Run With It: Changed Lives and Hearts

Monday, July 31, 2023

Changed Lives and Hearts

John 1:9-13 Esv

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, was with God in the beginning and he is God, the second person of our triune God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So he is also our creator God. But he willingly left his throne in heaven, came to earth, was born as a human baby, but without sin because God was his birth Father. So while he lived on the earth he was fully God and fully human, but he did not sin, even though he was tempted to sin like we are.

So Jesus Christ is the true light who came into the world. And why did he come? He came to save us from our sins, but not just from the punishment of our sin, but from our slavery to sin. He came to die on a cross, to take upon himself the sins of the entire world, so that when he died our sins died with him so that by faith in him we might now die to sin and live to his righteousness in his power and strength.

But even though he was our creator God, the people created by him did not recognize him for who he is. And even though his own people had been waiting for his coming, they did not know him and they did not receive nor embrace him as their own. But they largely rejected him. Even though he had large crowds following him because of his miracles, most of them walked away when his teaching became what they were not willing to accept.

But all who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives, who believe on his name, God gives the right to become children of God. So what does that look like? Well, to receive Jesus is to accept him, to embrace him. But this isn't just with words. This is with action and in practice. For if he is now Lord of our lives, he is owner and master of our lives and our lives are now surrendered to him to do his will. And if he is Savior, that means he delivered us out of our lives of slavery to sin so we can now walk in obedience to him.

And to believe in Jesus is also not just with words. For belief is defined by God and by his word, and it comes from God and is persuaded by God, and is gifted to us by God, and it is not of our own doing. For we don't become children of God of the will of our flesh nor of the will of man, but of the will of God and according to his design and purposes. So by faith in Jesus Christ we die with him to sin and we now walk in obedience to his commands.

Therefore, if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness, godliness, and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, then we are not born of God, we don't know God, we are not in fellowship with him, and we do not have eternal life in him unless we repent of our sins, and we now follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his commands under the New Covenant. For Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

Since Jesus Came Into My Heart

By Rufus H McDaniel

What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought