“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” 1 John 5:18
When God saves a sinner, they are “translated” from
Satan’s power to the Power of Jesus Christ. This is called being birthed or
being born of God. A soul is changed from being enslaved and controlled by sin to
being controlled by the Holy Spirit of God. As children of God, we now belong
to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We are no longer wonders in a lost
and dying world, but children of God. We belong to God, He wanted us before the
world was ever created, long before anything was created, way back in eternity
past when only God existed, He wanted us. Not to be just created beings, but to
be His children, to be like unto His True Son Jesus Who is the Christ. When God
says we are “born of God” the word “born” means - to procreate – it also means
we are “begotten” of God. While a sinner might have been born of a woman, and
have an earthly father, those of us who have been saved have been re-born or experienced
a second birth. We have been rebirthed by God to be His children. This is what
Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews in John 3 when Jesus
told him, “…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
The words “born again” means being born a second time but this time from above.
Most people hate this terminology because it is “exclusive” but if it were not
for the re-birthing of God, all would be excluded from salvation. The
re-birthing is by God’s power, we have nothing to do with it except being blessed
by it.
We,
as children of God are made holy by the earthly works and blood of Jesus Christ
our Saviour. “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the
express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on high;” Hebrews 1:3 Jesus has “purged our sins” meaning He, thru
His blood has purified all our sins. This is the reason for the re-birthing,
for God to make us as though we have never been sinners. To make us holy as
Jesus is Holy, as the Father is Holy, we as children can also be holy. We could
never be holy in our natural state because we were born sinners. What a
blessing to everyone that God has re-birthed by the power of the Holy Spirt and
through His Son Jesus Christ. As children God expects things of us, like recognizing
Him as our Father, us wanting to be like Him, and us following His authority and
power. If we are “begotten of God” then as children, we are to keep
ourselves from sin. This is impossible without the power of God because Satan
tempts us, and we simply cannot overpower Satan’s temptations. However, with
that said it is our responsibility to our Father because we Reverence Him not
to fall into temptation. While our power is limited, we are to resist the devil
and his sly temptations. This is not an option; it is a command from our
Father. Sometimes some of God’s children treat the commandments of God like options,
but commandments are certainly not options. Your Heavenly Father is nothing
like your earthly father, your Heavenly Father does not “overlook” your disobedience.
He forgives them through the blood of Jesus, but He is never “ok” with disobedience.
Sin is the breaking of God’s law, any of God’s commandments broken is sin. God
is gracious in that He has forgiven our sins thru the blood sacrifice of Jesus,
but please do not mistake that as justification for sinning. God said, “As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Revelation
3:19 It is never good to have God our Father chastening us! While we may argue
that without the power of God, we cannot resist the temptations and power of
Satan, us folding and surrendering is our fault. God said, “Submit
yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James
4:7 Again this is not by our power, but we must resist Satan with all the power
we do have, and God will give us power to succeed. How do we do this, by
drawing closer to God. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James
4:8 Beloved, sin is not “ok” with the saints of God, if you do not resist Satan
you will fall into temptation and God will chasten you.
