt.18:3).

Those aren’t my words – they’re His!

The experience may differ; but the essence is always divine; and the effect? – dynamite!" (pps 30-31).

I hope that that brief (in terms of the book!) extract may encourage someone to take that step, and yield themselves to Almighty God, in the Lord Jesus, and have God the Holy Spirit take up residence within them. Those who do are "born again" (Jn.3:3) - and do, genuinely, have two birth days!

It would also be my hope that some may be encouraged to purchase the book (and its companions!). Links are at the top of the blog and remember, I receive not one penny on sales. ALL royalties are sent directly, from Amazon, to the bank account of Release International, in support of the persecuted church. The e-book costs less than a fish supper - and may do you more good!!