THE NEW LIFE

In ancient times there was a prophecy, God was fed up with the undulating walk of the Israelites. Today they are up tomorrow they are down.

That walk has been particularly burdensome, for Israel but more for God. Working with an unreliable, unpredictable non-steadfast unregenerate people are the worst. No project ever gets done.

It's equally burdensome to the unregenerate because he lacks the capability to do what God wants even though he may know.

This was the biggest problem of the First Testament.

Why is man unregerate in the first place.

Death.

There are three main kinds of death in the Bible.

1. Physical death is the most know. Every man dies. ★Ecclesiastes 3:2 "a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot." The bible, history and tradition establish the fact about physical death. Besides, everyone knows somebody who once lived but no longer does.

2. Spiritual Death is less known. This is separation from God. This is the root of the other TWO kinds of death. This the death Adam died when he ate the forbidden fruit. Since then, everyman born of a woman except Jesus, dies at sometime. A spiritually dead person has Satan for father and the nature of his father is in him. John 8:44 "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

3. Eternal Death is the final dwelling of the incorrigible. Those who rejected the free offer of salvation, the gift of eternal life will finally be judged at the White Throne Judgement and sentenced to everlasting separation from God and eternal habitation with the Devil, with evil and with all the wicked.

Revelation 20:11 "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.

14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire."

Therefore, it's easier to understand the new life. Especially with Paul's excellent teaching in Ephesians 2.
He said:
1 "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

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

7 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.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

We were all dead, separated from God, lost in rebellion and darkness and God had mercy on us. He sent Christ. Jesus paid it all.

If a man invites Christ into his heart, he will not only have the peace of God, but a new life.

And you my friend reading this piece have either received Christ or have not yet. You know where you stand. You need to open your heart for Christ to come in.

But if you have already received Christ, you need to understand what happened to you and what the unbeliever needs as you go to witness Christ.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2Corinthians 5:17

David Pam McQuel
★All Scripture quotations are from he new International Version, NIV2011