HIS LIVING IN THE NEW BELIEVER
At least twice in the Bible God himself declares clearly that he desires that all men should seek him. With his authority he could require anything, but seeking him had to come first, and a most sincere repentance of all their sinful disobedience and lack of faith was solidly demanded. (2 Chronicles 7:14) and ‘… God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.’ (1 Tim. 2:4) Complete conversion of heart and faith in the Savior are essential. Acts 2:25 records that King David, the Psalmist, claimed ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken.’ And he wrote in Psalm 42:1,2 ‘As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.’ This is the closest possible heart-to-heart connection the Lord intends to have with all of his children.
In no way but by an extraordinary and supernatural intervention by a loving God could such a restoration be possible. For humanity to be restored to him, to know him, and to learn from him, only he himself could provide that forgiveness. Such super grace and kindness was offered by himself in the especially prepared body of Jesus Christ the promised Savior. Only the sacrifice of the holy blood of the sinless Redeemer as he died on a Roman cross two thousand years ago could pay the penalty for our sins and redeem us and provide us with new and everlasting life.
This life really is totally different and under new direction as Titus 3:5 says by a complete transformation ‘by the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.’ This is why John could say in chapter 12:25: ‘Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.’ Now the Apostle Paul says “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.’ We may ask ourselves ‘Do I plan each day to do what I want? Who is running my life anyway? We are to take the Master’s command, ‘Follow Me,’ in all seriousness. Personal ambitions do not fit in with his leadership as he works to perfect us. Are we cooperating with him? No worldly goal attains to any lasting worth at all but hinders our progress.
