Most of us who have lived
long enough have some regrets, some things we wish we had not done or
had done. Those circumstances in our past cannot be changed, but we can
be changed; we can be given a fresh start with a new attitude. That is
what spiritual rebirth is — to be given a new life (Romans 6:4). When
we repent and are baptized into Christ, as described in Romans 6, our
old self is crucified with Christ, buried, and we become a new creation
(Colossians 2:12; 3:9 –10). God not
only forgives, but forgets ALL of
our sins — EVERYTHING (Psalm 130:3, 4;
Colossians 1:14; 2:13)! That is
amazingly mind-blowing. He gives us a clean slate — a new start. He
also gives us His Holy Spirit in order to live a new life (1
Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13 –14; Romans 6; 8). God’s Spirit in
us
gives us a new mind and a new heart. First
Corinthians
2:16 says we
have the mind of Christ. We do not look at the world or ourselves the
way we used to (Philippians 2:5). We
have new eyes, a new focus, and a
new attitude (Ephesians 4:22 – 24; 1 Peter
4:1, 2).
How do we maintain this new spiritual attitude when we still have a
sinful nature (Romans 6 – 7) and still
have the same problems as we had
in the past? When we give our life to God, when we are baptized into
Christ, His Holy Spirit helps us overcome our sinful nature (Romans 6
and 8 discuss this thoroughly). Romans 8:12 says we have an
obligation
to live by the Spirit, and Romans
8:5, 6 says we are to have our mind
set on the Spirit and controlled by the Spirit. Romans 8:13 says “by
the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body” (see also
Colossians 3:5). Romans 8:14 tells us that we are to be
“led by the
Spirit of God.” We are to set our heart and mind on things above
(Colossians 3:1– 2), fix our
“thoughts on Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1), and
“be
transformed by the renewing of” our mind (Romans
12:2). How do we do
this?
Jesus is God and the Word in the flesh (John
1:1, 14). To know God is
to know His Word and vice versa. We are to put God’s Word in our mind
and heart daily. Psalm 119 describes beautifully our relationship and
attitude toward the Word of God. Hebrews
4:12 says the Word of God is
“living and active.” We are to crave it (1
Peter 2:2) and use it (2
Timothy 3:15, 16) and put it into practice (Matthew
7:24
– 26; James
1:22; 1 John 2:5, 6). Having been baptized, we now have unbroken
fellowship and communion with God in our mind and heart (Philippians
4:4 – 8; Colossians 3:15 –17; 4:2). God’s Holy Spirit, Christ in
us,
helps us to understand and apply God’s word to our life, and to pray.
(Romans 8:26, 27; Ephesians 1:17 –19; 3:16 –19;
6:18).
— Cynthia Clayton
Photo: Patty Gibson
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Does God Exist?, MarApr11.
