Have we been born again? Have we been born of the Spirit? We would not confirm or equate rebirth with infant baptism. The Brethren will wait for persons to make their own professions of faith, in the saving knowledge of the Lord, in their time. The frequent encouragement, on occasion, has been to promote the “sinner’s prayer”. Understandably this simple “prayer” is a convenient and useful tool introduced to facilitate evangelistic mission.
There is however, some controversy in the promulgation of the “sinner’s prayer”. A one-time man-made decision, accompanied by the recital or repetition of such a prayer does not properly signify birth in the Spirit. Is this “prayer” the passport to heaven? And if one has never known nor recited such a prayer ever? Has the Great Commission been reduced to getting people to repeat a couple of lines? It is no Herculean task to coax a band of small children to recite this “prayer”. Ask the majority of especially young children at a Sunday-school if they love Jesus. Would we then, not be gravely misleading, when we erroneously confirm salvation pursuant to this recital? It would be wise to question; how many will prudently examine their salvation, how many others have, at one-time, said the “sinners prayer”. Of eternal consequence, would it not be wise to consider and examine?
When a child is born, it would be only a matter of time before it will make noise. It will cry; out of cold, hunger, fear, loneliness, detachment, what-else? Being alive, it will audibly demonstrate, by hollering, if left unattended. The new-born will not only need to be fed but will make demands for such feeding. The babe will also seek attachment and desire to hear the reassuring sound or voice. He will seek the comfort and warmth of the parent. It has been said that a baby is comforted, merely by listening to the familiar heartbeat of his mother. It is no exaggeration to surmise that a babe would recognize his mother’s voice.
These vitals would more accurately confirm life. Do we recognize and seek the voice of our Parent? Do we know His heartbeat? Do we feel cold, fear, loneliness outside of His care? Do we hunger and positively seek to be fed? Are we growing daily in His image?
Reality can prove most disquieting and revealing. Of the truth, we do not always miss His heartbeat nor seek to hear His voice. We can be more at home in "Egypt" than long for His courts. We seem to need no sustenance and do not feed voraciously on the bread of life. Our life is marked more by sin than righteousness. Is our being alive, premised on a prayer recital, or on life’s vitals? Consider what the Lord Himself had pointed to the rich young ruler who had asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life”. His requirement was for him to “sell all you have” and “follow Me”. In the Gospels, “follow Me” was preceded by repentance, by denying oneself, and then by the requirement of taking up the cross. “Follow Me” is also in the active, not a one-time or on-off mode. There are firm words, by the Lord Himself regarding “turning back”. There are sufficient examples of those who had left, from following Him, others who have been shipwrecked and those who were never of His flock. To premise one’s salvation on a prayer recital, however sincere, does not quite provide much standing, when examined from scripture.
Having been born again is confirmed experientially by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. We may not be able to explain, but we would know for ourselves. More importantly, we would show signs of life. Let us not reduce or mistake salvation for a superstitious, one-time recital of a few lines.
How do I know that I am a follower of Christ? If not by following still?
When a child is born, it would be only a matter of time before it will make noise. It will cry; out of cold, hunger, fear, loneliness, detachment, what-else? Being alive, it will audibly demonstrate, by hollering, if left unattended. The new-born will not only need to be fed but will make demands for such feeding. The babe will also seek attachment and desire to hear the reassuring sound or voice. He will seek the comfort and warmth of the parent. It has been said that a baby is comforted, merely by listening to the familiar heartbeat of his mother. It is no exaggeration to surmise that a babe would recognize his mother’s voice.
These vitals would more accurately confirm life. Do we recognize and seek the voice of our Parent? Do we know His heartbeat? Do we feel cold, fear, loneliness outside of His care? Do we hunger and positively seek to be fed? Are we growing daily in His image?
Reality can prove most disquieting and revealing. Of the truth, we do not always miss His heartbeat nor seek to hear His voice. We can be more at home in "Egypt" than long for His courts. We seem to need no sustenance and do not feed voraciously on the bread of life. Our life is marked more by sin than righteousness. Is our being alive, premised on a prayer recital, or on life’s vitals? Consider what the Lord Himself had pointed to the rich young ruler who had asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life”. His requirement was for him to “sell all you have” and “follow Me”. In the Gospels, “follow Me” was preceded by repentance, by denying oneself, and then by the requirement of taking up the cross. “Follow Me” is also in the active, not a one-time or on-off mode. There are firm words, by the Lord Himself regarding “turning back”. There are sufficient examples of those who had left, from following Him, others who have been shipwrecked and those who were never of His flock. To premise one’s salvation on a prayer recital, however sincere, does not quite provide much standing, when examined from scripture.
Having been born again is confirmed experientially by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. We may not be able to explain, but we would know for ourselves. More importantly, we would show signs of life. Let us not reduce or mistake salvation for a superstitious, one-time recital of a few lines.
How do I know that I am a follower of Christ? If not by following still?
When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. (Joh 10:4)
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation--(1Pe 2:2)
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (Joh 14:18)
Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1Co 15:49)
God bless.
/ckh
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