Born Again

Why do I call myself a born again Christian? Because my new life in Christ is completely different from how I used to live. Before I accepted Jesus in my life, I used to live just for myself and my wants. I drove a red Mustang Cobra convertible as a status symbol, I would go to Las Vegas and spend hundreds on gambling, drinking, and strip clubs. You know, the things that are addictive, sinful, and immoral, the things that satisfy you in the moment but then makes you feel horrible the next days/weeks/months.

One thing I am definitely glad I’m rid of was my road rage. If someone tailgated me, I would slow down, then if they try to pass, I’d speed up, just to mess with them for tailgating. Then if someone didn’t move out of my way, well, I would tailgate them to show them they are going too slow.  Pretty hypocritical. Not to mention all the cursing and raging if the other people on the road were not driving the way I want them to drive.

There are many other things that I would rather forget but they are in my past and fortunately, with the grace that Christ has shown me, I can be confident that I have been forgiven. His death on the cross is the payment He made for my debt of sin to God, and He has paid it in full.

Jesus rose from death and in Him, I have been born again. He has given me a new life, my old self is dead. He has changed me, I don’t even want to do any of the things I used to crave. Now, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I live for Christ and showing His love to the people He created.

One event that showed me I have been changed was when I had a large amount of money stolen by two guys through deceptive and fraudulent means. I won’t go into the details, but if something like that happened to my old self, you’d bet I curse them to hell then I’d try to find them so I can beat them to a pulp. Instead, with my new life in Christ, I forgave them in my heart and I prayed for them to know Jesus and to accept Him into their lives.

That is the greatest thing I can do for anyone, to pray for them to know Christ. Then they would know the grace and peace that I have in Him.

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)

We are all criminals, guilty of sin, of not meeting the standards and the laws of God. I used to be like the first criminal, blaspheming God and doing as I pleased. Now, I understand why Jesus died for me on the cross and just as the second criminal has been forgiven, I have been forgiven and I can be with God forever in Heaven.

On which side of Jesus do you want to be?