Ten Core Values for the Christian life (8)

Are you enjoying this series? I sincerely hope these blog posts will give you new insights and revelation about the depth and riches of God's Word.

Let's continue with the eighth commandment: You shall not steal (Exodus 20:15).

Surely, you are not a thief 😀

But let's take this up a notch. Are you generous? Do you rather give than take? It is a sobering fact maybe, but we spend most of our lives accumulating possessions, whether they are the house, the car, the boat, the job, the money, or the mate we desire.

We think more stuff will make us happier and give us a more fulfilled life, although Jesus had quite a stern warning against storing up treasures on earth. How can we shift our all-too-human attitude of gathering into an attitude of giving? Is it truly possible to become cheerful givers? I believe we can!

🔑The key to a fulfilled life is not gathering but giving. And this is not just about material possessions, there is a deep spiritual truth hidden within the eighth commandment. We are not just called to give our hearts to Jesus, we must give it all (wallets included)! Our spirits need to be born again, our souls need to be saved, and our bodies need to be a living sacrifice. Our lives are a generous offering to God.

👉The core value I have attached to the eighth commandment is GENEROSITY.

We live a life of generosity which is the key to a blessed life.

🕂🕂🕂🕂🕂

For more on this topic, read my award-winning book 'GRACE OF GIVING' (Turning the key to enter and experience fullness of life). This book is available on Amazon in your country.

Born again ABC (5)

In the previous blogs on the subject of being born again, we have seen that the Bible clearly speaks about two different kind of births. The spiritual birth is not the same as the natural birth. But, why is it necessary for a human to be born again, or: to become spiritually alive?

The fact that we need to become spiritually alive, implicates that by nature we are spiritually 'dead'. In Colossians 2:13 we can read: When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins. The Bible speaks about living people who are 'dead' because of their sins.

Being not physically, but spiritually 'dead' means there is a barrier between man and God. Ephesians 2:1 (Good News translation) says it like this, In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins. Sin stands between God and mankind and makes us spiritually dead for communication with Him. I always had trouble accepting this, I used to believe in the goodness of mankind. But one look at today's headlines tells me the opposite is true.

It is easy to see this in little children, we must teach them to do GOOD, the bad comes naturally. Every human being is born with a sinful nature. Kind David wrote: Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5). This is why we all need to be born again! This is why we need to accept the forgiveness that Jesus Christ offers, and turn our back to sin.

There is so much more to be said about the born again experience, about the new life that we can receive, but the most important thing is to admit that we need it! Why not accept what He wants to give us (Ephesians 2:5): to be alive with Christ! That acceptance is the most important decision we can make in our entire life.

Now that by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves and have come to have a sincere love for other believers, love one another earnestly with all your heart. For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born again as the children of a parent who is immortal, not mortal (1 Peter 1:22-23)

Born again ABC (4)

When reading through the previous blog posts on this subject, it turns out that the term 'born again' is not as strange as many people think it is. The Bibles speaks about it in several places.

That the term being born again raises curious questions is understandable. It is after all something we cannot really grasp with our human (limited) mind. Even a scholar and learned man as the Jewish leader Nicodemus didn't understand it: How can someone be born when they are old? Nicodemus asked. Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born! (John 3:4). I do learn from his question that being born again happens at a later point in life. This can be when we're 10, 20, 30 or 80, it doesn't really matter.

Nicodemus did not understand the difference between the natural and spiritual birth. All he knew was the new life that came forth from a human being. The Bible, however, speaks about the new life that comes from God. We are not being born again of a human being, but of God! How that works exactly, I don't know, but I do know that it works. In 1 John 5:1 it is being described as follows: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God... Well, that is not too complicated, isn't it?

The main question therefore is: do you believe that Jesus is the Christ (the anointed one, the Messiah)? This is a question of epic proportions since millions and millions of people all over the world are looking for the answer, especially within the Jewish and Islamic religions. It is a very important question that can only be answered with yes or no. If your answer is YES, you can and will experience the spiritual rebirth. Dare to say it out loud: I believe that Jesus is the Christ, He is the Son of God. If you sincerely mean this, it will without a doubt change your life forever!

In the next blog post I will take a closer look at WHY we need to be born again, namely the blockade between God and mankind: sin.

Born again ABC (3)

In the previous blog about spiritual rebirth we have seen that Jesus is pretty clear about it; there is more than a natural or human birth, there is also a spiritual birth. These are two different happenings. We could say that the Bible speaks about a natural birth and a super natural (spiritual) birth.

The first chapter of the gospel of John describes how Jesus, the Son of God, came to the earth. Some people believed in Him, some people did not believe in Him. It is still the same today. The Bible says: Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God (John 1:12-13).

The first time we are born in a natural way (out of our parents) and the second time in a supernatural way (out of God)... that is, IF we decide to believe in Jesus and to receive Him (in our life, in our heart, in our mind). The natural birth is not our choice, the supernatural (spiritual) birth is! After all, we have been given the free will to NOT receive Jesus, to NOT believe in His name and thus to NOT become a child of God... and so miss out on the rebirth.

The New King James translation says it like this: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Wonderful, isn't it? We can simply say this: I receive you Jesus, I want to believe in You. That sounds very simple, but such a prayer (and that is what it is) has life changing consequences!

Born again ABC (2)

The previous blog post ended with a question: why do we often talk and act so difficult, complicated or even vague when it comes to the need of being born again, especially within the church...? I honestly do not know the answer, if there is one. I am glad Jesus kept it simple and said: You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:7). Do not be surprised! It is normal.

The Bible shows us that prior to these words Jesus spoke to Jewish scholar Nicodemus, He said: Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. Well, duuhhhh... that is kind of logical, right? You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand that. Not exactly what we expect to hear in a discussion about important matters between the Son of God and a theologian. But you know what we can learn from His words? There is more than a natural or human birth, there is also a spiritual birth. Those are two different happenings.

Well, that makes life a bit less complicated, doesn't it? We enter this earth through natural birth, which was not our choice, but the choice of our parent(s). Then there is something like a spiritual birth. Do we have a choice in this or not? Read it in the next blog....

Born again ABC (1)

In our home group we are currently going through my book Frisse Kijk and these past weeks we discussed chapter ten: rebirth. We had interesting discussions about 'being born again', but at the same time I noticed that not everyone present was so sure about what the Bible says about the subject. I decided it would be useful to write down some basics in a new blog series. So, here we go....

In most churches there is not a lot of teaching on this subject. Maybe because in some denominations it is considered normal (give your heart to Jesus and you are born again) while in other denominations it is not part of the theology (we have inherited a Christian tradition). Yet, I believe every Christian should understand what it means to be born again (also called new birth or spiritual birth) and be able to explain it to someone else.

There are several places in the Bible where we can find scriptures about 'being born again', but the most famous and most used verses are written down in John, chapter 3. Jesus is speaking about the subject with Jewish scholar Nicodemus and tells him (verse 3): Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. See the Kingdom of God... can you see it? Do you understand what that means? We cannot see (or understand/grasp) the Kingdom* (which Jesus spoke about very often) unless we are born again. Wow, that's pretty straight forward talk. It shows how important it is to be born again.

Jesus is talking about the opening of our spiritual eyes so we can SEE (understand) His Kingdom for what it is: not a place or a country, but a spiritual realm where righteousness, peace and joy reign, with power. Why do we often talk and act so difficult, complicated or even vague when it comes to the need of being born again, especially within the church...? In verse 7 of the same chapter Jesus says: You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ Do not be surprised! It is normal.

* See the Kingdom basics series