Pray but with faith!

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25

This man (man or woman) who forgets who he is right after looking in the mirror, it could be you or me, if we're not taught. Who are we?

Everything that follows will be totally unintelligible if you are not born again. If you are not sure in your heart that you were born again, know and be assured that Jesus Christ was miraculously incarnated, by the supernatural operation of the Spirit of God in a woman who had not known a man, that He died, resurrected and ascended to glory, where He had come from, to send his Spirit of life. By this, He has successfully completed a complete work, the meaning of which has long remained hidden and which, in recent times, is revealed, described throughout the Bible, a completed work whose ultimate goal is that He may inhabit and reign in the hearts of men (men and women). It is this dwelling that begins the day we are born again.

New birth is therefore not a privilege reserved for a few but God's desire for all. He came in the person of Jesus Christ so that ALL may be saved, hear by saved, so that all may become a dwelling of Christ in spirit to form together the body of Christ on earth and for eternity. He expects you to simply invite him to become the Lord of your whole life today. If you want to know more about the new birth, I invite you to read From Believer to Born Again.

The day we were born again, an inner, invisible miracle occurred. We have been spiritually cut from the tree of rebellious humanity and have been grafted, by a supernatural action of the Holy Spirit, to Jesus Christ, the firstborn of a new generation, a new humanity, exactly from the same way that you would cut the fruit branch of a tree, to graft it onto another more vigorous tree.

From this moment on, the sap, the life, the nature of this other tree begins to circulate and invigorate the grafted branch. The same is true at new birth. Divine life begins to flow into us. The effects are not immediately apparent but gradually, the branch begins to show a new vigor and produce new and tasty fruits. Inside, in us, we know, everything has been changed, instantly. But changes on the outside are gradually manifested in new tastes, new reactions, actions and new ailments.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:17

For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 2 Peter 1:4

At new birth, we receive a new nature that becomes our natural life. We are been made participants of the divine nature.

And when we read or listen to the Word of God, the Bible, it is as if we were looking into a mirror, the face of this new nature, what it looks like, what it is supposed to look like. Only others can see us. We cannot see ourselves except through a mirror. And the Bible acts as a mirror.

When we read it, we see the description of what we have become internally and what we are called to manifest externally.

make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Philippiens 2:2

Frankly, would it be in our power, by the sheer force of our will to be a same feeling, a same love, a same soul, a same thought with our brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you really believe that this is an additional command that we must obey with the force of our will?

No! What is described here is not a matter of will. I hope you do not continue to deceive yourself about this. You can make an effort to agree with your brother and sister, you can strive to forgive, to forget offenses, to be patient, to hold your tongue in a restraint, to think first of their interests before yours, to show acts of love. Yes, you can try to do a lot of things. But being one soul, one love, one thought with them....

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2

Many of us read this text as follows: Force yourself to do the things above, worship, pray, daily read the Word of God, and deprive yourself of all that is in the world.

This text says none of this. Who said anything about depriving oneself? Where is it said here? Moreover, if I have to deprive myself of something, if I have this feeling I deprive myself of something, it is proof that somehow deeply within me, I like it. I will then try to cover it up with frustration. But I do not solve the problem of affection. I remain completely beside the intention of this verse!

The Lord purposely asks for something that a normal human cannot produce. You don't decide your affections. Affections spring from the depths and are uncontrollable. If I do not like things from above, imposing them on me does not change anything. I do not like them more by imposing them to myself. Neither you nor I have the power to obey this verse.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:5

And with Philippians 2:5, we culminate ! Can you control your feelings? However it would be possible, the bar is here much higher, you are commanded to HAVE THE MIND that was in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Who could that?

There is a problem in the way we read and understand the Scriptures. Old things have passed, all things have become new and the way we read God's Word must also change.

Let us begin by stopping reading the Word of God in the spirit of the old covenant, otherwise we will go from condemnation to condemnation and can fall very low.

In the old covenant, not the old testament of the Bible, but the old covenant, when God gave a commandment, he waited for all our efforts to do the best and to obey Him otherwise it was death and rejection.

In the new covenant, the born again receives a new spirit, a new heart eager to obey him.

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

In the new covenant, God creates the will and the capacity to work.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:21

In the new covenant, God makes us capable of any good work for the fulfillment of His will THROUGH Jesus Christ and with our consentment, He does in us what is pleasing to Him.

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen Romans 11:36

In the new covenant, Jesus is the beginning and the end; He is the Alpha and the Omega. All things are of Him, through Him and to Him.

In the old covenant, men save themselves by their obedience to commandments or lose themselves by their disobedience.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

In the new covenant, God takes all initiatives. He sends a Savior!

He descends from heaven in the person of Jesus Christ, saves all men and women of all times and of all the earth. He dies for the sin of the world, rises, rises in glory, sends the Holy Spirit of life and invites men, all men and women, to agree to join him spiritually on the cross so that they can spiritually rise again in him and with him, in new life.

At considering the Cross, I accept God's condemnation of a rebellious and futureless humanity, of which I am part, and I accept the new life graciously offered and shared by the Risen One on the other side of that cross.

This resurrection experienced by the Son of God two thousand years ago then becomes a concrete reality for us today, by the Holy Spirit at the very moment we are born again. It is not a religious concept. At new birth, your inner being receives the resurrection life of the Risen One, just after you have accepted the Cross, its meaning and its consequences for your whole future life. You die voluntarily giving up your old life and the Spirit of God makes you new to life.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. James 1:17-18

All this is a supernatural gift, a perfect gift, an excellent grace, offered free of charge to all who accept the good news of the gospel.

In the new covenant, inaugurated by the cross, the resurrection and the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ, God saves us completely. He's doing the work. It saves and renews our whole being. Our minds come back to life. Our soul, will, intelligence and feelings are gradually and completely renewed and restored. And the bodies of those who will not experience the return of Jesus Christ will rise glorious and eternal. This is what the Gospel says.

In the new covenant, God builds his salvation in us through His Holy Spirit, through the Spirit of Christ in us.

It is therefore possible to read the new testament of the Bible, in the spirit of the old covenant, considering any new commandment: have the mind of Christ... set your affection on things above.... do… don't...as things that appeal to our own strengths and determination.

But we'd rather can read the old and new testaments in the spirit of the new covenant, i.e. considering that God is at work in us, already by the simple fact that He produces in us this desire to follow His commandments, while also giving us the capacity. He works, creating will and work in this new heart, this new spirit that He has recreated for that is His pleasure, for this is the plan of salvation that He has prepared from all eternity, His plan to make men and women, His temple, a dwelling in spirit.

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:28

God's work is that you believe in the One He sent to do the work in you and through you!

Now, in reading your Bible, you must consider commandments as a mirror of the type of life that is lived when one is in Christ, when one is led by His Spirit.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:2-3

This mirror reflects who we really are, now that we are spiritually united with Christ. Our real life is hidden in Christ but it appears in the mirror. And this life is not supposed to remain hidden. It must manifest itself more and more externally.

We must first see what is hidden, our true face, our natural face and then conform to it. Commandments show us our true, our new person who loves God with all heart, soul and thought. The commandments describe the normal life of the son or daughter of God led by the Holy Spirit.

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6

and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Hebrews 12:1

Aren't we invited to look unto Jesus? This means waiting continuously and only from Him for inner transformation, to do in us all that the law of Moses could not accomplish: to give us a heart joyfully willing to follow His ways: to walk in God's plans in small details and great movements of our daily lives.

Jesus, through His Spirit in us, is our true life. He is the source of our desires when we trust him and accept the terms of the new covenant where He is all in all. He is the strength of our decisions made in Him because we can do anything by the One who strengthens us. And He is the reason of our whole life since we are invited to enter into works that He himself has prepared in advance for us to practice them while we have received the desire and capacity.

And freedom in all this? What about our free will?

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25

James tells us about the perfect law, the law of freedom.

This law is perfect in the fact that it gives both desire and capacity. What the law of the old covenant had no power to. In the old covenant I don't do what I want and I do what I don't want to. I'm not free.

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Romans 7:14-16

In the new covenant, God seasons our desires with His light and love and gives us the intelligence and power to renounce harmful and unsanitary ways, to choose and follow paths that, while certainly ours, are also his own, highly inspired and made powerful by His mere presence in us, excellent ways for others and for ourselves.

It is a perfect law that works for all those who take as a lifestyle to expect from Him, to create will and work, for all those who have the heart contrite and lucid enough to recognize its natural coldness, misery, instability , cowardice and its inability to please God through the old mechanisms and the very limited power of the ancient nature.

That is why only repentance, that is, the desire to turn our backs on a lifestyle we had before or a penchant of the old nature, only repentance and trust in Christ's work in us is the gateway to true freedom.

For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. Galatians 5:17

Come on, let’s have some biblical ‘philosophy’. This text basically says that absolute freedom does not exist. Either we are led by the flesh to do things detestable for others and for ourselves in a climate of insatiable and inextinguishable dissatisfaction, or we are led by the Spirit to do magnificent things for others and for ourselves with as pay, joy, peace and an immense happiness overflowing from our hearts. In both cases we do not do what we would like. No real freedom.

The free ‘you’, is in fact, in the middle, in the choice of what by whom or by what we want to be directed. This 'you' only needs some guidance to the best for him.

In both cases, there will be one who will not have a say, who will not do what he wants. We can choose who's behind the steering wheel. The ‘you’, led by the Spirit. Or the 'you' driven by the old reflexes of the old nature.

The Lord gives us intelligence to see that the two paths are not equal. One leads, in spite of very deceptive appearances, to a transient satisfaction followed by a profound lasting dissatisfaction, to sorrow and disgust while the other way is life and peace. Who would voluntarily choose a path of pain and dissatisfaction unless forced to do so

for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 2 Peter 2:19

Thus, when I read the Word of God, old or new testament, I no longer see commandments out of reach that continually plunge me into condemnation. Rather, I look in a mirror, what the new Man, Jesus Christ, the last Adam is in me and will produce in me as long as I put my trust in His work, to have finally understood and believed it, in the work of His Holy Spirit in me.

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

It is in this that he is a perfect Savior (to the uttermost). He brings us back into an Eden Garden to make a choice and an experience that Adam and Eve missed. At new birth, we were led to choose the tree of life. We no longer need the tree of knowledge of good and evil and its helpless fruits.

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 1 Corinthians 1:30

Jesus Christ in us is this active, operating knowledge of good and evil. He himself was made for us wisdom, righteouness, sanctification and redemption. He's all in all. Moreover, we need Jesus the head as much as Jesus the body, that is, the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ. We will talk about that in a near future.

When we simply follow the directions of the Holy Spirit within us, when we trust in Christ and we continually wait for Him to produce his life, his feelings, the desire to walk in righteousness and convert those desires from of our spirit united with His Spirit, in concrete actions in daily life, we walk according to the spirit. Each of these actions propelled by Christ's life and habitation in us through faith, leads us to more and more concrete actions on earth and to an ever deeper communion with Him. We no more forget who we are!

We are a bit like a pipe continually crossed by a stream of divine life gushing from an inexhaustible spring in order to water a flowerbed, a sick, dry, thirsty world. We are thus filled and always filled as long as on one side the spring is not blocked and on the other side the watering tip is not clogged either and willing to water generously everything that is within its reach.

It is in the practice that we know, that we experience this living water that passes through us, and invigorating us in passing, springs through all the ends of our voluntary behaviors in droplets, streams, rivers of love, goodness, patience, gentleness, kindness, fidelity, self-control, purity, forgiveness, mercy, generosity, empathy, power, healing, deliverance, wisdom, intelligence, science, manifesting through our unique personality, all sunny with the virtues of Jesus Christ, the works that God has prepared in advance for us!

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25

Whoever sets out to work says James is happy and blessed in his activity.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:8

Remember.

 

When we read ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus’ : let’s understand, believe, accept, patiently ask, expect from the Holy Spirit and trust Him to convince us (what He knows perfectly how to), that He may impregnate us with this very special revealed faith that Christ in us is at work, through the Holy Ghost and the Living Word, to produce Christ desires and make His sun shine on our lives and by reflecting on those around us.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

We then discover that we can do anything through the One who strengthens us. Christ living in us through His Spirit is LIFE. He's the WAY.

When you read any commandment, any instruction in the Word of God, see it as a reflection of what Christ is already in you, of what He has begun and will continue to produce in you, from progress to progress.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

The vine does not eat grapes. It produces it for others. Its glory and pleasure, that it does not express with words, is to see its branches bend under the weight of the fruit to finally see all its fruits picked to the delight of the gourmand.

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:8

We are called to bear a great deal of fruit because this is how the Father is glorified. So it is the Father's will. And bearing fruit is not the result of the exhausting efforts of a branch but the natural consequence of any tree full of sap and life.

This is what Jesus is to us, a tree full of life and we are his branches destined to bear much fruit. It is this life that the Holy Spirit communicates to us if we expect it from Him. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. The Holy Spirit is the sap that the vine flows into the branch. Let us believe in Him, always, all the time, now and in the minute that will follow.

This is the second part. For the first part, click here.

 

The seed of seeds: The Cross

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1 :18

The power of God upheaves the heart of the one who receives the preaching of the cross with gentleness. We just need to be explained what it is, its deep meaning, its astonishing effects on our practical life, and we need to understand it.

A real power, hidden, well hidden from the inattentive gaze, is released by the Holy Spirit in the heart of anyone who listens and believes. So, let us talk about the cross

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1 :29

When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he announced what would become a historical reality a few years later. On the cross, Jesus took away the sin of the world. This is a hidden work, a religious cliché for some that remains incomprehensible and without concrete effect in our lives until it is explained and revealed to us and we believe in it.

To take away does not mean to forgive. It is more than that. After the cross, sin is no longer counted by God. On the cross, for God, sin has disappeared from human history. It has been taken away. It still exists on earth, certainly, but it is no longer imputed or charged against us by God, as we will soon explain. The problem has thus been resolved for more than 2000 years.

Hebrews, 9:26 - But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

It is said that at the cross, the Son of God took upon himself our sins and our diseases. It is true. At the cross, God erases our sins and heals all our diseases. But He does more. He removes the sin of the world, once and for all.

The sacrifice of Jesus has taken away all your sins, ALL IN THE EYES OF GOD! For there are and will still be sins to be erased. Yes, we are guilty, but that is not the point because God forgives the guilty at the cross. He no longer imputes or charges the sins denounced by the law of Moses. Your sins have been taken away by the death of Jesus. Do you hear it?

Listen to the sentence of the supreme judge as you consider (in your thoughts) Jesus on the cross:

"NOT GUILTY!"

I can already hear your protests... that's not fair! It's a bit too easy. Really? Do you want to appeal to a favorable opinion? Are you the judge?

Hammer strike of the judge:

"NOT GUILTY."

The case is closed. We all know that a judge's decision ends all discussions. It is God who decrees that, by virtue of the sacrifice of His Son, you are declared NOT guilty. The faults have been erased, removed by His Son. They have disappeared. It is His will. That's all!

It is entirely useless to try to feel that in GOD's eyes, you are forgiven of everything. Moreover, in everyday life, if a friend tells you that he forgives the offense you committed against him, do you try to feel it ?

You accept it and life goes on. Do the same with God. Accept forgiveness. It is already acquired and free for all. This is why the gospel is good news.

But it's not over yet! By believing what you have just heard, you have just received eternal life!

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13

It is not said, 'you WILL HAVE eternal life,' but you HAVE it, you who believe in the name of the Son of God. The name of the Son of God, this Name, Jesus, Yeshua, means God saves, God heals. Already, this name is the smiling hand of God stretched out to us, holding and offering us: reconciliation, the voluntary forgetting of all our sins, and the healing of our soul and body. And all of this is because of the cross, or shall we say, thanks to the cross.

And with eternal life, it is the true happiness into which you have just entered. The tree of religion and its simplistic and limited knowledge of good and evil cannot put man in a condition to approach God, who is the source of indescribable happiness. Mankind's nature prevents it from being clean, and thus keeps it away from happiness. There is a very close link between sin and being unhappy. It is written in:

There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek Romains 2 :9

Trouble and distress come upon every soul of man who does evil. It is a principle, an invisible spiritual law that no one can escape! You can intellectually ignore the mechanisms of the law of gravity and yet you experience it every day. We always feel unhappy, anxious, or not fully happy, dissatisfied, as if something is missing and we don't understand why. This text explains it. Happiness and sin are incompatible. Doing evil generates trouble and distress. Wrong pleasures bring fleeting pleasure but it blocks the path to true lasting happiness for man.

But let's think about it for a moment, is it really fair? Until then, have you really had a choice? Have you had the constant ability to never sin? You wouldn't venture to believe or seriously claim it, would you? If they could hear you, would you reproach cherry trees for producing cherries or apple trees for producing apples? In the same logic (because logic is not a Western or intellectual flaw!), could God, without being unfair, reproach men for committing sins when it is in their very nature to do so, a nature that offers them no other choice but to commit hundreds every day? Let's pause on this for a moment. Think about it honestly.

Please read again what has just been said. Honestly?

God sent His Son to repair this injustice.

But if I (Jesus) go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me. John 16:7

The only sin that God considers today is not believing in the Savior He sent us, like throwing a life buoy to someone drowning. When a buoy is thrown to us and is within our reach, we become free to drown or not. To stick with the image and without disrespect, our life buoy is called Jesus Christ.

Sin for you and me is no longer about not obeying the ten commandments, contrary to what religion preaches to us, that of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are invited to eat freely from the tree of life because it is available again, and sin would now be not to eat from the tree of life, which is called Jesus.

For in Jesus, at the cross, all our past, present, and future sins disappeared in the eyes of the only Judge.

If you listen to religion, you hear it striving to convince you that you are a wicked sinner and that your sins will lead you straight to the flames.

If you listen to the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus, you will hear something else. He convicts the world that the only sin today is not believing in what Jesus is for us: the Savior sent by the Father. You read it well: 'He (the Holy Spirit) will convict the world concerning sin, because they do not believe in me.'

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him John 3:16

On the Cross, Jesus takes on all your faults and illnesses. He is struck in your place by the God of justice. On this cross is established a union that is impossible on earth, that of love and justice.

On earth, if we apply justice, we punish the guilty and all the principles of love are violated. If we apply love, we leave the guilty without punishment and it is the principles of justice that are not respected. The two are irreconcilable.

In Jesus Christ, love and justice merge. Jesus, out of love, takes on the sins of the world, including ours, and becomes the only guilty one. He is punished as he should be. Justice is done. But love is the root of this justice.

There is no double penalty with God, unlike what can happen with humans. Your fault has been purged and paid for; it was paid for by Jesus Christ. You cannot be punished a second time because the verdict has already been passed, but not on you. God gave his only Son. He is your buoy.

But there is even more:

by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross; Colossians 2:14

This text is unambiguous. There was a record, a book on which all your faults were recorded, an act that established your guilt. This act of condemnation was destroyed on the cross by Jesus Christ. The moment you believe this incredible news, you have already entered into its reality!

We were expecting an inevitable judgment, and we are suddenly told that the evidence against us can no longer be found. Someone made it disappear. The evidence against you has been destroyed. The registry has disappeared. All that is left is a cross! That's what this text says in modern language. You are free. You can leave. Nothing can be proven against you anymore. Oh, don't expect to feel something. We're not in emotions but in a factual truth. It's just how it is. Jesus erased the record of our debt, which stood against us with its legal demands, and this he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3 :36

God will never condemn anyone who comes before Him with an inscription on the chest that would say, "very guilty but saved by Your Son at Golgotha." This is the meaning of "whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." There is nothing to add. Just receive an immense gift already prepared by God, who is nothing but love.

The tree of life communicates to us and offers us eternal life for free, simply through our faith (faith = trust in what you hear and what is written). You who have read these lines and believed what you have read, I tell you with the Bible, you have eternal life, you have it now, whether you feel it or not. Simply because God has said it!

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 Jean 5 :13

Did you not know that this is what Christ's sacrifice was all about? Well, now you know, because these things were written so that you may know them. Do you believe it? Then you have eternal life.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3 :36

Do not worry about those who have not yet believed in the Son. Your concern is commendable, but we are not the saviors of the world. God takes care of each person, and no one knows what He is doing in the lives of others. No one knows their secret life. No one knows the calls they have received or will receive one day from God.

Jesus said He would draw all people to Himself. He does so through the testimony of those in whom He dwells, through preaching, and through many other means, but He is the Savior. He knows how to meet each person and leaves each one free to accept or refuse. And no one knows anyone else's choice. For now, it is you whom He is drawing. And this good news is for you today, you who hear it and understand it.

There is one more thing you need to know. You have been reconciled to God. Be reconciled to Him.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life Romans 5 :10

You have been reconciled with God through the death of His Son, and this is something you haven't been told yet. Reread this verse. Have you noticed the grammatical tenses? They are all in the past here. It doesn't say "you will be reconciled" but "you have already been reconciled." You have been so for 2000 years. You are therefore reconciled today and tomorrow and always, and it takes effect immediately because you believe it.

By believing that Jesus Christ carried on the cross everything that separated you from God, that His death and not any action on your part unconditionally reconciled you with God, you have just met God's criteria, according to the gospel.

At this very moment, in your mind and in your soul, you are receiving the full and complete assurance of forgiveness for all your past, present, and future sins and therefore a total and complete reconciliation with your Creator.

We announce to you: Christ died, and you are forgiven of everything through His death. You just didn't know it!!! Now you know, and if you don't oppose this incredible good news, if you receive it gently, you have entered into eternal life without fanfare. You believed. That's all. It's simple. It's the power of the preaching the cross.

For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10 :10

Take a break now and tell the Lord Jesus, in your own words, that you thank Him for what He has done and that you accept with perhaps astonishment, but fully and with all your heart, this magnificent gift that He has given you and that was waiting only for two events.

• that you learn the news and fully understand its significance
•  that you overcome your amazement to fully accept in your soul this magnificent gift that God has given to all men, women, and children of all times. Faith is just believing what God says.

Confessing with your mouth means openly declaring your faith, saying it with your mouth. The mouth is not the same as the mind.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God Ephesians 2 :8

or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3 :23

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved Romans 10 :13

To invoke the name of Jesus (God saves, God heals) is simply to talk to Him with the confidence that your words are not directed to a wall or a ceiling, but to the One who is omnipresent (everywhere at once), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omniscient (knowing all things, even your deepest thoughts), and who has been waiting for this moment, this moment when you finally understand His love for you and surrender your life to Him. Now, verbally surrender the direction of your life to Him.

Okay, have you thanked Him? Yes? Then we can continue because that's only half of the good news!!!!!!

Second seed: The Resurrection

Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.! Romans 4 :6-8

It is wonderful to be forgiven for all our past sins, it is a great joy and we are forgiven thanks to Jesus' death on the cross. God no longer imputes, which means He no longer holds our sins against us. It is as if we have never sinned!!!

But I already hear some of you asking the question "If I understand correctly, with this doctrine, since I am forgiven anyway, can't I take out my frustration on my neighbor who annoys me or insult my neighbor who offended me, lie, steal, do all the possible evil. I just then have to ask for forgiveness and it's done?!

I would be tempted to answer you, yes! Except that you are not asking the right question.

Yes, God grants grace to the guilty, slaves of their rebellious nature. An innocent person does not need grace. Grace only makes sense if you are guilty. Therefore, one must be guilty to be eligible for grace. God grants grace to the guilty, and the good news of the gospel makes all guilty people forgiven.

So, the real question, the right question is "have you become a child of God, have you been born again, are you a new creation?". And you will understand why this is the right question because the following principle cannot be cancelled under any circumstances.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romains 8 :1

No condemnation for the guilty?! It is completely normal to react because at first glance, it is legitimately unacceptable, of course! Unless we put it back in the complete context of the divine work. It takes two sides to make the complete coin.

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because by receiving forgiveness of sins, they have been born of God. They have received a new life, the life of Christ. They have supernaturally entered into a newness of life.

This requires a serious explanation. God's plan for humanity is greater and much more perfect than you thought. Listen to this astonishing statement:

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.1 John 3 :9

The two key phrases here are 'born of God' and 'does not practice'. We are talking about someone who is born of God and in whom the seed of God remains. We are not changing subjects. We are not in religion, but in a supernatural work that no religion can produce. It is said that whoever is born again, born of God, cannot keep on spinning, does not practice sin. Does not practice...

among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.. Ephesians 2 :1-3

Before being born again, we walk in offenses and sins, we practice sin. Sins are not accidents, but a normal practice, a lifestyle, the natural thought and life system of a son or daughter of Adam. To give an image, the wild cherry tree produces sour cherries, and why would it feel ashamed? You lived according to desires, you were by nature children of wrath, it was your nature, your practice, and it did not pose any problem, except for the inner or religious law that occasionally shook the conscience.

Whoever has received forgiveness for their sins at the cross has, at the same moment, received the seed of a new life, a new nature, the nature of Christ, the nature of the One who perfectly obeyed God in his humanity. And this is not a sensation either.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses Colossians 2 : 13

Christ will now communicate, from within, the same desire and the same ability to obey because He has given birth to a new heart, a new spirit that He has recreated in those who receive Him: born of God.

This explains the new desires, new attractions, ambitions, or tastes that arise and begin to manifest themselves just as naturally in you. You will not strive to be different. They have become different. The nature of Christ now flows in you, manifesting His life, His desires, His ability. The practice has changed. We can better understand the immense significance of Ezekiel's prophecy and how it is fulfilled in those who receive Christ into their hearts.

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rule. Ezekiel 36 :25-27

The child of God is first purified and then receives a new nature, one that is opposed to the one he had before. A nature that does not love to do evil and has the supernatural ability to overcome it. In other words, the evil that the child of God commits (and it will happen) is a misstep, due to weakness or lack of vigilance, but it is no longer a practice or a way of life. It is no longer his/her nature.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God,  2 Corinthians 5:17-18

When one receives forgiveness of sins by faith, at the same time, one receives a new nature that hates the practice of what is evil in the eyes of God.

Anyone who is born again can testify how desires have changed. And if, by weakness, the child of God stumbles, they find in Jesus Christ an eternal and highly effective advocate, whose nail-scarred hands guarantee immediate and unconditional forgiveness.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2 :1

So, there is no condemnation for the children of God, for those sins that are regrettable accidents on the way, for you who have received the new nature of Christ. For this new nature is at work in you, much more effectively than your attempts to follow the orders of the law.

It is the guarantee that you are no longer the same, that God Himself has now taken over. This new life, which may still be a very weak seed today, will become, through His assistance, an immense tree bearing the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control.

And if the child of God, born anew, strays from love and holiness, and it happens, it is no longer as before. It does not leave them indifferent, because of the nature of Christ that is in them. They feel what one feels when, after putting on new clothes, they get a stain. They have only one desire, to clean themselves up as quickly as possible. They can no longer stand any stain. They then turn to the advocate, confess in the sense of admitting, acknowledging, and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin.

But 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- 1 John 1:7

A simple acknowledgment of our fault, a simple confession is enough

For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Galates 6 :15

Paul spoke these words to the Jews of his time who had accepted Christ, because there were some who did. He was telling them, in essence, that observing the law (circumcision was a requirement of their law) and commandments or belonging to a religion is not enough now that Jesus has appeared, because you will never be able to be perfect as God requires as long as your nature has not been changed.

What is important is to be a new creature. For this is the guarantee that God himself is at work in your life. And that is what will make the difference because God NEVER fails. It is no longer you who seek to save yourself.

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7 :25

God himself from within saves you and will save you perfectly. What matters is to be a new creature. Isn't this beautiful?

Let's go back to the verse we were talking about in the first part of this article:

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Romans 5 :19

Do you now understand this bomb in Romans 5:19? Let me help you with two questions.

1/ What do we have to do to become a sinner? Please, do not answer: "I become a sinner when I commit sins." No! You have now understood. You inherited a sinful nature from your parents at birth, and that's why you sin.

The Bible says, "It is sin living in me."

Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7 :20

So the answer to the question "what have you done to become a sinner?" is: NOTHING, you are one from birth, even before committing any bad actions. You are a sinner as a consequence of the disobedience of one man: Adam.

2/ What must we do to become righteous?

The answer is the same: NOTHING. We become righteous through new birth before accomplishing any good action. We inherit the nature of Christ just as naturally as we inherited the nature of Adam at our first birth. Through the obedience of one man (Jesus Christ), many (those who believe) are made righteous in the same way that through the disobedience of one man (Adam) all were made sinners.

We do not yet see the sinner in the joyful and innocent little baby. It is possible that we do not yet see the righteous person in whom the seed of God has just come to life. Or in someone who has not nurtured this seed so that it becomes a great tree visible to all.

Believe me, by nurturing and collaborating with the Holy Spirit, this righteous life manifests itself more and more and supplants the old life and its bad habits.

To summarize: we do not become sinners by committing sins. We do not become righteous by doing good works. We are sinners because we have inherited the nature of Adam through our parents. We are righteous because we have inherited the nature of Jesus Christ in the new birth. We receive the nature first, and the fruits follow.

So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”[f]; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 1 Corinthians 15 :45

The key expressions here are "first man, Adam" and "last Adam." Here is explained, almost technically, although it is a matter of spiritual things, how the Lord overcomes our Adamic nature (derived from Adam) that poisons our existence. For there are laws, principles, and a method that govern this masterful work performed by the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross of Golgotha.

At the Cross, God brings to an end a poorly started story with the first Adam. As we have already seen, he became a living soul when he disobeyed. His spirit died as a result of his separation from the God of life. From Adam came this terrible humanity, spiritually dead, living off its unstable soul, and throughout the centuries manifesting a mixture of dazzling wonders and unbearable horrors.

This sad story that continues for us, in God's eyes, stopped at the cross. Jesus is the last Adam. At the cross, God made Him the representative of the entire generation of Adam, as if suddenly all humanity was summarized in one person, as if He had transferred all humanity into one body.

Jesus, crucified, took on the first Adam and all his generation. And when He breathed His last breath, He became the last Adam. Thus, at His death, the circle is closed. For God, all humanity derived from Adam is finished.

At his resurrection, He became a life-giving spirit, that is to say, one who gives life and communicates His life and perfect nature. Remember that His first action upon arriving in heavenly glory was to send what had been promised: the Holy Spirit who gives life and vivifies.

A new humanity of naturally righteous individuals can be born on the other side of the cross, at the resurrection. The kingdom of God spreads in hearts. The kingdom of God is in our midst, visible only to those who have been transformed.

The last Adam, after the resurrection, became a life-giving spirit, who gives life to a generation of men and women, to a new humanity, endowed with a new heart and spirit, recreated in the image of the One through whom and for whom all things exist. And all of this is pure grace, pure gift, through faith, for any humble and unpretentious heart. Simply put, it is an incomprehensible wisdom, even a folly in the eyes of men, especially religious ones, no matter who they are.

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”
    the things God has prepared for those who love him
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Corinthians 2 :6-12

The Word took on human form in Jesus. He endured suffering, elevated this humanity to a degree of perfection, and was put to death by humanity itself. When Jesus Christ was crucified, it was human nature that was crucified - all of humanity, even if unwittingly, bears this Adamic nature, the source of all wars, diseases, suffering, murders, and the list goes on.

This humanity, with its irreparably corrupt nature, was crucified at the same time as Christ, in Christ, and for God. For all, the history of our humanity stopped a little less than 2000 years ago. This is not visible because it is a work that only a spirit made alive can understand.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6 :23

In Christ, all of us, the generation of Adam, have therefore died. The day our earthly body passes away, we find ourselves in an invisible spiritual reality:

• on the cross, with Christ dead for all,
• or seated in heavenly places with Christ and in Christ, the resurrected one.

It all depends on how far we went with Jesus during our time on earth. The cross is the place where judgment took place. What is of the first Adam in us has already been judged and remains on the cross! God judged the generation of Adam and condemned it to death by dying himself with it and for it, making it die with Him.

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many, Hebrews 9 :27

And since it is appointed for men to die once, once we arrive in the afterlife, there are two options: either we awaken in Adam, already judged and condemned on the cross.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John, 3 :18

Or, we wake up in Christ, if He is in us and we are in Him, united with Him, where all those who are born again are.

For through the new birth we have become a member of His body, and it is in Him, as part of Himself, that we wake up in the afterlife. Do you understand?

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2 :4-7

For the one who has received the life of Christ, the stage of death is far behind. By his spirit, the born-again child of God is already seated in heavenly places in Christ even if his soul and body are still on earth.

If I believe in Christ, my "first Adam" part is already dead and I now live by the life of the resurrected one. It's a complete package. That's why Jesus proclaimed this incomprehensible thing at the time but it becomes evident now as His work is revealed.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? John 11 : 25

The entire humanity, the first Adam, was judged, condemned, put to death, and buried in the person of Jesus Christ. It is all accomplished. It is an invisible reality to the world but a very real one. Jesus is, in the eyes of God, the last Adam.

While we are alive on earth, this power of resurrection that is at work within us will have other extraordinary, liberating, and immediately accessible effects that we will see in a few moments.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; Romans 6:6

The evil nature that presided over our mortal body (our old man), the power of sin (the body of sin) that resides in this nature from Adam, were also put to death and annihilated with Jesus at the moment when He breathed His last on the cross. We are no longer slaves the moment Christ comes to dwell in us.

I am speaking here of an experience that is not simply a doctrine. The children of God who are born again and who walk in communion with the Holy Spirit experience this reality with wonder.

We are liberated from the grip of sin. For the first time, we are completely masters of our destiny. We can do what we want and not do what we do not want. Vices and passions no longer have a dominant power over our lives as long as we remain in communion with the Holy Spirit. It is an incredible and yet real liberation!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

If Christ had not been resurrected, everything would still be in the tomb with no hope for you and me. But He is risen and we are delivered from our old nature by His life working in us.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2 :20

Life is in Jesus Christ. When, at new birth, He comes to dwell in me, He not only brings me deliverance from my old nature whose power He destroyed on the cross, but He brings me the power of His imperishable life. As the person born again says, "If I live, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. Colossians 2 :12

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,, Ephesians 2:6

Do you understand the meaning of these words now? The last Adam, Christ, is the first of a new generation of men and women, born again. He has resurrected them. Their spirit has come back to life and inspires their existence, and communication with God, who is Spirit, has been restored.

Remember, the Word is a seed. Everything is delivered in seed form. Our faith does allow us to enter into the experience. And the Holy Spirit creates faith as we listen to and understand these truths. Meditate on them, reread them, call on the Holy Spirit for help, and accept with gentleness this Word that is planted in you. And be transformed!

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12 :2

My friends, this is the complete message of the Gospel. Forgiven and regenerated!

The seed will grow if you believe and continue to believe, despite your amazement. And in such an extraordinary way!

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. Mark 4:26

Your faith alone allows the Holy Spirit to release all the wonderful effects of this life into your daily existence. Feed your faith by listening to the Gospel often, the one I have just delivered to you. Simply keep your eyes fixed on these truths of who Jesus is and trust the Holy Spirit to create in you sufficient faith and generously grant you all the benefits in Jesus Christ.

One last thing...

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6 :4

We were buried with him through baptism into his death. This text implicitly speaks of water baptism. Perhaps the following text will speak to you more:

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Romans 6 :3

Or this one :

for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3 :27

Many texts emphasize the great importance of baptism. If you have not been baptized, find a church, an assembly (ecclésia -> assembly = church) that preaches new birth, water baptism, the action of the Holy Spirit, the death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and get baptized. Baptism is part of your declaration of faith.

When we understand and believe in what Jesus Christ's death on the cross means for us, our intellect adheres, but our body, which is also a part of ourselves, remains outside of it.

Our soul, where the intellect resides, accepts and believes the good news of the gospel. That's good.

Our spirit is resurrected and welcomes the Holy Spirit, who now makes it His residence. That's good.

And how do we include our body in this total process of regeneration? Through water baptism.

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2 :37-38

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28 :18-20

Jesus himself told John the Baptist that baptism was what was right to fulfill.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. Matthew 3 :13-15

Jesus himself gave the example. Baptism is an important act because God saves the whole person, spirit, soul, and body.

Baptism, the burying of our body in the water, is our way of telling God and before men that we fully accept the condemnation of our old nature. It is an act of repentance and faith expressed through a concrete action. We symbolically submit our body to death. If we did not come out of the water, we would be dead for good. By baptism, we identify ourselves in the death of Jesus.

It is not just a symbolic act but in the light of the texts read, an important and inseparable act of our inner faith. True baptism is an act that we perform to materialize our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, which we have now understood are also our death in Adam and our resurrection in Christ.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16 :16

Remember, repentance is simply realizing the total corruption of our natural being, no longer desiring it, and accepting to be rid of it through God's supernatural action. Turning away from the life we used to lead and embracing the new life of freedom that is offered to us. That is true repentance. It is done with the heart. Then we follow it up with action. Baptism signifies and concretizes this visibly. We leave our past life at the bottom of the baptistery or pool.

I can predict without error that in the next few days or even hours, everything will be done, as if by chance, for you to forget these simple truths that I have just explained, or for you to neglect them, occupied by a sudden increase in your activities, by the sudden appearance of obligations forcing you to put all these wonderful truths that have the power to transform your life in second place.

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither

    whatever they do prospers.. Psalms 1 :1-3

Re-listen regularly to this gospel. Water the seed of God regularly in your heart and watch it grow day by day. Feed on this gospel every day by thinking about it, solidifying it in your thought process, and you will see it gain strength day by day. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, says the Bible.

God's work, HIS work in you (not yours), is that you believe in everything that He has sent to do in and through you: Jesus Christ, His only Son. He is the sun to which you simply need to expose yourself as often as possible to adorn yourself with the beautiful colors of true life.

Fully and totally enter into this new life that is offered to you.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.1 Timothy 1 :15

One can be a believer of Christian obedience, sincere and know of God only his commandments, his demands, his anger, paradise, hell, his apparent distance from men and all the rites of religion with its splendid ornaments, its magnificent ceremonies, powerful organs, sacred scents or its rhythmic music, joyful and full of dances.

It is possible for a sincere and pious believer to be regularly beset by doubt and have, in fact, no deep and stable certainty as to the existence of God or eternity.

Millions of authentic, pious and consecrated Christian believers love the righteous God who resides in heaven, who has certainly sent Jesus but who punishes the sinner and reproaches the lack of holiness of his children. Many of the faithful seek the Lord's favor by imposing penance, all forms of deprivation or abstinence. Some go so far as to mortify themselves, climbing mountains to the point of bloodying their knees.

No one should be advised to make any judgment about a believer and his beliefs. First, because God alone has the right to be a judge. Secondly, because God does not only look at the actions of men, but also and much to their motivations. And He alone can do that because He is the only one who can read in the heart and therefore judge righteously.

It is permissible to have and give an opinion, but this opinion should only be shared if it is not likely to hurt and if it is shared gently. The Lord teaches us that love must prevail over freedom and our convictions (Romans 14:1-6). The wisdom from above is peaceable, gentle, reasonable and full of good fruits. It is neither violent nor bitterly zealous in wanting to defend the truth (James 3:13-17).

Let me share some thoughts. And please listen to me to the end.

For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision (practicing the rites of a religion), but a new creation. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them... Galatians 6 :15-16

The new creation, the one who is born again, has deep, ingrained certainties in his heart that are not based on any human logic or reasoning.

The one who is born again knows that he or she is loved by God and feels no need to self-suggestion or to convince oneself of it.

The one who is born again knows he or she has been forgiven for all sins and accepts no condemnation, he or she has no doubt about his or her entry into heaven and has been fully convinced in the inner being, by God himself that salvation rests only on Jesus Christ.

The one who is born again knows that he or she will never do enough to win God's favor and does not even try. He or she knows that God's favor is all earned, regardless of any work or action.

The one who is born again loves God with a love flowing from his heart. No need to force oneself. It's flowing. He or she just needs to be taught, by the anointing of the Holy Spirit in him/her and through ministries and the Word of God, how to live and remain in Jesus Christ, in order to sustain himself/herself in this joyful life. A holy and victorious life is now possible.

The one who is born again has the will and the power to free himself from all addictions, from all devastating passions, from all dominating and demeaning sins. He or she has the power to say no to sin and to no longer be crushed by it.

The one who is born again knows without a shadow of a doubt; for his spiritual eyes have opened, that Christ is alive and that He is now the Shepherd of his life, the One who will help him/her to go through all trials which are the share of all humans, indiscriminately. The storm blows on all but those who have Jesus in their boat never sink.

Jesus is alive. Already, historically many know that He died on a cross. But the Father resurrected him. A resurrected is someone who had died and returned to life.

The risen Christ is more than the man who died on the cross. The risen one has regained his divine glory and power. He has the power to save us today. The one who is born again has met this living, truly Living Person, who has passed through death, who is resurrected and who lives forever. He or she met Him in his inner being, more actually than one would have met a visible person. For this reason, he or she will never be able to doubt again.

Are you born again?

The believer, the authentic and pious believer does not necessarily experience all this. Belief does not bring anyone into this life, into these certainties, into this solid and ineradicable faith.

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. James 2 :19

The Bible tells us that demons are as much believers as we are, even more so, and that is why they shudder. Their belief does not lead them into the presence of God. Salvation is not in belief. The demons are lost for eternity and their future is in a lake of fire despite their great belief.

Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3 :3

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3 :5

Jesus made it clear that to see the kingdom of God and to enter it, one must be born again! He did not foresee any other means. It is He, the Decision maker, the Chief, the Wise, the Lord, He who tells us insistently, insisting, repeating the word truly twice: truly, truly I say to you: you must be born again or you will not see or enter the kingdom of God.

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14 :17

The Kingdom of God is not a geographical place or heaven. The Bible, which gives any explanation, teaches us in the book of Romans that the kingdom of God is righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit, already on earth and in fullness in heaven. Then let us paraphrase the words of Jesus, 'If a man is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into the righteousness, peace and joy that the Holy Spirit shares.

It's more understandable, isn't it? Jesus was talking about these things to a teacher of the law, Nicodemus, a religious man more educated than you and me about God's law. And Nicodemus didn't understand anything to the point of saying: 'but, how could a man get into his mother's womb and then get out?' No, he did not understand that this new birth occurs first in the inner being.

It would not be reasonable to describe how the new birth occurs. For everyone, it is a different experience. But in all cases:

• We do know we are born again
• In the days, weeks following the new birth, we observe changes and even drastic changes in the way we act and think. We really become a different person while remaining ourselves.
• We have made an irrevocable decision and we know that we have changed course. We have firmly decided that Christ would now be the leader of our lives.
• We know, without a shadow of a doubt, that we are forgiven for all our sins and our love for the Lord no longer bears the very idea of displeasing him with any disobedience.
• We know that Jesus Christ lives with us and that He is now our Shepherd
• There is no longer any doubt about the person of Christ, even if we sometimes have questions about His ways that we do not always understand, but deep doubt no longer exists.
• And the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit in us is by no means the product of any mental effort.

No believer, merely a believer, unless he is born again, experiences this. It's supernatural.

The one who is born again enters with wonder into a luminous life. There is, however, no difference between the born again and the simple believer, no superiority of one over the other.

The believer has no less value than the one who is born again because everything is received by grace. He simply needs a witness to tell him that it is possible and necessary to go further, to live more than just belief, which over time may diminish, if it has not already happened. New birth is the standard given by Jesus Christ himself.

You may be saying, is this possible? Why doesn't anyone talk about it? Is there any chance that I too could go through this?

Yes it is possible and someone is talking to you about it today. Someone who has lived it, millions in the world have lived it and it is also possible for you, for all because:

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus 1 Timothy 2 :4-5

There is no recipe. But there are obstacles to identify. Then it will be between you and the Lord. Let's rely on the texts of the Bible. God has inspired men over centuries to make us know His Will. Through His Word, we know what we can reasonably expect from Him.

Biblical texts are solid foundations. Many people who are ill-intentioned or simply totally ignorant want to undermine the reliability of these texts through all kinds of smoky and unfounded theories. I feel sorry for them. It will be difficult for them to enter into the presence of God, for it is precisely through trust in his promises and in his Word that we can receive from Him all the riches of his grace. There are no other ways.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1 :12-14

This text explains us that by believing in Jesus, in His Name, one is likely to receive a power, the power to become a son of God. We are then born of God and not of the blood, nor of the will of the flesh or of man.

It doesn't come from blood: you don't inherit being a son of God at birth from your parents. You become one.

This does not come from the will of the flesh: the flesh here has the meaning of human nature, its desires, its thoughts and the strength of its will. You are not born again by the power of your will, by your efforts or by your actions. It is not self-suggestion or the result of any mental power.

This does not come from the will of man: no man, even the most sincere and pious, the highest priest or preacher, nor the prayers of either have the power to make you born again even if they contribute to it.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2 :8-9

not of yourselves: We cannot bring anything to God that has enough value for Him to give birth to us again. You can jump, scream, moan, raise your arms to heaven, sulk, haggle, trick or do so many magnificent and praiseworthy works. Nothing will do. Not of yourselves, says the Word. None of our actions can trigger the new birth.

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; Isaiah 64 :5

Our righteousness, our good deeds, our merits, do not give us any right of entry. They're like a filthy garment. They will not force God to make you his child.

Even our faith will not suffice or our repentance, as we are going to see. Our faith does not save us. Jesus alone saves us even with a billionth of a faith, a grain of mustard. Our faith, big or small, makes no difference. Jesus blessed the one to whom He declared ‘O woman, your faith is great' (Matthew 15:28) as much as the one who said to Him ‘I do believe; help my unbelief' (Mark 9:24).

It is God's gift: We are totally dependent, at the mercy of God's goodwill. If He does not intervene, if He does not decide to act from above, nothing will happen.

What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. Romans 9:14-17

And if we persist in wanting to win the Lord's favor pretending to have any merit, this is a major obstacle to new birth. Read the Parable of the Pharisee :

Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: `God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector;

I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.

But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me, the sinner!.

I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exaltedé. Luke 18 :10-13

You have to assimilate that. It's extremely frustrating, annoying, unbearable for human nature. Our nature will always look in one way or another to be part of it. Well, no. It is the Sovereign Grace, the merits of Jesus Christ and nothing else that trigger spark the miracle. Our participation is minimal.

But then I'm wasting my time, will you tell me?

No! On the other hand, just make sure that God has promised new birth. It will be easier to receive because He is faithful unlike man. Everything He promises, He does. And if we are certain to ask for something He has already promised to give, it strengthens us. When you know you are entitled to something, you have insurance to claim it until you get it. Even obstacles or delays can't stop your determination, you know you're entitled to it!

Now you have read the words of Jesus above about new birth. What more do you need? You must be born again.

So here's the path to new birth:

• Repenting
• Accept who Jesus Christ is, what He says, and invite him to live and reign in our hearts.
• REPENTANCE and FAITH. FAITH and REPENTANCE.

Very simple in words!

REPENTANCE

To repent is to realize that we have lived the life of a blind and deaf until now, having heard of God in catechism, in Sunday school, through our parents, our friends, through books, through the Bible or a personal research. Yes, we've heard of God, but He's always been a theory, never a person intensely present in our lives.

The result is that we direct our lives as we see fit, being driven, sometimes in spite of ourselves, by the wills of our thoughts and our human nature, often committing acts that we know to be reprehensible but it is stronger than us, out of selfishness, out of passion.

Repenting is when we decide that this lifestyle, we don't want it anymore. It takes halh a second to repent. Although we are aware that we do not yet have the power to get away from it. It is wanting to change mentality, way of thinking, it is wanting to change attitude, convinced that only Jesus Christ, the Shepherd, will be able to direct our life properly.

"Now I want you Jesus, to lead my life. I am sorry for all that I have done that I knew to be wrong and for all that I have not done and that would have been good. I am sorry and want to change, give my life to you and let you lead it. I no longer want to be a slave to my inclinations, bad attitudes or devouring passions. “

How many times have you ever repented like this?

If you've done it many times, you may have become tired. "It's useless," you maybe said to yourself; "It doesn't change anything anyway, I start again the next day."

Yes, this repentance was a necessary first step but it did not introduce you to new birth. Cheer up, you're not far away!

THE KEY

I've been through that too. I always repented for the same things, all the time and without change. I felt every time I was doing it, that it stayed at a very superficial level. It didn't really spring from the depths of myself, even if regrets were sincere. And I couldn't figure out how to get it out of my guts. It was always on the edge of the skin. It was frustrating. I had no idea how to be more sincere, deeper so that it was really a cry of guts. It was out of my reach.

Then one day I received a very simple instruction and the deliverance came. A brother showed me, through the Word of God, that only God can give true repentance that is profound, authentic and definitive.

The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. 2 Timothy 2 :24-26

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit John 3 :5-7

 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us, For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death 2 Corinthians 7 :9

You repented. You were sincere but let’s understand what Jesus is trying to teach us through 'what is born of the flesh is flesh' and apply it to repentance.

It means that repentance that comes from the flesh (from human nature and its abilities) is flesh (remains within the limits of what human nature and capacities can produce). It is sincere, it is not bad, it shows our desire to change course but it is insufficient.

We need the intervention of the Spirit. The fire from above must consume the sacrifice. What is born of the Spirit is spirit. There is a repentance of the flesh, human, and a repentance by the Spirit, led by the Spirit of God. There is a sorrow of the flesh, human, which is limited to sincere but vain regrets, and a sorrow by the Spirit, according to God led by the Spirit of God which leads to true repentance. 

It is God's gift so that no one will glorify his beautiful repentance or great faith. God is the author of our salvation from beginning to end.

The brother encouraged me to ask God for true repentance, the one that comes from Him. I followed the instruction. Blessed be this inspired man! It triggered everything.

We cannot bring anything to God that is acceptable, as we have said. Only the recognition and confession of our total inability to please him in any way, and our request that He do in us, what we fail to do, is the trigger for any blessing from above. It's not from you. What is born of the Spirit is Spirit. God gives to anyone who asks.

He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5 :3

The kingdom of God, righteousness, peace and joy through the Holy Spirit, new birth is for the poor in spirit, for those who recognize their spiritual poverty (life of the spirit).

The day God granted me his repentance, I saw my sins and rebellion like I had never seen them before. It happened when I didn't expect it anymore and it's a memorable day I'll never forget. In the presence of love of the Holy Spirit, I repented with all my heart, as I had never been able to do by myself.

The experience varies from person to person. For me it was very emotional but it is not a reference. For others it will be quite different in its manifestation. It may be different for you.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth… John 16 :13

But whatever the way the new birth takes place, in all cases, because it is the Comforter, the Holy Spirit who leads you into repentance, you repent in truth, deeply, resolutely, decidedly, in a depth and authenticity that only the Spirit can infuse, in the light of Grace which is in Jesus Christ and which instantly erases from your conscience, all the sins that He shows you and that you recognize. You're forgiven. Definitely washed. You know that and nothing can make you go back. That day you are born again.

A visitation of the Holy Spirit in a meeting of the Church, this feeling of having been touched by the presence of God, those tears that may have flowed from your eyes do not make you be born again. A decision is needed. Faith alone is not enough as it is not a decision. Repentance given by God leads to a profound and definitive position. We are driven to commit all our will. In that moment, the whole being finds the determination to change course.

Only this moment of decision gives the green light to the Lord. Then you decide who to follow, your old way of life or Him? You tell him, He takes note and your life is transformed.

Don't be discouraged. It sounds inaccessible, too good to be true but it's real. Supernatural, extraordinary but very real. It is the normal experience of the Christian according to the New Testament stories and that makes you the happiest person in the world. Does that mean you're out of range? You are right! It's totally out of YOUR reach. So what? It is not your work but that of the One who wants you to be born again, even more than you do, to add you to the community of His children. He made you his child by adoption, before the foundation of the world. He is at work today. Ask God to lead you into the deep and true repentance that comes from Him. He will take you there and change your life forever.

Let me share one last thing that should help you. I do not preach an experiment; I illustrate with experience what is taught in the Scriptures; it's quite different.

I would like to mention that during this time of repentance given by the Spirit, I had a moment of cold sweat. As I was bathed in tears, in His presence, and receiving His relieving forgiveness for all sins passed, the Spirit began to point out things that I was still doing and that I clearly had to also give up.

To my amazement, something woke up and roared within me. I found myself unable to give up anything and began to argue, to negotiate, to justify myself, to minimize the seriousness of these things. But no matter how much I did and said, the Lord showed me that it was not negotiable and that I had to give up everything at his feet. That's when I got cold sweat.

I wanted to, but my whole being was hardly saying no. I couldn't give up. Impossible. I didn't want to. And I felt that this new life that was offered to me was escaping me because I was unable to accept the Lord's conditions. Incredible massive forces of resistance that I had never carried out were there, in me, in spite of myself, raised like a mountain against the Lord's will, stronger than my will; and it lasted a while. I realized that I was lost. I didn't want to, I couldn't; the answer was no, definitely no. I will not give up or give up anything, I liked those things too much….

There was a moment of silence and immobility and in my desperate mind, the Spirit of God suddenly gave me a way out. "Ask me for the strength and the will to abandon everything to me." After a few very struggling moments of hesitation, I reluctantly said to God, and against my apparent will (but which will !?) and in any case not feeling any real personal desire that He do it: “Lord, give me the will to yield and give you everything “. Instantly, resistance faded and peace and joy flooded my soul. And that flow flowed for weeks and weeks. We can't invent that!

And even less give up everything, without His help, by the sheer force of our will!

Our human nature rejects God and it becomes very obvious when the Lord casts His light upon us. Our eyes open and we realize how much our natural being hates God's ways. But that doesn't stop Him from saving us. Jesus Christ offered Himself for us on the Cross and to put to death this human resistance. This resistance is called: sin, singular. Jesus Christ saves us even and above all from sin.

Yes, I understood that every human being is truly lost, irretrievably rebellious to God and that the Lord is truly a powerful Savior. He can save us perfectly from ourselves and our resistance. Jesus Christ is the perfect Savior, I repeat. He perfectly saves the one who accepts to receive everything from Him. This lesson is engraved and I do not think it was useless to share it.

That day, I experienced (before I had even read them and knew them) these few truths that the Word teaches us:

and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority. Colossians 2 :10

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2 :13

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Romans 11 :36

and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Colossians 2 :11

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4 :8

If you cannot make the decision, He can still help you, inspire you, give you intelligence, and click to desire to repent. He knows what we are formed of, he remembers that we are dust (Psalms 103). You have to ask Him everything. The new life He gives is bright, beautiful, exciting, peaceful, joyful, productive, and fruitful. We are dependent on God. Salvation is God's gift. Jesus Christ is our Savior. He saves us from ourselves.

FAITH

Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified.
Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?
Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself. Acts of the Apostles 2 :36-38

The promise is for all in as great a number as the Lord will call. But it is said on the other hand that Jesus attracts all men to Him, men and women:

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself. But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. John 12 :32

Jesus was raised on a cross first. Then he was raised in glory to the Father and from there He sent what had been promised: the Holy Spirit, the Comforter who Alone can lead us into the Kingdom of God, from new birth to our entry into heaven in the full and perfect presence of God.

To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, which, He said, you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Acts of the Apostles 1 :3-5

The Holy Spirit was sent at Pentecost (Acts of the Apostles 2) and since then, He is here, on earth, among the son of men. If the Holy Spirit attracts you, too, as you read these lines, recognize His way of speaking. You won't hear a voice. He does not utter audible words: 'Come to Jesus, give Him the direction of your life'. He attracts you, it is His words to Him, living words that speak to the heart and will. You know it in your heart. It's time to hand over to Jesus Christ the direction of your entire life.

For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25

God would like all men to be born again through the Spirit of God. Jesus was crucified. And his crucifixion is the price paid so that all may receive a new cleaned heart that becomes the dwelling of the risen Christ.

An inspired Christian song says, you can be born again, you can start all over again, sweep your past life, and start over with Jesus for Shepherd.

You must be born again, said Jesus Christ. Change course, give Him the direction of your whole life (that's what means the old term repent), and believe in Him, in His help and in His action in you from beginning to end. To have faith also means to ask God to add to our human repentance, the true repentance and the faith that also come from Him (Hebrews 12:2; Romans 10:17). What is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Jesus is dead, resurrected and He ascended into glory to send the Holy Spirit who wants to take you by hand and lead you to the foot of the Cross, for the forgiveness of all your sins, to be freed from sin (singular) and then once your heart is cleaned, to lead you, into an increasingly intimate communion with Jesus, making you a dwelling of Christ in Spirit on earth.

Tell him yes, come Lord Jesus Christ to live and rule over my life, over my heart!

This is the message of the gospel for you and for me.