"Finally Alive" - Part 2

I believe that it is quite accurate to state from the Bible that there are but two kinds of people walking around on this planet right now: those who are spiritually alive, and those who are spiritually dead. That is, those who have received from Almighty God the free gift of spiritual life and are now living not just a “life” here on earth, but who have now that same life that Jesus Christ had when He came forth from the grave on Resurrection Sunday; and those who do not have that life right now. As brother Piper speaks to these life and death issues he makes it very clear as he discusses Jesus’ night time dialogue with the Jewish teacher, Nicodemus that one might have all the religion in the world and yet not have this life. One might be the very best, upstanding, outstanding member of his or her church; and has been and is the most active in every conceivable ministry that a local assembly does perform and yet not be born again. For it is not nor has it every been one’s religiosity that saves a man or a woman, it is the life giving, indeed the life begetting that the Holy Spirit of God effects through the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ that makes any one of us saved people.

Over two years ago I began this blog under the title Maxaira, the sword which is based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:34 for therein Jesus spoke to the very issue that is here under our consideration. For when men receive the truth of Jesus Christ and the Word which God has given to us, and by His grace they are saved, born again, regenerated then at that moment in time a sword falls between the individual thus saved and all humanity around that remains dead in trespasses and sins. And as Jesus so succinctly pointed out every truly born again child of God knows that sword well as it has come between them and even those who are closest to them. Oh, to be sure every day human relations will remain pretty well as they had been, but in the essential areas of life wherein choices have to be made between one’s obedience to God in Christ and walking the way of the world, the sword cuts deep and even the closest of family relations and the warmest of friendships find themselves on divergent paths. This is what happens when the new birth does take place not merely in word, but in truth and in fact. Listen carefully to this clip and learn what takes place at the single most important point in any new believer’s life.