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The reality of being born again

Columnists
As part of our ongoing study of salvation, I raised some hard-hitting biblical truths last week. The debate generated leads us to elucidate topical subjects highlighting the reality of being born again in today’s piece. We shall study progressively, one topic at a time so that you get time to reflect.

As part of our ongoing study of salvation, I raised some hard-hitting biblical truths last week. The debate generated leads us to elucidate topical subjects highlighting the reality of being born again in today’s piece. We shall study progressively, one topic at a time so that you get time to reflect.

Some of the aspects that I’m going to cover will mean total collapse or overhaul of your existing beliefs requiring paradigm shift leading to true repentance. For many of you, there will be solidification and reinforcement to your salvation. We shall discuss the difference between sin nature and sins, grace and law, deliverance and casting out of demons. I invite you to follow, it’s a worthy journey. Your engagement by prayer and personal Bible study will make the journey a joy.

We have established that you don’t get born again by confessing sins. There are traditional beliefs that you have to write down all the sins you committed and present them to God to be forgiven. If you forget one sin, it will haunt you. Sins don’t send anyone to hell, but rejection of Jesus Christ does. If you confess all your sins including those of your forefathers, but reject Jesus you still head to hell. Christ died to take away sin and acknowledgement of that is what brings salvation to you. You need to be Christ conscious not sin conscious. Many are told to go to the mountains, pray and fast days even months or bring offerings to appease God’s anger. That’s a mockery, disrespect and bringing into disrepute of what Christ did on the cross. I repeat, Jesus is the answer to sin. Confession of sin is not answer to sin. For emphasis, I repeat, forgiveness of sins comes when you confess Jesus Christ and thank Him for remission of sins. These topical issues were covered in the last two instalments.

Members of the vapostori baptising a fellow member in flowing Mukuvisi river near Waterfalls on Sunday

When a sinner repents (changes her/his mind) and confesses Jesus Christ she/he gets born again. You may use the term born again or believer. Faith in Jesus Christ means that you accept His completed work and the benefits will be accredited to you.

Trusting Jesus is done when you realise your incapacity to save yourself. Invitation of Jesus allows Him to break the grip of sin over you. He enters you and begins a new life empowering you to serve Him and the former master, sin packs and leaves you. To demystify salvation, we shall immediately enquire further into what transpires when a sinner is saved. The eternal life of Christ enters and the person is destined to heaven. Eternal life means everlasting and endless life. We have already validated this by a study of what happened in the garden of Eden. Before the entrance of Christ we are dead. At the point of confession of Jesus Christ, sin nature ceases and new life begins.

The Bible further clarifies in 2 Corinthians 5:17 saying, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” You have to clear any doctrinal, theological inclination, philosophical view or denominational and ecclesiastical persuasion to accept this spiritual reality. If you’re a new creature then we can trace your genealogy to Christ. Christ therefore becomes the starting point. He becomes your new foundation. This should answer your questions on generational curses and ancestral alters. Because of the voluminous nature of this aspect of new creation, I will pick it up in the coming weeks.

As you repent and confess the lordship of Jesus, you are moved from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. There are two kingdoms that you can belong to; light and darkness. You can be either in any one of them and there’s no neutral kingdom. Apostle Paul explains in Colossians 1:12-13, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” The Father delivers you from darkness to light. He doesn’t leave you in between.

You know darkness and light cannot cohabit. With this understanding, I ask you to answer the following questions. Does a believer need to undergo deliverance? If being born again brings in Christ to stay in me, can Christ live together with Satan inside me? Also think ahead and study demonic possession, oppression and obsession.

Until next week, remember you are going somewhere.

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