“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
Today a new series will begin since we have reflected deeply about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection on the blog over the days leading up to and after Easter.
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, from the dead, Jesus has given us a new birth.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He left us with the Holy Spirit, our helper, confidant, teacher, and giver of life. (John 16:7) The Holy Spirit helps us live with Christ’s power on the inside of us leading, and helping us to make good choices, to live with power to do so.
The Holy Spirit equips us by God’s grace to do the work God has set aside for each of us on this earth. The Holy Spirit gives life and power on the inside and lives in our hearts. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one triune God. We can be grateful that Jesus lives in our hearts as believers, giving us a new life.
We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore. He takes up residence in us. What an honour and a privilege to be a house for the Holy Spirt or, as the Bible states, a “temple” of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes, as Christians, we are not the best houses for the Holy Spirit. We sin and defile that temple. Yet Jesus remains in us, convicting us when we bring shame to His name. When we ask the LORD to forgive us, He does, and He helps us to carry on forward forgiven.
Naturally, if we love Jesus, we want to be the best home to His Spirit that we can be, but unless we rely on His grace, His power, and His Holy Spirit to do so, we can’t even begin. This is how anyone can overcome addictions, such as drinking, smoking, drugs, eating, and so forth. By leaning on the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome sin and become a better home to Him.
None of us is perfect. We all sin. God’s grace covers our sin. He died for our sin; it is finished!
God gives mercy and kindness to those who turn to Him for help to overcome. He is not a harsh, condemning judge. He loves those who believe and sincerely want to do better with His help. Overcoming sin may take time, but God will help you as you go to Him repeatedly for His help. Sometimes the support of a Christian counselor is necessary and needed and there is no shame in that.
In His great mercy, He has given us new birth, into a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
We have new life, new hope, new birth, new strength, new power,we are new creations in Christ. The old is gone, the new has come!
Believe it and receive it. Your life will never be the same. EVER.