This past month some friends and I took on the project of renovating my bedroom bathroom. I knew what I wanted and when we went to the home hardware store, I picked out a new shower, toilet and bathroom sink expecting to walk out of there thinking the job would be done within a few hours. Little did I know that along with these type of renovations, are plumbing and electrical work that involves many pieces, fittings and of course trip after trip to the store to get things right. It’s amazing how quickly unseen complications and challenges can arise once a person starts digging underneath and inside the surface of four bathroom walls!
As I thought about this experience that took us a few days longer and caused us to learn things we would do differently the second time around, I began to relate the experience to the new birth. John 3:3 says: Unless you are born-again you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Many times we as Christians are looking for instant change when we see a person come to know Jesus. Yes, the Bible says that if they are “in Christ” they will be a new Creation, new desires will be expressed and old desires will pass away
(2 Corinthians 5:17).
Our position in Christ is forever a child of God and forever righteous (John 10:28, Philippians 3:9) but this doesn’t mean a person will become “super-spiritual” the second they repent of their sins and put their faith in Christ as Savior. I expected my new bathroom to be perfect and happen instantly but things had to be worked on from within the exterior of the bathroom. New plumbing routes had to be made since a wall was knocked out, new piping fitted, new wiring for electrical outlets put in. An individual needs time to apply the Word of God to their life and time to practice what God is telling them. The more a person appreciates what Christ has done for them, the more they will be compelled to love the Lord, through service and obedience to Him! We do know that every step of obedience will be rewarded and when obedience becomes a habit, God will use that person as a wonderful vessel of blessing, as He seeks to conform us to His image which happens over a whole lifetime. (2 Peter 1:4-8) Until then our job is to love, support and pray for those who are babes in their new found faith. We cannot change them, it’s God’s work and if they have been sealed with God’s Spirit, which happens at the moment of salvation, (Ephesians 1:13), God will be faithful and bless abundantly in ways that only He can!
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient.” 2 Timothy 2:24.
Note: Might I add: if a person has never trusted Christ as Savior, if there has never been a change of mind about sin and saving faith exercised in Christ as Lord and Savior through the precious blood shed for their sins, then they are not a new creation. (John 8:24, 1 John 2:4) There will be no new life in Christ, nor victory over sin. The servant of the Lord must also be discerning and faithful to God’s Word. Faithful to preach the whole Gospel, which means apart from God’s Son, a person is depraved and without hope. (John 8:34, 1 Corinthians 2:14) We cannot make something that is dead come alive, and without the new birth a person will remain spiritually dead towards God. Thanks be unto God, that salvation is of the Lord! (Jonah 2:9) Let us be faithful to preach the whole Gospel and faithful to nurture those who show the first fruits of salvation! Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15.
Becky Kew can be reached at Beckykew@hotmail.com for comments or questions.
